Canadian dollar reaches parity with US dollar!

[frood]

Don’t have much to say about it, but I think it’s worth remarking that the Canadian dollar is now at about 99.9 cents to the US dollar.

In 2002, it was 62 cents!

However, for some reason, that dilbert book that costs $9.95 in the US is still selling for $16.95 Canadian - lotsa folks gonna be buying lots of stuff from the US methinks.

Apparently the significant rise is due largely to rising commodity prices (Canada is a big exporter) and the faltering US economy - the US dollar is sinking fast against the Euro and other world currencies.

[Amon-Sul]

i found it very interesting indeed

global economics/politics is changing faster and faster with each decade

maybe now some people show up with the idea that both USA/Canada have one unit, simply a dolar

somehow think that Canadians would like the idea too much
but who knows
the world is leaning towards reducing the number of money units to several, or dozens in the whole world

but, its a difficults question, yes….

[Jennifer]

Guess that means Canadians arn’t worthless anymore.

Besides, it’s not a faltering US Economy, it’s a stronger Canadian Economy.  Every economist in the world in a government paid position says the US economy is strong, it is just not as strong vs other economies as it was during the Reagan Administration.  This is most likely due to the fall of the Socialist empire in Asia/Europe and the rise of national conglomerations such as the European Union which mirror, in their own way, the states of the United States.

This is a good thing!  If Europe, Asia, Africa, Canada, etc become more like us, then there will be less cultural differences and more harmony!

[ajgundam5]

I’m pretty sure we let this happen so the Canadians would feel better about themselves …

[Guest]

Watch the political content.

FYI:  In 1973, the Canadian Dollar was STRONGER than US dollar.

I have a notation on page 167 of the 1973 edition of the Websters New World Dictionary with Student Handbook that shows the Canadian Dollar as being worth $1.01.81 cents American.

[Jennifer]

I still think it’s a good idea to have many nations comprised similarly to our own with currency similar to our own.  It makes us more alike and like things tend to like each other.

[cystic crypt]

@Amon:

i found it very interesting indeed

global economics/politics is changing faster and faster with each decade

maybe now some people show up with the idea that both USA/Canada have one unit, simply a dolar

somehow think that Canadians would like the idea too much

we’ve had this discussion before in Canada - there are a few who do like the idea, but i think on the whole we do not believe this is a good way to go.  In fact, aside from certain industrial/production processes, there is not too much in the US that i think we would do well to copy.  I would much prefer that we keep our own “dollar”.  It is one more thing that is unique about us, and what’s more - it only took 4 years for our dollar to reach parity from 2/3’s - how long until our dollar surpasses it by the same amount?  Granted this would suck for our exporters (unless they became more competitive and the rise happened slowly), but i really can’t think of a really good reason to match to the greenback - unless one is a fan of Dilbert books.
But i look to the US and i do not see so much of this “harmony” so i am not certain how blending out cultures with that of the US would generate more of it.

[frood]

Yes, Canada is very different from the US in that the country is based on a concept of multiculturalism, whereas the US is (I have heard) intended to be a “melting pot” where everything becomes the same. IMO the multiculturalism approach is more conducive to harmony, because it is easier to accept difference than to change someone to be like you. (That would probably make a lot of marriages a lot more peaceful!)

I recently heard about a symposium on some famous dead philosopher, forget the name, but anyhow, supposedly this guy’s big contribution was this: We humans tend to have conflict with each other not because we are different, but because we are similar. Because we are similar, we want and need the same things. Because we want the same things, we fight over them.

Think of it this way: two children who have the same favourite toy are likely to fight over it. But if one likes the dolls and one likes the toy cars, they can leave each other alone.

In a similar way, two people who both want power, wealth, and to have everyone follow their religion are going to bump heads. So really it is their similarity that makes them different.

Just as all the sides in AAR are in conflict because they all want the same thing: world domination. It wouldn’t be much of the game if the Allied powers said to the Axis: “Oh, you want to run the planet? Sure, go ahead, if it means that much to you. Frankly it looks like a big headache to us, but knock yourself out!”

For rivaly, you need people vying for the same thing.

Back on topic:

I would not be in favour of a shared currency with the US, because to share currencies you need to share a lot of economic policy, and that would severely limit our sovereignty. Because between us and the US, the US has all the clout. We’d basically become another state. And if we were that, we couldn’t feel so darn superior, and when we travelled, we’d also take the blame for whatever the US President is doing internationally, even if we didn’t vote for him.

I know because we give Americans a rough time up here, I wouldn’t want that to happen to me. Honestly it’s so nice overseas to be able to say “No, I’m Canadian.” Sorry but it’s true. Once Europeans know you’re Canadian instead of American they treat you a lot better.

I’m not trying to get into PD here, I’m just saying that this IS a perk of being Canadian. Everyone loves us (even though we probably don’t deserve it any more than Americans, we’re just so small that we aren’t seen as being responsible, and we did some peacekeeping back in the 1950s that everyone still gives us credit for.)

[ajgundam5]

I was talking to a guy from Toronto last week … I can’t wait until we have Boxing Day down here!
I say we annex Canada!

[balungaloaf]

whats boxing day?

multiculturalism destroys nations, always has, and always will. case in point is a part of canada always trying to seceed?

any history buff will tell you this.  this is the reason why big empires and big nations fall, due to multiculturalism.  always from within.  you need them to all be american.  rather than a hypen.  its no good.

[cystic crypt]

@balungaloaf:

whats boxing day?

multiculturalism destroys nations, always has, and always will. case in point is a part of canada always trying to seceed?

any history buff will tell you this.  this is the reason why big empires and big nations fall, due to multiculturalism.  always from within.  you need them to all be american.  rather than a hypen.  its no good.

You need to READ more about Canadian history before you POST.  The fact is that Quebec is not always trying to seceed - if they really wanted to, they would have done so by now.  Also this has nothing to do with multiculturalism, and everything to do with:

1. a terribly generous surrender package offered by the British to the French in Quebec
2. a terribly mis-informed and heavily propagandized group of Quebec citizens
3. other nations making overtures to Quebec
   Ironically enough, it is multiculturalism that helped hold Canada together in the last attempt at separation - the separatists even mentioned this (the reason why “Jacques Parizeau” is a bad word around the Bloc Quebecois).

[Imperious Leader]

This dollar thing is probably planned out in advance. Bush wants Canada and Mexico to be one nation like the western hemisphere’s EU Thats the focus of his immigration policy, banks issuing accounts and credit to illegals, mexican trucks being able to deliver stuff right from mexico w/o even stopping for a check. Thats the official policy and i doubt it has anything to do with what some may thing is the obvious reason why it has caught up.