Steven Harpers gives America 1.3 Billion
bootlegga @ Fri Apr 28, 2006 9:17 am
tritium tritium:
Gee. So you're saying it's better to have your eggs in one basket.
I believe in diversification.
Canada is next to a huge market, however we are to reliant on their economy. They sneeze, we catch a cold.
We should make ourselves less reliant by diversifying our market base. The United States has 360 million people. The EU 475 million, and China well billions.
Why not diversify??
I agree diversification would be a good thing, but unfortunately, geography conspires against us. It would be nice to have access to Asia and Europe, but those two oceans up the cost of shipping our goods there, whereas we can toss our stuff on a train, pipeline, or truck and send it south in a hurry for a fair bit less. Due to the simple logisitics of it, I can't see anyone coming close to the volumes we do with the US. But it would be nice to see one or two Asian/European countries with maybe 10-15% of our trade, and reduce our trade with the US to maybe 50-65%, instead of 75% it is today.
Diversification was tried in the 1960s/70s and it didn't work then. Will it work nowadays? Well, it might or might not. Personally, I'd like to see more of an effort to getting into China/India, even Brazil, but most businesses here focus on the 'easy' market to the south of us. Why? Because they have the same language, similar customs, etc. Those other markets take a lot of effort and money. Molsons took such a huge hit from its Brazilian expansion it was almost forced to merge with Coors.
I might not like a lot of US government policies and actions, but it is a nice insurance policy when someone like overseas suddenly doesn't want our goods, or finds them cheaper somewhere else.
themasta @ Fri Apr 28, 2006 9:19 am
Up at my cousins, the sole employer was the mill, but they recently shut it down. Hopefully with this agreement, they'll do an about face and re-open it.
ridenrain @ Fri Apr 28, 2006 9:20 am
To boil it down, the Libs have to stay in power so they need votes.
There are plenty of votes in the East and few in the West.
Why waste effort doing things for folks who don't vote for you anyways.
That's why the libs give BC the finger.
tritium @ Fri Apr 28, 2006 9:30 am
Illuminating NAFTA and turning Canada into a protectionist country once again is inevitable.
Everyone talks about a world economy. That's great if your country has a huge economy to begin with. However, Canada's 36 million can not support the rest of the worlds economy.
Sending our manufacturing base to Mexico, China and The United States and becoming a economy based on services industries drive down wages.
Our manufacturing base supported upper middle class. Domtar in Cornwall, Ontario paid $18 to $25 dollars per hr. now closed last month. What's left is SMC at $7 to $10 per hour and other service industry based jobs.
We are losing our middle class as our manufacturing base is being sent overseas.
tritium @ Fri Apr 28, 2006 9:41 am
bootlegga bootlegga:
I agree diversification would be a good thing, but unfortunately, geography conspires against us. It would be nice to have access to Asia and Europe, but those two oceans up the cost of shipping our goods there, whereas we can toss our stuff on a train, pipeline, or truck and send it south in a hurry for a fair bit less.
Quit thinking small. That is the problem with many Canadians. That's why we are riding on the coat tails of the USA.
Shipping our products overseas is more more expensive that sending it by train. Have you seen the size on an cargo ship up close?
Cargo ships can carry as much as 4 trains.
tritium @ Fri Apr 28, 2006 9:44 am
bootlegga bootlegga:
Molsons took such a huge hit from its Brazilian expansion it was almost forced to merge with Coors.
it did merge. Coors wanted to by Molsons for years.
Molson Coors Brewing Company
ridenrain @ Fri Apr 28, 2006 9:49 am
I agree with you on the loss of manufacturing and middle class.
You're spot on there.
You're container ship / train is confusing me.
$1:
Shipping our products overseas is more more expensive that sending it by train. Have you seen the size on an cargo ship up close?
Cargo ships can carry as much as 4 trains.
Cargo ships can carry as much as 4 trains.
Ships can carry more but they cost more to transport goods. I'd be dumbstruck (not the first time) if we can ship wood abroad cheaper than railing it down south.
tritium @ Fri Apr 28, 2006 5:59 pm
ridenrain ridenrain:
I agree with you on the loss of manufacturing and middle class.
You're spot on there.
You're container ship / train is confusing me.
Ships can carry more but they cost more to transport goods. I'd be dumbstruck (not the first time) if we can ship wood abroad cheaper than railing it down south.
You're spot on there.
You're container ship / train is confusing me.
$1:
Shipping our products overseas is more more expensive that sending it by train. Have you seen the size on an cargo ship up close?
Cargo ships can carry as much as 4 trains.
Cargo ships can carry as much as 4 trains.
Ships can carry more but they cost more to transport goods. I'd be dumbstruck (not the first time) if we can ship wood abroad cheaper than railing it down south.
Sorry - it was suppose to read:
Shipping our products overseas by cargo ship is no more expensive that sending it by train.
The reason is that a cargo ship can hold 4 times that of a train.
tritium @ Fri Apr 28, 2006 6:20 pm
lily lily:
$1:
Ships can carry more but they cost more to transport goods. I'd be dumbstruck (not the first time) if we can ship wood abroad cheaper than railing it down south.
Any increase in transport cost is offset by an increase in sale price.
Econ 101.
An increase in product prices, impacts the Competitive Pricing Strategy and hurts Market Share.
Sell in bulk, take a smaller markup.
Econ 101
canadian1971 @ Fri Apr 28, 2006 6:22 pm
Im piss poor and cant afford to pay attention......newfie economics 101 
ShepherdsDog @ Fri Apr 28, 2006 6:33 pm
Ah but what kind of wood was he selling them. They use specific types of wood for the construction of their temples. Specialty products always bring in a higher price.
tritium @ Fri Apr 28, 2006 6:39 pm
lily lily:
Good one, C-71. 
Any increase in transport cost is offset by an increase in sale price.
Econ 101.
An increase in product prices, impacts the Competitive Pricing Strategy and hurts Market Share.
Sell in bulk, take a smaller markup.
Econ 101
Still - if they're willing to pay the price, that's what you should be charging.
My Dad sold logs to the Japanese, Chinese and Koreans for years - and got far more than he would have selling them locally.
But then - he never finished high school, so what did he know about Econ.
tritium tritium:
lily lily:
$1:
Ships can carry more but they cost more to transport goods. I'd be dumbstruck (not the first time) if we can ship wood abroad cheaper than railing it down south.
Any increase in transport cost is offset by an increase in sale price.
Econ 101.
An increase in product prices, impacts the Competitive Pricing Strategy and hurts Market Share.
Sell in bulk, take a smaller markup.
Econ 101
Still - if they're willing to pay the price, that's what you should be charging.
My Dad sold logs to the Japanese, Chinese and Koreans for years - and got far more than he would have selling them locally.
But then - he never finished high school, so what did he know about Econ.
Hey you brought up the econ B.S. Yes, sell for what the market will bear, just like the oil companies are doing now. LOL
However, depending on your product and which country you are selling to, you may have to be in a competitive market and take less of a markup, that's all I said.
tritium @ Fri Apr 28, 2006 6:41 pm
canadian1971 canadian1971:
Im piss poor and cant afford to pay attention......newfie economics 101
Yeah I have heard about you Newfie's.
**picture removed** can click link if you want to see, NWS
http://www.mustangmods.com/ims/u/937/1239/49144.gif
ShepherdsDog @ Fri Apr 28, 2006 6:48 pm
lily lily:
k.... that's pretty gross - particularly when I opened the page with my daughter standing right beside. me. 
Lucy, you got some splainin to do.