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What American's Ought to Know About Canada, But Don't

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  • Otherwise there would be 6 democrats on every ballot...
    You don't have primary elections? Primaries tend to allow for more ideologically diverse parties (i.e., politicians are tied to the local views rather than the national party platform or leadership).
    I came upon a barroom full of bad Salon pictures in which men with hats on the backs of their heads were wolfing food from a counter. It was the institution of the "free lunch" I had struck. You paid for a drink and got as much as you wanted to eat. For something less than a rupee a day a man can feed himself sumptuously in San Francisco, even though he be a bankrupt. Remember this if ever you are stranded in these parts. ~ Rudyard Kipling, 1891

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    • I am also descended from Canada. My great, great grandfather was a German noble of some sort, and he emigrated to Canada, married a woman who spoke a couple of Native American languages, then they both moved to Chicago, IL. She was my great, great grandmother.
      Christianity: The belief that a cosmic Jewish Zombie who was his own father can make you live forever if you symbolically eat his flesh and telepathically tell him you accept him as your master, so he can remove an evil force from your soul that is present in humanity because a rib-woman was convinced by a talking snake to eat from a magical tree...

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      • Maybe that's enough politics.

        Other stuff:

        - We're polite. Example - yesterday I turned a corner fairly quickly and almost bumped into another guy, who was doing the same thing. We both instantly said "Sorry", even though no contact was made, just a brief stop and sidestep. I'm not saying that doesn't happen elsewhere, it is just inbred here.

        - We embrace diversity rather than trying to stamp it out (for the most part). Immigrants and their descendants are usually referred to by their native country first - i.e. Hungarian-Canadian, not Canadian-Hungarian. Toronto has been named the most multi-cultural city in the world. Canada is a collage, not a melting pot.

        - We are tolerant. Alternative lifestyles, marijuana, abortion, etc...

        - We are hardy (hard not to be through the winters)

        - We are hard workers. Out west they are more laid back(less hours), but the effort during work hours is there. I have heard many stories about foreign companies loving Canadian workers because they get so much work done.

        - With regards to foreign affairs, we want to improve the world moreso for the sake of improving the world than for the sake of improving our stance in it.

        There are always exceptions, naturally. These broad strokes are just my opinions.

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        • Originally posted by JimmyCracksCorn
          Only in Canada the Governor is a Premier, and members of the House are called MPPs (members of provincial parliament) or MHAs (members of the house of assembly).
          MLAs (members of the legislative assembly). In Quebec they're something else again, but I can't recall it off the top of my head. They call their provincial legislature the "national assembly" IIRC (one of those French-identity things), so that would make their provincial legislators -- MNAs?
          "If you doubt that an infinite number of monkeys at an infinite number of typewriters would eventually produce the combined works of Shakespeare, consider: it only took 30 billion monkeys and no typewriters." - Unknown

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          • to the political argument. It's entertaining. I'll root for NYE, my fellow GS'er (ptwdgI reference).

            Since my father held Canadian citizenship until a few years ago and my sister & nephew currently live just outside Toronto, I feel like I know a tad more about Canada than the average American. Only a tad, though. One thing comes across loud & clear: You're NOT like Americans. No matter what people say.

            -Arrian
            grog want tank...Grog Want Tank... GROG WANT TANK!

            The trick isn't to break some eggs to make an omelette, it's convincing the eggs to break themselves in order to aspire to omelettehood.

            Comment


            • Originally posted by DanS


              You don't have primary elections? Primaries tend to allow for more ideologically diverse parties (i.e., politicians are tied to the local views rather than the national party platform or leadership).
              Not sure if you are asking nationally or on the riding level....

              Party leaders are chosen by the parties at national conventions (of one sort or another). The local candidate for a particular party is determined at a nomination meeting held shortly before (or after) an election call.
              "I have never killed a man, but I have read many obituaries with great pleasure." - Clarence Darrow
              "I didn't attend the funeral, but I sent a nice letter saying I approved of it." - Mark Twain

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              • Originally posted by dejon

                - We are hard workers. Out west they are more laid back(less hours), but the effort during work hours is there. I have heard many stories about foreign companies loving Canadian workers because they get so much work done.
                That's definitely true when compared to Hong Kong.

                People in Hong Kong typically spend 60 hours a week in the office, but I figure most do the same work than a Canadian could do in 35 hours.
                Golfing since 67

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                • Originally posted by DanS


                  You don't have primary elections? Primaries tend to allow for more ideologically diverse parties (i.e., politicians are tied to the local views rather than the national party platform or leadership).
                  And yet Canadian politics is more diverse.
                  Golfing since 67

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                  • The local candidate for a particular party is determined at a nomination meeting held shortly before (or after) an election call.
                    What's the formal term? A caucus?

                    And yet Canadian politics is more diverse.
                    There are at least more parties, even if those parties are less diverse.
                    I came upon a barroom full of bad Salon pictures in which men with hats on the backs of their heads were wolfing food from a counter. It was the institution of the "free lunch" I had struck. You paid for a drink and got as much as you wanted to eat. For something less than a rupee a day a man can feed himself sumptuously in San Francisco, even though he be a bankrupt. Remember this if ever you are stranded in these parts. ~ Rudyard Kipling, 1891

                    Comment


                    • There's a belief that Americans barricade themselves in their homes while Canadians do not (The old joke about Americans having ten deadbolts on their door).

                      True or not? What do you think?
                      Golfing since 67

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                      • Originally posted by Tingkai
                        And yet Canadian politics is more diverse.
                        It's the reason your politics is more diverse.
                        Christianity: The belief that a cosmic Jewish Zombie who was his own father can make you live forever if you symbolically eat his flesh and telepathically tell him you accept him as your master, so he can remove an evil force from your soul that is present in humanity because a rib-woman was convinced by a talking snake to eat from a magical tree...

                        Comment


                        • True or not? What do you think?
                          I'm sure it depends on where you live.
                          I came upon a barroom full of bad Salon pictures in which men with hats on the backs of their heads were wolfing food from a counter. It was the institution of the "free lunch" I had struck. You paid for a drink and got as much as you wanted to eat. For something less than a rupee a day a man can feed himself sumptuously in San Francisco, even though he be a bankrupt. Remember this if ever you are stranded in these parts. ~ Rudyard Kipling, 1891

                          Comment


                          • Originally posted by DanS
                            I'm sure it depends on where you live.
                            Yup.

                            When I lived in Nebraska and the far Western Chicago suburbs, we never locked our doors (at least not until several houses in our subdivision got robbed). Here I have mulitple locks on my back door.
                            Christianity: The belief that a cosmic Jewish Zombie who was his own father can make you live forever if you symbolically eat his flesh and telepathically tell him you accept him as your master, so he can remove an evil force from your soul that is present in humanity because a rib-woman was convinced by a talking snake to eat from a magical tree...

                            Comment


                            • Not true where I live (I often forget to lock the door, I've left the garage open all night long several times). One bolt lock on the front door, that's it.

                              YMMV.

                              -Arrian
                              grog want tank...Grog Want Tank... GROG WANT TANK!

                              The trick isn't to break some eggs to make an omelette, it's convincing the eggs to break themselves in order to aspire to omelettehood.

                              Comment


                              • Originally posted byDanS
                                What's the formal term? A caucus?
                                We just call them nomination meetings.


                                Originally posted byDanS
                                There are at least more parties, even if those parties are less diverse.
                                Interesting question. Off hand I would say Canadian politics requires compromise, but I'll give it some more thought.

                                Good night,
                                Golfing since 67

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