Softwood Lumber...

As a dual citizen, some days my Canadian half really feels like beating up my American half. But I can't because my American half doesn't have health insurance ---

 

Don't go all nationalistic on us. This is just a trade dispute like thousands of other trade disputes. It's no big deal. Looks like the Canadians won this one, and that's OK with me. Pay back the duties and get on with life, I say. There'll be more disputes in the future, so don't get all bent on this one. (Unless you are the Canadian softwood producer, in which case you're probably turning cartwheels in the snow right now over the decision of the panel.)

 

It probably will be, but your government will still raise your taxes because everyone is avoiding paying GST by paying for things cash, under the table. You guys need another income tax increase to help pay for it, I think.

We're already your biggest trading partner and the influx of American dollars is pretty valuable to you. As your biggest customer, we demand you quit complaining about us where we can hear you and start talking behind our backs again! :blink:

We do get some valuable imports of natural resources from you ... wood, oil, and even some luxury items like diamonds ... but then we have to put up with your other exports ... Celine Dion and Bryan Adams. Its one thing to exploit your natural resources to keep your sled dogs fed, but please, can you send down some people who can actually sing?

 

So what else is new? Can you name one aspect of NAFTA that benefited the average Canadian? We were still living in Utah when we heard of the signing of NAFTA/FTA: my Dad chuckled and said "those Canucks will get screwed blue."

Given the record high levels of personal and public debt in the U.S., a costly war with no end in sight, etc, can you really see any repayment? Of course not.

What's ironic is that when Canadian companies started recently signing deals with China, India, etc, suddenly the U.S. gov called us "traitors." Don't see how they can screw us any worse.

Actually, if we play the Energy thing right, China alone will make Canada wealthy.

 

Hehehehe how do you know we didn't do that ON PURPOSE? You know, as punishment. We have plenty more where that came from too!

 

There is also new phenomenon of a reversed brain-drain, I came across many people from academia who have decided to take an opportunity from foreign universities due to better pay (that is a shocker, as everybody thinks that USA academic institutions pay the most. That is no longer the case as the plain-field within industrialized countries tends to narrow) and the political climate.

This is clearly a bad sign for the country when you start seeing the brightest leaving.

 

Trust me on this: for a long time, especially in the late 1990's, the Canadian Brain Drain was a hot topic and cause of much worry here in Canada. When the Dot Com thing turned out to be a giant scam, a lot of those Canadians ended up back in Canada.

In the field of Industrial Automation, the hot area right now is ... China. They're building new plants like crazy, and all those new plants have state-of-the-freaking-art digital automation busses (DeviceNet, ControlNet, Foundation FieldBus, ProfiBus, etc).

I find it disturbing that many strategic and critical infrastructure control points in the U.S. run not only on outmoded discrete 4-20mA control loops, but God Help You 5-15 psi pneumatic control loops.

Things like dewatering plants for flood control that have 50 year old pumps with impellers so corroded they fall apart. Petroleum refineries with discrete analog control over trays and pumparounds. Ethylene plants that needed 3 weeks to achieve minimal in-spec after Katrina shutdowns.

Consider that the world’s largest ethylene cracker is owned by SECCO of China. It’s also the world’s largest Foundation FieldBus digital plant. They went from cold to in-spec in less than ONE DAY.

http://www.emersonprocess.com/home/news/pr/507_secco.html

Think we can compete? Fuhgetabout.

 

Interesting stuff, makes one really ponder. I also happen to bump around the globe and with all due honesty I can't stop noticing our infrastructure rather dilapidated in comparison to other western countries, it's a pity that the quality expectation is much lower in case of new projects.

Even our airports suck big time, luck of power outlets, no free internet access, sometimes a get a feeling that we're slipping into 3rd world in terms of public service etc.

 

I've often suspected that! Can't say we don't have it coming, though. We do export something we call "entertainment" to you guys, so you do have to put up with our sitcoms.

As far as NAFTA, doesn't Canada sell more to us than they buy from us? Every time I see stats, I see that more American dollars go north than Canadian dollars come south. Having a positive trade balance is usually a good thing.

One of my Canadian buddies told me he heard that Canada had missed a great opportunity. They could have choosen to have French cuisine, British culture and the American economic system. Instead, they chose the French economic system, British cuisine and American culture! :blink:

 

Historically true, but Canada is seeking more involvement in foreign trading partners. I think that may hurt the U.S., did you catch that sneak peak of the oil thing on CNN's Anderson Cooper 360 last night?

I think your Canadian buddy nailed it, at least for Toronto. Here in Manitoba, we have the Ecadorian economic system, Swiss culture, and a mixture of many fine cuisines.

Just this week alone, I had: traditional American steak, Ukranian perogies, Thai, Chinese, and Mexican. All within 2 blocks of where I live. I've always liked that about Winnipeg: yummy food.

 

Yep, Toronto definately fits my buddy's statement (he is in Toronto, and where I visit Canada most often, at a sister company). I did have much better food in Vancouver out west, but haven't been to Winnipeg.

We do have the longest friendly border in the world, but most of us south of it know so very little about our northern cousins.