Questions For Our Canadian Friends - Page 5

**ultimatewarlord** · July 26th, 2018, 08:09 PM

I was wondering what are the most popular Canadian made tv shows? We get very little Canadian products on tv in the UK but I'm sure there must be many. I do watch Amazing Race Canada. I watched a comedy series called Testee's and one episode of Michael: Tuesdays and Thursdays because it was written by Matt Watts. But I think that's about it.

**KissArmy** · July 27th, 2018, 10:27 AM

Are there Canadian cities deemed to be shit holes?

**Sir Honkers** · July 27th, 2018, 10:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ultimatewarlord

I was wondering what are the most popular Canadian made tv shows? We get very little Canadian products on tv in the UK but I'm sure there must be many. I do watch Amazing Race Canada. I watched a comedy series called Testee's and one episode of Michael: Tuesdays and Thursdays because it was written by Matt Watts. But I think that's about it.

I heartily recommend Corner Gas if you can find it. But not the animated series. Also, I think the wonderful Orphan Black was Canadian.

**highwayman274** · September 30th, 2018, 06:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KissArmy

Any thoughts about Grande Prairie (Alberta)... especially in the late 70s/early 80s.

When the "oil & gas exploration" circus comes to town (as it did in GP during the late 70's) you see an influx of single young men; often uneducated, generally highly paid, and far from home. They provide the work-force for seismic crews, drilling rigs, pipeline, road and power-line construction, and the drivers/swampers for the thousands of heavy trucks that bring everything in (and out). Hotels, motels, trailer-parks and work-camps spring up to accommodate them . . . together with restaurants and bars.

The "city fathers" quickly lock up the "city daughters", and an influx of mostly poor, single, young women flock to area to fill the jobs created by the hospitality industry. They make more in tips than they do in wages, and, fortunately, most have the common sense to resist the constant stream of indecent proposals that come their way.

Money and booze flow like water; day and night, seven days a week. The RCMP Detachment doubles or triples in size and the hospital emergency ward is expanded. Long time residents curse the loss of their sense of community, and scramble to take advantage of the money making opportunities.

This overheated, transient, and alcohol-fueled environment spawns all kinds of problems. As in every gold-rush . . . . bad things happen.

In Alberta we have many rural communities that have gone through this experience. It may take a decade for the "exploration & development" phase to burn out. By then, many of these communities have evolved into small cities (like GP has), with strong economies, and lots of amenities that cater to young families. They become great places to live and work.

GraemeAU50 · September 30th, 2018, 06:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by loosegoose

I heartily recommend Corner Gas if you can find it. But not the animated series. Also, I think the wonderful Orphan Black was Canadian.

Corner Gas was shown here in Australia on SBS and was a great show so definitely second that one...

**highwayman274** · September 30th, 2018, 07:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ultimatewarlord

Are Canadians comfortable that their senior politicians are every bit as gutless and servile as our politicians in the UK.

Politicians everywhere (IMHO), are in it for themselves; not for the good of the people, not for the sake of good governance. They all believe they appeal strongly to a "base" of voters that they can afford to ignore once they have come to power; after which they toady to special interest groups (in the hope of expanding their "base" and/or their personal gravitas). It is a power game, pure & simple. Get power, keep power, tax & spend.

I don't think it really matters what political party they represent. Once elected, they are faced with the decades of governmental and budgetary baggage foisted on them by previous politicians. In most cases, their fiscal wings are clipped before they even start, so it is pretty hard to make any meaningful change to policy.

What we have seen in Canada, from time to time, is a government that takes the bull by the horns and introduces unpopular, remedial measures that are almost guaranteed to get them booted out at the next general election. It seems to happen in Provincial politics more so than Federal; but then again . . . . Provincial governments have tighter fiscal constraints.

When examining & judging politicians, I believe they fall into two categories; Style vs Substance. It is very difficult to find a modern-day politician of substance. One with a sense of values that the rest of us would regard as honest, decent, and consistent; someone with integrity. Most are so fluid, and so wide ranging in their pronouncements that it is clear they are without principle; and will readily change direction if it will win them a vote.

So . . . yes . . . the majority of our politicians are as gutless and servile as those in the UK. It's pretty much all "style" over here, and very little "substance".

**KissArmy** · September 30th, 2018, 07:21 PM

[QUOTE=highwayman274;4579171]When the "oil & gas exploration" circus comes to town (as it did in GP during the late 70's) you see an influx of single young men; often uneducated, generally highly paid, and far from home. They provide the work-force for seismic crews, drilling rigs, pipeline, road and power-line construction, and the drivers/swampers for the thousands of heavy trucks that bring everything in (and out). Hotels, motels, trailer-parks and work-camps spring up to accommodate them . . . together with restaurants and bars.

The "city fathers" quickly lock up the "city daughters", and an influx of mostly poor, single, young women flock to area to fill the jobs created by the hospitality industry. They make more in tips than they do in wages, and, fortunately, most have the common sense to resist the constant stream of indecent proposals that come their way.

Yeah, that's what my now-wife said. She was there, back in the late 70s/early 80s. The oil guys would come into towns like GP with their rig/oil paychecks and blow most of it. Ratio of guys-to-girls was 10:1, she says.

She wasn't a "city daughter" but her Grande Prairie hosts did keep her safe from the oil rig boys. Didn't keep her safe from the local GP boys, though. But part of that blame lies on her own 18-yr old dumb ass.

(and GP still sounds like a shit hole...)

**haroldeye** · October 1st, 2018, 07:04 AM

Don't know about GP, but I spent the worst two years of my life in Red Deer, one Sunday afternoon.

**KissArmy** · October 2nd, 2018, 12:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by haroldeye

Don't know about GP, but I spent the worst two years of my life in Red Deer, one Sunday afternoon.

Is that up near Peace River, Yellowknife? I'm told that that's so far north, the fact that there are people up there is disturbing. Must be pretty though?

**haroldeye** · October 2nd, 2018, 07:01 AM

It's half way between Edmonton and Calgary. All I can remember was the strong desire to get out of the place.

July 26th, 2018, 08:09 PM	#41
ultimatewarlord Vintage Member Join Date: Aug 2008 Posts: 1,474 Thanks: 8,328 Thanked 15,901 Times in 1,441 Posts	I was wondering what are the most popular Canadian made tv shows? We get very little Canadian products on tv in the UK but I'm sure there must be many. I do watch Amazing Race Canada. I watched a comedy series called Testee's and one episode of Michael: Tuesdays and Thursdays because it was written by Matt Watts. But I think that's about it. __________________ The British Government is a disgrace.

July 27th, 2018, 10:27 AM	#42
KissArmy Vintage Member Join Date: Dec 2010 Posts: 1,125 Thanks: 21,124 Thanked 12,373 Times in 1,106 Posts	Are there Canadian cities deemed to be shit holes?

September 30th, 2018, 07:21 PM	#47
KissArmy Vintage Member Join Date: Dec 2010 Posts: 1,125 Thanks: 21,124 Thanked 12,373 Times in 1,106 Posts	[QUOTE=highwayman274;4579171]When the "oil & gas exploration" circus comes to town (as it did in GP during the late 70's) you see an influx of single young men; often uneducated, generally highly paid, and far from home. They provide the work-force for seismic crews, drilling rigs, pipeline, road and power-line construction, and the drivers/swampers for the thousands of heavy trucks that bring everything in (and out). Hotels, motels, trailer-parks and work-camps spring up to accommodate them . . . together with restaurants and bars. The "city fathers" quickly lock up the "city daughters", and an influx of mostly poor, single, young women flock to area to fill the jobs created by the hospitality industry. They make more in tips than they do in wages, and, fortunately, most have the common sense to resist the constant stream of indecent proposals that come their way. Yeah, that's what my now-wife said. She was there, back in the late 70s/early 80s. The oil guys would come into towns like GP with their rig/oil paychecks and blow most of it. Ratio of guys-to-girls was 10:1, she says. She wasn't a "city daughter" but her Grande Prairie hosts did keep her safe from the oil rig boys. Didn't keep her safe from the local GP boys, though. But part of that blame lies on her own 18-yr old dumb ass. (and GP still sounds like a shit hole...)

October 1st, 2018, 07:04 AM	#48
haroldeye Moderator Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Halfwitistan Posts: 5,716 Thanks: 113,553 Thanked 59,974 Times in 5,708 Posts	Don't know about GP, but I spent the worst two years of my life in Red Deer, one Sunday afternoon.

October 2nd, 2018, 07:01 AM	#50
haroldeye Moderator Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Halfwitistan Posts: 5,716 Thanks: 113,553 Thanked 59,974 Times in 5,708 Posts	It's half way between Edmonton and Calgary. All I can remember was the strong desire to get out of the place.