Re: Where to live?
 

Opportunities in Sk are limited to certain areas, it has less than 1,000,000 people of whom almost 30% are Aboriginal,and the population is decling, that is why many of the Grads move to Alberta, for work opportunities.

Sk people are different, basic, solid, hard working, not overly caught up in the material world, but the weather can be crappy.

Cold in Sk is when you step on the snow and you can hear it squeak, so be prepared.

Learn to love winter Sports, Hockey, Curling, else you will get Cabin Fever, can drive a person mad.

Re: Where to live?
 

According to people in Sk a lot of families are moving back to Sk for the exact reasons you point out that the people are basic, solid and hard working and think a lot of their communities.

The weather in Northern Ireland is crappy too it rains the greatest percentage of the year, esp the winter when you have no choice but to stay indoors suffering from cabin fever. We dont have such things as winter sports unless you call wathcing TV everyevening a sport:rofl: This will be an exciting new oppourtunity for us and we cant wait to experience the snow. We are not under any illusions that it will be very cold and something we have never before experienced, but I'm sure we will get used to it.

Re: Where to live?
 

I fail to see why ethnic diversity, or lack thereof, should trigger such a response. I would imagine most here would pick their neighbourhoods very carefully after taking into account ones financial means. I always have.

One usually doesn't have any choice in the workplace but then again one doesn't live at work. Seven hours a day is plenty. Just because Canada is known as a multicultural country, whatever that means, it doesn't imply that one doesn't have a choice as to ones residence.

As to snobbism, frankly I see none. All I do see is an honest attempt to help someone. Don't be to quick to judge.

Re: Where to live?
 

This:

"Ethnic diversity does not exist in these areas, if that is a concern, they are both very traditional with Upper Middle Class Parents.

My Sons both Graduated from Leaside, and as the one said, it was never a question of whether you went to University, but which one."

is text book snobery. It's explicit in suggesting that the author's neighbourhood is better than others because the people there are white and Upper Middle Class (whatever that is).

Re: Where to live?
 

Because racism is frowned up in Canada and immigrants are rightly particularly sensitive about it. It's particularly offensive to claim that an area of Toronto is better because it's where the white people live because Toronto's main (perhaps only) claim to fame is that it has a reasonably diverse population.

Re: Where to live?
 

Thanks for pointing this out DBD...I was beginning to think that i had picked Howard up wrong. If from my replies anyone out there thinks I am a racist you are all wrong...that is why I asked the question "What is wrong with ethnic diversity"?

Re: Where to live?
 

Looks like you need an extra pair of glasses because I see no mention of white people. Put diplomatically, you have an overactive imagination. Just the sort of poster a forum such as this needs.

Indeed there was mention of Upper Middle Class. Reality check: There are such neighbourhoods in every city and if one can afford to live there well that is plus.

Re: Where to live?
 

And while you are it I suggest you pay attention to what others have to say. DBD is not the final authority on the subject.

Re: Where to live?
 

Mike - I think its you who needs the glasses as Im quite sure the word "white" appears two words before "Upper Middle Class". At least this si the way we spell it in Northern Ireland - perhaps that is not the case in Montreal. I happen to think DBD is a great asset to this forum as he is funny/witty and very helpful and unlike others has a good sense of humour.

Re: Where to live?
 

Did you get out of bed on the wrong side today my dear?
I do pay attention to what others say on this site. No one ever said DBD was the final authority - this forum is free to all to express their own opinions - I think we still live in a democratic world. Hence the fact that we disagree with Howard should not annoy you so much in the same way as you disagreeing with me does not annoy me - I think you are funny and too uptight. If you look though most of Howards posts he gets everyones backs up and alternatively his post in "Whats bad about Canada" - i completely agree with.

Are you Howards brother?

Re: Where to live?
 

Is this the thread that I started? It seems to have wandered off in another direction.
Would those people that want to argue about racism please start their own thread.
I just want to talk about good places to live and especially very specific places with a bit of green and academically good schools.

Everyone will have their own feeing about why a particular place is good or not. They are welcome to express their views whether I or anyone else likes it or not. Jews, Wops, kikes, wasps, niggers, wetbacks, are all welcome. Me, I'm part English which part oppressed and starved another part of me which is Irish, both being driven by oppression from their homelands where they came to America and got knocked up by some dirty little native, a third part of me, and they all got together and discriminated against the jews who proceeded to marry into the family, a forth part of me.

I will not be insulted by someone who thinks I should live in an all white or an all indian community. Lets just talk about the communities and the schools and the traffic, and the green space, and take the racism discussions somewhere else.
Thanks,
Dale

Re: Where to live?
 

Hi Dale

I have read your original post and it sems that what you want is an academically strong school, and for arguments sake I will state that this may not mean an overall good school as we all have ideas about what a good school is or isn't and academic acheivement may only be one category.

You also say you have a small child. How small may be quite critical, as some schools may be oversubscribed.

For you I think the Frasercard reports are ideal - these are publsihed for some but not all provinces. Calgary Board of Education publishes its own performance tests as well. Even given the premise of frasercard, they still need some scrutiny as KG-grade 3s are missed out and also some schools (for instance in calgary) are gifted and talented schools and therefore produce much better results at grade 6 than they would naturally do. In other words these schools are highly selective and their results mirror this- but it is not taken into acount in their frasercard.

You don't say you want state or private. I will say, as it amazed me when I first started looking, that the private schooling system is subsidised by the state- they get something like 60-70% of the state subsidy- this means they are much cheaper.

I have done some research into Calgary elementary schools. You can also have a choice as to style as well and it sounds like you may like the traditional learning schools and/or the charter schools. The private schools can get pretty oversubscibed in Calgary early years. Private schools seemed not as well endowed as in UK, in other words because they are a relatively new thing they are not rolling around rich like some private schools in the UK so the facilities are not as good. I looked around 4 state and 1 private elementary school, and the private school maybe fared the least well in terms of facilities.

I agree with Judy about you actually choosing where you would like to be in terms of your international flights and then you should be able to find the type of area you like/ with schools you like within the zones. As she says childcare may be an issue.

Best wishes

gryph

Re: Where to live?
 

ps

I have noticed on this forum that people in BC have an increased tendancy to moan about the early years education. This could be because it isn't quite as good or could be down to the individual personalities - I have no idea.

Also the getting away from car thing may be tricky as to me canadains love their cars!

Re: Where to live?
 

That would seem to rule out Leaside as a destination.

If you don't want to be dependent on a car then you're limited to the downtown core of Toronto, Montreal and perhaps Vancouver and Calgary.

If you want good schools then look for those that offer the bac: http://www.ibo.org/

If you don't have a lot of money then it has to be a state school. Voila, move to the Beach, send any and all children to Monarch Park.

Re: Where to live?
 

1. "ethnic diversity" describes people of various colours. Thus touting a neighbourhood as lacking it implies that neighbourhood is populated by white people. It's quite simple really, no imagination required.

2. Canada lacks class. There are richer and poorer neighbourhoods but Upper Middle Class is a reference to a system that doesn't quite apply; who are the aristocracy (save Conrad Black) in Canada?

The whole Howard claim for Leaside is bonkers in conflating affluence and social status and doubly so because Leaside aint that white anyway; I even know a Newfie who lives there.