I am one of the few Canucks that doesn't live within 100 miles of the border and would love to get a trip once a year down south to soak up some sun and maybe get the cheap Zeis binoc's for 1/2 of what Zeis will sell to us even when the buck is par BUT.........................I am sick and tired of seeing an endless stream of lower mainland BC and southern Ontario types (on TV) who seem incapable of buying even a jug of milk on this side of the border. The few guys I know up north that might spent lots of time in Alaska are quick to be Canucks as soon as a Doctor is required. OK. Am I just jealous or WTF?

tangozulu:
I'm hoping here that other than being miffed at the cross border Canucks that this finds you doing well this afternoon.

I'm taking a break from working on a friend of a friend's .30 Gibbs and have to put some parts into a Cooey 64A after that. Both less than noble projects to be sure, but I digress.

My guess is that many of the folks head south to gas up as well, since they are at $4.07 this morning for 1 US gallon in Oroville and we're $1.48/ liter this morning here and in Penticton. If my math is correct that's $1.85 per US gallon difference, so on a fill it might make $40 savings.

Then too, milk, cheese, chicken and turkey are typically half price there as compared to here - so a quick grocery run to Ben Prince's in Oroville after or before hitting the Quick Stop might save another $40-$50.

I can't say how things are going in the Lower Mainland, but if we're lucky enough to still be working here in the Okanagan, we surely haven't seen any pay increases in the last half decade or so.

With everything else going up except wages, a lot of folks can stand to save $100 here or there.

Now to be clear, we've not been down stateside since last summer and when we go it's usually for a weekend at very least. We are close enough that theoretically we could head across the medicine line too, but who has that kinda time, you know?

The girls like to shop in Spokane as they hit different stores than we've got up here or in Kelowna. They tell me the prices aren't much different than they are up here, but the selection is different.

Anyway, that's just one guy's thoughts and theories on the subject TZ and as per usual I'm quite likely out to lunch on this topic too.

All the best to you and yours up in the north country TZ.

Dwayne

Thanks Dwayne,
My parents are retired and in the OK and I know things are tough for sure. I was just watching the news on the bridge collapse on I-5 and it seems to be all about the broken pipe line to cheap shopping instead of the miracle that no one died.
We pay and pay and I know all to well about lack of selection living up north. Heck Kelowna shopping is like disney land to those north of 60. I have 2 daughters just like you and I make a fairly good income but live paycheck to paycheck. My truck is a 1989 4 runner and we have a 2008 minivan for the family.Don't smoke and the few beer cans in my fridge are starting to rust. No cell phone. I Havent had a vacation in years and bought my last gun 20 years ago. We pay 1000 dollars a month to heat the house and winter seems to be about half the year now adays.
Anyways I am certainly trying to do my bit for my fellow Canucks by buyin beef/milk and cheese at home. (What would happen to our economy is no one shopped at home) No time to even get that moose that was easy before the girls arrived. (Lets no forget Canadian beef is being discriminated by us wholsalers due to the labeling issue.)
I too need a good shopping trip down south just think we need to keep it in perspective some time.
Pretty sure I'm just jealous.
cheers

Nothing ignoble about a bit of gunsmithing, Dwayne. You can go back to work on the Holland & Holland double after you've finished helping your friend out.

Tangozulu, I'm one of the thousands of BC'ers who do live near the border and regularly travel across the line, but in my case it's to visit my gf, who's a prof. at WWU in Bellingham.

Possibly you're a bit jealous but I do sympathize with your complaint. I know the locals are ticked about Canadians descending like locusts and clearing the shelves of flats of milk and such at Costco, and I can't say I blame them, although I can't figure how people can stand queueing for hours at the border. It's all VERY good for business, of course, so instead of say, limiting quantities to something reasonable (for non-locals anyway) Costco is planning to open an even BIGGER store- right across from the Fred Meyer on Bakerview Road. The chaos will undoubtedly be even worse than it currently is.

I don't shop much for food etc., except for a couple of specialty items such as McCann's Irish Oatmeal, (mmmmmm!!) which Trader Joe's sells for about 60% of what it costs up here. For shopping the big draw for me is the superb Hardware Sales (hardwaresales.net) in Bellingham, which puts every other "hardware store" I've been to to shame. And I do order from US suppliers (and Amazon) quite a bit. In fact, tomorrow I'll be driving down to stay for 48 hrs. to get my $800 exemption on a tractor attachment (48" yard rake/scarifier) coming from Everything Attachments in N.Carolina. Free shipping within 1000 miles, and only $150 extra to Bellingham. I couldn't find anything like it around here. Now if it weren't for all those silly ITAR restrictions, I could order all sorts of firearms stuff, too

Having a "second residence" in the US comes in very handy. Having my gf there is even better. As hickock45 ("your internet shooting channel") says, "Life is good."

Stuart

Stuart;
Thanks for the pleasant thought on the Holland & Holland, though I've got to admit that I've passed on jobs on rifles worth much less than an H&H because I know my limitations and don't want to bubba anything that isn't already that way.

Hopefully I don't come across as a rimfire snob when I say that Cooey 64's and the old Lakefield Mossberg semi-autos that had the curved magazine have given me more fits over the years than all others combined. That is trying to get them to run without jamming and hit something while not jamming.

Anyway, I do think that I've got the 64A working now and although it won't be driving tacks it appears to be "minute of beer can" at least!

The Gibbs is built on a P17 and has sentimental value for the owner, so I'm just doing a minor bit of tuning on it and then will help him work out some safe hand loads for it.

I really like the P17/P14 actions for their brute strength and functionality. In fact I've got one sitting in the safe - along with a bolt from both so I can go either a magnum case or '06 case.

I keep on thinking that I need to build a .375 H&H or something similar - you know for the rouge alligators that'll be moving up to your neighborhood when the global warming kicks in.

All the best to you folks Stuart and good luck with your new tractor attachment too.

Dwayne

Funny even Amazon sets up a special Canadian division with pricing just for us and it's all the disscontinued and low budget stuff they couldn't sell stateside. Wouldn't even sell their tablet to Canadians. Go figure?
BTW, I happy for you that there is no border to love.

Well, a man has to dream.


Now if I could only get my Mk. VI .455 Webley to do that. At present it barely meets its design spec, which was "minute of Bosche." But I think it can do better.

Those P14/17 actions are excellent, if a bit heavy- although that makes them ideal for the big bruisers. There was a guy on CGN a few years ago who was selling a .505 Gibbs on a P-14 action. In fact, I think "505 Gibbs" was his online name. Funny, I think he disappeared after he sold the rifle. Must have been one of those "men with only one gun" we've been told to be afraid of.

I have a very nicely sporterized P-14 in .303 Epps that I need to get out shooting again. Picked it up years ago from a local fellow for $150!

Sadly, the Canadian Amazon is but a pale shadow of its US counterpart.

As to "no border to love", I do have to deal with the border but fortunately I can pretty much pick and choose when I travel and thus avoid the big lineups. However, with the sequestration** in the US, I suspect that the border services may get cut back. Already I see that the lineups, even at the sleepy Huntingdon/Sumas crossing, are getting worse, which may however also be due to the onset of summer. I'll be filling out my NEXUS application next week.

(** Where DID they come up with that term/euphemism? I can't help but think of the old Army line that runs "Why call a spade a spade if you can call it a manual earth-restructuring device?")

tangozulu - I used to live 14 blocks from the border and I crossed it 1 time per week or a little less frequently. Guess how much I was paying for a 2lb block of Tilamook Cheddar? When on sale, only $4.99 but regular price was $5.99 to $6.99 - the same amount of Armstrong or what have you was $11-$12. You know how a bottle of Yellow Tail wine costs about $14 here? Well there I paid $8.99 - for a 1.5L bottle!

Heck, even CANADIAN canola oil was much cheaper there than here. I saw some research a while back that tried to address the question of why companies charge so much more for things in Canada than in the States. Do you know what the short answer was? "Because we can".

OK OK, Rub it in.

Mmmm... Tilamook White Cheddar...good stuff. 5.99-6.99? That must have been some time ago. I just bought what they (jokingly) refer to as "Extra Sharp" (ie = Armstrong 2 year-old!) and it was $12.99 at Fred Meyer. Still, it's very good cheese and cheaper than its Canadian equiv.

As to Canadian goods being cheaper in the US than here, when I shot my Chrony a year ago (DON'T ASK!) I found I could get it cheaper in the US than here in Canada. Go figger.

Would you happen to have a link to the "Beacuse we can" research? Might be useful to have on hand.

I have not been across the border for 15 years or so and seldom ever did go during the 30+ years I have had my main base in the Lower Mainland. When, I was still living in my hometown, some 50 miles from the border, I think I went to Spokane once in my adult life.

I knew many a union man and union woman, who would rave about US foreign policy, about US domination of Canadian industry and about how OUR tax-funded healthcare, etc, was SO superior to the Yanks...and would cross the border to buy anything they could twice a month..........

The ones that REALLY got to me, tho', were the academics, who would rant about many of the above issues and would always come to my small, independent business for DONATIONS for their various pet projects at the local university, college and art school, ALL of which I was FORCED to pay taxes to support.

THEN, every couple of months, they would go to Spokane to buy the products I made my living selling and paid those huge taxes with my meager profits because they were "cheaper"......many of these academics were American "draftdodgers" and a number of British and European immigrants.....but, I was good enough to bum freebies from......

I strongly favour protective tariffs for Canada, also much harsher border regulations/inspections and a Dominion Government policy of "BUY Canadian", with major taxes on items bought outside our borders. I also believe in curtailing union power, banning "public sector" unions totally and major tax breaks for businesses owned by native-born Canadians.

In fact, we need to have the old Dominion cartridge company start up again and lots of government support for this!

Yep, it is simple economics. People may boycott something or buy patriotically for awhile, but the prices Dwayne and Arac have listed will drive consumers overall. A few years ago BCTV did a news story complaining about Lower Mainlanders shopping at places like Edaleen Dairy just over the Aldergrove border, showing prices, etc. Edaleen business nearly doubled!

There are a few items available in Canada that we buy for friends and relatives in the US, but more goes the other direction.

PS, Dwayne, keep me posted again this year about peak cherry season in the OK!

Stuart;
Thanks for sharing the photo of the .303 Epps, that looks like a dandy rifle.

Was is built by Elwood himself? The stock looks like one I repaired that he'd built is why I ask.

On the Mk. VI, I'm going to guess that the trick will be finding a balance between a big enough bullet for the barrel and figuring out how to stick said bullet into the short, thin .455 cases.

If it were my windmill to tilt at, I'd try to slug the barrel to see what it is, then compare that number to the chambers and hopefully they won't be too tiny in comparison.

I'd try to run pure lead bullets for starters though as you won't be trying for magnum velocities with it although before selling the bullet mold I would try some wheel weight too as some barrels are "funny" in what they'll decide to like.

Hopefully that was some use to you sir, good luck on your Webley - the .455's are very cool pieces of machinery.

All the best Stuart.

Dwayne

Okanagan;
Absolutely will do that sir.

The growers have been getting more and more into later varieties too by the way, so it spreads the season out more and they catch the later hot sun to sweeten them up as well.

As always you and your family are in my daily thoughts and prayers.

Dwayne

Dwayne, I have no idea who built the .303. I bought it a few years ago from David Hardy, who was a firearms verifier and PAL instructor here in Mission. I think he's retired in Kelowna now. When I bought it, it was just a regular .303 but I sent it to Epps to have it converted as I had some crazy idea that I might be able to manage a trip to Africa for plains game and figured a .303 would be a suitable rifle with the right loads and bullets. (I also have a nice Husqvarna 9.3 x 57, which would also do.) It was a real steal at that price. All I did was a little re-oiling of the stock. I haven't shot it for some time now but the first time I took it up to the range with the scope (a plain old Weaver 4x) it shot better than 1.5", which made me happy.

I keep fired cases and bullets for all my handguns (for forensic use in case they were to be stolen) and a fired bullet measures about .449. I have some traditional 265 gn. HBRN bullets but I see there's a fellow on CGN who is making other profiles in soft lead (BHN 10) so I've contacted him to get some to try. I've heard that some Webleys shoot better with other designs than the official design. The revolver is in excellent shape aside from most of the external finish being gone. To completely hijack this thread here's a pic:



I guess the only tenuous connection to the thread topic is that you can't do any cross-border shopping with these!

Stuart;
Thanks for the photo - very nice revolver there.

It sounds like you're onto something with the chap on gunnutz who's making bullets.

Again if the mouths of the cylinder are way, way smaller than the bore, then things can be more nettlesome than if not....

Good luck with the Webley and apologies to TZ for the thread hijack.

Oh for the days when we could go down to the White Elephant in Spokane and fill up on reloading supplies.

I suppose even if we could now there'd be no point though. A buddy tried to find some IMR 4831 for me in Kelowna and reported the shelves are pretty much bare with the exception of some 4227!

All the best again Stuart.

Dwayne

No Problem,
Threads aren't hijacked, they simple evolve.
Besides Im gettin over it.
Cheers

We would all be better off if Canadians did their shopping on this side of the border, but money talks.

If money talks, and people abandon their moral obligation, what does that make them? As Winston Churchill told the woman who agreed to bed him for 500,000 pounds but was offended when offered 100. Madam said he, we know what kind of woman you are, we are simply discussing price.

I agree but I recently purchased something that was 1/3 price state side...there are limitations to how much we cdns get screwed before you say enough is enough! When our $$ is par 5-10% is unjustified....100-150% increase is criminal.

Money talks. It always will. For one third the price, I'd be buying from the US in a heartbeat. Hey, wait a minute, I do that now! Damn few people will spend two, three or four times more for something when it's available cheaper.

It would be fiscally irresponsible for any Canadian household to spend more on items here when they can be had significantly cheaper south of the border. If you're not too far from a border crossing, get thee gone and save big bux!

Rich or poor, wasteful spending is silly.

















http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a2k3gE9ibso

If enough Canucks's bought goods south of the border it might force prices lower in Canada.
I really feel for your guys the way you get shafted on just about everything.
When I was living in the Kenora area I bought some 2x6 studs in I Falls. They where stamped as coming from BC. I was nearly done with the job, when I realized I was 6 studs short, so I went into town and picked some up at McDermats in Kenora. Immediately I noticed they where the same brand as I had bought in I falls, yet they cost almost double!

Lumber, and some other items aside, how many of the goods are from China?

Curious???
What difference should that make?

Not much if jobs are not an issue.

We Canadians are over taxed to cover for all the social programs in place. When Obamacare is fully implemented prices on items should double quickly in the form of taxes added to cover the huge money sinkhole created. We are seeing the gradual slide of a great country into Socialism, the government must get control of all citizens guns so there isn't another revolt.

I dont think thats true at all, at least as it pertains to health care. The US, pre Obama Care already spent double what Canada does per person on health care. Long term I believe that Obama care will lead to less spending via rationing and lower quality just like the CA system.

If they do have a revolt down your way, maybe the Canadians will be able to make some money selling explosives and propellents to the rebels.

The only trouble with a modern revolt is that you have to convince people to put down their Play Stations, cellphones and computers long enough to take a few well aimed shots at the government boys.

I avoid Chinese products like the plague. Obviously some stuff or components slip by, but not if I can help it. That means not a single Norinco in my safe, and there never will be. I don't care if it costs 1/5 as much as a Springfield.

People who don't care about Chinese made should take a good hard look at Detroit. Hell, here in BC a Chinese owned mine is planning on importing Chinese workers. Enbridge wants to build a pipeling through Northern BC to ship crude to China. Some oil sands companies are now 100% Chinese owned....etc etc. We (Canada and USA) are in a heap of trouble.

I believe your doctors and nurses make a heck of a lot more money than ours. My BIL just had emergency surgery to remove his appendix (New Orleans). Now he is stuck with a $20,000 bill (he had no insurance)...so how much does the government pay into that?

This is close to what I want to ask about doctors in Canada leaving to make more money in the U.S. Is there anything to that story?

Here are the payment schedules paid to physicians in BC:

Physician Payment Schedules

You can compare them to what doctors make in the USA.

Detroit was in the crapper long before China became a global player. If anything Detroit is a prime example of socialism and unionism effect on a economy.
However, the Chicoms are a big problem and sooner or latter we will be in a knock down, drag out fight with them. As such we should put the screws to em every chance we get.

I have no reason to doubt that US physicians and nurses are paid more. When my daughter was born she had major health problems. The only two places in North America that dealt with her condition was University of MI and a place in San Francisco, Ca. The team of a dozen or so doctors that treated her at UofM had three Canucks. You pay for what you get and why would a doctor who is an expert in their field work for peanuts?
As for you BIL. He took a risk not having health insurance and the government should not pay for his gamble. You take your chances you get what you get. The fact is pre Obama care 90% of the people in the US had healthcare.

What do you mean pre-Obama Care 90% of people had healthcare? From what I can gather that is not true:


The reason my BIL and his wife don't have insurance is because it is so expensive. They are both young, healthy and work and certainly don't live lavish lifestyles. With respect to spending, it sure does seem as though the US spends a tremendous amount of money on healthcare, but since my BIL took a gamble, what exactly is the government spending all that money on?



But, look at this:


So while I have no doubt that the USA is on the cutting edge of medical technology and research, I am not sure you are "getting what you pay for".

And bear with me here because I have just about zero expertise in this area, so I am all "ears".

A quick comment, and an aside from our northern neighbors' plight, but I think your opinion in the last paragraph is right concerning two legs of the three legged stool, but completely wrong in regard to the third. While there definitely will be rationing, and lower quality in health care, I believe it will cost much, much more in the way of taxes, both overt and covert, but also in the support of a burgeoning top down, beauracracy that will be typical of almost all government entities--costly, inefficient, insular, and as we've seen in that grand body, the IRS, political.

So, while many of our northern neighbors have traveled south, say to Phoenix, Arizona, in the winter months both for the weather and their total knee replacements, they still may for the weather, but I suspect any advantage to the latter will be gone.

It goes back and forth, we have 100s of elderly US folks coming here in busloads for cheaper prescription meds. There is Canadian tax monies spent here, so what, we can afford to help older Yanks...it's the pakis bringing their sweaty elders here for joint replacements that REALLY burns my azz!

Didn't know that but believe it. I can understand folks from either side taking the path of least resistance economically and IMO that should be folks' prerogative, if legal, and if they do not become an entitled voting bloc or an economic drain on the providing entity.

That's very true...Americans go north for cheaper meds but a hell of a lot of Canadians come south for better health care. I've had many conversations with my northern neighbors and across the board they envy our "system". I spoke with a great older gent while clearing brush on my pards beach cabin in French Creek on VI, he relayed stories about the healthcare up there and warned me about the Obamanation we were up against.

Well, the term, ...better... is both subjective and also VERY situation-dependent and I think that this entire topic is SO complex and also laden with certain emotional issues that I am going to leave it at that.

I have worked in Canada's system, am old enough to remember how it WAS, am badly damaged due to that and have never known a day free of orthopaedic pain since May 05.1960. My wife retired a year ago, from 42 years as a "medical pro." and so I have some factual knowledge, but, I am more interested in the FACT that Canadian BEER is BETTER than that stuff YOU drink!!! So THERE!!!

You win.....Canadian beer is.....never mind.

It's more 'spensive.

In either case I'm a little pissed off right now because my buddy is up in your beautiful country fishing Kings north of Nanaimo and I ain't. I'm drinking a Budweiser wasting time on the innanet.

I do know that better neighbors than you folks would be impossible to find.

Your graphs show my numbers are off by 5%... Certainly giving health care to 15% of the US population at the expense of the other 85% who pay for the sytem is no only socialist, but its not American!
Back to your BIL. In the US most decent jobs provide insurance. If your income is low insurance is also provided.

I will say I am quit certain we get what we pay for. My daughter had 8 fetal surgeries before anyone in Canada had even operated on a fetus. She also beat a condition that kills 90+% of the babies that get it. Her chances in Canada would have been zero, simply because your healthcare system isnt on the cutting edge. There is a reason the Saudi royal family and the rich world over fly to Rochester, MN for health care and it isn't because the outcomes are poor.

I know for a fact this happens and even more so in Mexico, where drugs are cheaper yet.
The truth is Big Pharma is a blood sucking leech. Guess who played a big part in writing Obama Care, and Bush's Prescription drug benefit?

You won't hear an argument from me on this,Ben, I loathe big business and big government AND big labour with a fierce and undying passion. I am among the seemingly few REAL "Conservatives" we now have here in Canada, much of my political preference tends quite strongly to an American style of "Republican" government, but, with certain differences.

Actually, we in Canada are watching our fabulous country be destroyed before our eyes and all too few seem to understand this and even fewer seem to care......

You know, and it is in the USA and all "western" nations, "Sex, Drugs and Rock'n'Roll", keeps the serfs quiet......

With out reading it all, the pay rates seem somewhat like browsing a 1946 Eaton's mail order catalog, low prices.

Enjoy while it lasts.

I guess you might say that about a lot of things.

I think a major part of the issue in BC is people wanting gov't cheese cause 'somebody' else pays for it.
The duties and taxes on stuff bought mail order in the states are still cheaper than buying it in Canada.

Bump to cover some spam.

When we are at our place in Sandpoint we see loads of Alberta shoppers and always find a few to chat with about our time living up there. All good.

The Walmart in Sandpoint is a 'Super Store' version of Walmart, I believe, largely due to the Canadian's shopping there. Someone there told me 30-40% of their business is Canadian.

So what stops Walmart from charging US prises plus the duty (15%) in all their Canadian stores, when the dollar is on par, instead of 50% more? Most of the stuff is made in China so no advantage there and no doubt comes out of the same Walmart warehouse? All their employees get their medical covered by the Prov Gov so should be saving Walmart lots of cash.
Looks pretty much like just taking advantage of the silly Canucks and greed in general.

Ask Walmart!

Walmart, like any business, is in it for a profit.
Would any of us sell at lower profit than we had to?

Guess as long as everyone drives 200 miles to spend their money down south they won't feel any need to compete. Higher prices a self fullfilling guarantee.

Not sure what I can contribute to this thread other than a few observations....

My wife and I split our time between our home in Massachusetts and our place up in Maine. In Maine we are 3 miles as the crow flies from the border with New Brunswick. The towns of Calais, ME and St Stephen, NB are separated by the St. Croix River. The two towns have been joined at the hip culturally and economically for years. The new border crossing rules have to a large part reduced the number of Americans making the quick trip over the border.( It's the regs on our side...not yours.)There is really not much price advantage for a US citizen to shop in Canada...especially because of the GST and provincial taxes. There is a huge advantage for Canadians to shop in the US however.

On any given day, the parking lots in front of the Wal-Mart and the two grocery stores on the US side are filled with cars bearing Canadian plates. There really is a significant difference in prices. We shop once in awhile at the Atlantic supermarket in NB where we can find specialty items we can't get on our side o the border. Mostly these are what we consider comfort food... jams, cereals and, Lord help me, smoked kippers and such. We don't buy produce or meats there because of US restrictions on what we can bring back. Generally though, the Canadian prices are higher, and while it pains me to say it, the quality perhaps not quite as good, although this seems to be changing I noticed last summer.

When we built our place in Maine, we bought almost all the materials in the US except for the cedar half rounds we used for siding. Turns out there were no restrictions on importing those from Canada. When I checked with US Customs about it I was told that there was no tax on the US side for lumber or...are you ready?...cadavers. Nice to know we can run Aunt Tilly back and forth as often as we would like.

Boy. NOW, I REALLY have heard it all!!!!

Here in BC, the whole lumber issue between the USA and us is a VERY "sore point" and the shenanigans by US trade officials over "The Softwood Lumber" issue did and does more harm to Canada-USA relations than anything I can think of post-WWII.

When, this all came down here, several years ago, the main "engine"of BC's economy was just devastated by the actions of the US and mills closed, many lost the jobs they depended on to feed their families and small towns suffered greatly.

I was out of forestry of any sort and did not feel the economic impact, but, was struck by the whole social-cultural effect upon BC....and, for the first time in my life, decided that we Canadians, must substantially alter the our entire approach to allowing any foreign access to certain of our resources as well as we must actively seek other markets for our "energy", etc.

This, would mean withdrawing from NAFTA, enacting strong tariffs on hydropower and petroleum sales to the USA; I would like to see nationalization of ALL such resources and total elimination of ANY so-called "foreign investment" in them and also stronger sales to Europe, Asia and any other potential customers in the world.

I would also support strong customs "duties" on ANY items not made in Canada, would strengthen border regs. and give tax incentives to Canadian manufacturing business and agriculture and thus make Canadian products cheaper here and, perhaps, abroad.

We, Canucks, have been and are too damned "nice" to others who appear to take us for granted and do not seem to "get" that our generosity in making our resources available must now end and it will.

To make the necessary employment and other adjustments required in the short term for this, we need to cut immigration to a maximum of 35,000-50,000 per annum, NO exceptions, NO "family class" and also NO "temporary foreign workers".

Will this happen or will Canada, continue down the path of self-destruction by "free trade", mass immigration from Asia,South America and wherever as well as "multiculti"....well, if we coninue to allow the sort of scum in government that we have had, the issue is only too obvious....and, under "Obongo", the USA is in an even more difficult position, IMHO.

I'd go the other way - completely open the trade between the US and Canada, in both directions, no different than between Can Provinces or US States, as both countries are tied to each other in so many ways. Tariffs are double-edged swords - like most taxes, the end consumer picks up the tab, in the case of Canada, you'd probably pay even more for the finished products, gas, etc...Nationalization of natural resources has been mostly a disaster for the countries that have tried it in the past. It just creates bloated, inefficient, uncompetitive, make-work, welfare industries. Look at the South American countries that tried it with mining, fishing, agriculture. Even decades after privatization, those industries haven't fully recovered from the set-backs of Nationalization. I have worked closely with Canadians or worked for Canadian companies for the last 20 years - it's clear that Canada has seriously damaged itself with multiculturism - hard to see how that can ever change. I believe I know more about Canadian history than many of the Canadians in business that I meet or work around - especially those who immigrated to Canada, even plus 20 years ago. Their children, of course, know even less. That's sad to me. The US is going down the same road.

When the Canadian dollar was really low compared ott he US dollar, we saw lots of Americans vacationing in Canada, buying lots of goods, as their dollar would go so far. Everything was virtually a 50% discount. Now that the dollars are o n par, it doesn't happen as much.

People will take advantage of good deals, regardless of nationality.

Yep. I like having a choice to buy certain cheap Chinese stuff in Walmart or where ever - I save more pennies to buy high quality outdoor stuff made in the US or Can...

Have to laugh at the crazy number of jerry cans tied onto all US vehicles headed up the alaska highway.