Is everybody going crazy ?

Maestro · 03-09-2006, 12:45 AM

[...]Tell me what's wrong with society
When everywhere I look I see
Rich guys driving big SUVs
While kids are starving in the streets

No one cares
No one likes to share
I guess life's unfair

Is everybody going crazy?
Is anybody gonna save me?
Can anybody tell me what's going on?
Tell me what's going on?
If you open your eyes
You'll see that something, something is wrong[...]

Lyrics of the song "Crazy" by Simple Plan... I think it fits quite well for what's following...

Everyone knows that the Province of Québec is the more taxed region in North America. Well, looks like we have not reached the bottom yet...

After Hydro-Québec (our Provincial electricity company) announced that they're gonna raise the price of electricity of 5% next July or January (can't remember exactly) after raising it of approximately 5% the last two years, the SAAQ has decided to also play that game.

They announced yesterday that they would raise the price of insurances for motorcycles over 701 CCs from $253 to $957 in 2007 and then to $1332 in 2008.

The car drivers would see the cost of their driver's licence pass from $86 to $127 in 2008.

And they announced today that taxi drivers would see their insurance price raise of 95% while the insurance price for bus drivers will raise of 165%.

Okay, I think that everyone can see that Socialism doesn't work... Can we go back to our good old Capitalist system, please ?

Sheesh... Next winter, with or without a job, I'm gonna leave that God damned socialist hole and go either in English-Canada or in the US... And I'll never get back here.

evangilder · 03-09-2006, 09:22 AM

Sounds like some insurance people have politicians in their back pocket. Don't they realize they are likely to put some of these poor hard-working souls out of business?

FLYBOYJ · 03-09-2006, 09:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Maestro

Sheesh... Next winter, with or without a job, I'm gonna leave that God damned socialist hole and go either in English-Canada or in the US... And I'll never get back here.

Maestro, as a former "temporary" resident of Quebec (I know your pain) I will say that if you wind up here, this is one Yank that will welcome you with open arms!!!!

evangilder · 03-09-2006, 10:01 AM

Ditto here.

Maestro · 03-09-2006, 02:37 PM

Thanks, guys.

I think it would be easy for me to find a job in the US either as a Security Officer or as a Private Investigator. The lone thing that makes me think twice about that is all that immigration stuff... Get a Green Card to be allowed to work in the US, then ask for citizenship and wait for years before getting it... Or before being kicked out.

However, if they keep on taxing us like this, I will give it a try and see what happen. After all, the worst thing that could happen is being kicked back in Canada... It's not like being deportated to Cuba.

pbfoot · 03-09-2006, 02:43 PM

have a nice trip I'll chip in a buck for your voyage

Maestro · 03-09-2006, 03:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pbfoot

have a nice trip I'll chip in a buck for your voyage

Hmmm... I feel sarcasm there.

Hellbird · 03-09-2006, 04:05 PM

thats why you should come live here my maestro friend. there is a lovely place in America called Mt. Airy which I'm sure you would like

pbfoot · 03-09-2006, 04:24 PM

i was gonna write this in french but thought better the US is a wonderful place with nice people but its not quite like you probably think it isn't any cheaper it works out about the same except for beer and cigarettes the minimun wage is far less and if you think Hydro quebec is charging you more for electricity then the stuff they export to the US your probably mistaken . You are gonna have to wait an extra 3 years to taste beer or wine ,you go to jail for pot, should I continue

Maestro · 03-09-2006, 07:08 PM

Well, pbfoot, I'm 21 and gonna turn 22 in June. So I don't have any problem for getting alcool in the US. And I don't take any drugs so I don't care for the pot thing. (I'm a Security Officer, dammit ! Would you imagine a stoned Security Officer ? That would really help for your credibility...

)

For your interrest, Hydro-Québec is exporting electricity in the US and is selling them $0.05 by Kilo-Watt/hour cheaper than we actually pay for it in Québec. Also (correct me if I'm wrong here) there is different electricity companies in the US, so you can choose from which company you whish to buy your electricity. While you don't have an other choice in Québec than to buy it from the gouvernment.

I never pissed on English-Canada. I love New-Brunswick, Nova-Scotia and British Columbia. I like the way the gouvernment thinks in Alberta. The lone thing I don't like of English-Canada are the few Anti-Amercan ones who were against the war in Iraq and who think that everything that the US does is bad. But as I often said, we also have the same jackasses in Québec.

What's wrong with the US ? Of course, Democrats are a bunch of pinkos and Republicans are led by some right-wing catholics but can we really comment ? Just look a us : Tory are led by Mulroney's old gang, Liberals are led by the Mafia and I would not be surprised if the NDP was led by the KGB.

All I ever said is that if you ever gave me the choice to be a Québec citizen or a English-Canada/US citizen, I would choose the Eglish-Canada/USA anyday !

**EDIT** : And for your interrest, I currently give approximately 45% of my paycheck in income-taxes. I don't really think it could be worst in the US.

FLYBOYJ · 03-09-2006, 07:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Maestro

I would not be surprised if the NDP was led by the KGB.

LOL!!!!!!!

Although its been a long time since I been there (Quebec), its definitely cheaper in the US to live. Although there's socialized medicine, when I lived there my employer had to up my "gross" wages like 300% so I would get a good wage for living out of the US - those son a bitches taxed the hell out of my employer. Many Canadians make comparisons along the border states, but the cost of living and wages really vary from state to state, especially if you go to the midwest.

Bottom line, if a state attempted to tax its citizens the way Quebec does, there would be immediate armed conflict!!!!

California is getting close but still a long way away - I hope some of the members of the California Legislature never go to Quebec, they might get ideas!!!!

Maestro · 03-09-2006, 07:54 PM

Yeah, like taxing the tax... I don't know if you were here FBJ when the Province of Québec started a new tax called TVQ. I think it started in the 70s.

For the ones who don't know, the "Taxe de Vente du Québec" (TVQ) is a 7.5% tax that is added to the Federal's GST of 7% when you buy a product.

What do you mean with the midwest ? Is that where the cost of living is the lowest ? I heard it was rather in Vermont/the Maine.

pbfoot · 03-09-2006, 07:58 PM

well if you feel that strong about it try this link where Rick Mercer is auctioning off the Liberal leadership on Ebay Minimum bid is $15 so he wont attract vanity candidates put your bid in and show me the way
http://www.cbc.ca/mercerreport/

FLYBOYJ · 03-09-2006, 08:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Maestro

Yeah, like taxing the tax... I don't know if you were here FBJ when the Province of Québec started a new tax called TVQ. I think it started in the 70s.

For the ones who don't know, the "Taxe de Vente du Québec" (TVQ) is a 7.5% tax that is added to the Federal's GST of 7% when you buy a product.

What do you mean with the midwest ? Is that where the cost of living is the lowest ? I heard it was rather in Vermont/the Maine.

I was there from 83 - 86...

Actually Mississippi, Florida, Alabama is supposed to be cheap, but the wages are also low.

Kansas, Nebraska - midwest...

When I left California my fist job in Colorado had me take a $1.00 an hour pay cut but yet I brought home $40.00 a week more - TAXES!!

Maestro · 03-09-2006, 11:07 PM

@ pbfoot : Looks like Gagliano or some other mafiosi placed a bid before me... The current bid is now at $16,000,000.00.

@ FBJ : Yeah, taxes sucks. But at least you got services for what you pay in taxes.

Québec is the most taxed region in North America and our hospitals look like African war hospitals, our roads look like Bosnian roads. We're lacking of nurses, doctors and police officers.

Just go in Ontario, there is not a single freaking hole in their roads, their hospitals are top-notch and filled with nurses and doctors. And they pay much less taxes... Where is the mistake ?