oicur0t

I'd definetly agree on this, but I do think it's becoming less important as there's a global homogeny occurring, thanks to cultural imperialism coupled with the internet.

Keith

The Great Britain of my youth (30's and 40's) had something to be proud of except it's glory depended on an Empire that slowly melted away after WW2.

Since the end of the war the industrial base of the country either closed down or has merged into foreign based companies. I used to work for DeHavilland and my wife Handley Page, just 2 of many that no longer exist.

The biggest problem is that the country has still the same old mind set, the Class structure. Unfortunataly the migration of people from other countries is slowly diluting the main population centres so that eventually this mongrel mix will take over. I think that by 2050 most native Brits will live in the rural areas and will represent about 25% of the population, much like South Africa.

Canada may not have such a glorious past, but I believe it has a much brighter future.

dboy

probably - but there's more to quality of life and standard of living than these things, although I do agree that they are part of the equation. I still prefer brit tv and music, although now a days, we are able to view them from afar with relative ease.

I don't think that's enough of case, however, to suggest that one should not come to Canada, or elsewhere, because of these things. As for popular culture, I don't even know how you adequately define that anymore. What is it football hooligans, shared history, or Blue Peter? I think we all retain what it means to each of us to be British, perhaps that's why we come on here, meet up with Brits on pub nights etc, and oh, yes, endlessley channel surf looking for something distinctly British.

Alan2005

Yet, the UK is 6th biggest manufacturer in the world. Several places above Canada in fact. Your view of the UK is false and is seen through the eyes of the media rather than based on facts.

dboy

I must admit after spending 6 months in saskatchewan there may be some truth. I haven't seen enough of the place to comment really.

Alan2005

AC wanted an example of what the UK has given to the world in the last 50 years. It wasn't meant to start a debate about the cultural void or paradise that is Canada

dboy

No, and my comment was actually meant for that wheatsheaf twit. Guess my being a simple northern lad, I'm not one for culture and find pleasure in simple, eveyday things.

oicur0t

6th in terms of GDP, but that's not necessarily manufacturing. Banking and finance, I would imagine to be a large sector of that and it's currently being propped up by the govt. One of the basic reasons why currency values drop is because there's less of a need to spend that currency. Businesses overseas are not buying uk products and services, even though currently export prices would seem low.

Added to that there was a big shift from manufacturing to customer services, which create unskilled and semi skilled jobs for the workforce. Now these jobs are being shipped overseas.

Keith

But who owns it?

Alan2005

Nope, 6th in manufacturing. The UK is the worlds 6th largest. Pharma and the arms industry are huge.

Alan2005

I don't know what your point is? It doesn't matter who owns it; most of the revenues generated from it stay in the UK regardless (taxation, wages, etc)

oicur0t

http://ourfuture.org/blog-entry/2009...-output-capita

agreed, you're right. But Canada is 5th!

Cape Blue

Almost Canadian

That's "massive contribution"?

Alan2005

That's a per capita basis. It's not really the same is it.

Edit to add: It's beside the point anyway - its just that people always go one about how there is no manufacturing in the UK anymore, when in fact this has no basis in reality.