Jump to content

Recommended Posts

Posted (edited)

The closer US President Obama comes to the end of his term the more he appears to strive for legacy defining actions. He has established a national Health Plan, he is orchestrating a deal with Iran and now is breaking the ice with Cuba;

http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2015/04/obama-castro-herald-turning-point-cuba-ties-150411230727356.html

Is this increasingly new USA cooperation with Cuba a good thing or a bad thing for Canada?

Edited by Big Guy

Note - For those expecting a response from Big Guy: I generally do not read or respond to posts longer then 300 words nor to parsed comments.

  • Replies 74
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Top Posters In This Topic

Posted

The only bad thing for Canada is that we will have to deal with American tourists and the prices will inflate.

Mexico isn't a whole lot more.

Posted

If $500-$1000 per person isn't a lot to you SmallC, I guess all I can say is congratulations on your business doing so well!

The prices are very very comparable on every website I try. I can right now get Cuba for June for about 650 for 5 days, but I can get Cabo or PV for 700 - 800 for the week pretty much all year.

Posted

Right now? Maybe Mexico discounts more heavily in the off season. If you compare hotels with similar amenities and available attractions during the peak season, Mexico is a lot more. A LOT more. Every winter I try to book a trip to the eastern coast of Mexico to see the ruins. Every year I end up going back to Cuba because the total bill is $2000-3000 less. Looking at Jan/Feb prices that are already posted, my regular places in Cuba are coming in at almost $1000 less per person compared to similarly appointed and reviewed places in eastern Mexico.

Posted

Right now? Maybe Mexico discounts more heavily in the off season.

It's been like that all year on Westjet Vacations. The price points were almost identical. A couple hundred dollars more, at most. Maybe I've just been lucky with what I've found.

Posted (edited)

It's been like that all year on Westjet Vacations. The price points were almost identical. A couple hundred dollars more, at most. Maybe I've just been lucky with what I've found.

Lucky, and only looking at the low end, where a $200 difference is still 30%.

I never check Westjet anymore -- they don't fly anywhere I usually to go.

Edited by Bryan
Posted

Lucky, and only looking at the low end, where a $200 difference is still 30%.

As long as I get a nice place to stay where I want to go, I'm pretty happy.

Posted (edited)

The only bad thing for Canada is that we will have to deal with American tourists and the prices will inflate.

HA!

WWWTT

Edited to add:

After reading the comments here in this fantastic thread, I'm afraid I'm contributing to a bad tourist thread drift.

My apologies.

Edited by WWWTT

Maple Leaf Web is now worth $720.00! Down over $1,500 in less than one year! Total fail of the moderation on this site! That reminds me, never ask Greg to be a business partner! NEVER!

Posted

The closer US President Obama comes to the end of his term the more he appears to strive for legacy defining actions. He has established a national Health Plan, he is orchestrating a deal with Iran and now is breaking the ice with Cuba;

http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2015/04/obama-castro-herald-turning-point-cuba-ties-150411230727356.html

Is this increasingly new USA cooperation with Cuba a good thing or a bad thing for Canada?

Good thread first off!

Big problem with the US is that they made too many enemies.

Cuba is the largest Caribbean nation, has a high level of education and excellent health care.

Overall, Cuba is a successful communist nation.

The US can learn tremendous from Cuba.

Obviously, the US has less to offer Cuba than Cuba to the US.

Either way you look at it lessening tensions and opening trade and exchanging thought/beliefs/lifestyles/culture is a huge win win!

WWWTT

Maple Leaf Web is now worth $720.00! Down over $1,500 in less than one year! Total fail of the moderation on this site! That reminds me, never ask Greg to be a business partner! NEVER!

Posted

The US can learn tremendous from Cuba.

Obviously, the US has less to offer Cuba than Cuba to the US.

Actually, the US has a long economic and political history with Cuba...far more than Canada.

Economics trumps Virtue. 

 

Posted

This new détente may solve a few problems for Obama. The new Castro apparently wants America out of Guantanamo Bay Prison. Obama can simply say yes - its yours and pull all the Americans out. Castro can deal with the inmates how he wants.

So after 55 years of sanctions on Cuba it looks like they do not work. I hope that we do not have to wait another 50 years with Iran.

Note - For those expecting a response from Big Guy: I generally do not read or respond to posts longer then 300 words nor to parsed comments.

Posted

Obviously, the US has less to offer Cuba than Cuba to the US.

Either way you look at it lessening tensions and opening trade and exchanging thought/beliefs/lifestyles/culture is a huge win win!

WWWTT

Obviously as usual, you have no idea what you are talking about. If the US and Cuba get close economic relations and open up trade , Cuba will get a lot more out of the deal than the US would. Cuba's economy and standard of living will undoubtedly increase dramatically.

Hope for the Best, Prepare for the Worst

Posted

So after 55 years of sanctions on Cuba it looks like they do not work.

Work to do what?

Impose the US will?

Obviously the US model isn't that great?Maybe the world goes on without the US.

WWWTT

Maple Leaf Web is now worth $720.00! Down over $1,500 in less than one year! Total fail of the moderation on this site! That reminds me, never ask Greg to be a business partner! NEVER!

Posted

Cuba is a prison, in which its government forbids it's citizens to leave. Any bettering of relations should be predicated on the Cuban government respecting freedom and human rights of its citizens. Also international organizations like the Red Cross should once again be allowed in as they are in other countries.

Posted

So when did we start giving a shit how the governments we truck with treat their people again?

A government without public oversight is like a nuclear plant without lead shielding.

Posted

If the US and Cuba get close economic relations and open up trade , Cuba will get a lot more out of the deal than the US would. Cuba's economy and standard of living will undoubtedly increase dramatically.

It seems that would be the obvious scenario, but Cuba already has a better standard of living than most of the countries in that region that the US does trade with. Overall, things were far worse for the average Cuban when the US was running the place.

Posted

Cuba is a prison, in which its government forbids it's citizens to leave.

That isn't true. It's always been possible to leave, it's just been difficult to get through the red tape. For several years now, that process has been simplified. The real sticking point now is other countries' willingness to grant them a visa. If they have that, it's no more difficult than it is for us to leave Canada.

Posted

It seems that would be the obvious scenario, but Cuba already has a better standard of living than most of the countries in that region that the US does trade with. Overall, things were far worse for the average Cuban when the US was running the place.

There is the risk of relations with the US not being good for them but I doubt that would be an issue in the short to medium term. Just the tourism and trade aspects would bring tremendous benefit .

Hope for the Best, Prepare for the Worst

Posted

That isn't true. It's always been possible to leave, it's just been difficult to get through the red tape. For several years now, that process has been simplified. The real sticking point now is other countries' willingness to grant them a visa. If they have that, it's no more difficult than it is for us to leave Canada.

No that isn't true.

Posted

Cuba is a prison, in which its government forbids it's citizens to leave. Any bettering of relations should be predicated on the Cuban government respecting freedom and human rights of its citizens. Also international organizations like the Red Cross should once again be allowed in as they are in other countries.

Even if they make it to the USA, they can be deported back with force. Elian Gonzalez as an example.

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Unfortunately, your content contains terms that we do not allow. Please edit your content to remove the highlighted words below.
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.


×
×
  • Create New...