Close Reading

When I was young, late 50's early 60's, I was jealous of people living in the US. We'd go to my Dad's professional conferences in various areas and everyone seemed to drive such expensive cars and live in such big houses. Now I know that's just window dressing. You have to look at what's underneath. I didnt see the poverty and the racism. Canada unfortunately has people who would like to take Canada down the same road as the US. We have good medical care, a social net, respect human and reproductive rights, attempt to keep religion out of politics, gun control (a pro hunter here!) , fair school funding (the whole province, not just district), and the list could go on. Is it perfect? No but its a whole lot better than the US. We Canucks just need to keep fighting for improvements and it isnt an American model for most of them. \nWe had always planned to take holidays and see various parts of the US. No more. The lack of gun laws is really scary, especially when combined with hate. We're not timid travellers. \n\nMove there... maybe California .

I'm an American who moved to Canada in 2009 and I'm quite happy never living in The US.\n\n\nWhile Canada is not immune from many of the social ills of The US, they are nowhere near as prevalent.\n\nGun crime is far less of a problem here. Racism exists but it is not as virulent here and the government, while not specifically trying to help me (I am black) it is not trying to hurt me or dehumanize me.\n\nLife is just...generally...more civil here and community minded.\n\nI'm not saying that I hate The US, just that I. Much happier and feel safer here.\n\nAt my age (62), that is important to me.

No, I agree with batshit crazy people! It’s all we see in the news in Canada. And when you mention there’s a lot of religion in the States, what you really mean is there’s only Christianity that dominates the country. In saying that, there’s less social reform in a Christian country than in a diverse country (Canada)? And history in the United States only covers U.S. history lol. You’re mental health help is almost nonexistent for the most needy, particularly those white boys who shoot up a school where bad things happened to them. People need to Pay More Taxes to support their families and communities!! Why are American people so afraid to help their communities, instead of just buying stuff for themselves?

Right now, the US is really perceived as a quite mentally and socially disturbed society, fascist, mysoginistic, gun violent, extreme religious, greedy, racist, bigot, anti everything not white, male and hetero. I don't even vacation in the US. If the US doesn't wake up now, it's gonna be too late. You have a great president who's doing a lot for the 99% and still, Trump might be the next president with a little help from his Russian and Chinese friends. The one thing I didn't see in the comments you read is EDUCATION. If education , higher education was more affordable and didn't leave people with mega debts, your population would have more critical thinking and be less manipulable by the far right maga fascist white supremacist movement. It's sad and also madning to watch from here. I WOULD NEVER MOVE TO THE US.

You need to socialize which is not possible there

Capitalism sucks. So does Socialism. The only revolution is enitirely peronal.

This lack of social life is there in Metro cities in India too. There's definitely reduced interaction in India too. Interaction use to be so much even traveling but there is same culture ingraving in India too.

One reason is lack of mobility & snowing weather.. Lack of social life.

I would move to the US in a heartbeat! True freedom we have socialism / communism up here.

Crippling cost of higher education, gun culture that I'll abstain from judging further, crippling cost of healthcare, many large cities with housing crisis similar and sometimes worse than our own cities, cities built around car ownership instead of prioritizing efficient public transportation.\nI would visit family but not live there. I must say that listing only the deal breakers is unfair considering the great pros for moving there but dealbreakers are what they are. Im ? glad the USA is there and as it is. Canada is literally built on wealth and security obtain through partnership and proxomity and our continued living standards and social securities are dependent on that relationship.

You don’t have Tim Hortons in every neighborhood, your food is weird - I freaked out when I saw chicken in the store, no health care, Hollywood and Disney are trash! TOO MANY GUNS!!! Last trip, to Hilton Head, was confronted by a couple at a social event announcing “we’re Republicans!” Nothing I said stopped the negative flow. Thinking of various unsettling instances I decided to vacation in Europe. Hope to never set foot in US again.

As a Canadian, I and many of my fellows tend to see the US in several major issues, mostly concerning:\n\n- great innovative spirit and tech (pro)\n- crazy/insane gun access (BIG con)\n- school shootings (child safety - BIG)\n- Precarious healthcare access (BIG)\n- employer culture that thrives by abusing employees (BIG)\n- child labour to prop up a cheap-price economy (BIG)\n- women's rights (BIG)\n- political extremism, lobbies, and anti-democratic governance (the Electoral College is garbage, and the lobbyist-pandering and jerrymandering is nightmare fuel).\n\nI am sure most Americans are decent people, but their country seems to run so poorly, indifferent to their wellbeing, and itd economy is built on the suffering and abuse of the most vulnerable and desperate (wage theft, unethicalemployment practices, little real social support when things go wrong).

That’s what socialism does to the economy.

If I had to move somewhere I'd go to Ireland, UK, Denmark, Italy, Costa Rica, some Caribbean Island but never the USA. If you fixed your health care, excessive gun violence and lower your crime rate through better social service system (instead of locking everyone up), Stopped using culture war nonsense to pit your population against each other then I would move there.

Tyler, I can see you are sadden by these reactions and I feel for you. Honestly, I love the USA and I would actually live there in a heartbeat for all the positive reasons I know and love about the US. However, as Mom and a soon to be school age child, I would hesitate because of that. Canada has its own issues and don’t let everyone fool you. It’s not some social utopia. We have problems too just different. It’s like you said you need to pick a good, safe safe to live in. The same advise applies to Canada. Also, Reddit is full of your not so typical Canadians so take with a grain of salt ?

The social programs aren’t run well for the most part. Waiting hours and hours for a doctor when more than 50% of tax revenue goes to heath care. A good way to bankrupt a province. We have the same issue as Americans but instead of insurance companies and hospitals in bed it’s a public union, government and bad government contracts 3 way.

It is significant that your ‘American’ perspective of “some places are bad, but you just need to stay in the good places” doesn’t match a more empathetic Canadian approach. If it’s ‘bad’ for some Canadians we feel obligated to fix that, rather than allow some to prosper, while others are not our problem. It’s a fundamental axiom of a functioning social democracy, that ‘fairness’ thing.

Except for the Poser Prince and his LIEBrals this place in paradise. Once we get rid of the social engineers we'll be on the right track again.

Tyler! I'm sorry, but you're wrong. Guns are now the number one cause of death of American children and absolutely a factor for many Canadians as to why we'd never live there. As a mixed race family, I would fear for my husband's and children's lives on a daily basis. If it isn't in the schools, it's at malls, concerts, shopping centers, Walmart, everywhere!! Not to mention police brutality, specifically toward black men in America. It's a giant nope sandwich for me. Add to that the lack of socialized Healthcare and failing public education system, there's a reason we fly OVER the US and head straight to the southern America's or overseas even for vacations. Nothing about the US seems safe for our family.

I am surprised you were surprised. countries that have a good mix of capitalism and socialism are far superior. We also keep our dollar value where it is to attract industry, but in reality, the Canadian dollar is stronger than the US. I didn't appreciate you skipping over the abortion. trans and healthcare for the most vulnerable. i mean if we are seriously discussing the real issues with living in the US we should.

Good one.....Yes everyone must understand that life here is completely different.....climatically.....socially.....financially ! \nIt's a massive change !\nCanada is extremely beautiful.....but very expensive !\nEven if the children are earning very well.... it's certainly not great depending on others !

USA lacks the basic human rights Canada and most countries have and has huge social unrest.

This hard to understand for people from the usa, but the usa is not interesting at all. Most Americans don't understand what seems ok to them is plain crazy for people from modern country. 40 years ago Québec (my part of Canada ) was more modern than usa right now on almost any social topic, from human rights, religious stuff in public instand of being private, better economy law, , egality, ect. The way nothing is rational, the way all the politic is done on blind ideology is just plain scary. Sad, but usa is NOT a modern country on a lot (almost all) topics.

I'm a Quebecois, I'm married to an American. Hell no ? ? ... was the answer to this question. My husband had an opportunity in Texas (double his salary)... Do you want to move there? I didn't let him finish!! Out of question... I will not go to that social nightmare (politics, woman rights, racism, health, education, gun violence, religion, transphobia, fachisim, patriotism, extreme capitalism, etc) plus the weather!!! No way... Hors de question!! Ni pense même pas!!! Na, niet, nada, non, nooooope? ?

In a heartbeat. Canada can only afford it's socialized medicine because we shelter under the US defence budget paid for by the American people our smug left loves to denigrate.

The big 3 reasons against have been very well articulated in the video. Social safety net is lacking, health care system is\nmentally stunted, Gun culture and Religiosity are far too entrenched in the American psyche. I would add overcrowding,\na more hyper rat race, and...it's too damn hot in many places. Positive reasons to consider the move are American dominance of pop culture, ask most of the best Canadian Actors...and if you are wealthy and want to remain in Canada, it must be nice to be a snow bird for 4 months each year. Truly wealthy people can find ways to avoid taxes in both countries. I will say that the U.S. does seem to have a far better choice of regional and international food culture, in spite of the corporate fast food dominance.

I don't know if you know this Tyler but America just hit its final hour, 250 years is the expiration date for empires and your United States just hit that mark. Plus have you seen the way Canadians have socialized systems that give us a high quality of life. Our current government is still capitalist but I currently can't be kicked out by federal mandate if I keep paying rent, the liberals have put this provision in place because the housing market is out of control. The liberals under Trudeau also helped the first nation's people more than ANY priminister to date and he dealt with the mass graves the best a light skinned priminister could. He's facing the same issues Biden is facing, the Koch brothers and Peter Thiel are pumping out propogada like transphobia, climate change, trickle down economics and poisoning the left by buying up publications with there infinite dark money.\n\n56 billion was spent last year on influence alone, That means 100,000 Americans saving ALL their money for 10 years would just match Koch influence powers they have in 1 year. \n\nYour housing market was destroyed by the Koch Brothers, they destroyed our water supplies up north fracking bitumen out of the land. \n\nThen when Koch wanted to leave the oil sands they made a propoganda piece pointing the blame at Trudeau.\n\nSo ya, no one wants to go to he country Koch brothers already control 100% were being fought over by Peter thiel who isn't any better.

You forget that good year bad year lately, there are more children killed by gun than any other type of citizens. Canada did get its share of gun killing, not really a spree as in US. but guns licences got deal heavily because of that. Canadian society is lived mostly by social democracy. Republican MAGA and conservatism exist, but they are still low impact for now.

I would never consider moving to the United States for all the reasons people have already stated and also because of the death penalty. I couldn’t imagine living in a country that’s so regressive in their laws and social policies.

I have a lot of American friends and some friends live close to the shootings, I feel that Americans are desensitized to the violence. The USA has some pretty sceneries but health care, politics, social welfare, and racism/discrimination are very much more pronounced. I remember visiting Texas and many people carry guns, that scares me because I don't know what their mental health state would be, and if I make a slight mistake and said sorry, would that person shoot me if their mental health state is not that stable? Yes, American gun laws need to be revamped big time for sure.

The fact that you have to be “very particular” about what areas you choose to live in says the country is polarized by large disparities in standards of living because it lacks the social programs of most other western democracies. That alone is a reason to avoid moving there. Add mass shootings, religion in politics and no publicly funded health care and most Canadians can’t see a reason to move.

My opinion as a Canadian with no first hand life experience in the states but personally know plenty of people who do and follow many Americans on social media.\n\nI like to look at both sides of the story when I don’t personally know any better. First thing is when it comes to health care, Canadians use only the cost as an argument but never the quality. The only time I will ever use the government funded healthcare is for a broken bone. Any other issues my knowledge and experience makes me stay far and clear away from the hospitals. However I was talking with a retired business man who spends winter in Florida and he said he had a health issue while there, was referred to a certain doctor by a friend, made an appointment within a few days, not a yearlong waitlist, and with one visit had his issues fixed. Paid the bill and was done with it. Not a story of take this for a while then come back, come back to get referred to a specialist, wait a few months for the specialist, get an appointment 6 months later, and after surgery you feel only slightly better because in your mind you should be better. I do believe Canadian healthcare is low quality and sadly designed for the government to make money. American healthcare is private and needs to offer good quality services in order to succeed.\n\n\nNext subject is violence. Everyone I know and follow in the states have never had any major acts of violence towards them. I believe just like Canada, some areas are more prone to violence but since the states have 10x more people, they have 10x more violent spots which makes it seem worse. Rural Canada and rural United States seems to me very similar in the way people treat each other. \n\n\nI wouldn’t be scared to move there if that’s what would be best. Doubt it’ll happen because I enjoy having the amount of unpopulated area to go riding atvs, snowmobiles, and whatever else. Seems like the states have less area that everyone can freely enjoy but I could be wrong

If this can comfort you Tyler. There is one reason I would move to the U.S: It's love! Believe me, it pains me that I would leave my home for what I consider a downgrade in terms of social issues. But my partner has obligations in the U.S at least for a while. We've been surviving seeing each other 1 week/month but it's hard.

Well, as a Canadian, I guess i'll pitch in.\nWould I move to the US? The short answer is no. But I will explain more in detail.\n\nFirst, I do not see any advantages to the US compared to Canada. Americams often tout their country as the beacon of freedom and the land of opportunities, but I don't feel that Canada is so different there. We're actually higher on the world freedom index, and its not like our economy was in shambles and everyone dirt poor... We pay more taxes, fine, but we also get more services in return, and that last part has the advantage to remove a big layer of worry. Like, for healthcare, I don't have to worry if i'm covered by insurance or not, or if the insurance carrier will drop me on some technicality. I'm a citizen. All the basic needs are covered; no questions asked (and the healthcare quality is not half bad. We just prioritize urgent cases over non-urgent; so if you go to the hospital for something non-urgent, you will wait, and more urgent cases will pass before you. Annoying when it happens, but I understand and agree with that in the end)\n\nSecond, I do see a lot of disadvantages. All the points raised in the video are valid, from the private-sector healthcare system, the gun control laws (or lack thereof), the social policies and legislation in some states; they don't agree with me.\n\nI think it comes down to some specific social and cultural ideas that are prevalent or at least present in a substantial manner in the american society. Bear in mind that I am generalizing here, not every american believes these points, but many do. I'm talking about ego, nationalism/patriotism, secularism etc.\nI feel that the US often has a really overinflated vision of itself. Like, the idea that America is the best. At everything. Wich is factually not true, but this idea also poisons the debate on many issues, and tends to limit social introspection that could lead to real advances.\n\nI've also noticed that the american basic school system is strongly patriotic. Everyone in the US is taught a lot about the US themselves in school, but not much about the rest of the world. Not great for open mindedness and introspection when you have little comparison points.\n\nAndlets not delve into the religious aspect. I've seen a poll somewhere where 48% of americans were AGAINST the separation of church and state. For me thats not only insane, its dangerous. It fits the individualistic mentality where people can more easily start thinking that their way is THE way. It creates a very polarized society much more prone to high volatility.\n\nSo, yeah, no, I wouldn't live in the US. I'd much rather stay in Canada where i don't have to worry if I get sick or hurt, if some agressive drunk idiot in a bar is armed, or if some fundamentalists from some religious congregation is gonna be able to try to politically force their point of view.

Maybe Canadians are more concerned about gun violence than Tyler feels they need to be, BUT HERE IS WHY! \n\nAccording to USA today and Forbes magazine there have been more than 300 mass shootings so far this year and 200 people were shot on the 4th of July alone. These articles are dated July, 2023. A mass shooting was defined as 4 or more people killed or injured. There is a bbc article from May 2023 that states 48,830 people died of gun violence in 2021 in the US; that’s the population of a small city in Canada. Half those deaths were suicides, which occur because the guns are available. All of these articles mention the shear number of guns in the US, more guns than people, 120 guns per 100 people. So yes, I think Tyler is exhibiting his American bias and has become desensitized. His statements that it’s only in some places and to choose carefully where you live because violence isn’t every where are not borne out by the stats. These shootings happen in all corners of the country and every time they do people are shocked that it could happen in their safe little town. Think back to Columbine, Sandy Hook, Parkland, Uvalde these were not violent communities yet their schools were targeted. \n\nThe gun culture is high on the list of reasons I wouldn’t move to the US but do is politics, women’s rights, anti 2SLGBTQ legislation, health care, environmental protection laws ( or lack there of), lack of social programs, etc. Canada certainly isn’t perfect but I’ll take it warts and all over a US option. Don’t get me wrong I love to visit the US but living there is a whole different ball of wax. Thanks but no.

If I was rich like many Canadians are that moved there. As a regular guy the health care and social benefits out way and problems with winter. Even if I didn,t work for some reason all those things remain. Plus you would start at the back of the line in Canada I continue with my personal support in friends and family. I wouldn't want my kids drafted either like during Vietnam days. Very war like country

There are so many scary things about the US right now. Drugs, crime, mass murders, accessibility to healthcare, terrorism, racial hate crimes, etc. The list is quite long. Not everyone is affected by all of these things (knock on wood). One thing that is disgusting is politics. It is not dangerous per se as the aforementioned so it is probably not fair to say it as a justification against moving to the US. However, it is very commonplace in the US, and it is very annoying. Politics is extremely toxic, aggressive, and divisive right now. One wrong comment out of your mouth in public, and people will be ready to fight you. Or on the flip side, you hear one wrong comment in public, it is best to bite your tongue. \n\nPolitics in the US was not always intolerable. It has always been a strong subject of discussion since forever. However, it became disgusting and overly obnoxious ever since Trump came into the scene. I think his elitist personality gave his supporters a green light to be more vocal about their own divisiveness. Combine that with social media, and you have a recipe for disaster... so much hate, divisiveness, and willingness to not bite one's tongue right now in the States. American politics is really overbearing. And monkey see and monkey do... it will leak into Canada. I guarantee it.

You look a little sad ? I get it. You're proud of your country. \n\nAs a Canadian, I always felt the difference in basic attitudes between our countries may stem from our history of gaining national independence.\n\nYou all fought tooth and nail and are still immensely proud of that accomplishment. \n\nWe negotiated over time. It stands to reason our society would develop into one more invested in peace and negotiation, and even a deeper sense of social responsibility to our fellow citizens' welfare.\n\nI know of many different reasons why I love your country, enjoy visiting, and am glad we are neighbours. But to live in the US would take a change in my deeply ingrained sense of identity that I'm not willing to give up. \n\nI think you'll find even the Americans who joke about moving to Canada woukd find it similarly difficult to change their feelings. \n\nThank you for your interesting and respectful content. I always look forward to watching you.

When the interest of the 1% rich supersedes the interest of the public good, when the Interest of Pharma, Corporate America, and the U.S. Government supersedes the interest of the public good they suppose to serve, and when there is 30 to 40 million Americans have nutritional deficiencies or at or below the poverty level, Who would want to leave a country like Canada and move to a country plagued with political and social problems which has no real interest in improving the lives of its citizens...? I will also say: Hell ... NO...

School shootings are not limited to big cities in the US. Read the news - small towns & rural areas also suffer mass shootings in schools AND churches or places of worship. I think you are right in that you're too desensitized to it\n\nand P>S> America is not in anyway trying to do the same as Canada. The US is a Capitalist country - we have a capitalist component but we balance that with a social responsibility

Sorry Tyler, but given the current social and political environment in the USA I do not want to visit the country and definitely never move there.\n\nThe challenge for me is the realization that Canada was built on community, while I see many (too many) Americans fiercely independent and not seemingly caring about anyone but themselves. \n\nCanada IS NOT PERFECT. We have gang violence, drug issues, racism, homelessness, poverty, inefficient political and bureaucratic system, but in general I feel that people will be more polite and helpful to each other than in the US.

Most of the really negative comments come from lefties, especially female or gay ones. Not surprising, as Canada is more tolerant of such things. Too much so, if you ask me. We could do with more morals in Canada, as we've become very hedonistic and selfish under Trudeau's eoke socialism. I'm not a fan of American gun culture or the extreme political polarization. However, I do admire the fact that free speech seems valued more highly in the US. Also, Canada is over-regulated and over-taxed. Unfortunately, there's a large class of freeloaders in Canada as a result.

I don’t even want to visit. I was at a conference in Milwaukee and the security guards were there to keep the homeless and beggars out of the halls. I mean - a block away from the fancy building it was a wasteland. So sad. The inequality leads to more crime and there are so maaaany guns. Then there is health care. We are getting more inequality here in Canada and the social problems follow but so far Canada ?? > ??

You enumerate conditions to be ok in the USA, for ex live in the city, live in a secure part of the city or of the country… have a job and you’re ok for healthcare which in the end is still expensive and does not even cover. everything. Here tHe comfort comes from not only I’m 100% protected but ALL Canadians are. What we have in our social net, so does everybody else.

I have lived there for 4 months and would never go back! I keep planning to go visit my daughter, but I am afraid ,just because of the average attitude you encounter in every day life. Americans are scary, guns, attitude toward immigrants, they call our health care socialism, etc.

Tyler,it's simple, we won't move to 'merica because of the racism, guns, maga turds, removal of women's rights, the way you guys worship liars(fox), the crazies you all elect, the extreme rich churches, healthcare, billionaires not paying taxes, removal of social programs for the poor, and many, many more(florida,texas, etc.) When we watch the real news, because in Canada it must be true to be news, we watch with horror as your country burns to the ground because of people like drumpf, musk, gym jordan, mtg, etc.

No they want to come here spend our hard earned tax dollars and send our money back to their country and build houses and we as Americans can't go in their country and take over they'll kill our ass and put us in the garbage . We have our own problems here in the United States already send them back where they came from . At some point I will stop voting here and leave this place because we don't ever get what we need we're working to give away our pensions social security will eventually vanish and all of our life we work our fingers to the bone and this is the thanx we get . Poverty is here in America why allow illegal immigrants to come here and give them what belongs to US. NO SEND THEM PACKING . I DON'T CARE WHO DISAGREE WITH ME . Our money is sent back to their countries to help them better themselves when in reality we cant afford this huge crisis in the United States !

Very true. I go to America and Canada to meet my children. For older people day start with cleaning utensils, cooking food, washing and cleaning home. And no social life for older people. Very costly everything. No friends,very lonely life. Children have their careers, life so they r helpless. My son in America provides us with all luxuries but very boring after some time. Love my life in my home, my country. I have my social life and love it.

I'm in Mobile Alabama and half the population lives in trailer Parks while they build whole neighborhoods every year that go unpurchased and they keep hiring more police to chase the ever growing homeless population around the city pretending they're doing the lords work.\n\nSome of you think these Mexicans are going to take your jobs, but I ask you: what jobs? The rich have already taken everything from you, the only thing these Mexicans can do is make shit cheaper, but the rich wont let that price drop because investors want to see infinite growth, even if they have to tear it out of our corpses like a starving vulture.\n\nBut capitalism is what made this country great, right? Not unions fighting for a 40 hour week, the minimum wage jump from 40¢ to 75¢ in 1950, then over $1 by '56, effectively doubling wages that made America the most prosperous it had ever been. Not the Dwight D Eisenhower interstate system before auto lobbies rallied against the development of a national commuter rail system, giving the rails to 4 big companies that refuse to allow passenger cars on their rails without massive fees because freight has a higher profit margin. And certainly not pension funds before they were dissolved in favor of the 401k, and the social security politicians are constantly working to cut while ever increasing the retirement age past what most people will never live to now that 45% of our water is tainted with PFOAs that will have everyone born today die of liver cancer before the age of 65.\n\nIt was CAPITALISM that made this country! The same capitalism that claws back every penny it can from working class people. America was great DESPITE capitalism. UNDERSTAND THAT.

Canada privacy is so much...no neighborhood like Indians.....cannot talk with anyone in the mall or during shopping....difficult to make friends....India is rich in culture friendship...social life is good in India