Originally Posted by hudd

Crime not bad in Canada, though in Edmonton/Toronto you more likely to be murdered than in London or Oxford, but its nowhere like cities in the US or South Africa. We never really had crime issues in Canada where we lived and being back in England we not worried out it either.

hudd

Originally Posted by Lozza2302

Hi, going back to the original question, i must admit i have found the education system here fab. I have 2 daughters aged 14 and 15 who were struggeling badly in the UK. My eldest has Aspergers and the youngest i had been trying to get assessed for years, with no luck. Both are doing extremely well here and are really enjoying school. We live in Lethbridge, arrived in November 2007 so are getting to the 6 month stage. The school has been very understanding and both of my girls were assessed in January. The system here is very good and the teaching and oppertunities they have are second to none. Both my girls had a hard time in the Uk with bullying etc, we have had none of that at all. The health system here seems quite good to with walk in clinics etc, i have not had to use it yet but i know people who have and it has been very thorough and quick. We don't seem to have any crime here, or not that i have noticed, and everyone seems to speak to you, which is nice. Lethbridge is not as highly populated as Calgary and Edmanton so that's a good thing. Our cost of living is about the same as in the UK but my OH is earning more than he did there.
In all i am very glad we have made the move and i really am enjoying my time here, having been lucky and picked the best city to live in. It is life changing but i wouldn't go back to the UK now having experienced this wonderful way of life here, no stress. I have never seen my OH and my girls so relaxed and happy and that makes it more than worthwhile to me.
I hope this helps in your big decission.

Originally Posted by Shawn_ldn

Ok, there are loads of anecdotal comparisons, these are international studies trying to compare academic performance in Science and Reading:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/education/7117231.stm
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/education/7119511.stm

In the Science Canada is 3rd and Britain 15th.
Reading - the Canadian provinces were entered individually, Alberta was 3rd, BC 5th, Ontario 7th. England 19th I think.
So, seems likely Canada performs better, but that is not to say everything in education is better.
In terms of crime, I find it hard to believe that the Canadian cities come close to London, I teach in an inner city school, we have had a stabbing in our school (everyone knows who did it but no-one wants to say), loads of muggings outside school, on two consecutive days have had to stop outside kids from chasing into the school after some of our kids. Today one was trying to get in with a rounders bat.
So, while this is anecdotal there is a lot of learning going on at our school and incredibly talented teachers and kids, but there is also an incredible amount of discord in the community within and outside the school.
I am sure there are going to be areas in Canada with similar problems.
At any rate I am leaving for Canada in the summer and will take my chances.

Originally Posted by hawkman

Thanks Shawn

I was familiar with those figures, and it is one of the many things that have prompted us to look at Canada.

Adult literacy rights are far higher than those in the UK too.

I admit there are many many factors we need to consider, but we have done quiet a bit of research in to this topic, and the education system in Alberta appears to be far superior to it's UK counterpart.

Thanks for the information though, it's nice to hear it confirmed by British Teacher.

Good luck with your move.

Originally Posted by Dave+Jules

I never considered that groandian readers might actually be sexual?

Originally Posted by Souvenir

Hell yes. Novo and dbd are right slappers.

Originally Posted by rae

WHAT TOSH. Sorry hung up on crime issue as usual, but this kind of bland completely baseless remarks really annoys me.
I'm not sure where you got your figures from, please see below. The only trouble of course is that all these figures are completely bent as they are compiled for the government to assist the government, by the government.
i presume from your reply you have not worked in law enforcement in both countries as i have. take it from me, you are not, not at all, no way, less safe in edmonton than london. I remember walking through the tubes, late at night on leave with the forces, with friends. we were all fit young and trained killers. i did not feel safe and was very wary. here, much later in life, unfit, old and with my daughter, i walk around quite happily. Its not the fear or perception of crime, its reality.

EDMONTON:
Edmonton has the highest homicide rate among major Canadian cities, according to statistics released Wednesday.
The greater Edmonton area saw 44 murders in 2005, more than double the average rate per 100,000 people across the country, according to a report by Statistics Canada.

http://www.cbc.ca/canada/edmonton/st...-homicide.html


LONDON:
In the final three months of last year there were 61 murders in the capital, compared with just 31 in the same quarter, the previous year. The figure is the highest total for the last three months of any year, according to the Metropolitan Police's published figures. In the final three months of 2000, for example, there were only 40 murders, while in the same period of 2001 and 2002 there were 43 and 31 respectively

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main...%2Fnmurd21.xml

Originally Posted by Dave+Jules

I never considered that groandian readers might actually be sexual?

Originally Posted by hawkman

Adult literacy rights are far higher than those in the UK too.

Originally Posted by Emmjay

Hi

I thought the info below may be of interest to you, especially considering wife is a nurse etc, and as i note you live near Manchester, it is not too far to travel and as you are looking at Alberta/Calgary and that region.

Expo: Leeds
Date: 21 - 22 June 2008
Venue: Royal Armouries in Leeds

Opportunities Canada Expo ([email protected])
Opportunities Canada Expo in Leeds on 21-22 June 2008.

A range of Canadian employers and recruitment agencies are travelling to the expo and are bringing hundreds of jobs to offer people with the right skills.

Calgary Health Region

Recruiting for the following people at the London and Leeds expos:
• Nurses
• Sonographers
• Medical Radiation Technologists
• Physical Therapists
• Occupational Therapists
• Speech Language Pathologists
• Dentists
• Pharmacists
• Respiratory Therapists
• Licensed Practical Nurses
• Medical Laboratory Technologists
• Surgical Processors
• EMR’s and EMT’s

Send Calgary Health Region your CV

The Opportunities Canada Expo team
www.expo-canada.com

Emmjay

Originally Posted by dbd33

This simply cannot be true if you're looking at the population as a whole and your language of literacy is English. There's simply no need to speak English in Toronto, Vancouver or Quebec and very many people do not.

The quality of education received by children is, imo, a function of the parents they have, not the location in which they grow up. Canada has ibo (www.ibo.org) schools, the UK has ibo schools, the US and Mexico have ibo schools. The academic eduction offered in all of them is the same so the children of parents who manouevre their kids into one get the same education. Similarly, but less easily compared, each country has schools of varying quality and the selection of school will be a factor in the child's education. Even with that, a child who has to attend to school in Rexdale or Tower Hamlets who has interested parents is better off than one in Oakville or Guildford with disinterested parents. It aint where you live but wot you do, innit?

Originally Posted by hawkman

You used the word 'English' not me.

Adult literacy in the UK is about 68% in Canada 93% I believe, that says a lot more about the Canadian education system to me.

Originally Posted by dbd33

Well, no. It says nuffink about nuffink.

Firstly the numbers look like wishful thinking, have you a source?

Originally Posted by bazzz

Oooh, me, me, me, me!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of..._literacy_rate

From the UNDP. Both around 99%.