[NOS2Go4Me]

Here's my alteration as an expression of somwhat agreement to your viewpoint:

If you're fresh off the boat or able-bodied and collecting welfare because you're lazy, you have two options:

1 - Get OSAP like the rest of us (or another, federally-funded education loan if you're ex-Ontario) and go back to school. Hell, you don't even need an OSSD these days. Follow-ups ensure the government's money was well-spent. Not everyone succeeds, but then again not everyone's cut out for a MBA. Trades are another great avenue that a quality college will prepare you for, and we're sadly in need of skilled tradespeople in this country now and in the next 10-15 years.

2 - If you're not willing to become a productive civilian member of the workforce, you're then drafted into the military. The military pays significantly better than the private sector but with obvious reasons for that. They also get "danger pay" or bonuses for ex-pat theaters of operation, some of which is non-taxable. In return, they serve our country and protect it from EEEEEEEEEEEVIL! (sorry, watch the exorcism of emily rose... damn funny line)

If that's not the case for either, chances are you're already running for the US or the next boat out of Canada.

I don't believe that there should be mandatory military service for everyone... someone has to run the businesses that this country needs as well. I mean, the last to try that in recent memory were the French... yeah, that worked out well.

But I say lump the lazy Canadians in with the lazy, system-abusing immigrants and make em all do something. I'm tired of my tax dollars allowing ANYONE to sit on their asses in a coffeeshop, laughing about how they exploit the system.

And please, don't even get me started on the natives. They should be contributing to the country, too, and not in that "I'll pay less than everyone else because we're special" crap way, either.

EDIT - I wanted to add something to this after taking time to reflect on everything I had already said, and that of everyone else.

I sincerely hope that if a mandatory service requirement were instituted that we wouldn't suffer the same loopholes that the US does. In the US, it's a documented fact that very few sons / daughters / grandkids / etc. of House and Congress representatives are serving in a dangerous Theatre of Operations. We don't need that classification / segregation of our kids. if you're meant to serve, you serve. There will always be a need for officers. No ifs, ands or buts about it.

Historically, democracy in North America favours class division, and so do the respective military powers that be. Most of the time the segregation of classes via rank and a "glass ceiling" for promotions renders the mixing of the upper and lower classes largely impossible. Let's hope that any specification for mandatory service doesn't further an outdated and partisian system.

If you're smart, you're smart. You should be able to progress through the ranks of the military as your skill and merit allows for.

The ultimate evidence that anyone can lead? Ronald Reagan. First and foremost, he was an actor.