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Number one, since we're not the ones with the biggest stick, I don't think the Americans will ever want a more open border with us or anyone else. It might have been possible before 9/11 but the paranoia factor, imo, will persist for a generation to come at least.
In other words, it hardly matters what Canadians might think about the issue.
This is sadly true what you say about our 9-11 paranoia. We have increased security everywhere, and much of it doesn't protect us from anything. The border problems that exist today between Canada and the US are because of this. The terrorists won in the respect that we reacted this way. Hopefully some sanity will return, but people are often willing to trade freedom for security.
It's downright embarrassing in this day and age that virtually no Canadians or Americans can easily live and work on both sides of the border. Politicians in Ottawa and in Washington should hang their heads in shame.
Meh. I prefer it the way it is. I don't want Canadians and Americans to be able to come and go as they see fit to freely live and work on both sides of the border. There's less trouble with the unsavoury and criminal elements the way it is now and making it easier for criminals to come and go is not my idea of progress.
Meh. I prefer it the way it is. I don't want Canadians and Americans to be able to come and go as they see fit to freely live and work on both sides of the border. There's less trouble with the unsavoury and criminal elements the way it is now and making it easier for criminals to come and go is not my idea of progress.
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If there were ever to be that kind of agreement I agree that we still would need to check people for criminal history before they cross. No one wants to see criminals take advantage of any new freedom. The Europeans have made it work, they must have a good system in place to protect themselves from that kind of thing (I would hope) If we were ever to do it in North America the Europeans have kinda piloted the idea for us. I am sure we could learn from what they did.
Meh. I prefer it the way it is. I don't want Canadians and Americans to be able to come and go as they see fit to freely live and work on both sides of the border. There's less trouble with the unsavoury and criminal elements the way it is now and making it easier for criminals to come and go is not my idea of progress.
And that's one of the single-most disgusting reasons that governments in otherwise similarly situated states want such regulations and laws: control. To control people's movements and freedom, more particularly. And preying upon people's fears, even if those fears are irrational or unfounded, is one of the oldest tricks in the book to keep border controls up and to stop the free flow of goods, people, services, and even ideas in some extreme cases. As you've experienced efforts to exert control first hand when entering the United States in the past, you should be somewhat familiar with them.
I'm not keen on being forced to answer to people and being restricted from moving to places where I'd enjoy life a great deal more when I'm a law-abiding North American. I want to be left alone to live a peaceful life, largely free from government interference and attempts at control as long as I'm well-behaved. There should be no border controls between Canada and the States and baddies should be prosecuted to the full extent of the law wherever they happen to be found. I don't much care from where those baddies happen to come. All I care about is what's done with them.
It would be incredibly easy to fix. Incredibly easy. The problem is what's good for the people isn't often accorded high priority (if it even makes it on to the priority lists of powerful politicians at all). Sorting out the border problem is a no-brainer.
The US is having enough trouble sorting out its fu*ked up immigration system as is. The chances of them actually coordinating free border movement with another country is next to impossible in the current climate.
I agree with you though, but I think they should start with true immigration reform, then ramp up the visa allotment to a level that the petitions are not fully exhausted by spring of each year. Allowing people to freely apply for Visas and employment opportunities anywhere in the world sounds good to me, plus I have no idea why a nation would not want to attract the best and most qualified no matter where they may come from. Pandering to xenophobic, low work ethic voters who are afraid of competition is beyond comprehension to me.
First part - suuuuure its just because you are a BIG NYC and MTL fanboy... Who are you kidding lol ... As for the woman I agree - especially when she said that to a Venezuelan immigrant to Canada but I do think T.O's hyper-diversity and F.O.B type at that is not exactly typical on our continent.. As for my nitpicking - details are good... no lol.
Guilty as charged, I do love me some Montreal.
I think it is somewhat unique, but from personal experience the only people I know who travel to Toronto and come back and comment about the diversity are typically the less cultured ones. The folks who grew up in large cities and travel expensively, typically comment on other features and are less impressed by seeing tons of people that look and speak differently than themselves. I will say this, overwhelmingly people who visit TO dig the city and want to return.
I think it is somewhat unique, but from personal experience the only people I know who travel to Toronto and come back and comment about the diversity are typically the less cultured ones. The folks who grew up in large cities and travel expensively, typically comment on other features and are less impressed by seeing tons of people that look and speak differently than themselves. I will say this, overwhelmingly people who visit TO dig the city and want to return.
Details are great, no issue there at all.
Ha - yes re MTL I know and that is ok I have a soft spot for it too.
I don't know so much if I agree with the middle part.. I think T.O is on another level when it comes to full spectrum depth/breadth of ethnic diversity so I think it is a palpable difference to most places .. Red John is a pretty smart and cultured guy and he's even commented on it and I've heard it b4.. He's also the type that would actually dig beyond just a DT core of a place too though!
Ha - yes re MTL I know and that is ok I have a soft spot for it too.
I don't know so much if I agree with the middle part.. I think T.O is on another level when it comes to full spectrum depth/breadth of ethnic diversity so I think it is a palpable difference to most places .. Red John is a pretty smart and cultured guy and he's even commented on it and I've heard it b4.. He's also the type that would actually dig beyond just a DT core of a place too though!
I respect your opinion and view on this, but I stand by my experience. It isn't that you do not notice the diversity, people are not blind, but stating its a selling point of a city when visiting is kind of weird to me. People that focus so strongly on that come across as sheltered to an extent.
Of course much of the people I have spoken to about their visits to Toronto over the past 5 plus years have been co-workers. The nature of the business I work in might be a reason for people not being overly impressed by people that speak and look differently than themselves. Considering we spend more time working with foreign entities than local on a daily basis.
I respect your opinion and view on this, but I stand by my experience. It isn't that you do not notice the diversity, people are not blind, but stating its a selling point of a city when visiting is kind of weird to me. People that focus so strongly on that come across as sheltered to an extent.
Of course much of the people I have spoken to about their visits to Toronto over the past 5 plus years have been co-workers. The nature of the business I work in might be a reason for people not being overly impressed by people that speak and look differently than themselves. Considering we spend more time working with foreign entities than local on a daily basis.
Well, for what it's worth... my kids aren't professionals with international careers but when they walk around Yonge and Dundas in Toronto they don't go "OMG this place is so diverse! There's people of all shapes, sizes and colours here! I just can't believe it!"
And they're growing up in friggin' Gatineau.
They've had black kids, Italian kids, Asian kids, Latin American kids, Arab kids, friends who have sisters or mothers with muslim headscarves... in their classes pretty much every year. So going to a place where there is 25% (or whatever) more of all sorts of people from around the world, isn't something that will really jump out at them.
To be quite frank, they are more *impressed* when we go to parts of the States where (seemingly) everyone is black and there are no whites around.
Well, for what it's worth... my kids aren't professionals with international careers but when they walk around Yonge and Dundas in Toronto they don't go "OMG this place is so diverse! There's people of all shapes, sizes and colours here! I just can't believe it!"
And they're growing up in friggin' Gatineau.
They've had black kids, Italian kids, Asian kids, Latin American kids, Arab kids, friends who have sisters or mothers with muslim headscarves... in their classes pretty much every year. So going to a place where there is 25% (or whatever) more of all sorts of people from around the world, isn't something that will really jump out at them.
To be quite frank, they are more *impressed* when we go to parts of the States where (seemingly) everyone is black and there are no whites around.
Bang on the money, thank you for articulating it so clearly.
That is why children are great, they are so much less judgmental and more comfortable by nature with people in general. My daughter still hasn't come home from Primary school yet and asked me why the kids in London speak differently than the ones in Boston.
The thing is most mid sized to large cities in the US and Canada these days are diverse. People are kind of just moving everywhere. Yes there are a few that have the largest diversity penis, but at the end of the day if I am in a room with 5 Indian people and spend the day with them, then go into a room with 10 the next day, the cultural exchange will pretty much end up having the same effect.
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... As for the woman I agree - especially when she said that to a Venezuelan immigrant to Canada but I do think T.O's hyper-diversity and F.O.B type at that is not exactly typical on our continent.. As for my nitpicking - details are good... no lol.
