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Jim B is going to catch a lot of hell over starting this post. However, I wish Americans would at least read the top 30 reasons why life in Canada is better than in the USA.
They deal with things like lower unemployment rates, health care that only costs 60% as much per capita, stronger banks, less income disparity between the poor and the wealthy, greater mobility between classes, and more liberal (I would say fair) attitudes towards LGBT people. In every one of these categories Canada looks better than the USA does.
The truth is that if this same survey had been taken forty years ago, I suspect the USA would have come out either equal or better than Canada did in virtually every one of these categories.
We Americans don't like to admit there is anything wrong in "The Land of the Free and the Home of the Brave", but the reality is that there is plenty wrong. We've let a huge amount of wealth in this country trickle to the top. We've allowed our health care system to become totally out of control when it comes to costs. We have a high rate of unemployment among our young people. We have an astonishing number of people working for minimum wage or just a little better.
Now, there are some realities to be faced. Canada may simply be better situated than the USA in some ways. Canada is the second largest country in the world and as such sits on a cornucopia of natural resources and mineral wealth. Its population of about 30 million is only one tenth of that of the USA. Because Canada does not share a border with Mexico, it largely escapes much of the problem of illegal immigration that we have.
Even so, though, the climate in the USA is more favorable to economic development and progress than most of Canada is. Climate-wise the only Canadian city that I could imagine living in is Vancouver.
The point really is though that if we would give up being ethnocentric for one minute, Americans could learn a great deal from Canada. Everything in America isn't automatically better than every other country in the world. In fact, some things in this country are in dire need of changing.
So, even if everything in the article isn't either on point or very important (I could care less about hockey) it should be food for thought for us. Sometimes, criticism is necessary for self-improvement.
Good post, and, as a born-and-bred Canadian, your assessment of Canada is fairly accurate. Could the US learn from Canada? Absolutely. Could Canada learn from the US? Definitely (though you'll never get them to agree).
Could/should the US AND Canada learn from other countries and regions around the globe (ie. Europe)? Without question. Don't get me started on that one.
Jim B is going to catch a lot of hell over starting this post. However, I wish Americans would at least read the top 30 reasons why life in Canada is better than in the USA.
They deal with things like lower unemployment rates, health care that only costs 60% as much per capita, stronger banks, less income disparity between the poor and the wealthy, greater mobility between classes, and more liberal (I would say fair) attitudes towards LGBT people. In every one of these categories Canada looks better than the USA does.
The truth is that if this same survey had been taken forty years ago, I suspect the USA would have come out either equal or better than Canada did in virtually every one of these categories.
We Americans don't like to admit there is anything wrong in "The Land of the Free and the Home of the Brave", but the reality is that there is plenty wrong. We've let a huge amount of wealth in this country trickle to the top. We've allowed our health care system to become totally out of control when it comes to costs. We have a high rate of unemployment among our young people. We have an astonishing number of people working for minimum wage or just a little better.
Now, there are some realities to be faced. Canada may simply be better situated than the USA in some ways. Canada is the second largest country in the world and as such sits on a cornucopia of natural resources and mineral wealth. Its population of about 30 million is only one tenth of that of the USA. Because Canada does not share a border with Mexico, it largely escapes much of the problem of illegal immigration that we have.
Even so, though, the climate in the USA is more favorable to economic development and progress than most of Canada is. Climate-wise the only Canadian city that I could imagine living in is Vancouver.
The point really is though that if we would give up being ethnocentric for one minute, Americans could learn a great deal from Canada. Everything in America isn't automatically better than every other country in the world. In fact, some things in this country are in dire need of changing.
So, even if everything in the article isn't either on point or very important (I could care less about hockey) it should be food for thought for us. Sometimes, criticism is necessary for self-improvement.
You say: "the climate in the USA is more favorable to economic development and progress than most of Canada is". Maybe in your humble opinion because you don't like cold weather, but throughout history innovation has taken place in cold climates, not warm climates. In this country, the innovation took place in Detroit, Cleveland, Pittsburgh. What has Miami, Ft Lauderdale, Naples, Boca Raton, or Santa Barbara innovated besides skimpier swim suits?
The article was wrong about music and comedians and did not mention that those people weren't known worldwide until they came to the USA. I do not like any Canadian listed in those 2 categories.
Throw out the stats. How many people cross your border and live off the system.
We have better Freedom Of Speech. Can Nazis have a parade in Canada? We may not like it but we protect it.
Canadians are rude. How many people in Montreal won't answer someone in English when they know the language?
I'm Canadian-American, and I gave you rep points. You're absolutely right!
I don't want to sound like I'm putting Canada down since I do like it there. A lot, actually. But by making such a list, it feels like the author is implicitly acknowledging that Canada is inferior and trying to improve their standing.
A better list would be "99 ways Canada can improve." Or "99 ways the USA can improve."
When you're the best, you only have yourself to compare against.
Most of the "99 points" are stupid and related to either misunderstanding stats (for example Canada isn't "safer" it has less violent crime) or differences in demographics (controlling for demographics there is basically no difference in health or longitivity; the relative differences can be explained by the relative variability in demographics).
Long story short the issue isn't the country but the makeup of the society. A white woman in the U.S. has the same outcomes as a white woman in Canada; it isn't like moving to Canada would change her lifespan or health or safety or well-being.
A serious look at why being a Canadian is good for you.
Longevity, infant mortality rates, levels of educational attainment, net personal wealth, upward mobility, and universal health care, are all on this comprehensive list assembled by the leading Canadian new magazine. There are direct statistical comparisons to the American stats.
This post s/b moved to the 'Got Nothin' Better To Do Than Stir The Pot' forum.
Great Debate... Really?
Thata Boy..
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OK, kid.