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Canada Still Working On This "Being Sovereign Nation" Thing

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DeadliestSin
12/06/08

In reply to Canada Still Working On This "Being Sovereign Nation" Thing
Farmers go stir crazy from the isolation and go on a murderous pitchfork rampage.
No jokes though, I live in the Murder capital of the country, where we get on average 30 - 40 murders a year, and that's considered high in a city of 1 million + in Canada.
I live on the opposite side of the country from Toronto, so Im not sure how our stats compare to a city of it's size.
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lobstr
12/05/08

In reply to Canada Still Working On This "Being Sovereign Nation" Thing
I just read that Saskatoon and Regina are the two most Canadian cities with the highest violent crime per capita. ...and yet they're about as isolated as Kalispell Montana or Fargo ND... Who knew!
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caligulash
12/05/08

In reply to Canada Still Working On This "Being Sovereign Nation" Thing
Free Quebec! It must be difficult to be French, knowing you had a long time ago given your king and queen their due only for some other bitch to claim you as her subjects.
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DeadliestSin
12/05/08

@caligulash: There was a war. On the Plains of Abraham between the French and English.
The frenchies lost, and 149 years later they've still got their knickers in a twist.
(Kinda like people from the deep south who can't let the civil war go.)
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DeadliestSin
12/05/08

@DeadliestSin: Oops make that 249 years, my bad.
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DeikaD
12/05/08

In reply to Canada Still Working On This "Being Sovereign Nation" Thing
ACTUALLY, our conservative Prime Minister asked the Governor General, who is the liason between Canada and the Queen, to shut down parliament because the Liberals, New Democratic Party (social-dems) and the Bloc Québecois are planning on teaming up for a Coalition Government to bring down the conservatives.

Jesus! Even you smart Americans can't get your facts straight about Canada! Tear!
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Xylo
12/05/08

@DeikaD: Because the coalition got more of the popular vote in the last election and the most seats in the House of Commons. Democracy rules! Prime Minister Harper is acting (as one on-air CBC commentator said) like Robert Mugabe; you don't like the inevitable outcome, shut down the government.
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Iceland Spar
12/05/08

@Xylo: Like Mugabe? So Dion, Layton and Duceppe have all mysteriusly dissappeared?
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Ellabella
12/05/08

In reply to Canada Still Working On This "Being Sovereign Nation" Thing
Many of us wanted the GG to step in. Many of us don't like our conservative government and see this as a hopeful step. It's kinda too bad there isn't some mechanism that could have seen to the enactment of something similar in your country at some point during the last 8 years... Just sayin...
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Xylo
12/05/08

@Ellabella: They're not really Conservatives, they're right wing ideologues who have managed to sneak into power by playing possum after taking over the old, 'whipped Conservative Party. Canada is not traditionally a right wing country, but most people who vote conservative don't get that. And the people who don't vote don't seem to care.
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Iceland Spar
12/05/08

@Xylo: *Adds Stephen Harper to list of conservative foreign politicians to copy for the Second Republican Revolution*
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Tigercub
12/05/08

In reply to Canada Still Working On This "Being Sovereign Nation" Thing
Good to know ignorance of Canada by our southern neighbors in no danger of abating...

Parliament was prorogued (basically recessed) at the request of our idiot Prime Minister who couldn't figure out how to get out of his self-imposed mess in a timely manner.

The Governor General has no actual power of her own, she is just a figurehead, like the Queen herself.

Sorry if that was a humourless response (but note the spelling of "humour"; you should get a laugh out of that!)
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lobstr
12/05/08

@Tigercub: it was both colourful and honourable, and unfortunately they didn't teach us any of this in Grade 12.
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iplaudius
12/05/08

@Tigercub: No offense, you seem bitchy and bright (two of my favourite qualities), but you didn’t actually respond to the issue at hand. The Prime Minister made his request, sure. But was the Governor General obligated to grant it? And, regardless of whether it was a real or de facto obligation, why in a democracy should the will of the Governor General trump that of the majority?
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Trixie from Toronto
12/05/08

@iplaudius: For 99.999 per cent of the time the Gov-Gen has absolutely no power. This one of the extremely rare instances where she had to make a decision. Would she allow him to suspend Parliament for a few weeks? Or would she insist that he face the music on Monday, where he would have been defeated by a non-confidence vote and we would have been in another election situation less than two months since the last one. I am guessing she opted to allow him to recess Parliament because she felt it would be less disruptive to the country, I don't know.

But the Gov-Gen rarely, if ever, is called upon to make such decisions. The vast majority of them have served their full terms doing nothing more than cutting ribbons and watching Highland dancers.
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i'm a bottle
12/06/08

@Tigercub: I ask myself whether this is really that big of a crisis as you guys up there make it out to be. Aren't no-confidence votes very common in Europe? There, it's usually the case that there is an initial period of upheaval, but then the politicians start scrambling for a solution and usually come up with one quickly. I don't see what all the drama is in the press.

For us down in the States, we currently exist in a de facto state of no confidence, because we are waiting for Obama to assume office and for the next Congress to constitute itself. Congress is currently on recess, and isn't doing a damned thing -- and the president can't accomplish any major legal changes or order huge amounts of money distributed without the consent of Congress, which renders him impotent (-- like he wasn't that way before, though).
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Sarcastro
12/05/08

In reply to Canada Still Working On This "Being Sovereign Nation" Thing
The audacity of d'oh.
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belltolls
12/05/08

In reply to Canada Still Working On This "Being Sovereign Nation" Thing
Dear Canada,

Sorry your government was taken over. You kinda brought it on yourself but that's neither here nor there.

We are writing you to tell you that one of our states is a little out there when it comes to territory (most states are content to be like the little squiggly ones in the northeast or the big square ones in the west) but we have one that is run by a person we have no control over.

We suggest you send all your military to BC until you have a revolution or something and take your government back. We are not critizing mind you. We just had ours hijacked for like 8 years.

Just watch that big craggy state to your west.

Best,

America!

PS. About your request for money. We are a little short here too right now, as much as we would like to have helped.
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Pareene
12/05/08

@belltolls: yeah, that little nub on top of minnesota is totally a provocation. canada should watch out.
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fileunder
12/05/08

In reply to Canada Still Working On This "Being Sovereign Nation" Thing
Canada needs more outliers.
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Anglophile-in-Exile
12/05/08

In reply to Canada Still Working On This "Being Sovereign Nation" Thing
Glad to know the the Canadians bought (hook, line, and sinker) the whole "don't worry--she's just a figurehead" PR campaign for the monarchy.
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Vivien Smith-Smythe-Smith
12/05/08

@Anglophile-in-Exile: But with a Governor General, the Monarch really is just a largely impotent albeit incredibly expensive figurehead.
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IndianSlipper
12/05/08

In reply to Canada Still Working On This "Being Sovereign Nation" Thing
Yeah, but come on. They make the best bacon up there!
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Sarcastro
12/05/08

@IndianSlipper: Take it back. That shit ain't bacon and you know it.
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Pope John Peeps II
12/05/08

@Sarcastro: ACTUALLY What americans call "Canadian bacon" isn't actually bacon at all, but just ham. For some reason, we call it "peameal bacon", even though it's HAM covered in CORN MEAL. It's pretty fucking retarded.

What we do occasionally eat is back bacon, which is more like regular bacon. But not entirely.
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Oy Veh (Informality Reigns)
12/05/08

In reply to Canada Still Working On This "Being Sovereign Nation" Thing
RULE BRITANNIA, BRITANNIA RULES THE SEAS.. Oh, wait..wrong country.. NEVER MIND.
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Iceland Spar
12/05/08

In reply to Canada Still Working On This "Being Sovereign Nation" Thing
Canada - this is what you get for not joining up when it counted former 14th colony. We gave you a second chance in 1812, but you refused to let us liberate you. Suck it Canada, you lover of tyrants!

PS - don't forget that soon you will be stuck with King Charles. HA!
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BookishLookish
12/05/08

@Iceland_Spar: Would that an adorable little spaniel take over the government.
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HurtsSoGood
12/05/08

FWIW, this suspension of Parliament expires sometime next month, and represents only a temporary stay of execution for Harper's tenure as Prime Minister. From what I hear, he's a first class idiot like our lame duck President, and Canadians are damn lucky there are mechanisms for preventing people like that from doing much serious damage.

@Iceland_Spar: As for King Charles, he'll be so old by the time he gets to be king (if he lives that long), Prince William might not even have time to get installed as the next Prince of Wales.

Remember, QEII's mother lived to be over 100.
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mostlymartian
12/05/08

@Iceland_Spar: Yeah, we're really crying that we aren't Americans with your masses of creepy republicans, rejections of gay marriage, intermittent race riots, puritanical TV censorship, poor public education system, almost non-existent social safety net, privatized health care, and grossly fat population. The burden of a purely ceremonial relationship with the Queen is such a lot to bear.
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Colonel Mustard
12/05/08

@Iceland_Spar: @HurtsSoGood: For whatever it's worth, King Charles will probably also NOT be "King Charles". The Brits consider that an unlucky title (given what became of Charles I) and odds are that Prince Charles will go by one of his other names. George VII has been suggested, for example, but I think it's high time we got another King Arthur up in that shit.
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BookishLookish
12/05/08

@Colonel Mustard: I want:

King Kullen

King Vidor

King Cobra

King Kong
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BookishLookish
12/05/08

@mostlymartian: We are, too, are jealous of your adorable regional accents and colder-than-a-well-digger's-ass weather. So that's about equal.
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lobstr
12/05/08

@mostlymartian: All very fine points indeed, but we do have your Alex Trebek and we are keeping him.
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lobstr
12/05/08

@Colonel Mustard: King Henry the 9th has a fun ring to it..
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lobstr
12/05/08

@BookishLatkeish: You do have to hand it to them, they do have awesome large dogs that can swim in the ocean, they get much props for having $2 coins, and of course Rush. But I digress, it is hard to imagine so many people love hockey that much, though.
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BookishLookish
12/05/08

@lobstr: I adore our neighbors to the north for many things, but alas, the charm of hockey eludes me.
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Gosukusan
12/05/08

@BookishLatkeish:

If I may...

"Hockey captures the essence of Canadian experience in the New World. In a land so inescapably and inhospitably cold, hockey is the chance of life, and an affirmation that despite the deathly chill of winter we are alive."

- Stephen Leacock
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Gosukusan
12/05/08

@Gosukusan:

or....

"People talk about skating, puck handling and shooting, but the whole sport is angles and caroms, forgetting the straight direction the puck is going, calculating where it will be directed, factoring in all the interruptions. Basically, my whole game is angles."

- Wayne Gretzky
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BookishLookish
12/05/08

@Gosukusan: But what of the rampant fisticuffs, sir?
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American Dreamer
12/05/08

@Gosukusan:

no more mindless quotes please. if you are incapable of original thought don't piggy back off the thoughts of others my special deep sea treat
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BookishLookish
12/05/08

@Gosukusan: Basically, my whole game is curves. Ah, I am starting to get it...
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Gosukusan
12/05/08

@Lucky in Love:

Ah, I was wondering where you were!
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Gosukusan
12/05/08

@BookishLatkeish:

www.hockeyfights.com
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Iceland Spar
12/05/08

@BookishLatkeish: Heh, "aboot".

@mostlymartian: Watch it you - Palin is looking to bolster her commander-in-chief credentials and has an Iraqi-war seasoned National Guard. A governmentless Canada will give her an Andrew Jackson in Florida like opening to take back the Yukon.

@Colonel Mustard: Wait, the King has aliases? Man, being a royal is even better than I thought it was.

@lobstr: We also have their Conrad Black and are keeping him for the next five to ten. lol.
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Vivien Smith-Smythe-Smith
12/05/08

@Iceland_Spar: Charles doesn't really want to call himself King Charles; what with the overwhelming success of his predecessors et al. And he's actually kind of a neat guy. He's quite an environmentalist, which is nice, and he's such a boffin that you can't really hate on him.
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Xylo
12/05/08

@BookishLatkeish: NON pro hockey is where it's at. Little to no fisticuffs. Outdoor ice rink, spectators dressed in ten layers or more, small canteen off to the side serving coffee, tea and hot chocolate. A couple of bonfires. Dusk, with lots of good lighting. Everyone jumps up and down now and then to get warmed up. Heaven.
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Xylo
12/05/08

@Xylo: So cold you can see your breath!
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Xylo
12/05/08

@Xylo: Frozen nose hairs!
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Iceland Spar
12/05/08

@Vivien Smith-Smythe-Smith: I am especially amused by the fact that he will be the head of the Church of England, but he seems to not even really like Christianity (and may be more of a fan of Islam). Henry VIII is flipping in his grave.
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DeadliestSin
12/05/08

@BookishLatkeish: I AM a Canadian and it still eludes me, despite growing up in the city that made Wayne Gretzky and Mark Messier famous.
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Vivien Smith-Smythe-Smith
12/05/08

@Iceland_Spar: That's what I like most about him. I'm not a monarchist, nor am I much of a republican (I'm mostly apathetic on that matter), but the one thing I seriously dislike about the Royal Family is their anti-papism. As in no other religion is explicitly discriminated against, and yet no one has seen fit to change it.
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Iceland Spar
12/05/08

@Vivien Smith-Smythe-Smith: Agreed. Blair even had to wait until he left office to convert - its like they're still back in the 30 Years War or something. I was at the Tower and when ever I asked about "Saint" Thomas More the Beefeater was inistant on calling him "Sir" Thomas More. I found it suprisingly aggrevating. Also, they won't let you anywhere near his grave site.

Whatever Britian, Iceland is going to drag you into bankruptcy and Ireland won't be there to save you!
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happymisanthrope
12/05/08

@Colonel Mustard: Not King Arthur unless he pulls a sword from a stone.
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Vivien Smith-Smythe-Smith
12/05/08

@Iceland_Spar: Do you ever find it weird/bemusing how Catholicism can make you care about the weirdest shit? Like, whenever I find out someone's Catholic, I just have to ask them what their Confirmation name is (mine's Magdalene, and this tactic has sparked some of the most bizarre friendships/conversations).
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Iceland Spar
12/06/08

@Vivien Smith-Smythe-Smith: totally (I'm Paul!). Also Magdalene is such a great confirmation name! I've found that I have a strange obsession with how much the officiating priest attempts to venerate the host (and I cannot shake my belief that this trait is directly coordinated with how good I feel the priest is). Here's to Catholicism and the eccentricism it causes Magdalene!
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ms.creant
12/05/08

In reply to Canada Still Working On This "Being Sovereign Nation" Thing
My country needs to turn down the suck.
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BookishLookish
12/05/08

In reply to Canada Still Working On This "Being Sovereign Nation" Thing
Scott Thompson! Scott Thompson!

The world needs more Scott Thompson.
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rajmahall
12/05/08

@BookishLatkeish: Yes.

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BookishLookish
12/05/08

@rajmahall: Woot!
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