First a few facts:
America is our most important trading partner:
*30% of our Gross Domestic Product and 70% of our Exports are traded to the U.S.
Much of our investment capital and our foreign investment has come from the U.S.
Canada is the largest exporter to the U.S.
Canada is the largest source for Natural Resources to the U.S. (Including Power and Fresh Water)
Canada is the U.S.'s largest importer.
So we are pretty darn closely tied economically.
The question that many are starting to ask is: Is this a wise thing considering the downfall of the American currency and economy?
My position on this is no, it is not a wise thing for Canada to continue. We need to start branching out more to other countries such as South America (Brazil, Argentina, Cuba, Peru..etc). We need to start trading with Europe, and parts of Asia much more than we are currently doing. One of the most important things that the Canadian Government should be doing is helping, assisting, subsidizing, and even legislating the diversity of trade.
Even those without much financial background can see that the American hegemony is quickly crashing and in the next 5-10 years the Euro will be the world currency and not the dollar. The fact is that when this happens...and it WILL happen...the U.S. is going to face the largest economic collapse in their history.
Their current administration is in no way prepared to deal with the fallout of this, or have any present/future plans to correct this other than threating those who are considering the move to the Euro with invasion (ie: Iran).
Now where will this leave Canada and is it avoidable? I believe it is. I believe that it is time for our exports to start changing course to other countries willing to trade with us. It's time for us to start separating our economy and becoming more independent. Currently we have one of the largest natural resource exports of any country on the planet, we have technology advances that are in the top 5 of the industrialized countries, we have the ability to truly become independent of the U.S. and I strongly believe this is the time to do so. Before it's too late, and the economy crashes in the U.S and ours follows suit.
I would also like to see our Canadian gov't put their money where their mouth is and start supporting alternate fuels and technologies. If any country can do this it's ours. We are the type of people that would jump on board a program like this and accept the changes fairly easily. Most of us are grinding our teeth to have the ability to start purchasing eco-friendly technology. The fact is that because the U.S. has a strong focus away from any type of conservation, our current Government has no real backbone to go another way.
I'm writing this after a conversation with a few friends about this topic, and because we all agree so vehemently about his subject, I wanted to keep it fresh in my mind. We've generally have had a very strong government that is not afraid to go our own way, but currently it seems that GB has us in his pocket, and as much as I respect the Harper gov't for our current economy successes, I'm dismayed at the way he has caved to pressure to make decisions that are so disagreeable with the majority of Canadians.
Hopefully, our vote will get his attention soon.
-Robert
* http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.com/index.cfm?PgNm=TCE&Params=A1ARTA0001258
America is our most important trading partner:
*30% of our Gross Domestic Product and 70% of our Exports are traded to the U.S.
Much of our investment capital and our foreign investment has come from the U.S.
Canada is the largest exporter to the U.S.
Canada is the largest source for Natural Resources to the U.S. (Including Power and Fresh Water)
Canada is the U.S.'s largest importer.
So we are pretty darn closely tied economically.
The question that many are starting to ask is: Is this a wise thing considering the downfall of the American currency and economy?
My position on this is no, it is not a wise thing for Canada to continue. We need to start branching out more to other countries such as South America (Brazil, Argentina, Cuba, Peru..etc). We need to start trading with Europe, and parts of Asia much more than we are currently doing. One of the most important things that the Canadian Government should be doing is helping, assisting, subsidizing, and even legislating the diversity of trade.
Even those without much financial background can see that the American hegemony is quickly crashing and in the next 5-10 years the Euro will be the world currency and not the dollar. The fact is that when this happens...and it WILL happen...the U.S. is going to face the largest economic collapse in their history.
Their current administration is in no way prepared to deal with the fallout of this, or have any present/future plans to correct this other than threating those who are considering the move to the Euro with invasion (ie: Iran).
Now where will this leave Canada and is it avoidable? I believe it is. I believe that it is time for our exports to start changing course to other countries willing to trade with us. It's time for us to start separating our economy and becoming more independent. Currently we have one of the largest natural resource exports of any country on the planet, we have technology advances that are in the top 5 of the industrialized countries, we have the ability to truly become independent of the U.S. and I strongly believe this is the time to do so. Before it's too late, and the economy crashes in the U.S and ours follows suit.
I would also like to see our Canadian gov't put their money where their mouth is and start supporting alternate fuels and technologies. If any country can do this it's ours. We are the type of people that would jump on board a program like this and accept the changes fairly easily. Most of us are grinding our teeth to have the ability to start purchasing eco-friendly technology. The fact is that because the U.S. has a strong focus away from any type of conservation, our current Government has no real backbone to go another way.
I'm writing this after a conversation with a few friends about this topic, and because we all agree so vehemently about his subject, I wanted to keep it fresh in my mind. We've generally have had a very strong government that is not afraid to go our own way, but currently it seems that GB has us in his pocket, and as much as I respect the Harper gov't for our current economy successes, I'm dismayed at the way he has caved to pressure to make decisions that are so disagreeable with the majority of Canadians.
Hopefully, our vote will get his attention soon.
-Robert
* http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.com/index.cfm?PgNm=TCE&Params=A1ARTA0001258
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