I love these questions from Americans. I live in Vancouver, on the west coast about 2 hours north of Seattle.
So let’s go through some of the items US Liberals look for.
Healthcare - We pay monthly in BC to our medical system. It is called BC medical and, right now, it is $232…for a family of four. They just announced April 1st they are cutting it in half. Hence, any extended healthcare, including dental, is generally less than $200.00 per month and that pays for your prescriptions, therapists, eyecare and a host of other services. So…what are the restrictions on using our healthcare system….none! Ambulance…paid, need prosthetics…paid, need 5 years of aftercare and therapy…paid. By the way, we are just starting construction on our 5th new hospital in 15 years…free to use of course. So what does this get you. Our Vancouver General Cancer research center is one of the top 5 in the world. Our UBC hospital houses the premier genealogical research facility in the world.
Taxes - Federal income taxes start at 26% for the middle class and is 42% for the upper class. Our provincial and federal sales taxes together are 12%…California and Washington state are both 15%. Our fuel, alcohol and tobacco are heavily taxed and accounts for billions in government money…somehow we still sell just as much per capita as you do in the US.
Racism - I am pretty safe in saying that it is pretty much a non starter here. We have had groups try to rally around racism but they fizzle out pretty quickly. It just isn’t there. There is a concern over asian investors buying houses and apartments and leaving them empty…but that would be the same reaction if they were California elite. In the US they have built a billion dollar industry around racism…there is too much money at stake to solve the problem…
Government - There is one thing our government has that yours lacks…common sense!! It is at the point in the US where people are pro life JUST because the other side is pro choice. gay marriage…same thing. Frickin transgender bathroom issue…common sense says as children they tow the line…when they are age of consent, it really is up to them. The biggest reaction you might get is that she comes back to the table and says there is a dude in a dress using the can!! Again, the TG community tried to start it here and were, for the most part told who cares which one you use…just don’t pee on the floor…RIDICULOUS.
Social Safety Net - Did you know that LA and the surrounding area has more homeless people per capita than some major third world cities? We are concerned because our homeless is pushing towards 2,000 people, but there is 800 beds being built for them at the moment. In Canada, our government provides for and looks after our less fortunate citizens…In the US, they manage them through law enforcement. There is no state services available…it has been left to communities to provide their own hospice care. The way I see it, they are taken off the unemployment stats, the homeless stats, and the welfare stats. This way the gov’t no longer has to concern themselves with them…they are literally thrown away…disgraceful!!
Infrastructure - this is simple…all levels of our government have infrastructure they are responsible for. Quite simply, they ensure that the resources, manpower and equipment are available to maintain it…and improve it. In the US, by the time they get through all of the stakeholders to actually do some work, there is very little left. We are talking studies, consultants, special interest payoffs, entitlements…the list goes on.
Violence - Your gun lobby is out of control!! Your gun culture is out of control. I asked a whole bunch of people I know of all ages how many times in their life, other than on a police officer, have they seen a handgun. Almost to a person the answer was a couple times but didn’t hold one and never shot one. Before the fight to take back Mosul, even with Isis controlling some areas, 21 US states, and 3 cities, had more murders in the preceding 2 years than the entire country of Iraq…who is at war?
So, many of the items that liberals look for are in existence in Canada.
Except there are very real differences.
We actually have tighter immigration laws than the US as we use a merit based system. Also, our laws make it impossible for lobby groups to be effective in changing laws for their financial benefits. The US actually have similar laws but they have been, for the most part, ignored.
There is no commercial interest within our school or Prison system...they are all owned by the appropriate levels of government. Sure we out source tasks, but the principle entity is run under strict government rules.
I could keep going, but the gist is that we may be a Liberal minded, financially conservative (oh yeah…we never had a recession in BC), socialist leaning society but at least we are not suffering through some very real third world issues like the US!!