Souvenir

Why not? It's essentially the same occupation.

iaink

Id imagine its a lot more fun getting screwed by one than the other though

Souvenir

Assembly might be a more accurate word than manufacturing. And if Canada's employee healthcare costs ever rise to meet those in the US, the auto industry in Ontario will die a sudden and violent death.

Madmac

Discussed a related problem last evening with Canadian friends in bar. I put forward that Canada is seen as being too 'Nice' to be taken seriously. It's seen as the Nice mediator in disputes; the Nice North American partner at the G8 summits; the Nice place to vacation when you want a Nice experience etc..

Funnily enough they all agreed. Then suggested that Canada pick on some small, impoverished nation, that's rich in something Canada wants: Coffee beans perhaps? , invade and kick the cr*p out of it! That'll shake up the perceived image somewhat.

Someone wittily suggested they invade Scotland before I pointed out that the Isle of Skye has a bigger standing army than Canada and it would be counter-productive to Canada's global image when they get beaten back into the Atlantic by a group of whisky-soaked sheep farmers from Portree.

iaink

To be fair most of that dollar value is auto parts heading for assembly south of the border, so it really is manufacturing. But yes, if health care cost ever got that high some Ontario plants would get the chop. There are no Auto assembly plants in other provinces since the GM plant in St Therese that made the F bodys (Camaro / Firebird) was demolished and turned into a mall.

BlueCross is apparently now the supplier with the largest $ value input in any US made GM vehicle :scared:

Judy in Calgary

I don't see why it's a "problem" to be perceived as nice. Being nice can be profitable. There are oil companies in the Middle East and Russia that hire Canadian oil services companies just because they are not American.

Souvenir

I suggest that your friends were humouring you or don't leave the bar enough enough to see the news. Canada's "nice" reputation in the world has gone for good.

Atlantic Xpat

The Marks and Spencer prawn sandwich business is entirely supported by the Newfoundland coldwater shrimp fishery. Or possibly the other way round.

Atlantic Xpat

Errm, Afghanistan?

Souvenir

Judging from the way M&S have traditionally worked, the NF shrimp industry is probably now dependent upon M&S.

oceanMDX

While there is an element of truth at the basis of your thoughts regarding Canada's economy, you appear to be largely uninformed about it. Just for a start, why don't you familarize yourself with Toronto's main industry clusters:

http://www.toronto.ca/invest-in-toro...eroverview.htm

...you mentioned food, so make sure you read the "food & beverage" section. Here's an excerpt, "Toronto’s food cluster is largest in Canada and one of the leading Food & Beverage Clusters in North America. With 44,000 employees, in 1999, the city was in a virtual tie with Los Angeles for second place."

While it's true that Canada is highly dependent on trade with the US... we certainly aren't "suckling" on the US.... we are simply trading with them. We are also their most important market. It's a mutually beneficial relationship. It should be totally understandable that with most of Canada's population living so close to the border that most of our trade would be with the largest and richest market in the world.

Canada is a world leader in several areas of technology.... from mass spectrometry, to wireless communications.... from biotechnology to quantum computing. Canadian technology is even on Mars - the chips used to capture the images taken by the rovers where manufactured by Dalsa (a Waterloo company). Now that I mention Waterloo, check this out:

http://www.therecord.com/business/techspot/

Madmac

Yes, but take the Yanks and Brits out and let Canada do it on their own. It doesn't count if you get 'haunners' from your big mates.

Madmac

Humouring me regarding the impending invasion of Skye??? Okay, it might have been Arran they were talking about or some other West Coast island, population under 3000.

Madmac

Didn't say it was a problem. I like 'Nice'......it's just so....Nice really.

oceanMDX

.... Canada (most of it is in Ontario) has a large parts manufacturing industry. At any rate, "assembly" is part of "manufacturing". Assembly involves welding, painting... etc.