No problem although I'm surprised no-one's added words of wisdom.
Where's GDaina when you need him??

You wanna be careful, 67- if Stompin' Tom Connors catches word that you "hang the Maple Leaf upside down", he might write a song about you. He feels pretty strong about such things.

 

I think you need to secure that rope on the bottom a little better :smash:

 

Well, I don't claim these as words of wisdom, but 69 percent of thoughtful Americans believe ole Usama has already ridden a JDAM stallion off into the sunset...er, paradise. :D :D

 

Maybe while he's layin' a beatin' on me, he could enlighten me on where the Billions in tax dollars are really going. :D To the military? To an improved highway system? To improved healthcare? To improved policing? To at least a kindergarden-level intelligence service?

Here's a day in the life in the Great White North. Let's say you're earning $CA100,000 (approx. $US55,000) and fall in the 40% tax bracket (average combined Fed/Prov top marginal rate across Canada). It's your weekly payday!!! Hurray!!! Now to deal with taxation on that weekly income:

1. $CA1,923.00 pay - $CA769.00 income tax hit before you get your pay cheques (translation for U.S. friends - check :D ) - $CA1,154 remains and that's only $US634.00

2. next to the gas station for a $60.00 fill up - approx 50% taxation at the pumps - you actually get around $30.00 worth of gasoline. :cry

3. your wife calls and says, "Don't forget the house taxes are due this week!"

4. off to the beer store to drown your sorrows - tax hit? Don't even ask! :cry :cry

5. so, you decide to buy some shiney new wheels for the Corvette to make you feel better. You find out they're only available in the U.S., so you place an order by phone (hey, the toll free number doesn't work from Canada :mad :cry ).

6. A few days later, UPS calls and says, "Your shipment is here. How would you like to pay for those shiney new wheels?" You give them your credit card number and find out that, not only do you pay the exchange on the American dollar (don't ask :eek: :cry ) and the exhorbitant cross-border shipping costs, and an outrageous cross-border brokerage fee for UPS to punch some numbers into a computer :mad :eek: :cry but you pay 8% provincial tax (huh? I didn't buy them in Ontario from an Ontario business) and another 7% federal tax (huh? I didn't buy them in Canada from a Canadian business :mad ) on the whole damn mess.

7. Now, you're so freaked-out, you think you're having a heart attack :cuss . So, you head off to emergency at your friendly neighbourhood Canadian hospital......only to see a waiting line as long as your mother-in-law's complaint list.......so now your heart's really pumping!!! You squeal down the street to your family doctor's office and by threatening the receptionist, you get the waiting time down to a mere 3 hours. So, what does the doctor tell you? Man, we'd better book you in for a MRI. I'll make the appointment for you.......the wait is 3 months. :eek: :cry :mad

Okay, calm down.... :crazy: ....you can handle this :eek: ...... breathe deep (the gathering gloom, watch lights fade from every room......bed-sitter people look back in lament......another day's useless energy's spent - where the hell did The Moody Blues come from? :crazy: ).

You've had enough........you jump in the Corvette and head to Buffalo. Later that afternoon, you actually get the MRI scan and the local doctor says, "No problem my fine Canadian friend. We see these symptoms all the time. Go home and take plenty of valium......then calmly pay all your taxes as if you enjoyed it. I'm sure everything will be all right."

As you slowly plod out the door to your car, you overhear that friendly U.S. doc talking to his nurse. "There goes another one. Damn, it's a shame. They used to be such happy people up there. :confused: "

Anyone out there think I'm kidding?




[Modified by 67HEAVEN, 8:31 AM 9/18/2002]

 

67, I can only empathize. I was working in Calgary a couple of months back and was astounded by all the taxes. :crazy:

 

And what mantra are the left-wingers (and I don't mean hockey) chanting?

"Canadians don't pay enough in taxes."

Think I'm kidding? :crazy:

 

Tell us how you REALLY feel, 67! :cheers:

I wish I could comment but I'm restricted from doing so. :cuss

 

Yeah........quiet in the ranks there :cuss

:lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

 

Dang it 67, You sure know how to put a dampner on a good lynchin...

 

You forgot to pay the US doctor in US dollars for his services. You could have gone to a private clinic in Canada and gotten the same services the same day in Canadian dollars.

Yes, we pay lots of taxes. No, it's not going to change. Get over it. Enjoy your life.

Oh, and thanks for giving our American cousins another reason to think of us as a third world country. :eek:

You know, if it's really that bad, you could always move to where you think life is perfect. I'll pick up the tab for the airport limo. After you've lived in nirvana for a couple of years, send us all a postcard confirming that the grass really is greener on the other side.

I resent the fact that you have chosen to desecrate the Canadian flag in your signature. Please show some respect. :mad

 

Thanks for your opinion Mike.

I see that you don't appreciate mine, but we do share at least two traits.....a love of Corvettes and the value we place on the right to voice differences of opinion.

If my humble protest convinces even one other person that serious changes are long overdue in this country, then the anger I will receive from some will be a small price to pay.

All the best. :seeya

 

We're going to need a few more seats in that airport limo.
http://new.crosswalk.com/news/1162814.html
Canada's military is on the verge of collapse, according to a recent report released by a coalition of prominent Canadians concerned about security and defense.

The 39-page report from the Council for Canadian Security (CCS) in the 21st Century warns that the country is at risk of being unable to defend its territory, including the world's longest coastline and second-largest land mass and becoming increasingly reliant on the capabilities of the United States.

"Canadian forces are in a crisis - literally on the verge of collapse," military historian and council chairman Jack Granatstein told the media on the release of the report. "To rectify the situation, the Canadian forces need more. More of everything."
http://www.ccs21.org/ccsreport.htm

Looks like General Lewis MacKenzie (ret.) will be needing a seat too.

 

They already do, without my help. Listen to Jack Granatstein's words as recorded by our own Canadian Broadcasting Corporation.... http://cbc.ca/clips/ram-newsworld/gr...jack020909.ram

Still wavin'
:seeya


[Modified by 67HEAVEN, 3:32 PM 9/19/2002]

 

Nawwww, we don't think of Canada as a third world country...Shoot, it's not until you have EVERYBODY trying to scale ANY IMPEDIMENT to get across the border that your country is most likely a third world country. It's like those snake-oiled polls...you can't believe every talk show host you hear. If we thought Canada was a third world country, then all of Europe would have to be third world countries too.

Some of those who have immigrated here from the Middle East may be having second thoughts; they are getting plenty of unwanted attention from all us gringos after 9/11. In this country, complaining loudly and demonstrating for government reform is a right guaranteed by the Constitution. Actively attempting to bring down the government by force is sedition, and working with an outside force to assist them in bringing down the government is treason. I have a hunch that those six citizens up in Lackawanna NY could be charged with treason, and the populace will cheer that action...It's not easy being an example. :D :D :D

If becoming "increasingly reliant on capabilities of the United States" bothers you guys, well, that's fine, but Europe has been dependent on our capabilities since WW2. We have all this fine military and hardware to protect our own country, why not share the protection with our friends...It isn't going to cost any more. Make no mistake about it, an enemy state may as well invade Alaska as Canada. All Canada needs to do is act like a watch dog on our northern frontier and raise the alarm...Help would be ON THE WAY.

Now, if we can just get you to quit letting in any piece of trash that eventually wants to end up in the United States either for the life of "milk and honey" or to raise holy hell. It will be a lot more difficult to help you with those curs if they turn and begin to bite YOU.


[Modified by Chuck Sangerhausen, 2:26 PM 9/19/2002]

 

Chuck, If I understand your meaning......Jack Granatstein isn't a talk-show host.

He's the former Director General & CEO of the Canadian War Museum, a highly regarded Canadian of great accomplishment and one who served in the military for 10 years.
http://www.ola.bc.ca/online/cf/bio/gra.html
http://www.warmuseum.ca/




[Modified by 67HEAVEN, 6:17 PM 9/19/2002]

 

Yep, that's just what he needs, except it needs to be about 5 feet higher!

 

My mistake, Hvn. I realized after I posted that Mr. Granatstein seemed to speaking from the perspective of a politician. It appears that I was only partly right...Mr. Granatstein is a military retiree that is learned in politics. No disrespect for Mr. Granatstein, but if he were in this country, he could be a military-political contributor on Fox news during every war and skirmish in which we get involved...we have a bunch of retired generals, colonels, majors, and special forces captains that do that.

In the case of the United States, and perhaps even more for Canada, liberal politicians have led the federal government off into all kinds of socialistic programs for people that can't take care of themselves. In my opinion, there is ONLY ONE PURPOSE for the federal government, and that is to protect and defend the borders. In times of peace, the politicians will tend to fritter away the resources being extracted for the defense, put it into programs that guarantee their re-election and allow the military establishment to atrophy. Then when the next threat materializes, rather than jerk the government teat out of the mouth of those "less fortunate", they will have raise the toll significantly to re-build the military. Sort of a vicious "guns or butter" circle.

A strong military is a source of nationalistic pride there is no doubt; **** Germany is a perfect example. But, Canada has never been a militaristic country; in fact, Canada really has no enemies except those you share vicariously with us. You have the misfortune of living next door to the world's policeman. We say we don't want to be the "world's policeman", but in fact we have been exactly that with varying degrees of enthusiasim ever since WW2. I am not personally in favor of governments taking from the "hard working" to give to the "hardly working", but the argument for Canada having a strong military rings hollow...uh, that is, unless you don't trust us. Like Dubya sez..."It's the people's money; let's give some of it back." :D :D

 

Bingo!!!! :lol: :lol: :lol:

 

Coincidently, this very subject of Canada's military strength was discussed last night on Fox's "The O'Reilly Factor".

There was an educated, articulate Canajun named David Harris, president of the Council for Canadian Security (or some such) being interviewed. I guess he and Granatstein and others must be stirring the pot right now, but he didn't say that.

WOW...I see what you mean...He said the Canadian military was down to 55K active duty, and basically for the reason I posted above (social programs)...O'Reilly cracked that New York City had more cops than that. :D :D

You don't trust us???!!! Heck, what would we do with Canajunland. We already own the most temperate part of the continent...What the heck would we do with a frozen wasteland full of welfare addicts? It would just run our tax burden up even higher. (Well, I reckon that ought to end all the feudin' between Canajuns and unify them against a common enemy. yuk,yuk :lol: :lol: :jester )