Emigrating to Canada
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Emigrating to Canada
hi there
I was wondering if there are any British pilots out there, that have made the plunge to live and work in Canada. I know its probably very slim as it does look very difficult to be able to get visas, especially for a pilot.
We have done lots of research and are very determined to do this. I know that we have to have a visa, and to get a visa you need a job. I have looked in to converting my license and have all the ness books and know the costs. I have inquired about jobs with lots of company's all over Canada and have had good responses but it comes down to the permanent residence or the TWP,
I was wondering of anybody elses experience with emigrating as a pilot.? Do you think anyone would employ on a TWP,?( then i would apply for permanent res)
I have 2500 hrs including time with an airline.
I am looking for new experiences and determined it can be done!
I would be grateful of any advise, except "don't do it" . I know its going to be tough, do i just take the plunge????
Would like to know of anyone's experiences.
I was wondering if there are any British pilots out there, that have made the plunge to live and work in Canada. I know its probably very slim as it does look very difficult to be able to get visas, especially for a pilot.
We have done lots of research and are very determined to do this. I know that we have to have a visa, and to get a visa you need a job. I have looked in to converting my license and have all the ness books and know the costs. I have inquired about jobs with lots of company's all over Canada and have had good responses but it comes down to the permanent residence or the TWP,
I was wondering of anybody elses experience with emigrating as a pilot.? Do you think anyone would employ on a TWP,?( then i would apply for permanent res)
I have 2500 hrs including time with an airline.
I am looking for new experiences and determined it can be done!
I would be grateful of any advise, except "don't do it" . I know its going to be tough, do i just take the plunge????
Would like to know of anyone's experiences.
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Anyone considering moving to Canada should check carefully into what they can expect to find there. Nowhere is perfect. Other countries have problems but evidence suggests they are worse in Canada. Don’t believe on-line posts, do your own research. The comments and links below will give you a start but then extend your search. Good luck, wherever you decide to go!
Canadians pay 42.6% of their incomes in taxes, according to the 2009 Tax Freedom Day (6 June 2009) information from the Fraser Institute. This is the average for all Canadians. Since this average includes those on welfare and those earning low incomes who do not pay much tax this means that many Canadians pay up to 70% of their incomes in taxes each year. Note also that Tax Freedom Day in Canada varies by province.
By comparison Brits pay 36.7% of their income in taxes, according to the Tax Freedom Day (14 May 2009) information from the Adam Smith Institute.
Check here for 2009 Tax Freedom Day in Canada: Canadians Celebrate Tax Freedom Day on June 6
Canadian schools, colleges and universities are appalling. The standards of both academic education and the manners and work ethic of school and university age Canadians and those who entered the workforce in the past three decades are some of the lowest you will find anywhere. According to the Canadian Council on Learning and the OECD, 48% of Canadians are functionally illiterate. Nearly half of all Canadians are unable to read a bus timetable, safety notices at work or the instructions on a bottle of pills. Here are three typical recent articles on this: Medicine Hat News - Literacy levels not a good read
and CBC News - Canada - Canadian literacy levels mapped online and Almost half of adult Canadians illiterate - The Whig Standard - Ontario, CA This level of functional illiteracy indicates that the Canadian education systems (each province has its own) are a disaster. For comparison, in the UK 22% are functionally illiterate.
Canadians, like Americans from whom they hardly differ, are so ignorant it is almost comical. They have very little knowledge of anything outside of North America or of how backward their country is in so many aspects. This is devastating to immigrants when Canada and Canadians refuse to recognise superior overseas experience and qualifications because it is not "North American" experience. Thus Canada has immigrant medical specialists, in areas of shortage where Canadians are dying due to lack of care and long waits, driving taxis to earn a living because Canada will not let them practice and save the lives of Canadian citizens. A survey done late last year showed that 75% of Canadians do not know who is their head of state: D'oh Canada! - The Globe and Mail and Canadian Politics: Canadians Don't Know How Their Government Works - Blogcritics Politics This ignorance extends to other areas, as is to be expected with such useless schools. For example, most are unable to distinguish between Zimbabwe and Zambia because they think that Africa is all one country and that it is inhabited only by black people (negro/bantu) who live in mud huts. This ignorance and attitude towards anything non-North American is particularly frustrating to immigrants as in a letter to Britain’s Foreign Office obtained by the BBC under Freedom of Information laws Lord Moran, high commissioner in Ottawa between 1981 and 1984, pointed out that Canadians themselves have limited talents and those who are truly talented usually go elsewhere (typically the USA) to develop their full potential and obtain just rewards for their efforts. BBC NEWS | UK | UK Politics | Ambassadors going out with a bang
Canadians are some of the coldest and most withdrawn people in the world. There are no real public houses. Social life in Canada is well below the level in most of Africa (for expats), the Middle East, the UK, Australia, New Zealand, most of Europe, etc. TV is mainly the usual dumbed-down American programmes. It is difficult to obtain real news on events outside of North America.
There is no Canadian health system. Health care in Canada falls under provincial jurisdiction. Each province (the federal government for the territories) runs its own health care system. Operations and treatments that are covered in one province might not be covered in the neighbouring province. There is no cover for vision, dental or drugs. You need a good private health scheme in Canada to cover the vast gaps. Well known TV personality Jeremy Clarkson had a recent experience of health care in Canada: What’s the Canadian word for ‘lousy care’? | Jeremy Clarkson - Times Online Although less serious, it sounds similar to the sad episode earlier this year involving actress Natasha Richardson where her relatives gave up on Quebec’s health care and had her medevaced to the USA for better treatment, unfortunately without success.
Here are three books that should be read by anyone considering moving to Canada:
Take your money and run!
Alex Doulis 1994 ISBN 0969843208
Uphill Publishing, Toronto, Ontario
Plunder: the looting of Canada by the welfare state of mind
Donald H. Bunker 1996 ISBN 0921209142
Bramble Ridge, Cambridge, Ontario
Free parking: a 2nd look at financial planning
Alan Dickson 2001 ISBN 0968885500
Preferred Marketing Inc., Duncan, BC
Ponder long and hard on what caused the authors to write such books and what precautions you should take as a result! They indicate that financial planning can be divided into what you should do well before you move to Canada and then how you might arrange your affairs when you reside there.
Anyone considering moving to Canada should take a good look at this website: NotCanada.com | The Truth About Immigration To Canada In particular read this:http://www.notcanada.com/top8reasons.htm
Canadians pay 42.6% of their incomes in taxes, according to the 2009 Tax Freedom Day (6 June 2009) information from the Fraser Institute. This is the average for all Canadians. Since this average includes those on welfare and those earning low incomes who do not pay much tax this means that many Canadians pay up to 70% of their incomes in taxes each year. Note also that Tax Freedom Day in Canada varies by province.
By comparison Brits pay 36.7% of their income in taxes, according to the Tax Freedom Day (14 May 2009) information from the Adam Smith Institute.
Check here for 2009 Tax Freedom Day in Canada: Canadians Celebrate Tax Freedom Day on June 6
Canadian schools, colleges and universities are appalling. The standards of both academic education and the manners and work ethic of school and university age Canadians and those who entered the workforce in the past three decades are some of the lowest you will find anywhere. According to the Canadian Council on Learning and the OECD, 48% of Canadians are functionally illiterate. Nearly half of all Canadians are unable to read a bus timetable, safety notices at work or the instructions on a bottle of pills. Here are three typical recent articles on this: Medicine Hat News - Literacy levels not a good read
and CBC News - Canada - Canadian literacy levels mapped online and Almost half of adult Canadians illiterate - The Whig Standard - Ontario, CA This level of functional illiteracy indicates that the Canadian education systems (each province has its own) are a disaster. For comparison, in the UK 22% are functionally illiterate.
Canadians, like Americans from whom they hardly differ, are so ignorant it is almost comical. They have very little knowledge of anything outside of North America or of how backward their country is in so many aspects. This is devastating to immigrants when Canada and Canadians refuse to recognise superior overseas experience and qualifications because it is not "North American" experience. Thus Canada has immigrant medical specialists, in areas of shortage where Canadians are dying due to lack of care and long waits, driving taxis to earn a living because Canada will not let them practice and save the lives of Canadian citizens. A survey done late last year showed that 75% of Canadians do not know who is their head of state: D'oh Canada! - The Globe and Mail and Canadian Politics: Canadians Don't Know How Their Government Works - Blogcritics Politics This ignorance extends to other areas, as is to be expected with such useless schools. For example, most are unable to distinguish between Zimbabwe and Zambia because they think that Africa is all one country and that it is inhabited only by black people (negro/bantu) who live in mud huts. This ignorance and attitude towards anything non-North American is particularly frustrating to immigrants as in a letter to Britain’s Foreign Office obtained by the BBC under Freedom of Information laws Lord Moran, high commissioner in Ottawa between 1981 and 1984, pointed out that Canadians themselves have limited talents and those who are truly talented usually go elsewhere (typically the USA) to develop their full potential and obtain just rewards for their efforts. BBC NEWS | UK | UK Politics | Ambassadors going out with a bang
Canadians are some of the coldest and most withdrawn people in the world. There are no real public houses. Social life in Canada is well below the level in most of Africa (for expats), the Middle East, the UK, Australia, New Zealand, most of Europe, etc. TV is mainly the usual dumbed-down American programmes. It is difficult to obtain real news on events outside of North America.
There is no Canadian health system. Health care in Canada falls under provincial jurisdiction. Each province (the federal government for the territories) runs its own health care system. Operations and treatments that are covered in one province might not be covered in the neighbouring province. There is no cover for vision, dental or drugs. You need a good private health scheme in Canada to cover the vast gaps. Well known TV personality Jeremy Clarkson had a recent experience of health care in Canada: What’s the Canadian word for ‘lousy care’? | Jeremy Clarkson - Times Online Although less serious, it sounds similar to the sad episode earlier this year involving actress Natasha Richardson where her relatives gave up on Quebec’s health care and had her medevaced to the USA for better treatment, unfortunately without success.
Here are three books that should be read by anyone considering moving to Canada:
Take your money and run!
Alex Doulis 1994 ISBN 0969843208
Uphill Publishing, Toronto, Ontario
Plunder: the looting of Canada by the welfare state of mind
Donald H. Bunker 1996 ISBN 0921209142
Bramble Ridge, Cambridge, Ontario
Free parking: a 2nd look at financial planning
Alan Dickson 2001 ISBN 0968885500
Preferred Marketing Inc., Duncan, BC
Ponder long and hard on what caused the authors to write such books and what precautions you should take as a result! They indicate that financial planning can be divided into what you should do well before you move to Canada and then how you might arrange your affairs when you reside there.
Anyone considering moving to Canada should take a good look at this website: NotCanada.com | The Truth About Immigration To Canada In particular read this:http://www.notcanada.com/top8reasons.htm
Last edited by Carrier; 22nd Oct 2009 at 16:30. Reason: replaced faulty links
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Emmigrate to Canada. Don't do it.
Carrier, succinctly put. Very true.
Heed the words of caution. Don't do it! As a pilot for a company flying jets your normal domestic overheads will still be high but you will be earning far less than in Europe and the cost of living differential will still not compensate for your reduced earnings. If you are in paying work as a jet jockey in Europe stay there. It just isn't worth it to give up your social life, family, culture and a chunk of income.
Heed the words of caution. Don't do it! As a pilot for a company flying jets your normal domestic overheads will still be high but you will be earning far less than in Europe and the cost of living differential will still not compensate for your reduced earnings. If you are in paying work as a jet jockey in Europe stay there. It just isn't worth it to give up your social life, family, culture and a chunk of income.
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Sorry, but i take real issues of your assessment on what life in Canada is like. Our education system is NOT appaling. 80% of Canadians are satisfied or very saotfied with their healthcare according to recent surveys. And we are VERY different than Americans. You have misrepresented our rate of taxation. In the 2009 Nation Brand Index, Canada rated #1 for people being friendly, warm and highly thought of. We are VERY social people.
Don't know who you are, or what your agenda is, but as someone whose lived here my entire life, your opinions on life in Canada couldn't be any more wrong.
Don't know who you are, or what your agenda is, but as someone whose lived here my entire life, your opinions on life in Canada couldn't be any more wrong.
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I'll chime in that as a (non pilot) immigrant to Canada from the UK I could not disagree more with the tone of the remarks by Carrier. I have absolutely no regrets over my decision to immigrate here.
Just to randomly pick some items to quibble with ....
That must be why McGill University in Montreal was rated something like 15th in the last worldwide rankings I saw (only US or UK universotoes were above IIRC) - though I was pleased to see that it was below my own Alma Mater.
That must be why my own company, a major Canadian aerospace firm, routinely recruits from abroad ....
I don't know where you live to have arrived at that conclusion. I'll just note that if Canada (Montreal) "has no pubs" then I do wonder where I'm managing to spend my evenings? I've also had no issues finding equally congenial establishments in any city I've visited across the country, nor any problem with "cold" locals wherever I've gone.
So the Canada Health Act - an item of Federal legislation that sets standards for health care country wide - is a figment of my imagination too? Must be a result of all the beer I'm drinking in those non-existent pubs. The Canadian health care system is no different in that regard than the NHS (since you seem to like to refer to the UK). Local health boards are autonomous entities, and waiting lists in the UK can vary considerably. And I do seem to recall that the coverage for things like prescriptions was different across the UK too - assuming you're prepared to count Scotland part of the UK, that is?
I'll agree that nowhere is perfect (it DOES get bloody cold) but I can think of many worse places to live.
Just to randomly pick some items to quibble with ....
That must be why McGill University in Montreal was rated something like 15th in the last worldwide rankings I saw (only US or UK universotoes were above IIRC) - though I was pleased to see that it was below my own Alma Mater.
There is no Canadian health system. Health care in Canada falls under provincial jurisdiction. Each province (the federal government for the territories) runs its own health care system.
I'll agree that nowhere is perfect (it DOES get bloody cold) but I can think of many worse places to live.
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I'm disappointed to learn that Montreal has no pubs or nightlife, considering I have a flight booked there Monday for the express purpose of enjoying pubs, nightlife, markets, museums, culture and architecture. In fact, i'm being joined by a friend from NYC (you know, an American. We're just like them) and you'd think if a New Yorker came to Canada, they'd want to do stuff like that. I hope he doesn't read this forum, or he'll change his mind. 
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Mad (Flt) Scientist,
Sadly the remainder of Canada is not like Quebec, which is really an outpost of Europe in NorthAmerica. Sadly this doesn't hold for the rest of Canada.
Sadly the remainder of Canada is not like Quebec, which is really an outpost of Europe in NorthAmerica. Sadly this doesn't hold for the rest of Canada.
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It's unfortunate that you think that. Having lived in three provinces, I'd very much have to disagree with you.
I've been to one end of this country to the other, and never had an issue finding a good time or great people. Perhaps it's something about you guys (i.e. your "charming" personalities) that prevents you from doing the same.
I've been to one end of this country to the other, and never had an issue finding a good time or great people. Perhaps it's something about you guys (i.e. your "charming" personalities) that prevents you from doing the same.
There are no limits
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For the original poster, I came to Canada from UK exactly two years ago. I think that Carrier was trying to suggest that Canada is not the 'bed of roses' that a lot of people think it is.
I have been surprised at how simple some things are to accomplish. I am also flabbergasted at how difficult some things can be.
I am led to believe that getting a TWP as a pilot in the current economic climate is almost impossible. What you can do is apply for Permanent Residency if you qualify on points (see CIC website). This may take 4 - 6 years to accomplish.
This all may change tomorrow.
I like Canada and I have met many good people.
I have been surprised at how simple some things are to accomplish. I am also flabbergasted at how difficult some things can be.
I am led to believe that getting a TWP as a pilot in the current economic climate is almost impossible. What you can do is apply for Permanent Residency if you qualify on points (see CIC website). This may take 4 - 6 years to accomplish.
This all may change tomorrow.
I like Canada and I have met many good people.
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If you would like to see how apartheid works you should get a job flying in northern Canada.
There was a time when you could also go to South Africa to observe how apartheid works but South Africa moved into the modern social culture some years ago and rid their society of that practice.
There was a time when you could also go to South Africa to observe how apartheid works but South Africa moved into the modern social culture some years ago and rid their society of that practice.
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I totally disagree with Carrier's views, in fact much of his post is like reading the Daily Mail ... very one-sided and selecting small exceptions to the rule in order to prove a point.
I heard similar stories before I moved out but found the tax system to be much more favourable and way better value for money than the British system. Those figures of how much tax you pay don't take into account things like fuel tax, city tax, capital gains tax etc... all of which are higher in the UK and you get less back for it. I remember asking my employer how much tax would be taken from my paycheck so I could figure out how much I could afford in rent - I'd heard the usual BS on places like here about straight 50% tax in Canada - it turned out to be better than the UK. Most Canadians who complain so bitterly about the cost are mostly comparing it just to the US and have never lived anywhere else.
A few years ago I did the calculation and took EVERYTHING into account (pretty much EVERYTHING I spend money on in a typical year). I based it on a typical experienced engineer's salary with typical mortgage, housing, car (inc gas/petrol), heating, city/council tax, maximum RRSP (pension) contribution and food expenses with a little left over each year for holidays & fun and my tax rate in Britain was a little over 10% higher. It was ~45% in the UK, ~35% in Canada.
As I say, it's about value-for-money, if you call the cops they come, we have better healthcare, the cities are kept fairly clean, petty crime is low and public services are damn good. Plus people on public transit actually talk to one another!
Wanting to come here to find work as a pilot, now that's a different story - expect minimum wage if you're lucky.
I'm out of work at the moment so life isn't easy for me right now - but I still think I'm way better off being here than in the UK.
I heard similar stories before I moved out but found the tax system to be much more favourable and way better value for money than the British system. Those figures of how much tax you pay don't take into account things like fuel tax, city tax, capital gains tax etc... all of which are higher in the UK and you get less back for it. I remember asking my employer how much tax would be taken from my paycheck so I could figure out how much I could afford in rent - I'd heard the usual BS on places like here about straight 50% tax in Canada - it turned out to be better than the UK. Most Canadians who complain so bitterly about the cost are mostly comparing it just to the US and have never lived anywhere else.
A few years ago I did the calculation and took EVERYTHING into account (pretty much EVERYTHING I spend money on in a typical year). I based it on a typical experienced engineer's salary with typical mortgage, housing, car (inc gas/petrol), heating, city/council tax, maximum RRSP (pension) contribution and food expenses with a little left over each year for holidays & fun and my tax rate in Britain was a little over 10% higher. It was ~45% in the UK, ~35% in Canada.
As I say, it's about value-for-money, if you call the cops they come, we have better healthcare, the cities are kept fairly clean, petty crime is low and public services are damn good. Plus people on public transit actually talk to one another!
Wanting to come here to find work as a pilot, now that's a different story - expect minimum wage if you're lucky.
I'm out of work at the moment so life isn't easy for me right now - but I still think I'm way better off being here than in the UK.
Last edited by v6g; 23rd Oct 2009 at 05:48.
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Well it seems both sides of the argument are getting a good hearing here. I have to say that there is much truth being said on both sides too.
As someone who moved here in 2005, I will quickly summarise what I see as the key Pros and Cons.
Pros.
Great people - generally.
Truly stunning landscapes.
Adequate 'free' healthcare - if you can find a GP (60% of my town's populace cannot).
Superb Winters if you like wintersports.
Safe and friendly environment.
Cons.
Appalling bureaucracy and bloated public sector, esp with both Prov and Fed governments. Move to another province and you have to renew Health Cover / Driving Licence etc etc etc. City By-Laws are stifling in the extreme. So much so that most people now ignore many of them in this region.
Relatively much higher taxes than you may be used to.
If you cannot cope with cold Winters, forget it now.
Low salaries but equally a much lower cost of living. My salary here is the same as I made in 1994 in Europe. However my std of living is immesurably superior. Massive house, big SUVs, 15-min commute, lakeside cottage, light aircraft at nearby grass strip etc. However, you cannot do all that in the big cities.
Current Prov Govt legislation (Bill 158) that will force me to renounce my hard-earned professional qualifications in Ontario or face a $10,000 fine or 6 months in prison(!!!). N.B. THE VERY SAME QUALIFICATIONS THAT IMMIGRATION CANADA GAVE ME SKILLED WORKER STATUS FOR 5 YEARS AGO!!!!!
So would I do it again? Yes, because my personal Pros still far outweigh the Cons. A week back in Europe is always enough to convince me we made the right choice.
However, I cannot stress it enough - do it with your eyes open. Nowhere is a bed of roses. If you have problems where you are, they are unlikely to vanish with a change of scenery. As they say, 'you're still the same person when you wake up in the morning.'
Best of luck!
As someone who moved here in 2005, I will quickly summarise what I see as the key Pros and Cons.
Pros.
Great people - generally.
Truly stunning landscapes.
Adequate 'free' healthcare - if you can find a GP (60% of my town's populace cannot).
Superb Winters if you like wintersports.
Safe and friendly environment.
Cons.
Appalling bureaucracy and bloated public sector, esp with both Prov and Fed governments. Move to another province and you have to renew Health Cover / Driving Licence etc etc etc. City By-Laws are stifling in the extreme. So much so that most people now ignore many of them in this region.
Relatively much higher taxes than you may be used to.
If you cannot cope with cold Winters, forget it now.
Low salaries but equally a much lower cost of living. My salary here is the same as I made in 1994 in Europe. However my std of living is immesurably superior. Massive house, big SUVs, 15-min commute, lakeside cottage, light aircraft at nearby grass strip etc. However, you cannot do all that in the big cities.
Current Prov Govt legislation (Bill 158) that will force me to renounce my hard-earned professional qualifications in Ontario or face a $10,000 fine or 6 months in prison(!!!). N.B. THE VERY SAME QUALIFICATIONS THAT IMMIGRATION CANADA GAVE ME SKILLED WORKER STATUS FOR 5 YEARS AGO!!!!!
So would I do it again? Yes, because my personal Pros still far outweigh the Cons. A week back in Europe is always enough to convince me we made the right choice.
However, I cannot stress it enough - do it with your eyes open. Nowhere is a bed of roses. If you have problems where you are, they are unlikely to vanish with a change of scenery. As they say, 'you're still the same person when you wake up in the morning.'
Best of luck!
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I emigrated to Canada almost 5 years ago with a skilled work permanent resident visa and I’m now a proud Canadian citizen. The road hasn’t been easy but if you are persistent and you work hard with integrity and passion you can perfectly achieve your goals.
Canada it’s a wonderful country with incredible landscapes, friendly people, it’s very safe and it’s perfectly affordable to make a good living and raise a family here.
I agree that some things could and should improve like integration and recognition of diplomas for professionals immigrants. Also the level of knowledge of what’s going on outside north America it’s better than the average American but there is still a lot of rooms for improvement. I found myself that I know a lot more about history and geography of this country than the average Canadian born and raised here.
Pros:
- Very safe
- Friendly people
- Wonderful landscapes.
- Affordable.
- Lot’s to do (it could vary depending where you are)
- Peaceful and stable.
- Social benefits like maternity leave and support for financing your studies.
- Very human society, we take care of others and we are always willing to help.
- If you want it you can get it!, just work hard and don’t give up!
Cons:
- Health system.(difficult to find a family doctor and have access to an specialist)
- General cultural knowledge.
- Transportation (if we compare with Europe).
- Government bureaucracy.
- Recognition and integration of diplomas for professional immigrants (please I don’t want to see more engineers or PHD’s driving a cub).
- Weather
But, tell me which country is perfect? Whit the positive and negative sides I still consider that Canada it’s one of the best countries in the world. I love it!
Thanks and good luck.
Canada it’s a wonderful country with incredible landscapes, friendly people, it’s very safe and it’s perfectly affordable to make a good living and raise a family here.
I agree that some things could and should improve like integration and recognition of diplomas for professionals immigrants. Also the level of knowledge of what’s going on outside north America it’s better than the average American but there is still a lot of rooms for improvement. I found myself that I know a lot more about history and geography of this country than the average Canadian born and raised here.
Pros:
- Very safe
- Friendly people
- Wonderful landscapes.
- Affordable.
- Lot’s to do (it could vary depending where you are)
- Peaceful and stable.
- Social benefits like maternity leave and support for financing your studies.
- Very human society, we take care of others and we are always willing to help.
- If you want it you can get it!, just work hard and don’t give up!
Cons:
- Health system.(difficult to find a family doctor and have access to an specialist)
- General cultural knowledge.
- Transportation (if we compare with Europe).
- Government bureaucracy.
- Recognition and integration of diplomas for professional immigrants (please I don’t want to see more engineers or PHD’s driving a cub).
- Weather
But, tell me which country is perfect? Whit the positive and negative sides I still consider that Canada it’s one of the best countries in the world. I love it!
Thanks and good luck.
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Like any country, Canada has its problems
I was born in the United Kingdom, and came to the Great White North in my teens following my father getting a job in the Greater Toronto Area.
I go back to the UK - both on overnight stops, and to see relatives, and to be honest, living in Canada is so much more pleasant than on the little island, about one fifth the size of Ontario, with over 60M jammed in between her coasts.
Lack of consumer choice (big country, few people, skewed socio-demographics) and bloody cold winters and a completely bloated governmental bureaucracy are the only two issues that I have.
Earn more (if you compare dollars to pounds as one unit of currency), and live in a neighbourhood of Toronto that I couldn't hope to afford in the UK.
Pubs on my doorstep, listen to the waves of Lake Ontario from the porch, get to Cuba or other islands in the Caribbean in three-and-a-half hours, or be in Quebec City or Montreal in 60-75 minutes...
It's true Saskatoon and places on the prairies (IMHO) have all the character of the moon...but it depends what you're looking for and what you are used to.
Lastly, the Americans to the south - thankfully we still have a border.
Carrier - what happened to you in order you hold such negative views of the Maple Leaf?
I go back to the UK - both on overnight stops, and to see relatives, and to be honest, living in Canada is so much more pleasant than on the little island, about one fifth the size of Ontario, with over 60M jammed in between her coasts.
Lack of consumer choice (big country, few people, skewed socio-demographics) and bloody cold winters and a completely bloated governmental bureaucracy are the only two issues that I have.
Earn more (if you compare dollars to pounds as one unit of currency), and live in a neighbourhood of Toronto that I couldn't hope to afford in the UK.
Pubs on my doorstep, listen to the waves of Lake Ontario from the porch, get to Cuba or other islands in the Caribbean in three-and-a-half hours, or be in Quebec City or Montreal in 60-75 minutes...
It's true Saskatoon and places on the prairies (IMHO) have all the character of the moon...but it depends what you're looking for and what you are used to.
Lastly, the Americans to the south - thankfully we still have a border.
Carrier - what happened to you in order you hold such negative views of the Maple Leaf?
Join Date: Jun 2000
Location: Canada
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Carrier
You are not alone.
I quite agree with your comments.
Reading the follow up remarks to your 'informed' comments is proof of just how "lost in space" others in this land truly are.
We don't live in a democratic country any more. For many Canadians, voting once every four years is democracy. It's the 'what goes on in between' we are left with and from my perspective, there isn't much we can do about that either. Otherwise, some of our politicians would have been run out of Ottawa years ago. Democracy in action would have done that.
I don't like paying my 'fair share' of taxes because I don't get what I pay for, and what comes out of my annual income is the average salary of an average Canadian. When I moved back home from overseas, it took three years to finally have a family physician. When I had to go to the Regional outpatients recently, I had a three hour wait to see a Doctor. Health care? It sucks. Best case? It still sucks.
Generally, those who haven't been anywhere or experienced life in other countries DON'T KNOW WHAT THEY ARE TALKING ABOUT. Yet, they are posting their "I disagree" responses to your remarks.
Immigrants living in this country, especially those who have come from certain other countries can only experience a better life in Canada. As much as their appreciation of this country is admirable, the reality is, this country could be much better than it is. Unfortunately, our version of democracy, doesn't let that 'improvement' happen.
Nuff said?
You are not alone.
I quite agree with your comments.
Reading the follow up remarks to your 'informed' comments is proof of just how "lost in space" others in this land truly are.
We don't live in a democratic country any more. For many Canadians, voting once every four years is democracy. It's the 'what goes on in between' we are left with and from my perspective, there isn't much we can do about that either. Otherwise, some of our politicians would have been run out of Ottawa years ago. Democracy in action would have done that.
I don't like paying my 'fair share' of taxes because I don't get what I pay for, and what comes out of my annual income is the average salary of an average Canadian. When I moved back home from overseas, it took three years to finally have a family physician. When I had to go to the Regional outpatients recently, I had a three hour wait to see a Doctor. Health care? It sucks. Best case? It still sucks.
Generally, those who haven't been anywhere or experienced life in other countries DON'T KNOW WHAT THEY ARE TALKING ABOUT. Yet, they are posting their "I disagree" responses to your remarks.
Immigrants living in this country, especially those who have come from certain other countries can only experience a better life in Canada. As much as their appreciation of this country is admirable, the reality is, this country could be much better than it is. Unfortunately, our version of democracy, doesn't let that 'improvement' happen.
Nuff said?
Join Date: Oct 2001
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Myopia is part of being Canadian as evident from my bringing up the apartheid culture in Canada, why are Canadians content to live under a government that perpetrates a two class system based on race?
Could it be because it supports a multi billion dollar bureaucracy that lives off the subjugation of a race of people to allow the members of said bureaucracy to live in comfort, like leeches or maggots?
Just a thought that I felt I could share on what a great progressive democracy Canada is, when you look at how it really is for some of it's citizens.
Could it be because it supports a multi billion dollar bureaucracy that lives off the subjugation of a race of people to allow the members of said bureaucracy to live in comfort, like leeches or maggots?
Just a thought that I felt I could share on what a great progressive democracy Canada is, when you look at how it really is for some of it's citizens.
Join Date: Sep 2005
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Immigrating to Canada
If you want to immigrate to Canada, anywhere but Quebec, all the info is here:
Immigrating to Canada: Skilled workers and professionals
If you intend to Immigrate to the province of Quebec, see here:
Skilled workers and professionals: Quebec-selected skilled workers
If you do not want to go through the process on your own and prefer to hire an immigration consultant to walk you through it, he has to be licenced by Immigration Canada to act on your behalf. The licenced immigration consultants are listed here:
Find an immigration consultant
Good luck. Its a great country.
Immigrating to Canada: Skilled workers and professionals
If you intend to Immigrate to the province of Quebec, see here:
Skilled workers and professionals: Quebec-selected skilled workers
If you do not want to go through the process on your own and prefer to hire an immigration consultant to walk you through it, he has to be licenced by Immigration Canada to act on your behalf. The licenced immigration consultants are listed here:
Find an immigration consultant
Good luck. Its a great country.
Last edited by Minorite invisible; 25th Oct 2009 at 21:55.