# How much would you sell out Canada for? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [February 18, 2013, 11:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-would-you-sell-out-canada-for/650749 "2013-02-18T23:42:41Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Namkcalb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/c89c15/32.png) [@Namkcalb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Namkcalb)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2013, 11:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-would-you-sell-out-canada-for/650749/1 "2013-02-18T23:42:41Z")
Here’s a hypothetical. There’s a race of telepathic hyperadvanced space aliens who’s greatest pleasure is human disappointment and suffering. As their advanced technology makes them superlong lived, most of them greatly miss the horrors of the [King Leopold’s Congo](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Congo_Free_State) and want to recreate something similar in Canada. Why Canada? Well, by Earth standards, Canadians are happy and fulfilled, and taking that away from them would be oh-so-delicious to the aliens. Well, these intergalactic horrors have just materialised in your room right now, freezing everyone else in time. Their culture prohibits interfering with a planet without the informed consent from one randomly selected resident; which in this case, is you. What is the minimum you’d accept for your consent? Remember, they are telepathic so lying to them will be ineffective. Time is frozen whilst you consider the offer, and thus you cannot ask others. If you refuse, they’ll just disappear from the planet, leaving you nothing but a pile of maple-leaf flags. BTW: If you are Canadian, they automatically teleport you and 80 of your loved ones to a country of your choice if you accept, over and above the minimum price you request… ---
**Author:** ![Chimera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Chimera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chimera)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2013, 11:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-would-you-sell-out-canada-for/650749/2 "2013-02-18T23:51:25Z")
“Fuck off” ---
**Author:** ![Lgbpop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ea924/32.png) [@Lgbpop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lgbpop)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2013, 11:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-would-you-sell-out-canada-for/650749/3 "2013-02-18T23:52:17Z")
You and the aliens are assuming Canada is worth something. Make it Zaire, or Brazil if you’re talking mineral value. On the other hand, if we’re talking intellectual value - no known number of aliens could afford how much Canada is worth, so it’s pointless to discuss it. ---
**Author:** ![Namkcalb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/c89c15/32.png) [@Namkcalb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Namkcalb)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2013, 12:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-would-you-sell-out-canada-for/650749/4 "2013-02-19T00:11:11Z")
> [@Chimera](#): > > “Fuck off” They obey your request, they immediately teleport back to their FTL starship disappointed that they’ll have to spend a bit more of their immortal life searching for a similarly developed planet willing to agree to a similar request. > [@Lgbpop](#): > > You and the aliens are assuming Canada is worth something. Make it Zaire, or Brazil if you’re talking mineral value. They are a long post-scarcity intergalactic civilisation, all the mineral wealth of Brazil is but dust to them. Human disappointment and suffering is all we can offer to them. ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2013, 2:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-would-you-sell-out-canada-for/650749/5 "2013-02-19T02:00:30Z")
Why would I sell out Canada? The aliens will just go away and leave us alone if I say so, so why wouldn’t I do that? ---
**Author:** ![Trinopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/2bfe46/32.png) [@Trinopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trinopus)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2013, 2:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-would-you-sell-out-canada-for/650749/6 "2013-02-19T02:15:14Z")
Gonna take a hell of a lot more than thirty pieces of silver, lemme tell ya, to become a traitor on that scale. ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2013, 2:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-would-you-sell-out-canada-for/650749/7 "2013-02-19T02:28:04Z")
Are we talking _cash_ here. That might influence my decision. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2013, 2:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-would-you-sell-out-canada-for/650749/8 "2013-02-19T02:43:42Z")
> [@samclem](#): > > Are we talking _cash_ here. That might influence my decision. Be careful, he might pay you in Canadian money and then wreck the economy. ---
**Author:** ![Baker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bb73d2/32.png) [@Baker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baker)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2013, 2:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-would-you-sell-out-canada-for/650749/9 "2013-02-19T02:45:59Z")
> [@Chimera](#): > > “Fuck off” +1 ---
**Author:** ![Baker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bb73d2/32.png) [@Baker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baker)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2013, 2:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-would-you-sell-out-canada-for/650749/10 "2013-02-19T02:47:13Z")
> [@Cat\_Whisperer](#): > > Why would I sell out Canada? The aliens will just go away and leave us alone if I say so, so why wouldn’t I do that? I think the OP said they’d go away, leaving you nothing but a pile of maple leaf flags. ---
**Author:** ![Namkcalb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/c89c15/32.png) [@Namkcalb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Namkcalb)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2013, 4:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-would-you-sell-out-canada-for/650749/11 "2013-02-19T04:01:14Z")
> [@samclem](#): > > Are we talking _cash_ here. That might influence my decision. Valuable resources and processed goods, advanced technology, opportunities for humanity to explore the stars. They could help the non-moose infested part of the planet advance to a new golden age free from poverty and unwanted death. What’s the minimum you’d accept? ---
**Author:** ![Spoons](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spoons/32/3141_2.png) [@Spoons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoons)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2013, 4:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-would-you-sell-out-canada-for/650749/12 "2013-02-19T04:07:01Z")
> [@runner pat](#): > > Be careful, he might pay you in Canadian money and then wreck the economy. Well, given that the Canadian dollar is about on par with the US dollar these days, and has been so for some time, the economy is probably pretty safe. Canadian _Tire_ money, on the other hand… 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Shagnasty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9dc877/32.png) [@Shagnasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shagnasty)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2013, 4:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-would-you-sell-out-canada-for/650749/13 "2013-02-19T04:14:53Z")
Speaking an American, Canada is not for sale from me at any price. It is literally priceless so you can’t buy it for any amount of money. It is not worth screwing up the most stable border in the world only to have a bunch aliens move in and cause god only knows what kind of ruckus. You may be interested in other North American properties though. You are lucky because Mexico is on special this week. It is $250 and I take personal checks. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2013, 4:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-would-you-sell-out-canada-for/650749/14 "2013-02-19T04:31:16Z")
Sorry, no deal. This is US of A, and nobody gets to pick on our little brother to the north except us. ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2013, 6:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-would-you-sell-out-canada-for/650749/15 "2013-02-19T06:15:03Z")
Does it _have_ to be Canada? Aren’t there _other_ nations out there equally (if not more) worthy of pain and suffering? :dubious: I can think of some I’d sell out for two pop bottles and half a candy bar… ---
**Author:** ![Namkcalb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/c89c15/32.png) [@Namkcalb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Namkcalb)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2013, 7:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-would-you-sell-out-canada-for/650749/16 "2013-02-19T07:54:08Z")
> [@terentii](#): > > Does it _have_ to be Canada? Aren’t there _other_ nations out there equally (if not more) worthy of pain and suffering? :dubious: It’s more how much they’d lose. A North Korean from an undesirable family background wouldn’t be as traumatised by the aliens as a Canuck would. > [@terentii](#): > > I can think of some I’d sell out for two pop bottles and half a candy bar… Texas isn’t a country, no matter how much some loudmouths wish it to be. ---
**Author:** ![foolsguinea](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foolsguinea/32/14751_2.png) [@foolsguinea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/foolsguinea)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2013, 7:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-would-you-sell-out-canada-for/650749/17 "2013-02-19T07:54:38Z")
Well, selling out Canada on that scale would probably make the USA suffer, and you say they’re post-scarcity. They want to buy my approval for screwing over the Canucks, I’m going to grind them for it. See how much they can give me. I’m thinking my own star system for a **floor** to any deal. ---
**Author:** ![Spoons](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spoons/32/3141_2.png) [@Spoons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoons)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2013, 7:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-would-you-sell-out-canada-for/650749/18 "2013-02-19T07:59:19Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > Sorry, no deal. This is US of A, and nobody gets to pick on our little brother to the north except us. “Little brother to the north?” Please. We’re “America’s Hat.” No “little brother.” Get it right, will you? ETA: To play to stereotype: “Get it right, will you, _eh?_” Phew! Almost had to give back my Canadian card! 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![the\_diego](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7bcc69/32.png) [@the\_diego](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/the_diego)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2013, 9:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-would-you-sell-out-canada-for/650749/19 "2013-02-19T09:17:21Z")
Never mind the fact that Canada is a G-8 economy. Give me enough money in deposits to live off interest ($50,000 a month will do.) And give me all these gals (a list will be provided) all further enhanced and willing to bed me on command. ---
**Author:** ![Bullitt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bullitt/32/5725_2.png) [@Bullitt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bullitt)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2013, 10:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-would-you-sell-out-canada-for/650749/20 "2013-02-19T10:10:11Z")
American here, born in the Philippines (Filipino-Russian ancestry), raised in the states since I was 3, naturalized citizen, and USMC veteran. My answer (I only read the OP; no other posts): _ **"Go fuck yourself."** _ A better answer: _ **"Argo fuck yourself."** _ ETA: I’ll go read the thread now. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-would-you-sell-out-canada-for/650749.md?page=2)