I’ve noticed that many of you live in Canada.
I’ve read that only 30% of Canadians think religion is very important, versus 59% in the U.S…
And I’ve heard that marijuana is semi-legal in Canada.
Is life significantly different and better in Canada?
If you like winter, I think it lasts for 7 months in Canada. 
plus they over tax you for it
-Imp
lol
imp, i’m curious. did you just post for a long time to get “philosopher” under your name so you could say stupid funny things that almost sound intelligent until you think about them?
that’s an epistemologist’s question if there ever was one…
-Imp
Well, since I have not spend that much time in the U.S., I will put that caveat on my statements from the beginning - but here is how I see it.
“Life” is not that much different here than in the U.S. from a number of standpoints. Culturally, the countries are very similar. In fact, I think that if there was a difference there would probably be a larger one within the U.S. and Canada than between them. For instance, I live in Vancouver, which is only a few hours north of Seattle. The “West Coast menality” exists between Washington, Oregon, California, and my Province - British Columbia. The province next to mine, Alberta, could easily be described as having more affinities to the U.S. than to Canada in general. Indeed, it has been described as “the Texas of the North.” I think also that the materialist capitalist culture of both Canada and the U.S. is very similar. And of course there are pockets of resistance to that in both countries as well.
But if one was to describe the largest differences, I would probably say that the political culutres are to a certain extent different. Contrary to Imp’s intimation, our tax levels are not that much higher than the U.S., while many of our social programs (especially heath care) make it significantly less expensive to do business here. Plus we don’t have a large portion of our population without medical care. So, our political culutre is much more “left wing” or “liberal” in U.S. parlance. I would describe it as centrist, but I am a lefty myself and hence see the spectrum differently. In terms of religion it is true - religious influences play a much less role here than in the U.S. Our Conservative party has to distance itself from the religious right (based here in B.C., Alberta, and the East coast mostly) in order to gain votes in seat rich Ontario. Also, recently we have been making some progressive moves in our legislation. We are preparing to allow gay marriage - making us only the third country in the world to openly express acceptance of gay persons. And our government’s position on marijuana is that it will decriminalize it: possession will not be a “crime” punishable by jail sentence, but will be subject to a fine (unless you have over 15 grams, in which case you might be charged with trafficing). In any case, our drug laws have more sanity than U.S. laws. Marijuana is not equivalent to cocaine, so you can’t get 15 years in prison for distributing it.
Overall, I enjoy the fact that being a “liberal” here means being centrist - not alluding to possible communist connections, as in many quarters of the U.S. (especially its media). I also love the fact that equality is a Canadian value: our country is based on sharing our wealth amongst all its regions (we have an “equalization” formula in which rich Provinces give poor ones money for relatively similar social services). Freedom is all well and good, but I feel it goes too far in U.S. ideology.
Canada is far from perfect, but the political debate is much more conducive to my tastes.
Canada decentralizes more by the day, with that different parts of canada are almost like different countries.
The west coast (BC) is the only part of canada worth living in…here marijuana laws and enforcement, as well as general attitude towards things like that (we tend to mind our own buisness a lot more) is pretty lax. A lot of things are privatized, which is cool for libertarians like myself.
Religion is pretty much a non-factor here, in every day life, and only once in a blue moon will you see its ugly head in politics. At which time it is inevitably smooshed back down where it belongs.
And for the record, here on the west coast we are lucky to see 3 months of winter, and 6-7 days of snow a year. It’s a balmy 15 degrees outside my door right now.
Thanks very much for everyone’s comments (even Imp’s).
A few more questions:
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How is the cost of living vis-a-vis the U.S.?
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How is the job market?
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Would you say the culture is pro-intellectual, anti-intellectual, or other?
The cost of living varies as much here as it does there. Our major cities have average costs of living, and are not as bad as LA or New York. However, where I live the cost of living is high, and real estate vlaues are soaring. In more rural parts of the country the cost is lower. Also, when you take into consideration the social programs our country provides, the cost declines significantly - unless you are rich.
The same goes vis-a-vis the job market. Some of our areas have little to offer in terms of employment (of course it matters what area you are looking for, though). But some areas offer ample opportunity. In terms of the overall picture, Canadian unemployment stands aroung 7%. But this is also a reflection of the fact that we have decent welfare programs so that people aren’t forced to work shitty jobs when they have better qualifications.
Our culutral attitude is, like all other countries in our age I would suggest, anti-intellectual at its core. I think that some areas are better than others, but if you mean intellectual in the sense of thinking, profound human beings we are certainly not supporters of that. Of course, we have our technocrats whom we pay homage to. But I don’t define intellectual in those terms.
Isn’t medical coverage in Canada free? You could walk in to a hospital with a gun wound and get patched up with no questions asked…or so I’ve heard.
I dunno about ‘with a gun’, but you get treated no questions asked…unless you include the questions "name, adress, phone number, and medical number.
Hey, at least you don’t have to pay! (unless you include our lofty taxes payment)
It’s no paradise, but it beats yankland
Yeah, you would be rushed in if you had a gun wound! But you do need to be a Canadian citizen, and I’m not sure what the procedures are for non-citizens. The Doc is right, though: medicare is not “free.” We do pay a decent amount of taxes for it. Overall, our GDP:%spent on health care ratio is much lower than the U.S.; but the fact is that the U.S. has the best health care in the world for those with enough money to get it. We are currently facing a lot of debate around our health care system, and many suggest we privatize it as in the U.S. Most likely we will move to a more European model. Basically all that means is less public money and more private money: in the end it is you who pays, of course! All I really care about is equality of access, and if this can be sustained I will be happy. But my hopes aren’t really too high on that one.
I’m a Libertarian and a capitalist, but also a humanist/realist. Yeah, the US offers the worlds best medical care but only for the rich or those the HMO’s will pay for. The implied Social Contract we all sign by paying taxes and allowing the govt to interfere in our lives implies that the cilivization will work in everyones’ best interest- but that’s not how it works for health care in the US. 
health care is still a private industry in the states…
but just think… government run services…
ever been to the post office around christmas? (everyone gets sick all the time, much more frequently than christmas, and if it’s free, well hello…)
or the ever efficient DMV?
something to think about…
-Imp
I’m going to make this as heartfelt as possible…FUCK THE DMV, it’s the most disgusting private enterprise in the States aside from the pharmacuetical industry.
Well…that’s what I meant about no questions asked…no questions aside from typical information. No bullshit about what health insurance someone has…think nothing of the movie John Q… Hey, who cares about the taxes you pay…when you need a heart transplant, it pays to get it right then and there.
I remember in Michael Moore’s Bowling For Columbine, he walked around to check if people locked their doors…and I found that so amusing how Canadians have no sense of immediate fear to lock their doors because their government does not see the point in generating fear to control their populace.
Come to think of it…if Colin Powell were Canadian, he’d be a President by now…think about it… Hell I’d vote for him…I’d vote for any self-respecting military man who knows military action is THE LAST option.
I just read de’trop’s story regarding his mother and health insurance. http://www.ilovephilosophy.com/phpbb/viewtopic.php?p=1628035#1628035
I would suggest that this shows the wrongs in general of private health insurance, especially when disgusting corporations hold the keys to well-being for people.
the department of motor vehicles is a government bureaucracy NOT a private enterprize… just like “free” health care would be…
-Imp
I know…I had to say private enterprise because that’s what I interpret it as. Bastards have a price for everything…