Tuesday, July 20, 2010

Recurring Theme #5: Path Dependence Sucks

I just realized (stupid me) that my summer vacation plans happen to coincide with the Quebec construction holiday.  Every summer, all construction works (except road construction) gets the same two weeks in July off, and lots of other folks in related and unrelated industries do the same.  For the construction workers, this is a matter of law, created by a government in early 1970's to buy labor peace, but has become impossible to alter since as it has given an interest group (the unions) something to fight for/over--path dependence.

Because so many Quebeckers love traveling into the US, the border becomes clogged going South at the beginning and coming back at the end.  I ended up planning the summer trip around the needs of my relatives, rather than around this holiday.  A week later, and we would have dodged this bullet, like we usually do.  So, we belatedly have to figure out what to do and staying one more day in the US might be far less annoying than six hours in a line at the border.








* To those who worry that I give out too much information, no worries, as our house/dog/cat will all be sat by someone with advanced armed and un-armed combat skills.  Ok, perhaps not that skilled but she can dial 911.

3 comments:

Mrs. Spew said...

Plus, we've alerted all the neighbors. And NATO.

Boris said...

Welcome to Canada. Officially we have four seasons. In practice, we have two: winter and construction.

Steve Saideman said...

Mrs Spew: We are hoping less restricted Danes are on alert rather than Germany or Spain.

Boris: No doubt. I actually have now learned to enjoy winter driving more than the rest of the year. Did not enjoy what they did to St. Catherine St right next to comedy festival.