Canada's vacation politics
#122
Re: Canada's vacation politics
Fred drifting (which is a merciful thing given the direction this has gone IMHO)... The Kubota BX25 has the most bloody annoying, difficult and unwieldy method of rotating the seat so one can operate the backhoe rather than the loader bit, that I've ever come across. Awkward, finger trapping, back wrenching stuff. IIRC Mahindra's are a lot easier in this regard.
Last edited by dbd33; Jul 10th 2017 at 1:04 pm.
#123
Re: Canada's vacation politics
I did not say the poverty trap was self-induced. You ignored my earlier posts and then took the highlighted one out of context. Please, in the future, read the entire thread before posting.
That includes posts from the moderator warning to return to topic.
Thanks and have a nice day!
That includes posts from the moderator warning to return to topic.
Thanks and have a nice day!
#124
Re: Canada's vacation politics
Hard to compete with that but I too have a pedal bike! It was donated to me by an Italian with whom a daughter emigrated from Toronto to Tower Hamlets. "Is flat, the tyre" he said, as if selling pesto. Is still flat, the tyre, but it looks a stylish machine, it could have been expensive.
#125
Re: Canada's vacation politics
My daughter's total expenditure this year (tuition, food, and accommodation) is less than $15,000. IIRC, her tuition was around $4,500. Full time undergraduate science degree.
#126
Re: Canada's vacation politics
Memorial University (MUN) in St John's has annual tuition around $3500 and the distinction of being the cheapest university for tuition fees in Canada. It's been policy of successive governments for this to be so although there is a debate about changing that for out of province students.
#127
BE Enthusiast
Joined: Mar 2012
Location: Calgary
Posts: 962
Re: Canada's vacation politics
The figures being quoted for tuition fees are surprising, I thought they would be much more expensive! They make the £9250 and £9000 my former Uni's are currently charging look even more ridiculous.
#128
Forum Regular
Joined: Jul 2017
Posts: 42
Re: Canada's vacation politics
I am not Howard or anyone else dbd33. Sorry if that disappoints you. I only returned to Ontario 6 years or so ago. I don't live in Collingwood or Meaford or any other retirement town as you put it. You've got the wrong guy.
Does every thread where people are challenged end up with childish attempts to avoid having to have an adult conversation?
I am interested in the additional comments regarding nepotism. I really haven't come across it at all. Can anyone give me some specific example of where you have found it happening to you? I can't imagine it happening in any company I have ever worked with. I can only think it is in small businesses perhaps and I've never worked in a small business since my student days. There's no real money to be made as an employee in a small business.
One question some comments have brought to my mind is how do people get into Canada if they are not qualified in something? What I mean is, the entry bar to getting a PR visa is generally pretty high isn't it? So how is it that I am reading posts about minimum wage etc. I mean, you don't get in as a Skilled Worker if your skill is working a till in a supermarket do you?
The average wage in Canada is now around $50k per year. I don't mean to be rude or try to insult anyone but if you are earning less than that, then you are below average obviously. What are you doing to earn more than that? What's your specific plan other than to post here complaining about the cost of university? Find a way to earn more and you won't need to complain. If someone is earning say $25k per year, I would suggest they start figuring out how they are going to earn more and I will bet that it is not by continuing to do the same thing. Albert Einstein said that one definition of insanity was, "doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results." You have to change something if you want different results.
Student's whose parents don't have the money, have access to a variety of means of paying for their education. Some get loans, scholarships or work full or part- time jobs while in University to pay for it. This is not a Nanny State. Try being honest about the UK and how socialist the system there has been since probably WW1. Canada is not a socialist country thank goodness. If you want to live in a socialist country, you've come to the wrong place. Oops.
In Canada, you are expected to take care of yourself and the government is expected only to assist you in times of trouble. So yes, we have things like Universal Healthcare, Unemployment Benefits and even Welfare benefits. But there are limits to how much help you can expect before you are expected to start helping yourself and that includes in Education. Every child in Canada is guaranteed a basic education through high school. After that, it's help yourself time.
This is not a country where the Post Office puts ads in the newspaper that read(I'm paraphrasing), 'Job Openings available in your local Post Office. Suits 16 year old school leavers'. I saw that ad in a UK newspaper and was shocked. If that ad were run in a Canadian newspaper there would be outrage. Nothing that might tempt or seem to encourage children to leave school would be tolerated here. We expect them to get an education, get a GOOD job and 'make something of themselves.' Note, it is their job to make something of themselves, not anyone else's job to 'give them' the opportunity.
It's easy for someone to focus on something like 5 weeks vacation and complain about it but that is an example of 'not seeing the forest for the trees' as far as I am concerned. Try focusing on the bigger picture. Canada is consistently ranked as one of the best countries in the world for qualify of life, standard of living, etc. Anyone who left the UK (or any other country) left for a reason. No one is likely to have ever left a country because they were real happy with their life as it was. People leave because they want something better generally speaking. But that doesn't get handed to you, it is up to YOU to make it happen. Many do, many don't. That's just how life is, seemingly 'unfair'.
Does every thread where people are challenged end up with childish attempts to avoid having to have an adult conversation?
I am interested in the additional comments regarding nepotism. I really haven't come across it at all. Can anyone give me some specific example of where you have found it happening to you? I can't imagine it happening in any company I have ever worked with. I can only think it is in small businesses perhaps and I've never worked in a small business since my student days. There's no real money to be made as an employee in a small business.
One question some comments have brought to my mind is how do people get into Canada if they are not qualified in something? What I mean is, the entry bar to getting a PR visa is generally pretty high isn't it? So how is it that I am reading posts about minimum wage etc. I mean, you don't get in as a Skilled Worker if your skill is working a till in a supermarket do you?
The average wage in Canada is now around $50k per year. I don't mean to be rude or try to insult anyone but if you are earning less than that, then you are below average obviously. What are you doing to earn more than that? What's your specific plan other than to post here complaining about the cost of university? Find a way to earn more and you won't need to complain. If someone is earning say $25k per year, I would suggest they start figuring out how they are going to earn more and I will bet that it is not by continuing to do the same thing. Albert Einstein said that one definition of insanity was, "doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results." You have to change something if you want different results.
Student's whose parents don't have the money, have access to a variety of means of paying for their education. Some get loans, scholarships or work full or part- time jobs while in University to pay for it. This is not a Nanny State. Try being honest about the UK and how socialist the system there has been since probably WW1. Canada is not a socialist country thank goodness. If you want to live in a socialist country, you've come to the wrong place. Oops.
In Canada, you are expected to take care of yourself and the government is expected only to assist you in times of trouble. So yes, we have things like Universal Healthcare, Unemployment Benefits and even Welfare benefits. But there are limits to how much help you can expect before you are expected to start helping yourself and that includes in Education. Every child in Canada is guaranteed a basic education through high school. After that, it's help yourself time.
This is not a country where the Post Office puts ads in the newspaper that read(I'm paraphrasing), 'Job Openings available in your local Post Office. Suits 16 year old school leavers'. I saw that ad in a UK newspaper and was shocked. If that ad were run in a Canadian newspaper there would be outrage. Nothing that might tempt or seem to encourage children to leave school would be tolerated here. We expect them to get an education, get a GOOD job and 'make something of themselves.' Note, it is their job to make something of themselves, not anyone else's job to 'give them' the opportunity.
It's easy for someone to focus on something like 5 weeks vacation and complain about it but that is an example of 'not seeing the forest for the trees' as far as I am concerned. Try focusing on the bigger picture. Canada is consistently ranked as one of the best countries in the world for qualify of life, standard of living, etc. Anyone who left the UK (or any other country) left for a reason. No one is likely to have ever left a country because they were real happy with their life as it was. People leave because they want something better generally speaking. But that doesn't get handed to you, it is up to YOU to make it happen. Many do, many don't. That's just how life is, seemingly 'unfair'.
#129
Re: Canada's vacation politics
She has had a part time job for some time now and she intends to work as much as possible each summer. While she is fortunate that we have paid a relatively large amount into RESPs for our children, she is hoping that she will not have to touch it.
The fees referred to above also cover her accommodation in residence and her food vouchers. She is the first in our family to attend University in Canada and so I have no idea how the food vouchers work in practice.
#130
Re: Canada's vacation politics
I'm really not sure why you think only those with 'skilled' jobs or high earnings would get PR, because it's absolutely not true. You'd be surprised what jobs do qualify for the Federal Skilled Worker program, but even if a person's job doesn't qualify for that visa route, there are over 50 other routes to PR, including the semi or low skilled streams under various PNP's. You can't assume a retail salesperson wouldn't get PR, because many would qualify actually.
#131
Forum Regular
Joined: Jul 2017
Posts: 42
Re: Canada's vacation politics
Huh, I didn't know that christmasoompa, thanks for the info. The only experience I have had with PR was when sponsoring my wife. I thought PR was pretty hard to get otherwise.
Well if someone comes to Canada with no real skills/experience, they are going to find it a hard row to hoe. I worked in a menswear store on Friday evenings and Saturdays when I was in high school. That was enough for me to know it was as dead end job.
If someone was a retail clerk etc. in the UK and then comes to Canada and gets the same kind of job, the only advice I could give them is the same as I gave myself when I was in that kind of a job. Find something better.
Starting down a whole new career path when you are just out of school for a few years is not that difficult, it isn't as if you have a lot to lose doing so. Starting down a new path when you are 30 or so is far more difficult obviously. But again, doing more of the same is not the answer and however hard it is to start fresh, that's the only way to change things.
Well if someone comes to Canada with no real skills/experience, they are going to find it a hard row to hoe. I worked in a menswear store on Friday evenings and Saturdays when I was in high school. That was enough for me to know it was as dead end job.
If someone was a retail clerk etc. in the UK and then comes to Canada and gets the same kind of job, the only advice I could give them is the same as I gave myself when I was in that kind of a job. Find something better.
Starting down a whole new career path when you are just out of school for a few years is not that difficult, it isn't as if you have a lot to lose doing so. Starting down a new path when you are 30 or so is far more difficult obviously. But again, doing more of the same is not the answer and however hard it is to start fresh, that's the only way to change things.
#132
Re: Canada's vacation politics
One question some comments have brought to my mind is how do people get into Canada if they are not qualified in something? What I mean is, the entry bar to getting a PR visa is generally pretty high isn't it? So how is it that I am reading posts about minimum wage etc. I mean, you don't get in as a Skilled Worker if your skill is working a till in a supermarket do you?
I was perfectly happy in England before moving here, I merely wanted to try a new challenge.
Last edited by R I C H; Jul 10th 2017 at 5:37 pm.
#133
Account Closed
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 0
Re: Canada's vacation politics
My credit score is low for a simple reason, lack of credit. I have had the same credit card with the same $500 limit for 8 years, no missed payments and don't carry a balance most months, although some months there is a $100-$150 balance, but it's not enough credit to create a high score, but it's a middle of the road score.
Issue for us is 100% of my income goes to rent, my spouses income is government disability which most banks/lenders in my experience don't like to count, but even if they do, it's not enough to qualify for a loan of much, certainly nowhere near what is needed for school costs.
And before someone say's to move, we can't leave BC and the health services needed are not available outside of Vancouver so we are stuck here for the time being until such a time BC decides mental health issues exist outside of Vancouver, currently the best resources for mental health needs are in Vancouver, the suburbs are worse, and by the time you get to the small affordable city's in BC, it's down right poor to non-existent.
Issue for us is 100% of my income goes to rent, my spouses income is government disability which most banks/lenders in my experience don't like to count, but even if they do, it's not enough to qualify for a loan of much, certainly nowhere near what is needed for school costs.
And before someone say's to move, we can't leave BC and the health services needed are not available outside of Vancouver so we are stuck here for the time being until such a time BC decides mental health issues exist outside of Vancouver, currently the best resources for mental health needs are in Vancouver, the suburbs are worse, and by the time you get to the small affordable city's in BC, it's down right poor to non-existent.
That's absolute nonsense in the vast majority of cases. I volunteer for our local food bank (or used to, we are moving province next week) and it is terrifying just how close the vast majority of people are to needing to rely on food banks.
One very small thing can go wrong in life which can lead to a chain reaction and end with your life crumbling around you.
Very often people have things so wrong in life and surviving, and having enough to eat becomes more of a priority than keeping up with payments.
Their credit score thentakes a bashing which then affects their ability to access funding to try and drag themselves back out of the hole again when things have become a bit less rocky.
Its called the poverty trap for a reason, saying its self induced is laughably naïve.
One very small thing can go wrong in life which can lead to a chain reaction and end with your life crumbling around you.
Very often people have things so wrong in life and surviving, and having enough to eat becomes more of a priority than keeping up with payments.
Their credit score thentakes a bashing which then affects their ability to access funding to try and drag themselves back out of the hole again when things have become a bit less rocky.
Its called the poverty trap for a reason, saying its self induced is laughably naïve.
Last edited by scrubbedexpat091; Jul 10th 2017 at 5:56 pm.
#134
Re: Canada's vacation politics
I am interested in the additional comments regarding nepotism. I really haven't come across it at all. Can anyone give me some specific example of where you have found it happening to you? I can't imagine it happening in any company I have ever worked with. I can only think it is in small businesses perhaps and I've never worked in a small business since my student days. There's no real money to be made as an employee in a small business.
- I've worked at the offices of a number of large enterprises
- Most offer summer positions
- The summer positions typically lead to an offer of permanent employment
- The summer positions go to the children of employees.
There's even a social hierarchy among the students according to the relative status of the employee parent. This is problematic as it robs the organization of expertise and fresh ideas and so cheats the shareholders.
I'm also aware of outrageous nepotism in a small organization but I expect that's routine in all countries, Steptoe's son wasn't selected for the business by aptitude testing.