Just let Canadians decide and there won't be a tie.

December 11, 2000 2:09 PM

Just let Canadians decide and there won't be a tie.
posted by tranquileye (21 comments total)

After all, they are the 51st state.
* ducks *

posted by D.C. at 3:22 PM on December 11, 2000

see, we canadians are smarter than the cowboys to our south!

we would never let richie "flour nose" rich become our leader. you know why? limits on corporate contributions and soft money.

it's telling that of the four leading primary candidates, the only one that didn't support campaign finance reform will likely win. nader's right when he says that corporations control the political process.

after all, you are our 13th province.

*throws pure canadian maple syrup at D.C*
posted by will at 3:38 PM on December 11, 2000

It's times like these I'm glad we took all your good hockey teams.
posted by rcade at 3:54 PM on December 11, 2000

hey, you can keep the hockey players. we're happy with our elections that last a day.

ps - in canada, we hand count every vote. the first time.

*nya nya*
posted by will at 3:58 PM on December 11, 2000

"The Thirteenth Province"

I like it. It has a mysterious ring to it.
posted by frykitty at 4:17 PM on December 11, 2000

Let Mexico decide.
posted by lagado at 4:30 PM on December 11, 2000

This is, of course, roughly what we deserve for trying to tell everybody else in the world how to run their countries.
posted by harmful at 4:48 PM on December 11, 2000

Hey, it's always nice to hear from our noble neighbors to the north. By the way, um....

When are you folks gonna clear out? I'm pretty sure we need that space for parking or something. ;-)
posted by Optamystic at 4:58 PM on December 11, 2000

Canadian companies already are deciding who will be President.
posted by gluechunk at 4:58 PM on December 11, 2000

Where are the UN election observers when you need them? Canada would be willing to send 14 or 15 troops (that's two full Canadian divisions, by the way)
posted by jmcnally at 6:30 PM on December 11, 2000

13th Province? Screw that, they only get Territory status. 'Cept maybe Alaska. Put 'em in with the northwest, make them the 13th.
posted by cCranium at 6:49 PM on December 11, 2000

good god, that article scares the bejebers out of me...
posted by will at 7:48 PM on December 11, 2000

From gluechunk's article: "In 1996, as genocide in Rwanda fomented civil war in Zaire, Barrick smelt opportunity."

I do realize this is coming from a British publication, but don't they spell "smelled" in the same way that we do?

I can't really take this article seriously if their writer can't even write proper English. It doesn't feel well-written at all, with ideas jumping around, and some seemingly unknowing sarcasm (Sadly, on way to the meeting, De Guzman fell out of a helicopter).
posted by PWA_BadBoy at 9:28 PM on December 11, 2000

actually smelt is a word all of its own.

it means " a type of fish"

ha ha
posted by chaz at 1:23 AM on December 12, 2000

gluechunk's and tranquileye's links just underline that countries aren't the adversaries, it's the public and the oligarchs.

"How long oh Lord how long?". . . .
posted by aflakete at 1:41 AM on December 12, 2000

A dictionary search will show you that smelt is a word.

Actually, for me I don't realise you americans spelt words like this with an 'ed'.

I actually thought the article was well-written, sure it has it flaws, but I don't see the 'mainstream' american press focusing that strongly on campaign finance reform.
posted by jay at 2:36 AM on December 12, 2000

jay and aflakete: I Knew smelt was a legitimate word, just not in the context of the sentence that I provided.
posted by PWA_BadBoy at 2:37 AM on December 12, 2000

whoops I meant chaz not aflakete
posted by PWA_BadBoy at 2:37 AM on December 12, 2000

PWA, the Oxford English Dictionary on my desk shows spelt can be spelled as either spelt or spelled (and have the same meaning).
As for the sentence about falling out of the helicopter, I think it's just one of those things which lose their intended meaning in the flight across the pond. As a Brit, that sentence reads OK to me, the irony seems intentional.
posted by Markb at 5:24 AM on December 12, 2000

My opinion on the word is that "smelt" would prefer to be intransitive, i.e. "the boat smelt of fish", rather than "he smelt the soup".
posted by dhartung at 11:11 AM on December 12, 2000

Markb: Then I truly must be an ignorant bastard. My apologies to the British fellow who wrote the article.
posted by PWA_BadBoy at 11:42 AM on December 12, 2000