Life in Alberta?
#61
Banned
Thread Starter
Joined: Jun 2017
Location: UK
Posts: 175
Re: Life in Alberta?
I have three children - only one of them is alive however, so I do fully appreciate the urge to wrap your kids in cotton wool. I would happily go full out Lysa Arran on my toddler but I know that would do him no favours at all, so I reign in it. Being over protective of your kids does not help them, teaching them how to cope, react and avoid danger will serve them a lot better in life. You do sound very anxious, would some CBT or coping counselling help?
Ive lived in some dangerous parts of the world, including Joburg when it was having troubles. I also narrowly avoided a public flogging for being naughty whilst working in the middle east in my early twenties - ahhh the joys of youth!. I think its a pretty safe bet that nowhere in Alberta is going to be dangerous to the degree that you need to worry too much.
Rather than the murder rate I would actually be looking more at the sex offenders rate, including paedophilia. Far more of a risk in most societies. Also, from what I gather of Alberta fashion crimes are a real and genuine risk.
Ive lived in some dangerous parts of the world, including Joburg when it was having troubles. I also narrowly avoided a public flogging for being naughty whilst working in the middle east in my early twenties - ahhh the joys of youth!. I think its a pretty safe bet that nowhere in Alberta is going to be dangerous to the degree that you need to worry too much.
Rather than the murder rate I would actually be looking more at the sex offenders rate, including paedophilia. Far more of a risk in most societies. Also, from what I gather of Alberta fashion crimes are a real and genuine risk.
#62
Re: Life in Alberta?
I know there's no getting away from drugs...it's hard when you have three little ones and you just want to protect them from everything And I grew up in a time and place (well, when I say "in a time" i'm talking the 80s/90s so not completely the dark ages) where I just didn't ever see or hear anything about drugs. Anywhere. Well, just on television. When I read or see on television of parents who've lost their children to drugs to the point that they wait for that phone call or knock on the door to give them the news they've been afraid of it just fills me with fear :-/ I know we're in a different time from when I was little and it's just about everywhere now...but I think I'm still under the illusion I can shield them
Do you happen to know the murder rate of Calgary and if many of those are innocent people? (As opposed to drugs or gangs or domestic violence...not that victims of that aren't innocent but hopefully you know what I meant). I've been trying to find the murder rate of where I live but there doesn't seem to be a "rate." I could only find 3 domestic murder suicides but there must be more murders as we're in a city of nearly 300,000. I just wanted to compare you see
Do you happen to know the murder rate of Calgary and if many of those are innocent people? (As opposed to drugs or gangs or domestic violence...not that victims of that aren't innocent but hopefully you know what I meant). I've been trying to find the murder rate of where I live but there doesn't seem to be a "rate." I could only find 3 domestic murder suicides but there must be more murders as we're in a city of nearly 300,000. I just wanted to compare you see
http://www.calgary.ca/cps/Pages/Stat...l-reports.aspx
I feel pretty safe here in Calgary. Yes, there are crimes and break-ins and stuff but I don't see it as any better or worse than the UK on that front - you just do what you can to minimise being a victim of crime.
#63
Re: Life in Alberta?
Hmm, yes, well, ahem. Its probably not something I'd tell at a dinner party! I was caught having sex in an alleyway (classy) but the thing which was most offensive to the police was that I didn't have my head covered . As luck would have it my partner at the time was pretty high up in the police so apart from a few very red faces all around, the matter was swept under the carpet very quickly! Crikey, I'm blushing just typing that, my wine does seem to have had a bit of a tongue loosening effect on me.
#64
Banned
Thread Starter
Joined: Jun 2017
Location: UK
Posts: 175
Re: Life in Alberta?
I am at the forefront of East Coast fashion crimes, I even have plaid hotpants now, which I wear with cowboy boots. I love it.
Thank you, and I'm sorry to hear about your sister, Our experiences shape us, something I'm very aware of when I'm parenting our toddler. Parenting I think is like a pendulum, easy to go one way or the other, hard to get it to balance in the middle.
For what its worth I think we have a better quality of life here than anywhere else i've ever lived (I am a serial expat), the UK included, and I feel infinitely safer here than I ever did in the UK. Life seems a lot gentler here, if that makes sense.
Now cooking dinner but will reply in a bit more detail in a little while.
Thank you, and I'm sorry to hear about your sister, Our experiences shape us, something I'm very aware of when I'm parenting our toddler. Parenting I think is like a pendulum, easy to go one way or the other, hard to get it to balance in the middle.
For what its worth I think we have a better quality of life here than anywhere else i've ever lived (I am a serial expat), the UK included, and I feel infinitely safer here than I ever did in the UK. Life seems a lot gentler here, if that makes sense.
Now cooking dinner but will reply in a bit more detail in a little while.
So glad you find Calgary the best place you've ever lived. And the safest. And excellent work on the plaid hot pants and cowboy boots by the way! I actually have a pair of cowboy boots myself...can't say the world should bare witness to me in hot pants though!
#65
Re: Life in Alberta?
I'm pretty sure Raindrops doesn't live in Calgary- about 4800 miles to the East is getting warmer
Last edited by Stinkypup; Jun 17th 2017 at 11:06 pm.
#67
Re: Life in Alberta?
I think its very normal to want to check everything out thoroughly. It does feel very safe in Canada, I love it here and wouldn't be anywhere else now.
Hmm, yes, well, ahem. Its probably not something I'd tell at a dinner party! I was caught having sex in an alleyway (classy) but the thing which was most offensive to the police was that I didn't have my head covered . As luck would have it my partner at the time was pretty high up in the police so apart from a few very red faces all around, the matter was swept under the carpet very quickly! Crikey, I'm blushing just typing that, my wine does seem to have had a bit of a tongue loosening effect on me.
Hmm, yes, well, ahem. Its probably not something I'd tell at a dinner party! I was caught having sex in an alleyway (classy) but the thing which was most offensive to the police was that I didn't have my head covered . As luck would have it my partner at the time was pretty high up in the police so apart from a few very red faces all around, the matter was swept under the carpet very quickly! Crikey, I'm blushing just typing that, my wine does seem to have had a bit of a tongue loosening effect on me.
#68
Re: Life in Alberta?
Yes sorry, when I meant safe I meant Canada in general, as Stinky says I'm out East.
The joys of youth heh? I'm very boring now by comparison. Still have a mile wide rebellious streak though . Funnily enough I hadn't thought about that night for a long time until tonight. Those were the days, now the naughtiest thing I get up to is overtaking in the no overtaking sections of the highway. Truly wild.
I did recently get invited to a Hells Angels party at the clubhouse in Ch'town, much to the scandal of the other mothers at the local playgroup. I may even get a tattoo soon
Anyway, back to Canada and safety. I do feel a lot safer here than in the UK, and then police and RCMP seem a lot more on the ball too and happy to help and intervene when needed, something I never really felt in the UK.
The joys of youth heh? I'm very boring now by comparison. Still have a mile wide rebellious streak though . Funnily enough I hadn't thought about that night for a long time until tonight. Those were the days, now the naughtiest thing I get up to is overtaking in the no overtaking sections of the highway. Truly wild.
I did recently get invited to a Hells Angels party at the clubhouse in Ch'town, much to the scandal of the other mothers at the local playgroup. I may even get a tattoo soon
Anyway, back to Canada and safety. I do feel a lot safer here than in the UK, and then police and RCMP seem a lot more on the ball too and happy to help and intervene when needed, something I never really felt in the UK.
#69
Re: Life in Alberta?
No, not really...we'd like to relocate but it's just a case of thinking about the children. If we were to make the decision to relocate and anything happened to them that would have been unlikely here then I'd never forgive myself. So it's more just trying to really find out as much information as I can in order to make an informed decision. And it's great to be able to ask people who actually live in a place all about it...and the more you ask, well, other questions arise. I just look at it like chatting to someone I know, just asking questions and establishing all the information to make a sensible decision. That's all
I agree with Stinky. If you are concerned about your children going to a school that doesn't keep them locked up, I suggest you remain in the UK.
Yes, people are murdered in Calgary each year. However, as others have said, it is usually gangs shooting each other. I don't imagine it is that much difference to what happens in any city in England with a population of over one million.
My mother lives on the Isle of Wight. My cousin is a police officer in the Hampshire Constabulary. Each has been here on a number of occasions and each has said how much safer they feel and how more friendly the locals are, when compared to home.
People here will park their car, go into a grocery store while leaving their keys in the ignition and the windows down. A criminal from the UK would have a field day here. When we first arrived, my wife cleaned people's houses. She put up flyers and people called her and after speaking to her for 10 minutes or so on the phone, were happy to give her the keys to their house. They have no concept of the "danger" that you speak of.
Last edited by Almost Canadian; Jun 18th 2017 at 12:21 am.
#70
¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Joined: Mar 2010
Location: SW Calgary
Posts: 776
Re: Life in Alberta?
Do you happen to know the murder rate of Calgary and if many of those are innocent people? (As opposed to drugs or gangs or domestic violence...not that victims of that aren't innocent but hopefully you know what I meant). I've been trying to find the murder rate of where I live but there doesn't seem to be a "rate." I could only find 3 domestic murder suicides but there must be more murders as we're in a city of nearly 300,000. I just wanted to compare you see
2014 Murder Rates per 100,000 people for Canada and North America:
#71
Forum Regular
Joined: Feb 2017
Location: https://t.me/pump_upp
Posts: 261
Re: Life in Alberta?
I know there's no getting away from drugs...it's hard when you have three little ones and you just want to protect them from everything And I grew up in a time and place (well, when I say "in a time" i'm talking the 80s/90s so not completely the dark ages) where I just didn't ever see or hear anything about drugs. Anywhere. Well, just on television. When I read or see on television of parents who've lost their children to drugs to the point that they wait for that phone call or knock on the door to give them the news they've been afraid of it just fills me with fear :-/ I know we're in a different time from when I was little and it's just about everywhere now...but I think I'm still under the illusion I can shield them
Do you happen to know the murder rate of Calgary and if many of those are innocent people? (As opposed to drugs or gangs or domestic violence...not that victims of that aren't innocent but hopefully you know what I meant). I've been trying to find the murder rate of where I live but there doesn't seem to be a "rate." I could only find 3 domestic murder suicides but there must be more murders as we're in a city of nearly 300,000. I just wanted to compare you see
Do you happen to know the murder rate of Calgary and if many of those are innocent people? (As opposed to drugs or gangs or domestic violence...not that victims of that aren't innocent but hopefully you know what I meant). I've been trying to find the murder rate of where I live but there doesn't seem to be a "rate." I could only find 3 domestic murder suicides but there must be more murders as we're in a city of nearly 300,000. I just wanted to compare you see
Like all forums, the advice you have been given in some cases has been sensible and in many cases nonsense, That is not unusual.
My question is how you are you going to decide which advice is sensible and which is rubbish sitting in UK?
I moved from UK to Toronto several decades ago, and have no regrets. Like all big cities Toronto has all the big city problems as does Calgary.
My two boys grew up in middle class suburbs of Toronto. Went to excellent public schools. No guns. No drugs. One of my sons stayed for 3 years in California to study for MBA, and he had no problems of street violence, drugs or guns.
I have been to Calgary. I have also been to Brisbane (Australia) and traveled as far north as Cairns. I would live in Brisbane any day if had the choice between the two
You have been to Canada, and like the US (where I have traveled extensively) it is a big and varied country. So you need to visit the place before deciding if you would like it.
Before we moved to Canada the whole family came for six week holiday to Toronto, and we traveled around the province cross the border to the US and after the trip, decided that we wanted to move to Toronto.
There is no substitute for visiting and getting the feel for the place, You cannot do that online and reading peoples opinions.
#73
Re: Life in Alberta?
My two cents, Calgary is remote....once you have seen everything you have to travel huge distances to see something different.....let's say states or Vancouver, these are hundreds of miles away, Edmonton is also 200 miles away and is the nearest big city, it is much like Calgary. Though you can go to a world class attraction at Drumheller and the heart of the Rockies in under two hours.
Had I originally moved to Okatokes, I would be back in UK ALREADY. Think one horse town where the horse moved on because it is dull, really really dull.
Had I originally moved to Okatokes, I would be back in UK ALREADY. Think one horse town where the horse moved on because it is dull, really really dull.
#74
Banned
Thread Starter
Joined: Jun 2017
Location: UK
Posts: 175
Re: Life in Alberta?
I just checked with my kid what a lockdown practice involves - she said they just practice being quiet and lock the classrooms up - she is not fazed by it at all (she is 7) and treats it just like any other normal practice e.g. fire drill. I don't think the teachers blatantly tell the kids this is what we do if a gun toting madman enters the school - they tell them its just if there is an unknown/bad person has entered the building. Please don't let it put you off - it just reflects the times we all live in these days I'm afraid.
#75
Banned
Thread Starter
Joined: Jun 2017
Location: UK
Posts: 175
Re: Life in Alberta?
I think its very normal to want to check everything out thoroughly. It does feel very safe in Canada, I love it here and wouldn't be anywhere else now.
Hmm, yes, well, ahem. Its probably not something I'd tell at a dinner party! I was caught having sex in an alleyway (classy) but the thing which was most offensive to the police was that I didn't have my head covered . As luck would have it my partner at the time was pretty high up in the police so apart from a few very red faces all around, the matter was swept under the carpet very quickly! Crikey, I'm blushing just typing that, my wine does seem to have had a bit of a tongue loosening effect on me.
Hmm, yes, well, ahem. Its probably not something I'd tell at a dinner party! I was caught having sex in an alleyway (classy) but the thing which was most offensive to the police was that I didn't have my head covered . As luck would have it my partner at the time was pretty high up in the police so apart from a few very red faces all around, the matter was swept under the carpet very quickly! Crikey, I'm blushing just typing that, my wine does seem to have had a bit of a tongue loosening effect on me.