Originally Posted by Jeremy James (Post 8647450)

What fantastic replies, thank you all very much (including the Pulp Fiction fans.. ;)) and thank you also for the kind offer of accommodation (The Thornes:thumbup:)

The very first questions posed were by 'Lorry1';

Good questions/points, to answer them then;

1. I'm thinking of convincing my Wife (and myself) to leave the UK because life is too short and there's a lot of world out there to explore. I've always said to her that it would be a regret of mine if we spent the rest of our lives living (and eventually dying) in North Hertfordshire and not at least giving somewhere like North America a go. I'm keen to explore, enjoy variety and relish a challenge in life. I'm ex-Military and since I became a Police Officer, have diversified my experience by changing roles every couple of years. I think this an inherent trait of mine and something that is just 'me'.
   
2. As alluded to earlier, we wish to have a family and I'm not so keen on the England that I live in anymore. Granted, I see a lot of the negative and darker side to the UK but it isn't as simple blaming it on my occupation. England, particularly the south-east is in such a rush nowadays. People lack common courtesy towards one another and a lot of the youth slide into the unfortunate (and idiot) chav/yob culture. I've very little desire to have my family raised in an area they could become exposed to this.
   
3. Lack of space (63 million people in a country with 93,000sq miles of space compared to 34 million in 3.8 million sq miles in Canada). Litter, mess, graffiti, too much traffic and congestion, a creaking transport network/infrastructure and general lack of respect for your fellow man and woman.

I recognize that Canada is by no means a Utopia and that it brings its own set of issues and difficulties to overcome. I'm simply chewing over the consideration of when you weigh both countries up, hand in hand, which is the better for an aspiring young family? Which country offers the brightest prospects for a couple such as ourselves, both professionally and recreationally speaking, not to mention the overall quality of life?

Employment wise, I would plan to transfer in to the relevant Police Service and my Wife would seek to be gainfully employed in either illustration or graphic design. I'm currently in discussion with the VPD, just checking the lay of the land regarding their current and projected recruitment outlook, particularly for international applicants. I hope to have a reply this week. We've conducted no further research into the intricacies of moving to Canada and when I say 'We've' I really mean 'I' of course... :)

I have done a fair degree of reading on the Calgary Police Service looking for UK Police Officers, but this was, as mentioned by The Thornes, some time ago. As an aside, @ The Thornes - What did your husband do in the MPS and what does he do now? I would be very grateful if I could perhaps PM you a list of questions for him, please?

I'll mention it only in passing, but there is nothing wrong with our current circumstances; we have a small core of excellent friends, I am one of six (I'm the youngest) brothers, we enjoy our home, our respective professions and home environment - life is good. On the subject of parents, both of mine passed away a long time ago, whilst my Wifes are in their early sixties (mother in law in ever so slowly declining health). So why move? Well, why not?

Other than the points already outlined above, part of my feeling is difficult to articulate. It could be a simple fear of the regret I think I would feel if we didn't try. It could be that I'm getting progressively more and more fed up with the cramped Isle that is the UK. It could be that my tolerance for anti-social types and the lack of common courtesy and manners is beginning to get stretched. It could be that I think that Canada is simply a better place to raise my (:fingerscrossed:) future children and offer my family a better quality of life.

What will help, I'm sure is our recce trip next year.

What recommendations do people have for ensuring the best possible way of seeing the relevant areas and completing a successful fact finding trip?

Thank you again,

JJ.

Originally Posted by Jeremy James (Post 8647577)

@ Lorry1 - if I might ask, how often do family and friends visit you and conversely, you to the UK? I guess not often enough? Also, I accept your point regarding a different part of the UK prior to departing for Canada. It's a very valid point.

Originally Posted by Jeremy James (Post 8647577)

@ Lorry1 - if I might ask, how often do family and friends visit you and conversely, you to the UK? I guess not often enough? Also, I accept your point regarding a different part of the UK prior to departing for Canada. It's a very valid point.

@ The Thornes - What a coincidence, I also work on a specialsit plain clothes unit at Heathrow. Thank you for your offer re the PM, I shall take you up on it as soon as I'm able. :)

Originally Posted by Piff Poff (Post 8647623)

However some close friends have nothing but rounds of visitors year after year, week after week during the summer, all their holiday allowance is used ferrying people around, they always say yes to visitors as they feel obliged.

-------

You mentioned about your MIL's slowly declining health, think very hard about how your wife will feel when she gets calls about how poorly her Mum is. It's not just a 8 hour flight away when things look shakey.

Originally Posted by el_richo (Post 8648115)

Yes you can just hop on a plane but psychologically it's much much more difficult.

Originally Posted by dbd33 (Post 8648600)

Not many times before your two weeks of annual holiday are used up.

Originally Posted by Jeremy James (Post 8647577)

@ Lorry1 - if I might ask, how often do family and friends visit you and conversely, you to the UK? I guess not often enough? Also, I accept your point regarding a different part of the UK prior to departing for Canada. It's a very valid point.

@ The Thornes - What a coincidence, I also work on a specialsit plain clothes unit at Heathrow. Thank you for your offer re the PM, I shall take you up on it as soon as I'm able. :)

Originally Posted by el_richo (Post 8648731)

You're darn tooting :)

I had a heated discussion with a Canadian the other week about the shiteness of holiday entitlement. He argued that it should remain the same because when he were younger and working they survived and so should the young'uns of today.

Silly old sod.

.

Originally Posted by Lorry1 (Post 8648749)

This year we are having a family holiday in Bermuda as we haven't had one in a few years and are not going to England, which means we don't see anyone.

Originally Posted by iaink (Post 8648767)

One option is for everyone to meet up in the Caribbean somewhere... obviously not those too infirm to travel, but you know what I mean. Worked well for us anyway.

Originally Posted by dbd33 (Post 8648777)

What an outstandingly poor idea. If the choice is between using one's fortnight for domestic obligations and living with the guilt of having a real holiday instead, cluttering the real holiday with the children of one's siblings seems like the worst possible alternative.

Originally Posted by dbd33 (Post 8648777)

What an outstandingly poor idea. If the choice is between using one's fortnight for domestic obligations and living with the guilt of having a real holiday instead, cluttering the real holiday with the children of one's siblings seems like the worst possible alternative.

Originally Posted by Souvy (Post 8648900)

Several years ago my nephew (Souvette's nephew) indicated that, if he won the lottery, he'd take the "whole family" on holiday for a year.

I still have the nightmares.