[salvius]

Your last point is odd. Calling Canada an "over-taxed socialist nanny state" is complete hyperbole, relative to the social nets of other industrial Western countries. You argue that a nanny state (again, which we are not) spawns a society that expects everything, and is responsible for nothing. I could just as easily hypothesize that the nature of a nanny state instills the virtues of compassion and altruism. Finally, I don't see how an entitled society is a cold one. Instead, I imagine the scenerio where no one will pass the mashed potatoes around the table at the bi-monthly Libretarian dinner party...amid cries of "Do it yourself!".

'Over-taxed socialist nanny state' is code for 'I don't know much about anything, but I read the Toronto Sun and I've seen them use those words.'

 

[Mystic Point]

Bud Lite got in on this ass. Please see.


http://www.blogto.com/city/2009/08/...exchange_opinions_on_torontonians_being_cold/

 

[Eug]

I find it bewildering because I don't really think the people in Vancouver and Toronto are all that different.

I find the people (overgeneralizing here of course) in Vancouver and Toronto quite different.

There is something to that belief that native Torontonians tend to look at the city as the centre of the Canadian universe.

However, after living in Vancouver, I found that many view the edge of the world to the east as Calgary. Anything beyond Calgary is to be despised (Toronto), or at least pitied.

I'll never forget when I was living in Vancouver coming to the end of my stint there, and got hired to a great position in Toronto. I told some people at my workplace that I was moving to Toronto for the new job. The response from two separate people was (and I quote) "Oh, I'm so sorry." They were completely serious. I was almost as if they thought my move to a better position but in Toronto was akin to getting fired or something. Really quite a bizarre reaction, and one I have never experienced anywhere else in Canada.

Given that reaction, I'm not surprised that the billboard was used for marketing in Vancouver. That said, Canadians in general (overgeneralizing again here) often criticize Americans for everything, even when there is no justification for it at all.

 

[lordmandeep]

What happened in Quebec City? Was the service outstanding?

Oh yes, even though they were serving in their 2nd language (English) it was way better then the usual we get around here. Also its a place where everyone minds their own business and no homeless or anything. It appears to be a place where people take it easy and enjoy life and stays to themselves.

I remember the employees standing outside the restaurants greeting everyone walking by saying Bonjour...



About Nanny states and all that, really my view is the government should provide most services but it should not bother the average person with silly rules and laws like we see in Europe. I would like to keep some extra cash to buy a better car rather then sending more to the govt to better society or in better terms giving it to someone who's to lazy to work.

 

[afransen]

I'd rather have better infrastructure than a leather interior or 300 hp.

 

[AKS]

I'd rather have better infrastructure than a leather interior or 300 hp.

ditto. something Toronto needs badly and lacking in compared to rest of the world (not canada). I dream of the day Toronto will have as many lines as Paris, Tokyo, and other major cities.

 

[lordmandeep]

Well you make a fair point, but if govt takes more money and living costs keep increasing, what will happen to the average person or to your own situation.

Really the Govt already has more money then it needs, it just makes poor choices.

 

[AKS]

Well you make a fair point, but if govt takes more money and living costs keep increasing, what will happen to the average person or to your own situation.

Really the Govt already has more money then it needs, it just makes poor choices.

That's true. Government make poor corporations. If it wasn't for people supporting through taxes, it would be bankrupt ages ago. I'm still rolling my eyes over the 103 billion dollars spent on the 407 instead of on public transit. And having it sold for 1 billion to be paid off in 99 years.

 

[lordmandeep]

That was a move so stupid, that I swore to never vote for the provincial Tories.


Dalton has made some stupid moves but nothing even close to that.


Yeah I sound like a conservative but I support the Liberals federally and Provincially.

 

[afransen]

Realistically, government in Canada is smaller than its been in a long time, relative to GDP, and taxes have been falling steadily. I don't think there is a crisis of big government. We could certainly use more intelligent spending, of course.

 

[lordmandeep]

Yeah all that money we put toward the auto companies went to waste.

The Canadian govt has a large deficit but it is somewhat manageable due to the fact there were no bank bailouts. If we had to bail out the banks we would have likely been in the same situation as the other G8 countries.

 

[gristle]

I don't know anyone in Toronto who gave a rat's ass about this ad.

It's states the obvious. We know people in Toronto are cold. We live in Toronto. It's not a friendly place. It's a fucking disaster. It's filthy, congested, shabby, has no civic pride and half the people here don't even speak English.

People from other places should try and live here and see how long they can maintain a friendly disposition. By 11 AM, 80% of the population are so angry at each other they're ready to kill.

To outsiders, the ad is probably very amusing. But here in the city, it means nothing.

It's like telling us the sky is blue.

That's too funny!

Personally, I'm ready to kill by 10AM on good days. Any out-of-towners should avoid looking me in the eye by that time.

 

[Roy G Biv]

That's too funny!

Personally, I'm ready to kill by 10AM on good days. Any out-of-towners should avoid looking me in the eye by that time.

I once caught a woman walking down Bay St. speaking Mandarin to her friend while SMILING. Before I could bludgeon her, she was beaten by men and women with briefcases. I guess we do look after each other!

 

[salvius]

That's too funny!

Personally, I'm ready to kill by 10AM on good days. Any out-of-towners should avoid looking me in the eye by that time.

I don't get it, except as a joke of course... I find Toronto positively stress free, uncongested, clean as a whistle compared to places most urbanists positively praise. I would maybe understand such criticism of New York (which is still a fantastic city), but Toronto... really? Of course, plenty European cities are considerably cleaner and less congested, but those socialists send a lot of their money to have their cities look that way.

 

[lordmandeep]

Many European cities I have visited are very nice but the costs are ridiculous and there are fees and taxes for everything.