Is Canada Socialist?

[noahmijo]

Really I've been wondering this for sometime and I keep getting mixed reviews on this. Okay I believe they're easily more socialist LEANING than America is but are they truly textbook socialist?

[Swede]

1. I think Canada's political spectrum is shifted left compared to America's.

Our Conservatives are your Democrats,our Liberals are left of them and the NDP further left yet.

[enigmatic]

10. I wouldn't say that

The CPC would be Center-Right (except for the Byfield Cultists, who are as nuts as the Fundies in the US), The Liberals would be blue-collar Democrats, the NDP would be Kucinich/Wellstone democrats.

[ghostsofgiants]

11. Well if you trust the Political Compass' analyses...

John Kerry and the CPC are in almost the exact same spot.

[enigmatic]

12. I don't

It's a nice general tool, but it has flaws in it as well. The thing the US has thar Canada doesn't in the political landscape is the sizable bloc of Far Right Fundies that essentially push the bar out of kilter to any reasonable barometer; if say, Ralph Klein were to run for Governor in Montana he could run as a DLC Democrat and not really have to change his general platform. Whereas if Rick Santorum were to run as an MP or Premier in Alberta he'd get laughed out of the race, even by the CPC.

[ghostsofgiants]

13. My only question is...

How do we get Klein to move to Montana?

[enigmatic]

15. Ha!

;) Ever since the CN derailment here a few weeks ago that spilled oil into the lake at Wabamun, and Klein's W-esque cavalier attitude about it al until he realized that he was commiting political suicide, his name has been Mud anyway..

[yvr girl]

2. Canada is a Social Democracy

We have socialized health care. Our major utilities tend to be Crown Corporations but we are not Socialist.

Capitalism is alive and well here, just with a few restraints.

[John Q. Citizen]

3. It's a true "mixed economy." In my opinion, it's the natural and best way

to go.

Let's face it. Some things government does better and some things are best left to private business.

Utilities. health insurence, law enforcement/public safety, public infrastructure, and social safety nets are best done by the public sector.

Shoes manufacturing (etc) are best done by the private sector.

[u4ic]

4. From political compass,

the most recent elections:

[noahmijo]

5. Okay next question: If I wanna move there do i have to learn French?

[yvr girl]

6. No....but

knowing French would get you more points in the immigration system.

[Swede]

8. I don't think so.

It would be handy if you were thinking of Quebec as your destination. The rest of the country is mostly English or bilingual.

[khashka]

7. Not at all

Socialism is government ownership of industry. Canada hardly fits that description.

It's what's called a mixed economy. Certain things (socialized healthcare, for an obvious example) fit that description. But capitalism - private ownership of industry - is the norm.

Mixed economy... Capitalism has major flaws. Socialism has major flaws. Canada and much of Europe have tried a sort of mix and match approach. And over many years it's proven to be quite effective.

Khash.

[Hardrada]

9. No

but I am.

[sasquatch]

14. After Orwell wrote 1984 he proposed a form of socialism

It wouldn't be like what Marx proposed it would be a blend of both capatilism and socialism. That's what Canada is like.