Stinkypup

I have now worked in Vernon and lived here for just under 5 years. The population of Vernon and the close surrounding area is actually around 50000. I am a GP and our patient population numbers around 12000 patients and so am speaking from direct experience of a likely typical representation of the population of the local area- I define the word cosmopolitan as per the Oxford English definition which seems reasonable " Familiar with and at ease in many different countries and cultures"
Collins definition includes " composed of people or elements from all parts of the world"
It doesn't mention that these people have to speak specific languages which I feel that you erroneously inextricably link with the word cosmopolitan. Nowhere does the census, at least that I can see, detail the origins of the inhabitants of Vernon. We have a substantial proportion of patients from Uk, Germany, Holland, Poland, Croatia, Kosovo,Belarus Greece, France, Finland, Switzerland, Italy, India,Pakistan, Korea, Japan, China Brazil, Uruguay, Ecuador, USA, Mexico, Chile, Grand Cayman, Jamaica Ukraine,Australia, South Africa, Singapore, Philippines ,Nepal and more. Is this not cosmopolitan enough for you dbd33? All of these people are well aware of "what abroad is". Your comment is patronising.
I too am sure that Ontario is "possibly quite nice" but I would be reluctant to come out with such a bold statement as yours because I have little knowledge of Ontario. Vernon has it's faults just like anywhere else but I think that it is a great place to live and I am sure that Aqua will be very happy here.

dbd33

I'm open to the idea that Statistics Canada is wrong, maybe Vernon is the at crossroads of all civilisations, but I'm not open to the idea that, if 99.8% of the population speak English as a first language, many people are from Germany, Holland, Poland, Croatia, Kosovo,Belarus Greece, France, Finland, Switzerland, Italy, India,Pakistan, Korea, Japan, China Brazil, Uruguay, Ecuador, Mexico, Chile, Grand Cayman, Ukraine, South Africa, Singapore, Philippines or Nepal unless they're from some tiny English speaking minority in those countries.

I'm not saying that Vernon is a redneck backwater but, oh my, it aint Camden.

Stinkypup

Your suggestion was, I may have been wrong that around 800 people knew of the big wide world- this is simply not true. I must have imagined all of these people that I and my colleagues come across on a day to day basis as do the other docs in town. You must be correct, your knowledge is clearly better than mine. They are a figment of my imagination. Thank god it isn't like Camden btw, Camden is in my view not "quite nice" I have actually been there though so feel qualified to comment!

Novocastrian

While this discussion is Vernon on becoming silly, all non First Nation Canadians came from somewhere else. How many of your patients from Germany, Holland, Poland, Croatia, Kosovo,Belarus Greece, France, Finland, Switzerland, Italy, India,Pakistan, Korea, Japan, China Brazil, Uruguay, Ecuador, Mexico, Chile, Grand Cayman, Ukraine, South Africa, Singapore, Philippines or Nepal were born in those countries?

How many even speak the language of one of those countries? (Apart from the South Africans).

Gozit

There is that bullshit "language police" in Ottawa? As in, Ottawa has its own "language police" ? Or is it just a few of the quebeckers' language police who think they have authority over Ontario?

I find it pretty stupid that in a largely English speaking province, just because the city [Ottawa] is on the border of the normal English province and the rebel anglophobic province means it has to comply with the ridiculous demands of said anglophobic province. When it is still inside the normal, english-speaking one.

I also find it stupid (and feel for you, OP) that to work in construction you need to speak both languages. Completely unnecessary.
The way bilingualism is implemented here is one of the things about Canada that really, really irks me.

Stinkypup

Why silly? Err...all of them speak their own languages. I am referring to first generation immigrants not those assimilated into the local population over generations, again there is an infatuation about language. See my definition of cosmopolitan. First Nations were typically in the area first!

Shirtback

In my experience, clearly very different from the OP, Neither.

S

Gozit

Hmm. I know I got off on a tangent there LOL, I just don't like the anglophobia that goes on in quebec... Tis a beautiful place and i'm visiting Montreal this summer, which i'm actually really excited for seeing as i've been to alot of countries in the world, but never been to any provinces aside from Ontario.

dbd33

First generation meaning born in those countries and moved here? Or first generation meaning born in Canada, grew up in English, parents from somewhere else?

I should say btw that I don't see anything wrong at all in choosing to live in a small town where people have similar values, it's just not sensible to suggest that such a place is in any way cosmopolitan. And on that point, does Vernon offer a choice of synagogs?

Shirtback

Continuing your tangent. Hmmm

Come back and report on "Anglophobia", *after* visiting La Belle Province.

S

JB0591

You do know that Ontario, New Brunswick, and Manitoba recognize both the English and French language at the province level. Quebec does not recognize English. So it is not to do with the border more the provincial legislation. Not being said i dont think there is a language police in Ottawa and never heard of this until this thread.

Novocastrian

Well quite. This thread is full of nonsense.

I agree. that's not uncommon, but the nonsense here is unusually stereotypical.

Stinkypup

So.... Having a choice synagogues ie now religion is entering your definition of cosmopolitan as well as simply the language that they speak- neither mentioned in conventional definitions of the word. This thread gets more and more bizarre.
The people that I describe are born overseas and move to Canada. I find it somewhat ironic that certain contributors to this thread on an expat forum find it incomprehensible that people from other countries move to Canadian towns and cities as well as us. I should have not bothered with entering into discussions and should have just PM'd Aqua and that way would have avoided pedantry and armchair expertise from people who actually know sod all about a place and clearly have no intention of seeing two sides of an argument sitting on the other side of Canada. I only contributed to wish him well. I thought that the initial intention of the forum was light hearted but also helpful for people moving to or around Canada. Maybe I was wrong and pedantry and criticism are the order of the day in which case I won't bother in future.

Novocastrian

I'm a bit trilingual. Language isn't the issue. At least I didn't make it so. Your definition of cosmopolitan was of course nonsense.

Novocastrian

See what I mean?