Well; first, thanks for having the time to write such a long overview of Canada's medical admissions' reality here: www.caribbeanmedicine.com/openletter.htm

I tell you my short history, yet im actually a medical student. I came to Canada, in part due to the social difficulties my country is facing (Colombia), in part because i have always wanted to study medicine overseas. My father is a 15 years experience orthopedist and my mother a 15 years experience nurse, with two masters. He has gone back to work in Colombia . . . no losts to regret.

Back in Colombia, i was about to start the 8th semester of Medicine. 8 out of 12. I came to Canada, being accepted as a Permanent resident; the only way i might have accepted since i am aware of the big expenses we have to face in order to live in Canada. I live in Quebec, and i have spent one year to learn French, which i manage quite good at the moment.

I sent my papers to three universities in Quebec, applying for admission in Medicine. Laval, Sherbrook and Montreal. They all refused me, in spite of being accepted in Microbiology and Kinesiology, in Laval and Sherbrook respectively. I also was placed in the waiting list for Physiotherapy at Laval's University. As its medicine which i really want, i refused them all.

And this is what i find unjust....they tell me i have to do an undergraduate program, no matter what, in order to be eligible to apply for Medicine. God! i have already done 3 years and a half of that!!

The answer....In Quebec we have the College which accounts for two years. Yes! but in Colombia medicine (undergraduate) takes 6-7 years, so that's all the same!

They are telling me that a student having done two years' college is eligible to apply for Medicine, whereas i (3 years and a half done; university) have to do 3 years university in Canada so that i could apply.

They tell me also...for foreign students..we want them to have completed their pregraduate studies before applying for Medicine. In my case, it means i will only be eligible, after finishing Medicine back in Colombia....but then...coming as a Doctor, shouldn't i have to pass all the exams we already know?

Thanks for having the time to read this. sorry for the mistakes i could make by writing in english.

Dear Sir,

I viewed the recent W5 story on the hardships faced by professional immigrants with equal measures of shame and disgust, and commend your organization its efforts. Without question, this national disgrace could be avoided with a simple truth in advertising policy, wherein Canada makes its need for unskilled labour clear, as opposed to the bait and switch employment nightmare that has ruined the lives of thousands of immigrants to our nation.

Much to your good fortune, W5 did not dissect the finer points of your website. Your basic thesis of professional immigrants who have been deceived by Canadian representatives in their homeland, and had barriers put in place at every juncture upon their arrival in Canada is lost amid a constellation of tangental complaints about Canada. Few would deny that Canada has a high cost of living, high taxes, difficulty in achieving full employment for citizens born in Canada, harsh weather, an imperfect medical system, and so on (your previous 'Top Reasons Not to Immigrate to Canada' was quite revealing). Few would also deny that such issues are unique to Canada.

Immigrants are often accused of lamenting their treatment in Canada, deservedly or not. I believe that your key focus of the very real employment problems faced by professional-class immigrants has been obscured in a fog of whining that simply affirms the perception of immigrants as perpetually discontent. Goals 1 and 5 are the only ones that could conceivably be broad enough to encompass a justification for inclusion of the social and economic problems you mention. Again, however, to suggest that they are any more prevalent in Canada than in any other immigrant-seeking nation is simply naive.

Douglas Coggon

Brampton, Ontario dcoggon@hotmail.com

Dec 26, 2005

Good afternoon -

I have spent the last several weeks perusing your website and I wanted to add a few quick comments. First, a little background on myself, I am a U.S. Citizen, born and bred who met and married a Canadian girl. During my exposure to the Canadian Immigration system, I became very disillusioned with the entire process, Canadians and Canada in general. Prior to my giving up everything that I had, job, apartment, friends, family etc...back home in the U.S. to come and live with my wife in Canada, I was told that U.S. Citizens may enter and remain in Canada for six months with no visa of any kind, and that the reverse was true for Canadian Citizens to the U.S... Well, in point of fact, it's not true at all. When I arrived at the U.S./Canada border on the Vermont/Quebec line, I was told that Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) issues what's known as a "Visitor Record" (VR). The VR states the name of the person entering Canada, how long they are authorized to remain, what they can and can not do, work, study etc...and has an expiration date up to six months out from your original entry date. A Visa, no? At any rate, we informed the CIC Officer that I would be living in Canada, transiting the Border to and from the U.S. ever day to go a job in Vermont and that we would be married within six months at which time I would be applying for Permanent Resident status. The Officer asked a few quick questions, how would I support myself, am I importing anything, and said that our plans were perfectly appropriate, legal and permitted by Canadian Immigration law. Further, I could apply for an extension of up to six more months on my VR a month before the VR she issued that day expired. Perfect, everything is on track, above board and legal right? Wrong.

Fast forward five months to the end of October, one month prior to the expiration of my VR. I filled out the application, 100% truthfully, enclosed my $75 fee and sent it off to Vegreville, Alberta for processing. On December 11, I received a letter from CIC stating that my application could �not receive favorable consideration�, no reason given, and oh, by the way, your current VR is expired and you have to leave Canada....now, right now. Leave to go to where? I LIVE in Canada. Now before I get flamed for being the arrogant American who just assumed that he could come to a sovereign foreign nation and squat, let me stress that everything that my wife and I did was done with the blessing of CIC. We checked, double and triple checked all of our plans PRIOR to my going to Canada, and every time we asked, we were told sure, no problem, that's perfectly ok by the Canadian GOVERNMENT, not an Immigration lawyer or a guy at McDonalds. Now, six months later, it's not? What changed, and why was I given NO explanation of why my application was denied. Since I've been here, I have had no criminal involvement, no police contact and I have not in ANY WAY violated Immigration law or any other law of the land beit Federal, Provincial or local. Prior to going to Canada, I was a police officer, and I served in the U.S. military, and I have no criminal record whatsoever. I pose ZERO security risk to Canada. I arrived here, blended in, paid the enormous taxes levied on everything from groceries to gasoline (although I didn�t benefit from it at all) and did it BY THE BOOK, their book, and I was still denied. Our seventy five bucks didn't even by an explanation why, just sorry, and get out.....now. When we called CIC, we were told by the woman that answered the phone that she had no access to my information, although she asked me for all of my vital information, including my CIC case number, and insisted that the letter that I received MUST have given a reason why my application was denied. I informed her that since the letter was in front of me and that as I am an educated and literate man, I was indeed pretty sure that the letter contained no explanation. After holding for no less than fifteen minutes, she returned to the phone and informed me that she still had no information, but was pretty sure that I was denied because I didn�t �meet the requirements�. Insofar as we had been told by CIC, the only requirement for U.S. Citizens was a pulse and a passport, I assured her that I had both. She was also unable to state what exactly the qualifications were, but did in fact reiterate that I needed to leave Canada on the hop and I may re-apply at the Buffalo, New York Consulate office should I desire. I was stricken by the fact that CIC seemed totally indifferent to the fact that they were dealing with peoples lives, and really couldn�t care less how their arbitrary decisions affected real people.

After doing some checking, we discovered that in all likelihood, we were denied due to the fact that we stated that I would be applying for Permanent Residence after marring. Therefore, I am considered a �landed immigrant� and that allowing me entry into Canada somehow increases the likelihood that I wouldn�t leave at the expiration of my VR. Right, we told you that when I got here. We are intent on marring and I will be staying in Canada. And what information do you have that leads you to believe that I would violate the law in my host country by not complying with a request to leave? Moreover, why didn�t CIC say that when I arrived here????? Why did they allow us to do something that they knew they didn�t allow? Denying us originally would have been disappointing, but it would have allowed us an opportunity to proceed on a different course of action and have a full understanding of what is permissible and what is not permissible, and we could have avoided the upsetting situation that we are in now. The reason for wanting an extension of my VR is the same reason we gave to CIC at the border when I arrived here. Again, what changed? Why was it ok then and not ok now? Being a law abiding person, I was compelled to leave Canada to wait in the U.S. until our Permanent Resident application is approved or denied, a process that can take up to a year or more. Meanwhile, you are away from your spouse and made to feel that should you try to enter the country to visit with each other, you will be breaking the law. Again, let me stress that our anger resides solely in the fact that we were led to believe that our actions were allowable under Canadian Immigration law, and then CIC pulled the rug out from under us. Certainly Canada is well within is rights to set its own Immigration policies free from influence and or intimidation from the rest of the world, to include the United States. But, it would be nice if they abided by them. We want no sympathy, we�ll get through this and be stronger for it. I read postings on this site and others from people who come to Canada from places like Southeast Asia, Africa and the Middle East, who in spite of what they were told in their native countries by Canadian Consulate employees, are refused Immigrant status or even entry into Canada. Many of these people are educated professionals who left behind their entire families and spent tens of thousands of dollars to try to make a better life for themselves, a fundamental human right. These are the people that deserve sympathy.

Memo to Canadians�.People like me get upset with Canada because Canadians like to offer to the rest of the world that Canada is the last beacon of freedom and human rights in left in this dismal and awful world that has been tainted by the greed and racism, mostly by the United States. But in the light of day, the Canadian government, your Government treats people with utter disrespect, indifference and makes arbitrary and contrary decisions that affect real people. I can say this, I�m living it. This isn�t something that a friends brothers cousins best friends sister told my co-worker, it�s very real to me and my wife, a Canadian Citizen, and it�s true for several thousand other people. Several thousand other people who are in far worse positions than we are, and are really screwed. Before you say that the United States does the same thing, stop. No we don�t. The U.S. has a fianc�e visa that allows a U.S. Citizen to bring their fianc�e to the U.S. to live and work while until their marriage and remain in the U.S., allowed to work, study and live while their Permanent Resident status application is processed, often for years. That may seem excessive and perhaps it is, but you are at least given the opportunity to be together and do the right thing. In Canada, the answer is no. You wait outside until your fate is decided. Now, you can make the case that �hey, that�s our policy, if you don�t like it, you don�t have to come here�. True, very true, and I�ll be the first to say that that�s your right as a Canadian and you are entitled to it. But, I don�t want to hear another word about how warm and fuzzy, tolerant and open Canadian society and international policy is. You can not have it both ways. To maintain credibility, tell it like it is. In Canada, your immigration status is evaluated on points, and basically what you bring to the table. That doesn�t sound like an appropriate policy for nation that prides itself on tolerance, openness and being better that the rest of the world. And please, get over yourselves. Why is it that every time I meet a Canadian, within five minutes of discovering that I�m an American, they want to tell me how awful my country is and how much better Canada is? Why the insecurity? A refrain that I hear from Canadians is that Americans don�t know enough about Canada, and that Canadians are taught massive amounts about the U.S., and then shortly thereafter they throw in the clich� �I�ve even had Americans ask me if I live in an igloo�. Stop, please just stop. To hear a Canadian tell it, every American thinks every Canadian lives in an ice house. It sounds ridiculous and it�s insulting. You don�t hear it in the U.S., not on the level that you hear it here. It�s everywhere, you can�t pick up a newspaper without reading a letter to the editor from a misinformed Canadian bashing the U.S. for something that they have a very limited understanding of.

For instance, a letter in today�s Montreal Gazette from a reader outlines how sickened he was to see a forest thinned by logging during a flight from Canada�s east coast to the west coast. His answer to the problem? Stop selling lumber to those damn Americans. Yep, it�s all our fault. Never mind the Canadian lumber companies who enjoyed enormous profits off of that lumber, which by the way, was harvested largely off of Crown (government) land. Yes, I am aware of the softwood lumber dispute, and I�m not ignorant to the Canadian position that the U.S. has unfairly, illegally is the most often used term, levied tariffs against Canadian lumber companies. And no, the NAFTA panel DID NOT say that the U.S. was wrong to impose levies on the wood. The decision states that the U.S. miscalculated the fees, and over charged the Canadians. And yes, it also states that in its opinion, Canadian lumber companies harvest lumber off of Crown land, thereby making them, at least partly, subsidized by the Canadian Government. Read the decision. Fine, return the overage and let�s get on with our lives. And to address the claim that Canadians have no culture, yes, I do believe that there is a Canadian culture, actually Canadian cultures. I�ve lived in Quebec, and I am painfully aware of how vastly different the various Provinces, all ten of them, are. And that�s a large part of the problem, Canada has yet to fully understand and celebrate the things that make them different. A large, vocal part of Quebec wants nothing to do with Canada, and a large not so vocal part of Canada wants nothing to do with Quebec, who wants nothing to do with Ontario, who sees itself as having nothing to do with Alberta, who has nothing in common with Newfoundland, who cant identify with British Columbia, which looks nothing like PEI, that can�t understand why Nunavut and the Northwest Territory are a part of the same country etc�etc�.etc� In the U.S. we have fifty different nations who somehow manage to get along with each other despite having vast cultural values and political differences. We work out our rivalries in different ways, there called football teams. We in the U.S. have Immigrants from all over the world, just like Canada does and we somehow make it work.

To those of you who are thinking of coming to Canada, the only advice I can give you is to do your homework. DO NOT assume that what the Canadian Government does is what it posts on a website. Read this site and others like it. The information given here is as real as it gets. And don�t get intimidated by overly nationalistic Canadians or Americans for that matter, who are threatened by Immigrants. Finding a better life is a basic human right that yes, you ARE entitled to so long as you obey the law and customs of your new country. Don�t listen to the �they are taking our jobs� crap, because that�s exactly what it is, crap. I�ve never wanted anything handed to me, and I only want what I earn. We have a friend in Montreal who quit her job, mostly because she didn�t like it, and now draws unemployment from the Government. In that environment, no one has a case for keeping �job stealing Immigrants� off of their shores. And to any fellow Americans who are contemplating doing what we did, do not make the mistake of transposing American Immigration policies or ideals onto Canadian Immigration policy. They are different and you will be disappointed and in deep do-do if you do. You should seriously entertain the idea of settling in the U.S., an option not available to us right now as my father-in law has MS and is in a hospital bed in Canada. If circumstances we different, the choice is bilaterally clear, after our experiences in Canada, we would be in the U.S.

On a final note, understand that despite as bitter as I sound, and am in many ways, I bear no ill will toward the average Canadian. I want that to be clear. I do not believe that level headed, fair people believe that what�s happened to us, and others, is anything less than unreasonable, and we have enjoyed support from Canadians to that end. With any luck, I�ll soon be back with my wife in Canada, and we�ll be able to get on with our lives as productive Citizens who contribute to the grater good. I look forward to that day.

Good night and good luck�. (thanks Edward R Murrow)

Jimmy Brooks-Starnes
amucks@sympatico.ca

Dec 25, 2005

Hi,

I highly appreciate your site and it is surely needed for people who want to come here to know these before they are uprooted from their land. I am a sufferer as well in the same way by committing the biggest blunder of my life by immigrating here.

I am a bachelor degree holder and worked in my country in two big ( Sears & Walmart ) US companies and achieved service awards too, and here I had to work in factory, drove taxi, sweep floor and so far struggling. In terms of 2.5 billion dollars, it will actually be 3.5 billion as from next year they are planning to bring 350,000 immigrants. Additionally I would add that the immigration ministry is toooooo slow to act. I sponsored my mother and they took 24 months to reply me that all was Ok now I have to wait 3 more years and they said exact time only be told by their Singapore office and I called them and they said it should be actually by Canadian office. Simply they have no coordinations in between them.

My mother came to USA for 3 times and they do not even issue a visa for her for Canada
where as the new policy allows all sponsored people to have multiple visa. But in realty they do not issue it. The reason they said her is that she does not have income ..... even though. she is 65 years widow house wife !! I wonder if the visa officer's 65 years old mother earns other than the pension. It took them 9 months to only acknowledge my sponsorship application.

They took 8 months to issue my daughters birth certificate who was born in Toronto and I had to have a special letter from city hall and notarized letter from some one else and allowed us to travel for short period.

Last but not least situation is so bad that no doubt that you will not only be sufferer
but also your kids those born & brought up here too as well most likely will face they same problem. So in one sense it is worthless to sacrifice your carrier & life for the hopeless benefits of your kids too. Better stay back home and it is true that we read in the book when was kid that the grass on the other side of the river always ( seems ) green. I figured it 101% accurately here. So far that is my achievement.

Sincerely,

Reaz Rabbani
r.rabbani@sympatico.ca

Dec 24, 2005

Hello everyone!
I'm sick and tired of hearing about what a great country Canada is! Compared to what it should be, this country is a mere shadow of its potential. Yes, it might change some day--but I'm not holding my breath. I'd like to be a proud Canadian, but the "pure Canadians" and "government functionaries" make it really hard.
We pay much higher taxes than in the U.S.--but that's okay--because we have social programs like Medicare, right? Tell that to the good friend of mine who had surgery, and was sent home two hours later with a handful of Tylenol 3's. After a couple of days, he was in so much pain that he had to call an ambulance--after which the hospital gave him the pain killers they should've given him in the first place.
And what about Canada's national sport--America bashing? Yup, avoid talking about your own problems and shout from the rooftops about how "We're much better than our richer, more powerful, and successful neighbor to the south!" When we have trouble with another country--like when they torture and kill our journalists--we write them nasty letters. Yup, "harsh language"--that's the ticket. I bet they're just shaking in their boots now!
Yes! Canada protects its citizens! (If you believe that, I have a bridge to sell you!) Tell that to the woman who was kidnapped by terrorists in Iraq, managed to escape--and had to pay an arm and a leg to get a new passport and a ticket to return to Canada. (At least the U.S. airlifts its citizens out of trouble spots.) She had to beg, borrow, and steal her way out of there. It was either that, or wait for the terrorists (who must have been rather "miffed" with her) to take revenge. When she got back to Canada, an official from the government even tried to get her to make a public statement praising the Canadian government's assistance. She refused. Oh, and by the way, she was picked up by AMERICAN FORCES. (I guess the Canadian officials were too busy translating documents into French, or filling out padded expense reports.)
Add that to the clearly RACIST comments posted in here by "real" Canadians and "pure" Canadians--and I think I can rest my case: Today's Canada is a bogus, bureaucratic, wimpy, whiney, thinly-covered-racist, holier-than-thou, point-the-finger-at-everyone-else, divisive, divided, dupe-the-public, sham of a country.
Don't get me wrong. I really do want to become a "proud" Canadian (notice I didn't say "pure" Canadian, or "real" Canadian--those people are just an embarrassment), and I would greatly appreciate anyone's help in transforming Canada into the kind of country that EVERYONE could be proud of. Real change is what this country needs now, not more rhetoric. And--for those of you who just don't get it--"real change" has to come from the inside out. It's time for Canada to stop paying lip service to its greatness, and start demonstrating it. Who knows? Maybe someday "Not Canada" will become "Yes, Canada!"
Sincerely, JD MacDonald (A "less-than-proud" Canadian) canadianentrepreneurs@yahoo.ca

Dec 23, 2005

Having read the many comments in the past few days, I have to say this:-

Where have you shown respect to immigrants that when you who all are born in Canada of immigrants when called immigrants you feel hurt and think that we do not have respect for Canadians. No country is bad � it is the people who govern it (Politicians and Bureaucrats) who give it a bad image international.

As many of you Canadians say that immigrants cannot integrate into Canadian Society for all you guys info my kid�s BEST friend is a Caucasian Canadian. Both our families respect each other�s cultures and religions. As a matter of fact when the kid�s BEST friend�s parents celebrated their 25th Wedding Anniversary recently, only immediate family members were invited and our family was invited � I do not wish to boost but if we were unable to integrate into the Canadian Society then we would not be invited. We are from India but we celebrate Christmas, Thanks Giving, Easter and other Canadian festivals as all Canadians do � like having a Christmas tree, Christmas dinner, giving gifts, Thanks Giving dinner.

It is unfortunate that you have not understood the heart of the matter. The heart of the matter is the deceit played by Immigration Canada on skilled/professional immigrants. When skilled/professional immigrants file their papers for immigrating to Canada they are told that their qualifications are suitable for them to get a job. What they are not told is that they would have to re-qualify if they wanted to work in Canada. Only after a skilled/professional immigrant has landed in Canada and when he/she looks for a job he is told that his foreign qualifications are not recognized and that he/she will have to re-qualify before getting employment in his/her field of work. May I ask WHY - WHY this deceit????? It is so because Immigration Canada knows that if skilled/professional immigrants are informed that they would have to re-qualify then most would not immigrate, and it is these skilled/professional immigrants who have money that is brought to Canada. I gain repeat we skilled/professional immigrants are not asking for freebies � all that we are asking is that our foreign qualifications be recognized, so that we can work in our fields of expertise and contribute to the development of Canada.

Regarding the increase in violence in Canada � if close attention is paid it will be noticed that the creators of this are mafias which have entered Canada, thanks to Immigration Canada who allows one and all to immigrate � the only clause being money brought into Canada.

Now that the Federal Elections have been called let us skilled/professional immigrants ask Mr. Martin, Mr. Harper and Mr. Layton how are they going to tackle this problem?????

H.M.Fitter
fitters@shaw.ca

Dec 22, 2005

I found your website, and thought your reasons why you should not move to Canada to be stupid. First of all you can't expect to come to a foreign country and expect to get a job right away. My Grandparents came to Canada in 1952 from England. My Grandmother was a teacher in England and had a masters degree, when she came to Canada, She knew she would have redo some of her qualifications, which she did do eventually. She took small jobs which didn't pay much, because she knew things would be better here, then in England at the time. My Grandfather also took small jobs to help make ends meet. They lived in a small cottage with two other families and did not complain. In 1964, 12 YEARS after coming to Canada, My Grandfather started a small business which is became quite successful.

About what some people are saying about how mean Canadians are is completely not true, Yes I will Agree in the big cities people are pretty ignorant, but just drive into the country, and everyone is nice. And about how bad our weather is, How is that our fault? There are other countries which get cold to, not just us, like the northern states for example, Russia, Siberia? But your not bitching about those countries. My Point is, if you have a good job in your own country why do you want to come here in the first place, To make more money perhaps? (getting a little greedy?) Oh, and the US isn't all sunshine and roses either, at least in Canada we don't go and bomb countries and kill a lot of innocent people, for a really stupid reason (oil) Every country has it's down side, not one is perfect. So please stop bashing Canada!!

Catherine Nicholson
shippingreceiving@polyformltd.com

Dec 22, 2005

Hello everyone!

Once again, I'm going to tell you all that the very best way to gain control of your life is to take possession of it. And the best way to do that is to get rich through investing in yourself and your own business. Once you're rich enough, no one can control you. If you don't like the way a certain country treats its "guests", you can just move on. I mean, this whole big blue marble belongs to all of us--right?

Wealth gives you "freedom of movement", and "freedom of movement" makes countries irrelevant. (And they certainly hope you never figure it out!) Once you're rich enough to go "wherever you choose", you can "choose" to go wherever you can get the "best deal", in terms of living standards, costs, and taxation.

Now, I've had tons of people asking me the same questions about starting a business and/or getting rich, so I'll just respond a bit here. Please, please, please open your eyes, ears, minds, and hearts! Otherwise, you'll make me feel like I'm talking to myself...and possibly hurt my feelings.

Q: It takes money to start a business. How can I start a business without money?

A: Start a smaller business. Start from home and/or part-time. Build that business up, and then move to the next level. I once knew a Vietnamese refugee who went from selling T-shirts in the hallways of our school during breaks (which he got at a huge discount directly from the maker, and sold for a very fair price) to owning his own electronics company. Somewhere in between, I ran across him working on a neighbor's car in the neighbor's driveway. He told me he was working on cars to pay his way through electronics school. Now that guy had the right idea!

Q: Rich people are bad people! They get rich off the backs of the poor! How can I do that?

A: So, you're saying that...since you're a "good" person, who doesn't want to get rich off the backs of the poor (as if that were the only way)...you won't even try to get rich? This is just stupid. It means that you'll let the "bad people" have the money by default--since they won't have any competition from you. Good plan! Stay poor, and let the bad people have all the money! :p

Now, here's something else you need to know. Whether that rich person is nice or nasty doesn't matter at all--either way they benefit the economy, and everyone involved in any aspect of it, with every purchase they make. And even if they did "hoard" all the money, governments would just print more. This whole idea that rich people are "bad" for a country is a great "destroyer of economies". Just look at the former Soviet Union.

Furthermore, YOU can choose to do good things with your wealth. You can ease the plight of those in need, and you can fund alternative schools and medical care. (No one will stop me from building a hospital in Canada...as long as it's not private.)

Q: It's not fair for one person to have so much money! Why don't they distribute it evenly to everyone?

A: Firstly, this is what I call "scavenger thinking". In nature, when a lion goes out and makes a kill, the scavengers have to wait until the lion finishes eating to gnaw on whatever is left over. Saying that the lion shouldn't use its superior strength and speed to make the kill is about the same as saying that it's unfair for people to use their superior talents and motivation to get ahead. The scavengers can complain all they want, and try to shame that "lucky bastard lion" (who's done all the most important work) into giving them a full share--but they'd starve without the lion. What they're really trying to say is, "Since I'm a scavenger, it's unfair for you to be a lion. You should be a scavenger like me." (Which would mean the end of all scavengers everywhere, by the way.)

The upside is this: People can "choose" (there's that magic word again) to be lions! In nature, the scavengers don't have a choice. All they can do is whine and complain--and take whatever is left for them. Choose to be a lion, and get rid of scavenger thinking!

So, if you have any further questions concerning business and/or wealth, you know how to contact me.

Now, back to "freedom of movement". In my opinion, the absolute best place to go and make your fortune right now is the United States of America. You'll have to "Be prepared!" and "Suck it up!", but you'll have more opportunities and pay lower taxes than you will in Canada or Europe. (Asia is still up in the air. There are still a lot of controls, and a lot of problems.) Canada, on the other hand, is a better place to retire than the U.S. if you're not really rich. (Notice I didn't say "the best place".)

Good luck everyone! Have a happy holiday, and a very prosperous new year!

And keep telling all your friends about NotCanada.com, and the valuable service it provides. The site-owners deserve our encouragement and support. They certainly have mine.

Sincerely, JD MacDonald
canadianentrepreneurs@yahoo.ca

Dec 21, 2005

Hi all.
I've read most of the posts, not all but i have noticed a very strong common feature, most are highly educated. As with most people of this stature you will notice that high intelligence and common sense rarely go together. Who in there right mind sells all their worldly goods, ships their entire family to the other side of the world with absolutely no idea where the next dollar is coming from? They complain that they can't feed their family then another baby appears, that's clever isn't it. I find it inconceivable that anybody believes anything that any government says. "They said i would find work, they lied, they've took all my money and now i have to go back". Dear God, hasn't anybody heard of planning.

I've heard Canadians say that Tony Blair is great. Well, Tony Blair is a Lawyer, so is his wife, as is most of his cabinet. We all know what lawyers are good at, does that change your perception any? It's true that Canada has few jobs but there is a lot of work, it appears that most people can't tell the difference. "I've sent thousands of e-mail's but nobody ever replies" Have you tried a follow up phone call? i did and guess what? results!! Amazing.

Forgive me, my name is Andy Rudge and i'm a UK resident wanting to emigrate to Canada. Your people advertise for skilled workers in our national news papers and it hasn't gone down very well. "those immigrants are taking Canadian jobs off Canadian people" This isn't strictly true, it is illegal to take a job from a Canadian, a Canadian company must PROVE that is nobody available before the government will issue a work permit to a foreign national, no permit no job. The government has the last word. The only exception to this are people with high education, they are deemed intelligent enough to be able to forge their own future but it's not working, is it. This is one aspect that the Canadian government have got wrong. Qualifications only prove that you have an understanding in that particular field, they don't prove that you can do the job, or enpower you to do the job. Only experience can do this and that only comes with time, in my trade that takes 15 years, but nobody wants to wait anymore. Which is why your government looks overseas, Canadians clearly don't want this type of work.

I've read that they complain about high taxes and high cost of living. If your going to compare then you can only compare like for like, as Canada is a G8 country then you can only compare with other G8 countries, not the third world. Our sales tax is 17.5%, most of Europe is 22%. My total income tax works out at 33% of my total wage, our gasoline price is almost double yours at $1.68 per L, it was just over $2. I'm not saying Canada is cheap to live but it is cheaper. One guy said that his entire worth, $80.000 was spent in five years, even the most frugal of people would be lucky to get that to last more than two years here, what do they expect?

Now your worried about pensions, come to the UK. I've read one guy complain that he worked 30 years in Canada and still didn't get his full pension, in the UK you have to work 44 years to qualify for the full pension. If your 40 you'll be working until your 72, and that's the official line. A good friend of mine retired at 68 only to have to return to the workplace full-time 2 years later. This has become normal. My own mother worked passed retirement as did my father-in-law and my mother-in-law. If you have a private company pension don't think your safe, company's go under and the pension goes with it. There's no government compensation for this. This is not the future, this is NOW. Canada isn't the first to suffer these pitfalls, it's one of the last, your problems have only just started, ours started 20 years ago.

I have had no problem whatsoever finding out whatever i'm looking for from my own computer in my own home. Yes, i've spent months doing it but i'm still working and earning. I would say that i would take anybody 6 months to learn how the system works, to enable them to look for work successfully. Move when you have something to move to.

I didn't send thousands of e-mail's, i sent about 10 before i realised that people don't reply to e-mail's, they read them but don't have the time to reply. What may be important to you is not important to them. I quickly found that people don't return voice messages either, again to busy, the guy who is talking to him will get his attention before a voice mail, and before you know it the week has gone and so has any memory of your voice mail. But if you perceiver and actually speak to the person you want to then they will talk, engage them in conversation, ask how their day is and ask about the company, get at least 20 minutes of conversation out of them then they will remember you, not "have you got any vacancies, no? oh well, thank you". Conversation is not rocket science and if nothing else it will generate interest in you. Last of all, go and visit all the people that showed interest, may not have granted you an interview but visit anyway. If can't afford it you can't afford the move. It seems to me that people make mistakes but fail to learn from them, if one tactic doesn't work why continue with it? 10,000 e-mail's?!? i sent 10 before the alarm bells started to ring.

I can't see that the government has got that much wrong, all the facts are on their web pages for you to read, but people don't bother do they? The main questionable element is peoples own understanding. People miss interpret information and fail to adequately research the subject. They get it wrong then blame everybody except for themselves. Canada IS the land of dreams, but dreams are not given to you, you have to create them. There is no future other than that, that YOU MAKE.

I love Canada, i love it's people. They are warm and kind and honest. People don't steal your things like they do in the UK, not to mention being a very safe place. In 1995 4,000,000 cars where stolen in the UK, you never see them again, there either broken up or burnt out. I've had my house broken into 3 times in 10 years. The UK has a huge network of CCTV, so huge that the average citizen is photographed 300 time a day yet still crime persists. Crime? for 2003/4 Burglary stands at 943,000 homes broken into. Criminal damage 2,465,000 acts and violent crime at 2,708,000 incidents. All from a tiny island in the North Sea. Don't go knocking Canada until you've lived elsewhere, enjoy you country, it's one of the best.

Andy Rudge
ARUDGE@aol.com

Dec 20, 2005

Hi,

I recently wrote an article of support for your website. You can see the entire magazine at:

http://www.cobblestonescommunications.com/Low_Res_Holiday_2005_News___Current_Events.pdf

The article is on page 4. I also attached a PDF copy of the page that you are free to use on your website or for any of your causes. It is important to encourage Canadians and immigrants to get out and vote on January 23rd. That is our way to have our voices heard and make things change. I believe the only way we can implement change in Canada's terrible immigration system is to:

a) Get the current party, The Liberals, out of power.
b) Insist on a complete rehaul of Canada's immigration system
c) Demand that the new political party in power invest in programs to get immigrants back into their fields

I wish you well in your fight and commend your courage in putting up this website.

Sincerely,

Jamie Saari-Alvarez
President, Cobblestones Communications
Publisher, Cobblestones Magazine
26 Carnarvan Road, Winnipeg, Manitoba, R3J 0X3, Canada
Phone: (204) 772-0440
Fax: (204) 772-0662
Email: cobblestonesmagazine@shaw.ca
Website: www.cobblestonesmagazine.com

Dec 19, 2005

I was very disappointed to see the website www.notcanada.com and all the
negative messages and anti-Canadian sentiment expressed.

I am a 4th generation Canadian and my family has struggled like most
Canadian families to make a new life in Canada after emigrating from Europe.
To this day, all the members of my family do not live any sort of
privileged life and are subject to the same challenges all Canadians face.
I have never inherited a dime from my family, never received a nickel from
government handouts and have had to pay every red cent to put myself through
university and get a job. It is extremely offensive that you have labeled
Canadians as "beer drinking, hockey watching welfare bums".

Canadians as a group of people are some of the most tolerant and giving
people. I have spent time in the United States, France and the UK, and can
tell you that Canada has a much smaller disparity between the classes and
better quality of life than most any other country in the world.
Immigrating to Canada should not be seen as a guarantee of success in life
or riches, but rather an opportunity to contribute to our great country as a
Canadian.

For you consideration,
Mr. Chris Dovell
chrisjdovell@hotmail.com

Dec 19, 2005

Canadians are too innocent of the world happening around us. In the international arena, Canada is far from a major key-player. Please refer to WTO's latest statistics. Our GDP growth, GDP per capita, world's economy/trade/services/tourism standings are even much lower than the small island of Hong Kong. It's unfortunate that due to the very heavy taxations, Canadians after footing daily necessaties ie food, housing, car, little or nothing is left to any savings. Thus many Canadians never in their life time could afford to travel around the world to see the fast changing pace of the arena. Indeed, Canada is the most sparsely populated on earth, resulting taxation per capita being one of the highest.

We should all be grateful for anyone who's willing to come to this remote, no activities, quiet, cold and harsh land to help develop our economy and help out in our heavy taxes.

Apart from refugees, majority of Immigrants are from the wealthy and skilled categories who are very much respected in their homeland. For instance an investment Immigrant from Hong Kong is required to put down CAD$500,000 in cash in exchange for the status, how many of us here got this kind of cash in our bank accounts?

Immigrants in the old days, esp those after the 2nd WW who fled here because of Nazis' and fascists' defeats just cannot be compared with the wealthy and professional immigrants of today. The world has changed alot since then. These rich and skilled immigrants are welcomed by many countries around the world, including the US. If we continue to be hostile to our newcomers, the end result is that our very sparse population just have to share a greater burden of the taxes.

It's also unfortunate that Canada has been too heavily depending on our South neighbour for well being. We talk and think like an American, in contrary to Canadians, our S. neighbour is a genuine world player and repected multi cultures, reasons being the US has the most no. of multi national corporations around the globe, giving Americans numerous opportunities to travel, live and understand different cultures of the world. Because of their broad scope and knowledge on international affairs and perspectives, Americans at home respect and treasure skilled and talented from around the world. On the other hand, because Canadians dont have that same opportunities to travel and live outside of the country, making mostly Canadians very naive and ignorant of the outside world. If we do not change our perceptions, Canada will continue to fall behind the world's competitiveness.

J. White
jwhite@yahoo.ca

Dec 19, 2005

Are you serious! How can you publicly insult Canada the way you are. For
your information, there is canadian cuisine, it's not the most fancy food
but it is world known. That's "Canadian Bacon" idiots. You idiots, it's not
Canada's problem that you can't proper jobs. Canada has plenty of jobs. And
if u really want a good job become a doctor or a nurse because you can never
have enough doctors. All the extra things you can buy are your own choice.
You aren't forced to eat out or to buy extra furniture. How dare you insult
Canada, we call each other canadians because we are proud of the opportunity we have. Some people in the world make 2 dollars a day. So be proud that you have a chance to do better that them. You say that Canada has no culture, Canada may not have it's own unique culture, but it's general world culture is phenomenol, it has the culture of idians, french, mexican. Canada embraces the cultures it receives instead of neglecting them like the
americans do. Canada has one of the richest culture embracers in the world.
Just a few more points, Canada do has some aweful weather, but that's in
winter. If you leave your original country in Summer then you'll be fine,
you'll find work, by the time winter comes. You'll have a hefty sum and
enough to buy a nice warm jacket. Canada is already known for it's weather,
if you come without being prepared then what are you doing in the country?
Jobs are very easy to find if you are willing to look. This is the last
point of my letter. Please DO NOT JUDGE before you have completely
understood the way of the country. After all, we're all immigrants
somewhere. And we want everyone to treat our country with respect and
dignity.

Julian Legrand
coolkidj@hotmail.com

Dec 19, 2005

To Whom it May Concern,

After reading the contents of your website, I am rather shocked that you have such a negative view of my country. you seem to wish to portray aspects of Canadian life in black and white with no middle ground.

In your top 8 reasons not to immigrate to Canada you cite the supposedly discriminatory immigration system. Isn't the purpose of an immigration system to decide who should enter the country and who should not? Since this is the case, the system is obviously discriminatory.

Your website also speaks of the problems encountered by immigrants who come here and then seek jobs. This process is, in itself, a rather foolish way to move between countries since I don't know anyone who has come to Canada with a small amount of resources looking for a job. Both of my parents are first generation immigrants: One from Britain, the other from India and both came to Canada with support systems already in place so that they would not find themselves without money.

I'll agree that there is a health care crisis, but you can hardly compare it to developing countries where conditions are by far much worse. Taxes, also, are very high. However, the purpose of these taxes is to maintain the services provided in this country for all of its citizens such as healthcare, education, infrastructure, etc.

I also believe that your assumption that there is no "Canadian culture" is completely false. Canada is an immigrant nation and, as such, creates its culture from the multitudes of cultures that exist simultaneously within its borders. Regional culture is also quite apparent. For example, culture in the Maritimes is thriving with a rich musical community as well as regional foods such as fiddle-heads and lobster, Quebec, as is very apparent, has a rich cultural history distinct from the rest of Canada with its unique food (with dishes such as tourtiere and poutine), unique language (which differs from European french as much as Australian English differs from British English), and strong musical tradition (as seen by the extreme high percentage of Quebeckers tuning in to see Star Academie). Across the country, there are several examples of cultures that are not as apparent as one would expect. Having travelled to 8 of the 10 Canadian provinces, I'm certain that there is a distinct Canadian culture. Of course, one cannot forget the nationally popular sports of Curling and Hockey which enjoy immense popularity similar to Rugby cultures in Australia and New Zealand.

Finally, I hardly think the claim that Canada has the worst weather is accurate. Southern Ontario enjoys marvellous summers while many immigrants marvel at the wonder of winter (though they definitely complain about the cold. That's a given). Also, the climate of the west coast is really quite mild (though rather gloomy for the winter months) and is much like the weather would be in European cities like London, Brussels, or Paris.

I hope I haven't come across as extremely combative in my arguments, but I simply do not think that your arguments about life in Canada are true. My mother grew up in a small village in India in relative comfort, but not extreme wealth and is now able to live a comfortable life in a nice community outside of Toronto. Since she was able to make a life for herself and integrate into this country, I think it's quite possible for others to do the same and I have seen several other examples of this happening.

Sincerely,
Brian Keast
bkeast@appleby.on.ca

Dec 18, 2005

Hi There!

This is my second response to the forum. I just wanted to react to couple messages posted by the proud �CANADIANS�. Some people said we, immigrants, should leave Canada, if we don�t accept the Canadian culture, laws & regulations. Why don�t you force your PM, Mr. Paul Martin, to change the charter of rights & freedom? Why does the charter say that we have the right to keep our culture & religion? Also, are we the ones who break the laws of this country? Are your jails full of immigrants & your courts overburdened with criminal cases committed by immigrants? Do we pay lower rates of taxes to the Canadian Government? I�ve paid CDN$ 1,500 visa & landed fees before even stepping on to Canadian soil. I pay high taxes every year. I have to support my parents & sisters back home, but can�t claim tax refund.

Mr. John Newton from Victoria has said that standards are higher in Canada than in India. He is afraid that Canada would be lowering its standard to accommodate immigrants! May I ask him whether his Canadian employees taking care of quality control & R &D of Asian products that flood Canadian markets? Shame on you Mr Newton! If our skills were lower than yours, our products wouldn�t be every where in your country! You think, Canadian Government is doing charity for us by allowing Asian products into the country? If there�s still poverty in Asia, then it�s due to your forefathers plundering our wealth for 2 centuries. In India, people don�t say Ford, Chrysler & GM vehicles as their local cars simply because those US companies have manufacturing facilities somewhere in India. There are Indian vehicle manufacturing companies like TATA, Maruti, Mahindra, etc, etc.

Bachelor�s Degree takes 4 years to complete in Universities. If there�s a 2-year teacher�s training program, then it�s enough just to train teachers to teach kids! If Canadian teachers need more time to train, then they have lower intelligence level! Most of you guys can�t even speak French, which is one of your national languages. What sort of education you guys get in your schools?

Folks, just try to understand that we don�t live here for free in Canada. We had to enter Canada with $10,000. In spite of being severely discriminated upon, we support your CPP & other benefit plans. Your internal population growth is not sufficient to support the aging population. A lady contributor to �notcanada.com� has said that she is not afraid to get laid before marriage as in Pakistan� I�m giving all the ladies this advice: it�s really good for you - get laid with who ever you bump into & get laid more often, produce more babies, so that the Canadian Government would not need its immigration program!

Now, the question is: why did I come here in the first place? I expected a level playing field� I didn�t mind taking up one or two trainings to get used to the Canadian environment, but I didn�t expect that my past education & experience would not have any value... I�m a professional; I look for better opportunities� Nothing wrong with it! Of course, I�m not going to waste my life complaining, I�ll move out of Canada soon!!

Hasan Akhtar, B.Sc. [ME], MBA
hasan@myeweb.com

Dec 17, 2005

My sincere advice to anyone contemplating
coming to Canada would be DONT !!

In my experience unless you have absolutely
nothing to loose it is not worth it, be prepared to retake examinations
for every qualification that you already possess in your native land
..mainly .. at your expense !

When you have these "re-qualifications", one
would expect to be "on par" with the system ...not so, you will always be
second best. The Canadian province I live in has an official
semi-illiterate rate of 45% but I might as well be in that category !

The other side of this is, when one gets to
the point that to leave Canada is the only sensible option, the country of
origin will be unwilling to take you back as you have by leaving in the
first place expressed dissatisfaction there by emigrating.

My personal story is that I left a good
paying job with security, only to find out in Canada that things are not
the same, and once bridges are crossed there is no second chance.

Unfortunately I have to stay here now with
my family but consider my remarks folks, before its too late !
Peter Richards
p.richards@ns.sympatico.ca

Dec 14, 2005

Do most people realize that "old age
pensions" in Canada will be phased out? A lot of people expect to retire
at 55 - 65 but it will never happen.  Having successfully removed the
"mandatory retirement age" at 65, the government will now begin to slowly
whittle away at retirement benefits. When complaints roll in, the
government will state that you have the "right" to continue working until
you die at which time whatever is left over will go towards any tax owed.

Ever deal with AGE discrimination? How many think
that even a factory will want to hire them when they reach 65? Does
working into yours 70s or 80s as a China*Mart greeter or a McDon*lds
"team member" sound appealing? The only people who will retire will be
those already past the age of 50 or the 5% who literally have millions.
The rest of us - immigrant or not - will work until we die in this
country. The companies will continue to fill their ranks with ever
increasing immigrants being paid ever diminishing wages.

How about the Delphi auto parts wage cuts in the
US? Delphi, is a "spin-off" of GM, a company heading towards
bankruptcy.  WAGES ARE BEING CUT FROM $26 / hr (US$ ) TO UNDER $10 / hr
with major cuts to health care coverage, pensions and benefits. If
wages in the US manufacturing sector are being cut 60% what do you think
will shortly happen in Canada? All jobs will eventually have their pay
"right-sized" in the area of 60%. TAKE YOUR CURRENT SALARY AND REDUCE
IT BY 60%, REMOVE ANY BENEFITS AND/OR PENSIONS, and you'll have seen
your future.  Enjoy the "easy life" while you can, it will be 60% more
difficult soon enough!

How-about "peak oil"? Whether real of artificial,
fuel prices will go up. As fuel prices rise and so will everything else
BUT your salaries which will go down. Some people think the cost of oil
may hit $100/barrel within 12 months, perhaps $400/barrel by 2010. That
would mean gas would sell for 4.50/liter ($200 to fill up a car). I'd
hate to think what a home heating bill, electricity bill would cost
or what would happen to the price of all our imported foods and consumer
goods. I hope this never happens, I SHIVER to imagine living conditions
in Canada without plenty of cheap energy sources. Cheap oil is all that
keeps Canada from being a frozen wasteland.

I have watched salaries drop since 1981 when as
high school graduate could get a starting wage of $ 20/hour. Back then
taxes were much lower and the cost of living a fraction of what it is
today. Today that same job pays under $ 10 / hour yet all expenses have
exploded. My apartment in Toronto sure doesn't cost $225 / month it
used to cost me 12 years ago. Life in Canada is getting harder - not
easier - and this will not change anytime soon.

Food for thought, immigrant and native born alike.

Eric W.
ericw33@hotmail.com

Dec 14, 2005

Dear Sir or Madam:

I am very lucky, I never had much difficulty finding work in Canada
or the United States. I cannot begin to imagine how frustrating it
must be to move to a new country and a new life only to end up not
receiving what you believed you would receive. Canada's immigration
system is a mess. For example, our health care is in crisis and we
have medical doctors driving taxi cabs.

Many of your top eight reasons to not immigrate to Canada are
extremely valid. However, some have nothing to do with our
immigration system:

Climate: Anyone that moves to Canada believing that they are moving
to a climate like Hawaii cannot possibly have the education they
claim to have. Canada is a country known for ice hockey, ice
fishing, ice storms, etc. Anyone that moves to Turkey and then
complains about the heat deserves what they get.

Culture: We are a young country of immigrants. Our culture reflects
this. It is something that we struggle with: we have no culture and
at the same time have nothing but culture. In Toronto you can visit
Israel, Italy, and India and then have Chinese for lunch. No country
in the world embraces other cultures like Canada. Do we have problems
with multiculturalism? Absolutely. Have we done it perfectly?
Absolutely not. But by and large, we have a working solution. Look at
the events that occurred recently in France. What would the outcome
be of an India vs. Pakistan cricket match in either of those two
countries?

Toronto, Vancouver, Montreal: Canada is an enormous country; there is
a lot more to Canada than these three cities. For work I suggest
northern British Columbia or Alberta. It's not practicing medicine or
marketing but it pays much better than driving a taxi cab. Of course,
it's also very cold in the winter time: please see my first point.

Your website performs a great service for Canada. We need to embrace
immigrants much better and your website calls attention to our
shortcoming.

I am truly sorry that things have not worked out as you, and many of
your readers, would have liked. Optimally, I would love to see things
work out for you in Canada, but I hope they work out better wherever
you decide to call home.

Sincerely,
Damon Torgerson
damon@ranksix.com

Dec 13, 2005

In reply to letter below, dated Nov. 22, 2005, and signed Traci

Without prejudice,

(The phrase �white people� is used throughout this text to mean all immigrants regardless of color or race.)

Traci, you stated that, �� if � these racist Canadian ancestors �had gone back to their own country�, then your people would be so much �better off�. I instead submit that your people would still be dancing in their freshly killed buffalo hides and thumping their war drums. Who the hell do you think you are kidding? Even your own people know this is pure bunk meant to only extort more �white man� cash to pay for all your great �suffering�!!

Yes, white man did cause you a great deal of suffering. Sorry� I really am. But those times were times of conquest and expansion world wide. Even the various Indian tribes in North America were fighting other tribes for their territories, their women, their � well, that�s about all you had to fight for, I guess. It definitely wasn�t white man that introduced your ancestors to the fine art of fighting and stealing. You already had that down pat. It�s just that we were better at it.

I am so tired of hearing how your people have suffered and how much is owed to you. I lost several relatives in WW 2. You won�t hear me whining that the German people owe me a living because our family fortune was stolen by the Nazis and my relatives were killed. God only knows how much further ahead financially my family would be today had these events not occurred� how many of my relative�s offspring would I have had the privilege of knowing today had those uncles and aunts of mine not been killed back then? Your people do not have the monopoly on suffering!!

When white man came to North America your people were at least 2,000 years behind the world in development. You had only basic survival skills and lacked any of the innovations of the modern world. Maybe you say that you consider this being �better off�, but we both know that�s a lie. Yes, we brought over sickness, we killed off many of your ancestors, we lied and we cheated. I really am sorry� really. But if your ancestors were too stupid, too gullible, too trusting, then perhaps your people were never meant to survive. It�s nature�s way of preserving the strongest and the smartest. And your people claim to know all about nature.

I know all about the Christian schools your people suffered in. I know all about the attempt by Canadian government to assimilate your people and your cultures. If you really look at it objectively it makes perfect sense and helps preserve the whole of the country. As it is, you�ve separated yourselves from the rest of Canadians and stand on the sidelines, or on pedestals, with your hands out claiming everyone else here owes you a living. Bull crap!! Try working. How does it feel being part of a group of people whose only claim to fame is that they owe everything that they have to someone else? But let me guess, you would have achieved all this grandeur and wealth on your own had white man not interfered. I think not. All one need do is drive onto any reserve to see just how little is actually achieved by your people on their own, even when everything is paid for by the white man. You seem to be uninitiated by nature and lazy by choice.

Give me just one example of your great people�s contribution to mankind and to world development. Ok, corn, tobacco and the canoe. By the way, you have killed and still are killing many of my people with this tobacco crap. I, and all my white brothers, should seek compensation from your people for all our relatives and friends you have murdered. But then, where would you get the money? We�d have to give it to you first.

We, the �white people� of America, are sick of your people draining our financial resources and living off our toils. You really make me sick! I�ve talked to many natives over the years and most of them have one thing in common, and it�s not their pride in their heritage; they all brag about all the free handouts they get from the government (white folks). Free higher education, free medical, lower taxation, monthly tobacco and liquor tax rebates, business loans backed by the government, no sales tax (until recently), monthly status cheques, etc. The list goes on and on ad nauseum! And us white people will probably continue paying over and over again. I can�t promise my kids a bright future filled with health and financial rewards for their hard work, but I can surely hand them the legacy of the Indian; for as long as they live they will always have to put into the welfare pot for our great Natives� the North American Indians!! You may have been first on this continent, but you sure as hell had no idea what to do with it when you got here. It took the white man to come and show you the potential of the resources here.

You cry of your traditions and your heritage. You claim rights to traditional hunting and your inherent right to hunting and fishing lands. Then you show up in your traditional pickup trucks, traditional quads and snowmobiles, with your traditional Winchester rifles, cowboy boots and hats, sucking back a traditional beer and lay claim to some area being developed by a white business man!!! Who do you think you are fooling? Go suck a friggin� traditional lemon!! All you�re after is more traditional white man�s cash!! Sure beats working for a living, doesn�t it?

I wonder what you proud First Nations people would do if all the various welfare money just dried up? Who would pay the bills if all white men married a native and all the children became eligible for all the various handouts? One does not need a lot of native blood coursing through the veins to qualify for these alms.

Just for the record, I am an egalitarian. I do not think myself better than anyone or any other race, nationality or gender. I said what I said above only to draw a point, �we�ve had enough. Many, if not most, white people feel this way, but few are brave enough to say it out loud lest they get charged with hate mongering or some other lame charge meant only at keeping white people oppressed and at bay. Only the white man lacks the right to speak his mind. All other races are praised for fighting for their rights when they speak out like this, white man gets thrown in jail. Until we all learn to live together on the same level and get over our past errors, until we all learn that none of us are better than the other, until we learn to forgive, then we will never have true peace, and resentment will prevail.

Yes, white man has not been the kindest to your people, but then we haven�t been the kindest to our own people either. At least we�re consistent. But then, your people are not without sin either. Ask your elders just what your history really is, the violence, the poverty� the unbiased version, and most of it predates white man�s arrival.

So Traci, this IS my land. My family worked hard to create a home here, earn a living and contribute to this great country. We�re here to stay, and we�ll continue to build a great nation here for all people who are willing to contribute earnestly to its continuous betterment and development; no matter where they come from or what race they are. And if not with your help Traci, then we�ll do it in spite of you. But do it we will. The only way you�re getting my land is by prying it out of my cold dead hands.

So go ahead, send me your hate mail and tear jerking rebuttals. Just remember, I don't hate you... I do mildly resent you though, but I don't hate you.

Jake Pender

jakepen@hotmail.com

Dec 13, 2005

I am beholden to the individuals who have constructed the valuable information tool that is this website. If it be permitted, I would like to relate a rather long story that may contribute to both sides of this debate.

I was born in Barrie, Ontario to white British immigrants and finished high school in 1978. I then went to university, on a government student loan, aided by the fact that repayment terms were "frozen" at a fixed interest rate of 6%. After 2 years of studies the officer handling my loan was changed, and the new officer declared that the previous officer has made an error and that I no longer qualified for any aid from the program. I complained, but was told I should consider myself lucky that I wasn't required to pay it back immediately. Unlucky me, I had just spent all my remaining money save 40 dollars on tuition on registration day. I managed in that harsh oil crisis winter to land a temporary moonlight job running the till at a 24 hour gas bar, just enough to cover my expenses and rather sleeplessly finish the term, but I simply had to discontinue my studies. After that, I managed to find a kinder but rather poorly paid job making sandwiches and soups in a deli. Meanwhile the government changed and decreed that student loans that came due would be paid back at prime, which currently was 15.75%.

Since I was no longer in full time education, the loan came due. I refused to pay because I felt the loan contract had been alterred unfairly/illegally and sent letters to the authorities to explain my case. There was no satisfactory reply, and then the bank sold my case to a collection agency. However with a part time job on minimum wage and no assets they gave up, thankfully. After this fiasco, and a long stint of odd jobs (courrier, flight attendant to replace striking personnel [a job required by the local unemployment agency, or be cut off benefit], audio-visual equipment sales), I decided to immigrate to the UK, for, being British by decent, I could obtain a British passport. So in Thatcher's Britain to my delight I discovered that if I could prove 3 years of continuous employment in Britain, I was entitled to 10 000 dollars a year in grants and loans and I promptly found a job for those years, then did a full BA in languages. I then went on to France and taught English at some very highly reputed universities. The French accepted my British qualifications without any troubles. I decided to change carreers in 1998 and my French wife and I, both being open to change and curious by nature, decided to move to Canada.

So I applied to immigration Canada to sponsor my wife and enrolled in an intensive night school course in technical writing. I was horrified to learn that I had to pay the full whack to bring my wife to Canada. Being married to a Canadian-born man meant nothing! She didn't need to fullfil the points test, certainly, but in every other respect her immigration procedure was identical to anyone else's as published on this site, including the payment of those large fees, which greatly surprised me, seeing how I was born here and we are married. Once I finished the course, my wife quit her job and we went to Vancouver, mostly because I was impressed by ongoing press reports of a booming BC economy, especially in IT. It was quite a different reality once we were in place. My wife was in shock at the amount of poor people doing the dumpsters, the drunkenness on the streets, and particularly one appalling scene one night of an asian father searching through MacDonald's restaurant refuse while his terribly thin wife and two children looked on. She had never seen people starving like this in France. Meanwhile we had to endure the confidences of Canadian people about there being too many immigrants, about how taxes were too high, and so on. I sent out many, many CVs, and was not receiving any responses, nor was my wife. Our university studies/work experience in Britain and France were considered meaningless in the face of no Canadian experience in our chosen careers. I had spent 6 years in study after high school, totalling up my specialist diplomas in teaching and technical writing (8 if we include the unfinished degree in English Literature), and she had done 5 herself in her field.

I was so surprised at an employment open house at a well-known software firm. I couldn't believe how many people were lined up outside the building. After 3 hours of waiting, at the entrance I questioned staff as to how many people had attended: 3500 so far they told me. That evening I said to my father "Something is wrong here, there is no way this province is experiencing 20% growth, if it keeps up like this, I'm going back to France, at least there I'll get work." Then came the delightful news report: the provincial government had been reporting false economic data to Stats Can and other international bodies (Quid, for example): in reality, the provincial economy had shrunk by 4% the previous year. This was front page news on day one of the "scandal", page 4 on the second day, near the end of the paper by day three, and the information had completely disappeared from the press, both television and print, by the end of the week. We returned to France soon after, after only 7 months. Enough is enough.

And yet, and yet, even though we would have to pay full fees to sponsor her again, we still toy with the idea of coming to Canada. The fact remains that if fully employed, a couple with two children can enjoy an excellent quality of life in Canada. In addition, it must be said that Canadians as a group are gentle, considerate and thoughtful people. They are loyal, the friends I made are all still there, 20 years later. Europe has been good to me, but I still think another extended trip to Canada, of say 5 to 10 years, would be a positive experience for my family. I will certainly be more careful if there is a next time, and I will certainly head off alone and then have my wife and children follow, so as to ensure work and accomodation are in place, which I didn't do the first time, an error which virtually erased 5 years of frugally-earned savings.

For those of you who want to know if they should go to Canada: at the darkest hour, a friend pressed me to go down to a famous burger bar and work behind the counter, he assured me a break would happen soon enough and then I would be in a proper job. I simply said to him that I felt this sort of thing unacceptable for a 38 year old professional, that if he felt I was being "European" about it, so be it, but that I knew for absolute certain that I had the skill set to go to either the UK or France or elsewhere in Europe and that I would find employment virtually right away. He was upset at our decision to leave, he even accused me of betraying my origins.

This anecdote should help people understand something about the nature of Canadians and whether they would want to live there. No matter what the pain, no matter what the drop in status or employment, when the going gets tough in Canada, you musn't break from the group, for solidarity in the face of adversity is the key to the Canadian character. The unfortunate fact is that this adversity is mostly designed by the richer economy to the south enforcing its rules upon us, and of course by our own inherited British and French oligarchy of favoured families who rule over the less-well-off in a rather imperious manner. But it should be recognized that this is the case for a great many nations, and that not all of them choose to deal with it with such grace and good manners. That Canada has choosen to abandon the very poor to their fate and the dumpster is a recent turn away from the more British social model that I feel, given a change in mood and perhaps a few governments could be reversed one day, or at least more justly balanced. At least I hope so.