I Adore Canada!
 

I see many people with negative attitudes towards Canada.

I want to stick up for Canada!

Beautiful people, wonderful country. Well run government.
Lower crime rates, many opportunities for children.(not hanging around the streets wondering which car to steal)
Wonderful climate.
Not overcrowded.
Not so judgmental on what you have or where you live.
In my experiences i also find everyone to be so freindly.

I love Canada and i hope, one day to be a proud citizen!

I should be proud to be British. But quite frankly this is a seriously over populated country with many issues that need addressing.

One day i hope to be amongst you wonderful people!

I don't mean to be negative, but I think that both countries have their positives and negatives and when you are in one countries it is always the negatives that stick out. Canada is a great country but it certainly isn't some paradise.

Wages tend to be lower, I don't really hear great things about the schooling, I still hear people complain about the kids over here, healthcare is more expensive, I find it is more litigation crazy than the UK.

Its easy to think that other places are going to hold the answers to all that you want. I should know, I was in your position a year ago.

It really depends on what you want at the end of the day.

Yes the UK has its problems but I don't think that they are that much worse than the problems that exist over here.

Re: I Adore Canada!
 

I agree with you Babyblue. I've been here for over 30 years and have no regrets. But care is necessary when making any comparisons.

First of all quality of life should be considered which is more than wage rates and prices. Canada has enough space and diversity in lifestyle with the resulting tolerance to satisfy virtually any need.

Apart from the overcrowding, I find that the U.K. is much more Americanized than Canada with more emphasis on materialism, the cult of personality, superficiality and sensationalism.

Wage rates and prices alone do not present a valid comparison. The best way is to use purchasing power by comparing how long do you have to work to buy something. For instance at a minimum wage rate of say $6.00/hr then it would take about an hour's work to buy a Big Mac, Fries and Soft Drink.

Re: I Adore Canada!
 

I totally agree with your statement. Money is not the important issue but here in England it all seems to be about status. I am a good old fashioned girl that strongly beleive in true values and that is important.
I certainly don't think that living in Canada is going to be the answer to everything and i know i will have to work hard to acheive personal goals. It takes time and a good deal of common sense to even consider such a move. I have spent many years coming out to Canada to visit my mother and i really love all it has to offer.
Of course i leave behind the wonderful National health service and the congestion upon the roads. but i have weighed this up very carefully and i beleive i have made a positive choice for my families future.
thanks for the messege!
take care

I understand what you are saying and i agree!
there are many things to consider. I have visited Canada for many years as my mother lives there and i know the pit falls. i have had to weigh up the pro's and con's for the move and quite frankly. Canada far outweighs England.
I know about the health system and the welfare system and i realise it will be tough to start with. I am a hard worker and i feel what Canada has to offer my family is far more benificial than here.
i am not materialistic and i love the vast open space that Canada has to offer. some really beautiful unspoilt countryside.
i do appreciate your comments and i understand also am glad to have people around me that can support and provide advice.

take care and thank you!

Welcome to Canada.... I have been here 35 Years I love the place.
You have the right Attitude my Girl good luck to you and your Family.
If I may ask what Province are you in ??????
:) :)

Canada/UK comparison
 

"My two cents is free"

I've lived in (Ottawa) Canada for 8 years now, previously I was in London for 10 years, and Edinburgh for 7 years. Here are my thoughts:

Wages: It depends on your job but salaries tend to be 10% to 20% higher than in the UK.

Cost of Living: Many things are far cheaper, eg food/resteraunts, cars, petrol, electronics and 'white' goods'. A few things are markedly more expensive, eg car insurance and beer/alcohol.

Housing/rent in Toronto and Vancouvour is expensive, but not nearly as bad as London. Elsewhere real estate and rents are pretty reasonable.

Lifestyle: depends where you live, but only Toronto seems to be a "Big American City" to me, Montreal is destinctly "European" in Flavour" Halifax, and most of Nova Scotia feels like Scotland/Ireland in culture. Ottawa has a small town feel, with beautiful country side and lakes and ski hills readily accessible.

Heathcare: Universal heathcare is available to all permanent residents, though you may find you are paying for extra services the NHS might have covered, for example drugs (depending on income), glasses, dentisty, though my understanding is that these 'extended' benifits are much reduced in the UK too these days.

There is considerable debate about the state of Canadian Health care, and clearly there are some problems, but overall I my assessment is that it is a considerable improvement on the NHS. Most jobs will come with some sore of benefits package which includes insurance to cover family prescription/drug expenses, and other necessities, some of the better plans will include coverage for physiotherapy, dental work etc.

What really surprised me after moving to Canada is that this truly is a classless society, (or as close as I have ever come across - much more so than the US). I thought I was well aware of the class based culture of the UK, but only after living here for the first year or so did I really appreciate how pervasive the class culture in the UK had been. You will certainly never be able to tell a Canadian's income or schooling by his/her accent, or by which bar they prefer to frequent.

In summary, its a very big country with a few 'downs' and an aweful lot more 'ups', and different provinces so have very different characters, look around/travel a bit if you have the opportunity. I have never looked back.

All the best K