Does Canada “Work”?
From the git-go, this is not an article critical of Canada, the nation. Canada geographically occupies most of North America – from sea (Atlantic Ocean) to shining sea (Pacific Ocean) to frozen sea (Arctic Ocean). It’s huge! The only other nation that shares a border with Canada is the USA.
Explored and then conquered by France and then Great Britain, Canada became a “federal dominion” in 1867. It is now a federation of 10 provinces and 3 territories, and its government is best described as “a parliamentary democracy and a constitutional monarchy, with Queen Elizabeth as its head of state.”
Why bring up Canada?
Because one day soon, the USA may look very much like her – minus the Queen. Much of what Canada is and does WORKS. No doubt about it. It’s a wealthy nation. It has low unemployment. Its socialist leanings are similar to or the same as Great Britain’s. Canada works … for Canadians.
Generally speaking, the things Canadians enjoy we Americans enjoy. Ask Canadians if they are free and they’ll tell you, “Yep.”
But Canada isn’t America. (You Canadians … don’t take this wrong …) Canada is not as great, prosperous, generous, strong, or entrepreneurial. No one would consider Canada the “leader of the free world” or the biggest bull in the financial china shop. One reason is Canada’s population is about 32 million, give or take. That’s only 1/10th of the population of the USA. So … Canada is bigger geographically, and much smaller when it comes to population. With all the natural resources within its borders, Canada has a lot going for it … but it isn’t America.
Personally and practically, I don’t want to pay the taxes Canadians do. And I don’t want to buy into their medical program. Canada WORKS … but not for me. I love to visit Canada, but I don’t want to live there.
With all that up front – in my opinion America is headed … NOT TOWARD THE CANADIAN SOCIALIST MODEL – the model that works up there, but toward a much more dangerous model of socialism. We’re heading toward a more controlling/dictatorial form of government, where a very few will control the lives of multitudes. The USA is headed backwards … toward 1984. Big Brother. A propaganda machine run by an elite media.
Oh, brother.
Think about it. Any comments?
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In this post you’ve said that America, one day soon, might “look very much” like Canada, but also say that America is heading toward a controlling/dictatorial form of government which is “NOT TOWARD THE CANADIAN SOCIALIST MODEL.” I don’t know that you actually say anything in this post other than Canada being good for Canadians, and that America is going to become a socialist state. The first statement I don’t think has any meaning at all (who or what else is Canada supposed to work for?), the second you give no reasons for believing, and no basis for understanding, your claim that America is heading toward socialism.
Regardless, I don’t know what one has to do with the other.
Also, Will Wilkinson of the Cato Institute, a libertarian organization if there ever was one, has commented that perhaps Canada is more “free” than the US http://www.cato.org/pub_display.php?pub_id=9662.
Spare me the jingoism and fear of single-payer health insurance, and learn a bit more about Canadian politics.
Abe, I don’t know a lot about Canada. Have you been reading our political blog sites of late? Your nation’s “everything” (govt., health care, etc.) is being held up as THE model to follow. My point was and is, it’s a great model for the Canadians (who own it) to follow, but one that scares many Americans. We are unfamiliar with the ins and outs of your systems.
We might end up looking and being more and more like Canada. I want to know what that means.
How about sparing me the pompous attitude and inform me and my readers (few as they are).