Avoiding US goods and services – from tech to whisky to air travel – has forced many to find a new way of living
This week the US imposed 50% tariffs on US$20bn (£15bn) of Canadian goods, and Mark Carney, the country’s prime minister, has vowed to match them “dollar for dollar” after the collapse of trade talks between the two countries last weekend. Donald Trump retaliated on Thursday by ordering the federal government to rename Lake Ontario to Lake America.
Such actions have added fuel to a widespread boycott of US products and services by Canadians that began early last year in response to the president’s trade war and threats to annex his northern neighbour.
More than 3,500 people from across Canada shared with the Guardian via an online callout how they have made changes to their lives in response to the US administration’s political and economic stance. Many expressed deep anger and sadness, but remained resolute that this was now a new way of living.
Taxation without representation is more the point. Most places don’t demaind a cut if you are no longer using the services.
Edit: oh and yeah the extra 30 ish % off your income is very much a deturent. Not impossible to live elsewhere but like you said most try to get paid from america to avoid this (thereby cheating the local government of the taxes). The phrase however is just flat wrong and americans can’t leave america behind like every other nation. You have dual citizenship but also little or no demand from your birth nation for example.
Sure it’s not nice. Still, does not make it impossible to leave. Moreover, why do you say without representation? Are Americans living abroad not allowed to vote?
That’s not leaving the states behind is it? Its being american but away. And yes there are a lot of issues with american ex pats getting to vote (this is a more recent issue however).
The issue boils down to an assemtrical set of expectations that is not seen in the rest of the world. You or I are far more fortunate and wierdly it’s the americans that mostly fight that fact.
Yes, it is leaving the US behind. You go leave somewhere else and you have some paperwork to do in your original country unless you eventually decide to change citizenship.
You could decide to still stay very connected to the US, or to avoid it as much as legally possible.
I don’t see how this is much more different than moving away from any other country. Unless you change citizenship you’ll still have to deal with your country of origin.
I’m not sure what this asymmetrical set of expectations you mention is.
If an American does not want to live in America, they can go live somewhere else. They’ll still be Americans, but won’t be living in America. If they don’t want anything to do with the US, they may try to stop paying taxes in the US; however I can imagine problems with that, as possibly their passport may be revoked.
I do not think it is possible to stop being from a country, unless you leave it very young. An American may change their citizenship and integrate very well into another nation, but that does not take away the fact that they are American.
You can’t change citizenship, that’s my point.
What do you mean? American citizens can indeed change citizenship. Where did you get the idea that a US citizen can not change their citizenship?
How would even the US be able to prevent someone from becoming a citizen in another nation?
The us does not recognize other citizenship and does not let its citizens go. Its a whole thing. I am glad I don’t have to deal with it.
Plenty countries do not allow multiple citizenships. However, the US does allow dual citizenship. And it does allow becoming citizen of another country and renounce the US citizenship.
It seems to me your are misinformed.
https://www.usa.gov/become-us-citizen