Can half of the US move to Canada?
 

Pretty please? We promise we'll be good!

Oh dear... come for a visit anyway. Chins up!

Oops, presumably you have just one chin (unlike me)!

sure but we don't have stem cell research either....& SSM is controversial in some parts of Canada too! But we'd love to have you anyway!

This was actually a serious discussion in my office today. Several people are looking into Canadian citizenship requirements. I doubt they will follow through, but they're feeling very unwelcome as gay people in their own country.

It's also a fairly serious conversation among those of us with teenagers, worried about a draft. Some of us can only think about one thing - getting away from the lies, the fear mongering, the hate, the phony religiosity and the downright sliminess of the Bush administration and the people who support him. (Now I'll probably land on the Do Not Fly List.)

Not to mention, we sure would like a flu shot...

No seriously, I just want the world to know that there are MANY Americans who are feeling today almost as bad as we felt the day after Sept 11. The difference is, then we felt a unity with our fellow Americans; today we feel very alienated and disappointed.

wliwl, I am a Canadian citizen but lived in the states in the 60's when prejudice, discrimination and Vietnam were running rampant. Only after these election results were announced, did I get that same sick, pit of the stomach feeling that I felt back then. So disappointing. I can't imagine how hard it must be to accept that you have another four years of deception. Many Canadians are feeling your disappointment too and are hoping you can come to some reconciliation with the situation. We are thinking about you and wishing you peace.

Thank you very much. What a nice message.

starfish1....well said...my US friends are not happy. I am going to send them your message.

Thanks to all of you fine Canadians for your warm thoughts. No wonder your country has a reputation for making people feel welcome!

Yes, it is unfortunate that most of the world will feel like ALL Americans are supportive and eager for another 4 years of this "Moron Majority".

Having had the privilege of traveling to Asia and Europe during the last 6 or 7 years, I feel like I am, first, a citizen of the world, and second, a citizen of the U.S. I know many do not in any way share that view. But travel has opened my eyes to the beauty and uniqueness of many different peoples and cultures now, and I love and feel part of each of them.

Thanks again to you lovely Canadians.

The North American Free Trade (NAFTA) permits Canadians with certain classes of occupations (eg Computer Analyst) to work in the States. I have worked in Miami, Chicago, Columbus, Boston, Manhatten and Detroit.

A similar right exists for Americans working in Canada.

You are not alone. I am in the accommodation business and this past year I had several American couples who were in BC checking out property with the intent to move up here. Two couples have kept in touch and are making plans at this very moment.
Of course the problem is (as much as we love to have you move to our wonderful country) if all you fine people move up here who's going to be left in the USA to fight the good fight??

I am from New York City and have never seen and felt such sadness on November 3rd since the aftermath of September 11! My first thought was BRAZIL...but then I thought, that is what the conservative crowd wants me to do -- give up and run!
No way! As a native New Yorker, I am going to stay here and FIGHT for a better country. And then I will go to Brazil when I retire...
Cheers, Everybody! Strength and love always win...

I am a mother of 2 kids now in their early 20's and terrified of what the next 4 years holds. My thought more and more in the last 2 days is where I will go to protect them as I don't believe for one minute that shrub will not reinstitute the draft.
I can't remember ever being this distressed about an election and honestly, it's embarrasing to me what the rest of the world must think!
I would never heve thought a travel web site would actually bring me some sense of relief but it is good knowing there are some that feel the same as I do.

When Kerry acknowledged his defeat, I literally cried. November 3 was a sad day indeed. This past summer, when we started throwing out ideas for our December trip to Canada, my BF and I joked that if President Evil won re-election we'd not only be vacationing in Canada, but that we'd be looking for jobs and apartments! Where do we sign up to be among the half that gets to move north?

Hello to all our American friends. I hope you know that alot of us up here in Canada, and I suspect people around the world understand completely that your present leader was elected by only part of the population. It would be silly to view all Americans as having had a hand at putting him and his administration back into office. And we feel your pain.

bettyo70: I was in your beautiful city this past spring and fell in love with NYC. It hurts my heart to know that so many of you wonderful New Yorkers are feeling so disenfranchised. I can only hope for healing for all of you. To use 9/11 as a campaign platform is shameful.

Today was the first day I could even shed some tears for this country. Maybe that's a sign of healing? Here is a letter I sent to my newspaper (which they will never print):

"Regarding the presidential election: the D&C headlines on November 4th declared, "Moral values and integrity emerge as deciding factors." I, for one, will never understand how the modus operandi of the Bush administration - lying, spinning, secrecy, exclusion, aggression, environmental plundering, deficit spending, denying poor and working class people health care, and catering to the wealthy - could ever be construed as moral values. In spite of his phony pleas for unity, I will NEVER EVER join a team as fundamentally immoral as Bush's."


I read in the paper this morning that the Immigration web site for Canada is jammed with Americans looking for info. Hmmm...
Well, see you for skiing in Tremblant in December! Again, thanks for all your nice thoughts Canadians. I can't tell you how much we all aprreciate it.

"ginocat : Of course the problem is (as much as we love to have you move to our wonderful country) if all you fine people move up here who's going to be left in the USA to fight the good fight??"
BINGO.

Thanks to all you wonderful Canadians!! I feel warm & fuzzy for the first time since I woke up on November 3rd with that ferret-eyed little weasel still my president. Well, not MY president, but the president of my country.

I got online at lunch that day & looked for properties near Vancouver (saw some lovely homes with beautiful views of mountains) but decided that I can't run from him or his cronies. Instead, I'm going to start my research now for the next election. I'm going to be a part of fighting the "good fight" for a candidate that I believe in and can actually respect. Who's with me!?!?!

I just re-read my e-mail. Sorry for the ferret-eyed weasel comment. That was a bit uncalled for & beneath me. I apologize for the name calling.

Cassidy - we're all a little stressed these days. I'm with you in fighting the good fight!

Glad to hear that you are staying to "fight the good fight". Not only is it important for America, but for the rest of the world who can only stand back in amazement and watch.

Come up here and visit any time though, all Americans are still welcome in my books as I can truthfully say I have never met any that I did not like. (politicians excluded)

cassidy2002: Now that's the right attitude! It's never too early to start fighting...

Can't Americans live in Canada but still vote in their own elections?

This has been a hot topic in my office all week - and the in ofice fighting that has never happened before regarding politics has just been ugly.
My husband and I already have our tickets, we leave for New Foundland January 20th - I've been working on this trip for months and it couldn't come at a better time.

I'm sorry that all of you feel so disappointed. My own sister and her husband voted for Kerry and were very disheartened. I certainly don't think Bush is Savior of the world -- or even the U.S., for that matter -- but I did vote for him. I am saddened that by merely saying that, most of you will think I am "liar," "fear-mongerer," "hater," a "slimy, religious phony," an "advocate of deception," and a "moron." I truly don't believe that any of those name-calling labels would characterize me, my husband, or many of the others who voted for Bush.

Laura - I doubt most people who voted for Kerry would characterize you that way. We're just coming from a different viewpoint, and are a little shocked that we aren't in the majority.

All Democrats should chill out and take a valium or two and remember the fact that the world survived Regan and Nixon.

That being said, all Democrats should get to work on creating a new vision of America.

Items on the agenda should include:

1: Election Costs - Why does it require a half a billion dollars to be spent on a presidential election?
Furthermore, the US deserves a person
such as FDR or Tony Blair yet elects actors, crooks and cowboys.

2: The deficit - let's face it, taxes
in the US need to rise and government expenditure needs to go down to pay off the massive government deficit - this year it's 500 billion which is the size of the entire Canadian long term debt. By contrast, Canada and the UK run budget surpluses.
Remeber, you get the society you pay for.

3: Embrace cultural diversity.

4: Respect the original notions of the US Constitution and reject the creeping evolution of the police state. Right now the only defence against the Patriot act is the courts.

5: Revitalise the entreprenural spirt of Americans as a way of providing jobs.

6: Work to strengthen collective rights.

:D http://www.marryanamerican.ca/ :D

Flyboy - too funny web site. Canadians do have a sense of humor! (They are kidding, aren't they?)

Hogtown - thanks for the valium suggestion. Can I have a martini instead?

Re Martinis

Adopting a buy America policy means that

a) Valium is not politically correct as it is made by Roche - a Swiss company

b) Martini's are out of the question as the ingredients likely to be owned by a British liquor conglomerate.

A drink based on Jack Daniels or Southern Comfort would be an all American antidepressant.

A Californian Pinot Noir might do the trick.

Let's stay and fight like Hell!Travel will sustain us along the way!!!!

ttt

Who don't you move to Ohio instead? Then things might be different next time....

oh brother... that's "Why" or "who"!!

oh brother... that's "Why" NOT "who"!!

You should spend some time reading Canadian newspapers before continunig this discussion. Life over the 49th parallel is not that rosy with a troubled economy, a health care system on the brink of a collapse, and a corrupt ruling coalition government that's in power only because they hated the conservative more then the corrupt Labor party.

I lived in Canada for awhile and loved it, but was shell-shocked by the chunk paying taxes took out of my wallet and not really getting that many services in return.

I really like this thread...let's keep it going!

P.S. Do the Canadians have a worse healthcare system than the U.S.? I didn't think it was possible!

I logged on to inquire about Montreal, but saw the posts about the election in the U.S. Yes, I was pained at the outcome and contemplated an exodus, but as a person of color, I considered all that those before me suffered.

I (we) can suffer another Bush presidency because many have suffered worst and have weathered the proverbial "storm". The conservatives in the U.S. would love it if us hated liberals ran away, but the battle is merely lost and not the war.

My partial belief is that those who voted for Bush will get what they deserve. They'll pay the price for their ignorance, racism, etc. When they can't breath; drink clean water; get decent, affordable medical care; get (or keep a decent job); etc., only then will they see the error of their ways.

We will have to suffer along with them, but maybe this will bring more of us like-minded people out to the polls. Remember, only about 51% of those registered voted. I'll bet a good number of those who did not vote thought as many of us do.

Keep the faith, so to speak, and make something happen locally, which is where most politics happen. Get on a commission, run for office, submit opinion/commentary to a newspaper, but just stay informed and try to inform others. Don't just speak to like-minded people. It'll be tough, but speak to those on the other side who may be open to new ideas. Of course, that's the problem with conservatives in the U.S. They are rarely going to change their minds. I often wish that we liberals were as steadfast in our beliefs.

Anyway, as has been written, we appreciate the sentiments of you kind Canadians. All of us Americans are not Bush supporters. If it's what you're into, pray for those who voted for him, and pray for those of us who have to live with the results.

To Mike T:

Where do you get your information from?

The economy is doing great in Canada.

The Canadian dollar has risen from .73US to .83US within the last year.

The Canadian government is not corrupt.
Canada is one of the least corrupt nations on the planet.

The healthcare system is not falling apart. My parents have been well served and promptly served by the system and they also benefit from the drugs plan - without medicare they would be broke and my sister, brother and myself would be left footing the bill when we are trying to save for retirement.

We are a liberal democracy that believes everyone has a place in society in order that they may fully contribute to building Canada - one of the world's most enviable places to live.

Thursday November 11 is Remembrance Day.

All across Canada in every village and town and every church build before 1918 is a War Memorial for World War One. Canada, a country of 13 million lost 60,000 soldiers with 173,000 wounded. In World War II, Canada along with the British and Americans landed a division at D-Day. My dad was there. In both wars, it was the Canadians and Australians the Germans feared the most. In Korea, the Princess Patricias Light Infrantry recieved a US Presidential citation at the battle of Kapyong
(http://www.diggerhistory.info/pages-flags/ppcli.htm)

In honour for those who died for Canada, take a few moments to read the following story of Flight-Lieutenant Hornell:

http://www.vac-acc.gc.ca/general/sub...ations/hornell