Close Reading

You nailed it Sonia, me and my family of as been living here for about 17 years and yes we have been through it all, so I could actually feel the clock turning as you spoke. I would like to add one thing though which you are right about that, if you are planning to come and start now, it definitely is not the time to come, 17 years ago was a different time and I can also tell you that we feel the pain yet even now to make ends meet. Honestly, life was good until a few years ago but now the value is declining to a great extent, again as a disclaimer this is my personal experience and would probably apply differently to different individuals. In short, as you said, if you are doing well somewhere else, don't hit the axe on your own feet by coming here.

Our country is in shambles. I used to be proud of it, now, I can't wait for the health system to fail me big time. I'll pick another country in my next life!!!

Canada has the same problem as the United States: wrong kind of politicians elected. Like the U.S., most Canadians consider themselves compassionate liberals and thus feel obligated to vote for said, compassionate liberal politicians. The problem is, for Canada and the U.S., these compassionate liberal politicians don't know how to run the nation's economy except to run it further into the ground. And when the problems get really bad, the solution is always, raise taxes because liberal politicians are either Marxist Socialist and believe the citizenry are obligated to pay higher and higher taxes for more government intervention, meaning, interference, in most cases.\n Whenever Canada does get around to voting in a conservative prime minister and government, the Canadian mass media immediately goes on a years-long negative campaign of deliberately undermining the government in the eyes of the Canadian People, demeaning them as inept and uncompassionate and comparing them to fascists. Eventually the Canadian People get so distressed they have to vote back in the liberal party. And then the same happens again.\n I'm just glad our Canadian brothers are not blaming the U.S. government or the CIA, but instead are clear-headed and courageous enough to blame their own government and past legislations and laws that do the exact opposite of what is supposed to happen, level the playing field for all Canadians.\n I'm reading about the outrageous pricing of Canadian housing and am astonished. But one YouTuber explained this about his Canada. Everyone in Canada wants to squeeze into the few, concentrated urban areas that concentrate business, finance, manufacturing, job opportunities, et al. As it happens, these areas are too few and far between. So what ends up happening is geographical overpopulation, despite Canada having a total population of around 32 million souls. People in California can certainly understand this phenomenon. You can purchase a 3-bedroom house out in California City, which is near the Mojave Desert, for $176,000, but there's nothing out there to make it worthwhile living there. Conversely, a tiny, 3-bedroom home in Torrance, Los Angeles, was selling for $800,000 in 2018. \n As realtors put it this way all the time, location, location, location!\n I'm going to pass on commenting on Canada's National Health Care. I've read criticisms from native Canadians on the Internet. As Canadians, they're entitled to say whatever they want about their country. If I, a Yank, open my big mouth, I'm going to get trolled by a hundred angry Canadians defending their National Health Care as the world's greatest socialized medical care. Health Care is already expensive enough in the U.S. Most people get it through their employer, which pays a part of it. But employees' monthly deductions for health insurance have been growing steadily over the past 30 years to where it's now a huge chunk out of one's monthly paycheck.

as a Canadian who is highly educated and, your list is totally on point. I was born and raised here, and at 40yo I would say that leaving has been on my mind for the past 5+ years and will be the likely scenario for me once my grandparents are no longer around. If it weren't for them, I would have left years ago. The two primary drivers for me are job opportunities and the government. One thing I will correct is the wages you presented. The vast majority of Canadians, regardless of whether they were born here or not, do NOT make 6 figures and even the high 5 figures is not as common as people like to think. I have been turned down for work because of being over-qualified more times than not and now struggle on less than 50K/yr with 2 jobs. Just trying to get a part time gig to supplement is a problem despite my decades of experience. As someone who is single, one income just does not cut it here no matter how frugal or minimalist your life is. I can't imagine what its like for those with families. Plain and simple, this country, like many, is failing.

This is mostly the marginal explanation. What is actually causing the problems in Canada is PRECISELY the expectations of a high standard of living absolutely everyone has, including brand new immigrants. Who as if they were owed a palace immediately begin complaining about the work they have to do and the fact they're not immediately appointed the king of Canada. To put simply, we have an incredibly spoiled population, a population that expects low prices for everything and has a terrible productivity overall and does not wish to work in the kinds of jobs that every economy needs in order to fuel everything else. Food production is the so-called inceptive value. The more food you produce, the more people can consume it, and this in turn flows through the economy to enable all the other kinds of economic activity. We have to bring in hundreds of thousands of temporary foreign workers from Mexico just to be able to harvest. In the past, Canada allowed immigration from all over the world of people who were mostly poor, refugees, and those desperate for a new life. They worked all the time doing every kind of imaginable job in every kind of condition. They built this country with their perseverance and hard work. The immigrants today, are selected on a points-based system, and the idea behind this is that someone with two university degrees, or trained in a profession, even if they don't work in their field in Canada because they're all sorts of barriers to transferring your education, are not very likely to be criminals or antisocial types. Criminals or antisocial types. In other words, Canada has chosen to attract high quality candidates on the assumption that they would be less likely to become criminals, while they in turn, having been picked from the best in their society, arrive in Canada with very high expectations, and discover that actually they're going to have to work in all sorts of other kinds of jobs and will probably not work in their field, even though that's what got them the points to come to the country. The country. This is the brilliant system brought in by Stephen Harper's conservatives, which brings in people with high education, and allegedly high skills, especially high language skills, so the government doesn't have to pay for their language training, but it doesn't consider the fact that these are very often people with other choices, who are not willing to work in construction or farming or service or retail or all those kinds of things that we desperately need workers in. The reason why we can't build enough housing has nothing to do with local governments and property values. It has to do with lack of labor. This education system, for some unbeknowned reason, is absolutely terrible, and provides basically no skills, training or education for the vast majority of high school students such that when they graduate high school, their forced to go to university or college. Since they have absolutely no training. In most parts of the world you finish high school and you have a trade, or you have some skill to begin working, the kids here know nothing. Nothing. Other than emotional safety, intersectional language, and wokeism. On top of that, the government has brought in every kind of environmental restriction and regulation on account of incredibly loud, but actually small minority of enviro lunatics, who most of the time use these environmentalism as a cover precisely for protecting their high property values in very luxurious and special places around the country, and they oppose logging and all sorts of resource extraction under the guise of environmentalism. But it's actually to preserve their special privileged position often in some wilderness or island, where they might be the only one or a handful of families who got lucky to somehow own a property. Property and so they oppose everything on account of environmental reasons. But it's just to keep people out and preserve their own privileged place. This country also as most others suffers from the illness of dishonesty and lack of integrity brought about by a culture of marketers where nothing is the way it is said to be. Everything is a fine print. And we have gotten used to this as normal. We've gotten used to having credit cards, charges, 25% interest, we've gotten used to being ripped off constantly by all the corporations for everything, and nobody complains and they just borrow more and they just bottle it in and now it's finally coming out. Out. People are fed up of the enviral lunatics. They're fed up of people who complain and bitch one moment about the pipeline and then complain and bitch the next moment about the high cost of gasoline when the pipeline is temporarily shut down for servicing. The problem with Canada is Canadians.

I immigrated to Canada in 2010, and here are my experiences inside and outside Canada. I am grateful for a good education; having a Canadian passport opened up many opportunities in other countries to build a higher-level career. However, if I had known the amount of stress, health, and financial damage that I had to endure, I wouldn't have chosen to come to Canada. I would have remained in the US or EU countries where I could achieve even more without suffering to the level I did here. \n\nMisleading immigration promotion: The government-sponsored Canadian immigration program oversells what Canada can offer. It withholds information on the cost of living, chicken-and-egg problems like Canadian work experience is required to get a job at the same level as you are in, Canadian credit history is required to rent a proper apartment, Canadian education is required to secure a high-level job, etc. \n\nHiring process: I knew the Canadian system was not ideal for immigrants over a decade ago, but it got so bad now that even the born citizens are unable to survive. The Canadian government and employers lack a basic understanding that ambitious, high-achieving people immigrate to other countries for high-level positions using proper channels. It's ridiculous to see that Canada uses a point-based system to choose highly qualified personnel to enter their country yet expects them to pursue low-paying entry-level or labor jobs just because they have brown/black skin. At first, I thought having a Canadian degree and experience might help me get high-level jobs, and I didn't think how I spoke or looked would matter when I had high credentials to show off. So, I got my masters & Ph.D. from the Univesity of Toronto, which consistently ranks #1 in Canada. I have a bachelor's from a prestigious university in Asia and had a high-competitive, well-paid federal government job in another country. Still, none of that was recognized in Canada, and I had to volunteer for over 6 months, 10 to 12 hours/day, in a research lab that led to a funded PhD program. I worked even harder during my Ph.D. with many accomplishments, like 40+ research and leadership awards, internationally recognized scientific discoveries, and innovative technologies. I checked all the above and beyond in various domains (research, teaching, leadership, business, engineering consulting, collaborations, etc.). Yet, employers couldn't see past my race, gender, age, etc., and refused to give me the opportunity at the level of my qualifications. Luckily, I managed to secure short-term work in the UK & the US, and it changed even how I see myself. I was highly respected for my credentials, given higher positions than I applied for, and paid 3-4 times more salary and benefits. Of course, bias is an integral part of every society, but my race, gender, age, etc., were not as big of an issue to begin my career at the mid-career stage in these countries as opposed to Canada. \n\nHealthcare: Access to healthcare was another big challenge for me. When I moved to Canada in 2010, due to extremely low temperatures, I developed hives all over my body, my eyes got red, and I coughed for many months. The doctor said there was nothing wrong with me and refused to give me any medication. It took us years to get a family doctor, and we got one through my personal network. In 2015/2016, I developed an autoimmune disease, and my eyeballs popped out. As of today, I did not get to see an eye specialist as they have only 1 specialist in the area, and the waiting time is for years for the first consultation. Every time the family doctor told me that I had iron deficiency, even when I insisted that they should run additional tests and they cleared, they were flagged. The doctor never diagnosed my autoimmune condition. Luckily, during my short-term work in the UK, I saw competent interns who completed my care. NHS is poorer than the medical system in Canada... they are understaffed, don't have hospital beds after surgery, or don't have stock of paper gowns, yet the staff are highly competent and caring. Within 1-2 years, they did complete diagnosis by sending me to various specialists, completed eye surgery, and even found a lifelong condition that was preventing me from realizing my full potential. Following, in the US, the doctors confirmed the diagnosis of all the conditions within 1-2 months and put me on two small pills for life. It has dramatically changed my life, and I have even more admiration for the medical profession. While in Canada, I suffered for over a decade, and every time, I was treated as a hypochondriac and never given a single prescription. \n\nQuality of life: Big cities like Toronto are mainly affected by high crime rates, overpopulation, cost of living, low employment, low salaries, etc. A few months back, there was a huge auto theft, and one of my contacts lost their Lexus car within minutes of parking. Despite being a scientist, I have no faith in politicians or individuals fixing these problems. The salaries are not increasing, but the taxes and cost of living are on the exponential growth curve. The ridiculous part is that Canada expects you to pay taxes even when you are not employed or living in Canada! I lived in London and Boston, and they offer a much higher quality of life and pay. \n\nGrowth potential: No wonder Canada, being a G7 country, falls at the bottom of the list in innovation, equal opportunities, economic growth, etc. It has a decent education system but, due to its inherent bias in the hiring process and monopoly of certain businesses, loses talented immigrants and highly qualified Canadians to the US, the UK, and EU markets. Unless there is a dramatic shift in policies, Canadians, especially new immigrants, cannot expect any positive experience in Canada except for being discriminated against and losing valuable time and money by being there.

Anybody can talk without action. The fact is Arab Saudi, Egypt , Jordan should put their army in Gaza to protect Palestinians. That's what the Arab world is afraid of. Afraid of losing their thrones, afraid of dying. It's a matter of time when we die either now or later. Shame on the Arab world after 75 years still unable to have their own weapons to protect their own country. Look at China, very poor in 1999 but within 23 years capable of becoming Second world power where the United states dares not touch China. That shows that Muslim leaders are very weak in protecting ISLAM but are very good at making money for themselves. Fact .

Right now the compassionate thing to do is to let these people out of Gaza and leave this brutality. \n\nEgypt, Jordan and Saudi don’t want to take these poor people in. \n\nYes, unfortunately this means Gazans not being an able to return and Isreal growing larger but the terror and onslaught on the poor people will stop. The Israelis want to be so brutal that out of compassion for the Palestinians, the gates are opened for them. But the Arabs states are not willing to help as Europeans took Ukrainians in their homes. \n\nAt this time, there is no winning against the combined strength of Israel and the US.

What has happened in Canada is actually quite simple. Companies sell products and services. Companies require employees in order to sell those products and services. The difference between what the companies can those products and services for and what they pay the employees is profit. The owners of the companies want to maximize this profit, therefore want to pay employees as little as possible. Scarcity is labour is one of the driving factors behind what employees are paid. One way to decrease scarcity of labour is to bring in massive amounts of immigrants. That is exactly what Canada has been doing for decades. The owners of the companies take profits and invest it in real estate. This makes real estate unaffordable for the employees whose wages have been suppressed. Lower wages also means less money from taxes available for services like health care. We allowed our politicians to be bribed into allowing massive levels of immigration. Stagnant wage growth resulted in lowered consumptive capacity in the economy. This lead to stagnant economic activity and lowered investment into things that would make the Canadian economy more productive. What we have now is unaffordable housing. Lack of jobs. A failing health care system. An educational system where the bar was lowered to accommodate the lowest common denominator. Increased crime and substance abuse resulting from the subsequent hopelessness. Several families living in a single house. People working several low paying jobs just to try to get by. People with full-time jobs that are forced to choose between being homeless or starving to death. The immigrants that are still coming here are sleeping on the sidewalk in front of homeless shelters, or maybe scraping by delivering UberEats.

Many recent immigrants I have known have left Canada because the cost of living is too high. From my experience they work very hard, usually working 60+ hours a week. After some time they crunch the numbers and realize no matter how hard they try they will not get anywhere so they leave. For those born in Canada we find ourselves being chased out of our hometowns because it is too expensive to live there. For myself it was either stay in Vancouver, surrendering more than half of your income to rent or move out of the city to buy an apartment. In the major cities there is a mass exodus of young people and the strategy has been to replace that exodus with immigration. The problem is that is not sustainable as now new immigrants, seeking a better life are not finding it in major Canadian cities. For those who already own property in the lower mainland the selfish mentality is to do whatever you can to deny construction, thus maintaining the scarcity and value of what little land/housing there is in desirable areas. Zoning laws are beginning to change but progress is slow and municipalities have failed to keep up with infrastructure so the growing pains is going to be immense. It's beautiful here now doubt but if I had no ties and a solid financial footing I would have left long ago. Generations ago you could show up to Canada with no money and thrive if you were willing to work hard. Now hard work won't get you anything.

My question which I've never received an answer from Liberal Democrats is...how many are enough.. youve declared the US is an open border for sanctuary....so hom many is enough...25 million..50 million...75 million...or are we going to let in everyone with no limits...if you do shut it down now youre a umpassionate racist...but at some point in time America becomes another 3rd world country...time to vote ecery Democrat out of office...no exceptions...????

Our government looks after immigrants BETTER than its own CITIZENS! ????\nFor ex. ppl who have been homeless for yrs R sleeping on the street, in tents, parks, cars etc. They receive NO help! \nYET IMMIGRANTS R getting into shelters! Like WTF?!! ? Some arrived here (in summer) with NO housing (which is ASS BACKWARDS ~ Y R U bringing ppl here when there R NO places for US to live let alone immigrants??!!) & they were sleeping in the streets/parks. Our Govt moved mountains to find THEM shelters in relatively record time but have done NOTHING to help CANADIANS who R ALREADY homeless (A LOT of them R homeless bc of cost of housing & NOT ALCOHOL/DRUG ABUSE!) Most ppl assume it’s bc of drug addiction. It’s NOT! \nU can be employed making a ‘relatively’ decent wage & yet U R 1 step away from being homeless ESP NOW & esp with greedy landlords!!!) \n\nSince WHEN did it become acceptable to neglect the countries REAL CITIZENS & focus solely on Immigrants? ?? \nThis is just ONE example. Many more. \nTHIS IS WHY CANADA IS BROKEN! ??

High prices for everything have severely affected my plan. I'm concerned if people who went through the 2008 financial crisis had an easier time than I am having now. The stock market is worrying me as my income has decreased, and I fear I won't have enough savings for retirement since I can't contribute as much as before.

FYI Canadians, Refugees, and immigrants are fleeing Canada, because of the hate against white people, the outlandish cost of living, and the lies about our British ancestors who by the way gave all the land back to 1st nations/metis and we pay rent to live on their land. 1763 King George the 3rd made it so after our British ancestors' soldiers who fought against the French who wanted all the land to be the NEW PARIS! King George also set up a huge Trust Fund that we Canadians pay RENT into to live on their land. 1st Nations/metis is a multi-billion industry and we white British are being ripped off by our landlord the 1st Nations/metis. 1st nations/Metis also are racists against the JEWS and are siding with HAMAS and blaming the JEWS. I think it is time we white British and the Jews leave Canada. We can call it the big SWITCHAROO, we whites and Jews return back to Britain, etc and Britain, etc will send all of their haters to Canada. I am serious please write to the KING demanding we leave. Let us stop this multicultural charade that we whites invented, return home shut down 1st Nations/metis Trust Funds, and end the proclamations and protection for 1st Nations/metis have from Britain. 1st nations/metis please please write to the king and let's get the SWITCHAROO ROLLING. For all the 1st nations/metis siding with radical Islam against the Jews...Congratulations on siding with the NAZIS! We white British ended slavery in 1801 for Britain and Canada by King George the 3rd! We whites invented the phrase do not judge by the color of their skin...Why do whites say that? A duh the white race came from AFRICA and they have proven this with DNA. 2 sets of Africans migrated out of Africa to colder regions of the world and became dark-tanned, lighter-tanned, and white because of the lack of sun that our and my ancestors received from the AFRICAN SUN! FYI every human on this planet has ancient African DNA.\nThanks for ruining Canada and the USA leftwingers/1st nations/metis etc. \nLife will be wonderful for you all in Canada after we leave, just think once we leave you will have no one else to blame but yourselves.\nNow the housing crisis, there are too many apartments that have turned into CONDOS and they always have lots of vacancies.\nDemand Boxable homes, it is cheaper, humane, takes one hour to put together, and Tornado, earthquake, etc free. It has a bed, couch, built-in flatscreen TV, a full fridge, oven, washer/dryer, air conditioning, and shower with tubs. You can put a couple of them together to make a 2+ bedroom etc. Demolish all the blocks of rundown houses and put boxable homes call it the boxable neighborhood, for low-income families, our Veterans, seniors, and white/metis men who are the highest in homeless. The highest number of suicides worldwide is WHITE MEN just so you know!\n\n1st nations you have work to do now start writing to the king so we can end this great big lie about multiculturalism.\nWhile you do that we white British descendants will write to the king that we are being ripped off, and demonized and how it is a crime to sue white people for crimes that happened before we were even born...that is a move that nazis did to the JEWS! We fought against the fricken Nazis and won and the 1st nations/metis have allowed nazis on their land...Time to leave Canada so the nazi praising landowner's 1st nations/metis can receive money from the nazis, which they will not pay. FYI Muslims are saying they will rule Canada by 2030 and guess what will be implemented SHARIA LAW. Have fun with that. LMAO!

I would not recommend anyone moving to Canada unless starting from scratch (and all the sacrifices that come with it) is more attractive than their current lifestyle abroad. That being said, Canada is not what it was 10 years ago. The only persons benefiting right now are those that gained off appreciating real estate in the 2010s and their kids. It is a tough time financially for everyone else.

100% bang on.. I've lived in Dubai (traveled to many other countries).. this is nowhere near being considered as developed anymore (GDP criteria is outdated)..Canada got developed and they forgot to update and even upgrade..!! The drug situation is so bad that I really hope that you didn't come across crackheads/homeless who are under the influence of drugs at all times.. No doubt there are way more homeless people in India, but they are working or at least trying in some way to make their life better and they never hurt you at least, here, it's the opposite, as they literally can do anything.. you can find them roaming all over on the streets of Old Toronto, Vancouver, Ottawa.. You can literally find them everywhere.. someone commented earlier that you should give 2 years.. Bro or sis.. it's a complete waste as I am at the same point.. and on top of it when you invested 2 years, it even becomes tougher as it becomes even harder to go back as you have spent so much on furniture, house, car, tools, n all and most importantly - 2 YEARS of life. I left my pregnant wife and have been staying away from her and a 1-and-a-half-year-old baby boy hoping that we'll create a better future and can afford to struggle right now.. its been 2+ years.. Honestly.. I am still not able to figure out whether there is any future or I have spoiled my present looking for a future.. its a dilemma beyond explanation in words, with no relatives or anyone based here.. I've a lot at stake currently and that's the only reason I am stuck otherwise leaving this place seems to be inevitable.. \n\nI travel extensively all throughout and forget about expressways anywhere in Canada (Except 407 which has an insane toll rate) it's a 4-lane highway just 80 km from Toronto to the rest of 450+ kms to Montreal which are 2 major cities of this so-called developed country.. same is for Ottawa, the same hold true from Calgary to Edmonton, and any other major town/city!! on top of it, they are struggling to even maintain those (always under construction - even construction is a wrong word to use as they aren't adding anything new.... it is just being repaired in true words) Same is true with adding new infra in terms of hospitals or any other facility... Banking sucks.. Still dealing through the mail (Postal mail).. (Mails not e-mails). I simply can't get that.. the tax agency - CRA sends communications through the mail, and the same with any other agency.. Comon.. grow up is what I feel at times..!! People are literally not willing to work (Except hard-working immigrants), Govt. doesn't have any plans for the future regarding the economy and development... just bringing in immigrants.. that's it..\n\nYou've made a very smart decision and really at a very good time.. wish you, and your family all the best..!!

Well the issue is when you come to our country you should fallow our rules and there should always be a grey area for a weapon but even a religious weapon if someone comes by grabs it off the individual you could potentially now given someone a weapon to hurt individuals. I think what people don’t realize is the issue isn’t the Sikh let’s be honest here religious people fallow to a T most of the time it’s the other civilians and such with mental health that pose a threat. That’s the big picture I don’t believe it has anything to do with racism it’s just we are entering a more dangerous world and you never know if someone off the street is going to swipe and use the weapon because at the end of the day ceremonial or religious or not a knife/blade is a blade which is a weapon.

what has been shared in this video is nothing that people are not aware of. Everybody knows that you have to do all the work yourself,no maids, cooks, etc. like India.These facts have been there for years, nothing new about them. If people want to got there for further education, it is different, but then Canada is not all that good as far as higher education is concerned, there are better countries to choose from with better weather conditions and better lifestyle and high class education. Who would want to live in a cold and inhospitable country, payig through your nose. Here in India, if we fall sick even with just cough / cold, we can go to the nearest doctor and get medicines, sometimes we can even just ask the pharmaists to help us to choose some medicines for pharmasist here are half doctors.\nEven our standard of living has become so good, that we don't even feel like shifting to a new country. We have metros, good buses both AC as well as non AC, good trains, good resturaunts, hotels, what is it that we don't have here?\nIt is always better living as a first class citizen in our own country, than living like second class citizen elsewhere. The attraction and the charm of living abroad is no longer there.\nOur country has improved so much and so fast in the last 10 years, we have good bathrooms in schools and other public places, which was not there previously. Only drawback in our country is the traffic and infrastructure, which will also become better, but will take time, because of our country's population.\nIn fact you will find servants and watchmen all coming to work in a bikes or scooters, which was unthinkable some years back. Their life has changed for the better, they live in rented flats/or on lease, their children study in good schools and so on, and they dress also so well, that you cannot differentiate between them and the people they work for.\nMany of the so called advanced countries do not have many well educated people like our country, the children there are not as knowledgeabe like Indian kids, their knowledge is limited to the town they live in, they don't know anything about the world outside.\nAnd now with the Khalistani terrorist living freely there it is all the more dangerous. And on top of it, it is a country ruled by a dumb Prime Minister, who has to give asylums to all good for nothing, ( and all only for votes) uneducated people whose only job is to sell drugs to kids and indulge in terrorism and threaten people.\nGood thing, you have come back, for there is nothing like sweet home.

As a Canadian who has lived in almost all the provinces and territories, all my life, I can tell you that a lot has changed as I think the best time or era was in the 1970's and you may have come at the worst time as the worst appears to be now when everything has become too expensive. The other problem relates to Canada, its size, the distances to travel, the smaller tax base with a smaller population than that of United States or India. This is not intended to provide excuses but most people here do not even have a family doctor as many doctors find greener pastures in the United States where the dollar is 30 percent higher in value and salaries are not limited to government health care. It is hard to change when American influence dictates much of what transpires. Homelessness hasn't been a problem but the last five years has provided more hardship for many who find it hard to cope with how things have become.

I studied in Canada back in 2010, worked in Africa for many years and I am from Africa. Currently, live in Europe, Portugal I got my residence after 2 years. I came here from Africa with my family. The quality of live is good. You have more free time to be with family, health systemn and education are free. You may pay monthly fee meal for your kids depending on your income with low income you dont pay nothing. What is true is about the economy grogth for you and family. I feel some segregation, racism is visible and very difficult to see black in very high paying job. I know many people who got nacionality but still earn minimum wage. As someone who lived in Canada, Africa and now Europe, yes Canada is way better I don't agree with USA in term of quality of life and security mainly if you plan to immigrate with your family

Brilliant video Nitish...\nIm a proud Indian Sikh from Jammu, settled in Bangalore for almost 10 years as a Senior Software Professional. Quite happy with my life (apart from crazy traffic). Have visited many countries for on-site business work, including Canada but India is good despite all the chaos, espcially South India. Started my career in infosys Chandigarh, then Gurgaon then Bangalore. My parents also might move in with me next year and Im also planning to start my own Food eatery. Over 95% Sikhs are just like me and patriotic and Love India, but yes there are issues in Punjab which need to be addressed...\nBut a large portion of the blame sadly goes to Sikh politicians. I want to tell the youth that Khalistan is a waste of time and politicians in Punjab, especially sikh politicians are completely bullshit. They are corrupt and have no vision and rely on rural votes which is sikh majority and Jazbaati over every issue and largely into farming. The Punjabi Hindus, baniyas, aggarwals and Jains own the urban economy and are comparatively more practical and forward looking in life. Many of these sikh politicians sadly themselves are involved in drug, own illegal abortion centres and labs, and even coaching centres to send students to canada on fake letters in exchange for a lot of money...\nI want to tell the youth, There is a lot of good opportunity in India. I know Punjab doesnt have much as of now (hope someday one of us can take our experience and setup a startup hub there), but other cities like Pune, Hyd, Bangalore, Mum, Chennai etc are good and once you have a stable job, its quite satisfying. Punjabis especially Sikhs are also loved everywhere by common people. Please dont spend your money on fake asylum letters and Canadian Dreams without thinking and planning.

Biden Fault...\nYou gonna let a few in...\nAnd now you wanna switch up...\nThey shouldn't have let them in from the jump.\nThis is going to Continue to Happen....\nI feel bad for them and At the Same time\nI am blessed and Lucky that Puerto Rico is a Commonwealth. We are probably the most hated latinos just because of our Citizenship.\nI pray they get this mess in order..?

I am a Toronto Native, a nurse that used to work in Critical Care at Sunnybrook, but moved to Dubai as my husband received a job offer. That was more than 10yrs ago. I must say that every time I visit home, things are definitely worse. I notice that ppl are very negative and also rude. It's quite startling. I also see how much the demographics have changed as well. The city is also dirtier and not as pretty. I can say that if I ever returned, I would consider Vancouver, somewhere outside of the city, or on the island, but for now, I can say that I will never return to live in Toronto., We will go someplace else like Mexico where it's close enough for family to visit and it's close to home. Btw, Toronto is NOT the most diverse city in the world, it's Dubai, and UAE as a whole, where 85% of the population is born outside of the country.

... And here is why:\n1. Insanely expensive housing with next to none disposable income left in the pocket. \n2. Inability to get into the real estate market unless $$$ was brought in as an investment. This will leave locals and people who were born in Canada left out for good even further. \n3. Extremely competitive job market. Newcomers will have to suffer for a long time to break-in. \n4. Depression and drug addiction is everywhere. It's more deadly than covid but the government can't address the problem because they lose control for good. \n5. Canada is far away from many other places, which makes things worse as you feel trapped in a workcamp with no place to escape. \n6. The cost of living is getting much faster with the salaries significantly behind year after year. \n7. Canada became the country of failed government, failed multiculturalism, too tolerant as a result. \n8. Retirement in Canada will be impossible for 95% unless you agree to live in the middle of the nowhere until depression kills you. \n9. Many who came to Canada 25+ years ago and still around felt trapped. Canada's source of immigration will likely be the poorest communities who will agree to put up with everything listed above just to get out of where they live right now. \n10. Sad, but true. I have seen a steady decline in Canada since 1998. Things get worse every year.\nAmen to that. I'll be visiting Lviv in 2025 for the first time since 2000 to check on my apartment in the city centre, not far from my Alma Mater LPI. I THANK GOD every day I didn't sell it and so I have a place for retirement!

Before Justin Trudeau everyone wanted to come to Canada as Pierre Poilievre said before now after 8 years of bureaucracy and 8 years of Infaltion , everything’s are now messed only a new government can make a bright and better future for Canada and Canadians ??\nI hope my all comments were useful and simple for public to understand what is happening in Canadian and international politics .\nMy real name is Mohammad Iqbal Ahmadi \nOriginally from Afghanistan Date of birth 06-06-1992. \nStudied bachelor of commerce in AU Uttar Pradesh India ?? than came back to Afghanistan than fled Tajikistan started to apply for Canadian immigration \nThan migrated all legal with 100% right and complete immigration Documents and arrived in Canada in TORONTO in 08-June-2022 i am a simple man like you all. which thinks the politics and analyze in different way and all logical and common scenes \nI live in Toronto for now .\nHope you all have a great years ahead .\nThank you all ???\nNow time for personal works I gotta study more ???

Credentialing of the educational status of the immigrants is a very big challenge. People spend good time and money to earn degrees,in other countries but all of a sudden they become zero in canada.....\nHousing has become a big gamble for Canadian policymakers, and builder mafia and the crown land...immigrants bring huge sums of money and even then cannot afford a reasonable house in canada...\n..now the new rental building plan .of the Canadian government is another challenge for the immigrants and will decrease interest of the new immigrants

This is good and honest review. You did not succeed because you did not go with that mindset. In my case, I was working in India as a Class I gazetted officer with Govt of India. When I got PR, I resigned from the job, just because I knew there is struggle in Canada. If I have an option, I would have definitely gone back. My Dad and my father-in-law, both Govt officers at that time, were upset with me for resigning. They were OK with me going to Canada, but did not like the idea of leaving such a good job. I did struggle initially and did survival jobs, like working in factories etc, but I DO NOT regret my decision at all. But again, it is individual's choice what is their goal. Mine was to give my kids world's perspective. Now they are free to go anywhere in the world, including India. My elder one 26 and younger one 22, have visited so many countries without taking a single penny from me. Their world view is very balanced ... they are very empathetic - thanks to Canadian education system - including school level.

The trouble is Canada is not taking itself seriously. The reality is culture matters. When you dump millions of people into a place over a short period of time, there is bound to be turmoil. The housing crisis. The Balkanization of different cultural groups. The watering down of Canada‘s original culture (the culture that made country desirable in the first place). The low salaries versus cost of living. The reality is this has been brewing for a while, and is only coming to a head now. The solutions are there, but you are “racist” if you say anything. A 90% reduction in immigration would be a good start. Then, a reduction in the size of a bloated government. Incentives for people to have families again. People should be having 2 to 3 kids on average again. A return to Jesus couldn’t hurt as the country was built on Judeo-Christian values. Then, the country will grow organically and will have some hope of becoming great again!

Wave populists just reach in Canadian society. And, it's not ready to stop coming. \nImmigration and Citizen Canada has to understand there is a war out there. The propaganda is strongly going on.\nAlso, Information and Communication have to get it right to stop this wave. It's a good time for them to come because now, it's their time. They have Conservators who are almost in the driving seat\nAll that, because the Liberals have failed to do their job. The problem is, that the Liberals say they are Liberals, but they are not totally honest with the immigrants. Moreover, they know that the Canadian economy seats on the back of the immigrants, \nThe propaganda is about, Canada is not good, because of the stupidest reasons. For example, from Poutine propaganda, Canada is not because Canada asks for an evaluation test. They will tell you any reasons to prove to you what they say it's right. \nLet's hope Canada wakes up, unite, stand up, and say NO.

What a load of crap. Open the doors even more than they are now? More propaganda in the media. Multiculturalism is a failure. And everybody knows the government isn’t bringing in construction workers. They’re letting in someone who was a teacher in Bengal, who expects to be able to come here and start making $100,000 without getting their hands wet. It’s time for all of this to end.

This liberal government is so out of touch its rediculous. Our immigration minister is obviously just trying to collect a paycheck as bringing in over a million immigrants from now til 2026 is not the answer. Right now, our jobs and housing is in big trouble where even Canadians born here are having a hard time. They are trying to implement programs that just won't work. Try asking the average Canadian for common sense answers. Bringing in immigrants to build homes and work at Tim Hortons and McDonald's isnt the answer. Immigration numbers are destroying this country and this country literally isn't Canada anymore. PS. If you fly any other flag thats not Canadian in protest, go home because that crap is not acceptable. Take that crap back to your birth country.

2nd larger country on earth, population 39 millions and housing prices raising making imposible to buy a house in one life time. \nI live in Canada since 2005. \nMy work experience and knowledge is not valuable in Canada, my University diploma either, so what employers and government want ? . \nI choose to live Canada only to get international experience but now l'm tired of all this stu%&$ rules. \nI'm planning go back to my hometown were I used to live better than in Canada. ???☀️? thanks for the Canadian passport by the way ✌?

Multicultural = Failed. Here is why (in my opinion) there is no reason to move in any big cities in Canada, and in Canada in general. \n1. Insanely expensive housing with next to none disposable income left in the pocket. \n2. Inability to get into the real estate market unless $$$ was brought in as an investment. This will leave locals and people who were born in Canada left out for good even further. \n3. Extremely competitive job market. Newcomers will have to suffer for a long time to break-in. \n4. Depression and drug addiction is everywhere. It's more deadly than covid but the government can't address the problem because they lose control for good. \n5. Canada is far away from many other places, which makes things worse as you feel trapped in a workcamp with no place to escape. \n6. The cost of living is getting much faster with the salaries significantly behind year after year. \n7. Canada became the country of failed government, failed multiculturalism, too tolerant as a result. \n8. Retirement in Canada will be impossible for 95% unless you agree to live in the middle of the nowhere until depression kills you. \n9. Many who came to Canada 25+ years ago and still around felt trapped. Canada's source of immigration will likely be the poorest communities who will agree to put up with everything listed above just to get out of where they live right now. \n10. Sad, but true. I have seen a steady decline in Canada since 1998. Things get worse every year.

HI Chokor, I really like your submissions.?\nHowever, I will excuse your level of knowledge about Europe as you have said that you have never lived in Europe.\n\nMy own submissions is that both Europe and U.S.A/ Canada has their goods and bads.\n\nFirstly, Europe pratice Socialist and Capitalist economy, meaning if you are working and fall on hard time due to recessions, or health challenges. \nEurope welfare systems will support you, until you are back on your feet, and if its terminal health challenges, the systems support you till death.\n \nPerhaps that is why European pathways to citizenship use to be so narrow, but its changing now,\nGermany has adopted, u.s.a type of Green card, currenty assylum seekers in Europe mostly received work permits after 9months.\n\nCritically, Europe still has more to learn from Canada in terms of integration and equal opportunities for immigrants.\n\nCritically, U.s.a and canada, systems are pure capitalist economy, If you are unlucky to fall on hard times, or health challenges, and if the person does not have full medicaid insurance, that person life is likely to be cut short. \nDue to lack of access to quality hospital care.\n\nEven, i watched it on CNN/CBS, how most medical insurances in U.s.a, and Canada ars refusing to cover persons with Diabetes.\n\nUsa and Canad has one of the worst homelessness in the developed world, most of them are not drug/alchohol addicts, rather persons with good works, and home owners who had fallen on hard times.\n\nConclusion, wherever God give us in abroad, one should just pray for mercies of God..?

Khalastan is the only solution for sikh of indian panjab. IN FACT IT WOULD HAVE BEEN SOLVED AT A TIME OF PARTATION AND QUID A AZAM HAS ALREADY TOLD IT TO A SIKH LEADERS , HUNDU ARE MORE CUNNING AND MAKAR NATION THEY USE SIKH PEOPLE IN KILLING OF MUSLAMS DURING MIGRATIONS OF PARTATION IN 1947. BUT THY NOW RELAISED THAT THY HAVE BEEN USED BY HUNDU. MOREOVER GOLDEN TAMPLE AND ANDERA GANDE WILL NOT BE FORGETEN BY SIKH AND THAIR NEW GENERATION SHOULD BE AWARE OF THAT. HUNDU ARE NA KABLA ASLA IE INCRDABLE PEOPLE SAID BY OUR QAID.ITS TRUE TIME HAS PROVE IT. WE SUPPORT A FREE COUNTERY FOR SIKH its KHALASTAN. KHALASTAN ZANDABAD.

Everyone has their own experiences. But the hospital incident I can relate. One time I took my son in emergency and the doctor gave anesthesia to my son in his finger and then got busy worh other patients and when she came back the affect was almost done and when she gave cut in his finger, he was in real pain and I was literally in tears. \nAfter few years when my situation was grave the head of the department herself took permission in the meeting for my immediate MRI which takes longer if you not in dire need.\n\nBut she gave the perfect review. Never come here to study in college. You won't get anything except wasting your money. For me it's been 20 years here. Life is not easy at all, but I'm used to it. May be because I don't need friends to share happiness or my sorrows. I'm a strong woman and can handle my ups and down. \nLife is all about paying bills and bills here and I now I don't have any regrets, so I'm okay with it. Winters are good as long as you have proper clothing and shoes. I never had an issue.

Seriously speaking i love this city but as you said it is very expensive to live in live in the midtown both my wife and myself are full time workers and we are managing the expenses, the declining ratio is for sure i blame the government, the bad thing is no matter what every other immigrant whether they lands in halifax or calgary they move to Gta or in toronto, the government should have a check and balance to those people who are nominated in other provinces and moved to Toronto, i dont blame the people it is the government they need to make the opportunity in every province and put a cap on the individual if you are landed in Saskatchewan you should stay in the same place for almost 5 years, if a person or a family live constantly for 5 years at one place they don’t even try to think to move any-other city unless they have some serious issues their, i am also an immigrant a landed PR from Pakistan Alhumdulillah i work hard my wife does the same Managing the expenses but it’s true it is not affordable for everyone now.

My husband is from China, Im from Hong Kong. We both came around 2000, at the time houses were cheap and affordable. We met and married after we became Canadian in 2004 and the same year we bought our first house 4 bedrooms 3000sqft near Fairview Mall. Our first daughter has now just graduated and we plan to fund her on her down payment because we know it's not affordable on her own. The price has gone up not double, not triple or quadruple, but 5 times what it used too and not even near centre of the city. Canada housing is now so bad my husband regrets giving up his Chinese citizenship at one point luckily Hong Kong allows multiple citizenship and we can still go back and settle when things get worse. Sucks for my kids who have never had much experience outside of Canada so they will need to learn and cope for better or for worse.

Toronto resident here. Cost of living has become more expensive. I share an apartment with my someone and we are paying about $3,000 per month with few amenities. It requires both our incomes to be able to afford to live here and we're just getting by. I have lived in the core of the city since 2005 but was born and raised in the GTA and have never lived anywhere else. Since about 2015, costs have gone way up and now they are just plain unaffordable. I live close to Sherbourne and Queen and while I see a lot of homelessness, I do not really see much violence. The area south of Queen is much more gentrified and I am never walking in fear, no matter what time of day or night. The Transit system has been under construction for over a decade and it just doesn't seem to end. More and more historic buildings are being converted to condos and I see tons of construction everywhere. Traffic has become nightmarish with too many cars and not enough roads. We are considering a move to Montreal because of the rental costs are about $1000 per month lower, though neither of us is francophone. I am not sure how the powers that be will be addressing the housing crisis moving forward. It's a huge challenge and I may not be around to see the outcome. Having said this, it's going to be really tough to say goodbye to this city.

UPDATE: Halifax (NS in general) is now unaffordable and the salaries have not aligned with the price increases. Food, gas, and the housing market have essentially doubled in price (seemingly overnight) and the population more than doubled so there are new condo buildings built everywhere with rent averaging $2500+ per month for a 2 bedroom. A house that used to cost $300K, is now closer to $700K. For the first time ever, there are homeless people living in their cars or in tents. The only thing that has stayed the same is the beautiful landscape.

I have a cousin in the States. I was shocked at how little he knew about other countries among other things. \n\nThen I vacationed in Hawaii. The newscasts never mentioned anything about what was happening elsewhere in the world (unless it involved the USA in some way. ) Having travelled extensively in the UK & Europe it came as a shock to discover just how insular it is in America. \n\nWhile there I got talking to a girl in one of the shops. Her parents lost their house & everything because of unexpected health issues. I can't even comprehend that. \n\nThe gun culture is another thing I cannot wrap my head around. Some members of my family own guns. They are used only to provide meat for the family and the rest of the time they are locked away safely. Carrying a weapon concealed or openly in day to day life is just crazy. There's been more than 500 mass shootings in the States this year. That's not counting all the other gun violence. Nothing could convince me to live there, and now I won't visit either.

I lived in the US for 30 years. I hated every year, except for having my sons there. My American husband is a staunch NRA supporter. At the 30 year mark, when I gave him an ultimatum. I gave him 30 years down there, and the time had come where he needed to do 30 years in Canada. We've been in Canada for 6 years, and he doesn't ever want to go back.\nI feel for the new mothers, who only get 6 weeks maternity leave (8 weeks for C-Section).\nCanadian Mums get a full year. Nurturing your new baby is necessary for a well-balanced child. You can't bond in 6 weeks. \nYour health insurance is nuts. We paid $1500/mo. just for our family. Then you have a $5k deductible first! Just walking into the ER is $500 and THEN add on labs, x-rays, meds, etc. My son was in mental health treatment and our insurance capped mental health at $25k for life. \nThe biggest slap up my head, was when I found out I CAN'T collect my SSI. I paid a lot of taxes, since we made 6 figures/year. So, now I'm screwed, since they won't pay a former Permanent Resident. Had I been a citizen, I could get it. My husband is a PR in Canada, waiting to take his citizenship test. If he applies for SSI, he needs to go down to the States for 30 days and nights, annually. \nI'm from Toronto, born and raised and I am so happy to have my feet back in my own country. My boys are still there, as well as my grandchildren. Thankfully, they fly up twice a year. You couldn't pay me to move back.

Back about 15 years ago I was down in Indiana on Ohio. In the people I met in the Midwest states. Great people laid back hard workers. America might have its problems, but so does Canada. Lot of similarities between both countries. And as for Canada's free health care. It's not so good right now. People are having hard time finding doctors. People wait hours to get into appointments. The only thing nice about free healthcare. Is it's free for some people and relatively affordable for other people. But it's not the best healthcare in the world. Like people said, least in America, you can go in and see a doctor and you're in and out pretty quick. But if you don't have free health care yet pay for it

I was really offended by this video! I am Canadian, live in Canada and absolutely HATE CANADA!! \nEverything said about USA and how bad certain things are, it’s the exact same here in Canada! Canadians can’t have a normal conversation about politics or religion! Look at what’s happening here? Locking up pastors or anyone preaching the bible! And don’t get me started about politics here! Absolute disgusting politics here and the insane amount of bat shit crazy left wing people that believe everything on msm as if it’s golden. Liberal government here has got to be the worst government in the entire world! Once upon a time they were normal and like all other political parties but now since the plandemic they are all insane! These left wingers think that the vax was a good thing and line up to get pics done with our top criminal Justin Trudeau! It’s sickening! \nSo there is absolutely no difference between Canada and USA! We have horrible cities that are dangerous just like USA. We have horrible pathetic cops that are power hungry and out to destroy lives. I know cops in Canada who were put through hell because they stood up for doing the right thing against other corrupt dangerous cops! They are a gang that wear uniforms and have the rights to abuse their powers. \nThis bothered me so much as it’s certainly calling the kettle black! People thinking they are better than others! \nIt would do the entire world some good to pick up the bible, read it and repent! Every single person on this earth needs to!

I’ve been privileged to actually live and work for long periods of time in USA, Netherlands, and China…and in a variety of locations in each country. Until recently, I’d have chosen Canada without hesitation. Canada has been rocketing into an ideological cesspool rivalling China, but so has USA and the Netherlands. As for the future…if I were middle aged (as opposed to OLD!) I would go to southeast USA Fla or Tx. Not because they are ‘better ‘ right now, but I believe USA still has a chance to sort itself out but Canada is simply too screwed up and corrupt (morally, politically, socially, & financially) to recover at least in my lifetime. I was living in northern China (Harbin) when that idiot Trudeau became PM and hoped he had a chance to improve things in general. But it is clear he (or whoever is pulling his vapid strings) has been a disaster and his current opposition shows signs of being equally awful. I believe US citizens care far more for their constitution and freedoms and more aware of the perilous situation they’re in than Canadians, many of whom still believe we have a functioning health care system. All this is coming to you from a Canadian septuagenerian, highly educated by what was (decades ago) the best educational system in the Western Hemisphere. One who benefited from a wonderful health care system before it got farmed out to private corporations and became a haven for niche specialties while starving out the family physicians who were the front line for proactive family care. Can u tell I’m cranky yet? ?? Might as well laugh about it at this point. P.S. When the history of Canada is written I suspect an unabashed plagiarist will begin with the line, “It was the best of times; it was the worst of times.”

I am much less gracious than you are hearing criticisms about your country. Good for you Tyler. It bothers me when I hear all the criticisms of Manitoba. We have amazing cultural diversity here, beautiful provincial parks, The Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra, The Royal Winnipeg Ballet, Rainbow stage and super friendly people. We honeymooned in Florida forty years ago and we loved it, just to let you know. Sadly, Florida is not the place to visit right now with the current Governor, but I look forward to visiting again another time.

I live in Toronto. I simply cannot reasonably afford it. I've already witnessed close friends forced into homelessness, for about two years now without fixed address, and unable to secure a bed through the primary homeless shelter hotline, which you have to call repeatedly to even have a chance. My friends were homeless due to a lack of affordable rent options. Lack of rent control in Toronto has been insane for quite some time, it seems criminal really that price gouging is allowed like this.

information that is hidden for almost everyone but punjab sikhs know ’ nearly 5 lakh sikhs were killed in that time most of the encounters were to gain rank by police officials torture , rape, and killings of innocent sikhs were common by army and police officials alot of goons were hired by police to kill and rape hindus to set a narrative against militant sikhs because they we’re getting support from public because most of the army was from hindu religion and due to indra gandhi death they were hating sikhs they did medival types of tortures and at that time police can do anything without asking any official they actually beated brutally to my own dad just for fun they were beating and laughing police did alot of looting to gain fortune for their own THESE ARE THE MAJOR REASON MY SIKHS LOOSE SENSE OF TOUCH FROM INDIA and even now if sikhs demand anything even issue like msp kissan the media say khalistani khalistani we tired now

Hey, be negative. I hate the positivity cult. Be honest. The world is falling apart. Let's not mince words. This is a global crisis. America has been crap for a long time, but it's sad to see Canada now going through the same, and deteriorating. Such a beautiful country. I remember being there years ago, and the energy was so much lighter, uplifting, and I always loved this about Canada in general. It was always the nicer bit of N. America....but now it's much like what the USA is experiencing with insane prices, housing crisis, drugs, crime, homelessness, etc. I don't feel this will get better anytime soon. I think we need to demand some serious changes, and they need to start with forcing down the costs of living, whether they like it or not. It's a giant scam. Anyone who knows what is really going on, and why, knows that it's not even 'the market', but it's predatory price gouging. People are charging high prices because they can, not because it's actually worth that. And no one is stopping them. Same with food, and everything else.

Been in Canada for approximately 25 years. I can say that the effect that Canada has on a legal immigrant is neither here nor there. If you can make lemonade out of any lemon you’re dealt, you will thrive in Canada (and anywhere else where your efforts are not overwhelmingly quashed by corruption, blatant racism or other forms of segregation). \n \nLynn, I was a lecturer in Kenya, went back to school here in Canada after wallowing in culture shock the first year, then circled back to teaching in college again after an arduous journey in school, but this time in a different field. \n \nAfter becoming a single mother of four kids, I had to also hustle on the side to build a small business empire along my life’s ladder. Partnership with God, goal clarity, the get-up-and-go, and relentlessness truly work. It isn’t the size of the dog but the fight in the dog that does it, regardless of where you live. \n \nThe starting point for a new immigrant can be very low due to the weather, unpreparedness and culture shock, but if you know that the only way is up, and are self-motivated, those challenges are soon behind you as the tests become testimonies. \n \nBy comparison people have more human rights here regardless of their status. The wheels of justice grind slow but they do grind fine. Women and children have equal rights with men. Politicians are mostly there to serve not necessarily to exploit. \n \nOpportunities for self-development galore - including being trained to become employable and going to school at any age (sometimes for free while you are still at the bottom of the ladder). There are food banks so you never go hungry if it came to that. The disabled are better treated with dignity. \n \nThere are prolonged parental leaves for both moms and dads for up to 18 months. Commensurate with earnings, parents under certain thresholds are given Canada child tax benefits and other supplements for each child under 18 years of age. \n \nDepending on the number of kids and their ages, the money can add up handsomely. Not to mention that there’s no tuition to pay for primary and high school students. Tuition fees start at post-secondary level. \n \nTo see a doctor is free as it is paid for by taxes. It the meds that you and/or your insurance pays for. Some medical equipments may be paid for by either or both the individual/insurance and the government depending on eligibility. \n \nBy and large, there’s cleanliness of common spaces. There’s also safety and relative peace. At least wherever I have lived, I can’t tell you how many times I forgot to lock my door with impunity. \n \nThere’s a lot more stressful work here in my opinion, but like you said Lynn, systems work a lot more efficiently and effectively. \n \nThe elephant in the room is the extra hard work that those living abroad must put in to fulfil expectations back home. Also known as black tax, the overwhelming financial dependency of relatives on their diasporan loved ones places undue stress on many here, especially because there are no short cuts to getting money here. \n \nAnyway, Lynn, thanks for such a great topical issue you’ve shared. I have to stop here as I have written a lot. Hope this helps someone on this forum. \n \nAnd last but not least, you’ll be proud to hear that even though Canada has been good to me, my face may now be turning towards home to see how I can be of use to mama Africa. Super excited!