Re: I know its negative but.....
 

It is a myth.

Show some figures on crime rates between the UK and Canada that prove otherwise.

Re: I know its negative but.....
 

Figures, as discussed so often in the past, are often meaningless.

Dboy had it pretty well covered yesterday...
http://britishexpats.com/forum/showp...&postcount=152

Re: I know its negative but.....
 

Nah, that's just smoke and mirrors from dboy. Murder rates, drug arrests, burglaries etc, these things won't be measured that differently. (I know that the murder rate in the UK is the same as that in Nova Scotia for instance).

If you lived in the UK and only watched local TV and read local newspapers then your view would be very different. This is Canada where that is the norm.

Re: I know its negative but.....
 

I know that as I lived in America for a short while as a student and had American girlfriends who had the same family and day to day problems deep down as I did at home. In fact in many ways theirs seemed far worse as I felt like they always had to pretend like they were happy and put on a happy face, plus there is the religious thing within most American families which fortunately has never once factored in my background.

As for the Asia thing, well if I explain that my girlfriend is natively SE Asian and I have researched the culture and things before and I speak one of the SE Asian languages to a level then it may explain things a bit better. I think in general that you are probably right though and the grass all too often does seem greener on the other side, SE Asia is like a different world to the UK though and I think it would probably take a lot of getting used to anyway.

Re: I know its negative but.....
 

Where what is the norm?

Re: I know its negative but.....
 

You're deluded.
I dont care what statistics say- as I have my own real life experiences to call on.

Re: I know its negative but.....
 

I lived in asia and speak a SE asian language and I stand by my comment. It's an illusion.

Re: I know its negative but.....
 

A typical UK news story, taken from todays BBC...
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/e...et/8458792.stm

Re: I know its negative but.....
 

Hahaha - classic. Canada has less crime because less crime has happened to you? - come on, do you know how idiotic that sounds.

Re: I know its negative but.....
 

Not sure what your point is. In this country that's not even a crime.

Re: I know its negative but.....
 

Typical? Yeah right...happens all the time.

Thats exactly why I say your life seems better off ignoring the media.

Re: I know its negative but.....
 

Oh, it is if its out of season:sneaky:

Re: I know its negative but.....
 

Statistical evidence, however rigorously collected and analyzed, is obviously meaningless when it doesn't correlate to personal perceptions and philosophy.

Re: I know its negative but.....
 

Which country and which language if you don't mind my asking?

It might be an option for me in the future so it would be good to have an experienced persons point of view.

Re: I know its negative but.....
 

Preciso.

In the UK it can occasionally be difficult to not break at least some sort of minor law in daily life, we really do have that many. Technically it's illegal to transfer songs from your CD collection to your iPod but HMV fully endorse it. Likewise the same car which could be considered a complete wreck and illegal to drive on the road in the UK would be perfectly acceptable to drive in North America.

Re: I know its negative but.....
 

First you need the rigorous collection and analysis though,, thats whats missing around here.

The other problem is that comparisons are applied across both countries and the implication made that its impossible to improve your quality of life with respect to exposure to petty crime by moving to Canada. I can only judge that by my own experience.

Re: I know its negative but.....
 

I lived in Bangkok for three years. I can speak Thai (I am nowhere near fluent, but I can handle most everyday situations).

Edit: I should add that I liked living there a lot (more so than Canada) although it's not without it's annoyances. Still, I'd have stayed if a long term option was open to me, but it wasn't. This said, I wouldn't live there on a local income whatever the circumstances - that would be a shitty life.

Re: I know its negative but.....
 

I don't think this consideration of the neighbours as representing Canada makes any sense at all. I struggle to recall ever having had neighbours in Canada who would self-identify as Canadian. I'm sure I've never had a neighbour who was born in Canada to two parents who were born in Canada. What they're like, how outgoing they are, is largely a function of the culture they come from.

Re: I know its negative but.....
 

About as idiotic as completely dismissing the words of someone who is actually involved in reporting of crimes, and saying crimes are reported in the same manner in Canada and the UK.... and then completely contradicting yourself in the next post.

Re: I know its negative but.....
 

Ah, the folly of asking for an opinion on whether to move to Canada in a public forum!

With a mixed up thread like this who would know the answer? Everyone that's moved here will have their own story either good or bad and as I think Iain said it's best to try a visit here. Even then no one really knows until they actually live here and anecdotal stories or statistics just don't cut it.

For what it's worth I've been here five and a half years and I'm fairly bored with living here. I much preferred living in Britain even though (in my experience) there have been some definite gains for me by moving here.

I just compare the two countries and found that my life was more vibrant back in the UK but that's not a criticism of Canada or the people that live here or indeed the people that live next door!

People here are friendly enough, I haven't had any yobs walk down my street at 2am and I've not been a victim of crime since getting here. The cost of living here generally speaking seems to compare on a like for like basis to the UK with of course some differences and as an unskilled worker my low income here again compares typically to the kind of income I used to get back in Britain. My employer with a big company here seems to compare again with what my experience was back at home.

I do not enjoy the very long winters here (neither does my Canadian wife) and I'm disappointed with the progress we are making with our severely autistic son. One of the things we are planning to research is to see if things would be any better for him if we were to return. I don't like the long distances that we sometimes have to travel and living in Ontario I miss the coastline.

When I used to live in England I sometimes used to be woken up by yobs walking down my street at 2am and I once had my car stolen. I used to go to the seaside a lot, it didn't take miles and miles to get anywhere though the traffic jams could be really bad and I hated MOT time.

For me both countries are very decent places to live with their own pros and cons. Better though to move somewhere new for positive reasons as opposed to leaving for negative reasons and I'm very aware of that as we contemplate a possible move back.

Re: I know its negative but.....
 

But when those experiences are largely conditioned by media then how trust worthy are those? Why not use scientifically derived comparisons rather than make catastrophic life decisions based on such tenuous evidence and wooly logic.

Re: I know its negative but.....
 

The media in canada is localized and concentrates on local events.

Re: I know its negative but.....
 

very well put dear

Re: I know its negative but.....
 

Where did I contradict myself?

(and I didn't dismiss dboy's post, but I think he's being a bit disingenuous with the crime examples he picked)

Re: I know its negative but.....
 

Jan you regurgitate the same tired points in every thread that offers the opportunity. Broad generalizations, rather than direct experience.

Your credibility as a balanced and thoughtful poster, in my opinion is just further eroded by continued diatribe about how the whole of Canada and its population hasn't met your expectations, and how it won't meet any one else's.

Piglets generally enjoy a good roll in the shit, so don't get too offended if it's thrown your way. My own soul (whatever that is) needs no investigation.

Re: I know its negative but.....
 

But, is it up the the person to be informed or to seek their own information? If you don't look in the right places or ask the right questions you won't get the information you may need.

Re: I know its negative but.....
 

Canada is too regional a country to paint it with one brush. The experiences in one region of the country don't necessarily equate to what one would experience in another region.

Re: I know its negative but.....
 

1st thing...before you rant that the education is lacking and teachers don't correct basic grammar and spelling have a look at your own.

How much research did you do before you decided to go to Kawartha Lakes.

The bit about Canadians only socializing when it is convenient is a new one to me...I've never had that issue here...

Re: I know its negative but.....
 

I'm not arguing for or against the friendliness of Londoners (although as I'm sure you're aware, not everyone who lives in London is from London - my neighbours were from all points of the compass), but rather against your assertion that Canadians are not friendly or neighbourly. In my experience that is not the case.

As for your comments about expletives, if you're offended by the occasional "crap" or "bollocks" I think you need to toughen up a bit.

I don't know what brings you to question whether I have a soul. That seems to be descending into personal insult rather, doesn't it? I won't be drawn into an ad hominem attack. That's not in the spirit of this forum's debate. I think you're wrong, I think your opinions are shortsighted and narrowminded, but I will not insult you for thinking as you do or for holding the opinions that you hold.

Re: I know its negative but.....
 

don't respond to my posts then and do something more constructive with your time

Re: I know its negative but.....
 

I'm intrigued as to why you think my comfortability in asia was an illusion then as it sounds like you quite enjoyed it there. :)

I know what you mean about living in the local income, some former colleagues of mine went out to Manila when an office I used to work in was outsourced a few years ago and a few of them have married and stayed on but the ones who are doing well are the ones who have managed to get cushy jobs with western companies. The ones who have tried to live on the Phillipino rate of pay have just crashed and burned by all accounts.

Re: I know its negative but.....
 

If you dont want people to respond, then I suggest you go start a blog rather than post on a public forum that invites replies!

Personally I think Oakvillian did a very good job of countering your points without crossing into personal abuse., and I would encourage EVERYONE to resist the temptation of making personal attacks.

Re: I know its negative but.....
 

Huh? Where did you get the impression that I think responding to your comments is anything less than constructive? All I was pointing out was the inappropriateness of personal insult - it simply further diminishes the strength of your argument if you cannot support it without insulting its detractors.

Re: I know its negative but.....
 

You can be comfortable materially for sure. I lived in a nice condo, travelled around, had no commute etc. But once you get past the smiles and friendliness you realize that you are (at best) tolerated rather than accepted for the most part. You get used to it, but it's always there.

There are lots of compensations such as the fact that Bangkok is the best city in the world for food (of pretty much any type or ethnicity); the social life is great; and it's a great place if you fancy visiting the rest of asia without being what the thai locals call a farang kii nok (bird shit foreigner - or backpacker)

Re: I know its negative but.....
 

OK..i did a skip through the posts..........;)
To the OP it will depend on your job and what you want from the country etc etc, like others have said what works for them may not work for you.

Believe me and i am talking from experience, there is back stabbers no matter where you live in the world, i saw my share lst year, not just in the uk, but here in my little bubble :rofl::rofl:

But you know what, life is what you make it.
Yeah you miss family/friends, when someone dies its a long way to go back and deal with stuff and even closing down someones life after they passed away can be done from the otherside of the planet................
You have to do what is right for you and your family, give it a go, if it doesnt work, have Plan B ready :thumbsup::thumbsup:

For us i think the teachers ROCK, the canadian people that i have met ROCK and mind you some of my expats friends ROCK.............
the area that i live in, i love, my neighbours are lovely, the people at my OH work are brilliant (sorry awesome) and i wouldnt move back to the uk.
It has worked out for me and mine, but i know others that have moved back and cant stand the place :blink:

Many with advise what a real crap year i had last year, but its not canada's fault or anyone elses, my kids are happy, my OH is doing REAL well in his job, i am in the process of setting my own business up nd my family are happy..........

My advise for anyone is get over to where ever you are looking at and do a recci :eek::eek:

Good luck OP

Re: I know its negative but.....
 

[QUOTE=Time 4 Change;8246276]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?

We have all left our home country for different reasons. Canada's government and politicians are no different to Britain's, you'll find some items cheaper here and some more expensive, in my experience its swings and roundabouts. As for safe, well, I know people in Canada who don't ever lock their front or back doors and I have known a couple of people who lock their homes and then been burgled. Moving countries is a big step and costs time and money. Attitude is everything. Do some research into moving counties before moving countries. I left Britain in 1989 and yes I miss things, certain foods, good times, pubs, the social life, but when I visit my home town I realise that everything has changed. I am always happy to return to my new home, Canada. Good luck with your decision and follow your gut.:)

Re: I know its negative but.....
 

[QUOTE=Gosport Girl;8248943]I wonder if you could explain further the idea that "everything has changed" because for those that might be considering returning to the UK, it would be nice not to be caught too off guard.

Re: I know its negative but.....
 

Do I know you?

Re: I know its negative but.....
 

Visiting is a great idea - perhaps getting some books or extensive use of google, looking into the type / size / location / climate you fancy most & then posting to see what people may know of some suggested towns.

Personally I am looking at BC, but then I have family there so that it a major draw.
I do like Vancouver Island to visit, but am not sure I would like the ferry / flight before travelling anywhere else - even though the ferry rides are pretty great.

Have fun researching.
:)

Re: I know its negative but.....
 

Thats the best way, just come over and see how it feels for yourself as everybody's perception is different.