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I'm amazed at all the Americans who glibly talk about moving to Canada so naively. They have no idea what they would be getting themselves into. Here's a little heads up to consider before you move.
1. Bring your thick skin. Anti-Americanism in Canada is very strong and always has been. You will never feel like you really belong because America and Americans are continually under attack from the media and most of the political spectrum. This isn't a Bush phenomenon. It is Canada. The first thing any American must understand about Canada is that their national identity consists entirely of not being American.
2. Once you live in Canada for a while, you will find getting out hard. Canada has this little tax thing called called "deemed disposition" where they rape anyone with capital gains who moves out of the country.
3. prepare to be sick. Despite what you may hear, the Canadian medical system is horrible. Routine procedures have waiting lists of 8-10 months. It is virtually impossible to find a family doctor in most large Canadian cities.
1. Bring your thick skin. Anti-Americanism in Canada is very strong and always has been.
Lot of truth in that. How did you find that out - you went to a bar and the Candians were drinking? Or did you go undercover, posing as a Canadian?
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Originally Posted by glassner
The first thing any American must understand about Canada is that their national identity consists entirely of not being American.
I wouldn't say entirely. Although I partly agree: one of the biggest differences between Canadians and Americans is that Canadians are obessed with discovering and knowing the differences between Canadians and Americans.
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Originally Posted by glassner
3. prepare to be sick. Despite what you may hear, the Canadian medical system is horrible. Routine procedures have waiting lists of 8-10 months. It is virtually impossible to find a family doctor in most large Canadian cities..
Routine procedures have waiting lists of 8-10 months? - I don't agree - but complicated procedures have waiting lists of 8-10 months.
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Originally Posted by glassner
4. Taxes. Nuff aid.
It's a trade-off: low taxes or Universal Health care - can't have it both ways...
You do have to investigate everything before you move to another country, but please don't say that everybody will regret their move to Canada.
1. I don't think every Canadian hates Americans!!! You are generalizing. It's like saying every American hates the French.
2. Ok, but what about the IRS taxing Americans that live in another country?
3. Please. Americans are exaggerating when it comes to socialized health care. They will not let you die in the hospital due to overcrowding. You may not get a family doctor at first, but you can certainly use the walk-in clinics and emergency rooms. Yes, there are some waiting times, but it depends on the procedure. If it's not life threatening, you will wait more than non life-threatening of course. I'd MUCH prefer that than going bankrupt in the wonderful US health system that enriches private companies.
4. More taxes means more services = you know from year to year what your income will be, and not worry about your health care (again, 50 million Americans don't have health care. Need I say more??), HUGE student loans (much cheaper in Canada), actual snow removal (what they do here on Long Island is laughable), etc.
I'm willing to live in Canada where they still believe in middle class.
Since there is French-Canadian in my genes, I would research it anyway, like any other potential place. But my choices might be towards Toronto or Montreal, as I know people in both places.
This post is so insane! I just had a procedure at the hospital to remove precancerous cells and I only waited a few weeks. This is something that I couldn't even fathom affording in the U.S. as I have my own business. Canada isn't perfect but neither is south of the border either!
Glassner,
You really need to research your facts before you start talking. No I don't live in Canada, I live in the good ole U.S of A and I pay roughly $450.00 extra a month to have medical coverage for my children; that does not include the deductibles and 20% co-insurances that I still have to pay whenever I see a doctor, which to me sums up to more than paying those high Canadian taxes.
How about selling a home, If I don't invest that money that was received from the sale of my home into another home, I will be taxed HEAVILY..that's in addition to the taxes that I have to pay on a yearly basis. So whether or not I take the money out of the country or simply keep it in my pocket, the good ole IRS is gonna get more than what you deserve. That's the American system for you. Now let's talk about healthcare, I've had surgery to remove a cyst, and still have problems with the cyst reoccuring, not to mention that I had to pay over $600 dollars for my portion of the bill including anesthesia. There are some doctors that won't even take new patients and there are some who will have you waiting a long time if you want to see him. Mammograms, six months to a years waiting list to find out if I have any lumps growing in my breast.
Medications, Hmm will since I am a diabetic, I have to pay an additional $95.00 monthly to get my medications.
Let's talk about the great educational system of the USA, I am currently owing over $50,000.00 for my MBA and Bachelors degree combined with no funding from good ole Uncle Sam; however, if I decide to take my degree and my skills to work in a country like Canada, Uncle Sam wants a percentage of what I will be making (so greedy uncle sam wants me to pay taxes to him and to Canada if I make over $85,000.00 a year. God forbids I get married and our combined incomes are over a certain dollar, I will be hit even harder if I'm living in Canada.
Let's talk about Anti-Americans, firstly, Americans aren't exactly what I call immigrant acceptance themselves you know, after all I don't even have to say so, all you have to do is read the news. The first things that Americans love to tell an immigrant is that they need to go back where they came from...If only the indians had that mentality, none of us would be here. Now do you suppose that it is the arrogance of Americans why most countries seem to not want to accept us anywhere we go anymore? We go to other countries and act as if, pardon the expression, "our **** don't stink." We go to other countries and act as though we are 110% better than everyone else, but the reality is we are not. THough our country may provide more opportunities, our mentalities, our attitudes, our values and our whole demeanor is enough to make a landfill smell like a garden full of roses.
Before we start bashing other countries, we need to take a look at ourselves and come to realize that hey we aren't perfect and America is NOT the best place in the world to be. THe problem is with most immigrants, they want to rush to America because of what they hear and see but when they get here and find out what the REAL America is like, most just want to work and save money to buy a home and move back home.. Unfortunately the Good ole U.S of A won't allow that because as a capitalist country you can work it but you can't save it (which explains why more than half of the working families in America is living from pay check to pay check). Why do you believe cash advance companies are growing so rapidly here. How about high bankruptcy and foreclosure rates. What is Canada's bankruptcy and foreclosure rate?????
Thick Skinned??????? Americans should be thick skinned, after all, look at the crap we dish out on other countries and immigrants, look at how we love to stick our noses in places it doesn't belong...look at how we try to cover up how imperfect we are. Thanks to the Media the truth will always be told.
Now don't get me wrong, America is ONE of the nicest places to live; however, according to recent studies and surveys, Canada does actually offer a BETTER quality of life than what is offered in America and there are quite a few countries that is rated better than America... So despite how we may feel that we are the number one country in the world, American studies and research along with those of the United Nations have disproved that theory.
No where is perfect, but having been to Canada on several occasions, I can literally see myself living there.. Not for nothing, I can still see myself retiring in America also, but having lived here all my life, my choice is to go some place else. It is time for a change and Bush has proven to me what I have been thinking for a long time.. CHANGE IS GOOD.
I guess this is America's Justice and acceptance right Glassner?
FBI investigates supremacist anti-'Jena 6' Web site - CNN.com (http://www.cnn.com/2007/US/09/23/fbi.jena.ap/index.html?eref=ib_topstories#cnnSTCVideo - broken link)
Interesting post, Jade. I didn't even know what a foreclosure was until I heard about Cleveland! There are no boarded up houses in any neighborhoods that I know.
In terms of treatment of immigrants, if you ask a Canadian 'should immigrants be allowed into Canada?' the answer is YES, if you ask a Canadian 'should immigrants be allowed to compete for your jobs?' ... well then their tune changes. Canada has a Doctor shortage and look at all the Immigrant Health Professionals (some I know personally) that our Health Profressional Bodies prevent from working (with that in mind, how does Canada score so high on quality of life indexes?)
What I'd like do know is, which country gives Foreign-Trained-Professional Immigrants worse (or better) treatment, Canada or the US?
Jadel1812 ... re sale of your home taxes ... as long as you live in a place for a couple of years as your primary residence, it's tax exempt for the first $250,000 of "profit". That tax exemption can be used as many times as you have the opportunity; you do not have to buy another house within a certain time frame to defer taxes as under the older taxable gain.
To be fair and above board, KW, posters should know that you have a personal situation regarding foreign health workers:
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My wife has studied 6 years (6 years!!!) and worked 6 years in her home country in her field (Dental Field - Dentistry/ Dental Hygiene), yet Canada's Health Professional Bodies forbid her from working in her field.
While the current system for determining the eligibility of foreign credentials may not be perfect, and is certainly frustrating for some of those personally involved, I think you'll find that most countries do not just accept foreign credentials at face value.
Many countries, Canada and the US included, require immigrants in all sorts of professions to meet the same standards and pass the same qualification exams as citizens have had to.
The rationale is that the system ensures that patients can be assured that all practicioners meet the relevent standards.
This situation does not just apply to the health profession. Immigrants working as plumbers, electricians, truck drivers, etc, must also meet the applicable federal/provincial standrds before being allowed to hang up their shingle.
Immigrants who have done their due diligence surely are aware before they move to Canada that they will have to become qualified here before being allowed to engage in their chosen field.
It may not be a perfect system, but to link it to some kind of covert racist view might be stretching things.
Jadel1812 ... re sale of your home taxes ... as long as you live in a place for a couple of years as your primary residence, it's tax exempt for the first $250,000 of "profit". That tax exemption can be used as many times as you have the opportunity; you do not have to buy another house within a certain time frame to defer taxes as under the older taxable gain.
SunSpirit when we sold our homes in New York, we were told that we could not get the money without being heavily taxed because we were not over the age of 65. We had to purchase another home with that money and had 6 months to close the deal. Talk about being pissed off.
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