How long does it take for a Canadian to make $1? Just curious. Another statistic I heard, but I have not done any research, is that 1 in 5 Americans view Canada as an enemy. If Trump keeps repeating that Canada has been ripping them off, that we are a failed socialist state, anti-Christian (the Conservative Party is pushing that line) and pro-trans, he will convince the majority of Americans that we must be annexed to save America. And if the results of the November elections - assuming Trump hasn’t declared martial law - are contested, the US will have a civil war or at least civil unrest. And then MAGA alpha-males will come north to occupy land on the new frontier. But this time the “restless natives” will be Canadians.
Joanna’s concern about civil war in the USA spilling over to Canada is not too far out. Try this experiment: leave Canada for a couple weeks and use a VPN, then fire up Facebook and be prepared to be appalled. That happened to me and my feed was 90% radicalization. Influencers (mostly male) pushing propaganda about Alberta separatism, Carney is a commie, the radical left trying to make us all trans, and sprinkled amid the propagandists were the odd poor person bragging about how they don’t feel like working and trans exhibitionists (who might not actually be trans or poor, just performers). In other words: our minds are under attack more than you might notice.
The historic concern about USA civil war spilling into Canada is, history. We were the subject of attacks during the civil war era. It was the same kind of propaganda and bombast.
My Granddad would say, ‘Don’t eat that Herbie, that’s horse shit’. ( road apples) whenever someone was leading me down the garden path.
First; a good Democracy needs some Socialism to make it work, aiming for equitable wealth distribution and reduced social inequality. However, we also need incentives to get to where we want to be. We are not all built the same and our goals and expectations can vary. From a couch potato to a workaholic, and each should be rewarded accordingly.
When 1% of the work force make the equivalent $ of all the remaining 99% of workers and many of them living in poverty or pay check to pay check
I wondered about the time it takes us to make a dollar too! My question to myself, is how many hours do I have to work to buy such and such-a block of cheese, a tank of gas, my mortgage payment? Since I never earned much above minimum wage most of my working life, it takes a long time to have a comfortable and secure life. And I worked hard all my life! I definitely do not trust the US government or the1%. But most Americans are great people.
How long does it take for a Canadian to make $1? Just curious. Another statistic I heard, but I have not done any research, is that 1 in 5 Americans view Canada as an enemy. If Trump keeps repeating that Canada has been ripping them off, that we are a failed socialist state, anti-Christian (the Conservative Party is pushing that line) and pro-trans, he will convince the majority of Americans that we must be annexed to save America. And if the results of the November elections - assuming Trump hasn’t declared martial law - are contested, the US will have a civil war or at least civil unrest. And then MAGA alpha-males will come north to occupy land on the new frontier. But this time the “restless natives” will be Canadians.
Good question Joanna... on the $1 metric
Canada typically sits closer to Europe than the U.S., meaning it takes less time than Americans, but more than countries like Germany.
We land somewhere in the middle.
On the rest… I’d separate signal from noise.
There’s definitely rhetoric coming out of the U.S. that’s heating things up... no question.
But talk of annexation or mass movement north falls more into speculation than reality.
What is real?
Trust is dropping.
Perception is shifting.
And countries... including Canada... are adjusting accordingly.
That’s the part worth watching.
Joanna’s concern about civil war in the USA spilling over to Canada is not too far out. Try this experiment: leave Canada for a couple weeks and use a VPN, then fire up Facebook and be prepared to be appalled. That happened to me and my feed was 90% radicalization. Influencers (mostly male) pushing propaganda about Alberta separatism, Carney is a commie, the radical left trying to make us all trans, and sprinkled amid the propagandists were the odd poor person bragging about how they don’t feel like working and trans exhibitionists (who might not actually be trans or poor, just performers). In other words: our minds are under attack more than you might notice.
The historic concern about USA civil war spilling into Canada is, history. We were the subject of attacks during the civil war era. It was the same kind of propaganda and bombast.
My Granddad would say, ‘Don’t eat that Herbie, that’s horse shit’. ( road apples) whenever someone was leading me down the garden path.
First; a good Democracy needs some Socialism to make it work, aiming for equitable wealth distribution and reduced social inequality. However, we also need incentives to get to where we want to be. We are not all built the same and our goals and expectations can vary. From a couch potato to a workaholic, and each should be rewarded accordingly.
When 1% of the work force make the equivalent $ of all the remaining 99% of workers and many of them living in poverty or pay check to pay check
There’s truth in what your granddad was getting at Vinny.
A system that only rewards the top eventually breaks the middle… and once the middle cracks, everything else follows.
The balance has always been the trick...
enough incentive to build, but enough structure to keep things from tilting too far.
Right now, that balance looks a lot shakier than it used to.
That’s the part people are starting to notice.
I wondered about the time it takes us to make a dollar too! My question to myself, is how many hours do I have to work to buy such and such-a block of cheese, a tank of gas, my mortgage payment? Since I never earned much above minimum wage most of my working life, it takes a long time to have a comfortable and secure life. And I worked hard all my life! I definitely do not trust the US government or the1%. But most Americans are great people.
That’s the right way to look at it Sandi.
Not dollars on paper… but what your hours actually buy you in real life.
Cheese, gas, housing... that’s where the truth shows up.
And you’re absolutely right… this isn’t about regular Americans.
Most people are just trying to get by and build a decent life.
The frustration people feel isn’t with each other...
it’s with a system that’s getting harder to live in, no matter how hard you work.
That’s what’s starting to wake people up.
How long does it take the average person to earn one dollar In Canada?
Good question David.
Canada typically lands between the U.S. and Europe on that measure.
Rough ballpark:
👉 Around 35–45 minutes to earn $1 on average
So...
Faster than the U.S. (~63 minutes)
Slower than places like Germany (~26 minutes)
We’re kind of in the middle... which fits Canada overall...
more balanced than the U.S., but not as evenly distributed as parts of Europe.
And like you’ve probably noticed… what really matters isn’t the number...
it’s what that dollar actually buys you these days.
Canada’s Trust Just Snapped... And We’re Quietly Rewiring Who We Stand With
This isn’t about joining Europe… it’s about losing faith in the system next door
Response to Fred Ferguson (GeezerWise)
Fred,
what you are picking up is real. But I would frame it slightly differently.
This is not a trust collapse.
It is a trust recalibration.
Canada has not turned away from the U.S. It has started pricing the risk.
Because nothing fundamental has changed in geography, trade, or infrastructure.
The U.S. is still:
Canada’s dominant trading partner
its security backbone
its economic gravity
That does not unwind because of a polling cycle.
What has changed is perception of reliability.
And reliability is not about power.
It is about predictability.
Allies can live with power asymmetry. They struggle with volatility.
That is what Canada is reacting to.
Not American strength. But American variability.
So what you are seeing is not emotional distancing.
It is portfolio logic.
Reduce single-point dependency
Increase optionality
Build parallel relationships
Europe is not replacing the U.S.
It is becoming a hedge.
Europe is not the alternative. It is the insurance policy.
That distinction matters.
Because hedging systems behave very differently from shifting systems.
Canada is not “moving toward Europe.”
It is expanding its strategic surface.
And this is happening across multiple layers:
defence cooperation
industrial alignment
regulatory compatibility
political signalling
None of which requires a break with Washington.
On the economic comparison—this is where I would be careful.
The “minutes per dollar” framing is rhetorically effective, but analytically unstable.
The real difference is not that the U.S. is “poorer.”
It is that:
the U.S. system is more unequal and more volatile
the European system is more stable and more distributed
The difference is not wealth. It is how risk is distributed.
And that difference feeds directly into politics.
Which feeds back into predictability.
Which feeds back into trust.
So yes—there is a shift.
But it is not a break.
It is a structural adjustment to uncertainty.
And it is not uniquely Canadian.
You can see the same pattern emerging in:
Europe
parts of Asia
even within U.S. alliances more broadly
This is not Canada leaving the system. It is the system becoming less cantered.
Which brings us to your final line.
“Geography stops mattering.”
I would turn that around.
Geography still matters.
But it no longer guarantees trust.
And once that happens, every relationship becomes something closer to a calculation.
Quietly. Gradually. But decisively.
That’s a solid breakdown.
I just strip it down to one thing...
when people stop trusting… they start adjusting.
That’s what we’re watching.
This is obvious but taking too slow due to traditional Canadian bureaucracy
Canada’s never been quick on the draw.
But when we do move… it tends to stick.
I don’t need to go there and take up Canadian space, but can I do something in service to Canada and obtain a “Friend of Canada” card?
I’m serious.
We might have to start issuing those 😄
No need to take up space... support, perspective, and goodwill travel just fine.
If you believe in what Canada stands for, you’re already carrying the card.
People say that… right up until it affects them.
Then suddenly... they care.