Seeing as this is one of the only US heavy forums I am on, and reading some of the threads in here, I wanted to start a thread for questions/misconceptions about Canada.
This in no way is meant to be a comparison or pissing match, I just want to see if the misconceptions that Canadians THINK Americans have of us are true. On the Canadian news we see lots of reports on CNN and Fox that bash Canada (especially lately with health care reform and NAFTA) that we then report as false.
I am in no way trying to be a spokesman for Canada, this is more for my own personal interest and growth.
I will start off with an introduction of who I am. I am a 23 year old electrical engineer born and educated in one of the conservative (or republican if you need an analogy) provinces. I work in the utilities business designing power lines, I like to think I am travelled (for my age) and try to hit a new country every year.
I will outline a few things that it seems are usually misconstrued.
1.) We dont live in igloo's. The average weather where most of the population lives (which is close to the 49th) is between -30 (-22 F) in the coldest day of the winter to well over 40 (102 F) in the summer. A good comparison is that Toronto has the same weather as Detroit, Vancouver the same as Seattle, and Calgary the same as parts of Montana.
Place I used to live called Vernon, BC.
Summer:
Winter:
Temp on my bday in July:
2.) Our health care is 'socialized' if you want to call it that. There is an expectation for minimum health care written into our charter of rights and freedoms (think of your constitution), but you dont get whatever you want for free. We have insurance that you are usually provided through work or can purchase and up until this year had to pay for our provincial health care. The insurance covers anywhere from 80% to 100% of the cost of prescriptions, depending on the plan covers eye glass coverage, 50% for things like braces and crowns, etc. If you are in a low income bracket ($23,000 a year or less I believe) when you file your taxes you are flagged and can be 'subsidized'.
3.) Education is much like your system, however our college/uni's are subsidized by the government so the average student pays $5000 - $8000 a year in tuition.
4.) Canada has 13 province and territories which are roughly the same politically as states.
5.) We have the RCMP (Royal Canadian Mounted Police) that are much like the FBI and state police in one. Most cities have their own police (Calgary, Vancouver, Toronto, etc.) The RCMP police the area's in between and small towns that cannot afford their own police force and handle country wide investigations. The red uniforms are their dress uniforms but do not wear them day to day. Same with the horses they are usually used for dress only or downtown patrol in lieu of bicycles.
RCMP Dress uniforms:
RCMP Actual uniforms:
6.) Drugs are illegal here exactly like the US except for the fact that if you are caught in possession (especially as a minor for personal use) you are either on probation or driven home and handed to your parents who promptly beat you.
7.) Canada has the second largest land mass in the world (we were the biggest when Russia temporarily split up but then when they re-joined we were bumped to second again).
8.) Canada has the Canadian Space Agency that contributes to NASA and ESA missions as well as we have our own astronauts. We build the Canada Arm on the space shuttle.
CSA Website: http://www.asc-csa.gc.ca/eng/default.asp
What percentage of your income goes towards the government and taxes?
Right on, glad this isnt turning into a flame fest. Could have gone either way.
We have Provincial and Federal Tax. They are outlined below. In Alberta I make just over $70,000 with OT and pay approx 33% tax (based on my calculations off my cheque).
This is combined federal and provincial tax rates.
Under 10,320--------------------0.00%
Over $10,320 to $40,726-------25.00%
Over $40,726 up to $81,452----32.00%
Over $81,452 up to $126,264--36.00%
Over $126,264------------------39.00%
Found the US rates because I was curious, assuming you guys pay state tax as well, then we actually pay less tax it appears (except for the higher earners):
Last edited by the_cosworth; 11-01-2009 at 02:52 PM.
edit: Sorry your question caught me a little off guard. Currently Canada is fighting side by side in Afghanistan along with US, British, Australian, etc. We are not taking part in the Iraq war as Canada usually backs what the US security council decides and the US invaded Iraq with the council wanting to negotiate with Saddam prior to military action.
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Last edited by the_cosworth; 11-01-2009 at 04:19 PM.
So the tax rates for Canada, are those fixed regardless of family status? I noticed you used "Single" status on the US, I believe the rates drop as you add dependents.
Quote:
2.) Our health care is 'socialized' if you want to call it that. There is an expectation for minimum health care written into our charter of rights and freedoms (think of your constitution), but you dont get whatever you want for free. We have insurance that you are usually provided through work or can purchase and up until this year had to pay for our provincial health care. The insurance covers anywhere from 80% to 100% of the cost of prescriptions, depending on the plan covers eye glass coverage, 50% for things like braces and crowns, etc. If you are in a low income bracket ($23,000 a year or less I believe) when you file your taxes you are flagged and can be 'subsidized'
So you are paying for healthcare twice?
Quote:
3.) Education is much like your system, however our college/uni's are subsidized by the government so the average student pays $5000 - $8000 a year in tuition.
I have no Gov't subsidies I know of. (I am at a Private College) and my tuition is $8k/yr. So is education more expensive?
Quote:
4.) Canada has 13 province and territories which are roughly the same politically as states.
I'm sure it's dialect differences but what is "the same POLITICALLY as states"?
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Quote:
STRAIGHT, WHITE, GUN-TOTING, CONSERVATIVE MALE. Anything else I can do to piss you off?
So the tax rates for Canada, are those fixed regardless of family status? I noticed you used "Single" status on the US, I believe the rates drop as you add dependents.
So you are paying for healthcare twice?
I have no Gov't subsidies I know of. (I am at a Private College) and my tuition is $8k/yr. So is education more expensive?
I'm sure it's dialect differences but what is "the same POLITICALLY as states"?
1.) I believe that if your taxes are based on two incomes in a family setting, it is an average over the two people. So lets say I make 60,000 and my wife makes 20,000 we would file as if we both made 40,000. I think the maximum is 20,000 or 40,000 disparity though. So if I made 120,000 and she made 20,000 I would get taxed as if I made 100,000 or 80,000 (depending on the rules). I am not great on tax laws, I just give it to H&R block and they give me back whatever my refund is. Sorry I wish I could answer this one better.
2.) No the extra insurance/premiums cover things that are not guaranteed health care. Example being chiropractic, the rest of your prescriptions, etc. If you hurt yourself in a car accident the government pays for whatever care you need through everyones taxes. However if you want to go to a chiropractor for the next 30 years then that is NOT covered under taxes, it would come out of your private insurance. Example with prescriptions is that they would normally cost $25.00 for two of my inhalers. With my prescriptions then work insurance they cost me $1.60 for two. Normally the inhalers are over $65.00 each. So the government subsidizes $40.000 and my insurance covered $23.40.
3.) I know friends who went to michigan university and it was $18,000 a year. My schooling for electrical engg was $2400 a semester. Perhaps I have been mis-informed. We had one province that has larger subsidies then the rest and people were paying $1000.00 a semester (roughly). This was in BC up until 5 to 8 years ago.
4.) Our provinces are usually a lot bigger than your states, we have our own government bodies, etc. There isnt really any difference. Poor choice of words on my part. Provinces are States for all intents and purposes.
Last edited by the_cosworth; 11-01-2009 at 04:06 PM.
I have no Gov't subsidies I know of. (I am at a Private College) and my tuition is $8k/yr. So is education more expensive
Paying $8000 a year for tuition is very cheap regardless of being in state or out of state, I pay $2500 a semester for community college right now to save money cause when I transfer this spring im going to be paying $13,000 a semester for a in state, state school and thats with no financial aid. Even for instate private colleges its still very expensive, my brother pays 33k a year for his college. So in canada is it 8k a year regardless of the school is that just the flat rate for every school?
Paying $8000 a year for tuition is very cheap regardless of being in state or out of state, I pay $2500 a semester for community college right now to save money cause when I transfer this spring im going to be paying $13,000 a semester for a in state, state school and thats with no financial aid. Even for instate private colleges its still very expensive, my brother pays 33k a year for his college. So in canada is it 8k a year regardless of the school is that just the flat rate for every school?
The schools can set their own tuition, but I have personally never heard of more than $4000 a semester and I believe that is graduate studies down at some of the really elite schools down east. Education costs much more than that but MOST of it is given in dollars from the government. I know for my school I was $5000.00 a semester in dollars to the college. Also I took out some student loans because our government forgives some of them based on how well you do in the program. I had 30% of my loans forgiven.
And to stop anyone who thinks that our schools are mediocre, two of our schools were voted 10 best places to do scientific research outside the USA behind Cambridge. Dalhousie and UofT if anyone is interested, I am trying to find the article now.
Last edited by the_cosworth; 11-01-2009 at 05:08 PM.
Oh a couple more things I should mention that I thought of.
- Lots of people in Canada have fire arms. Mainly hunting rifles but there are lots of shotguns and hand guns. We had a 'registry' that failed horribly. We have very few incidents with guns in Canada, most are hunting.
- We don't say aboot for about. We say about like everyone else.
- We do say 'eh' but not as redneck as the news make it sounds. Picture how we would make ya'll sound compared to how you would actually say it.
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