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Canadian consumers need to open their eyes about how their beloved local retailers and their government are guaging them shamelessly. Canada and US has pretty m

by jsnk 12y ago

Canadian consumers need to open their eyes about how their beloved local retailers and their government are guaging them shamelessly. Canada and US has pretty much no difference in infrastructure in transportation, yet Canadian consumers perioidically pay 10% - 20% more than average Americans on consumer goods. Canadians must start demanding to know why this happens from their retailers and governments of all levels. Whether you like it or not, for vast majority of people, consumption power is THE most important indicator of quality of life, NOT healthcare, NOT social welfare system and NOT even democratic political system. People's ability to buy things at will is what regular people care about the most. And yet, this issue is never on the table. I fail to understand why.

jarek 12y ago
> Whether you like it or not, for vast majority of people, consumption power is THE most important indicator of quality of life, NOT healthcare, NOT social welfare system and NOT even democratic political system. People's ability to buy things at will is what regular people care about the most. And yet, this issue is never on the table. I fail to understand why. By never being on the table, isn't the issue by default not what people care about the most?
- imanaccount247 12y ago
  He didn't say it was what people care about the most, he said it was the most important indicators of quality of life. Most people don't know the issue exists, they have no idea how badly Canadians are being ripped off on virtually everything we buy.
  - jarek 12y ago
    > He didn't say it was what people care about the most How do you interpret the quote "People's ability to buy things at will is what regular people care about the most"? > Most people don't know the issue exists I really doubt this. There are multiple "stuff is more expensive in Canada than in the States" stories in the media every shopping season. One possible reason for the issue never being on the table is that it's not actually that important. Ask Vancouverites about a move to Seattle and food prices will be a small irritant but nowhere near the deciding factor - entirely dwarfed on the pro side by jobs and housing prices. Ask Seattleites what their quality of life is and you'll probably hear about traffic and crime way before Trader Joe's.
    - imanaccount247 12y ago
      I have asked people though. And almost none of them have any idea that they are paying 25-50% more for everything they buy. I have literally never seen a story on "stuff is more expensive in Canada" in the media, ever.
      - jarek 12y ago
        > I have literally never seen a story on "stuff is more expensive in Canada" in the media, ever. https://www.google.com/search?q=cbc+canada+retail+prices https://www.google.com/search?q=cbc+canada+retail+prices stories from 2014, 2013, 2011... If CBC isn't your thing, it was in the Sun too: http://www.torontosun.com/2013/10/04/bridging-the-canada-us-price-gap-too-much-for-tories http://www.torontosun.com/2013/10/04/bridging-the-canada-us-... Also we went from jsnk's 10-20% to your 25-50%. If a third person chimes in, we might learn Canadians pay double.
        imanaccount247 12y ago
        I didn't say they don't exist, I said I have never seen them. And I am not alone. Like I said, I have asked people. That's the point. I said 25-50% because that is the correct figure, not because someone else said a smaller number before. The snark is unnecessary.
        jarek 12y ago
        > I didn't say they don't exist, I said I have never seen them. Point conceded, possible if you don't watch news. > Like I said, I have asked people. That's the point. Anecdotes. Your original claim, "Most people don't know the issue exists", doesn't follow from "I have asked people" unless you've asked a thousand randomly selected people. > I said 25-50% because that is the correct figure Citation requested.
gvb 12y ago
[F]or vast majority of people, consumption power is THE most important indicator of quality of life, NOT healthcare, NOT social welfare system and NOT even democratic political system. The mark-up is the cost of healthcare and other social programs, not gouging. TANSTAAFL. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/There_ain%27t_no_such_thing_as_a_free_lunch http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/There_ain%27t_no_such_thing_as_...

by jsnk 12y ago

jarek 12y ago

> Whether you like it or not, for vast majority of people, consumption power is THE most important indicator of quality of life, NOT healthcare, NOT social welfare system and NOT even democratic political system. People's ability to buy things at will is what regular people care about the most. And yet, this issue is never on the table. I fail to understand why. By never being on the table, isn't the issue by default not what people care about the most?

imanaccount247 12y ago
He didn't say it was what people care about the most, he said it was the most important indicators of quality of life. Most people don't know the issue exists, they have no idea how badly Canadians are being ripped off on virtually everything we buy.
- jarek 12y ago
  > He didn't say it was what people care about the most How do you interpret the quote "People's ability to buy things at will is what regular people care about the most"? > Most people don't know the issue exists I really doubt this. There are multiple "stuff is more expensive in Canada than in the States" stories in the media every shopping season. One possible reason for the issue never being on the table is that it's not actually that important. Ask Vancouverites about a move to Seattle and food prices will be a small irritant but nowhere near the deciding factor - entirely dwarfed on the pro side by jobs and housing prices. Ask Seattleites what their quality of life is and you'll probably hear about traffic and crime way before Trader Joe's.
  - imanaccount247 12y ago
    I have asked people though. And almost none of them have any idea that they are paying 25-50% more for everything they buy. I have literally never seen a story on "stuff is more expensive in Canada" in the media, ever.
    - jarek 12y ago
      > I have literally never seen a story on "stuff is more expensive in Canada" in the media, ever. https://www.google.com/search?q=cbc+canada+retail+prices https://www.google.com/search?q=cbc+canada+retail+prices stories from 2014, 2013, 2011... If CBC isn't your thing, it was in the Sun too: http://www.torontosun.com/2013/10/04/bridging-the-canada-us-price-gap-too-much-for-tories http://www.torontosun.com/2013/10/04/bridging-the-canada-us-... Also we went from jsnk's 10-20% to your 25-50%. If a third person chimes in, we might learn Canadians pay double.
      - imanaccount247 12y ago
        I didn't say they don't exist, I said I have never seen them. And I am not alone. Like I said, I have asked people. That's the point. I said 25-50% because that is the correct figure, not because someone else said a smaller number before. The snark is unnecessary.
        jarek 12y ago
        > I didn't say they don't exist, I said I have never seen them. Point conceded, possible if you don't watch news. > Like I said, I have asked people. That's the point. Anecdotes. Your original claim, "Most people don't know the issue exists", doesn't follow from "I have asked people" unless you've asked a thousand randomly selected people. > I said 25-50% because that is the correct figure Citation requested.

gvb 12y ago

[F]or vast majority of people, consumption power is THE most important indicator of quality of life, NOT healthcare, NOT social welfare system and NOT even democratic political system. The mark-up is the cost of healthcare and other social programs, not gouging. TANSTAAFL. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/There_ain%27t_no_such_thing_as_a_free_lunch http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/There_ain%27t_no_such_thing_as_...