Close Reading

As an American I watched because I wanted a realistic perspective of the issues with immigration from a place that typically loves immigration. I completely agree with the Daniel Bernhard that the real issue (including the US) is the laws and policies put in place that don't allow for what should be a natural growth of the population. Questions should be asked like Why do we not have enough housing, jobs, healthcare, etc. The cost of everything going up is not singularly the fault of immigrants, and stopping immigration will NOT solve those problems.

There's hundreds of YouTube posts online precisely like this post. \nI'm not going to get into how long my family's been in Canada . Because it comes off as like a bragging or a snobbery and I don't go for that. I just want to put it out there Canada is not a destination for purely economic exploitation. \nIt's a place you know for people who I saw people from the former Yugoslavia comment online. Their parents were extremely happy to get out of there in the 90s.. you know they left in the 90s and it's what 2024 . First sight of hard economic Times they decide to pick up and go. \nYou know not a lot of loyalty. But I think you're going to be happier going back home for skin is a free country or free to do that and I wish you all the luck \nLet's see 2 weeks ago I had an accident at work I got four stitches in my scalp I was in and out of emergency in 5 hours which I thought was reasonable.. last week of came down with stomach flu and went to the walk-in clinic it opened at 9:00 I was at 9:15 I waited 10 minutes saw the doctor . I live in Calgary Alberta Canada which is the third or fourth biggest city of Canada experiencing record migration into the town so yeah there's big pressure on new housing. \nI just like to put it out there that I love California and raised lots of generations here not a fanatical American now you know Canada first kind of you know raw raw patriotic Canadian. You know I love my country I'm proud of it proud of my answers and all the couple hundred years of hard work they put in it you have to make this country livable for extremely cold Northern geographic location.\nNow I have a large extended family Oliver Canada the United States Mexico Australia New Zealand parts of Africa England Ireland Scotland Denmark France. \nI've been very fortunate to be able to keep up with this huge family especially because of the internet now. \nSo I keep we talk regularly online and we do business with each other a little bit and some of the countries and Canada's doing reasonably well regarding the job market cost of living and you know those sorts of things. \nYou know we've gone through covid pandemic whatever you want to call that shut the economy down for a couple years worldwide. The worst mistake during the pandemic lockdown in Canada was the government shoveling out free money and people reinvesting it back into their real estate. So you have billions of Canadians locked out of their jobs big shovel taxpayer money and they all just started renovating their homes. To the point where sheets of plywood were you couldn't find them and they went up 100 times and price. Solo's hundreds of billions of dollars that the government's going to take back and taxes from us all draw the cost of housing through the roof. Instead of at the time redirecting half of those two it was 500 billion take a half of that investment in putting it into infrastructure technology innovation for industries. Our education systems from kindergarten through to postsecondary education and spending it on the Canadians that were here. We've turned our post-secondary institutions in Canada into diploma Mills where you know your VA and your you know postgraduate degrees or you know they're worthless. However the government and the education system grew into a very profitable industry grinding out worthless degree after worthless degree for foreign students who thought when they got these degrees with 50% of Canadians have. People have to realize that post-secondary education is a big business so they're going to sell you a dream that's going to cost you a lot of money what I suggest is when YouTubers want to do something on Canada do some proper research let people know that we really do have quality post-secondary education system but you have to look at when you graduate those jobs going to be there to pay that large salary does White collar jobs are disappearing almost gone I purchase an app for my company with small company about 10 employees this inexpensive app alone has taken my office staff from 7: to 2: I have a 10 Red seal tradesman tradeswomen these 10 highly skilled trades people earn between 125 and 145,000 a year in gross salary and I need five more of these highly skilled people and I can't find them cuz everybody's running in to get a useless postgraduate degree. I do find it slightly offensive that a lot of new immigrants new Canadians immigrate to Canada to purely exploit it for its wealth Canada should be looked at as a place to come put your hard work in the struggles the ups and downs? and look at it as your home instead of you know a piggy bank but people are going to leave and there's a long line up to get in I've seen in my 40 year career you know three major reps and three major downs. What's happening in Canada's economy and the economies around the world it's all the same the US economy's doing quite well and talked to last couple of weeks friends that have invested their and families have been there long-term at present the United States is building a war economy so there's money pouring into that effort it does have a booming you know Hi-Tech boom as well however the tech boom is offshore with American companies and it's taking place in a part of the world that no one would think it would take place so if your graduate in the tech industry go online do a little research you'll find out where it is the USA is building a huge chip factories I think they just poured in 70 or 80 billion dollars we're in a transitioning economy don't get discouraged put your head into it do your homework find out where these new jobs are coming from which jobs are not going to be here. Traditional White collar you know middle management upper management jobs they've been gone for years everyone's think of themselves as an independent contractor. Also if you're a millennial or was a gen z person there's going to be a massive transfer of wealth over the next 20 to 30 years as baby boomers simply die off and then you guys are going to inherit their money I live in any one of the g7 economies I just got to find your niece with your qualifications and get in there and innovate because there's not one g7 country that significantly doing better than anyone else another interesting part of the world is East Africa I'm retiring there in 5 years I've already done my homework I've already got partners I've already started to train up people there in East Africa Canada and those parts of the world they have East Africa's great basic infrastructure so now that they've got their first level base of infrastructure a second economy is built off at the service that basic infrastructure that basic infrastructure allows for that second layer a bigger layer of investment you know and that's where the real money is for mid-level investors and you know highly educated Young westerners have got 10 years into their respective careers and these are also very beautiful countries you know so you can if you got family in Canada family in Europe India Asia you know you can start building networks collaborate on projects you know in these you know emerging economies you know mid-level economies but that's you know a good 20-year grind to get good at your career and build your confidence to go into these places and get these things done also you know it's a great life adventure but never expect just because you have an advanced degree that the door even come knocking down your door to employ you if you're going to wait for the opportunity to come to you you're going to be waiting forever you got to take your advanced degrees get out there and hustle and work hard man Canada's doing fine about four or five years it's you know it's going to take off next level and it's going to boom for 40 years and it's never going to get any cheaper in g7 countries Amy's emerging economies his pockets around the world they're starting to come up to in the window to get into these emerging economies with your advanced degrees it's closing if you don't make it if you don't start looking at it in the next 5 years your degrees are going to be gone useless and if you do decide to put your career in these emerging economies like Asia South America Central America Africa do it for the right reasons not just for money we don't want to make the same mistakes as like the industrial Revolution where a few people get rich and the people in that country you know don't get anything have respect for these countries employ their people and you have to get into these places before all the big corporations get set up there cuz they're they're going there Canada's a great place as a great time free medical system and I urge anybody that's feeling down or depressed in Canada you know to go get some therapy join some clubs talk to people don't get down and mostly don't you know don't give up on yourself you guys made it through you know Elite post-secondary education system and if you can if you can do that I mean you can you can do anything a lot of hard work ahead truly best of luck to all you guys

Ultimately if you don't like the conditions where you live, we all have 2 feet that we can use to walk away and leave an expensive city (or country). There are far, far cheaper places to live in North America (see nearly any Latin American country and most South American countries). You vote with your feet: literally just leave and move to a cheaper cost of living area. It's baffling how expensive homes in Vancouver are, yet they cost 20% as much if you move to a rural place in Manitoba or Saskatchewan. \n\nYou actually don't have to continue pay high prices; only if you choose to not act and stay in your current expensive city.

As extreme as it may seem, I think mass deportation is necessary, and we treat it like it is; an invasion. Poised to strike at the American economy to weaken our country. Now, if there are so many migrants seeking asylum, then maybe we need to look at what countries they are from and look at the humanitarian crisis in our own hemisphere. If these other countries are so bad, perhaps then we invade them, restructure them, and make them a part of a new alliance. We pull our production out of chine, move it so we don't need ships anymore just planes/trains/trucking and actually build up the greatest hemisphere on the planet.

As an American, I'm sorry our private healthcare system has taken your doctors. What's even more scary about that statistic is many Americans can't even afford the doctors we have, so at least Canadians have equal healthcare opportunities even though they have to wait. Many Americans don't even get the luxury to wait. If only America caught up to public healthcare policies the global system would be more fair and we'd have people becoming doctors because they love it, not because it makes them rich.

Tyler, with complete respect you DON'T get why we generally have no interest in moving to the US. You constantly talk about 'you just have to find the right place to live'. True of anywhere, but here the choice would be about preferences and afordability, NOT to avoid gun violence or shunning because of political views.\nThere is no where in Canada I could move to where gun violence would be a big factor to consider (we have rough places, and gun violence, but STRICT gun laws). Let me give you some perspective. In 2019 the USA had 37,038 gun related deaths. (No other causes of death- JUST all gun death). In Canada, in 2019, our death by illegal means (which does include suicide, as it is illegal) was 5,874. (That is for ALL types of homicide, not just guns). And the government was shocked by the increase that year and tightened gun restrictions further.\nYou talk about having certain States more Red or Blue. We aren't bi- partisan, so our politics are a melting pot. You might have people you disagree with everywhere you go, but you will also always find an equal group who thinks similar (unless your an extremist). And even the people who think different will generally agree to dis- agree. There is next to nowhere in Canada where your political views would get you run out of town. \n\nYou are USED to thinking like an American. (Fair, your American; I think like a Canadian) Trust me, as a Canadian, there are aspects of the accepted American culture (your country's way of life) that is boarderline terrifying to people here.

I have two brothers living in the states. The one in Wisconsin is my big brother and he means the world to me. He does have his foibles about race and he tolerates me bringing him to task for some of the things he's said. He was brought up in Kentucky. He seems to be seeing the light now. I have spent time with him and my sister-in-law, and my nieces and nephews in Florida, Illinois, Kentucky and Indiana. We are close now despite being brought up worlds apart. My next oldest brother lives in West Virginia. I haven't seen him on over 30 years. He had a habit of moving without telling the rest of the family. I didn't know he had divorced and remarried. I worked for the Canadian Military as well as some of the American contingent where I worked. I had to renew information for my Security Clearance just after 9/11. He refused to give me any info because Rush Limbaugh was telling Americans the terrorists came to the U.S. from Canada (they actually were taking flight training in Florida). I suppose I could easily take up American citizenship since our mother had dual citizenship but I think I'll decline. I'm too much of a Canuck to change now. I don't think I could get used to politicians winning an election and immediately starting a new campaign. The process seems exhausting to always be bombarded with things politic. Here our electioneering is held to 6-8 weeks before the election and strict limits are placed on funding and contributions. Besides, I live in a small city of 58-60 thousand (North Bay, Ontario). In the close to 70 years that I've lived here, I can recall only 3 murders, so you'll under if I find mass shootings shocking and abhorrent and truthfully scary. I'm a little long winded today....Sorry.

Wtf does Canada have to offer more then the states ? \nNothing. \nNot a thing.. \nLiars will will tell you otherwise.. \nI promise Canada is falling. \nWho cares about the look we have .. actually living here is not as good. \nI make good money and can afford to live in Victoria bc. The most expensive area in Canada.. I currently live here for the last few years. Nobody can say it's better. \nI'm not bias because I'm broke.. or lack of the normal things people are concerned with.. \nOur government is horrible.. the American government is bad.. absolutely.. but Canada is a dictatorship in the making.. I want the fuk out with all my money and stuff I've made before they remove everything we own\nDon't believe what you hear. \nSchool shooting stuff is an excuse to say but we have just as much stupidity here..just hidden crimes. Don't believe what bias people say.. take a trip to see for yourself. \n..

If you have an issue with latino people coming here undocumented, you should remember that your ancestors did EXACTLY the same thing and that they decimated native Americans in order to create rules, laws and regulations against the very thing they themselves did. Don't like it? Why are you here in the Americas then- if you don't want to mingle with us? All of Latinos are American whether central, south or north American.\n \nNative Americans were here first. Y'all seem to love to forget that you have no right to discriminate Latinos (because their heritage started here) and indigenous people from the Americas. Their homeland. \n\nYou literally know where your roots are but you want to ignore that part of history and pretend that the US is your god given right to live without the presence of those who's roots are here many, many, again many centuries before you. We don't tell you to go back to Europe because we know that wouldn't be fair to you and it wouldn't make sense to send you there. In the same way it doesn't make sense that you tell us to leave when this is our motherland millennia before y'all imposed yourselves onto this continent. Get over it. Vote for immigration laws that are in favor of them that makes it easier for them just as it was free for your ancestors to do for theirs.

Instead of the Biden administration sending endless billions of dollars to other countries to feed their dirty business deals, maybe we could send that money to other countries as TRUE foreign aid to help them build up their own water supply, food, medical and housing. We have our own American citizens homeless and starving here and they should get help BEFORE ILLEGALS. Especially our Veterans who are ignored and treated like shit. This is all out of the pockets of taxpayers who can't get a break and now millions of illegals are pushing their way into the United States and demanding what they aren't entitled to. Cartels, human trafficking, dope, people from all over the world who are in a lot of cases, from countries with really no laws. Who are they? What sort of background do they have? What are their intentions? I'm not saying that they are all bad people, but we don't know anything about them. No vetting and of course, they will be granted amnesty and will vote. Not that our elections matter anyway. They aren't going to abide by our laws, obviously. Then what diseases are these people bringing here? Then guess what? The WHO gets to decide what is a public health emergency and throw down more restrictions and demands for more vAxXinEs. This is an invasion. They aren't here legally regardless of EOs. Any law that goes against our Constitution is null and void.

As an American who is going blind hurts and badly has a tent on the street a wife I love and son my wife she is dieng my heart breaks for these people I don't even think they understand that America is not what they think but Lord hear these people forgive my selfish wants\n....... Yet as free will exists and the time draws nigh we did this to the people .......the world men love darkness rather then the light men in power have become corrupt greed on a massive level has destroyed this world in a little more then a hundred and fifty years tho there's always been wars and death and hell on earth but as a whole the earth kept on going yet we have taken and raped this earth for things and trinkits destroyed the rainforest the flood supply and given the young adults drugs and violence yet thell have the so called answer which consists of more death love one another people love one wnother if we don't who we'll and if you don't who we'll love you

And when i say the wall need to be built popple look at me like I'm racist like i am immigrant i was poor born in a port in God grace we manage to get our visa and passport, i am not even joking qhw. I'm saying one day we will only eat rice i know where I come from, war, dangerous street at night, just crazy stuff be happening like this is not right it doesn't matter how u look at it American as an immigrant yes there are certain i don't like about the country but what the hell is this.

Yes and if these people truly believed in God and Jesus they wouldn't run from their countries but actually stay on the ground and stand strong in their faith that God and Jesus are going to help them persevere through all this. As a fully disabled American citizen with a child that doesn't even get $1,000 a month and there's no available housing at all where I live no waiting list to go on people on SSI disability don't get any extra housing help we're not offered separate housing are put on separate lists and low-income Able Body people or the migrants jumping the Border but I was born and raised here paid taxes and worked until my body literally couldn't anymore but I don't hear anybody bitching and screaming and crying about the fact that my son and I would be on the streets if it hadn't been for one of my family members stepping up and giving his housing after a lifetime restraining order issued during my pregnancy on my son's biological do do with domestic abuse situation. I'm also US citizen that spent time in the Wards in Houston and projects and other cities and if you don't think that we don't have the same gun violence drug trafficking human trafficking gangs take it over cartels taking over neighborhoods and communities than you're freaking lying to yourself and everybody else. The same s*** that's taken over these countries is taking over the inner cities have been for decades and these are the same communities that most of these people will end up in. No it's not about not being good Christians part of being a good Christian is reminding people to stand their ground and have faith in Jesus and God and their own home territory and not to give it up to the crime people in the bad politicians. You can't say you believe in God and Jesus Christ and then he's got your back while you're running and that's the truth in the reality that nobody wants to hear the more people run from these countries the more the bad people are able to take over and then we get complaints here in the states about the cost attacks is rightfully so. For those people screaming and shouting that everybody should go out pick up in my grant and bring them home to their house and feed them and take them and I challenge you to do the same thing for homeless before you even do the migrant do homeless American citizens go out and really educate yourself because I'm totally tired of hearing from Americans that the only people that live on the streets are people with mental health problems that need mental health treatment or people that are stoned out and that's where they want to be you guys are so f****** wrong and this is coming from someone that met homeless people spent time around homeless people and understand we have a society that wants to paints a very different picture than what's truly going on because then it allows for hey it's not our problem they want to be there. I will say there's two I'm sure a lot of people are attracted to come into the United States I mean it's kind of turned into the Devil's Playground don't you think I mean look at how ostentatiously people live the projects on the backs of taxpayers selling dope holding down dead-end jobs to make it look like they're working all while going out and getting their hair did and their nails done and their eyelashes done and pimping out their cars and all that b******* and buying all this you know high-end tennis shoes and f****** clothing and Handbags and s*** and then we have the part of the United States that justified of themselves all the time or it's okay to have this huge palatial house or have multiple houses I'll we have United States veterans living on the streets or people that truly have disabilities that have been a waiting list for 2 and 3 years for housing. I remind people all the time and they hate hearing this s*** Jesus never had a house as a matter of fact Jesus basically live like a homeless person after he was an adult particularly and God made sure he was provided for. I mean did you all forget the night they came to take them away they were asleep in an Open Garden it wasn't like they popped up tents or glamper camper sites had some little Adobe type cabins they were sleeping in. As a matter of fact if you pay attention to most of the stories about Jesus and talking about him sleeping he does a lot of sleeping Outdoors. Remember God is a father that's how he's been represented and talked about in the Bible and Jesus was a man without a doubt no biological transgender question ability there. People need to remember that part of being a fair and loving. Is also teaching and discipline and these children following rules. I don't believe hearing God and Jesus telling all these people run from your countries and not have faith that I'm actually going to fix things for you and go run to somebody else actually go run to the United States where all those stuff is traveling through. I never understood the logic of that it's like rats run from the country where they're making the drugs to the country that supplying the globe with it and we're all of these bad people have thousands of people in planted everywhere with guns and hookups. I don't know why people don't understand that we have dirty lawn forcement in dirty politicians that are in bed with the dirty drug cartels that's as much as they are in the country. You don't think that there's not decisions made in the United States based on drugs and I'm not talking about how to put it into them but how to keep them flowing. I have Fred still in Florida and we were all making jokes about how quickly Sanibel Island all the way up to st. Pete got Mainland access so quickly after the last major hurricane that took everything down and we all know what it's from is because that portion of Florida is used to bring a lot of drugs in from South America, Central America. So for all of you that want to post your personal assumptions about homeless people because that's all it is unless you've actually been homeless or spent time around homeless you really have no clue what's going on in the homeless population except what you've been told by the same political talking head media bulshit that's been lying to everybody about a bunch of other stuff too. Don't you get it the politicians don't want people knowing that a lot of the people that are homeless on the street are people that are disabled and aren't disabled because they have mental health problems I know that's the narrative they've been trying to stuff down people's throats.

What we need to do as business owners is when a Taco Bell turd walks in you asked him for their green card if they don't have it don't sell them shit don't sell them anything. If they don't have an American citizenship then don't serve them. They want to start this fucking shit we'll fucking end it

To confirm as an American. Yes, it seems like everyone wants to put hot sauce and cheese on everything and it's annoying. The tap water here is bad unless you get it from the fridge or have a filter. Here in Arkansas, I think our spring water is great.\n\nRegarding the city and getting around to restaurants and other areas, pretty much. A good portion of our factories are on acres of land. However, some are still close enough that you can walk to. I'm certain this is hardly different from Canada but we are 97% rural. People think of America as big cities but usually its the local town and a pumpkin patch. When Aba said America is like 40 different countries, he ain't wrong. \n\nFirearms is ingrained in our culture. That's a given. I see a lot of people mention safety and this is what I can say; I felt my safety was compromised by a tornado warning. Trouble can happen but if you don't deal drugs or do some under the table stuff, usually you won't be a victim of a crime. \nI'm planning on owning some land myself so I can shoot on it, farm, and raise a family. Just be independent.

As an American who now lives in Japan, Yes! to all of this. I don't think we realize how draining it is to live in that type of environment and the toll is takes over time. I lived in a studio apartment in Chicago that costed the same as a 2 bedroom here, maybe less. I had to work 2 full time jobs to pay rent and other utilizes. I rarely socialized with my friends or went out to do anything. And I thought that was NORMAL. That's crazy thinking back on it now. Also I'm a lot less paranoid in Japan then I was in the States due to safety reasons.

I would still take our medical system over the American system without a second thought. Though I would be in favour of a parallel paid tier that's integrated with the public tier so that the public tier benefits from the profits and investments.\nRegarding financial technology, the perspective here is slightly short sighted, although to some degree, I agree. Compared to the US we have had debit (Interac) at retail point of sale since the late '80s/early '90s, and email money transfers (Interac eTransfer) since the late '90s/early '00s, long before the US had anything comparable such as PayPal, and apps like CashApp or Venmo effectively have no marketshare in Canada because of the long history of having email money transfers.\nLastly, for the cell phone plans, you are 100% correct, though we still don't have true unlimited, and only on plans including 5G service. However, there are some mitigating factors such as the high ratings of the network quality and stability for all major cell carriers despite wide swaths of our geography having little to no population and rugged topography. It's not an easy country to cover properly or reliably without it being expensive. Though Canadian telecom and cableco profits are through the roof, as are those of the big 5 banks. We definitely need more competition, though I'm not sure foreign companies coming in are the way to go with this.\nAlso, technologically speaking many important technological and scientific R&D is being conducted here and innovations are made here all the time, but in many ways, these companies get traction outside of Canada long before they get traction here.

You're not correct about the Quebec government banning the hijab - actually they ban all forms of religious expression in clothes worn at work by public servants - so don't criticize us unless you get the facts straight. All countries are facing public health crisis especially in the aftermath of a global pandemic, you mention how long it could take to get an MRI - weeks/months, but it's no worse than in the UK, or other western countries. I do agree with you about limited competition in banking and tech - but we're still a young and growing country, however, look at the global recession that took place in 2007 - Canada was least affected by mortgage default, the US was hit the worst and hundreds of thousands had their homes foreclosed by the Banks, yet in Canada because of our strict banking policies we were saved and the Banks worked with defaulters to try to keep their homes. Taxes, well most countries require you to file your own taxes at the end of the year - what's so strange about that? Yes sales tax is added onto the sales price depending on what province and what you are purchasing, same as US, just because it's not the same in Europe doesn't mean it's worse! Listen, when you're a newcomer to any country you need to fit in when looking for a job, put in the effort, take the time, do the work, any country is going to expect you to be able to speak the language and know the lingo, so I don't agree with your analysis that Canadians are risk adverse! You are 100% correct about the housing crisis, listen it's been going on everywhere for decades, and international investors in the past 10 years or so woke up and noticed that Canada was a great bet for investment, so the problem got really bad. The government just passed a 2 year moratorium on non Canadians buying real estate - as have many other countries, so fingers crossed no more new foreign landlords just regular Canadians buying their first homes, let's hope so!! I've lived many years in Europe - and I loved it! But the quality of life in Canada is better. If you don't live in the crowded city you can have a nice property with lots of space, good roads, not bad school system, very friendly and helpful people. Quebec has some of the best food on the North American continent, we have clean air and lots of water in Canada - I'm very happy here, so don't be so negative please!

Tbh being an indian I thought american are open minded and good looking but look this women she's neither a good looking and her behaviour is 0/10 that's true american, Australia Canada they don't like immigrants specially indian who probably gonna steal Thier jobs but she should respect him whether he is american or not, I was planning to move america but I say no to my company I feel much better here in india, beautiful indian girls well know cities and streets and my fav food I'm not gonna leave my india even I got million dollar job I probably got 60perecent less but cost of living is also 60 percent less I have a american online friend and she literally know nothing about india Becoz what the outsiders shows the indian image is just like cows, slums and poverty and that's not Thier bad we are on highest developing rate and sonner we all get developed and india is a home of good doctors engineers singer arts and many more personality humans and we are second largest english speaker may be my English is not good but yeah I working very fine with my american teammates and they never complainant about my accent what they want just a quality work as long as I'm doing good job they will gave me dollor that's it and I love america becoz america have many more good things I just take the advantage of those things and I worked with american guys and they are not racist even my company believes in diversity they launch different things being working inside the office with educated people u never feel racism but in streets u can find racism even in india I'm not saying 100 percent indian are good but yeah for me I will argue with them if I see any this kinda activities even most Americans will do the same racism is everywhere but america is land of multirace country that's why there is more

I actually think Janelle Monae included those characters to make a point. I don't think it gives them a pass. the lyrics of the song even speak about the issue. This is my perspective as an African American. I appreciate the perspective, but I think a message was actually being sent. This does make me want to learn more about how racial scenarios play out in Canada - we share a continent, but the cultures are difference.

Look it took me 5 ir 6 swipes to get back to the top of the comments, so let's be honest with each other here. RACISM is real and EVERYWHERE. Some just hide it better, others don't recognize that they, are sadly but truth is... As an American Citizen and Veteran, I use to wonder why so many family members and former soldiers would stay overseas after the military. That is till it was my turn..! I had my culture shock on my return to the States, I had gotten use to being judged on my merit and personality there instead of my color here. Hey, we even discriminate against our own race at times. Life is, What YOU Make It and How YOU Take It... Canada isn't as bad as here and other places I've been.

growing up in canada, i felt left out in the blk community b/c i am a 5th generation blk cdn on mom's side and 3rd on my dad's - when other black ppl not canadian born met me - i tell them i'm cdn, but i always used to get the question - where are you really from - they were looking for me to say the islands - when i told them my paternal grandma was born in 1901 in canada - that's when the questions stopped. i've been told that b/c i wasn't from the islands, i had no culture in college, but a mbr of the black student society put him in his place i heard he got into a lot of trouble. i was asked what do we eat as in food as canadians what kind of music do we listen to - at our blk canadian weddings, the only carribean song played was hot hot hot by arrow - we played straight up r and b and motown. i hv been rejected by other blk men b/c i'm not west indian enough...it was hurtful. even with 'friends' they made of my cdn heritage but i used to think, why are you making fun of me knowing that my family and ancestors were in canada first - they were 1st generation - i live in the usa now and i'm with an african american man - he has never treated me as if i were different and he loves going w/me to canada. my parents told me it was jealousy on those ppl's parts - one guy i used to be friends with in college, when i went to his house, his mom was from the islands, when she met me - she said, 'you cdn ppl are loud' and that did it for me - i didn't date her son but when he met my parents, they never said any of that crap to him. in the usa, the african americans don't treat differently at all - my ex mom in law thought we were american but decided to live in canada - b/c she was surprised that blacks do live in canada. her other daughter in law's family were from the islands - but she gravitated more to my family and felt comfortable around them more than her family and this ex sis in law would brag about the islands this and that and she would make comments about my looks being skinny and such but it was jealousy - i didn't care much for her b/c she was very insecure. i felt once again, i was a young girl in college again - being around island ppl....i would love to meet drake and ask him did he feel left out and isolated because he wasn't from the islands - he makes me very proud being a blk canadian - his dad is african american and his mom is jewish. i still hv dealt w/racism not much with wht ppl, but with my own ppl - which is quite sad and on top of it-colorism, that also played a part from my family - being called pygmy, chocolate dip, nappy hair - it hurt but these so called relatives, they aren't all that anymore, they had hard lives as children...when ppl see something in you that is special and they don't have, that's when their ugliness shows -

Follow our laws & traditions or GET OUT!! Don't expect us to follow your laws & traditions when we go to your countries!! When people go to an islamic country they are expected to follow the islamic laws (eg. women are expected to wear a table cloth on their head - ludicrous!!). Yet the same is NOT respected for American laws - muslims do NOT respect our traditions or they would take off the bed sheets & table cloths while they are in our countries (as we wear them for you in yours). It's only fair. If you don't like it then go back to your country and bring your creepy traditions with you. Women walking around in America with bed sheets look CREEPY and oppressed, whether you say you want to wear your table cloth or not, you still look OUT OF PLACE and MAKE yourself a minority. You segregate YOURSELVES. America is NOT interested in becoming a muslim country at ALL!!!! Follow our laws & traditions or GET OUT or don't expect us to follow your laws & traditions when we go to your countries!!