Re: Waterloo, is it all that?
 

Perhaps a little harsh, though I must admit this is not an event I appreciate. It is, however, very popular , and people come from far and wide --- other parts of Canada and many US states.

I much prefer the event taking place in the second weekend in August; i.e. The Fergus Scottish Festival and Highland Games.

Fergusscottishfestival.com

Re: Waterloo, is it all that?
 

A friend was a volunteer bartender there. I must go and see if she now has a mullet.

Re: Waterloo, is it all that?
 

There are mullets a-plenty at our main local event http://www.havelockjamboree.com/lineup.html
4 days of yeehahing mullet wearing music with added cowboy attire.

<<shudders>>

Re: Waterloo, is it all that?
 

Actually it matters a hell of a lot more than your useless comment!!! If you don't agree or have a different perspective, then why not voice it?!?!?

Re: Waterloo, is it all that?
 

Okey dokey, i will.

In the UK, both Multiculturalism and Nature/green spaces are better developed here. People are much more tolerant and accepting of other cultures and the infrastructure for newcomers is much better here. In Canada, poeple are not as willing to mix with other cultures and racism is much more blatant, and this stems from immigrants and locals. As for Nature, there is lots in abundance. The Parks, Conservation Areas, and Heritage sites are just fantastic. There is an abundance of activites and events for all the family to get involved with Nature and plenty of naturalist groups and environmental awareness is great. How many Canadian kids and teenagers get involved in Nature activities? ANd there's camping, cottaging, trails, natural areas, lakes etc..........

But like i said. As long as you believe what you write, that's all that matters ;)

Re: Waterloo, is it all that?
 

I thought el_richo's comment was right on the money. I considered arguing that the UK is more multicultural than Waterloo and that the opportunities for outdoor life are better in the UK than in Ontario due to a legislative climate more supportive of such activities as hiking and (horseback) riding. Both of which I believe to be true.

I also considered taking a cheap shot at the bizarre phrase "Nature/green spaces are better developed here". But then I thought he'd covered it all succinctly and didn't bother.

Re: Waterloo, is it all that?
 

Like I said, if you have a different perspective ie your OWN, why not voice it?

Re: Waterloo, is it all that?
 

Comparing the multiculturalism of an Ontario city and the UK hardly computes!!!
I'd like to know more of the legislative climate you comment on.
Cheers.

PS El Richo's commment was right on the money?!?!?! Come on!!!;)

Re: Waterloo, is it all that?
 

It is my own. We just happen to share the same views (often Verbatim), albeit country specific. ;)

Re: Waterloo, is it all that?
 

In the sense that, excepting Toronto, no Ontario city has the foreign born population of, say, Bradford.

In the UK there are legislative concepts of "the right to roam" and "common land", as well, it's not possible to privately own the shoreline of the UK. By contrast, in Ontario most land is privately owned and access to shorelines in particular is tightly controlled. For example, Lake Belwood is out your way, it's a large reservoir to which there is no unpaid public access, contrast that with, say, Brighton Beach, on which people may walk freely and, indeed as the song says, "some nights I still sleep on the beach, remember when stars were in reach".

(please note that I'm not condoning the playing of songs by fossilised bands the members of which have never ever dabbled in peadophilia)

Re: Waterloo, is it all that?
 

Out of interest, could you define your meaning of multiculturalism and how you see Canadian towns and cities to be more so than those in the UK. For example, which cities in Canada do you see as much more multicultural than Bradford, Birmingham, Leicester, London, Leeds, Sheffield, etc?

Also, what do you mean by "Nature/green spaces are better developed here"? More landscaped? More accessibility? Pure size? Not really sure how you're defining that one.

Any evidence to prove the above would be wonderful. Or is it just anecdotal?

Although as i keep saying, as long as you believe what you write, that's all that matters.

Re: Waterloo, is it all that?
 

Jeez, what is it with you guys wanting other posters to produce evidence all the while? What next? stool samples? lie-detector tests? video evidence?

It is NOT a competition as to which city, country or town is more multicultural. If the poster gets drawn into an argument with you as to a town/city over here being more multicultural than say Leicester or London then we all know that you and the 'clique' will all argue back to try and win the toss anyway.

The original post was about Waterloo - so maybe you can share with us your experiences about Waterloo Ontario?:fingerscrossed:

Re: Waterloo, is it all that?
 

Well they started it

<Folds arms and pouts>

I visited once and it lacked multi-culture, but i enjoyed the food in the Raintree cafe. Cheap and cheerful.

Re: Waterloo, is it all that?
 

Sure parts of england are perhaps more multicultural than the Canada. Assuming you define multiculturalism as the total number of people residing in that country who were not born their or are from a different cultural background.

However, in my opinion the number of cultures present is not as important as how well are these cultures are intergrated. In my opinion integration is greater in Canada (and Waterloo). In the North of England, in places like Bradford, Blackburn, immigrant communities are large but often are not well integrated and there is quite a lot of cultural tension, enough for example to allow the BNP and other idiots to get MEP seats.

In the south of england the recent influx of Polish and Eastern european migrant workers could hardly be described as integrated. Where I am from (West Sussex) they do the lowest paid agricultural jobs and live in workers camps. They are certainly not integrated.

In the UK, even the word 'immigrant', is enough to get the Daily Mail readers excited. Compare that to Canada, where new immigrants (like myself) are known as "new canadians".

Waterloo has big german and dutch immigrant populations that are integrated well too. Where would you find that in England? During the world cup I saw a car with an england flag on one side and an Argentinian flag on the other. can you imagine that in Kent?

Of course nearly everyone (except the 1st nations) in Canada is an immigrant or the child or grandchild of one. So perhaps thats why they do it better over here?

And you can get a decent curry in Waterloo too, I was pleasantly to find out.

As for the outdoors/nature being better in England? What!!!? More accesible maybe, and maybe its more quaint back in the UK. But you need to get out a bit more if you think the UK outdoors is better? go camping or fishing or buy a cottage and a boat or something. Get out and see a bit of this country! The amount of crown and national park shoreline in this country is probably about 200 times (maybe 1000 times if you include up north) more Kilometers than the entire shoreline of Great Britain.

Sport is much better in the UK though, and in my opinion the indian act and the way 1st nations are treated amounts to institutionalised racism.

Okay rant over.

Re: Waterloo, is it all that?
 

It may look more multicultural, whatever that means, because of the presence of international and Asian Canadian students at two universities, mostly at Waterloo, but it's just a small town.