Maybe we have it all wrong.....

[ok, ok,....I get it]

I have been thinking lately, that maybe Canada should stop all international aid and immigration untill we get our social ills sort.

Why are we sending away monies that could be used here in Canada. If was can't ensure a good standard of living for our current populace should be really be bringing more people into the country?

[SebC]

Originally Posted by ok, ok,....I get it

I have been thinking lately, that maybe Canada should stop all international aid and immigration untill we get our social ills sort.

Why are we sending away monies that could be used here in Canada. If was can't ensure a good standard of living for our current populace should be really be bringing more people into the country?

Two questions here:

- to the first, our money goes a lot further in other places than it does here (or at least, it should). A lot of our problems (as well as those elsewhere) can not be solved just with money.

- to the second, our economy relies heavily on immigration. You want to see the housing market really crash, try having a shrinking population.

Clearly, you do NOT get it.

[peter12]

Originally Posted by ok, ok,....I get it

I have been thinking lately, that maybe Canada should stop all international aid and immigration untill we get our social ills sort.

Why are we sending away monies that could be used here in Canada. If was can't ensure a good standard of living for our current populace should be really be bringing more people into the country?

We should just sign free trade agreements with most of the developing world and save our aid dollars for emergencies, like famine.

[ok, ok,....I get it]

Originally Posted by SebC

Two questions here:

- to the first, our money goes a lot further in other places than it does here (or at least, it should). A lot of our problems (as well as those elsewhere) can not be solved just with money.

- to the second, our economy relies heavily on immigration. You want to see the housing market really crash, try having a shrinking population.

Clearly, you do NOT get it.

wow you are really a brain stormer......perhaps discussion on issues could be a good thing....?

to your first point, is quantity over quality better.......I would suggest that focusing on the homeless in our country is money well spend....you may not

secondly, maybe our populace would grow internally if people were not scared of raising kids and the costs associated with it.....

[Ozy_Flame]

Originally Posted by peter12

We should just sign free trade agreements with most of the developing world and save our aid dollars for emergencies, like famine.

Not the best idea, as jobs will be outsourced to other countries, and Canadian commodities will take a hit.

[Howie_16]

Originally Posted by ok, ok,....I get it

I have been thinking lately, that maybe Canada should stop all international aid and immigration untill we get our social ills sort.

No. We are a “have“ country, even if we don‘t have as much as we used to. We have a moral obligation to assist poorer nations.

[ok, ok,....I get it]

Originally Posted by Howie_16

No. We are a “have“ country, even if we don‘t have as much as we used to. We have a moral obligation to assist poorer nations.

I disagree, how can it be a bad thing to focus on "ourselves"......in fact I think if we got our $hit sorted then we may be more useful to poorer nations...

[ok, ok,....I get it]

Originally Posted by fotze

The problem is our sh$t will never get fully sorted, we will always have social ills, so there will never be a time when the funding would return, so it just remains a juggling act. And also what social ills are you referring to?

I agree it is a broad term, but it could include, but not be limited to, homelessness, substance abuse, etc....

BTW, how do you know it will never work.....has it been tried?

[mykalberta]

a certain % of the population will never want to work or interact with the society in a normal fassion.

IMO it doesnt make alot of sense dumping money to fix that. The easiest solution is to modify the EI scheme so that that those people never get that far. For those who do, sometimes life sucks.

I am in agreement with what the government is now doing, in targeted international assistance rather than giving everyone a small amount.

[Azure]

Because our 'social ills' aren't created by a lack of money. Well, not generally.

In other words, stopping aid to Afghanistan for example is not going to solve the shortage of hospital beds in Calgary.

[Cowboy89]

Originally Posted by Ozy_Flame

Not the best idea, as jobs will be outsourced to other countries, and Canadian commodities will take a hit.

How will Canadian commodities possibly take a hit with free trade agreements? Potash Corp controls 60% of the world's potash supply, outside of OPEC Canada is the only major oil exporting nation expecting sustained increased oil production. If anything restrictive trade will hurt the price we get for commodities (Anyone remember the phrase "Made in Canada price").

Also what's so bad with letting the premises of 'Competitive Advantage' dictate trade (including the labor market)?

Also isn't closing off countries from participating fairly in our economy but then patronizing them by giving them table scraps a disservice to the development of third world countries?

[Ford Prefect]

nm

[ok, ok,....I get it]

Originally Posted by Azure

Because our 'social ills' aren't created by a lack of money. Well, not generally.

In other words, stopping aid to Afghanistan for example is not going to solve the shortage of hospital beds in Calgary.

look I know this is a simple discussion of a complex topic, but if Canada only has so much money to play with....if we are no longer spending it on A, perhaps we could focus it on B (in very generic terms)

[Azure]

Originally Posted by ok, ok,....I get it

look I know this is a simple discussion of a complex topic, but if Canada only has so much money to play with....if we are no longer spending it on A, perhaps we could focus it on B (in very generic terms)

Ah.

Well, then I would agree. The responsibility of the Canadian government is to look after its citizens FIRST, no matter the cost to the people of other countries.

Which is why I'm getting so pissed off with the storyline in 24.

[peter12]

Originally Posted by Ozy_Flame

Not the best idea, as jobs will be outsourced to other countries, and Canadian commodities will take a hit.

Good for everyone in the long run.

[Knalus]

Originally Posted by ok, ok,....I get it

look I know this is a simple discussion of a complex topic, but if Canada only has so much money to play with....if we are no longer spending it on A, perhaps we could focus it on B (in very generic terms)

Problem is you will end up dealing with the law of diminishing returns - eventually it will cost astronomical amounts to deal with a smaller and smaller problem - we've encountered that already here.

As for getting our $hit together, Canada has. Our population - even our poorest - have the highest standard of living the human race has ever seen in our existence. Our poor would bee considered wealthy in most other cultures on earth today, and when you factor in historical situations, there has never been a period of wealth like there is right now. Not only are you dealing with dimishing returns, you are now also dealing with moving goalposts - you can't ever score if your goalposts are always moving.

Now, I'm not saying that we shouldn't try to help the homeless or the unfortunate, I'm just saying that you can't solve these problems ever 100%. Ever. It's just a part of the Human Condition. Now, your aid dollars on the other hand... those dollars really give a significant bang for your buck. If you are like me, and find it slightly distasteful that where you happen to be born determines your path in life, then there can be no better use of dollars to help your fellow man. Foreign aid should be increased, not decreased.

[Knalus]

Originally Posted by Azure

Ah.

Well, then I would agree. The responsibility of the Canadian government is to look after its citizens FIRST, no matter the cost to the people of other countries.

Which is why I'm getting so pissed off with the storyline in 24.

In many ways I disagree with the entire concept of citizenship. Which is one reason I disagree.

[ok, ok,....I get it]

Originally Posted by Knalus

If you are like me, and find it slightly distasteful that where you happen to be born determines your path in life,

if it is so distasteful, you could always re-locate....

[Knalus]

Originally Posted by ok, ok,....I get it

if it is so distasteful, you could always re-locate....

I have. I used to live in Winnipeg. I can't imagine what my life would be like if I stayed there.

[ok, ok,....I get it]

Originally Posted by Knalus

I have. I used to live in Winnipeg. I can't imagine what my life would be like if I stayed there.

hookers and blow?