Commonwealth Games

[geoffrey]

Well, to me it makes more sense to go with a political system much more like the Americans, which is a truly unique model. With such a sprawling country such as ours, I'd like to see more regional power such as the states have.

You don't know what you are talking about. Canadian provinces have more power in many ways than US states so if you are saying that Canada should be more like the US they you are saying the federal gov't should have more powers. For example, in the US the states do not collect royalties on natural resources which means all Albertas oil money would be going to Ottawa - not Edmonton if Canada was like the US.

Really?

Alaskan Permanent Fund

Sparhawk is correct, Canada has one of the most decentralized governments in the world... I also think it can go further though. Alaska collects an additional levy on top of the federal royalties by the way. As do most states. The Fed still gets most of it though.

[August1991]

Sparhawk is correct, Canada has one of the most decentralized governments in the world... I also think it can go further though. Alaska collects an additional levy on top of the federal royalties by the way. As do most states. The Fed still gets most of it though.

That's wrong, on several points.

The US federal government (and most US States) collect almost no natural resource rents:

Production in the United States has several unusual aspects. One is the private ownership of resource rights. In most major producing countries, the government owns the rights to develop resources. For privately owned property in the United States, the decision to explore for and produce oil is between the landowner and the producing company.

EIA

Taxes on crude oil production

Most States impose a severance tax when oil (or gas or another natural resource) is produced from property within their territory. It is generally a percentage of the sale price and thus varies with markets. In 1996, States collected a total of about $3.3 billion in severance taxes on oil and gas production. For Alaska, the State by far the most dependent on oil production activity, severance taxes account for about half of all State tax revenue. In other large producing States, severance tax revenue is important but is less than 10 percent of total tax revenue.

...

In 1996, the Federal government collected approximately $3 billion in royalties on oil and gas production from Federal property, including Federal offshore areas.

EIA

To compare:

In 2004-2005 Alberta non-renewable energy royalty revenues amounted to $9.74 billion

Govt of Alberta

----

The US Constitution leaves all unspecified powers to the individual States. That is not the case in the Canadian Constitution. The US Constitution has nothing like a "notwithstanding clause".

The US has no agency like Elections Canada and each individual State organizes federal elections.

All things considered, these comparisons are misplaced because the two countries are so different.

[margrace]

Evidently the Queen comes in handy when dealing with aggressive take over attempts by the US. I remember a few years ago a Royal tour centred mainly in the North when they were making noises about the control of our North. We use her plain and simple.

[scribblet]

Evidently the Queen comes in handy when dealing with aggressive take over attempts by the US. I remember a few years ago a Royal tour centred mainly in the North when they were making noises about the control of our North. We use her plain and simple.

What agressive take over attempts by the U.S.? Could you be more specific and provide some sources?

I wouldn't mind them taking over then we could live in a warm climate all year round.