Jay Bird

[QUOTE=JonboyE;5782081]One rather important aspect of Canadian culture is the tolerance and respect of other peoples and their culture and lifestyles.

QUOTE]

Not always true Jonboy - depends on where you are. I am white, British and edging towards an age I'd rather not think about............I experience racism and ageism in my so-called community.

DAVIE_MAC

If you go back to post number 14 and read it correctly which was a reply to another post regarding no difference in us going to Canada and EU migrants moving to the UK you will understand what I was getting at and I also said MAYBE Powel was correct I didn't say I agreed totaly with him BUT you have to say SOME of what he spoke about HAS come true.

You actualy agreed in what I was sayin by the way by what you replied above. I have NO PROBLEM AT ALL with ANY race / colour / immigrant / Temp worker etc etc coming to the UK and doing an honest days work and making a better life for themselves I even work along side 3 indian workers who have done exactly that....BUT when anyone comes to the UK and makes demands on British society and tries to change things to suite them & whinge and moan about how bad the UK is and not tolerant of their culture...then pack up and P**S off just as any Brit ex pat can if they whinge and moan about Canada if they don't like it.

I will quote you above exactly as you posted your comment:

One rather important aspect of Canadian culture is the tolerance and respect of other peoples and their culture and lifestyles.

So what is the difference of immigrants moving to the UK doing this with British culture and showing respect to our country


I don't want to get into the keyboard wars that are going on in this thread. However, I do have to ask if you are so sure that Enoch Powell was right is Canada really a place where you will be happy? I mean, really?

I served or lived in the following countries and have never had anything but respect for the locals I don't think I really need anyone to talk to me about respect or where to live my life thanks....I mean really!!!

Iran / Saudi / Kuwait / Iraq / Malaya / Singapore / Germany / N.Ireland


NOSTROVIA

dingbat

You haven't even visited here yet, have you?

DAVIE_MAC

Where is here...if you mean BC then why would I when I won't be living there.

If you mean Canada then yes I have...why?

dingbat

A major Canadian city? There is no major ethnic or immigrant group that I can think of, which integrates into mainstream Canadian culture, whatever that is. Quite the opposite. I have already stated on this thread that there is NO requirement to integrate into "Canadian" culture, that is the essence of multiculturalism. If you think that there are no racial tensions here, and that people have respect for other people's culture, you are very mistaken.

JonboyE

There is much truth to this. I'm not so sure I agree with your last sentence, at least compared to Europe, but I accept we see life from a different perspective.

However, I think the best way to describe mainstream Canadian culture, at least as far as the major cities are concerned, is many ethic and immigrant cultures co-existing and sometimes interacting.

DAVIE_MAC

I totaly believe you...but to be totaly honest with you I'm not realy bothered and no offence is intended there.

I know my family and I will be happy in Canada more so than in the UK and thats the bottom line really...we will make friends whatever the nationality as we always have done.

The end.

Danny B

IMHO happiness is the most important part of your new life in Canada, if you are all happy then you will be fine.

Good luck with the move, we haven't regretted moving over here at all, life is much simpler now.

dingbat

I wish you well, and hope that Canada lives up to your expectations.

The Smiths

I like to base my opinions on actual experience, rather than the rantings of tabloid columnists, or the experience of "friends"...so here goes...

My daughter has many Latvian, Polish, Asian, etc school friends who, without exception, are polite, well mannered and hard working.

(Grabs hold of the wood effect desk) in the ten years I have in our current house, we have never experienced any sort of crime or antisocial behaviour.

Education in the UK is vastly improved since I was at school (not that long ago ) and, in fact, head and shoulders over that of most countries (despite what these league tables say).
Why else would british kids almost always get moved ahead when they emmigrate?

We are part of a global community whether we like it or not.
Canadian kids listen to the same music, read the same web pages, watch the same films etc.....Their influence is undeniable.

I feel that many of the people who spout the anti immigrant stuff spend alot of their time seething from behind their net curtains and yesterdays newspapers.
Maybe the reason Canada seems to compare so favourably with their old lives in the UK is because they can afford to live in a more affluent area because of lower house prices rather than a huge difference in crime rates, anti social behaviour etc....
(BTW nobody uses the term happy slappers these days ....that is sooo 2006!

Its been said oft times before, particularly on this forum, but "Same sh*t, different place".

sas-lou

UK schools have improved? By deferring failures? By lowering the standards?
My son is in Year 8, the police are investigating 3 assults in that year only.
My son was just before xmas happy slapped (well kicked and punched) the police are looking to do the kid for ABH. I assume your child has never been happy slapped in class infront of all their friends and humiliated. It wasnt very pleasant for my son, and as a parent, im bloody angry.
Im shocked The smiths.

dbd33

Well exactly. Unless you came from Afghanistan, Rexdale, Parkdale, bits of Scarborough, are going to be rougher.

DAVIE_MAC

That is what were looking for...and thanks.

DAVIE_MAC

Cheers...fingers crossed so do we.

The Smiths

I'm very sorry to hear about your sons experiences, but if you were to read my post carefully, you would notice that i was commenting on my experiences of living in this country. And, no, neither of my children have had that experience, fortunately.

I feel that everybody's experiences are valid, and was certainly not saying that the UK is some type of Utopian state....but then neither is Canada.

My point was that this type of thing happens all over and is not just the UK.

My other point was that perhaps the majority of UK expats are now able to live in more affluent areas in Canada (thanks to the favourable differences in house prices), and so were probably less exposed to the less desirable aspects of canadian society.

BTW I don't feel that applying the label of "happy slapping" helps anyone, in that it in fact belittles the crime that has taken place.

This term has been invented by the tabloid press in their constant effort to label, homogonise and generalise.
What happend to your child sounds horrific, and should, of course, be taken seriously.

Regarding education standards, again just stating the fact that my children seem to be learning from a much more varied and diversrse curriculum than that which was available when I was their age. My children seem to have much more relevant homework at an earlier age.

Again, I'm not stating that UK education is without flaws, but it ceratinly seems that IN MY EXPERIENCE, my children are thriving at their UK state schools.

Can anyone explain why EXpat children are routinely moved ahead when they go to canadian schools?