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I've been thinking a lot about the fact that Canadians get the short-end of the stick when it comes to range of climates
So it seems that Canadians only have cold climates to choose from and Vancouver where I live is not exactly a warm climate on a global scale If we want to move to a subtropical or tropical climate permanently at least during our working years, it's not really possible without jumping through all kinds of immigration hoops
Canada is what it is, you got 4 seasons one of which is winter.Having grown up in that sub tropical climate you seem to desire (Florida) i can tell you that unrelenting heat and humidity for 10 months a year gets old and is not really the paradise you may think as you just change 4 -5 months a year of heating for 10+ months a year of air-conditioning, i'll take Canadas 4 months of winter over something like Floridas eternal summer.
In Canadas winter i can dress up and go out and do a myriad of activities, in southern climes temps of 90+ and all the humidity you'll soon discover you aint gonna be doing much outside for much of the year unless you like getting a radiation burn and you like sweating a lot..
Canada is what it is, you got 4 seasons one of which is winter.Having grown up in that sub tropical climate you seem to desire (Florida) i can tell you that unrelenting heat and humidity for 10 months a year gets old and is not really the paradise you may think as you just change 4 -5 months a year of heating for 10+ months a year of air-conditioning, i'll take Canadas 4 months of winter over something like Floridas eternal summer.
In Canadas winter i can dress up and go out and do a myriad of activities, in southern climes temps of 90+ and all the humidity you'll soon discover you aint gonna be doing much outside for much of the year unless you like getting a radiation burn and you like sweating a lot..
I've been to Miami, Hong Kong and Honolulu in the summer and loved it! In fact when I was in Hong Kong and Honolulu, I went hiking on the trails there and had no problems at all Heat and humidity don't bother me that much. I did sweat a lot when I was there but I enjoy the sensation as I feel like it's cleaning out the toxins in my body.
It wouldn't be current day Canada, so what? It would be a better version of it.
The vague climate related "identity" is weak. Canada is not the only country with cold and unfavorable climate. I fail to see how that defines Canada identity. Since you are from Vancouver, so I guess you are less Canadian than people elsewhere following your own logic, since the same cold climate definitely didn't define you the same way.
Only countries with no identity would argue the weather defines their identity. Other nations have literature, music, historical landmarks, philosophy and distinct language they don't share with 12 other countries to do the real job.
Like I've said, you don't understand Canada. It's not only weather that defines Canada, but the landscape, size of the country have had direct impacts on what the country has become. Not to mention immigration patterns, in very recent history.
The weather does play a HUGE part. It defined the settling of Canada.
Again your statements, like the ones about food, are sounding extremely arrogant, and misinformed.
To suggest that Canada doesn't have literature, music, historical landmarks, philosophy and yes even distinct and languages ( you've left out many First Nation languages by that statement ) shows Botti that you are still a newcomer. No, I take that back...I know newcomers who understand Canada better than you.
I don't know if it's wilful or not, but you don't seem as yet to be able to grasp what Canada is. I hear you've been here 7 years. If I were you, I would leave. Go somewhere that you can understand and appreciate better.
I've been thinking a lot about the fact that Canadians get the short-end of the stick when it comes to range of climates compared to almost all other developed nations and we're actually quite pitiful in that regard considering we are the 2nd largest country in the world. If you look at almost all other developed countries, all their citizens have the ability to live or move to somewhere of the climate of their choice.
For example:
-The USA has Florida or Hawaii for heat lovers and Alaska and Minnesota for cold lovers
-The EU has the Schengen Agreement with the rest of the EU. How many Brits now live in Spain these days due to warm weather? Spaniards can move to Scandinavia if they want to also.
-Australia and New Zealand has an agreement whereby citizens of each country can live in the other one for hot or cold/cool climates
-Japan has Okinawa which is subtropical and Hokkaido for cold climate lovers
So it seems that Canadians only have cold climates to choose from and Vancouver where I live is not exactly a warm climate on a global scale If we want to move to a subtropical or tropical climate permanently at least during our working years, it's not really possible without jumping through all kinds of immigration hoops
I would say you can get the best of both summer and winter climates. In the summer Canada has nice summer temps. In the winter, you can spend 6 months in the SW US or SE US. Loads of Canadians do it. I work with a guy that owns a condo in Venice Beach, FL. He told me half his neighbors are from Ontario. They spend 6 months there and then go back to Canada. Is that so bad?
As far as working life, yeah I guess you have to go thru immigration. But when you retire you can do the Florida thing.
Interesting you note Brits buying up real estate in Spain. My English friend just moved back to London, and first thing I see on FB is his new condo at Sitges. I busted out laughing.
Paris or DC are cities. Of course they don't have climate diversity because they have one climate. However, France or the US have great climate diversity, which means in their respective country, one has the option to live in places where the climate suite their needs.
Canada simply doesn't.
Nobody is saying tropical weather is good. I don't like it - but sometimes, maybe for a few days a year, people might want it, yet Canada doesn't have such a place whatsoever.
Trust me I like four seasons too, but Canada isn't really about "four seasons" people regularly talk about. My hometown, a city with 1.5 million people for example, has four seasons, with highest temperature of 3C, 12C, and 33C in Jan, March and July, respectively and 3,000 hours of sunshine every year, more or less evenly distribution rainfall (18-50mm depending on which month). Spring 25%, summer 29%, fall 24%, winter 22% (by Meteorological definition). That's called "four seasons".
When it is freezing from December to March, snows even in late March or early/mid April, when winter is disproportionately long and spring unnoticeably short, that's not "four seasons". And of course lower BC doesn't have 4 seasons either, it is dry and rain season.
Wow, where do you live in Canada that has a July avg high of 33C?
No, it's all a matter of perspective. If you have Winter activities that you enjoy... cross country skiing, snowmobiling, Winter hiking, ice fishing, skating, or indoor Winter activities like curling, hockey... then cold weather begins to look a lot more fun!
We also have quite a big difference according to region. I live in Ottawa now, with long, cold Winters, and short, sweltering Summers. But I miss living on the East Coast, with the natural "air conditioning" from the Bay of Fundy or the Atlantic to keep things mild. Also, the long Spring and Fall down east are incredible. I wouldn't trade the dramatic experience of Canada's seasons for 12 months of monotonous southern sun, no way.
Paris or DC are cities. Of course they don't have climate diversity because they have one climate. However, France or the US have great climate diversity, which means in their respective country, one has the option to live in places where the climate suite their needs.
Canada simply doesn't.
Nobody is saying tropical weather is good. I don't like it - but sometimes, maybe for a few days a year, people might want it, yet Canada doesn't have such a place whatsoever.
Trust me I like four seasons too, but Canada isn't really about "four seasons" people regularly talk about. My hometown, a city with 1.5 million people for example, has four seasons, with highest temperature of 3C, 12C, and 33C in Jan, March and July, respectively and 3,000 hours of sunshine every year, more or less evenly distribution rainfall (18-50mm depending on which month). Spring 25%, summer 29%, fall 24%, winter 22% (by Meteorological definition). That's called "four seasons".
When it is freezing from December to March, snows even in late March or early/mid April, when winter is disproportionately long and spring unnoticeably short, that's not "four seasons". And of course lower BC doesn't have 4 seasons either, it is dry and rain season.
Seasons in most parts of the world are in reality not four equal parts. You can have a long cold winter and still have four seasons of weather.
As for Vancouver, I would say we have three and a half seasons I definitely know it's Spring in Vancouver when all the thousands of tree are in an explosion of colour. We have over 90,000 blossoming trees in Vancouver proper. You can also smell the earth, and hear birds other than seagulls.
I definitely know it's summer when the beaches are packed and the patios filled with people enjoying themselves and the cruise ships coming and going to Alaska are a constant flow. The mountains are also most likely devoid of snow.
We do have an Autumn, with the usual pumpkin patches, clear cool weather, changing leaves. Usually over by November 1st.
Winter is grey and wet, interspersed with stunningly sunny days where the snow on the mountains beckon people to go skiing, or any other winter sport.
That's the great thing about winter in Vancouver. We may be wet and grey in the city, but a winter wonderland is just 20 minutes away on the North Shore mountains...so for those who miss snow, it's there...most years. (global warming and all that )
Canada is what it is, you got 4 seasons one of which is winter.Having grown up in that sub tropical climate you seem to desire (Florida) i can tell you that unrelenting heat and humidity for 10 months a year gets old and is not really the paradise you may think as you just change 4 -5 months a year of heating for 10+ months a year of air-conditioning, i'll take Canadas 4 months of winter over something like Floridas eternal summer.
In Canadas winter i can dress up and go out and do a myriad of activities, in southern climes temps of 90+ and all the humidity you'll soon discover you aint gonna be doing much outside for much of the year unless you like getting a radiation burn and you like sweating a lot..
Agreed - I can't believe or understand why people are making such a big deal about this - I just can't
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If we want to move to a subtropical or tropical climate permanently at least during our working years, it's not really possible without jumping through all kinds of immigration hoops 
In fact when I was in Hong Kong and Honolulu, I went hiking on the trails there and had no problems at all 
Heat and humidity don't bother me that much. I did sweat a lot when I was there but I enjoy the sensation as I feel like it's cleaning out the toxins in my body.
