[Streaker]

Great article by Murray Dobbin in The Tyee:

$1:

Americanize Me? No Thanks

Why Canadians must fight 'deep integration' with US.

By Murray Dobbin
Published: April 21, 2008

TheTyee.ca


Today in New Orleans Prime Minister Stephen Harper is meeting with George Bush and Mexican President Calderon at the fourth leaders' summit of the Security and Prosperity Partnership (SPP). This is mostly a photo-op but on the ground, where it counts, it seems that almost every week there is some new outrage in the march to our deep integration with the United States.

Most recently it was a secretively signed agreement called the Civil Assistance Plan, which "allows the military from one nation to support the armed forces of the other nation during a civil emergency."

Now we find out that despite recommendations from the Canadian Pediatric Society and the Canadian Cancer Society that Health Canada dramatically increase the recommended daily does of Vitamin D, the federal agency refuses to do so. Why? Because it is committed to "harmonizing" Canadian nutrition standards with those in the United States.

It all got me to thinking about just why on earth Canadians would want to integrate into the U.S.

Let's be clear. This goes way beyond just having a bad neighbour. It's about moving in with them.

Don't get me wrong. We can actually feel sorry for folks next door. They weren't always this bad. But there is just no question that today they are a dangerously dysfunctional family. A lot of them are ill, but the other half refuses to come to their assistance. The old man squanders the family's considerable income on his gun collection. They foul their own nests and squander their resources.

The family behaves as if the neighbourhood's rules don't apply to them: they are noisy, pushy and if you try to reason with them they bully you. Hey, it's not just our neighbourhood -- they bully people all over town.

We've lived next door to these people for decades but they are so self-centred and narcissistic that they still don't even know our names. Their obsession with vicious dogs, car alarms and security systems strongly suggest that in spite being the wealthiest family in town, they live in a constant state of fear. What the hell are they afraid of?

Before you take exception to the metaphor or pigeonhole me as anti-American, let me say that if Americans want to be Americans, best of luck to them. It's just that I don't want to be one. Why?

Let me count the ways...

Read the rest here...

[RUEZ]

I can't wait until we become one country.

[travior]

As long as you start building more prisons now, you will be fine

I'm hoping to move out of the US to Canada. I definitely don't want Canada moving into the US! The tyee article hit it just right!

[ridenrain]

For the life of me.. I can't understand why this is such a stumbling block for people.

$1:

OTTAWA — The Government of Canada has proposed an amendment to the Motor Vehicle Safety Regulations (MVSR) to harmonize the Canadian bumper standard for passenger cars with similar safety standards from the United States and Europe.

http://www.tc.gc.ca/mediaroom/releases/ ... -h090e.htm

$1:

Washington, D.C. - The Telecommunications Industry Association (TIA) announced today that it supports and commends the proposal of Industry Canada (the Department) to harmonize the Canadian 700 MHz band plan with the recently revised United States 700 MHz band plan. Uniform spectrum allocations offer both countries the opportunity to benefit significantly from interoperability, efficiency, and cost savings through economies of scale, as demonstrated with previous spectrum alignments.

http://www.tiaonline.org/news_events/pr ... zation.cfm

$1:

Canada has worked with other countries to harmonize existing hazard communication systems on chemicals in order to develop a single, globally harmonized system to address classification of chemicals according to their hazards and communicate the related information through labels and safety data sheets.

http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/ahc-asc/intactiv/ghs-sgh/index_e.html

$1:

Ten years ago, the “U.S.A./Canada Harmonization Task Group”, comprising twelve members—six from Canada representing the CWDMA (Canadian Window and Door Manufacturers Association) and the CSA (Canadian Standards Association) A440 Technical Committee, three from the AAMA (American Architectural Manufacturers Association) and three from the WDMA (Window & Door Manufacturers Association), began to prepare a draft North American fenestration standard. Since that time and some 14 drafts later, the “AAMA/WDMA/CSA 101/I.S.2/A440-05 Standard Specification for Windows, Doors and Unit Skylights” was included in the 2006 edition of the ICC (International Code Council) Code and is proposed to be referenced by the National Building Code of Canada.

http://www.buildingenvelopeforum.com/harmonizedwindow.htm

The US is Canada's largest trading partner so it makes sense that Canadian manufacturers should be able to build products that can be sold in the US as well as the states.

If you people think that Canada's soverenty is so fragile that it can be damaged by a revised car bumper or fenestration standard then you are freak'n nuts.

[Streaker]

Why are we linking ourselves so closely to a sinking ship? We should be doing just the opposite.

[ridenrain]

I don't think the US is anywhere near that. lol. That's you're bias showing through.

Are you suggesting instead we all start talking Manderin so we can become another Tibet?

[Streaker]

How about we pull back from any further integration with the US and focus more effort on building up trade with other nations?

[dog77_1999]

ridenrain ridenrain:

For the life of me.. I can't understand why this is such a stumbling block for people.

$1:

OTTAWA — The Government of Canada has proposed an amendment to the Motor Vehicle Safety Regulations (MVSR) to harmonize the Canadian bumper standard for passenger cars with similar safety standards from the United States and Europe.

http://www.tc.gc.ca/mediaroom/releases/ ... -h090e.htm

$1:

Washington, D.C. - The Telecommunications Industry Association (TIA) announced today that it supports and commends the proposal of Industry Canada (the Department) to harmonize the Canadian 700 MHz band plan with the recently revised United States 700 MHz band plan. Uniform spectrum allocations offer both countries the opportunity to benefit significantly from interoperability, efficiency, and cost savings through economies of scale, as demonstrated with previous spectrum alignments.

http://www.tiaonline.org/news_events/pr ... zation.cfm

$1:

Canada has worked with other countries to harmonize existing hazard communication systems on chemicals in order to develop a single, globally harmonized system to address classification of chemicals according to their hazards and communicate the related information through labels and safety data sheets.

http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/ahc-asc/intactiv/ghs-sgh/index_e.html

$1:

Ten years ago, the “U.S.A./Canada Harmonization Task Group”, comprising twelve members—six from Canada representing the CWDMA (Canadian Window and Door Manufacturers Association) and the CSA (Canadian Standards Association) A440 Technical Committee, three from the AAMA (American Architectural Manufacturers Association) and three from the WDMA (Window & Door Manufacturers Association), began to prepare a draft North American fenestration standard. Since that time and some 14 drafts later, the “AAMA/WDMA/CSA 101/I.S.2/A440-05 Standard Specification for Windows, Doors and Unit Skylights” was included in the 2006 edition of the ICC (International Code Council) Code and is proposed to be referenced by the National Building Code of Canada.

http://www.buildingenvelopeforum.com/harmonizedwindow.htm

The US is Canada's largest trading partner so it makes sense that Canadian manufacturers should be able to build products that can be sold in the US as well as the states.

If you people think that Canada's soverenty is so fragile that it can be damaged by a revised car bumper or fenestration standard then you are freak'n nuts.

Most retards don't understand alot of cooperations stems from this type of stuff. Harmonizing standards reduces alot paperwork.

[westmanguy]

The Security and Prosperity Protocol (SPP) is not about ending Canada's political sovereignty. Its SIMPLE. Its about harmonizing trade and security regulations for ease of travel and trade/travel of goods between our two countries.

We are economically sewn to the hip with the United States, so wouldn't it make sense to harmonize our trade, health, nutrition, (etc.) regulations to allow Canadian businesses to produce products that can be sold in both the United States and Canada?

I go with reiderain, if you think our sovereignty is threatened by car bumper regulations, you have a pretty low opinion of Canadian identity.

I agree, its good to diversify our trade, so we are not so reliant on trade with the United States, but we are their northern neighbour with vast resource and manufactured exports and they will ALWAYS be our biggest trading partner, and anything to cut the red tape between us is good for BOTH nations.

Comprehende?

[commanderkai]

westmanguy westmanguy:

The Security and Prosperity Protocol (SPP) is not about ending Canada's political sovereignty. Its SIMPLE. Its about harmonizing trade and security regulations for ease of travel and trade/travel of goods between our two countries.

We are economically sewn to the hip with the United States, so wouldn't it make sense to harmonize our trade, health, nutrition, (etc.) regulations to allow Canadian businesses to produce products that can be sold in both the United States and Canada?

I go with reiderain, if you think our sovereignty is threatened by car bumper regulations, you have a pretty low opinion of Canadian identity.

I agree, its good to diversify our trade, so we are not so reliant on trade with the United States, but we are their northern neighbour with vast resource and manufactured exports and they will ALWAYS be our biggest trading partner, and anything to cut the red tape between us is good for BOTH nations.

Comprehende?

I have to agree with everything you said. I can't believe the "US IS TAKING OVER!" Crowd is bitching about some cutting of the bureaucracy. Jeez they must be pulling at straws.

[mtbr]

I find it hard to believe that CKA is a "rightwing forum"

[Thanos]

ridenrain ridenrain:

For the life of me.. I can't understand why this is such a stumbling block for people.

$1:

OTTAWA — The Government of Canada has proposed an amendment to the Motor Vehicle Safety Regulations (MVSR) to harmonize the Canadian bumper standard for passenger cars with similar safety standards from the United States and Europe.

http://www.tc.gc.ca/mediaroom/releases/ ... -h090e.htm

$1:

Washington, D.C. - The Telecommunications Industry Association (TIA) announced today that it supports and commends the proposal of Industry Canada (the Department) to harmonize the Canadian 700 MHz band plan with the recently revised United States 700 MHz band plan. Uniform spectrum allocations offer both countries the opportunity to benefit significantly from interoperability, efficiency, and cost savings through economies of scale, as demonstrated with previous spectrum alignments.

http://www.tiaonline.org/news_events/pr ... zation.cfm

$1:

Canada has worked with other countries to harmonize existing hazard communication systems on chemicals in order to develop a single, globally harmonized system to address classification of chemicals according to their hazards and communicate the related information through labels and safety data sheets.

http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/ahc-asc/intactiv/ghs-sgh/index_e.html

$1:

Ten years ago, the “U.S.A./Canada Harmonization Task Group”, comprising twelve members—six from Canada representing the CWDMA (Canadian Window and Door Manufacturers Association) and the CSA (Canadian Standards Association) A440 Technical Committee, three from the AAMA (American Architectural Manufacturers Association) and three from the WDMA (Window & Door Manufacturers Association), began to prepare a draft North American fenestration standard. Since that time and some 14 drafts later, the “AAMA/WDMA/CSA 101/I.S.2/A440-05 Standard Specification for Windows, Doors and Unit Skylights” was included in the 2006 edition of the ICC (International Code Council) Code and is proposed to be referenced by the National Building Code of Canada.

http://www.buildingenvelopeforum.com/harmonizedwindow.htm

The US is Canada's largest trading partner so it makes sense that Canadian manufacturers should be able to build products that can be sold in the US as well as the states.

If you people think that Canada's soverenty is so fragile that it can be damaged by a revised car bumper or fenestration standard then you are freak'n nuts.

Gasp! Four of the Seven Seals have been opened! ZOG is trying to stop our sovereign right to defenestration and WHMIS! Teh lefties wuz right all along!

[Thanos]

Streaker Streaker:

How about we pull back from any further integration with the US and focus more effort on building up trade with other nations?

Exactly. How right you are. It's a proven historical fact how much more fair it is dealing with the Chinese and Russians than it is them damn Yankees.

[Streaker]

They'd be no worse than the Americans.

[Thanos]

Thanks for reminding me that the main hallmark of the left is it's total lack of any recognizable perspective.