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What the hell is up with Canada?

Posted: Tue Nov 29, 2005 5:30 pm
by jack
So the liberals are all scandalized now and got a vote of no confidence and basically the people have decided to throw out the current government? that's it in a nutshell right?

man, we could learn a few things from you guys. we haven't had any confidence for at least 5 years now and we've still got three to go.

Posted: Tue Nov 29, 2005 6:32 pm
by Adam!
I know something is going on in Ottawa, but due to our fairly decentralized government it hardly affects me. It's BC's provincial government that I have to worry about. Because I live west of Ontario the federal government ignores me, so I ignore them right back.

Also, I have my head deep in the sand when it comes to politics.

Re: What the hell is up with Canada?

Posted: Tue Nov 29, 2005 7:31 pm
by deshead
jack wrote:So the liberals are all scandalized now and got a vote of no confidence and basically the people have decided to throw out the current government? that's it in a nutshell right?
Kinda-sorta.

Based on the polls I've seen, most people don't want the current government thrown out. At least not now, when it means political campaigning over Christmas, and a winter election. (Winter is for hockey, you see.)

Most folks here know the scandal doesn't have much to do with Paul Martin, our current prime minister. The scandal (public money going to private companies in exchange for .. well, nothing) happened under the watch of the previous PM, Chretien, and Martin's opponents are now just making political hay with it.

So it's probably more accurate to say that political opportunists in the oppostion parties have decided to throw the government out.

(What we're really seeing are the dying gasps of Stephen Harper's politcal career. He can't win an election and his party knows it. They're going to boot him as leader, so he's really got nothing to lose by convincing the other parties to force an election. Best case for him, he wins. Worst case, he's getting turfed anyway.)
jack wrote:man, we could learn a few things from you guys. we haven't had any confidence for at least 5 years now and we've still got three to go.
Yeah, I'd take our system over yours any day. With 4 major parties, we manage to avoid most of the false dichotomies that seem to define U.S. politics. It's actually possible to be simultanesouly anti-gun control AND pro-choice in this country.

Posted: Tue Nov 29, 2005 7:49 pm
by jack
yeah. bipartisan is just another word for bipolar in the US.

Posted: Tue Nov 29, 2005 8:40 pm
by Leaf
Plus we got the best maple syrup.

Re: What the hell is up with Canada?

Posted: Wed Nov 30, 2005 7:58 am
by HeuristicsInc
deshead wrote:political opportunists
I'm so sick of politicians.
-bill

Posted: Wed Nov 30, 2005 8:23 am
by Justincombustion
Leaf wrote:Plus we got the best maple syrup.
And Kokanee!!

Posted: Thu Dec 01, 2005 7:39 pm
by blue
and poutine!

Posted: Thu Dec 01, 2005 8:34 pm
by thehipcola
blue wrote:and poutine!
Pretty much a one province, disgusting, artery-hardening phenomenon.

I was at a gas station tonight...a GAS STATION... and for sale, by the requisite chewing tobacco and pepporoni chew sticks, were bags of cheese curds, ready for your home-brewing poutine disgust-fest.

that shit is gross.

Posted: Thu Dec 01, 2005 11:00 pm
by Leaf
In Canada.... we got... lots of . PEOPLE?


But... to answer the ...question...


What's UP with Canada is that it's ...like... ABOVE you?

So... like. there's yer answer.

Posted: Fri Dec 02, 2005 12:24 am
by Adam!
Leaf is channeling Poor June.

Poutine is awesome.

That is all.

Posted: Fri Dec 02, 2005 12:58 am
by jack
anything with a fresh cheese curd condiment (and gravy) makes me want to toss my cookies.

Posted: Fri Dec 02, 2005 3:19 am
by Caravan Ray
blue wrote:and poutine!
I saw poutine on the telly the other night - on a show about the Montreal Comedy Festival.

Now I'm usually game to eat anything once. But I really think I'd pass on that one - that looked completely disgusting. It makes the Australian Meat Pie (aka Mystery Bag, aka Rat's Coffin...) look haute cuisine by comparison

Posted: Fri Dec 02, 2005 5:16 am
by deshead
TheHipCola wrote:
blue wrote:and poutine!
Pretty much a one province, disgusting, artery-hardening phenomenon.
Admit it dude, when you go boozing in Hull, you're all about the 3 a.m. poutine run.

Posted: Fri Dec 02, 2005 5:31 am
by jimtyrrell
This is the first I've heard of poutine. Having been eating pork rinds semi-regularly (lowcarb diet), I'm not one to shy away from much. And I like cheese AND gravy, so I'm intrigued.

I wonder what they'd say at the border crossing when I said I was just coming up to try some poutine.

Posted: Fri Dec 02, 2005 6:54 am
by Egg
jimtyrrell wrote: I wonder what they'd say at the border crossing when I said I was just coming up to try some poutine.
TERRORIST!

I'm glad a thread about what is up with Canada successfully evolved into what's up with poutine.

Posted: Fri Dec 02, 2005 8:21 am
by Justincombustion
"Poutine? Boy you's at the wrong border! And by the way, it's called 'poon-tang.'"

Posted: Fri Dec 02, 2005 8:39 am
by Leaf
Is that french fries and cheese lovingly drizzled in orange flavoured juice crystals?


...and good call on the poor june channeling Puce.
you're on to me man. You're on to me.

Posted: Fri Dec 02, 2005 10:01 am
by boltoph
Since my political education pretty much ends at Star Wars, "a vote of no confidence" is something I've only heard on that show; but if I were a right-wing conservative, I might be glad to hear the liberals got trashed?

I just don't want Canada to stop exporting their #1 GNP. Oh Mary...loosen up the borders, untie yer waistband, falalala-yippie-doo-da!

Posted: Fri Dec 02, 2005 10:39 am
by deshead
boltoph wrote:but if I were a right-wing conservative, I might be glad to hear the liberals got trashed?
You might be, except you'd quickly realize that your party still has Stephen Harper at the helm and therefore has no chance of winning. Never mind how he looks in leather, the guy just plain terrifies anyone living east of Winnipeg.
boltoph wrote:I just don't want Canada to stop exporting their #1 GNP. Oh Mary...loosen up the borders, untie yer waistband, falalala-yippie-doo-da!
I must be Canadian ... that went over my head, eh!

Posted: Fri Dec 02, 2005 10:53 am
by boltoph
deshead wrote:
boltoph wrote:I just don't want Canada to stop exporting their #1 GNP. Oh Mary...loosen up the borders, untie yer waistband, falalala-yippie-doo-da!
I must be Canadian ... that went over my head, eh!
Now how can a country that loves the leaf so much, oust liberals?!

This (older) article says:
"The annual Canadian marijuana industry, which necessarily remains largely an underground industry, has been estimated by Forbes magazine at over $5-billion (and this is one of the most conservative estimates). This dwarfs most other Canadian industries in one fell swoop, with the obvious exception of the oil industry. I would not even venture to estimate the annual value of Colombian coca plant production. The funny thing is that these products are not even counted in the Canadian or Colombian GDP, GNP, or whatever..."

Posted: Fri Dec 02, 2005 12:47 pm
by deshead
Here ya go, American friends: http://canadianfavourites.com/index.html

Order all the Canadian foodstuffs your lives are missing. Passion Flakies, Timmy's, and Chow Chow for everyone!!!

(Oddly, though, the beverage section is missing Brador and Stock Ale .. )