[GreatBriton]

I'm not saying Canada shouldn't be. I just thought I'd post something that I found.


BELOW, THE BIG BOY CLUB

GDP Economic Rank G8 Attendee $ Millions 2004 GDP/Capita Representative Title Status

1 United States 11,667,515 $37,800 George W. Bush President Member G6
2 Japan 4,623,398 $28,200 Junichiro Koizumi Prime Minister Member G6
3 Germany 2,714,418 $27,600 Gerhard Schroder Chancellor Member G6
4 United Kingdom 2,140,898 $27,700 Tony Blair Prime Minister Member G6
5 France 2,002,582 $27,600 Jacques Chirac President Member G6
6 Italy 1,672,302 $26,700 Silvio Burlesconi President Member G6
7 China 1,649,329 $5,000 Hu Jintao President outreach attendee
8 Spain 991,442 $22,000 WILL NEVER BE INVITED
9 Canada 979,764 $29,800 Paul Martin Prime Minister Member G7 invited by Ford
10 India 691,876 $2,900 Manmohan Singh Prime Minister outreach attendee
11 Korea 679,674 $17,800 NOT INVITED
12 Mexico 676,497 $9,000 Vicente Fox President outreach attendee
13 Australia 631,256 $29,000 SHOULD BE INVITED
14 Brazil 604,855 $7,600 Luis Inacio Lula da Silva President outreach attendee
15 Russia 582,395 $8,900 Vladimir Putin President Member G8 invited by Clinton
……
27 South Africa 210,938 $10,700 Thabo Mbeki President outreach attendee
IMF Rodrigo de Rato Managing Director Spain
World Bank Paul Wolfowitz President United States
International Energy Agency Claude Mandil Executive Director France
WTO Supachai Panitchpakdi Director General Thailand
UN Kofi Annan Secretary General Ghana
EU Jose Manuel Barroso President Portugal

[Ripcat]

Now take your Top15 list and rank those nations by Per Capita GDP.

[MustangJay]

It doesn't count if 80% of a country's GDP is held by less then 1% of the population, as is the case in countries like India or Indonesia.

[Sharkull]

I'm surprised you had to ask this question... Answer: #1 trading partner with the USA.

The per-Capita GDP numbers are also a good contributing factor, but without the trade relationship with the USA, Canada would not be in the G8.

[Tman1]

Well first of all your stats are outdated.

2
United States $ 11,750,000,000,000 2004 est.
3
European Union $ 11,650,000,000,000 2004 est.
4
China $ 7,262,000,000,000 2004 est.
5
Japan $ 3,745,000,000,000 2004 est.
6
India $ 3,319,000,000,000 2004 est.
7
Germany $ 2,362,000,000,000 2004 est.
8
United Kingdom $ 1,782,000,000,000 2004 est.
9
France $ 1,737,000,000,000 2004 est.
10
Italy $ 1,609,000,000,000 2004 est.
11
Brazil $ 1,492,000,000,000 2004 est.
12
Russia $ 1,408,000,000,000 2004 est.
13
Canada $ 1,023,000,000,000 2004 est.
14
Mexico $ 1,006,000,000,000 2004 est.
15
Spain $ 937,600,000,000 2004 est.

This is from the CIA world fact book although what I can't figure out is how the hell Russia went from below 800 billion to over 1 trillion in over 10 years with their economy in shambles.....as well as Mexico and Brazil. Stymies my mind actually.

[Tman1]

Sharkull wrote:

I'm surprised you had to ask this question... Answer: #1 trading partner with the USA.

The per-Capita GDP numbers are also a good contributing factor, but without the trade relationship with the USA, Canada would not be in the G8.

Sure that helps a "bit" but I would like to think its the work incentive and hard work Canadians put in to get the Country where it is.

[Tman1]

Sharkull wrote:

I'm surprised you had to ask this question... Answer: #1 trading partner with the USA.

The per-Capita GDP numbers are also a good contributing factor, but without the trade relationship with the USA, Canada would not be in the G8.

How the hell does that matter? There are 14 other countries ahead of Canada in Per Capita, do they deserve to be on the G8? Well then call it G15 or 20 then.

[exroofer]

Say it with me now......second-largest proven oil reserve in the world.

[GunPlumber]

The G8 is a "club" whose membership is gained by invitation of the existing members. The club originally started in 1965 with the U.S., G.B., Germany, France, Japan and Italy as founding members. Canada was invited to join in 1975, the E.U. in 1981 and Russia in 1991. The E.U. and Russia do not have full standing, in that they do not participate in all meetings (Russia is excluded from those involving Economics and Finance) nor do they participate in forming policy.

It's basically an "old boys club" to confirm the superiority of "the world's most advanced economies". It does not have any official standing to enforce it's policies or decisions, but it does have the clout to influence the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank. Because the G8 does not (yet) consider China or India to be "one of us", they have not been invited to join as full members. If and/or when they are, the group will have to be renamed to the G9 or the G10 (assuming Russia isn't given full-membership before then).

[Sharkull]

Tman1 wrote:

Sharkull wrote:

I'm surprised you had to ask this question... Answer: #1 trading partner with the USA.

The per-Capita GDP numbers are also a good contributing factor, but without the trade relationship with the USA, Canada would not be in the G8.

How the hell does that matter? There are 14 other countries ahead of Canada in Per Capita, do they deserve to be on the G8? Well then call it G15 or 20 then.

I was in no way implying that Per Capita GDP was the cause, I was only acknowledging RipCat's point. We are in the G8 because of our close trade relationship with the USA. Any other potential cause is dwarfed by this fact...

[Tman1]

Quote:

(Russia is excluded from those involving Economics and Finance) nor do they participate in forming policy.

Why not? They have a larger economy than Canada(somehow)

[Sharkull]

GunPlumber wrote:

The G8 is a "club" whose membership is gained by invitation of the existing members. The club originally started in 1965 with the U.S., G.B., Germany, France, Japan and Italy as founding members. Canada was invited to join in 1975, the E.U. in 1981 and Russia in 1991. The E.U. and Russia do not have full standing, in that they do not participate in all meetings (Russia is excluded from those involving Economics and Finance) nor do they participate in forming policy.

It's basically an "old boys club" to confirm the superiority of "the world's most advanced economies". It does not have any official standing to enforce it's policies or decisions, but it does have the clout to influence the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank. Because the G8 does not (yet) consider China or India to be "one of us", they have not been invited to join as full members. If and/or when they are, the group will have to be renamed to the G9 or the G10 (assuming Russia isn't given full-membership before then).

Well said. Canada is only a member by invitation from our neighbour to the south.

[Tman1]

Sharkull wrote:

Tman1 wrote:

Sharkull wrote:

I'm surprised you had to ask this question... Answer: #1 trading partner with the USA.

The per-Capita GDP numbers are also a good contributing factor, but without the trade relationship with the USA, Canada would not be in the G8.

How the hell does that matter? There are 14 other countries ahead of Canada in Per Capita, do they deserve to be on the G8? Well then call it G15 or 20 then.

I was in no way implying that Per Capita GDP was the cause, I was only acknowledging RipCat's point. We are in the G8 because of our close trade relationship with the USA. Any other potential cause is dwarfed by this fact...

Oh so thats the "only" reason according to you, the U.S. Sorry, I don't buy that. Along with NAFTA and the Lumber disputes, Mad Cow, of course the U.S is the primary reason for our economy, not the hard working Canadians able to bring about this countrys economic growth.

[Sharkull]

Tman1 wrote:

Quote:

(Russia is excluded from those involving Economics and Finance) nor do they participate in forming policy.

Why not? They have a larger economy than Canada(somehow)

Four words: politics and economic stability.

[Sharkull]

Tman1 wrote:

Sharkull wrote:

Tman1 wrote:

Sharkull wrote:

I'm surprised you had to ask this question... Answer: #1 trading partner with the USA.

The per-Capita GDP numbers are also a good contributing factor, but without the trade relationship with the USA, Canada would not be in the G8.

How the hell does that matter? There are 14 other countries ahead of Canada in Per Capita, do they deserve to be on the G8? Well then call it G15 or 20 then.

I was in no way implying that Per Capita GDP was the cause, I was only acknowledging RipCat's point. We are in the G8 because of our close trade relationship with the USA. Any other potential cause is dwarfed by this fact...

Oh so thats the "only" reason according to you, the U.S. Sorry, I don't buy that. Along with NAFTA and the Lumber disputes, Mad Cow, of course the U.S is the primary reason for our economy, not the hard working Canadians able to bring about this countrys economic growth.

The trade relationship is the main reason why we're in the G8, not the only reason we have a strong economy. Don't confuse my apples with your oranges. Yes, hard working Canadians are the foundation for our economy, but without the USA as a trading partner, our economy would not be anywhere close to what it is today...
From: http://www.buyusa.gov/canada/en/tradere ... anada.html

Quote:

The Canada-U.S. trade relationship is the largest ever to exist between two nations. Two-way trade in goods and services between Canada and the United States during 2000 was estimated at approximately C$700 billion, or almost C$2.0 billion per day. Of Canada's 2000 imports, 74 percent came from the U.S., while 86 percent of Canada's total exports were shipped to the United States. The volume of Canada-U.S. trade last year was far greater than the total amount of Canada's trade with all of its other trading partners combined.

Quote:

It is difficult to overstate the impact of international trade on the economies of Canada and the United States. In 2000, 43 percent of Canada's gross domestic product was comprised of exports and over 30 percent of total employment in the country was supported by exports. With 86 percent of all Canadian exports last year destined for the US, it is clear that trade with the United States creates an enormous number of jobs for Canadians.

Sure... the USA trade relationship is completely irrelevant to our economy... This close economic relationship is why Canada is in the G8.