What Makes Canada a Great Place to Live?

[Ivan Seeking]

The number of US citizens visiting Canada's main immigration website has shot up six-fold as Americans flirt with the idea of abandoning their homeland after President George Bush's election win this week. [continued]

http://cnn.netscape.cnn.com/ns/news/story.jsp?id=2004110514220002858574&dt=20041105142200&w=RTR&coview=

...Canadian officials made clear on Wednesday that any U.S. citizens so fed up with Bush that they want to make a fresh start up north would have to stand in line like any other would-be immigrants -- a wait that can take up to a year.

http://www.expressindia.com/fullstory.php?newsid=38018

http://www.brendoman.com/archivesnew/008680.html

 

[Smurf]

That map is hilarious

 

[Polly]

"God bless his (Arafat) soul"? Gave me the shivers.

 

[Kerrie]

great map Ivan, it speaks volumes...

 

[marlon]

I am a European. Would it be difficult for me to become a Canadian citizen. How are the earnings for someone with a scientific background? Applied physics that is...

regards
marlon

 

[tumor]

I am a European. Would it be difficult for me to become a Canadian citizen. How are the earnings for someone with a scientific background? Applied physics that is...

regards
marlon

I live in Canada man!,and I have to tell you that Canada does not invest any money into research,you would get bored here,and sooner or later you going to end up in states.
Maybe they invest little though, but I'm ashamed sometimes when i see statistics on percentage of GDP spend on research
Canada is lucky in having next door neighboor scientific giant like USA, anything interesting done in States always spills to us in Canada.
Otherwise we will be more like Argentina or Brazil.

 

[Evo]

Virtual Canadian

Looks like we can become virtual Canadians. This was on the site Ivan posted with the map.

Welcome, Virtual Canadians!

This is Virtually Canada.
This is a site for citizens of the United States who no longer wish to be identified with that nation state, or who feel that it has abandoned them, or that it even threatens them.

Many talk about fleeing the United States to Canada, but between the hardships of relocation, and the difficulty of obtaining actual Canadian citizenship, that may not be an option for many. There's also the lingering desire to stay and try to do some good in the States. The solution: become a Virtual Canadian. It's idealist protest, combined with pragmatic reality.

http://virtualcanadian.org/

 

[Dagenais]

An American will probably be most comfortable in Alberta or Ontario. Alberta is very American due to the many US companies down there. I've read that around 10% of the people down there are Americans. The economy is probably best there.

IMO, BC is really going downhill. There are a lot more weirdos and rude aholes down there. It looks like the weirdos have left Hastings and spread.

You might want to look at http://www.cbc.ca/sunday/toptencities/experts.html

Come to Brunei, the country where there hasn't been a murder case for years, and where no one is intelligent enough to even contemplate murder/suicide.

Isn't it almost impossible to get a Brunei citizenship?

I am interested in hearing about life in Canada; Vancouver BC in particular. Tsu and I have considered leaving the US for many years. In light of the election we are more serious than ever. This place is getting scary!

Your family hasn't immigrated much, have they?

You make it sound so damn easy. To just move - like customs will simply let you waltz in.

But as you mentioned, you are a science professional so you'll have a better chance. An even better one if you have an education and a good sum of money.

THE BEER AND THE WOMEN are reason enough to come over to the dark side

Maybe in Quebec, but not Ontario.

Our students perform above the USA in school rankings so it would be a better place to raise children.

Isn't the Ontario school system vastly different from that of other Provinces in Canada (excluding Quebec)? Univeresities have different requirements for Ontario schooling.

The problem with the Canadian school system is that they don't really separate students. In the US, they have more money for more classes. In Canada, the bad, average and good students could all get stuck together in the same english, science or math class. The schooling in British Columbia can simply be horrible.

My Dad lives in Vancouver but I'm on the East Coast. From my experience Vancouver B.C. is the most beautiful city I've ever scene. I find the air quality magnificent and the weather to be great in Vancouver.

The cost of buying an apartment or a house is outragous in Vancouver though. Medical professions and most other professions probably receive less pay; however, in Canada I haven't heard tell of anyone with a good education and decent people skills not finding work and getting by - but I'm young.

In BC, I know quite a few people with bachelors in Computer Science or other degrees in technology that can't find work. B.C.'s economy isn't exactly great...or good. They have that new, "acheive BC" program now.

Seeking will be shocked at the prices of houses in B.C. and the tax.

That's such a poor 'joke.' It makes absolutely no sense. But is that seriously the mindset of a lot of Americans? That Canada is just like the States or aspires to be or is more or less controlled by America?

As far as Ontario and Alberta goes - yes. Whether you'd like to admit it or not, have much US influence.

 

[tumor]

Canada as to my experience is the most PC country in the world,no other country comes even close(USA maybe)

 

[jai6638]

Hrm... while I'm not in BC, Ontario is great too!

Religion isn't nearly as big here nor does it rule our politics.

Our students perform above the USA in school rankings so it would be a better place to raise children.

dunno if this is true but have heard Canada's public education system is worse than US's so maybe that would explain why the students perform better?

i aint american and so I am not being biased or anything.. that's just what I've heard... also, i have cousins and friends who went from my country ( India ) and were in 10th grade in my country and were bumped up to the 11th grade in Canada coz they found the 10th grade in Canada ( in toronto and vancouver ) really easy...

 

[recon]

Isn't it almost impossible to get a Brunei citizenship?

Unfortunately, this is true. However, you can still enjoy life as an expat in Brunei. Just imagine: 0% income tax, sunny and warm weather all year round, very low crime rate, cheap living, cheap fuel...

 

[tumor]

If I marry Brunei citizen do I get citizenship in 4-5 years?

 

[fourier jr]

no offense to tribdog, but yes, that is the arrogant mindset of many americans...

& most Canadian politicians in the last 100yrs or so... I'm more worried about the people we elect selling us out than people like Bush who understandably want all our resources, etc


"You must not take the Militia seriously, for though it is useful for suppressing internal differences, it will not be required for the defence of the country, as the Monroe Doctrine [proclaiming US military hegemony in the Americas] protects us against enemy aggression." - Wilfred Laurier

"the percentage of wholly manufactured commodities which we have been exporting has been continually increasing. In other words, we are getting away from the stage of a country which is selling its raw materials to the stage where as a country we are developing a large manufacturing industry as well... we have reached a higher in our manufacturing development in Canada, having regard to the age of the country an its population, than has, I believe, any other country in the history of the world." - WLM King on US branch plants in Canada

 

[check]

dunno if this is true but have heard Canada's public education system is worse than US's so maybe that would explain why the students perform better?

I'm not sure if that's true. I think there's more consistency in the public school system in Canada than in the US in terms of both performance and funding. I've heard of students from my old high school moving to the States for a couple of years and then moving back saying how when they went to school here they were getting 60s-70s. and when they moved to the states they got some of the highest marks in their classes.

i aint american and so I am not being biased or anything.. that's just what I've heard... also, i have cousins and friends who went from my country ( India ) and were in 10th grade in my country and were bumped up to the 11th grade in Canada coz they found the 10th grade in Canada ( in toronto and vancouver ) really easy...

I think this is true of the education system in North America in general. In Asia and Europe and probably other places students are expected to learn faster than students in North America. I think there's much too much 'babying' in elementary and secondary schools in N.America.

 

[Dagenais]

I've heard of students from my old high school moving to the States for a couple of years and then moving back saying how when they went to school here they were getting 60s-70s. and when they moved to the states they got some of the highest marks in their classes.

In some BC schools, a high 70 counts as a B, and you won't get an F until you 50%.

In most US schools, a high 70 is a C, while the F scale is at 60%.

School funding may be more consistent in Canada, but rich suburban schools in the US can't be beat by it's BC counterparts.

 

[recon]

If I marry Brunei citizen do I get citizenship in 4-5 years?

If you're a girl, yes. If you're a boy, no. But if you have children and one of the parents is a Brunei citizen, then the child will automatically receive Brunei citizenship.

You can become a Permanent Resident of Brunei instead of a citizen. I'm not sure how the procedure works, but a lot of Malaysians come over to Brunei to become Permanent Residents.

 

[tribdog]

That's why I don't invite Malaysians to my parties. They pick a spot on the couch and you can't get them to leave.

 

[recon]

That's why I don't invite Malaysians to my parties. They pick a spot on the couch and you can't get them to leave.

Well said, tribdog.

 

[Smurf]

I resent [almost] everything Daganais has said about BC Education, I hold it in quite high regard.

 

[Kerrie]

I resent [almost] everything Daganais has said about BC Education, I hold it in quite high regard.

at least it is only his opinion

i think this topic has become off track from what ivan originally intended it to be. perhaps we should split the thread?

 

[vanesch]

I'm moving to Europe, I hear brussels is nice.

Sort of. It's my native town

The thing I didn't like was this eternal conflict between the two language groups there, but apart from that it is a nice place to be. Life isn't very expensive, and in general, people are on the average not too stressed. The center is a nice medieval city (however, a bit damaged due to modern construction projects of the 70ies) and there are nice green suburbs. By the fast train (TGV) you are at one hour riding from Paris and - I think - two or three hours from London.

 

[jai6638]

Unfortunately, this is true. However, you can still enjoy life as an expat in Brunei. Just imagine: 0% income tax, sunny and warm weather all year round, very low crime rate, cheap living, cheap fuel...

if u like Brunei then u'd definitely like Dubai, United Arab emirates where there's No tax, sunny and warm weather all year round, very low crime rate, very cheap fuel, 70% expat population ( which includes Americans, Britons, Indians,etc ) , a place which has the worlds only man-made island ,etc..

And it isn't like the typical Middle-eastern coutnry like u americans might think... :p... Again like brunei, the downside is u don't get citizenship but who cares.. my family has been living there for like 50-60 years now without the threat of being kicked out..


www.godubai.com
www.thepalm.co.ae[/URL]

Cheers

 

[ek]

Canada as to my experience is the most PC country in the world,no other country comes even close(USA maybe)

I really disagree with that comment. The US is so much more PC and WAY more Conservative. They bleep out ass and b*tch (censored here too lol) on network tv. Say what? You can't look at a black person funny in the US or you are a "racist". American media is so censored in general compared to Canadian.

I really don't know what you base your comments on. Certainly Canada isn't the Netherlands, but it's definitely not as severly conservative as the US.

 

[ek]

As for the British Columbia Education System, my thirteen year experience in it was good enough. Sure it was easy for me, but I'm a smart guy. I have heard that American high school is a joke compared to what we do.

And to address the original thread topic, I hate the City of Vancouver. It is so overrated, imo. It gets all the fanfare just because it's a big city, when it's actually the City of Victoria that is the green, beautiful, "supernatural" (tourism slogan) city. Everything that Vancouver is supposed to be and isn't Victoria is. And everything bad about Vancouver (dirty, busy, developed) is absent in Victoria. And while everybody thinks Vancouver is a great multicultural city, it really isn't. It's a conglomerate of several unicultural cities. Richmond is an Asian city, Surrey is an East Indian/Punjabi/Sikh city and West/North Vancouver are largely Caucasian. And if you think those are prejudiced stereotypes, you haven't been to the Lower Mainland of British Columbia.

For Americans and others, Victoria (pop. appx. 350,000), the capital of the Province of British Columbia, is located on Vancouver Island 30 or so kilometres from mainland BC and a similar distance to Port Angeles, Washington across the water.

Oh, and I really hate the Canucks.

GO FLAMES GO!

 

[Ivan Seeking]

Thanks for all of the input so far and please keep it coming. After reviewing the immigration laws and considering some economics, we have a plan that puts us in BC as early as next summer. It's just a plan for now but it looks reasonable. Lots to learn...

We are also holding out for a rumored rift in the Republican party that will stop Bush, but at this point I have little hope.

 

[Gokul43201]

Ivan, would you think of staying if Bush kicks out Rummy and Wolfie, and invites McCain and Hagel to the Cabinet ?

 

[Ivan Seeking]

I don't know if anything could cause a change of heart or not. For me, as nearly as I can tell, my country died last week.

It's not that Bush was re-elected; it's that he could be. It's not that the Constitution is treated by the Bush machine like an after-thought, it's that so few even understand why this is a problem.

Maybe with time I will settle down, but after a week my anger has only grown. You know, for most of my life I would have given my life for my country - for a time I thought I might in Cambodia. But last week I knew that something had fundamentally changed for me when I saw an American flag. It made me nauseas.

This was not just an election. It goes much deeper than that.

 

[check]

Well Ivan, let me be the first to welcome you! You've made a fine choice. :)

 

[ShawnD]

The problem with the Canadian school system is that they don't really separate students. In the US, they have more money for more classes. In Canada, the bad, average and good students could all get stuck together in the same english, science or math class.

That's not exactly true. Each province has a different setup, but for Alberta the retards are only groups with the genious for grades 1-9. For grades 10-12, there are several distinct skill levels. Courses ending with a 0 are the best (required for university), courses ending with 3 are for underachievers (accepted at some tech and trade schools), courses ending with a 4 are for people with no academic future.

 

[check]

That's not exactly true. Each province has a different setup, but for Alberta the retards are only groups with the genious for grades 1-9. For grades 10-12, there are several distinct skill levels. Courses ending with a 0 are the best (required for university), courses ending with 3 are for underachievers (accepted at some tech and trade schools), courses ending with a 4 are for people with no academic future.

Same in Ontario.

Grades 9 and 10 have ‘Academic,’ ‘Applied’ and ‘Essentials’ levels. Academic are geared towards students who are stronger learners and who wish to go on to University. ‘Applied’ is for students who aren’t as strong in the subject and ‘Essentials’ is very remedial. In grades 11 and 12 there are ‘University’, ‘University/College’, ‘College’, ‘Open’ and ‘Work place prep.’ (or something like that) level classes. Again, those are listed in decreasing difficulty (however, there are some courses only offered at certain levels). Since there are no entrance exams for Ontario universities and colleges, universities look at ‘University’ and ‘University/College’ level courses as prerequisites. It’s a pretty smart system and so far it has worked quite well.

 

[Polly]

A good part of America died in my heart too. But then I think about all those who have voted for Kerry...The next four years is going to be hard for all of us around the world.
Cheer up Ivan, as soon as you have settled down in Canada, Hong Kong welcomes you.

 

[ShawnD]

Since there are no entrance exams for Ontario universities and colleges, universities look at ‘University’ and ‘University/College’ level courses as prerequisites. It’s a pretty smart system and so far it has worked quite well.

Alberta universities are the same way. To get into the tech school I attend right now, all I had to do was give them a copy of my marks. No special exams or essays.

 

[Ivan Seeking]

A good part of America died in my heart too. But then I think about all those who have voted for Kerry...The next four years is going to be hard for all of us around the world.
Cheer up Ivan, as soon as you have settled down in Canada, Hong Kong welcomes you.

I'm afraid this adminstration will have fundamental ramifications for decades to come - esp depending on what happens with the Supreme Court Justices. If I was twenty I might be willing to continue the good fight, and for most of my life I have done everything I can to push, argue, debate, beg, or plead the point, but I have watched our rights erode for decades. I don't see that nearly enough people care or any reason why anything will change significantly in the years that I have left. Anyway, like I said, this is not just about one election, this is about 51% of this nation and whatever makes it possible for someone like Bush to be re-elected. I can't even express my outrage... Sorry to be so negative. I'll stop now.

 

[Ivan Seeking]

Well Ivan, let me be the first to welcome you! You've made a fine choice. :)

Thanks check.

 

[Polly]

I understand.