Can Canadians affect U.S. politics ?

[StandUpGuy]

Should we even try?

I think as neighbours we should do everything in our power to help dedicated American activist.

Any suggestions.

I personally try and visit U.S. sites like this offering support and an outside perspective but I don't think it's enough.

[2Design]

1. lots of ex pats in canada....host a kerry party.....for convention..

make sure all ex pats know....spread the word...find a pub or small theatre or restaurant willing to show the speeches and run the convention stuff....

[The Crazy Canadian]

2. I think we can..

No matter what side of the border your on, we have the same goals: to kick some right-wing ass. The only difference is that the right-wingers are kicking ass in the US, over here, we got them under our boot.

[billybob537]

3. IMHO You already are

One reason Bush* will lose is the damage he has done to the Image of the USA in the rest of the world. There fore your opinion does mater.

[morningglory]

4. I wish to heck they could! We need a reasonable voice added to our

intelligent Dem voices. Good luck, and thanks for your good wishes.

[LibertyorDeath]

5. Yes when the US Gov says Jump WE SAY!

[SeveneightyWhoa]

6. Well, I have a website..

That's about all I can do.

[HEyHEY]

7. Yes we Can

I think we have a very good chance of affecting their policies. As a huge trading partner and a a mutually reliant nation, it is possible.

[freeforall]

8. LOL, we can pressure our US relatives to

immediately abandon any republican leanings!

And present all the same evidence of * atrocities as their American friends, neighbours and colleagues do.

We can also remind them of the their sinking reputation in other countries if they vote for * this time, LOL. <sarcasm/>

[MrPrax]

9. Two Minds...?

I am of two minds whether any one citizen of country A should influence country B for obvious Progressive reasons.

"I think as neighbours" we should understand that in the proverbial 'global village' (also a CBC radio programme!!) that everyone is a neighbour and ... er...

Wait A Minute...that's a stupid cliche.

Nation-States are not 'neighbours' nor are they 'communities'...

Two Minds...?

The US has 240 million people with many many Progressives that really don't need help dealing with America and Progressive Canadians usually have to read American media/magazines/documentaries/internet/newspapers/writers because Canuck Progressives are few and far between ...

Canada has a pop. of 31 million and is a very conservative country that prides itself on playing off American cliches. Even Canadian Progressives stand on guard for 'peace, order and good government'.

But Canadians of all political shades really hate it when you mention a much smaller country like Sweden and point out that EVEN in a crowded neighbourhood like EU, Sweden has managed IKEA, Husquvarna, Saab, Volvo etc...nor do Canadians mention other small countries like Denmark or Austria that has a minumum wage three times their own

(Oh actually the federal US minimum wage is higher than Canada...shhhh)

Or that the US has a very vigourous, albeit corrupt, electoral system as does Australia and Germany etc etc.

I think that Canadian Progressives should spend less time feeling smug when comparing themselves to the GOP, American stereotypes and where the next NDP 'talking point' will come from and spend a more time developing their 'little' country...

[LibertyorDeath]

10. If this is your definition of Conservative Bring It On !!

"Canada is a very conservative country "

So that's why my Wife is currently enjoying a Year Maternity leave
& we enjoy socialized medicine & a membership in a Union 45 thousand strong.

Here in this very conservative country.

Yes that's what I said a year Maternity leave PAID.

P.S. WTF are you babbling about

[MrPrax]

11. Give Me A Break...

You proved my point...

Your reference is entirely in relationship to the US perspective...these things you mentioned are commonplace in the western world actually

1)Paid Maternity Leave (via the EI system which actually only pays 67% of your wage--great if you make the big bucks),
2)universal health care (we got it in 1967 and in some 'premium payer' provinces the dirty secret is many people are no longer covered because they can't even afford the subsidized rates) and
3) powerful unions (gotta love those EU unions--BMW wanted to make some parts in Italy--two phone calls and the Germany gov't threatened to slap tariffs on the whole car)

If anything our version in Canada is a cheap imitation of much better programmes elsewhere in the West and will never get better if our standard--Red Tory standard--is our poor cousins to the South of us...

[StandUpGuy]

14. You prove my thesis

If it weren't for huge pressure politically and economically Canada would have decriminalized marijuana years ago.

A small brand of corporate criminals sold our sovereignty to the Americans in the 80's and progressives in this country have recognized where a lot of our strings get pulled.

I think It's important to try and convince the people that do have some say over US policy that Canadian values are worthwhile alternatives to their own.

Thanks for the input so far.

[Hoping4Change]

12. "America is clinging to old institutions. It is Canadians who have

become the true revolutionaries, at least when it comes to social life."

"Those Americans who describe themselves as “very religious” are far more likely to embrace trends associated with deference to authority — not only Obedience to Authority, but also values such as Patriarchy, Traditional Family, Duty and Propriety.


These people are looking for definitive answers and rules to live by, unlike many of those strong on the Spiritual Quest trend, who are looking to ask the right questions and wish to arrive at their own — albeit often tentative — conclusions.


Religion is fulfilling a role for Americans that secular institutions do in other countries: Safe haven, community, a place to be with “people like me,” a refuge from Darwinistic competition and conflict in an increasingly dangerous world."

http://www.theglobalist.com/DBWeb/StoryId.aspx?StoryId=3501


As for having to read American publications to get a progressive view I think not. Even Canada's Etablishment paper, the Toronto Globe and Mail has columnists like Heather Mallick who trounce Bushling as she calls him.


But that said, we in Canada have a lot to learn from the US. The ability of Americans to exert real pressure on Congress far outweighs what Canadians can do. This was brought home to me watching a CBC doc about Yucca Mountain. What Americans have been able to do in demanding environmental reviews and such far exceed any power Canadians have to influence our government.


Lastly I agree that outsiders should not directly partake in the elections of another country. I don't think any Canuck wants to see O'Lielly and his ilk up here mouthing off during elections.

[Spazito]

13. I agree, well said!

One country should NOT try to influence another country's elections. We, as individuals, can express our views and try and support those who are active within their own country to try and change things for the better but that's about it, imo.

The bush admin's interference in the upcoming Australian election is despicable and has done more damage to Howard than if they had shut their mouths, I believe.

[TrogL]

20. The Globe and Mail is centrist, the National Post is Establishment

Or so they like to think.

I suspect/hope the Post is going under soon.

[Interrobang]

17. Self-hating Canadian much?

Tell me, do you get the Frasier Institute bulletins too?

BTW, nation-states *are* "neighbours" and "communities" (if not a "community of nation-states," what do you call something like the EU you've been bloviating about?), and we're most certainly the US's neighbour, whether you like it or not.

For progressive news in Canada, I like Adbusters, This Magazine, the Toronto Star, Scene and Eye weeklies, and Straight Goods. In terms of individual progressive writers, I like Linda McQuaig, Heather Mallick, Carol Groar, Rosie DiManno, Gordon Guayatt, Norman Madrasasz, Maude Barlow, and Reuel S. Amdur, to name a few.

As far as I'm concerned, "peace, order, and good government" *are* "progressive" ideals, especially considering that the radical right-wing seems to value war, chaos, and oligarchy as the alternatives. If I sense what you're driving at, anarchy is *not* a "progressive" goal, although there are some left-wing anarchists.

Canada also tends to be more socially liberal in the classic sense than the US -- many of the hot-button issues in the US are dead questions here. The absence of executions in Canada for the last 30 years or so is just a good start.

Canada also has made contributions to industry, science, and technology far beyond its numbers. Instead of IKEA, Husquvarna, Saab, and Volvo, we have Bombardier, Diamond Aviation, McClelland and Stewart, Research In Motion (aka RIM, makers of the Blackberry), Alcatel, ATI Technologies, and Telus. Ok, so we're not building furniture, cars, and high-priced sewing machines, but we've sure captured a significant amount of the world market in moving people and information around. (Don't get me started, or I'll veer into talking about the CanadArm, and from there begin beating on the subject of the Avro Arrow.)

Did you ever stop to consider that Austria and Denmark are very expensive places to live compared to Canada?

Note -- there *is* no "federal" Canadian minimum wage, and last I heard, the $7.15 minimum wage in Ontario at least is higher than the US minimum wage, even if you're a complete ass about money and do the exchange, which doesn't count anyway. *Not* that I would expect someone making your level of argument to understand, but when you're spending Canadian dollars at home in Canada (or US dollars at home in the US), the exchange rate doesn't apply. In order to get a true value for the currency, you have to veer away from simple math (ie. the exchange rate) into complex statistics, like cost of living and buying power indices, in which case, I practically guarantee you that it's easier to live in Canada on $7.15/hr than it is to live in the US on $5.15/hr.

I don't subscribe to the "NDP talking points," if there are any such things, and I don't spend much time being obsessed about bashing the US, either. I have too many friends living there (and in Europe, incidentally) to be bothered. Canada isn't perfect. Neither is anyplace else. I don't think we ought to be subjects of your obvious contempt because we like to talk international politics every now and again.

[StandUpGuy]

18. Great post !

A true Canadian response.....

Polite but to the point.


I do have one Urgent plea however.

Check Rosi Dimanno's column's again. She is (maybe not was)Brutal.

Last week she decided to confirm the US story about the fall of the Saddam Statue. She told people to trust her because she was there. She insists there were throngs of people there handing flowers to US soldiers and simply denies the existence of ANY credible sources that argue otherwise.

A few months ago she cleverly called Canadians historic "Peace MAKERS"

WTF is a peace maker? Seemed like a slight of hand remark used to justify her position that we should have helped make peace in Iraq.

Yesterday she wrote about Johns arrested in Parkdale during a sweep of the area and described the Johns as having been the victims of a society that doesn't allow immigrants to integrate themselves easily into the swinging singles market.

Two days before that she spent 2000 words trying to discredit Al Jezerra.

She kills me.

Linda McQuaig is Great IMHO. Have you read her book 'All You Can Eat'?

[LeftistGorilla]

15. Pull back our oil....

and watch .....

:evilgrin:

[Lautremont]

16. We could all try sneaking down to vote for the Dems.

Those machines seem pretty easy to fool.

[stevedeshazer]

19. I love this thread

I'm convinced that eventually, Canada will outstrip the U.S. as the power center of North America and I will have to re-learn how to spell centre. At the current rate, we Americans are going down fast. The world hates us, with good reason right now.

Canada is our largest trading partner. If we (the US) move much farther to the right, you'll line up with the EU and Japan and Russia, and we'll be the new Soviet Union.

I hope you're properly guarding your oil and gas reserves. We're all gonna need 'em.

Remember, you can't spell "neighbours" without the "U S".

Hi, neighbours. :hi:

I hope that you will be kind when you have the power a century from now.