Oh Canada (health insurance, house, live)

[desertsun41]

This burns me up. Back about 10 years ago I went up to N. Vancouver, BC where I lived for a full year. I had to have a sponsor to prove she could support me because I was not allowed to work. And even then I could only get what I think was called a "6 month landed immigrant" permit. 2 times within that 6 months I had to report to some Immigration govt office to tell them how I was doing and if I was ready to leave yet.

Well when the 6 months were up I did not want to leave so I asked for papers to attempt citizenship. I was sent down the hall and with a whole lot of doing battle I could only walk away with another, and final 6 month extension of the landed immigrant.

I at that time was a 41 year citizen of the United States with no criminal record. So why did I have to be put through hell which I eventually gave up on and came back home while they just walk on in and handed whatever they need.

When I retire we want to do so in Kelowna right on Okanagan Lake. I wonder how much blood red tape we have to go through??

[mishigas73]

Originally Posted by desertsun41

I at that time was a 41 year citizen of the United States with no criminal record. So why did I have to be put through hell which I eventually gave up on and came back home while they just walk on in and handed whatever they need.

When I retire we want to do so in Kelowna right on Okanagan Lake. I wonder how much blood red tape we have to go through??

All I can do in reading this is throw up my hands.
But, maybe take solace in the fact that there are some (many?) Canucks out there who find this completely intolerable. And, while SOME may have been able to take advantage of this, it really won't last forever.

Heck, all I want to do is come up on the weekends and curl, and I was threatened several weeks ago with being denied admittance to the country for no reason....

I hear where you are coming from, and I hope, for your sake, that the "powers that be" up there think the same way as my Canuck and won't stand for this.

[KerrTown]

Originally Posted by desertsun41

This burns me up. Back about 10 years ago I went up to N. Vancouver, BC where I lived for a full year. I had to have a sponsor to prove she could support me because I was not allowed to work. And even then I could only get what I think was called a "6 month landed immigrant" permit. 2 times within that 6 months I had to report to some Immigration govt office to tell them how I was doing and if I was ready to leave yet.

Well when the 6 months were up I did not want to leave so I asked for papers to attempt citizenship. I was sent down the hall and with a whole lot of doing battle I could only walk away with another, and final 6 month extension of the landed immigrant.

I at that time was a 41 year citizen of the United States with no criminal record. So why did I have to be put through hell which I eventually gave up on and came back home while they just walk on in and handed whatever they need.

Apparently we are slaves and our masters are trying to give us such a hard time.

[KevK]

Originally Posted by desertsun41

This burns me up. Back about 10 years ago I went up to N. Vancouver, BC where I lived for a full year. I had to have a sponsor to prove she could support me because I was not allowed to work. And even then I could only get what I think was called a "6 month landed immigrant" permit. 2 times within that 6 months I had to report to some Immigration govt office to tell them how I was doing and if I was ready to leave yet.

Well when the 6 months were up I did not want to leave so I asked for papers to attempt citizenship. I was sent down the hall and with a whole lot of doing battle I could only walk away with another, and final 6 month extension of the landed immigrant.

I at that time was a 41 year citizen of the United States with no criminal record. So why did I have to be put through hell which I eventually gave up on and came back home while they just walk on in and handed whatever they need.

When I retire we want to do so in Kelowna right on Okanagan Lake. I wonder how much blood red tape we have to go through??

Of course you are going to be given a hard time. You are an American and like I said in another post, they love to give Americans a hard time unless you tell them you are going there for just a few hours to spend money. Remember that, although we think of Canada as our best buds and our "northern suburb", they think of us as a big evil force bent on taking them over without firing a shot. They are very protective of their "Canadian culture" (which in reality is pretty much the same as American culture) to the point that- believe it or not- radio stations in Canada are REQUIRED to play percenatges of "Canadian artist" (although a good number of "Canadian artist" are now living in the USA). And they are very agitated by too much American anything. So if you are going there from the USA, they want you to know that they are in charge and you are not gonna "boss us around"! If you are coming from Mexico or another country, they view you more on an equal footing because you are not from the "Evil Empire" next door. And their attitudes have got much more snotty since Bush was elected here.

[_Charles_]

I can see why my dear wife misses the place so much.... heck I am beginning to miss it too and I never lived there! Wonder if the government will give me a nice place to live there....

LOL actually since you're married to a Canadian citizen you would instantly qualify for "landed immigrant" not "refugee" status (read no benefits). Your "family'" is expected to support you until you obtain permission to work.

[_Charles_]

Well let me qualify that - as a landed immigrant married to a Canadian citizen you have access to the "Medicare" system administered by the Province where you reside.

[KevK]

Originally Posted by _Charles_

Well let me qualify that - as a landed immigrant married to a Canadian citizen you have access to the "Medicare" system administered by the Province where you reside.

That is nice to know. If I ever go there, I can see a doctor about why I am so grossly underweight and he will advice me to eat more and I will say that "I would like to eat more if these mufos would let me work!"

[Steve Hazzard]

Oh Canada

Canada is a great country ,this situation is unsustainable and a legal loophole has been exploited It will be interesting to watch (from here in the States) what Ottawa decides to do. Canada seems to do a better job than my country in responding to social issues like this.

Charles, I hope that I'm still around when the 8 lane NAFTA highway is built between Mexico and Canada. I'm sure that there will be a lane marked "Vehiculos ajenos ilegales solo"; "Illegal alien vehicles only"!!! By that time Canada will be only bi-lingual; Spanish and French!

I watched the Canadian PM Stephen Harper on C-Span; what a winnie! What is the Canadian term for "illegal alien"? Is it French, English or Spanish; or a combination of all three languages? BTW, I am semi-fluent in Spanish; I can see that the US is already becoming a bi-lingual country! I know, instead of teaching the illegals English as a Second Language; we'll teach them English and French to prep them for entry into Canada!

[MoreDudley]

it's good news to know that their Mexico-toucher insult is invalidated by their newly acquired love for Mexicanada.

it's also good to know that the exploit and abuse impacting the US into the 3rd world is loosening it's grip and setting shop in the more comforting and pleasing environment of 1st world.

[Steve Hazzard]

Originally Posted by MoreDudley

it's good news to know that their Mexico-toucher insult is invalidated by their newly acquired love for Mexicanada.

it's also good to know that the exploit and abuse impacting the US into the 3rd world is loosening it's grip and setting shop in the more comforting and pleasing environment of 1st world.

No disrespect intended! Us folks in the "lower 48" are just expressing our frustration with a Federal Government that is about as serious about border enforcement and containment as a bunch of circus clowns! Sorry for dissing circus clowns. Some of theses posting may seem like far fetched speculation, but speculation has a bad way of becoming reality!