US annexing Canada, only a matter of time?

[MarkDel]

Whilst I would love to have them, I really only think that the Prarie provinces have any chance whatsoever of joining the US, only because they hate the federal govt so much. but even that is a loooong stretch. Why would you want to leave a country with free healthcare, great education, and liberal ideals, especially if it was your homeland?

I would live in Canada if I didn't love America-it is my homeland. My heart resides here, not in Sakatchewan. So if I dont want to step up, why would they want to step down?

Hughento,

So would it be fair to say that you prefer the Canadian system of government, and Canadian "philosophy" of government, over the US?

[MarkDel]

whlst I don't like the fact that they have a monarch as HoS, and that one party is a bit too powerful 9although if you look at opinion polls...), overall I think it is a very good system, on par with the US.

In terms of their social programs, yes they are better.

Hughento,

So then it's fair to say that you believe in a "paternalistic" society with a significant increase in the welfare state and a significant increase in personal taxation?

[MarkDel]

I believe that if you can offer a good social security system, and still have extremely high levels of freedom of speech, it doesnt matter how much you tax. Well, within reason anyway.

That's why the world's top three countries, according to the UN, are scandinavian-Norway, Sweden, Iceland-they have high taxes, and great social security.

Hughento,

So I guess the answer to my question would be "yes" then? As for the UN report you cite...I guess all studies have their place, but please consider that the people who issue this report have a fairly substantial agenda.

[MarkDel]

UK is pretty low on that list, I would have thought we would be in the top 10, I would love to go to Iceland, my school runs a geography trip there but I am not going to do geography A-level, plus it clashes with a politics trip to DC and New York .

JFK,

That's what I'm talking about...any survey that doesn't have the UK as one of the top ten places to live is way off...

[MarkDel]

UK is pretty low on that list, I would have thought we would be in the top 10, I would love to go to Iceland, my school runs a geography trip there but I am not going to do geography A-level, plus it clashes with a politics trip to DC and New York .

JFK,

That's what I'm talking about...any survey that doesn't have the UK as one of the top ten places to live is way off...

Any study that has Sweden that high GOT to be correct.

I think all studies do show that Scandinavia and the smaller international Anglo-Saxon countries are the best places to live...that includes actually asking people what they think.

Gustaf,

I guess I have to go check out Sweden at some point. Of course, I promised myself I would never return to mainland Europe after my last visit where I encountered more hostility than a naked leper. After my last trip to Europe, I jokingly told people that the only way I would come back is if I came in by parachute as part of an invasion...LOL

[MarkDel]

UK is pretty low on that list, I would have thought we would be in the top 10, I would love to go to Iceland, my school runs a geography trip there but I am not going to do geography A-level, plus it clashes with a politics trip to DC and New York .

JFK,

That's what I'm talking about...any survey that doesn't have the UK as one of the top ten places to live is way off...

Any study that has Sweden that high GOT to be correct.

I think all studies do show that Scandinavia and the smaller international Anglo-Saxon countries are the best places to live...that includes actually asking people what they think.

Gustaf,

I guess I have to go check out Sweden at some point. Of course, I promised myself I would never return to mainland Europe after my last visit where I encountered more hostility than a naked leper. After my last trip to Europe, I jokingly told people that the only way I would come back is if I came in by parachute as part of an invasion...LOL

You would certainly not be treated like that in Sweden...I think...most people here aren't aginst Americans, just Republicans..oh, well...

You could hang out with pro-Americans, like me.

And, above all, we are NOT, repeat NOT, part of mainland Europe...

Gustaf,

I think I'm about to make a fool of myself...but I always thought of Sweden as part of mainland Europe...why am I wrong?

[MarkDel]

Gustaf,

How much water must one cross to get from Denmark to Sweden at its narrowest crossing? It's only a few miles, right?

[MarkDel]

JFK,

1 mile=1.6 kilometers

So the distance was slightly more than I realized. I always thought of this "gap" as no more than a few miles wide.

[MarkDel]

Gustaf,

How much water must one cross to get from Denmark to Sweden at its narrowest crossing? It's only a few miles, right?

Yes, lol, there's a bridge and everything.  A bridge too far, I'd say...I was just trying to rationalize my emotions...

A bridge too far? GREAT MOVIE!!!

[MarkDel]

Sorry to burst you Yankee's bubble, but the thing that unites Canada most is a strong sense of Anti-Americanism. Canada has a serious identity crisis, questions of our annexation are likely part of the cause. Alberta has the largest realistic separation movement yes, but they have some crazy strong Canadian Nationalist. The more extreme your country's party is the other side is equally extreme. So out west you have those lunatic Conservatives/Alliance and the NDP.

I agree with a lot of the comments against the annexation of Canada. Alberta is right yes, but likely compares more to Ohio than Texas or Alabama. Albertans like their FREE healthcare system.

Siege40

SIege,

You have said some incredibly silly things in other posts, BUT, I would like to commend you on this post. You are 1000% correct. The main, perhaps only, thing holding Canada together as a nation is its hatred of America and all things American. As someone who has spent a lot of time in your country, even having lived there for nearly a year, I can tell everyone here that you are correct about this point.

Canada, at this point, is a collection of provinces, all of which have very, very little in common. There's nothing cultural that holds this nation together, other than maybe Hockey and donuts, and the difference between the East and the West is about as dramatic a difference as any country in the world. There's nothing cultural, religious, social, anything that holds Canadians together. There's nothing that they can define as "Canadian" per se. Hence they express their identity, or lack of same, through expressions of "we're not Americans" If someone asked "What does being a Canadian mean  to you" the answer would be "I'm not an American" The national identity of Canada is "We're not Americans" and that's a sad, but true statement on your part.