10 Ups and Downs of Canada

[Raymapleleaf]

Originally Posted by ct9599

sorry but i have to agree with auld yin as i was offended by krisuk's post.

He totally generalised and that is not fair!

Ups:
1. They do speak english here. So do i (am trying, anyway)
2. Relative closeness to my home (the country, where i was born)
3. Brick houses (as opposed to 'wood and carboard' houses in the usa)
4. Relative closeness to the old continent (so much to see, but so little time and money to spare)

downs:
1. Cost of living to wages ratio very disappointing - this totally depends on where in the country you live. In the south east yes but i can't imagine canadian cities are cheap either!!!
2. People (not quite as friendly as americans) you have to be having a laugh! 1. Canadians are not americans and 2. No one country owns rude or friendly behaviour. I have met rude and friendly poles but i would not stereotype!
3. People (constant rush - at work and especially on the roads) ha, i have been to parts of canada and can see no difference to much of the uk! London and the south east is no different in this respect to major cities in canada.
4. People (highets violent crime rating in the eu - youngsters prefer rather than going to school or getting a job) this is soooo harsh and i am really offended! Could it be the area you live in as where i live in the east - south east - ish there is close to a zero level but that is because i chose to live in a nicer area.
5. People (very poor customer service and professionalism) again totally offended!
6. Weather (nothing like arizona dry heat) well i get burnt when i sunbathe - although saying that the humidity is bugging me too at the mo!
7. Poor pro-family policy - that is up to the individual! In many parts of the country this is not an issue - could it be where you live maybe?
8. Ridiculous political correctness policy - this comment annoys me the most! Well you were allowed in the country. Our schools bend over backwards to help polish kids (and so they should!) and our government and councils publish lots of documents to help you understand things when language is a barrier! I think if i went to poland i would not get this kind of help. Why should we put up with a country of racists?
9. Landscape - boring and dull, unless one take a day-long drive to scotland, or a bit shorter to wales - all i can say is whatever! Have you never been to the chiltern downs, the lake district, cornwall or devon, yorkshire? These have the most beautiful scenery that you could ever want to see - plus there are so many more places - sorry can not think fast enough!! I have been to bits in poland - only a few mind and i have to admit it was nothing special - nothing like i have seen in the uk.
10. Fitness (poor choice of gyms, which are expensive and ill-equipped) i am fat and i go to the gym and there are no machines in my gym that i think are missing - there are plenty of council funded gyms that are cheaper but yes they might have less equipment but that is because councils have other things to spend their money on! Again gyms tend to be cheaper out of the city areas - i am sure canada will have the sme issues.
cheers!

Kris


sorry kris but you were really rude about a country that has taken you in and stereotyped the people living here. Christ knows i don't think it is an amazing place to live but there are plenty worse. Plus the old adage of the grass is always greener on the other side might be something you should think about!

Finally (sorry for the long post!) the uk accepts people into the country from european if they are in the eu. You don't really need to have skills, money or anything (no i am not saying you are unskilled or anything - and no i don't believe the poles are stealing english jobs) but i am wanting to move to canada and with an ma, a post grad and now i am a consultant in my occupation - i don't even think they will take me! The don't take people like the uk does!

i think what you said is so true as i said before canada is very ,very fussy who they let in i think righly so what they have the u.k did have
years ago

[Hessi]

you guys made my day!
Thx for the show!

[oddball]

You will find a few people in Canada such as the ones with the bad attitude above , 'Mods Eh ?', but in general the folks are more inclined to being friendly , the poles have been given a somewhat tarnished record due to those 'Bad apple ' types that turn up out of the blue in many countries not of their origin . You need broad shoulders in todays world to contend with the good , the bad and the ugly.

Canada can be rough if you do not face up to your responsibilities , welfare-ites are not on everybodys SMILE list for obvious reasons , car insurance is about to go up even more , so keep your nose clean and drive within the law . The weather , well now that will all depend on where you settle , but the weather in southern Ontario was for the most part bloody chilly , summer only came in dribs and drabs , winter can be a nightmare in some places .

Those are my only down sides I can think of at the moment , just come and ignore the PC brigade the best you can , and good luck in your venture , not every place is paradise but you can always find those 'Gods' on their high horses , Colin .

[Auld Yin]

So Oddball, are you prepared to tell where you are from originally and where you are located now?

[oddball]

Originally Posted by Auld Yin

So Oddball, are you prepared to tell where you are from originally and where you are located now?

Nothing to be ashamed of or hide from in my long life , born and bred in Bristol , emmigrated to Canada in 66 with wife and young family , spent 5plus years in Germany on active service , 6 months active serve Middle-East , currently located in Cambodia and happy to be here . Taught French and Latin in grammar school , learned German "Von de loite", smattering of Thai and Kymer , classified English motor-cycle engineer , one of the top m/c performance men in north america . Other than that I am just an ordinary , mostly polite , run of the mill homo-sapien , other than your claim to fame being born in Scotland , what's new an exciting in your life ? Colin .

[fiona705]

Will you lot just bloody chill out!!!! Talk about a major bi*tching session.

[oddball]

Fiona , being of British heritage , you should be more than aware of an old English adage " If an Englishman is not complaining he must be sick" , if no one complains nothing happens to improve things . I considered my complaining customers were mostly an asset to my buisiness , they had their fingers on a different pulse to my own , and many of them brought about changes on how to vary treatment to keep customers of varying temperament more logical in their manner of complaining . Some do go over-board , but in general it can increase involvement in a thread and tend to take away the 'Tunnel' vision of unbelievers , Colin .

[KrisUK]

Originally Posted by oddball

Fiona , being of British heritage , you should be more than aware of an old English adage " If an Englishman is not complaining he must be sick"

Hey, that applies to Polish folks too It is also a self-preserving and survival attitude... if they see you're happy, thay will do what they can to bring you down, where you belong... Not ALL, but many Poles act that way.

Originally Posted by oddball

... if no one complains nothing happens to improve things . I considered my complaining customers were mostly an asset to my buisiness , they had their fingers on a different pulse to my own , and many of them brought about changes on how to vary treatment to keep customers of varying temperament more logical in their manner of complaining . Some do go over-board , but in general it can increase involvement in a thread and tend to take away the 'Tunnel' vision of unbelievers , Colin .

That is some damn good lesson how to do business. I wish they taught that at school, in business courses, etc. Maybe you shour write a textbook?

[KrisUK]

Originally Posted by oddball

the poles have been given a somewhat tarnished record due to those 'Bad apple '

That's because decent people usually stay home. Our immigration is mostly made of uneducated country folks, who never been outside their village.

Originally Posted by oddball

Those are my only down sides I can think of at the moment , just come and ignore the PC brigade the best you can , and good luck in your venture , not every place is paradise but you can always find those 'Gods' on their high horses , Colin .

Every place has it's ups and downs. The thing is, which issues concern you and how big impact they have on your life. I found 'my place' in Phoenix, Arizona. I had all what I liked (apart from the ocean), and major flaws (ie crime) did not concern me much. What got me and made me leave was immigration policy.

I am hoping, that Canada would be a place like the USA (huge open spaces, little population density, mostly friendly people, extraordinary nature, without flaws like crime and drugs at US level), at acceptable cost (weather, lower salary purchase power due to higher taxation (and car insurance).

I am also glad, that Canada (but also NZ and Australia) are having some immigration policy, unlike USA, which:
a) needs only low paid foreign workforce to do the 'dirty job'
b) takes anyone (subjact to greencard lottery winning) to differsify population (do they really believe, that it works for them? Then why whites vs rest of the Americans tensions?)

[derrickdavies]

I suggest that Krisuk goes back to live in Poland,his attitude is dreadful.He will not survive in any country he tries.I moved to Canada,sure there are things we dislike,but to critisise the UK like he is is beyond belief.
I bet he managed to get into the UK before the points system was introduced.