Why Canada and the U.S. Should Merge, Eh?

[viper37]

If a majority of people think in kilometers and such, then switch the signs. Until then, there is no reason to do so.

Kinda circular argument here.  The majority will never think in km if it ain't teached in schools instead of imperial system, and it won't be teached in schools because the government does not use it...

I'd say like Berkut, have the Government use metric exclusively, then the people will adapt.  Stores usings lbs instead of kg will fade away over the course of a generation.

[derspiess]

I remember my teachers telling me back in the day that we'd be fully on the metric system by the 90s

[Siege]

I support the merger with Canada.
I have a weak spot for superpowerdom status and crushing China with Canadian made Stryker infantry carriers.

How can we work together towards this lofty goal of a North American Union?

[Valmy]

I remember my teachers telling me back in the day that we'd be fully on the metric system by the 90s

It is just a matter of everybody getting a proper science education.  SCIENCE!

[crazy canuck]

I remember my teachers telling me back in the day that we'd be fully on the metric system by the 90s

It is just a matter of everybody getting a proper science education.  SCIENCE!

You are blinding me.

[MadImmortalMan]

Yeah, a true political union would be unworkable.  No Canadian would want to give up their single payor health care system (other than perhaps BB) and few Americans would want to adopt the Canadian system.  Even if we could ever get past the numerous other issues, this would always be the deal breaker.

These are run by the provinces, right? No reason they'd be forced to get rid of them.

BTW--when non-metric stuff are used in Canada, is it Imperial or English?

The US has already adopted metric as much as possible, aside from changing road signs. Usually though, when somebody (especially youngsters on euot) says we should adopt metric, they actually mean we should ban everything else. Which is obviously never going to be feasible. I doubt anyone has ever done it that way. Do any European states have metric system enforcement police?

[crazy canuck]

These are run by the provinces, right? No reason they'd be forced to get rid of them.

It gets a bit confusing and involves a discussion of tax policy in this country.  Health care is a Provincial responsiblity but for the "have not provinces" funding for the system is subsidized through federal equalization payments which aim to have a minimum consistent level of health care access across the country.  In addition all provinces recieve a significant contribution from Federal tax dollars through other payment schemes under the Canada Health Act.  This is because although the Feds have limited constitutional areas of responsibility they also take in the greater share of tax dollars which need to be given back to the provinces through some mechanism so that the provinces can afford to run their areas of responsbility.

One point the Quebec separatists make that I agree with is that the Feds should collect less tax and let the Provinces collect that revenue directly to do what they will with those revenues.  The Conservatives have been moving slowly in the direction.  But the issue of Federal and Provincial tax points is an unwieldy beast at the best of times.

BTW--when non-metric stuff are used in Canada, is it Imperial or English?

Imperial.  We are as baffled by the English Stone as you are.

[Agelastus]

These are run by the provinces, right? No reason they'd be forced to get rid of them.

BTW--when non-metric stuff are used in Canada, is it Imperial or English?

The US has already adopted metric as much as possible, aside from changing road signs. Usually though, when somebody (especially youngsters on euot) says we should adopt metric, they actually mean we should ban everything else. Which is obviously never going to be feasible. I doubt anyone has ever done it that way. Do any European states have metric system enforcement police?

:Raises hand:

Technically, anyway - since trading standards officers will go to markets and other places and make sure that traders are using metric scales.

Still, we all love metric in the UK...that's why we buy milk in 0.568l, 1.136l, 2.272l, and 3.480l sizes...

--------

I was born after our currency decimalised and metrication began.

I used metric in all my physics and chemistry lessons, as is only sensible.

I've never worked in an industry that still used Imperial Measures.

For all that I still have to convert weights of meat into pounds and ounces to get some mental idea of how much is really there that my brain and stomach will mutually agree with; I have never heard anyone ask for a metric weight in the local butcher, even though his scales have to be metric (he's doing the conversions in his head, no doubt.) For example, I ordered a Christmas Turkey the other week as a "12-14 pound" bird.

I think of my own weight in pounds and stone, not kilos. Despite having worked in manufacturing and export where all weights are metric as I noted above.

Distance is in miles (fortunately the signs still agree with me); ask me how may miles I can walk in an hour I can tell you - ask me how many kilometres and I have to convert (albeit with a simple calculation.)

Imperial measures are really quite resilient. And what I use in my personal life has never affected my work, so I fail to see what Berkut's issue is with the survival of Imperial or other traditional measures.

[Malthus]

I learned as a teen that there are seven grams in a quarter-ounce.

Drug culture for the win! 

[MadImmortalMan]

FWIW, I was taught metric in school. I was not taught English measurements. That was in the 1980s.

[grumbler]

how is it based in the human body?

Think about it for a second.  One "foot?"

An inch is 1/12 of a foot, by definition, but is also about the distance between the first and second joints of an adult human index finger.  The gallon is the weight of eight pounds of wine (or similar drink), the largest size it was convenient for humans to lift and pour.  These measurements all varied over time and by country, as they were based on human convenience, not logic or a desire for absolute standards.

[Admiral Yi]

IIRC the yard was originally based on the length of an arm.

BTW, isn't hectare a metric measure?

[Malthus]

IIRC the yard was originally based on the length of an arm.

BTW, isn't hectare a metric measure?

One unit of heck.   

[viper37]

These are run by the provinces, right? No reason they'd be forced to get rid of them.

To correct what CC posted, all provinces receive Federal transfer money for healthcare and higher education, "have nots" or have is a false debate, as equalization payments aren't tied to this.

Equalization payments are a way to enforce Federal control over provincial spending, even though, by law, it isn't tied to anything special.  By simply changing the formula at will, the Feds will insure dominance a province and force it to comply to tis will.  The calculations change in 2005-2006, and changed again in 2008 to insure Newfoundland's vote.  And the Federal has decided to now change the way healthcare transfers are made, tying them to Canada's GDP growth with a minimum of 3%.

Alberta receives federal money for it's healthcare and education system, but under the equalization system, they need to give money back to the Feds so that no province could have a superior healthcare or university network while other provinces literally starve.  Say, you can't have a Massachussets and a Mississipi or Texas when it comes to healthcare and universities, theoritically, they should be at the same level.

Provinces run them according to Federal guidelines.   The worst of it is mandatory public healthcare. 

A doctor can't work for both public & private clinics, and many provinces have quota systems to avoid over-charges.  What that means is a surgeon operates 1-2 days and see patients the rest of the week and the surgical rooms are under-used.
A province can not charge anything for a service it already provides for free, so they can't even ask for a 5$ or 10$ fee when you go directly to the ER for a non emergency (such as going there to get pills for a cold or a virgnity certificate for your daughter).

However, public hospitals are free to subcontrats part of their work to private clinics, such as MRI.  And it's a shocker if an hospital rents its room to a private clinic, because God forbid we recuperate some costs out of underused facilities.

BTW--when non-metric stuff are used in Canada, is it Imperial or English?

As if it's not confusing enough as it is 
Ah, I've seen both, but I think people mostly uses Imperial gallons when they talk of gallons.
20L = 5 gallons, I think it's Imperial?

The US has already adopted metric as much as possible, aside from changing road signs. Usually though, when somebody (especially youngsters on euot) says we should adopt metric, they actually mean we should ban everything else. Which is obviously never going to be feasible. I doubt anyone has ever done it that way. Do any European states have metric system enforcement police?

Not banning, just using it everywhere for government purpose and mandatory teaching in classes.  All official government communications must be made in metric.  Eventually, people will adapt.

In Canada, it goes a step further in that stores must use metric, but are free to use any other measurement system aside.

[viper37]

Think about it for a second.  One "foot?"

People aren't equal in foot size, IIRC.  Last time I bought a pair of shoes, there ware various sizes...

An inch is 1/12 of a foot, by definition, but is also about the distance between the first and second joints of an adult human index finger.

Ok, I suppose that can make sense.

The gallon is the weight of eight pounds of wine (or similar drink), the largest size it was convenient for humans to lift and pour.

That is just silly.  Stronger humans can raise bigger cups, big drinker will have bigger cups compared to non drinkers.

These measurements all varied over time and by country, as they were based on human convenience, not logic or a desire for absolute standards.

wich is why it is antiquated.