Topic: OT…The rising Canadian Dollar

[ovr50]

John - didn't you mean there's "four lefty academics" on your street?? Hee, hee...

[S60]

I don't find the desire to better ones destiny squashed in the Nordic countries at all Saffy,although that is what's programmed into our heads over here regarding socialist systems.
I have noticed that the people in the Scandic countries are very competitive amongst their fellow workers.One thing we do not seem to realize is the education offered in Scandic countries, and the Baltic countries is miles ahead of ours in Canada, sorry to say.Which makes for a very strong workforce.
It most certainly is not like the Soviet system,
whereas your ability to drink barrel fulls of Vodka and not get drunk is the deciding factor, if you should be the shop foreman or what have you.

I hate to admit it but I think Saffys comments reflect Canadian attitudes towards the status quo
of life in general in Canada, hence big business pulling the strings the way they see fit, the government spewing out what we want to hear, and us wondering what happened to the unemployment cheque.

[johngenx]

I spend lots of time in the inner city of Edmonton working with low income families, and very few are "lazy" and dependant on social programs.  Most are very hardworking and can't make ends meet.  Why not?  Well, many just don't have the capacity to "work smarter" as the neo-cons like to say.  Not everyone has the ability to attend post secondary schools and become "whatever they wanted to be."  It's life, and while it's not fair, it's the way it is.

Now, there are lazy people out there, and that will never change.  But, do we wreck the social system because of a few bad apples?  The gov't loves to harp on about welfare fraud, but it's so small they don't even track it properly.  Ask for the stats, they don't have them.  If it was such a big problem, you'd think they'd be right on top of it.

Unemployment Insurance (EI now...) is not a bleeding heart socialist thing.  Far from it.  It was actually designed to help BUSINESS!  That's right!  When we crashed into the depression, people realized that we needed to try to stabilize the business cycles.  UIC was a valuable tool for doing so, and kept people spending during periods of job loss, and really assisted in keeping the economy afloat.  Business wanted the boom/bust cycle tamed as much as the citizens did.

live richly..disparage the rich!!!...

Well, you kinda got me on that one, but I'm far from rich.  Comfortable?  I suppose so.  We're fortunate that we never worry about the basics of life, but I do have an inkling of how many people live.  For years my wife and I lived on an income well below the poverty line, but we had the benefit of hope.  We lived a "bohemian" life style where we woke up in the morning and wondered "what's going to be shut off today?"  We had real hope and expectations that we would not live like that forever.  Many people do not.

I don't think the social system in Canada kills ambition.  How many people do we know that coast along in their lives, "sucking of the public tit?"  I know one.  Of all the people I know, I can name one.  NONE of us has to go to work.  But, we do.  Why?  Well, we have ambition and we wish to have more than the "basic" needs met.  People are naturally competitive, and that is why true communism fails.

Let's have some REAL fun and think about Gene Roddenberry's idea of the future.  Star Trek was socialism to the max, baby.  No one went without food, shelter, health care, education, or pretty much anything.  But, people still had jobs.  I think he's right.  People would still work in a future as he painted, as they need to compete.  Someone's going to be the Captain, right?  We'll compete for the power to make decisions and the prestige of leadership.  For most ambitious people I know, the money is nothing more than a yard-stick.

Human nature is such that we can use socialism to raise the basic standard of living for all, but we will always have to have a forum for competition.  There is a misconception that socialism means that we all live the same.  That we will all have the same house and the same car no matter how much or how little we work.  That's just absurd.

[saint_satan]

Agree with your last post, John.  If people were simply motivated by money, we would all work on assembly lines at GM.  I have a high-school educated friend who works in Oshawa building Impala's and he makes $15-25K more per year than I do (so much for the Master's degree) but I derive a sense of satisfaction from my work that he will never understand.

Here's one nobody can ever explain to me.  In the last 10 years GDP goes up, median incomes go down and we continue to promote immigration of 200,000+/per annum.  WTF?  Do we really need all the world's physicians driving cabs in Toronto?  I can't turn on the news without hearing about some doctor/engineer from somewhere who can't get a job in Canada.  What are these 200,000+ people supposed to do?  Does this country produce that many good paying jobs a year?  I doubt it.  All the time I hear the brain drain is killing Canada and people are flocking south.  Huh?  The people I knew who left Canada did so because there were no jobs for them here (including my cousin who was a nurse - Ontario Government fired them in 1996, THEN hired them all back a couple years later when they realized it was a boo-boo).

The "powers that be" realize the law of supply and demand.  As long as there is an over-abundant supply, everybody keeps looking over their shoulders and accepting less.

GDP has been climbing steadily but has our standard of living gone up or down in the last 20 years?  We pay more taxes and get fewer services.  What's happening?  Corporate welfare and the backs of the middle class.  Ask Paul Martin how much tax Canada Steamship Lines paid last year.

[Snowman]

Will Uncle Sam become jealous as we now have another suitor?
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20041021.wchina21/BNStory/Int ernational/

[inco]

Jealous - I don't think so. It almost feels like the US would rather not want to deal with Canada anyway.

Last week didn't they impose new tarifs on something else?

I mean it's getting very difficult to trade with them anyway. They are afraid of our wood, ban our beef, worried about potatoes - what's next, our cars?

Canada, without being exploited, needs to develop more trading partners and lessen our dependancy on the US. That makes us stronger and for you Snowy, it means a continued demand for your skills and almost guarantees long term employment.

The auto sector and steel makers may not be as fortunate.

[saint_satan]

Better be nice to us or we'll ship our oil, gas and timber to our new "friends".

[johngenx]

GWB-II hates that we SELL them the stuff they want, like oil, wood, water, etc.  You have to remember that Swinging Big Dick Cheney and his puppet like to get that stuff for FREE.  Then firms like Haliburton/etc can sell it at a giant profit.  We won't enslave our natives to work in mines and there is no civil war to feed to keep resources nearly free for US interests.  We have AIDS drugs and real health care and don't live in abject poverty, ready to kiss Yankee a$$ for a loaf of bread.  "Heck ya, take the oil, I can't eat it.  Thanks for those bread crumbs."

Of course, that could all change thanks to Paul "my steamships pay no tax here" Martin and his neo-con jerk-offs.

[ovr50]

I think the US under GWB and Cheney have gone way overboard. This has polarized the voters in the US to one extreme or the other. Unfortunately, I think the GOP will win the Presidency again and we are in four more years of this stuff. Hopefully, the monster debt load that GWB and crew are loading on the Amercian people will cause such a problem that they will be thrown out in 2008. BUT (and it's a big one), the damage will be done already and I'm fearful that it will overflow into Canada. I do not like the looks of the next decade economically. There is little Canada can do about it. Huge problems on the way, guys. Buy your toys now, 'cause tomorrow not so good. Hate to be pessimistic but that looks like the future to me.

[Snowman]

I have a more optimistic view. Like it or not, China has arrived in Canada and in a big way. Due to the emergence of China as a major purchaser of commodities, Canada's economy has performed well in recent years, and that has created more jobs and kept the Canadian dollar bullish.

Billions of dollars will be pouring into Canada over the next five years for exploration, development production, and export of our natural resources.
 
Canadian companies have been more focused on doing business with the U.S. because it's easy, while distance, culture and language have inhibited companies from pursuing "rising opportunities" elsewhere. Canadian companies are now hearing the knocking at the door from emerging Asian economies….they are coming to us to secure future supplies.

Unfortunately most of our resources are non-renewable and the draw down rate of our assets must be managed properly.  

[safristi]

Paul "Steamboat Willie" Martin a neo-con??? last time I saw him he was sniffing Chretiens as* about Liberally funding Sporting Events..like Gun Control...still has a BIG (L) beside his name on the voting slips....a $9 Billion surplus and they are salivating about increasing various taxes...
    The States reminds me of Gullivers Travels..the Big Giant held down by the Lilliputians(Kerry and the RATHER effete press)..the average citizen would like to see the
head chopping, bombing,child killers made into steak Tartare themselves..we Canucks suck at war
NOW...after proud service in past global conflicts we cower behind the Coalition bravery and throw stones like cowards..I can't stand the  
whiners who would be the first to scream for help
if they were PERSONALLY" inconvenienced but so berate out efforts for freedom fom tyranny....
    Afghani WOMEN VOTED.... Iraqui WOMEN will VOTE JANUARY...get over it Kerry....

[ovr50]

I guess it's not only the US population that is polarized by these events. There is no middle ground here - maybe GWB was not right, but prophetic, when he said "you are either with us or against us". His actions then made his comment come true.

[inco]

Snowman I agree with what your saying but do we really have draw down rates that are accurate?

Forestry might be the easiest one to get a handle on because of reclamation that's always going on, but in the mining sector isn't there an awful lot still to discovered?

Oil and gas are other 'gray' areas as far as what's left and the demand is cyclical so maybe we don't have good numbers there either.  

But planning and budgeting are important to make sure we don't end up depleting things we might ourselves need.

[Mdxtasy]

With oil and gas, the amount that is undiscovered is in my opinion...still significant.  I think as new technologies to bring these fuels to market mature, the amount that is recoverable will be higher than it is today.  It might be harder and cost more to find new discoveries, but the current blocks that have been discovered, when producing....will be more efficient.  

Global demand for heavy oils will increase with India and China increasing their consumption as they industrialize.  Even natural gas consumption will increase as population increases and more demand for heating continues to rise.

[Snowman]

Renewed interest in the resource sector will encourage exploration as reserves decline and production rates increase. Resource exploration in mining is a risky business as easy and large potential targets have already been exploited. There are several promising areas in the Canadian Shield, however there is no supporting infrastructure to access and develop the potentially economic deposits. Government will need to speed billions to construct access roads, power lines, airports, and services and into these areas.

[safristi]

"If I had a Billion 80cent dollars!!!"...Jane Jane feel da pain...C'mon Snowie a bare-nekked song...welling up...from the min(e)d planner

[johngenx]

Paul "Steamboat Willie" Martin a neo-con??? last time I saw him he was sniffing Chretiens as* about Liberally funding Sporting Events..like Gun Control...still has a BIG (L) beside his name on the voting slips....a $9 Billion surplus and they are salivating about increasing various taxes...

Well, his "tag" might say "Liberal" but Paul Martin has nothing in common with liberals.  You are mistaking "liberal-ism" for "croney-ism."  The financial debacles are nothing more than rampant corruption.  JC and now PM-the-PM followed the neo-con agenda to a tee, perhaps excepting the dismantling of universal health care.  Corporate taxes were slashed to near nothing in the name of "job growth" (where?  huh?) and taxes on the "income" of the wealthy (dividend and capital gain) have been cut as well.  The surplus has been built on the backs of the middle class by downloading spending onto the provinces, and they have downloaded onto municipalities.  Where do the neo-cons lower taxes on the middle class?  It's about appeasing the rich, the group PM-the-PM-hopefully-never-the-PM-again belongs to in spades.

Paul Martin the IIIIIIIII, or whatever number he is now, has done nothing for the nation besides balance the federal books by forcing cities to forego repairing roads, building schools and raising property taxes.  He is not innovative, imaginative, or even possessing dynamic leadership qualities.

Ralph Klein likes to say he "balanced the budget and paid off the debt" in Alberta.  Would this have happenes without, oh, about $50+Billion in unanticipated energy revenues?  Not a chance.  It's part of a shell game designed to appease the "fiscal conservatives" in the voting public.  What a crock.

Suppose you went to buy a new S40 and the dealer charged you $2500 over MSRP, then sent you a cheque for $1000.  Would you be happy?  Why are we happy when there is a massive surplus?  They overcharged us!  I either want my money back (the excess) or I want you to spend it on something besides your buddies in the advertising biz or on rotten subs that sink before even getting home from the used-sub lot.  Did we get a PPI done on those subs?  I doubt it!  Tony Blair is laughing his little Brit Butt off at us now.  We don't spend a few Billion on the War-that-won't-ever-end-for-the-Yanks?  Well, we got in the "arse" anyway.

[saint_satan]

How much of that $9.1 Billion surplus came from taxes paid by Canada Steam Ship Lines???

[Mdxtasy]

That's funny....taxes paid by CSL.  

[S60]

China wants the tar sand oil, period.  
My gut feeling is that one,some or all the big auto mfgs are somehow involved with the Chinese investors, silent partners if you like in this game.
Just one of the many deals the foreign auto mfgs have made with China, for making it an easier transition to operate in China.$$$$$$$$$$

Tit for Tat.

Or maybe it was too much ABsolute for dinner