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I know its negative but.....

I know its negative but.....

Old Jan 13th 2010, 11:36 pm
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Default Re: I know its negative but.....

Originally Posted by Time 4 Change
We are seriously considering emigrating, for the 'better life', we are not after perfect weather etc, but an actual better run country, with less crime and better opportunities for our family, we have been researching on the internet, but all you get is statistics, and statistics dont really tell us what we need to know, I would like the real truth, of the country, we currently live in a small rural village on the outskirts of a nice town, however everything seems to be getting 'taken over' and no where really feels safe anymore, is it just me or are there any 'safe' places left in the world. I have looked at Canada and most things say this is the place, but i really need to know!!! Can anyone help me?

xxx
we came to Canada from NW England in 2005, for the "lifestyle" and have been extremely disappointed.
While Canadians are polite with excuse mes and pleases and thank yous they are not too friendly.
neighbours aren't neighbourly or sociable.
Canadians seem to want you when it's at their conbenience they have no regard for your emotions and being out on a limb without you familiar friends and family. As long as they're ok that's all that matters.
The Canadian kids make plans with my 2 teenagers and constantly let them down with no excuses.
Their dress is generally scruffier especially in rural areas.
Poor live next door to rich and average so there's a mish mash of values and states of houses and gardens.
You have to drive drive drive eberywhere, there's no quaint little strools down by village full of thatched cottages or slate houses or castles.
You can drive for days and the scenery is still the same- it has got so boring that we're returning to Britain this summer.
The winters are 5 months long and most Canadians can't stand them and the ones that can afford to go to warmer climes leave in Nov until April.
The summers are lovely sometimes too hot and you get troubled with mosquitoes and black fly.
We get bears, deer, porcupine, raccoons, hummingbirds in our field which is fantastic.
Fuel prices are equivalent to 50pence/litre in Ontario but our family of 2 drivers pay an average of £70/week travelling quite local.
Insurance is higher because not as many people are putting into the pot.
Food and clothing stores aren't as well equipped. You can't get the British luxuries unless you go to Euro stores and pay through the nose for jaffa cakes or English mustard.
Education is lacking and teachers don't correct the basic grammar or spelling mistakes.
The grass is definitely not greener. Please think seriously about spliiting your family up and taking grandchildren away from their grandparents. While on the surface, our childrens grandparents wanted us to have a "better" life it has taken its toll on their health and they have raoidly gone down hill since we left, so we cannot sponsor them here and we are returning to be with them. When I told my mother recently that we're returning she was over the moon and admitted it was like a bereavement when we left, but the dear never wanted to stand in our way. That's TRUE UNCONDITIONAL LOVE. No wonder I'm homesick
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Old Jan 13th 2010, 11:38 pm
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Default Re: I know its negative but.....

Originally Posted by wheatsheaf
Ho Ho Ho.

Seriously: Canada is a great country if

1) you have no social conscience

2) you have financial capital to palliate Canadian thuggery

or

3) you are penniless and unscrupulous

4) if you have children, you are prepared to let go of all your familial, communal, and spiritual guidelines

5) your main focus is material improvement.

6) you loathe musical talent.

7) you have no understanding of English grammar.

8) you are willing to compromise for a higher standard of living with every single fibre of nobler Brit nature. Even chavs have a better compass.

Honest truth
Looks like a load of tosh to me, what ya been smoking?


To the OP, this is nothing like my experience of Canada. Been here 15 years and quite satisfied. I would say for us the lifestyle suits us, our standard of living is comfortable and I cannot foresee anything that would get us to move away from here. We immigrated just to try something different. If you are motivated to immigrate to Canada from the UK for anything else than change for the sake of change, you may be disappointed.

Immigration is a long hard process, getting the permits, moving and then several years of settling in, with ups and downs along the way. For it to have a chance of success you have to be committed (and along the way feel you may be).

The legal system is as dysfunctional as anywhere else, there is crime and inadequate punishment, job security is questionable, not enough vacation for some and remuneration is extremely varied, government cutback as in many other countries.

Financially, especially with the current exchange I doubt a new immigrant would see a gain.

What we like:
The diverse scenery, mountains, grasslands, desert, lakes, rivers, oceans, snow on the mountains (where it belongs). Having flown and driven the western provinces I never tire of the constantly changing vistas. We made an effort to get involved from the beginning, especially with volunteer work and have some great friends. We have found little pretense (other than from some Brit immigrants), it matter not how new your car is, how fancy your house is or if you dress casually (which we do on the west coast). The education system is fine, kids graduated with honours and seem as balanced as teenagers can be.

The flight from the UK is only 9 hours and we see more of relatives than when we were in the UK. Which I am not always sure is a good thing. Used to bring my mother over once a month at one point (until I think she saw too much of me). She says she saw and heard more from me than my brother who lived 20 minutes away, so did the MIL as well.

I don't give a stuff about Jaffa Cakes, Marmite, mustard or any other groceries we used to buy in the UK. We have what we have and judging by my waistline seems like we must be doing OK.

Immigration is what you make of it and depends on your expectations . If you want the same as you had in the UK, but an ocean away, ain't gonna happen.

Last edited by Aviator; Jan 13th 2010 at 11:51 pm.
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Old Jan 13th 2010, 11:38 pm
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Default Re: I know its negative but.....

Originally Posted by j and k
This whole thing about 'taking over'...................

I lived in perth last year, and over there i was a pom.

Some aussie people said to me (immigration) 'That's gonna f__k this country up!.... full o poms here, why move here?'

Not exactly the welcome party i expected on my first day at work!

I think where ever you go in the world, you're going to get some of these opinions. But that is unfortunately all part of the fun! Don't be detered,live the dream because when you mix and get to know each other...It can work!

So why go any where!?! Mix with immigrants here? why not??

We're all human, Just better scenery abroad! people are the same where ever you go.
I don't know where you lived in the UK but it has the quaintest scenery especially the Lake District where I'm from.
Also, people are definitely definitely definitely NOT the same the world over- how stupid of you to say such a remark
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Old Jan 13th 2010, 11:40 pm
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Default Re: I know its negative but.....

Originally Posted by Alan2005
You should definitely come to Canada. The place is governed fantastically and there aren't any chav's. Everyone here is living the dream whilst being fully integrated into whichever local community they are in. You only live once, and life is what you make it after all.
I'm convinced, and may I add, that you should reach for the stars. Catch the dream before it fades. Be all you can be and little bit more. Don't let sleeping dogs lie and hatch your chickens before they crack, and the sooner you get out of that chav-infested crime ridden drunken morally bankrupt cesspool the better off you'll be to find the better life we all deserve.
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Old Jan 13th 2010, 11:44 pm
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Default Re: I know its negative but.....

I'm with Alan2005 on this one, but I'd just like to add that there is no crime what-so-ever in Canada since they introduced strict laws making it illegal.
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Old Jan 13th 2010, 11:45 pm
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Default Re: I know its negative but.....

Originally Posted by wheatsheaf
Ho Ho Ho.

Seriously: Canada is a great country if

1) you have no social conscience

2) you have financial capital to palliate Canadian thuggery

or

3) you are penniless and unscrupulous

4) if you have children, you are prepared to let go of all your familial, communal, and spiritual guidelines

5) your main focus is material improvement.

6) you loathe musical talent.

7) you have no understanding of English grammar.

8) you are willing to compromise for a higher standard of living with every single fibre of nobler Brit nature. Even chavs have a better compass.

Honest truth
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Old Jan 13th 2010, 11:48 pm
  #22  
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Default Re: I know its negative but.....

Originally Posted by Time 4 Change
We are seriously considering emigrating, for the 'better life', we are not after perfect weather etc, but an actual better run country, with less crime and better opportunities for our family, we have been researching on the internet, but all you get is statistics, and statistics dont really tell us what we need to know, I would like the real truth, of the country, we currently live in a small rural village on the outskirts of a nice town, however everything seems to be getting 'taken over' and no where really feels safe anymore, is it just me or are there any 'safe' places left in the world. I have looked at Canada and most things say this is the place, but i really need to know!!! Can anyone help me?

xxx
  • Better weather - depends where in canada
  • Better run country - no, plus as an immigrant you have no vote until you get citizenship
  • Less crime - depends where you live, but no real different to the uk
  • More opportunities - depends what you do for a living. For your kids, who knows what the Canadian / UK economies will be doing in years to come
  • Living in a rural village near nice town - rural takes on a whole new meaning here, equivalent of where you live now doesn't really exist here.
  • Cost of living - depend where in canada, but on the whole it's pretty like for like
Immigrating to Canada to "escape" the UK is pretty pointless unless there's a draw to Canada for some reason.
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Old Jan 13th 2010, 11:49 pm
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Default Re: I know its negative but.....

Originally Posted by jan the piglet
I don't know where you lived in the UK but it has the quaintest scenery especially the Lake District where I'm from.
Also, people are definitely definitely definitely NOT the same the world over- how stupid of you to say such a remark
Well Rochdale,Lancs is not the lakes! Parden me all over the place! i love the lakes!

As cofusius said,( he was a genious by the way,if i spelt his name right?)

"Under the sky, under the heavens there is but one family" HUMAN BEINGS!
Look different but are the same human beings!

Are we not all human beings? are you better than others because you're from the lakes? Hitler lives!
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Old Jan 13th 2010, 11:54 pm
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Default Re: I know its negative but.....

Originally Posted by Time 4 Change
We are seriously considering emigrating, for the 'better life', we are not after perfect weather etc, but an actual better run country, with less crime and better opportunities for our family, we have been researching on the internet, but all you get is statistics, and statistics dont really tell us what we need to know, I would like the real truth, of the country, we currently live in a small rural village on the outskirts of a nice town, however everything seems to be getting 'taken over' and no where really feels safe anymore, is it just me or are there any 'safe' places left in the world. I have looked at Canada and most things say this is the place, but i really need to know!!! Can anyone help me?

xxx
the usual suspects are having a go I see.

Canada, like most other places in the world may or may not offer you a better life. Its really too subjective. Leaving for a perceived belief that crime does not exisit or its better run etc, will leave you disappointed. Better opportunities? Again subjective. Depends what you do, where you are in your career etc. Outside of cheaper houses in some areas, other costs are much the same.

et sounds like you live in a nicer area of the UK, you use the word nice so I suspect its not all bad in your corner of the world. Don't put too much stock in what others say - trust your own perceptions of the place.

Those that are 'pushed' from teh UK tend to fair worse than those who are pulled due to a liking of the place, career opportunties etc.

Canada can be better but it can also be worse. Moreover, rural living here is very different than the UK.

Look before you leap- good luck
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Old Jan 13th 2010, 11:57 pm
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Default Re: I know its negative but.....

Originally Posted by jan the piglet
Also, people are definitely definitely definitely NOT the same the world over- how stupid of you to say such a remark
They are not the same the town over, let alone the world over in many ways. Cultures may vary, but human characteristics remain a constant.

Why would you say someone is stupid if they say something you disagree with. I would say typing the same word three times over is pretty futile and it should be 'make a remark' not 'say a remark'.
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Old Jan 13th 2010, 11:58 pm
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Default Re: I know its negative but.....

Originally Posted by Rob_999
  • Better weather - depends where in canada
  • Better run country - no, plus as an immigrant you have no vote until you get citizenship
  • Less crime - depends where you live, but no real different to the uk
  • More opportunities - depends what you do for a living. For your kids, who knows what the Canadian / UK economies will be doing in years to come
  • Living in a rural village near nice town - rural takes on a whole new meaning here, equivalent of where you live now doesn't really exist here.
  • Cost of living - depend where in canada, but on the whole it's pretty like for like
Immigrating to Canada to "escape" the UK is pretty pointless unless there's a draw to Canada for some reason.
Very well put - I agree.
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Old Jan 13th 2010, 11:59 pm
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Default Re: I know its negative but.....

Originally Posted by dboy
Don't put too much stock in what others say - trust your own perceptions of the place.

Those that are 'pushed' from teh UK tend to fair worse than those who are pulled due to a liking of the place.

Look before you leap- good luck
Some very wise sentiments. You would do well to heed them.
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Old Jan 14th 2010, 12:01 am
  #28  
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Default Re: I know its negative but.....

Originally Posted by Time 4 Change
We are seriously considering emigrating, for the 'better life', we are not after perfect weather etc, but an actual better run country, with less crime and better opportunities for our family, we have been researching on the internet, but all you get is statistics, and statistics dont really tell us what we need to know, I would like the real truth, of the country, we currently live in a small rural village on the outskirts of a nice town, however everything seems to be getting 'taken over' and no where really feels safe anymore, is it just me or are there any 'safe' places left in the world. I have looked at Canada and most things say this is the place, but i really need to know!!! Can anyone help me?

xxx
Based on what you're saying, I wouldn't waste your time. It sounds like you're trying to find a utopic Britain in Canada, and it doesn't exist. Canada is a nation of immigrants from all cultures.
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Old Jan 14th 2010, 12:03 am
  #29  
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Default Re: I know its negative but.....

Originally Posted by j and k
Well Rochdale,Lancs is not the lakes! Parden me all over the place! i love the lakes!

As cofusius said,( he was a genious by the way,if i spelt his name right?)

"Under the sky, under the heavens there is but one family" HUMAN BEINGS!
Look different but are the same human beings!

Are we not all human beings? are you better than others because you're from the lakes? Hitler lives!
<<snip>>
humans are not the same the world over - why don't you live amongst the Afghanistans and find out?
As for your spelling - it needs a lot of work.

Last edited by Sue; Jan 14th 2010 at 1:25 am. Reason: Please reign in the name calling, there really is no need to stoop to that. Many thanks.
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Old Jan 14th 2010, 12:05 am
  #30  
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Default Re: I know its negative but.....

Originally Posted by Lychee
Based on what you're saying, I wouldn't waste your time. It sounds like you're trying to find a utopic Britain in Canada, and it doesn't exist. Canada is a nation of immigrants from all cultures.
Totally agree.
please think very carefully and on that tick list of pros and cons put grandparents and friends at the top of the list - something money can't buy.
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