Canada

[Angie Parkes]

Originally posted by BigJon@Work:

Originally posted by Marye:
[b] Canadians coast to coast actively HATE Brian Mulroney. It is a unifying thing.

Other than being a bit thick, what was wrong with him?

BigJon [/b]

For many Canadians, Mr. Mulroney epitomizes the "slimy politician." It's not like Mr. Clinton's reputation, either. Mr. Mulroney's odiousness has nothing to do with his marriage vows. He seemed to project an oily obsequiousness to the Reagan administration which did not sit well with Canadians.

As for Mr. Harper, he's very well-regarded by the majority in Alberta. While I am not of the majority opinion, I've mentioned previously that if Mary and I stop chatting, then liberal discourse in Alberta disappears.

Originally posted by Treebeau:
How about that Miss Canada, winning Miss Universe ??

Ah, Tim, it's a proud time to be Canadian. Actually, all the women in Canada are as beautiful as our country's new representative on the world stage. Mary and I were invited to Thailand, but both of us had unavoidable work commitments. :p

[haggis]

"A scandal can become PM in Canada?"

Haven't you been keeping up? A scandal is already PM in Canada!!

[Angie Parkes]

The sad/amusing part is that Paul Martin is hardly the first. The first Canadian PM was a notorious drunk. Another used to consult his deceased mother on policy issues. When one of our PMs was Minister of Justice before she became PM, she was photographed coyly holding her judicial robes in front of her, with the implication that she was nude. One of our most famous PMs slid down a bannister in an official residence and pirouetted behind the Queen at an official function, not to mention his infamously unparliamentary language.

Must be something in the water in Ottawa.

[DavidS]

Politicians seem to have the same reputation the world over. I suppose "power tends to corrupt"...

[treebeau]

Originally posted by Angie:
... Actually, all the women in Canada are as beautiful as our country's new representative on the world stage...

I wouldn't say that. There is a famous singer named Celine "something or other" that I find repulsive. Oh, maybe it's a guy in drag. In that case...you're right!!

Regards,
Tim B.

[Marye]

Wait Tim..

[treebeau]

lol, right, Shania Twain. Or as I like to think of her "Venus de Milo with arms".

But if there is ONE exception, I guess we can't say "all."

(Yuck, gay wedding. Is Celine singing at that?)

Regards,
Tim B.

[freshstarz]

Harper wouldn't be able to become PM - he just isn't well liked enough. Thank god too - or we'd all be in trouble.

I'm jealous Angie - I had no clue Albertans had no provincial tax. That's probably the biggest downer living in Quebec - being the highest taxed province in Canada.

Make the GST go away. Fat chance.

Big Gay Wedding was funny. Not as funny as I had hoped - but funny. Sadly, I have to admit also that I have been watching Canadian Idol all week and actually now prefer it to the American Idol...

*walks off in shame*

[Angie Parkes]

Freshstarz, you might have got the wrong idea from Mary about the tax thing. We have no provincial sales tax and the GST out here is just 7%. We do have provincial income tax, although it's the lowest in Canada.

Okay, TB, MOST Canadian women, are as gorgeous as Ms. Twain and the new Miss Universe -- and Mary and I are still exemplars!

[freshstarz]

I got it Angie... I just mixed up the taxes. Now I rethink my move to Montreal and wonder if Calgary may have been a better choice.

And I have to admit - Canadian women are gorgeous. And, hate to start a comparison but the French Canadian women here in Quebec are stunning. The police force here looks like a set of a TV crime drama.

[treebeau]

No doubt!
Though I'll have to use my imagination.

Regards,
Tim B.

[Angie Parkes]

I don't think Calgary would have been better, just different, unless chief among your criteria was cost of living.

I was always jealous of Montreal women. They have that French panache that doesn't seem to exist anywhere else in Canada.

[freshstarz]

hehehe @ Angie. Yes - they have a sort of confidence about them that is far from superiority or from being conceited.

Cost of living here is spectacular - what is it over there in general?

[Angie Parkes]

Gas is running 85 cents a litre; decent artisan bread is about $2.50 a loaf; average house price is about $250,000, but that's about as accurate as any average with 50% both above and below that average. I have a 1500 sq ft house, with a developed basement bringing the total developed to 2500 sq ft, family of 4, and it costs us about $150 a month for electricity and about $150-$200 for natural gas (heat & hot water) in winter. In summer the gas bill is more like $50.

No provincial sales tax but health care premiums are $72 per month for a family, although if you're not on a contract and work full-time, generally one's employer picks up the cost.

How does that compare with Montreal?

[freshstarz]

Well - gas hovers around 85 - 99 cents depending on where you are on the island. average house prices are around $160 - $190 depending on which source you use. We do have provincial sales tax as you know and electricity is a bit lower than what you pay. As you can tell - real estate is where the biggest difference lies.

[Selma in Sandy Eggo]

Health care premiums of $72/mo? For a family? Wow.

I had to stop and look it up. My health coverage, for a family, costs $788.65/mo, of which I only pay $197.16/mo. I also have to pay a copay of $20, $30, or $50 for drugs (different copay depends on generic, preferred, or nonpreferred drug classification), $20 for doctor visits, $250 per hospitalization.

I understand your gasoline prices subsidize the health care? Looks like it's working.

[OperaTenor]

[sarcasm] Yep, that socialized medicine's a real loser. [/sracasm]

Just think what FS's and Angie's figures translate into US $.

Their 85¢ per litre also translates into less than what we currently pay for gas as well.

[treebeau]

Ahhh, Canadian women...they have that certain....."I don't know what."

Regards,
Tim "Dr. Evil" B.

[Angie Parkes]

I did the gas conversion and $0.85 Cdn per litre = $2.62 US per gallon.

$72/month health care premiums = $59 US. That doesn't buy dental care in Alberta. It doesn't buy eye exams either, except for people under 18, over 65, or with a systemic disease such as diabetes. It doesn't buy drugs, either. My employer pays $83 a month ($68 US) for extended health care (family plan; single plan is less, of course) including drugs (plus semi-private hospital care and some other stuff). The insurance picks up 80% for any drug, I co-pay the remaining 20%. Everything else is covered. I have to pay an additional $50 per day if I want a private room in a hospital.

BTW, one of the drugs I take is tamoxifen to prevent a recurrence of breast cancer. I get it for free -- the insurance company doesn't pay for it either -- because it's considered an extension of my cancer treatment. But when I was in chemo, the chemo drugs were picked up by Alberta Health, but the anti-nausea drugs weren't.

I'm not sure about the gas royalties subsidizing health care except in the most general way that a portion of all government revenue goes to health care. But it's my understanding that we pay much higher taxes than you do in the US. For example, I pay about 28% of my gross salary in government deductions. That's federal and provincial income tax, Canada Pension Plan (what you call social security, I guess), and unemployment insurance, but not including, of course, things like life insurance, private pension, etc. I gather that this is more than you pay in the US.

<small>[ 06-02-2005, 03:04 PM: Message edited by: Angie ]</small>

[OperaTenor]

There are two gas stations <½ mile from our house that have regular unleaded at $2.97.9 per gallon. Premium is $3.17.9.

When I last paid for my own health insurance[COBRA], an HMO for me was $213.00 per month, and the corresponding PPO was $570.00. There was a $20.00 copay on generic drugs, and $30.00 for brand name. If it hadn't been for the fact of COBRA, I would have been catagorically denied any health insurance. Once again, the best health care money can buy.

Yes, your taxes are higher in Canada, but it has been proven repeatedly that you pay less than we do when you factor in the social services you get that we don't for tax dollars, and what we have to pay, whether it is directly or part of the compensation package from our employers, to obtain those same services.

<small>[ 06-02-2005, 03:21 PM: Message edited by: OperaTenor ]</small>