> Also really odd you’ve gone so hard on healthcare when that was just one of the many points that differentiates Canada from the us.
Maybe because 34% of ALL government money in Canada goes towards healthcare. So this means I'm paying tens of thousands of dollars per year for healthcare that I haven't been able to use. Maybe it's bad luck that my family has required several "elective" (note that elective doesn't mean optional) procedures in the last few years, but it's a kick in the teeth to have to pay out of pocket for healthcare in another country when so much of our taxes go towards it here and we can't opt out.
> differentiates Canada from the us.
Not going to lie, the constant US boogeyman is what keeps Canada so fucking mediocre. There's 38 "rich" countries in the world (OECD) and a ton of them are ahead of us. Why aren't we striving to be more like Switzerland, Germany, France or Norway? Why is it some binary of USA or not USA? There's a ton of countries that are safer than CANADA (nevermind the US), get more maternity/paternity days, get more vacation days, get better healthcare, better income, less inequality and a better income/cost ratio. Even the laggards in the EU have better productivity (GDP per capita) growth than Canada and even the most dangerous EU countries are safer than Canada and even the worst EU health systems are better than ours. But we're just going to ignore that because some aspect of the US is worse (also half your points the US will still win because lots companies still provide those things even if they're not required).
If every Canadian spent a year living in central or northern Europe they'd be radicalised enough to overthrow this government. Of course the reality is that Canadians who do move abroad just stay there (more Canadians live abroad than any of our peer countries) so the people that do stay here are the ones with little ambition. For better or worse I was born in Canada AND have a residence in central Europe so it's pretty easy for me to see how Canada has fallen and is being left behind by our peers. If we didn't have resources and easy access to the largest market in the world we'd be a 3rd world country (or more likely would have just never become a country).
> So this means I'm paying tens of thousands of dollars per year for healthcare that I haven't been able to use.
Yep, that’s how it works in every country with healthcare for all. Remember you’re paying less than Americans pay, and you’re getting better outcomes. [1]
I also pay for police and firemen and a ton of other stuff I’ve never used. But I’m happy my community gets that safety net, and it will be there if I ever need it.
> There are 38 "rich" countries in the world (OECD) and a ton of them are ahead of us. Why aren't we striving to be more like Switzerland, Germany, France or Norway?
I agree with you 100%
Canada is not the greatest at many things, and has a long way to improve. I’m happy people are working hard to do that.
The original point above was that Canada is essentially the same as the US, which I refuted.
At no point did I say Canada is the best or has nothing to improve.
I’ve spent significant time in 65 countries, worked in a handful.
I chose Canada. I wasn’t born here, I hold three passports (one EU) and could leave anytime.
> so pay for police and firemen and a ton of other stuff I’ve never used. But I’m happy my community gets that safety net, and it will be there if I ever need it.
That's what you think... My previous home also burned down in a wildfire that claimed 2000 other people's homes... A wildfire that was warned about for 20 years and for which zero precautions were undertaken.
This year other people's homes have burned down and more are at risk near Vernon.
Canada is a joke of a country, the only good parts are the camping, skiing and proximity to the US for business (assuming you don't need venture capital of course).
I never thought it was "just like" the US. It's worse. It has all the downsides of both the US and EU with none of the upsides of either. We get taxed like EU for healthcare that is inaccessible and we still have to pay for drug/dental all while making far less than the US and not getting any of the benefits of the EU.
The only reason anyone at all moves to Canada is that the US has per-country immigration quotas...
Canadians pay less for healthcare and get better outcomes than Americans [1]. That’s one of the reasons I live here.
They also have a higher life expectancy. Better maternity leave (my wife recently took 18 months). Better paid time off. Better labor protections (wtf is “at will employment”?). Canada has lower rates of obesity, deaths from treatable conditions, lower rate of mental health disorders, rate of drug abuse, rate of
prescription drug use, incarceration rate, rate of assaults, rate of
homicides, income inequality, and wealth inequality.
These are all known facts from OECD data, and in my experience, these are the things that shape my quality of life day to day in any given country.
So there are a lot of reasons I continue to choose to live in Canada while holding three passports.
Maybe because 34% of ALL government money in Canada goes towards healthcare. So this means I'm paying tens of thousands of dollars per year for healthcare that I haven't been able to use. Maybe it's bad luck that my family has required several "elective" (note that elective doesn't mean optional) procedures in the last few years, but it's a kick in the teeth to have to pay out of pocket for healthcare in another country when so much of our taxes go towards it here and we can't opt out.
> differentiates Canada from the us.
Not going to lie, the constant US boogeyman is what keeps Canada so fucking mediocre. There's 38 "rich" countries in the world (OECD) and a ton of them are ahead of us. Why aren't we striving to be more like Switzerland, Germany, France or Norway? Why is it some binary of USA or not USA? There's a ton of countries that are safer than CANADA (nevermind the US), get more maternity/paternity days, get more vacation days, get better healthcare, better income, less inequality and a better income/cost ratio. Even the laggards in the EU have better productivity (GDP per capita) growth than Canada and even the most dangerous EU countries are safer than Canada and even the worst EU health systems are better than ours. But we're just going to ignore that because some aspect of the US is worse (also half your points the US will still win because lots companies still provide those things even if they're not required).
If every Canadian spent a year living in central or northern Europe they'd be radicalised enough to overthrow this government. Of course the reality is that Canadians who do move abroad just stay there (more Canadians live abroad than any of our peer countries) so the people that do stay here are the ones with little ambition. For better or worse I was born in Canada AND have a residence in central Europe so it's pretty easy for me to see how Canada has fallen and is being left behind by our peers. If we didn't have resources and easy access to the largest market in the world we'd be a 3rd world country (or more likely would have just never become a country).