Canadians speak French, right? WRONG. THEY SPEAK HINDI. duh.

Indians are now finding the frosty winterland and maple syrup of Canada more appealing than curry or expensive imported Scotch whisky. This is apparent because Cananda is now receiving record numbers of Indian immigrants! Previously, Cananda has appealed to another Eastern country, China (I suppose fried rice got old), and China is still brining the highest number of immigrants to Canada, but India is quickly surpassing this.

"In January 2006, Canadian embassy officials in Beijing processed 25,468 immigration applications, nearly half the number received the same month a year earlier, according to Citizenship and Immigration Canada.The number of applicants from Hong Kong decreased from 47,838 to 38,516 in the same period.Requisitions received in New Delhi, meanwhile, nearly doubled from January 2004 to January 2006, to 132,693," states Agence France Presse.

The larger Indian population in Canada will affect the political sphere as well as Canadian culture and economics. Is this good for Canada? Must be, because the Canadians aren't complaining (maybe they appreciate the Indian flavor-infused food which adds some heat to their cold days). As the article states, Canada can expect "a cascade of savings in settlement and integration costs because Indian immigrants usually speak English and can hit the ground running."

"China remains the top source of immigration to Canada with 42,000 immigrants in 2005, followed by India (33,000) and the Philippines (17,000), but the number of applications logged signals an imminent reversal, as applications filed now are processed over the next five years."

Want a Job? Ooops.. too Late... India already took it..

The U.S. and Europe have found themselves frustrated by the increasing numbers of jobs being outsourced to India. Some states in the U.S. are considering bills that will prevent suppliers from using foreign workers in an attempt to prevent jobs from going off-shore and provide American workers with job opportunites.

India is the No. 1 destination for a growing number of American industries. Offering cheap labor, English-skills, and willingness to work 12 hours a day, 6 days a week, makes Indians more desirable. India has a comparative advantage over China, whose workforce is not as well-rehearsed in English.

India's response to all of this? "It is in the interest of the Wester world to know that we are cheaper and better," said Yashwant Sinha, India's external affiars minister. "It is our strength. The world has to recognize it and realize it." Sinha is backed up by Indian Prime Minister atal Bihari Vajpayee, who said at a business summit of the European Union in December of 2003 that "if people cannot go to where the business is, business will eventually come to where the people are."

Got Wine?... India doesn't. At least, not from Europe

If you're feeling in a festive mood, and craving some Italian wine or Scotch whiskey, India is not your best place to buy. With tariffs up to 550%, the EU has started complaining to the WTO. The EU sees India as a large potential market that is virtually closed to Europe due to these high duties. There is even one Indian state, Tamil Nadu, which only sells India wines and spirits.

Although called "out and out" protectionism by EU spokesman, India may very well have some good reasons for protect its own wine market from foreign goods. The high duty on wine helps India to make up for the large amount of money it spends importing crude oil. However, India also is looking at negotiations for a free trade zone between Europe and India. Lowering the duty on imported European wine will be just one of many steps India faces in hoping to continue talks with the EU on this zone.

For now, the first of many battles before a free trade zone can be established is being waged; and that is in the WTO over the duties on European wine. In the past, with similar issues, the WTO has ruled in favor of the EU.

While India may lose out on the battle of tariffs and be forced to be less protectionist, this would also provide India with a more open European market for its goods..... and more wine choices for Indians who would like to be able to afford imported wine.

My blog does not have a silly name

If giving my blog a totally fun name makes you laugh, go ahead. But whatever works to make the course more fun, right? I mean, lets face it. As much as comparative advantage turns me on, a cool name might give it that little something "extra".

So.. I HAD already created a blog... but blogger refusing to acknowledge this because it's stupid... and my original URL was hillarysmagicalworld... so when I went to make a new blog, it wouldnt let me have my old name :( It's mean.

But hopefully I'll do more in this than whine about blogger and talk about cutesy names. Have fun reading guys!

<3,

Hillary