Surely the winter weather in Vancouver is the perfect antidote?

Ya Yoshi, the winters are the most trying part. Was still bloody snowing end of May last year
And it's not so much the cold it's the snow/wet/constant mess everywhere. And having to bundle up my kids for 7 months of the year
Summer is great except for the ENORMOUS mozzies - my little girl is covered in scars left over from the huge bites. And they bite regardless of bug spray.

Yes, citizenship would give my children the option later on in life, though I'm not fussed about going anywhere near the UK. That seems like a backward move - I couldn't afford to live/work there with three children comfortably I'm sure of that.

Perfect? Wet and miserable? Lol I'm thinking that kind of weather might send me over the edge lol

Plus, Vancouver is bloody expensive no? Single mom 3 kids?
And if trying to meet people there is anything like here that won't help either lol - making friends here has been a complete and utter struggle. I don't seem to have anything in common with hockey/soccer moms that can bake, make and sew at the drop of a hat

Look up Kat Kam right now. That's the weather in Vancouver, real time. The cherry blossoms have started blooming. Spring has already started. A winter in Vancouver is nothing to be feared after you have spent time in the prairies. The rain is seasonal - falls the most in the winter months. Even in the winter, it's not terrible. Here is this week's weather:

The lower mainland weather isn't nearly as bad as people like to make it out to be. Yes it rains, and sometimes for a week or more, but it also turns quite pleasant, and of course winters are quite mild, 14C today and partly cloudy where I am today.

Vancouver is indeed pricey, but there are places less pricey, whether they are in your price range only you can decide, but there are nice places on the Island for example with reasonable cost's of living, and the Island tends to have nicer weather then the mainland does at times.

I am not the biggest fan of BC in general, but the weather is one of the things even I can't complain much about.

Rain is easier to deal with then snow that's for sure and you have the ability to see snow as a novelty and not a nuisance.

Ya looks beautiful Lychee - thank you for that.

Still too damp and cold for me - the damp feels colder at -2 than a dry -2. We spent a Christmas there a few years back, sunny but damp and really cold lol. AB does get amazing sunshine, thankfully lol.

I just think too expensive for us too. Though at the moment I'm so lost it might be an option to stay close to family.
In Calgary we have no one, and it's pretty isolated in the town we're in. Very clicky too. I have tried - I am a tryer lol

Thank you...
I should make another visit maybe but I'm sure the damp would p*ss me off eventually. Damp and dull does nothing for my soul
I have checked out VI and it appeals a little, but it really is the weather.
Having family close by would be a huge for sure. Maybe worth it while the children are growing up?

I don't tend to have a problem with the mozzies, but my wife blows up like a balloon when they bite. And I do find it very disappointing how messy and litter-strewn the streets of Calgary are (not just in the winter!), especially when others are chewing your ear off about how tidy Canada is! Our own daughter has made it clear that she will not be looking for Canadian jobs when she finishes Uni, so I guess that the citizenships we obtained will only be a lifeboat for us two old codgers, if our planned retirement in Malta (or, yes, even South West England: it's were moved from to come to Canada) doesn't work out.

But, hey! We have the Rockies! (Await the postings of the Sunny-Set)

Weighing in quickly to add yet more encouragement to get it all in writing, ideally court ratified. One rarely/never thinks of worst-case scenarios, but if /when it happens, & it can even in the friendliest of separations, one will be thankful for a paper trail.

Hi, Earth2momma! Yep, been in your shoes: immigrated, then separated, with children (although mine were older than yours when the final break came). It's not easy, & I don't have any meaningful advice or wisdom to impart, sorry .

are your children happy/thriving where you live now?

Ooh, yes please.

Seem's the RCMP dropped the ball on that one, and Australia seem's not to care the child was removed without permission, assuming the article is accurate.

I think that perhaps you yourself would benefit from some meaningful one to one time with an adult, perhaps a counselor that you can talk to..face to face rather than an online forum, as your relationship has hit rocky ground i can't imagine you and your ex are as close in anyway as before to have the sort of conversation you need. When my marriage fell apart, even though i was male, suddenly the thought of "packing up and starting afresh" felt like that was what i wanted!!!!!<<<note the exclamation marks

However, instead i listened to the sage advice of an older, wiser head and instead found new interests and someone to talk to, and to be candid i did most of the talking they just listened, I realised i didn't hate my location, I hated what it reminded me of, my old relationship and the "move on" bug was in fact "run away and hide"

I think part of what you need to think about as well is cost, if you up and relocate can you afford it, and can you and the kids easily re-establish a life and friends? I'd imagine all 3 kids have friends here? Sometimes you are better with the "devil you know" than jumping..I suppose what i'm trying to say is...take your time, weigh it all up and make sure it's what you REALLY want before you do anything.

Thanks Shirtback - awesome advice....
We are going to get everything in writing, he's made it quite clear work/keeping work is a priority.

Argh you too huh? Sorry to hear that. You all sorted/settled now?

Fairly happy (but how happy can you be in a house with mom and dad obviously not happy? They feel the tension for sure. Heartbreaking). But growing up on crap food, too much TV/iPad/indoors time. It's an isolated town, we have play dates at our house (though rarely get asked over to others' houses?).

I have 2 in school, but they actually don't have very close, close friends. My 6 yr old is constantly wanting to play with someone outside, but the kids here love to sit at home and eat/watch TV/play video games, they just don't come out to play!

I'm sure Canada is not the same all, but it sure feels that way sometimes.

Thanks Shirtback

I'll take this to PM.

Seems the RCMP had no court order saying she couldn't take the baby either. And Australia didn't have anything from the Canadian courts saying she couldn't bring the baby - an Australian citizen by the way - to Australia. What did you want DIBP to do? Prevent an Australian citizen mother from bringing her Australian citizen baby into Australia?