My entry today concerns a very interesting web article located on the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation's news web site. The article discusses where Canadians travelled and spent their holidays. I guess not to my surprise, Canadians visited the United States 15,992,000 of the total 22,731,000 trips abroad in 2006. According to the statistics, that is 1.1 million more visits than in 2005 and almost 2.5 million more than in 2001. Of the most visited states between 2000 and 2006, New York, Michigan, Washington, California, and Ohio were the top ranked respectively. Of course, Florida ranked high for winter visits...no kidding! Starting in November, I feel as if I am driving in Montreal or Toronto with the number of Quebec and Ontario license plates (notice, I did not say "TAGS" --- what is a tag?). What kills me is that there are so many Quebecers here during December that the pre-game announcements for the Montreal Canadiens/Florida Panthers game are made in both English and French. C'mon --- gimme a break!
So, what has caused this surge in travel to the United States? Travel south of the border has always been a magnet for Canucks, whether it be for NFL Football (Buffalo Bills), bargains at outlet malls for cross-border shopping, cheaper cigarettes and liquor, or the thrill of hugging Mickey Mouse. But, I think it is more than that. The U.S. dollar has fallen on hard times of late on the world's currency exchange markets (and, who is to blame for that? --- a high five from me personally to the first who answers the question correctly), making travel a literal bargain compared with going to Europe. The Canadian dollar as of today is trading at almost 95 cents U.S. currency. That is almost on par; this has not been the case since the mid to late 70's. As a contrast, the Canadian dollar was worth a miniscule 64 cents in U.S. currency in August 1998. Hmmmmmmmmmmmm....who was the President of the United States back then? Travelling to Canada was a bargain, even with the provincial sales taxes and federal Goods and Services Tax (GST) of 7 per cent. As visitors to Canada, you were eligible to receive a refund for goods purchased and your hotel taxes.
Americans continue to visit the "Great White North" --- but the numbers are falling off due to the above and to the current administration's passport regulations. While there were 13,856,000 overnight trips across the 49th parallel in 2006, this is a decrease of 500,000 from 2005 and 2.3 million less from 2002.
Just as an aside, Cuba was the fifth most popular destination for Canadian tourists --- 638,000 visits in 2006. Why is this so? One word ---- CHEAP. A dialogue about this is worthy of another blog posting.
Thursday, August 30, 2007
Wednesday, August 29, 2007
Article from The Toronto Star - Canadian Perspective!
In a follow-up to my previous post, please check out an article from today's Toronto Star written by Antonia Zerbisias about Miss South Carolina --- a truly Canadian perspective!
Miss South Carolina - Teen USA
Here is my latest blog entry. As a Canadian living in the USA, I was wonderstrucked by the sheer stupidity of Miss South Carolina during the Teen USA contest earlier in the week (yes, my wife had the show on TV....really). For those who are not familiar with this national crisis (I hear the screaming from Charleston right now!), Miss South Carolina was asked why most Americans cannot locate this country on a map. The answer that was uttered from her lips had me saying, "What?!?!?!?!". I think public libraries provide access to their collections, including maps. Check out this link to see the answer, complete with United Nations sponsored sub-titles.
Now, what does this have to do with Canada? I guess the answer that Miss South Carolina gave proved the point that the education system in the U.S. is on par with Sierra Leone. Maybe her role model was the current President, who needed a AAA trip-tik to find his way to the recent Mexico-Canada-U.S. summit outside Ottawa, Ontario --- yes, the nation's capital. As a product of the public school system, I was taught WORLD geography and knew the states that made up the USA (of course, the first state I knew was Florida because that's where family vacations took place), we knew that Washington, D.C. was the nation's capital, and that chicken wings were invented in Buffalo, New York! We were also taught European and Asian geography and knew that Australia was not only a country but a continent, too! What a revelation that would be to Miss South Carolina --- how can a country be a continent as well. I guess that would be too much data for her brain cells.
I think I know what Miss South Carolina was trying to say through her gibberish, but of course it came out all wrong, especially the point where she says that some Americans don't have access to maps. Huh? Honey, if you need a map, I have a whole bunch to donate from my previous year's trips assisting my mother on her annual snowbird trek to South Florida. I have the entire Northeast, Mid-Atlantic, and Southeastern states, including AAA Tour Books. So, if you are reading this blog posting, just let me know ... I will MapQuest you directions on where to pick them up.
Now, what does this have to do with Canada? I guess the answer that Miss South Carolina gave proved the point that the education system in the U.S. is on par with Sierra Leone. Maybe her role model was the current President, who needed a AAA trip-tik to find his way to the recent Mexico-Canada-U.S. summit outside Ottawa, Ontario --- yes, the nation's capital. As a product of the public school system, I was taught WORLD geography and knew the states that made up the USA (of course, the first state I knew was Florida because that's where family vacations took place), we knew that Washington, D.C. was the nation's capital, and that chicken wings were invented in Buffalo, New York! We were also taught European and Asian geography and knew that Australia was not only a country but a continent, too! What a revelation that would be to Miss South Carolina --- how can a country be a continent as well. I guess that would be too much data for her brain cells.
I think I know what Miss South Carolina was trying to say through her gibberish, but of course it came out all wrong, especially the point where she says that some Americans don't have access to maps. Huh? Honey, if you need a map, I have a whole bunch to donate from my previous year's trips assisting my mother on her annual snowbird trek to South Florida. I have the entire Northeast, Mid-Atlantic, and Southeastern states, including AAA Tour Books. So, if you are reading this blog posting, just let me know ... I will MapQuest you directions on where to pick them up.
Tuesday, August 28, 2007
A H-U-G-E Omission
A friendly voice from the "unknown" commented to me that I forgot to mention a big favourite of mine ---- MY WIFE.
How terrible of me --- yes, indeed, my wife is my PRIMARY favourite, but unfortunately, Dara does not have a web site or a blog to link to. After I get through this Web 2.0 exercise, I will try and convince her.
But, yes, indeed, my wife of almost 3 1/2 years is my favourite --- Sorry Bruce!!!
How terrible of me --- yes, indeed, my wife is my PRIMARY favourite, but unfortunately, Dara does not have a web site or a blog to link to. After I get through this Web 2.0 exercise, I will try and convince her.
But, yes, indeed, my wife of almost 3 1/2 years is my favourite --- Sorry Bruce!!!
Home Opener - Florida Panthers
Whoooooooooo-hooooooooooooooooooo ---- less than 40 days until the Florida Panthers open the 2007-2008 National Hockey League season!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Actually, it is 39 days and 19 hours exactly as I write this blog entry. I have my tickets for the home opener, but have yet to latch onto a ticket plan. My wife and I had a 13-game mini-plan last season (but, I ended up seeing about 22 home games), but I was not permitted to renew at what I had originally paid for the two tickets during their end of the year renewal drive ("Pay now and lock in for 07-08 for what one paid for the 06-07 season"). I was not a happy camper --- so, instead, we'll go to less games and pick and choose. The must-see games are my hometown Leafs (GO LEAFS GO!) in December and February and my wife's Montreal Canadiens. Sell outs are assured for the games in December --- snowbirds galore and French Canadians in Speedos (just kidding --- too cold at the Bank Atlantic Center).
Hockey is a difficult sell down in South Florida, and I just cannot figure out why it is so with all the transplanted Northeasterners --- this area is a melange of New Yorkers, New Jerseyians, Pennsylvanians, and immigrants from Massachusetts and the smattering of midwesterners. Football...this is the true love down here; or as the short-lived 1970's sitcom, San Pedro Beach Bums said, "Football, you bet!". South Floridians love the 'Fins --- may it be another year of frustration. If the Panthers play up to their expectations, it could be a very interesting season now that the Ghost of Roberto Luongo has been purged with the addition of Tomas Vokoun. Only time will tell.
Hockey is a difficult sell down in South Florida, and I just cannot figure out why it is so with all the transplanted Northeasterners --- this area is a melange of New Yorkers, New Jerseyians, Pennsylvanians, and immigrants from Massachusetts and the smattering of midwesterners. Football...this is the true love down here; or as the short-lived 1970's sitcom, San Pedro Beach Bums said, "Football, you bet!". South Floridians love the 'Fins --- may it be another year of frustration. If the Panthers play up to their expectations, it could be a very interesting season now that the Ghost of Roberto Luongo has been purged with the addition of Tomas Vokoun. Only time will tell.
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