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canada. anything else you would like to add?

canada. anything else you would like to add?

Old Apr 2nd 2009, 1:29 pm
  #16  
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Default Re: canada. anything else you would like to add?

Originally Posted by rae
in response on another forum to the question, "why would anyone want to go back?", i posted as below, just wondered if i missed anything?

family.
friends.
certain aspects of UK life absent here.
schooling, never thought i would say this, but its not all its cracked up to be here as we are seeing as time goes on.
no career anymore.
cold.
more cold.
snow and ice for 9mths of the year.
canadians.
no culture.
tv.
radio.
loss of personal identity.
fears of retirement.
food.
no ability to travel outside of USA.
language barrier.
racism.
bigotry, stereotyping and ignorance on anything other than hockey and canadian film stars.


i could go on.
In other words very boring/bloody minded and insular.... Oh i totally agree
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Old Apr 2nd 2009, 2:29 pm
  #17  
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Default Re: canada. anything else you would like to add?

Originally Posted by Jules Europe
I`ve read that Canada is not a place to be in for retirees on many occasion, seems like the vast majority head for warmer climes for upto 6 months of the year both Florida and Mexico seem very popular.
If I was old I'd be seriously worried about falling over in the winter. I've already gone arse over t@t on the ice twice this winter, pretty painful.
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Old Apr 2nd 2009, 9:01 pm
  #18  
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Default Re: canada. anything else you would like to add?

Tell you what I'm sick of is the 'spare change' brigade. I have a 10 min walk to work from the skytrain and often get asked for spare change (for food/booze/crack I assume), 5-6 times along the way.

I used to work in 3rd world countries for a few months at a time, before returning to Canada. Usually got asked for money far more in Vancouver than I ever did in DRC, Pakistan etc.

One of them asked me the other day 'Have you got a cigarette?' - My reply was 'Yes thanks' before walking off.
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Old Apr 2nd 2009, 11:59 pm
  #19  
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Default Re: canada. anything else you would like to add?

[QUOTE=brizzle;7446432]Tell you what I'm sick of is the 'spare change' brigade. I have a 10 min walk to work from the skytrain and often get asked for spare change (for food/booze/crack I assume), 5-6 times along the way.


with you on that one ,today was off to get some lunch and saw a guy with his board,' hungry please help' so bought two takeouts made the trip back to where he was gave it to him only to be greeted with could have done more with some change ...arrrgh note to myself last good deed for a while
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Old Apr 3rd 2009, 9:56 am
  #20  
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Default Re: canada. anything else you would like to add?

[QUOTE=Eastbound;7446787]
Originally Posted by brizzle
Tell you what I'm sick of is the 'spare change' brigade. I have a 10 min walk to work from the skytrain and often get asked for spare change (for food/booze/crack I assume), 5-6 times along the way.


with you on that one ,today was off to get some lunch and saw a guy with his board,' hungry please help' so bought two takeouts made the trip back to where he was gave it to him only to be greeted with could have done more with some change ...arrrgh note to myself last good deed for a while
What bullshiit...... You'd of had to of gone downtown Nanaimo to see that happening And we both know you live too far to just nip down there at lunch for a take out............
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Old Apr 4th 2009, 6:22 am
  #21  
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Default Re: canada. anything else you would like to add?

Originally Posted by Jules Europe
Doesn`t Canada have a social security system?
If you qualify there's EI (unemployment benefit) which lasts for 42 weeks and is 55% of your salary, (maximum salary $44,000, if you were earning more than that p.a doesn't make a difference). When that runs out then there's welfare.

It seems here when you haven't got anything, you REALLY haven't got anything. Kelowna Foodbank was running out of food this winter, people queuing down the street (and this is supposed to be an affluent city). I didn't know what a Foodbank was til I came here.

It's not uncommon for people to work 2 jobs. Two of my co-workers work 7 days a week - a full time office job, then 2 evenings a week and all day Sat and Sun in their other jobs.

No housing benefit, lone parent benefit etc here. And you have to pay your MSP (provincial health care in BC) contributions even if you're unemployed, tough luck if you need treatment that isn't covered, like dental.

A couple of months ago I saw someone advertising that they were looking for work, willing to be paid in food...
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Old Apr 4th 2009, 9:27 am
  #22  
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Default Re: canada. anything else you would like to add?

Originally Posted by VCox
If you qualify there's EI (unemployment benefit) which lasts for 42 weeks and is 55% of your salary, (maximum salary $44,000, if you were earning more than that p.a doesn't make a difference). When that runs out then there's welfare.

It seems here when you haven't got anything, you REALLY haven't got anything. Kelowna Foodbank was running out of food this winter, people queuing down the street (and this is supposed to be an affluent city). I didn't know what a Foodbank was til I came here.

It's not uncommon for people to work 2 jobs. Two of my co-workers work 7 days a week - a full time office job, then 2 evenings a week and all day Sat and Sun in their other jobs.

No housing benefit, lone parent benefit etc here. And you have to pay your MSP (provincial health care in BC) contributions even if you're unemployed, tough luck if you need treatment that isn't covered, like dental.

A couple of months ago I saw someone advertising that they were looking for work, willing to be paid in food...
The unemployment benefit system, seems to run like many other countries and is as I thought. Given current economic hardships and making ends meet, there are a lot of people in 1st world countries these days that have to do 2 jobs to survive. In fact I see the situation there no worse than many other 1st world countries and the people there should be grateful that they are not going through economic hardships in the USA..............Admittedly the cold weather does compound the misery.
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Old Apr 4th 2009, 2:22 pm
  #23  
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Default Re: canada. anything else you would like to add?

Originally Posted by Jules Europe
The unemployment benefit system, seems to run like many other countries and is as I thought. Given current economic hardships and making ends meet, there are a lot of people in 1st world countries these days that have to do 2 jobs to survive. In fact I see the situation there no worse than many other 1st world countries and the people there should be grateful that they are not going through economic hardships in the USA..............Admittedly the cold weather does compound the misery.
The people I know working several jobs have done so for a long time, not as a result of the "current economic hardships".

Why should the people be grateful that they are not going through economic hardships in the USA? Not sure what you mean.
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Old Apr 4th 2009, 2:39 pm
  #24  
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Default Re: canada. anything else you would like to add?

Originally Posted by VCox
The people I know working several jobs have done so for a long time, not as a result of the "current economic hardships".

Why should the people be grateful that they are not going through economic hardships in the USA? Not sure what you mean.
What I mean to say, is that if I were in economic hardship I would sooner be in many other 1st world countries than in the USA. Or do you see the USA scenario no worse than any other 1st world country for economic hardship?
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Old Apr 6th 2009, 2:55 am
  #25  
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Default Re: canada. anything else you would like to add?

You'd of had to of gone downtown Nanaimo to see that happening And we both know you live too far to just nip down there at lunch for a take out............

Someone obviously has a problem As far as Im aware you left Naniamo nine months ago : some of us have moved on - perhaps you should do likewise
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Old Apr 6th 2009, 8:51 am
  #26  
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Default Re: canada. anything else you would like to add?

Originally Posted by Eastbound
You'd of had to of gone downtown Nanaimo to see that happening And we both know you live too far to just nip down there at lunch for a take out............

Someone obviously has a problem As far as Im aware you left Naniamo nine months ago : some of us have moved on - perhaps you should do likewise
No problem here......Just dont like people who bullshiit their way into other peoples space.........Nothing to say, so make it up.....( and thats being polite).
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Old Apr 7th 2009, 5:57 am
  #27  
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Default Re: canada. anything else you would like to add?

Originally Posted by sans
No problem here......Just dont like people who bullshiit their way into other peoples space.........Nothing to say, so make it up.....( and thats being polite).
may i ask why you left, the island looks lovely, is it not all its cracked up to be?
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Old Apr 7th 2009, 10:43 am
  #28  
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Default Re: canada. anything else you would like to add?

Originally Posted by rae
may i ask why you left, the island looks lovely, is it not all its cracked up to be?
The Island its self is stunning Rae.......But know heart and very unreliable in everyway
Its well worth seeing..... BRIEFLY I have Briefly lived there twice their want be a 3rd time
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Old Apr 7th 2009, 7:49 pm
  #29  
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Default Re: canada. anything else you would like to add?

As we're going to be leaving after 30 years, clearly we find something missing.

It's not the climate, as we live in Victoria, which is much like England except with more reliably sunny summers.

It's family and friends to a point, but we're not likely to live close to most of them, and have no "home town" to return to.

There are some things where Canada offers huge advantages. Love to ski not far from where you can live and work? Tick. Want to be able to afford a boat and use it often? Tick. Want true wilderness to hike, canoe, camp, or hunt in? Tick. Want a big suburban house and lot at a reasonable price. In most places, tick.

Also, there is an attitude of more open opportunities in Canada (spilling over from the States, I think) which might help people who come from a situation in Britain where they feel trapped by what's always been, but that restricted thinking is much less common now in the UK. And simply moving to another part of the UK would probably shake things loose.

But, but... Canada does have a lack for many people who've lived elsewhere. It seems unfair to call a whole country bland, especially a country with many fascinating people and achievements, but it's the word that comes to mind.

I rarely meet an expat from Britain who adores Canada. Many speak wistfully of returning "home" with a but. But I can't afford it. But it's not the same. But we couldn't afford a house like this. But the kids and grandkids are here now...

Bev
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Old Apr 7th 2009, 7:57 pm
  #30  
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Default Re: canada. anything else you would like to add?

Originally Posted by Bevm
But, but... Canada does have a lack for many people who've lived elsewhere. It seems unfair to call a whole country bland, especially a country with many fascinating people and achievements, but it's the word that comes to mind.
Having driven from one side to the other, and worked in many cities Bland is a very accurate term.
Its like a sanitized cleaned up mini welfare version of the states but with the extremes bits trimed off, and shitty weather throw in
When you compare it with the rest of the G8 nations its really doesn’t have many fascinating people and achievements and could be considered rather irrelevant too

To sum up………… Nice, bland and irrelevant
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