Canada's business environment

Politics International Politics
1

I agree with those who assert that Canada’s got a ways to go before it lives up to its potential, but the extent of much derision leveled by discontent Canucks is grating. With that in mind, I found this interesting.

[quote=“CBC: Canada Ranks 4th for doing business”]Singapore is the friendliest place on earth to run a business. But Canada doesn’t fare badly at all in a recent survey by the World Bank.

It ranks fourth in the world, after New Zealand and the United States.

Entitled Doing Business, the report rates 175 countries on the ease of doing business within their borders.

The report looked at the cost of meeting government regulations, taxation and the hassle entailed in getting a business licence and credit.

Singapore passed New Zealand this year to claim the No. 1 spot. The top 10 countries are:

  1. Singapore
  2. New Zealand
  3. United States
  4. Canada
  5. Hong Kong
  6. United Kingdom
  7. Denmark
  8. Australia
  9. Norway
  10. Ireland

Germany came in 21st, France 35th and Italy 82nd.

[Taiwan ranks 47th.]

While Japan was 11th in the ranking and Thailand 18th, other Asian nations were lower down in the rankings. South Korea held 23rd position and Malaysia 25th. China was far back in the 93rd position.[/quote]

Particular concerns were raised over obtaining licenses and registering property.

That said:

[quote=“World Bank: Doing Business Report”]Note:
A high ranking on the ease of doing business means that a government has created a regulatory environment conducive to operating a business, yet the rankings do not tell the whole story. They do not account for such other factors as the quality of infrastructure services, proximity to large markets, or law and order.

A joint World Bank-IFC product, Doing Business is based on the efforts of more than 5,000 local experts—business consultants, lawyers, accountants, government officials, and leading academics around the world—who provide methodological support and review.[/quote]

So, that’s fourth, not including “the quality of infrastructure services, proximity to large markets, or law and order”; in which Canada would rank–I think-- A, A+, and A+ respectively.

Not so bad.

:laughing: Dig in, nay sayers.

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Well, it’s nowhere near as good as the New United States of Norwayapore, but yeah, not bad.

Actually, I’ve been saying this kind of thing for years. Even our much decried high taxes, after Liberal cuts in the 90s, are just a bit higher than those for those living in a good state in the US. People like Chewycorns complain because Canada isn’t run like the US. It doesn’t matter how prosperous the country is. They want it to fit their ideological mould.

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Hmm. You really know how to pack 'em in with your topics there Jaboney. :wink:

4

Yeah, I know, I’m a popular poster.
I tried to count the number of threads I’ve started, to which NOBODY responded, but ran out of fingers and toes.

I suck.
sob :frowning:

Jaboney–life of the forum… not.
:sunglasses:

5

There’s this particular local AM talk show in my town that constantly derides Canada and its high taxes while singing the praises of the Americans. I went to interviews in California, did my due diligence in terms of taxes and cost of living, and it turns out, I’m better off financially staying in Canada (not to mention other non-tangible benefits – less crime, no commute – but there are drawbacks – damn winters!!), and so I stayed.

I know talk radio likes to kick up the dust to attract listeners (like me, for example), but it does become grating after a while.

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Jaboney wrote [quote]I agree with those who assert that Canada’s got a ways to go before it lives up to its potential, but the extent of much derision leveled by discontent Canucks is grating. [/quote]

Well, it’s part of human nature I think, and fairly common for all nationalities here to be overly critical of their home governments and economies. I’ve been guilty of this too.
It’s far more comforting to move the blame away from one’s own failings. For example, “There’s no damn way I’m going back to [insert country’s name] while that asshole [ insert leader’s name] is in power,” would probably best be translated as “I could not get a decent job if I went home.”
Likewise, the complaint “We get taxed to death and screwed by the government - you can’t do business there,” probably means “I’ve pissed all my years of teaching salary down the drain, and I’m too poor to start a business back home.”

And so on.

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Good stuff. Come on folks, keep 'em coming. Jaboney just had a birthday last week.

8

Shhhhh! Hockey camp’s this week. I’m on the cusp as it is; I don’t need them knowing how old I’m getting.