Up North, European style socialism is old hat and offers no distractions. No new promises to offer, but its costs rising by over 10% a year make up for the fact that the rot of Milgov waste, while ramping up since 911 at probably also over 10% a year, is not yet at the destroy the system stage.
As well, the MSM likes to crow our banking system did not have US sized problems. Problem is it was set for it, just that our bank bailout came at the same time as the US bank bailout, yet our real estate market bubble is years behind, prices and value delusions and mortgage payments of homeowners has not dropped significantly yet.
Canada's 'subprime' mortgages were those who were unable to come up with a proper downpayment of 20 or 25%. If you put 5% down using your credit card, the Canadian government would offer insurance to the bank they would get 20% more, then the bank would of course loan the remaining 75%.
In late 08 or 09 Harper said the Canadian taxpayer would now ensure the remaining 75% retroactively so the banks now have no risk lending to the riskiest people.
The Canadian government took on near 300 billion of new, mostly 'subprime' mortgage debt in just over two years. To compair this to the American problem, multiply by 10 times the population and we get a near 3 trillion dollar bank 'pre' bailout.
However other than compliance about the banks being better, near every Canadian when asked seems to know near all politicians are lying scum, the system is too corrupt, and the economy is bad and going to get worse. I am really often surprised how often I overhear conversations, perhaps low on facts about the issue, but full of a solid foundation of contempt for government running things. Funny though they see through the government lies, but as of yet there is no accepted consensus nor even common discussion of the dirty liars in the media (or any other issue) as is for government.
The single focus is strange in a way, perhaps the local result of a hated new harmonized sales tax that has galvanized people to fight it, or a distaste for the lies the MSM feeds them is not yet conscious, so all the hate for media liars is being projecting on politicians.
Apathy rules though. We know from the past decades of free trade issues one wastes time fighting for local jobs or to persuade the government to do anything. We see the advanced stages of the us condition and know that once again we are along for the ride. Most try not to talk about it, not like denial, but avoidance.
