Canadian Government Invests in Gaming company

[0roo0roo]

defense is necessary to the function of a government. its silly to even bring it up.

games are entertainment. government subsidy of such private companies with global markets is just economic warfare...or protectionism, whichever u like. neither is good.

and really you should stfu about miltary spending. you are a nation of 32~million and spend over 9 billion on defense. until you disarm, just stfu really.

 

[natto fire]

Originally posted by: 0roo0roo
defense is necessary to the function of a government. its silly to even bring it up.

games are entertainment. government subsidy of such private companies with global markets is just economic warfare...or protectionism, whichever u like. neither is good.

and really you should stfu about miltary spending. you are a nation of 32~million and spend over 9 billion on defense. until you disarm, just stfu really.

LOL, I am? When did 263 million Americans die and why wasn't I informed? Also when did my nation cut back it's military budget by 392 billion dollars? Until you stop assuming perhaps you should stfu.

Edit: to show your stupidity, even my profile says I am from the US 😛

 

[quakefiend420]

Originally posted by: 0roo0roo
how'd u like it if we sunk loads of cash into our gaming industry?

its only 5 mil...not a whole lot on that scale...

 

[natto fire]

Originally posted by: quakefiend420

Originally posted by: 0roo0roo
how'd u like it if we sunk loads of cash into our gaming industry?

its only 5 mil...not a whole lot on that scale...

exactly... I'll bet uncle sam gives more than that to crack whores for having babies.

 

[0roo0roo]

well its even worse of you to complain about our defense industry while defending another countries protectionist policies if you are american.

Edit: to show your stupidity, even my profile says I am from the US

a little full of yourself aren't you.

 

[natto fire]

Originally posted by: 0roo0roo
well its even worse of you to complain about our defense industry while defending another countries protectionist policies if you are american.

Edit: to show your stupidity, even my profile says I am from the US

a little full of yourself aren't you.

Hey you didn't quote the 😛 at the end of that sentence, was supposed to be light-hearted. Anyhow I can see what you are saying about government investing in private business, but do you honestly think that doesn't go on in all governments in some form or another?


Edit: And I wasn't complaining about the defense industry. I just wish we (as in, all nations) didn't have to waste so much money killing each other. Yes I know it creates LOTS of jobs, but couldn't those jobs be created in more productive sectors?

 

[0roo0roo]

i think it depends on the sector. sectors like military(atleast advanced arms) are fundamentaly tied to the state, while others such as entertainment have really no business being supported by the state. esp if they have to compete abroad. it is also unfair to the rest of the tax payers who are supporting handouts to certain industrys.

defence is necessary. its just the way it is. idealists would believe that removing the police from a city would lead to a better life, but in truth, human nature requires there to be checks and balances. total freedom is anarchy, not peace😛

 

[sandorski]

Originally posted by: 0roo0roo

Originally posted by: Phoenix86

Originally posted by: sandorski

Originally posted by: Phoenix86

Originally posted by: acid45

Originally posted by: 0roo0roo
how'd u like it if we sunk loads of cash into our gaming industry?

huh?

It could be considered a gov't subsidy...

True, but checkout Sport franchise sweet deals.

Sports tend to affect local markets, also there isn't much competition in the first palce. Heck most pro sports are legal monopolies, see MLB, so who cares if they are subsidized.

Originally posted by: Bootprint
Meh, the film industry is subsidized a good piece and you don't hear anything much about it.

A whole lot of companies get tax breaks for building in someone's town/city/county.

That's a much better example, but still not quite the same. There is competition to Hollywood, but not much (hollywood in Canada? not really, but they do make films). It's more like subsidizing steel, since there are lots of competitors in different countries.

That opens the can of worms that is gov't subsidy vs. free trade. It's kinda a reverse tarriff. The companies working inside the country get $$, where outside companies don't where a tarriff would tax the foreign companies and exempt the local ones.

not to mention the really big subsidies for the film industry are in canada. why do you think so many films get made there?

Low $CDN was the main reason for films made in Canada. Now that the $CDN has gone up, films beimng made here have gone down.

 

[digitalsm]

Originally posted by: UbiSunt
Yeah speaking of EA, this looks like retaliation against EA's hostile buying of Ubisoft stock. Still, its pretty crazy that a government is getting involved.

IIRC France is supposed to buy part of Ubi as well or atleast thinking about it. And all those knocking Canada in this thread. Ubisoft is a French Publisher, as is Viviedni Universal Games. So the BS in this thread is just stupid.

Because really if Canada, France, Atari/Infogrames dont bail out Ubisoft, EA would end up taking them over. This would mean dev studios and offices would be shut down and moved to Irvine, CA. They dont buy companies for creative people or workers, they buy them to obtain franchises.

 

[Phoenix86]

Originally posted by: Captain_Howdy
Edit: And I wasn't complaining about the defense industry. I just wish we (as in, all nations) didn't have to waste so much money killing each other. Yes I know it creates LOTS of jobs, but couldn't those jobs be created in more productive sectors?

Obviously you don't know the charter to EVERY gov't. is to protect it's citizens. There would be no private sector w/o it, and the private sectors jobs isn't security of the nation... Why don't we ask the judicial branch to start legislating, oh wait...

Originally posted by: sandorski
Low $CDN was the main reason for films made in Canada. Now that the $CDN has gone up, films beimng made here have gone down.

Proof it was a bad idea for the gov't to get involved.

 

[sandorski]

Originally posted by: Phoenix86

Originally posted by: Captain_Howdy
Edit: And I wasn't complaining about the defense industry. I just wish we (as in, all nations) didn't have to waste so much money killing each other. Yes I know it creates LOTS of jobs, but couldn't those jobs be created in more productive sectors?

Obviously you don't know the charter to EVERY gov't. is to protect it's citizens. There would be no private sector w/o it, and the private sectors jobs isn't security of the nation... Why don't we ask the judicial branch to start legislating, oh wait...

Originally posted by: sandorski
Low $CDN was the main reason for films made in Canada. Now that the $CDN has gone up, films beimng made here have gone down.

Proof it was a bad idea for the gov't to get involved.

How?

 

[RabidMongoose]

This is kind of messed up.

 

[Phoenix86]

Originally posted by: sandorski

Originally posted by: Phoenix86

Originally posted by: Captain_Howdy
Edit: And I wasn't complaining about the defense industry. I just wish we (as in, all nations) didn't have to waste so much money killing each other. Yes I know it creates LOTS of jobs, but couldn't those jobs be created in more productive sectors?

Obviously you don't know the charter to EVERY gov't. is to protect it's citizens. There would be no private sector w/o it, and the private sectors jobs isn't security of the nation... Why don't we ask the judicial branch to start legislating, oh wait...

Originally posted by: sandorski
Low $CDN was the main reason for films made in Canada. Now that the $CDN has gone up, films beimng made here have gone down.

Proof it was a bad idea for the gov't to get involved.

How?

How what? How was that proof they shouldn't have been in the market? It failed... What more do you need to know. Bad investment. Bad for free trade. Bad for their citizens. Bad for the industry. Need more?

 

[sandorski]

Originally posted by: Phoenix86

Originally posted by: sandorski

Originally posted by: Phoenix86

Originally posted by: Captain_Howdy
Edit: And I wasn't complaining about the defense industry. I just wish we (as in, all nations) didn't have to waste so much money killing each other. Yes I know it creates LOTS of jobs, but couldn't those jobs be created in more productive sectors?

Obviously you don't know the charter to EVERY gov't. is to protect it's citizens. There would be no private sector w/o it, and the private sectors jobs isn't security of the nation... Why don't we ask the judicial branch to start legislating, oh wait...

Originally posted by: sandorski
Low $CDN was the main reason for films made in Canada. Now that the $CDN has gone up, films beimng made here have gone down.

Proof it was a bad idea for the gov't to get involved.

How?

How what? How was that proof they shouldn't have been in the market? It failed... What more do you need to know. Bad investment. Bad for free trade. Bad for their citizens. Bad for the industry. Need more?

What? I'm talking about whay Films were being made in Canada, somewhat off topic. Are you talking about the same thing? The Value of the $CDN is the Value of the $CDN, government has little to do with the Film Industry.

 

[Phoenix86]

Originally posted by: sandorski

Originally posted by: Phoenix86
How what? How was that proof they shouldn't have been in the market? It failed... What more do you need to know. Bad investment. Bad for free trade. Bad for their citizens. Bad for the industry. Need more?

What? I'm talking about whay Films were being made in Canada, somewhat off topic. Are you talking about the same thing? The Value of the $CDN is the Value of the $CDN, government has little to do with the Film Industry.

Was it a successful investment?

edit: --er mayby I read the thread wrong... Reading back I realize bootprint maybe wasn't talking about CAN investment in movies, but perhaps the US'. Either way gov't should stay out of a free market, that's my point...

 

[sandorski]

Originally posted by: Phoenix86

Originally posted by: sandorski

Originally posted by: Phoenix86
How what? How was that proof they shouldn't have been in the market? It failed... What more do you need to know. Bad investment. Bad for free trade. Bad for their citizens. Bad for the industry. Need more?

What? I'm talking about whay Films were being made in Canada, somewhat off topic. Are you talking about the same thing? The Value of the $CDN is the Value of the $CDN, government has little to do with the Film Industry.

Was it a successful investment?

edit: --er mayby I read the thread wrong... Reading back I realize bootprint maybe wasn't talking about CAN investment in movies, but perhaps the US'. Either way gov't should stay out of a free market, that's my point...

Agree for the most part(there are times when Government "interference" is appropriate). These situations are much more common on both sides of the border than this thread would indicate though. IOW, this one incident is a very common occurence that never gets noticed.

 

[bigalt]

Originally posted by: DT4K
Hey, better than EA buying them.

holy crap, EA is out to buy the canadian government? they really are making moves.

 

[mAdD INDIAN]

Originally posted by: Phoenix86
That's a much better example, but still not quite the same. There is competition to Hollywood, but not much (hollywood in Canada? not really, but they do make films). It's more like subsidizing steel, since there are lots of competitors in different countries.

That opens the can of worms that is gov't subsidy vs. free trade. It's kinda a reverse tarriff. The companies working inside the country get $$, where outside companies don't where a tarriff would tax the foreign companies and exempt the local ones.

Well, the Gov't does subsidize foriegn companies to build plants in their country, although its more on a State level and not Federal.

I know Mississippi, Alabama, and a bunch of other southern US states have given a LOT of money to Nissan, Toyota, Mercedes-Benz, etc.. to build manufactuering plants there. They got a lot of land for a REALLY cheap price, they got tons of tax breaks, as well as other reimbursement packages to have these companies build massive plants here.

Back to topic though, Canada is only doing this to safegaurd their local technology companies. They stepped into the Research In Motion (RIM) legal battle (where RIM is being used by an American company)..and the Canadian Federal Gov't stepped in to help RIM.

That's why you will never see companies like Nortel and ATI sink or get bought out by an American company. We don't have many large technical companies left anymore; Matrox is pretty much dead, Corel who?, etc...we [Gov't] are doing their best to hold on to them, and help others grow.