http://business.financialpost.com/fp-com...es-senator

Quote:With this being budget week, the federal government’s taxing and spending decisions are under the microscope — as they should be in a healthy democracy. But what about government’s hidden tax: regulation? With no equivalent of a federal budget day, regulatory decisions and their implications get precious little scrutiny and we are all worse for it.

Thankfully, regulatory transparency got a considerable boost Thursday when the Red Tape Reduction Act (C-21) received Royal Assent and became law. Minister Tony Clement, who has championed the bill, can be proud that Canada is now the first country in the world to require that for every new regulation introduced one of equivalent burden must be removed.

Other than their health care system, Canada has a more competent government than we have. Ours is too big, too bloated, and too corrupt.

We all mock Jimmy Carter, yet he tried to implement a "zero based budgeting" concept for government spending. Had he succeeded, we wouldn't have to deal with the Democrats screaming "cuts" when budget increases are a lower percentage than previously applied.

Bumpity

Canada. America's Hat.

Also, they have a city called Regina. That's comedy gold.

(04-24-2015 12:53 PM)Lord Stanley Wrote:  Canada. America's Hat.

Also, they have a city called Regina. That's comedy gold.

And never forget that a few years ago, Macleans magazine conducted a poll on "Most admired Canadian" and Don Cherry won.

And what does that make Mexico?

(04-24-2015 01:33 PM)QuestionSocratic Wrote:  

(04-24-2015 12:53 PM)Lord Stanley Wrote:  Canada. America's Hat.

Also, they have a city called Regina. That's comedy gold.

And never forget that a few years ago, Macleans magazine conducted a poll on "Most admired Canadian" and Don Cherry won.

And what does that make Mexico?

America's Shoes.

(04-24-2015 05:32 AM)UConn-SMU Wrote:  Other than their health care system, Canada has a more competent government than we have. Ours is too big, too bloated, and too corrupt.

Canada has a very homogenous population that largely lives in urban areas. The U.S. has a lot more diversity and competing interests. Makes it far more difficult to get things done because any time one group gets something, another group thinks it is coming at their expense.

(04-24-2015 01:42 PM)Niner National Wrote:  

(04-24-2015 05:32 AM)UConn-SMU Wrote:  Other than their health care system, Canada has a more competent government than we have. Ours is too big, too bloated, and too corrupt.

Canada has a very homogenous population that largely lives in urban areas. The U.S. has a lot more diversity and competing interests. Makes it far more difficult to get things done because any time one group gets something, another group thinks it is coming at their expense.

I've heard Toronto and Vancouver are two of the most diverse cities in the world. And Quebec is more different than the rest of Canada than Texas is to the rest of the U.S.

(04-24-2015 01:42 PM)Niner National Wrote:  

(04-24-2015 05:32 AM)UConn-SMU Wrote:  Other than their health care system, Canada has a more competent government than we have. Ours is too big, too bloated, and too corrupt.

Canada has a very homogenous population that largely lives in urban areas. The U.S. has a lot more diversity and competing interests. Makes it far more difficult to get things done because any time one group gets something, another group thinks it is coming at their expense.

Canada is stunningly diverse. Even Calgary has a 25% non-US/Canada born population.

(04-24-2015 08:18 PM)Tom in Lazybrook Wrote:  

(04-24-2015 01:42 PM)Niner National Wrote:  

(04-24-2015 05:32 AM)UConn-SMU Wrote:  Other than their health care system, Canada has a more competent government than we have. Ours is too big, too bloated, and too corrupt.

Canada has a very homogenous population that largely lives in urban areas. The U.S. has a lot more diversity and competing interests. Makes it far more difficult to get things done because any time one group gets something, another group thinks it is coming at their expense.

Canada is stunningly diverse. Even Calgary has a 25% non-US/Canada born population.

Canada is overwhelmingly white, BUT where it is diverse it's really diverse.

So why does Canada have a more efficient government than our bloated behemoth?

(04-24-2015 09:43 PM)UConn-SMU Wrote:  So why does Canada have a more efficient government than our bloated behemoth?

In many ways, it doesn't have a more efficient government than ours. Canada's public employment rolls are far higher by percentage than those in the USA (unless you count the fact that the US has a much larger (by percentage) military). Their deficit to GNP mirrors that of the USA.

Like any other functioning country, they do some things better than we do and some things less well.