scrubbedexpat091

The US welfare system is actually pretty good, if your poor your going to be better off in the US largely because of 1 program most know as food stamps.

The US has social housing too, quality varies around the country, but eh quality of it varies in Canada from pretty good to downright poor.

Granted overall US taxes are lower, but live in California, good chance you may pay poor in taxes. For example at my income level in Canada, CRA gives me everything back, in California I'd get federal back, but California would keep most if not all as they are not as generous on taxes. Sales tax is lower but only because there is no federal sales tax.

I'll give you the shootings are greater down south.

It's a huge misconception the US doesn't have a welfare system, they do, and it's actually not bad, just gets bad mouthed because that sort of thing is frowned upon, but what they do lack is a decent payment system for healthcare, but thats slowly changing, and in a state like California, if your poor you can get state medical coverage, and lower income but not low enough income for state get a pretty nice subsidy making insurance pretty darn affordable now.


In Canada the welfare may pay more in cash which isn't great for example BC is 610/month for a single person, but you get no food stamp benefits and well your check is likely almost entirely going to rent, leaving nearly nothing for food.

Politically there is a difference, but there are several states giving Canada a run for it's month, there is little difference in my view between BC and WA really, except for the currency and bigger population, basically the same.

US and Canada are more common then different, more then Canadian's want to admit.

haggis88

Literally just saw on the news that more than 40% of Yankees are in favour of a fence between the US and Canada

MarkG

We're gonna need it when the US economy collapses, and the refugees come flooding northwards.

BTW, I was watching an interesting documentary a few weeks ago about the US plans for war with Canada in the 1930s. Apparently they even built some hidden airfields that could be used for a surprise attack if they decided to invade.

Steve_

If you really want to be completely appalled, watch this: Hearing Northern Border Threats | Video | C-SPAN.org

Where Canada is endlessly described as a threat and they even gasp at the shocking image of two roads running parallel on either side of the 49th parallel without a fence between them!

The one bit that gets me is the HSI guy going on about how much contraband is seized crossing the border - well if there were border checkpoints between say, Colorado and Kansas, would it be any different?

Anyway on the subject of European federalism, there are in fact almost endless agreements between the US and Canada on every subject imaginable.

The IRS and CRA can see each other's records for example. If you work in the US on a work permit and get laid off, you can claim EI in Canada. There are about a zillion agreements between the DND and the DoD on every defence topic (hence the need for the F-35). If you cross the border, since the middle of last year, CBSA and CBP have access to each other's entry systems and can see the entry/departure records from the other side.

Agreements on car specifications. Licence plate design. The list goes on and on and on.

Generally you only hear about the rare instances where there isn't agreement, e.g. Keystone XL which would have been approved if not for some rich guy in California funding a campaign against it.

Softwood lumber, the COO labelling for meat, the "buy American" provisions of the Recovery Act, i.e. protectionist measures taken by stupid US politicians who probably can't find BC and Alberta on a map.

Personally I think there is more integration when it comes to utilities than there is in the EU because plenty of power companies in the NE of the US are hooked up to the Canadian grid to get power.

In fact even when it comes to currency integration you could argue there is more integration than in the EU because many EU countries still use their own currency, but the USD is the de facto standard in North America. Canadian banks all offer USD accounts and credit cards. Many Canadians are paid in USD. You can do payroll in USD if you want, just get approval from the CRA, it's simple.

You immediately see price rises in Canadian stores when the USD goes up against the CAD.

Steve_

Yeah I always say this because Canadians make silly comparisons e.g. Ontario v. Texas. If you compare with the adjacent jurisdictions though, there isn't much difference.

Anyway as for shootings, this is an interesting read: http://www.associatedgunclubs.org/le...HU%20Study.pdf

Hockey sticks!