macadian

Would that be the same 'Canadians' who fashioned Canada in the first place. As immigration increases, they may well be seen as 'diminishing' in numbers however, outside the cities...in rural Canada...they are alive and well and will continue to be so...

You obviously don't like them? From the tone of many of your posts...I think the feeling would be mutual. There now...everybodies happy...

JezHarper

If this is all that you desire, then 'going native' is probably the right thing to do, whereas if you only ever see it as a temporary settlement, then obviously you wouldn't become a citizen.

I think most people who immigrate to Canada, do it for life, it is a choice they have made that Canada is where they will live out the rest of their life.

macadian

If they commit a crime (of a serious nature) ...then seem fair to me

dbd33

I don't think that's the case at all. People are here for work or because of political instability at home but I think very few really want to be here, they just make the best of it. Almost no conversation goes without a reference to "my country" be that Korea, Jamaica, England, Australia or wherever.

Macadian's right in thinking that the multi-culture is what I like about Toronto, I wouldn't be at all comfortable among the inbreds of rural Ontario.

dbd33

Oh yes, if they were citizens we'd have to support them forever, immigrants can be thrown out; one reason why it's better for Canada if people are not citizens. It's also better of course because citizens can elect people to power the Red Greens would not.

JezHarper

When I say 'Canada', I mean ALL of Canada, which is the big bit on the outskirts of Totonto. I imagine if you conducted any sort of poll, you would find that MOST people who immigrate to CANADA do it for the way of life.

I'm not going to dignify your last comment with a reply.

Hudman

It certainly seems true, but only because its obtainable here, I love it here but if I won the lottery I'd be back to UK.
I have met a lot of ex-pats from the first big wave in 50-60's, they all have said they never really felt like Canada was home, but would not leave.
On the other end of scale I've been suprised just how anti-American a lot of the youth here are when when you look at it there is not a lot culturally that seems to separate them.
I visit Washington state a lot and when I am there, apart from their nicer small towns I forget where I am, whereas in UK you crossed 10 miles over the Pennines and the you know your in Yorkshire or Lancs(depending which way you go!).Again in one Borough of London you can see more diversity than the entire N.American continent.

macadian

Perhaps when he arrived here a decade or so ago a big guy with a BB cap, red checked shirt wearing jeans smacked him around a little for being a mouthy git...

CalgaryBlade

It seems that the happiest immigrants are those who do the requisite research about what their chosen area in Canada has to offer and then compare that with what they want out of life and what they enjoy. Those who are less happy seem to be stuck in certain situations and locales and seem to have interests which might be better served by living elsewhere.

I love it here too, as do my family. If I won the lottery I wouldn't move back to the UK, but maybe just visit more often, maybe 3 times per year (and go first class). The family would join me now and again, but essentially those trips would be for me to get my fill of; Football, hand-pulled beer, olde worlde pubs and fish and chips.

As for those immigrants who came from the UK in the 50/60's, they might be retaining a vision of Britain which is just not there anymore (Bobbies on bicycles etc).

I would also add that many, if not all, of the ex-pats I know here want to be here.

Steve_P

As one of those who arrived here in the sixties I can only speak for myself but I can honestly say that retain no illusions of a Britain that doesn't now exist. It took only one trip back very early on to convince me that I preferred Canada.

I do have to admit to never really feeling any loss when I left England, I felt more like I was being given a chance to start a new life.

It always annoyed me when meeting other UK immigrants that all a lot of them could do was whine and cry about how it wasn't at all like "home". It was too cold in the winter, too dry and hot in the summer, they couldn't get their favourite foods, they couldn't find decent beer, we drive on the wrong side of the road and on and on and on ad-nauseum.

Some did move back and a lot of them were back within two years singing a different tune. That used to be called the $10,000 cure, I'm sure it would be much more expensive today. Some just went back for a holiday and realised how much better off they were here in Canada.

Now it may not be the same today and it may not be the same for everyone but that is my experience.

Cheers
Steve

dbd33

People who immigrate do so to Toronto and, to a lesser extent to Vancouver. The lack of distribution of immigrants into the big empty bit is a major problem for the government and the root of the Provincial Nominee programs. Of course, the immigrants come for the way of life, the same way of life they had at home, the chance to live in another country but in their native language and with the infra-structure of a western state. People do not move halfway around the world because they want to wear plaid and say "eh?" a lot.

"In 1996 there were 878,000 recent immigrants in Toronto, over 40 per cent of all recent immigrants living in Canada"

http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/researc...6-toronto.html

Thus, in terms of immigration, it's the attractions of Toronto that are primarily important, not those of Canada as a whole. What mainly attracts people to Toronto is, I think, language; it's easy to live here in Tagalog or Farsi or whatever,

dbd33

As you well know, Red Green Canadians don't fight. British immigrants fight. A problem with new immigrants from the UK is their need to end every evening in a pub with a brawl.

macadian

We obviously move in vastly different circles...have yet to see this....

dingbat

They're too loaded over here to do that.....brawling takes effort...man....

dbd33

Do you accept that there's a culture of fighting in pubs and streets in the UK ?