# Why do Canadians Always Pay World Prices



## dogcom (May 23, 2009)

Most countries in the world it seems get a discount of some kind when they buy local or get a discount on the energy a country produces. In Canada it seems we will have none of that and basically pay what we charge everyone else in the world or worse. I get that a company has to make money but still we should get a deal on what we produce. 

A few weeks ago I went to the local blueberry farm and asked what the price was and the lady said they were waited for the price to come out of Detroit. After this she told me a story of BC stamped plywood being sold in Arizona for $9.00 a sheet while it was $40.00 for the same BC plywood in BC.

On another point I am for BC Nat Gas being piped and shipped out of the northern ports but does that mean I will have to pay the same price as the people we ship it to. Right now Nat Gas is a lot more expensive overseas then in North America but I am sure once we ship it there we will pay a lot more in Canada for it.


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## OhGreatGuru (May 24, 2009)

There will be some discount to reflect the difference in delivery costs, but in principle you are right. Once a commodity is globalized it will track global prices in some form. Oil already does this. And I found out last year that in New Zealand lamb is the most expensive meat in the market because its price is determined by global demand.


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## sags (May 15, 2010)

I believe free trade agreements have something to do with some of it.

If I remember correctly, we have to sell our oil to the US for the same price as we pay.


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## dogcom (May 23, 2009)

Of course you guys are correct but when you travel to the US it sure seems that they will price it at a discount to their local communities. It seems that Canada must up hold the rip-off but no one else seems to have to do it to the degree that we have to. I think our governments are just to quick to sell us out and voters don't seem to fight against it. We should all get some benefit from our own natural resources instead of selling it all away to the highest bidder and leaving our citizens short of what we produce. I think this may be why we are so scared to ship bulk water because of what companies and governments might do to its own citizens who also rely on the water.


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## OhGreatGuru (May 24, 2009)

Better not repeat that philosophy in Alberta. You'll be tarred, feathered, and run out on a rail. It'll be a case of "G*d d**n commie liberals want us to sell them our oil at a discount, but when we buy manufactured goods from Ontario/Quebec you can be sure it'll be at full price plus shipping cost."


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## dogcom (May 23, 2009)

That is another very true fact OhGreatGuru, we seem to be set up to play against our own selfs in this country. Some parts of the country do want a free ride while telling everyone else that they have to play ball. In BC we pay money to Quebec and they get the free health care while we have to pay unless we earn to little or the employer picks up the difference. I know it may not be as simple as that, but still why do they get it as a have not and we don't.


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## blueeyetea (Feb 27, 2013)

sags said:


> I believe free trade agreements have something to do with some of it.
> If I remember correctly, we have to sell our oil to the US for the same price as we pay.


No, it's the other way around. They pay less for our oil and gas than we do.


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## kcowan (Jul 1, 2010)

We pay world prices because we import oil in Montreal and subsidize it by prices paid in the west. The retail price has hidden taxes to finance social programs like medicare, welfare and university education.


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## m3s (Apr 3, 2010)

How much did your salary go down when CAD went from 0.65 USD to parity? Lower population density, higher incomes, higher taxes, less competition, complacent consumers etc In business you charge what people will pay and if people have enough money to blow $40 for a $9 sheet of plywood without asking questions then you charge them $40. Bombardier charges thousands more for a Canadian made snowmobile in Canada than the US but the sales never slow down because people are loyal to a Canadian brand. So why would they charge less?


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