Johnny Rockets wrote:saxitoxin wrote:Johnny Rockets wrote:Consider this whole event a preview of what's going to go down in YOUR country.
(not mine....Yours.)
As an impartial observer I might comment that - with 83% of Canada's exports going to the United States (the third highest one-nation trade dependency in the world after only Swaziland and Lesotho) - whatever happens to the US today happens to Canada in triplicate next week.
If the US loses a finger on Monday, Canada loses an arm on Friday.
This is an unfortunate situation for Canada to be in; whereas the U.S. could suddenly make a decision to do something different to avert its fate (I doubt it will), Canada has no control over the destiny that awaits it. It is resigned to simply hoping things turn out best for the US.
That said, the centralized nature of policing in Canada (outside Quebec and Ontario, of course) puts it in a much better position to, tactically, respond to restraints of civil authority. Also, Canadians have much more docile personalities relative to Americans, and especially to Greeks, which mitigates how robust civil contingency operations have to become (in fact, though they don't like to admit it, Americans tend to be more docile, themselves, than continental Europeans - perhaps not to the extent of Canadians, though).
Good point. The global recession nailed our manufacturing centres, mostly Ontario, but our Agriculture and commodities weathered us through better than most other countries in the world.
We sit on some of the largest deposits of oil and minerals, have a great agricultural output, and vast timber reserves. Coupled with good ( well, good enough...) social safety nets, and free healthcare, I'm sure we can struggle through the U.S. demise while we find better trading agreements than nafta in cutomers like India and China.
That is until you invade our asses of course.
Johnny Rockets
First, "you" does not mean "me" as "I" am not an American.
Second, the point is not debatable. The fact that 100% of Canadians have access to preventative medicine as opposed to 94% of American will not, nor has ever, stopped the abeyance of civil authority, nor riots, war or general depravation.
If the US suffers an economic collapse the conditions of general misery in the United States will be compounded by factors of ten on the Canadian population. If 83% of Canada's exprot market dries up there is nothing, and I truly mean nothing, that will prevent the implosion of Canadian civil society. The continued viability of Canada as a functioning, independent nation state will - most likely - come into question. Canada will not survive the 10-15 years it will take to develop new markets and economic paradigms. Canada will probably not survive 10-15 months.
Third, the catastrophe you are imagining is, inherently and throughout history, accomplished through a corresponding change in worldview. If your prediction comes to pass, the international organization of nation-states will devolve into a traditional order in which powerful states take what they need from their lesser neighbors. Your cheerleading is cheerleading Canada to tributary state status with the United States as Suzerain (if that isn't already the case).
As much as I detest Canadian racist imperialism and sycophancy, even I would not like to see that happen.
Canadians have limited talents and are deeply unimpressive. Anyone who is even moderately good at what they do - in literature, the theater, skiing of whatever - tends to become a national figure. And anyone who stands out at all from the crowd tends to be praised to the skies and given the Order of Canada at once. - The Baron Moran, UK High Commissioner to Canada
