Categories: Coyne v. Wells

Coyne v. Wells on Canada: It’s like America, only more conservative

This week our heroes discuss how conservative Canada is…wait what?

by macleans.ca on Friday, May 22, 2009 7:11pm - 17 Comments

Tags: Andrew coyne, Canada, coynevwells09, paul wells, Podcast

http://www.maple-leaf-forever.com Lord Bob

Calling this Coyne v. Wells seems more and more like calling poutine french fries v. cheese curds.

Not to say it wasn’t interesting. It wasn’t particularly [i]novel[/i] (this just in: Andrew Coyne opposes deficit spending?) but it’s possible to be worthwhile without being innovative. The real shame is that, posted on macleans.ca, it’s likely to reach huckleberries like me rather than people to whom the Coyne-Wells arguments are new and interesting. But I’m still glad I took the time to watch it.

Critical Reasoning

Can we assume that Wells is the french fries and Coyne is the cheese curds?

Seriously, I love Coyne v. Wells. It’s my favourite Maclean’s feature. The only reason I keep pushing for debates is that I know both men are formidable debaters. Check out the Coyne/Bissett debates on immigration, if you have any doubts. Wellses’s's’ debating skills are also self-evident. So let’s see some real debates, rather than collegial discussions. As long as both gentlemen steer clear of torture, it should be smooth sailing.

http://carnewsandviews.com jwl

Obama/Congress/Americans have just bought a pig in a poke as far as I am concerned.

There is no way they are going to reduce deficit, and pay off debt, without massive tax increases. Bush added huge amounts of debt, due to wars and Medicare Prescription Drug and Modernization Act, while Obama has doubled the annual deficit that he inherited and has no plan to reduce. The Americans are beggared and need to sort out their economy/budget soon or they are going to bring down lots of other countries with them.
Gene Rayburn

Finally living out your childhood dream to be a pollster, eh CR?

http://www.maple-leaf-forever.com Lord Bob

I guess we figured out who Alan Gregg secretly posts as.

Critical Reasoning

I think my polling style has been strongly influenced by MAD Magazine.

http://www.windyroom.wordpress.com truemuse

To Andrew’s idea that we can have big government on 50′s tax revenue:
that means vintage everything. old buildings, old roads, old hospitals.

on the other point of comparing ourselves to our Great Neighbour — I think this very useful. We spend two thirds less per person on healthcare (compared to our Great and Expansive Neighbour). So when our Fit and Well-dressed and Friendly Neighbour peeks in on our healthcare system, maybe we don’t want to piss them off by overselling it.
http://worthwhile.typepad.com Stephen Gordon

I don’t get Andrew’s contention that Canada’s deficits are the result of a ramp-up of spending. When I looked at the numbers, tax cuts – especially to the GST – are the culprit.

Sisyphus

Careful, pilgrim. In these parts we only mention tax cuts with a tone of awe and reverence.

Stewart Smith

3/4 through I thought what idiotic tripe… then Wells actually said it “smart government”
How about judging right-left by what the the government does rather than what it spends (or labels)
True the US had medicare first… but still provide Somali level services to their poorest citizens
True the US is running crazy deficits (Lets compare war expenses versus GDP in the two countries)

The statement “good luck to that” after the reference to good government drove me nuts. The fact is that right now Canada is providing better government than the US. i.e. we are both spending almost the same, we have the cool social programs. (they have the better support for science and innovation) but still overall we are looking good.

The pair should do a do-over. Given US and Canadian governments are now spending on par…. which is performing better and where.
dB

I was going to post something snide, but thought it might be more constructive to ask Paul for a blog post or column at some point about Jack Mintz’s contribution to the policy discourse in Canada. I’d like to see the case presented on its merits before I crack wise about Wells’ apparent attachment to Mintz’s work.

Paul Wells

Read Saturday’s Globe. And if you voted Liberal, you were voting for Jack Mintz’s carbon tax proposal, amended in a few unfortunate ways that made it harder to support.

Now you get to crack wise. I know waiting was difficult and I thank you for your patience.

Greg

I just want to jump in to say that “right wing” does not necessarily equal fiscally responsible. On the other hand “left wing” does not necessarily equal fiscally irresponsible.

DR

APOSTATE!

And in reference to the video, Canada doesn’t really have much of a welfare state.

http://intensedebate.com/people/macleans macleans

Apologizes to CR for having to remove the poll. Had to remove it because it was making this page load weirdly.
Luckily this is an older post.

Critical Reasoning

Thanks for the apology.
Critical Reasoning

That said, I'm not quite sure how a simple HTML link was "making this page load weirdly". My other Maclean's poll is still up, and the page loads just fine. It displays a link to a poll, nothing more.

If you wanted me to remove the poll for some reason, or stop polling altogether, all you had to do was ask.