30 Jun
2004
30 Jun
'04
4:10 a.m.
You've been watching too much television trash!
Actually, no, I haven't. I don't even own a working television,
haven't for decades.
But to get to cases, the big difference is that for
the most part we
have common customs, common practices and a common language which
makes it simple to do business between states.
[Canadians] even have customs duties and sales taxes
when selling
things from one province to another.
What are you smoking - and where can I get some?
As yet, we are still only one country, and as such, have no customs
issues attached to inter-provincial shipping. Sales taxes, yes - I
can't remember, do you have federal sales taxes?
The opposite is true in Canada and most other
countries. You also
have to do everything in two langauges (by law, no less!).
Only in rather special circumstances are you required by law to do
anything in both languages. (The major circumstance is if you're a
government; I'm not aware of any others, though they may well exist.)
Except for governments, in Qu?bec, using any language other than French
is not required by law; outside Qu?bec, I am not aware of any laws
requiring the use of any particular language.
French Canada (Montreal specificly) was particularly
interesting.
They REALLY push the French language there and they are required by
law to greet you in French and to try and initiate the conversation
in French.
By law? Did you check this?? If true, it's certainly widely ignored.
I found that they frequently refused to speak English
to other
Canadians from outside of Quebec since they expected them to be able
to speak in French.
Some of the more arrogant language bigots do. Everywhere has its
arrogant bigots - yes, including the US. Fortunately, language bigotry
is fading here.
In any case, fine, you go stay in your US and enjoy it. Trust me, the
rest of the world won't miss you.
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