Ok so here is my 2 cents on what I was reading in the posts.
Yes oil prices are high in the USA. But in Canada we are paying around $1.18 a liter for diesel and around $1.15 a liter for gas right now in Manitoba. I would happily pay $2.5 a gallon or what ever you guys are paying down there. Unfortunately this is the cost of owning a car.
Socialized medicine is a wonderful thing. In Canada basically everything outside of elective surgeries ate covered by our health care. I pay about 35% of my pay check to taxes and I'm fine with that, cause I know if I get sick all I have to worry about is paying my normal bills. The government paid for my GRS and they paid for my Gull Bladder when it had to be removed.
Freedom of government is a wonderful but they do have their good points as well.