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Should the Canadian govnmnt leverage every red cent out of its trading partners? If not that's not America's fault. I hear constantly hear people bashing the US becuase it is the largest and most significant economy in the world. It is true that "as the US economy goes, so go the ecnomies of the world" There is a reason for that. Why do so many countries clammer to do business with the US? Is it because they know they'll get screwed? NO they do it becuase they want the benefit that doing business with the US will pay. America is NOT making Canada sell it's natural resources to the US.

   

Furthermore, Canada isn't the only country feeling the ill effects of NAFTA, Americans have been loosing thousands of jobs every year to workers in Mexico, causing plant closings all over the country putting thousands of AMericans out of work, HOWEVER, I beleive that in the long run (and short run for that matter) it will help strengthen all of (our) economy's even more. We have companies pulling out of the states going over seas for cheaper labo(u)r, then reimports those same products for half the costs to resell to all Americans. My education and background is in International Business and International Economics, and my vocation is in valuation, so it's not like this is a new concept to me. Canada has problems, just like America has problems, America's at the forefront of economies all over the world so we're usually first blamed for anything that goes wrong in this world, BUT we're usually the FIRST place countries come to for hand outs or help, and MOST times we give it. Canada has not had to deal with terrorists attacks or natural disasters (yet) but rest assured when (if) it happens America will be the first one to VOLUNTEER to help with anything that is needed. Where will the U.S. bashers be then?????

   

Freedom of speech is a wonderful thing, it's a right worth fighting to preserve. I understand the premise of the site and forum, I would expect nothing more than what I have seen so far. Most Americans are oblivious to our neighbo(u)rs to the north, and that is a VERY sad truth. Having been raised on both sides of the border, it saddens me to have to deal with the anti-American sentiment I experience when I go (home) up there. Most people are great and respectful but unfortuantely as soon as the ol' greenbacks are flashed their attitude changes like...."thanks for visiting and spending money, now get the hell out" When that heppens I usually inform them that I am Canadian by birth, and they're polite again. Sad but true. Thanks for the kind words and respect RoyalHighlander

   

Good! GREAT, I'm a mechanical engineer myself, given your proffession, maybe you could explain NAFTA to me. The way I see it, America had easier access to our natural resources, that was their incentive to sign. And Canada was to have fair access to the huge American market. Canada does not have fair access, what happened? Why do we keep having to take the US to court over lumber and grain disputes?

Don't get yourself all worked up, you asked where the anti-American (government) attitudes come from, I answered. Note: the threads usually are only this anti-american when we have americans here stirring the pot, Johnybgoodaa for example.

   

If that's how you feel, you can blame the Libs for letting our dollar sag for the last ten years. It's totally blown away our competitiveness as a nation, and made it easy for us to cash in our chips on what we do have. You can't just blame America, we are the ones guilty of whoring ourselves, for want of a better word. The Libs have made it very difficult for our companies to be competitive, even with corporate taxes etc. The higher dollar is a good thing.

I for one, am involved in importing, and we've made great profit importing from the US. It's give and take. There will always be disputes. Look at how our lower dollar has taken jobs directly away from Americans. It's a two way street, we aren't angels either.

   

Let's face it, Canada is a sick society. We have some sort of twisted, messed up inferiority complex when it comes to the Americans. Many of us are guilty of bashing the Americans, while at the same time, we get all giddy at the sheer thought that they may be paying attention to us. Really screwed up mass psychosis going on here. Many Canadians define themselves as 'not being American', which I think is pathetic. I define my Canadian identity as being kind of kindred with American, yet slightly different. I mean, let's face it, we are very similar to Americans, but we pronounce our 'OU's' differently. We're just Tundra Yanks, get over it.

   

But wouldnt it be nice to have a stable country next to us that had a completely different culture. Its kind of boring , the differences between American and Canadian culture.. not to say there arent any, because I proud to bne Canadian. Sometimes I just get bored with the homogenization of the world..

Oh yah.. and about the free trade thing... Canada gets screwed outta their natural rescources by the U.S big business, and then have to buy them back as finished products... Americans get screwed outta jobs by American big business who send the work south to mexico and overseas, therefore screwing mexico and others by paying slave wages in sweatshops. Maybe thats the reason Mexico doesnt do so hot economically. Thats my definition of free trade.. the only person who benefeits permanantly is AMERICAN BIG BUSINESS..

   

Mexico isn't doing too badly these days at all, the Mexican economy is actually larger than the Canadian one at this point. I was there two years ago and saw nothing but new factories and new investment and people moving up in the world.

   

Yea? Havn't spent much time in eastern Canada, I hope that's not the case.

I've never heard anybody introduce themselves as 'not American'. That does sound pathetic, and I've heard claims like this before, I have yet to witness it firsthand though. I'm thinking maybe you have issues...


Your attitude stinks. I've lived in both countries, here's what I can tell you from my experience. There is NO WAY to confuse somebody from SK, AB, or BC with anybody from Ohio, Kentucky, tennesse, or Alabama. Completely different attitudes, completely differnt way of thinking. Want examples?

-How many times did the last PM get a pie thrown in his face? The outcome, a small public nusance fine if anything. Do you know what would happen if somebody were to throw anything at the president of the USA? They would be lucky not to get shot! On the flip side, if we had a PM that told a bold face lie in order to go to war, we'd lynch him. George Dubya looks like he's heading for another term. Elected officials in the US earn some kind of higher status after being elected, Americans are hesitant to question or misstrust them. In Canada, the attitude is "my vote got you in there, you work for me."

-A lot of Americans I've met hardly know what's going on outside their own county, my Canadian friends have a much better global understanding. I've given this some thought, and here's my theory. Canada is fairly small, hence global issues really affect us. Americans are very sheltered from the world due to their nations power, what's going on outside the border doesn't really concern them.

-The American public (I've had this debate with a few of them) would rather spend money on more bombs etc. to fortify this shield that keeps them unaffected from the rest of the world, where Canadians would rather send their money to help out Africa etc. I havn't talked to ONE person down here (KY) in favor of helping out Africa, their response? "They need to stop having sex."

You can take your Tundra Yanks theory and shove it. I don't understand your attitude. I've lived both places and I don't think you know what Canadians have got. These are my observations, my opinions. I didn't pick them up from watching TV or posting on any forum.

   

Yup, I agree with that.

We're profiting, huh? Tell that to the farmers auctioning off their land because they can't compete with George Dubyas farm subsidies.
We are stealing jobs? Tell that to the pulp and paper mill workers who watch raw logs heading south on flatbed trucks. Hell, tell it to the machine shops that service those pulp mills. Sounds a little more like America getting Canadian jobs to me. Now maybe Canada is profiting in your part of the country but I sure havn't seen it in the prairies, or the rockies.

   

It's unfortunate that you didn't pay more attention to the summit in Cancun last fall and the recent failed meeting in Florida, Rosco. Mexico is really only doing well ina very small area close to the border, and wages there are below the national average. Attempts at unionisation have been met with brutal opposition by the mostly US-owned corporations operating there.

Kanadian is right...it is American big business that is at the root of the problem. The thing is that the US government, and Bush is worse than most, backs that business no matter what.

The problem spreads far beyond Mexico or Canada. South America, Africa, Asia, and Eastern Europe are all suffering too. US government trade and agricultural policies are very literally killing people. The influence they wield in World Bank and International Monetary Fund is doing the same.

You'll have to forgive me for sounding anti-American, Layne, but when babies are dying of dysentry in South America and the AIDS pandemic in Africa is being ignored so that George Bush and his closest buddies can get a little richer, I get pissed off. When Canada is told that they cannot have a Wheat Board or market our lumber our way, or even decriminalise marijuana, it has a direct effect on me too.

   

To say Canadians don't have access to American markets is distortion of the facts. Canada has all the access it needs to compete ina fair and open market. There are ALWAYS examples of abuses and problems with any agreement, as I'm sure there are with NAFTA, but to say Canada is getting screwed by Americans BUYING their natural resources is absurd. Take pharmecuticals, why are Americans having to subsidize the socialist health care system of Canada where our drug companies can only sell to Canada for 25cents on the dollar US$. That's why our medicines cost so much here is because governments with price controls limit how much drugs can be sold in countries such as Canada and US buyers have to make that up. As I said, there are examples on both sides of the border. If it's a real problem then make YOUR government stop selling them to us. Just as we could NOT sell drugs to Canada. It works both ways. Trade wars happen all the time over just such issues, but I seriously doubt it would ever come to that.

   

Don't preach to me about babies starving in other countires! Now you're blaming Americans for people starving and dying of AIDS? Who invented the only known medicine known to slow AIDS?????? Why wasn't the anti AIDS drugs given freely to the people of Africa???? One good reason stems from the fact the the drugs are a cocktail and MUST BE TAKEN at specific timed intervals, and most people dying of AIDS in Africa don't even have clocks in their homes so the drugs would be ineffective.

I'm so tired of people bashing MY President and blaming everything on our greed. Adn that WE are the ones responsible for all the ills of the world. People should take a step back and realize that no matter how it is sliced we AMERICANS GIVE (not loan) more money to the world per GDP and pure dollars than any other country int he world, INCLUDING Canada! What a cop out! What the heck does getting rich have to do with the AIDS epidemic? Do your own research about topics and stop regurgitating what you hear from those spewing an agenda.

   

Anyone that really beleives that America is the evil empire should take a month or so (it's a big book) and read Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand. Or simply ask yourslef what would happen if America simply took it's money and went home? What if we didn't GIVE Russia $28.7+ billion when it collapsed, what if we didn't give $59BILLION to African countires every year in aid, what if we didn't give billions and billions and billions every year away to help other countries. You know the last time I was in Canada I was in Guelph Ont and lost my wallet, when it turned up my $425 in cash was gone. Do you think I look sourly on all Canadians because of that? It was my own fault for loosing it. Get the picture, I blamed myslef for what happened, not the scum bag that took the money. I didn't go to your government and ask for the money. More people around the world need to take responsibility for their own actions, and stop looking to blame others.

   

I too have lived on both sides, and Americans in general have less knowledge about the rest of the world. We have an VERY competitive society here and there is alot going on in our country that people have no clue about, but does that make us bad people???? How many people have died lately trying to get over the border to Canada from other countires??? You can count the dead on the beaches in Miami or in the desert of the southwest every week trying to get here.

   

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