Where would you rather live - in Canada or United States? (rent, crimes)

[bluepacific]

Originally Posted by moveORstay

I just saw Michael Moore's movie "SiCKO", and I'm like OMG...
Just a quick question: Where would you rather live - in Canada or United States?
No flaming, please!

And you actually look at Michael moore films as FACT ?

Please, this guy is a hypocrate Socialist. He won't even use American Studios for publishing his work because of the high Union wages there. He goes to Canada for that.

I'm an American , and yet I've never participated in anything political. I don'y even stand on or support any issues. However I now live in Sweden and they continually flood the television with all Michael Moore films as documentary facts and Al Gore specials. I'm continually bombarded by friends here asking me , "Is it really like that in the United States ?" That man's films fit the Swedish Socialist Propaganda machine perfectly.

People often ask or make inquiry about the USA and you really can't answer that as a general question because it's so deversified there. I mean you can go some places along the border states and find communities that do look like a third world toilette and then turn around a few miles away and see absolute obscene wealth. But nothing that this man says should be taken as Gospel fact.

I'll also make this little observation. All my life living in the United States , I've never seen a documentary or News Special that slams Sweden the way they do the USA. And again , this is an observation from a non-flag waver.

[Paddington]

The warmest places in Canada (Vancouver, Windsor), are as cold as some of the colder places in the U.S. (Seattle, Detroit).

[Tama]

Couldn't read every post so hope this isn't repetition.

Is it really the weather that matters the most? After all there are coats and heating systems. Is it really crime? After all, there are safe lovely cities in both places. Is it cleanliness? Such can be found--in both places. Good schools-both places. Culture-both places.

I suggest it is two things that need to be considered. First, the future. Where are your kids going to get the best for their futures. The environment, the cost of living, the ability to maintain a healthy happy lifestyle? Good job opportunities. Affordable education? Are these two countries in the same boat going in the same direction or not?

Second--where are you on the economic scale? If you have means and a solid education and are highly employable then you might want the US. If you are struggling and have trouble getting health care and managing your day to day concerns Canada may give you a chance to "get on your feet" faster with its more socialist bent. There are perhaps-you would have to check on this-more opportunities for training and blue-collar jobs available.

footnote:
It may be also that in Canada you would be less stressed by natural disasters, global tensions, and overall involvement in world shenanigans which would enable you to relax and have a more laid back zen quality to your existence. The sky always seems to be falling in the US.

But the US is more "exciting", has more to do and gives more challenging an existence.

Just my two cents.

[Patmos]

Where would you rather live - in Canada or United States?


The U.S.A. for me.

[grmike]

if weather is so important why are 3 of the 5 largest cities in the US in the northern colder part ?

[imran]

I've been to the states a few times and each time has been very different. Sometimes it was a very awkward experience and sometimes it was really great. I like the cheap clothes and landmarks of the states but the crazy weather makes me want to stay in Toronto forever. The thought of tornados, hurricanes, earthquakes, severe winter storms being so prevalent is kind of scary .. this is going by what I see on the news. We may have a colder winter but its not deadly!

[Joe_Ryder]

Canada is a bit too liberal for me. There's too much government. I Like Victoria, and Believe it or not, Winnipeg. Winnipeg is like a small town with all the convenience of a large city.

Generally, Canada feels safer. So does China . The price for that safety is a bit more than I'm willing to pay. Old timers tell me it was different 20 years ago but things have changed a lot in a short time.

I used to have a house in MN a few miles from the Canadian Border and Winnipeg was the closest major city!

[Joe_Ryder]

Originally Posted by grmike

if weather is so important why are 3 of the 5 largest cities in the US in the northern colder part ?

The combined populations of the 5 largest US cities don't even make up even 10% of the US population. The vast majority of Americans do not live in a major city and while population density is higher on the NorthEast part of the US (lots of people crammed into a small space) the bulk of the US population is spread out in the moderate and warm climates more on the SE side of the country.

One of the biggest differences I've noticed between US Americans and Canadians is that Canadians seem to prefer cities while most in the US try to get out of the city. That's an oddity of the US. While most people in the developed world wish to move to the city as it's the epitome of civilization, we Americans tend to see the city as all that's wrong in the US. In may ways it is. Because our infrastructure has evolved to facilitate Suburbanization and spread while we tend to let our cities decay, it's an aspect of our culture that is quite unique. Canadians tend to be a bit more European in that area.

[Paddington]

Originally Posted by Joe_Ryder

The combined populations of the 5 largest US cities don't even make up even 10% of the US population. The vast majority of Americans do not live in a major city and while population density is higher on the NorthEast part of the US (lots of people crammed into a small space) the bulk of the US population is spread out in the moderate and warm climates more on the SE side of the country.

One of the biggest differences I've noticed between US Americans and Canadians is that Canadians seem to prefer cities while most in the US try to get out of the city. That's an oddity of the US. While most people in the developed world wish to move to the city as it's the epitome of civilization, we Americans tend to see the city as all that's wrong in the US. In may ways it is. Because our infrastructure has evolved to facilitate Suburbanization and spread while we tend to let our cities decay, it's an aspect of our culture that is quite unique. Canadians tend to be a bit more European in that area.

Not really. The above poster has a point. Roughly half the U.S. population lives between St. Louis - Minneapolis - Boston - Washington, which are all roughly in the Northern half of the country or at least along the border. This is about 1/5 or 1/6 of the country's total land mass.

Also, Canada is as suburbanized as the U.S. Don't let Toronto fool you; that city annexed most of its suburbs a few years ago in order to look bigger.

[breeze823]

I voted for the US because it's my country but I could live in Canada. I thing it would be an easy enough transition since we are so similar, although those winters would be tough. My people on my dads side are all from Quebec (French Canadians) so it would be neat to get up there someday, although I'm somewhat of a weather wimp