Novocastrian

EU chief at G20 Summit: We're not here to 'receive lessons from nobody!'

Directed at Harper by said official.

Such is Canada's standing in the world today.

What a shame.

Oink

Barroso should have taken reference from Rude Kid and told Harper to go . . .

CanadaJimmy

Rather arrogant statement none the less considering Canada's successful austerity measures in the 90s.

MarkG

And that is why the EU may not exist a year from now.

Atlantic Xpat

Apropos to Canada's position in the world, there was an interesting column in the Telegraph yesterday: http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/news/ti...ats-them-both/

Of course, it's the Telegraph not the Guardian so the chattering classes will pooh pooh it.

dbd33

It doesn't have the ring of truth to it, does it?

"The Good Society is still in evidence: drug use is lower, church affiliation higher..."

Drug use lower? Church afflication higher? Desirable or not, these are not characteristics of the Canada I know.

Atlantic Xpat

That part, perhaps not - although I suspect there is more religiosity in Canada than in the UK. I thought the comparison of the wasted benefits of North Sea oil vs. the Canadian experience of finding oneself sitting on piles of the stuff at the right time, was interesting. Although I don't neccessarily agree with it.

Souvy

Well, quite. Living in QC, most of the people I know are technically Catholics. I cannot think of one that goes to church other than for weddings and funerals.

Drugs are all over the place. It's become an issue in the little park near us. Yoofs, mostly from elsewhere, have started populating the park, getting stoned, pissed and leaving litter all over the place. The local residents have responded, generally, by tutting.

It may change. The yoofs got a visit from my missus a couple of days ago. She was armed with bin bags. Some of the slightly less stoned/pissed yoofs escaped. She forced the others to clean the trash up.

Hopefully the park will be less attractive to the scrotes in future.

iaink

The telegraph article was an interesting perspective. Im not going to argue with nationmaster stats. I certainly know a lot more churchgoers here than I ever did in the UK. Not just via my church going wife either, people Ive worked with too.

Cant really say how prevalent drugs are compared to the UK. Certainly there are drugs here, but is the UK very much different, especially if alcohol is factored in. I've no recent experience to draw on of course.

Anyway, could somone please remind me what it is that Canada is investing its new found oil windfall in that isnt pissing it away as the UK did?

Please tell me its not F-35s and tax breaks for the very wealthy...

ExKiwilass

agreed. What a stupid comment.

Not many church goers where I live. I believe BC has the highest % of non-believers in the country though - a long with the thinnest and healthiest.

el_richo

Vancouver proper maybe. Out in the Valley it seems much more rife (religion and fatness)

ExKiwilass

No arguing here. Were out in Maple Ridge last weekend, seems like there's a big arse church on every corner.

el_richo

Us too. At the memorial we attended, our dead friend asked for no religion to be brought into it. In the end those making arrangements decided they'd better do to keep most of the attendees happy.

It was a nice send off though, and a cracking BBQ afterwards

Oink

And to add, that shrew of an Australian PM should also take note. Leaders of tin-pot countries who rely on natural resources to mask their incompetence should not be giving advice to a diverse continent of over 400 million people.

JonboyE

It seems to be Surrey and eastwards. It is not uncommon at early morning meetings to say grace before we tuck into the donuts. Definitely a more religious society than the UK.

At least the article credits the Liberal government for turning the Canadian economy in the 90s. Something the Harperites seem to be deleting from political memory.