...with all their hockey hullabaloo, and that bitch Anne Murray too...

...With all their beady little eyes, And flappin heads so full of lies...

I don't think we need to invade, per se. If we offer statehood to the Western Provinces, they are VERY likely to take it. They are severely unhappy about Canada's signing of the Kyoto Accord.

Since the Western Provinces already pay far far more in taxes than they receive in government support in ANY form, not only would they be happy to leave (and pay much lower US taxes) (and get much better US healthcare) but losing the income would seriously damage the pomposity of the rest of the Canadians. Particulary Quebec.

Did you know that Quebec is full of French people? Reason enough to hate Canada right there.

(Note: "Some of my best friends are Canadians.")

Actually, as I show in my blog...this stuff about invading Iraq is just a front. It's really France we are about to invade. The hoo-ha about Iraq is just to lull the French into a false sense of security. After that, we may invade Canada. Who knows?

Previous poster just confirmed my: War With France Is Imminent theory. Thanks! I thought I had gone off the deep end or something.

Is Bush a fool? No, liberals are just condescending cranks.

Oh come on, Bush is a moron. Even my right-wing Republican brother thinks that Bush is a mental lightweight.

>Since the Western Provinces already pay far far more in taxes than they receive in government support in ANY form, not only would they be happy to leave (and pay much lower US taxes) (and get much better US healthcare)

Yr jokin right? Canadian healthcare (and - as obvious by yr post - education) has ranked higher than the US by virtually every international measure and study done on the subject for the last few decades.

This whole thing is actually a ploy - we want you to invade. Then we can finish the ass-kicking we gave you the last time you tried (you know - during the war of 1812? You remember, you learned about that in school.....oh, right).

That's it my little yanky friends - step into the trap. closer! closer....
MU-HA-HA-HA-HA!!!!

RE: Scott's comments. "Yr jokin right? Canadian healthcare (and - as obvious by yr post - education) has ranked higher than the US by virtually every international measure and study done on the subject for the last few decades."

My response is a quote from 2001 Annual Meeting of the AANS.

Yet the Canadian system is inadequate in some important respects and is facing a financial crisis, said Dr. Hudson. The system, ostensibly a one-tier system, actually has several tiers. Nearly one-third of healthcare spending in Canada is from private funds because some services such as the costs of drugs outside hospitals are not covered by the government. Accessibility is also an issue. Canadians in certain regions are much less likely to receive certain procedures such as cataract surgery. Another problem is the relative lack of high-end technology. The entire country does not have a single Gamma Knife.

Adding to these woes are rapidly rising costs in healthcare. "To put it succinctly, we can't afford it. Spending is going up," said Dr. Hudson. Further fueling the troubles are a nursing shortage and a brain drain among physicians, as healthcare professionals head to the more lucrative United States.

Dude! Canada pretty much sucks. You guys barely have any Hockey Teams left - what does that tell you? And the ones you do have - ALL SUCK!

Ah, the War of 1812. Some call it the Second War of Independence, for when it ended and the US had fought Great Britain to a stalemate, Americas independence was assured. Canada was, to its own folly, loyal to the Crown. You still are, right? Too bad you could have been the 51st state. Now your just a limpwristed joke that needs our protection because you can't afford to buy yourself any weapons. But hey! you've got free healthcare - what's your tax rate, again?

Personally, I think Canada's one of the most wonderful countries that has ever existed. I like joking about them sometimes, but only because I know they joke about us, and I'm fine with that. They're our brothers, and are a fine, sturdy, decent, and friendly folk.

I just wouldn't want my sister to marry one. (Sorry! Joke.) They truly are a wonderful country.

However, their health care system's got problems, in areas that many of those international measures don't measure. That doesn't mean they can't or won't fix it. Indeed, I predict that the will, sooner or later.

Since we've been picking on Canada lately, I'm going to post a new article on what's wonderful about Canada in a little bit.

Dean

Sorry - i had to add this. Rosemary, these are good point, but the paragraph at the beginning of the AASA article also is rather significant to our debate:

>>Canada's universal healthcare system outperforms the U.S. system in infant mortality, longevity and other statistical categories even while spending considerably less, said Dr. Hudson. Canadians proudly cherish their system and derisively compare it with the "dreadful American system".

The "considerably less" referred to, really is considerable too. In 1997 Canadians spent just under $2100 US per capita on health care (total tax divided by population), yet in the same year, Americans spent over $4000 US (total private expenditures divided by population) on care. This is even more interesting when you consider the millions of Americans who recieve no health care what-so-ever. Since then we have cut the amount spent on heaalth care to assuage the mathematically challenged 'no taxes' propaganda lobby. So yes, there is a budget problem with our health care system. But if we up taxes and increase spending by a whopping %50 (which absolutley no individual or organization has suggested is a nescessary increase to fix the problem), then we would still be paying almost $1000 less a year then US citizens and we could maintain the system 'in style'. The point is that it is actually much more cost effective to take a collective approach to health care than a private system where everybody in the industry takes in a profit margin. The 'bottom line' is something that the American and Canadian political right seem to have erroneously concluded they have some sort of monopoly on. But this doesn't appear to be the case.

That's all fair, except one thing. There aren't millions who receive no healthcare whatsoever. There are millions of uninsured but that's not the same thing.

We have Medicare (Seniors) & Medicaid(for the poor). And that is tax payer funded. Also, in this country, it is against the law for a hospital to refuse emergency treatment regardless of ability to pay - that is also taxpayer funded. Our main problem is ability to afford insurance not inability to get healthcare.

The only reason I didn't include the statement you brought up was - you had pretty much summed it up yourself. I just wanted to point out that, while what you said may be true, Canada's system is not without problems.

Actually, Rosemary, the US didn't beat the Empire to a standstill, as you phrase it. In fact with the exception of a very few frigates, the US was soundly beaten on both land & blue water. Every land expedition into Canada was soundly defeated and the British too and burned Washington D.C. The main reason that the Empire didn't end up spanking the US (once they trounced that froggified Corsican Buenoparte) was that Welllington recognized that control of the Great Lakes was the key to any offensive (for both the British and the US), and that was the one area that the US was consistently successful. Alas, the US couldn't get together a decent land offensive, but why that was true is another topic entirely.

Casey:Prepare to be spanked. Anyone that questions me usually is. So just sit back and enjoy!

I actually said that they fought Britan to a stalemate.
By definition a stalemate is:
A situation in which further action is blocked; a deadlock.
A situation in which no progress can be made: "reached an impasse on the negotiations".

If the British won a war that they started - what pray tell did they win? Seriously. We went after Canada - we didn't get it. What did they get that we had?

Dude, I'll save you the trouble. Nothing.

Proof:THE TREATY OF GHENT: Status Quo Ante Bellum

The Treaty of Ghent, signed on Christmas Eve 1814, ended the deadlock of war with no major concessions granted by either side. A belated American victory at the Battle of New Orleans led to a widespread conception that the United States had won the War of 1812. After the American victory at Plattsburg, the English government decided to end the war without addressing any of the problems that had started it. Both sides were weary, and the Senate ratified the treaty unanimously. For Americans, the war succeeded splendidly. They had won a "second war of independence."

Many Canadians think of bush as a moron. We just have the class to say we made a comment, maybe it shouldnt have been said ya know? meanwhile you have senators calling us ( Canada ) on TV with out hesitation Soviet Canukistan. As well as many others. And by the way, you guys are in a different NHL division then all the decent hockey teams in Canada, and the only decent hockey players are Canadian. I'm french Canadian and damn proud of it.

I don't care if you think he's a moron - although he isn't. I care when public officials say it - it is a direct slam against all of us.

Detroit is my team and the current Stanley Cup Champs.

BTW, Brett Hull is American. So is Yzerman (now) and Shanhan and Federov - all American citizens.

So there!

Comment to the above:
BTW, Brett Hull is American. So is Yzerman (now) and Shanhan and Federov - all American citizens.

Obviously you know nothing about the players in the NHL!

Brett Hull- Father is Canadian and he was born in Canada
Yzerman- is full Canadian, mother and father and he is proud to be a Canadian (just because he has his "so called USA citizenship for playing hockey does not mean he is American, He plays for the Canadian World team for god sakes!!

Federov- well we all know he is Russian not American!!

Before you put down people or say who comes from where get your facts straight.

I have many American friends, I even wish I lived in the Era Kennedy was president in the US, I even wish Canadians had the same pride for the country that Americans have for theirs but....

I am proud to be Canadian so lay off.

Thanks

Okay, I'll try to go slow.

Hull, is an American citizen who was born in Belleville, Ont.

Fedorov is NOW an American citizen.

Yzerman is also NOW an American citizen.

You DON'T HAVE TO BORN HERE TO BE A CITIZEN!!!!!

Get your facts straight, baby. I love hockey and my hockey players. Don't try correcting me before you correct yourself.

BTW, if you haven't figured out yet that this entire post was a joke - I can't help you.

I will say this - while it was intended to be a joke I won't sit here and be crapped on by anyone.

Ok,if the USA can put a man on the moon,why can`t you make beer? I mean that pony piss is not even good training beer.Work on it will ya.Your drugs are good and I just love your guns.

Rosemary:

A little bitter are we? I by no means was "crapping" on you, obviously you never read my post entirly. But you were certaintly talking down to me which I don't think was called for.

First off don't call me baby. Second I know hockey damn well also seeing as my dad once played for the Montreal Canadians and my brother now plays Division 1 hockey in Michigan. So to say my point.

Just because these players are "American citizens NOW" does not mean that they are American. Steve Yzerman just played for the "CANADIAN" Olympic team, but oh yah I forgot he is an American citizen...come on!
These players are citizens because their career is in the US not because they decided they wanted to be Americans.

Citizen means nothing it's where your heritage, history and growing up was done and for many players it was Canada and I bet they would agree!

Now if you think that was "crapping" on you, you have issues.

I am a Canadian with a degree in contract law and I know my hockey as you probably do as well, so let's leave it at that shall we...

A little bitter are we? I by no means was "crapping" on you, obviously you never read my post entirly. But you were certaintly talking down to me which I don't think was called for.

Bitter? Me? Never. You insulted me and tried correcting me. I clearly stated that they were "American citizens" in the post you were responding to - in the first place. That was quite condescending. I read your post. I responded to you in the same tone you flamed me with.

You came to my site and tried to get all uppidity with me and you are gonna get upset that I called you "baby"...

I could have called you worse - I was having a happy day.

Again, I will point out that the entire post was meant as a joke for our "regulars". It has gotten out of hand a bit and I am getting flamed by people that can't seem to grasp that this was a joke - so perhaps I jumped on you a little to quickly. For that I apologize.

...I know my hockey as you probably do as well, so let's leave it at that shall we...

Ok.

Again, seriously I apologize. I really DO like Canadians. Heck, I'm a native Detroiter. I love Canada. I just ain't so fond of your politicians...

Ok,if the USA can put a man on the moon,why can`t you make beer? I mean that pony piss is not even good training beer.Work on it will ya.Your drugs are good and I just love your guns.

I have to agree with you here. But in all honesty your beer ain't much better. I prefer ales and stouts - anyway.

Good English Ale! Irish Stouts!!

Hey, watch it - we love our guns over here...Don't be messing with the guns.