Do you give thanks at this time of year for NOT being an American?
Are you especially joyful this November?
Do you give thanks at this time of year for NOT being an American?
Are you especially joyful this November?
I suspect they're secretly implementing limits on immigration to their country to keep all the damn Americans and their wacky ideas out! Canexit, anyone?
Do you give thanks at this time of year for NOT being an American?
Nope, they're flocking to America to get medical treatment. And they give thanks when it's done.
they're flocking to America
In Washington (state) they cross the border to buy gasoline and groceries. In places like Bellingham, very close to the border. It seems our products tend to be cheaper.
richardshagrin
In Washington (state) they cross the border to buy gasoline and groceries. In places like Bellingham, very close to the border. It seems our products tend to be cheaper.
Is that because the state sales tax is low? Do they have limits as to what / how much they can take back into Canada.
We used to have a long list of limits as to what we could bring back from tax-free Andorra such as olive oil, butter, drinks, and a figure for "other goods".
I have many times been stopped at the roadside by the Douane (customs) for a search of my car. In fact they are very pleasant and reasonable - go a bit over on one thing, say drink, and don't have any of another - perhaps perfume - then they don't seem to worry.
been stopped ... by customs ... they don't seem to worry.
I once crossed from Malaysia to Singapore. I forget to throw away what was left in an open packet of cigarettes, so I had 23 instead of the allowed 20.
About 2 hours later (when finally about to wrap up my payment of double duty on all 23) I said, "I'll be careful in future. I don't want to pay double duty again."
The customs officer pointed to a schedule taped on the side of his desk and said, "No! The next time it will be five times."
richardshagrin
In Washington (state) they cross the border to buy gasoline and groceries. In places like Bellingham, very close to the border. It seems our products tend to be cheaper.
Is that because the state sales tax is low? Do they have limits as to what / how much they can take back into Canada.
We used to have a long list of limits as to what we could bring back from tax-free Andorra such as olive oil, butter, drinks, and a figure for "other goods".
I have many times been stopped at the roadside by the Douane (customs) for a search of my car. In fact they are very pleasant and reasonable - go a bit over on one thing, say drink, and don't have any of another - perhaps perfume - then they don't seem to worry.
Is that because the state sales tax is low? Do they have limits as to what / how much they can take back into Canada.
I'm not sure of the current rates, but more often it's a question of availability and exchange rates.
I'm not sure of the current rates, but more often it's a question of availability and exchange rates.
When I lived in NYC (40 years ago) New Yorkers (especially those on Staten Island) went to NJ to shop for clothing because there was no sales tax on clothing in NJ.
In Washington (state) they cross the border to buy gasoline and groceries.
One fellow I converse with in Canada crosses the border to do most of his shopping for a very basic reason: the nearest shopping center in Canada to where he lives is twenty-two miles away, while the nearest USA shopping center is five miles away across the border - it's quicker to shop in the USA than in Canada.
Do you give thanks at this time of year for NOT being an American?
No, they're just pointing out how superior everything Canadian is to any and everything in America. And they take delight in pointing out how wonderful their own country is - when most of them live within 100 miles of the American border.
(Our receptionist at work is Canadian. She loves to say how everything in Canada was always better than here in the U.S. When we ask her why she doesn't go back, it's because it's too cold!)
I'm surprised no-one has pointed this out, but Canadians celebrate Thanksgiving about 6 weeks before Americans do. The Canadian holiday is "2nd Monday of October," compared with the US version at "last Thursday of November".
I'm pretty sure this is a seasonal thing - Thanksgiving being basically a "harvest" holiday, and seasons being different at different latitudes.
It seems likely to me that Canadians have more to be thankful for. So they celebrate earlier. The US has to wait until elections are over, so we can be thankful they are done.