The US Feels Different From Canada Because of: (health insurance, crime rates)

[krosser100]

(not talking about difference in politics, accents, crime rates etc although they are often related to what is mentioned below)

The US feels different from Canada because of:

- the African-American culture and influences on overall US culture
- the Latino demographic and influence on US culture
- greater divide between rich & poor..and more crazy people and extremists
- ghettos
- freeways are bigger and more billboards and fast food outlets & retail development along the freeways


So because of these differences, I do feel there is a very different vibe between the countries, as many foreigners are not familiar with the differences until they visit various places
in both.

[animalcrazy]

Yesterday I had a very nice conversation with a Canadian that moved here with his wife and family because of his wife's promotion. He's used to a socialist way of life and he had some interesting points. The universities are compensated and he was appalled at how much money an education costs here. His out of pocket was around two thousand a year. Maternity leave is up to a year and you are compensated for your salary by 80% which comes in the form of unemployment. Employers must give you back your job as well. He was surprised that women return to the work force here after only six weeks of leave. Of course the medical system is a socialist one and everyone has health care. I asked him if he had to pay 50% of what he earned in taxes to support such an expensive system. He said no. It's a graduated tax and goes up to 50% depending on income. So in other words, the rich pay for most of it, unlike here, where the rich take most of it. He's moving back to Toronto as soon as his wife can get transferred back. He was a bit set back by how little the U.S. does for it's people vs how much the Canadians' do for their people.

I wish I had more time to talk to him about retirement income, property taxes, the cost of living, and user taxes. Every system has a good side, and every system has a bad side. I swear I wish we had another fifteen minutes in that already long fun slide line. I wanted to ask him if there was a long wait for medical care, but the six year old wanted to race Auntie down the slide, and he had disappeared into the crowd after we landed. Oh yeah, I won. Hmm maybe that's not such a good thing when you factor weight vs weight into it. Yep everything has a good side and a bad side.

[Frihed89]

Due to the civility of the English.

[Space_League]

Canada has a lot going for it and looks amazing on paper but the fatal flaw is the climate and that's the big difference to me

[ilovelondon]

Americans generally live in fear, compared to Canadians and Europeans.

[xboxmas]

The metric system

[deneb78]

The French language in parts of Canada which is mostly absent in the US.

[Natnasci]

Originally Posted by animalcrazy

Yesterday I had a very nice conversation with a Canadian that moved here with his wife and family because of his wife's promotion. He's used to a socialist way of life and he had some interesting points. The universities are compensated and he was appalled at how much money an education costs here. His out of pocket was around two thousand a year. Maternity leave is up to a year and you are compensated for your salary by 80% which comes in the form of unemployment. Employers must give you back your job as well. He was surprised that women return to the work force here after only six weeks of leave. Of course the medical system is a socialist one and everyone has health care. I asked him if he had to pay 50% of what he earned in taxes to support such an expensive system. He said no. It's a graduated tax and goes up to 50% depending on income. So in other words, the rich pay for most of it, unlike here, where the rich take most of it. He's moving back to Toronto as soon as his wife can get transferred back. He was a bit set back by how little the U.S. does for it's people vs how much the Canadians' do for their people.

I wish I had more time to talk to him about retirement income, property taxes, the cost of living, and user taxes. Every system has a good side, and every system has a bad side. I swear I wish we had another fifteen minutes in that already long fun slide line. I wanted to ask him if there was a long wait for medical care, but the six year old wanted to race Auntie down the slide, and he had disappeared into the crowd after we landed. Oh yeah, I won. Hmm maybe that's not such a good thing when you factor weight vs weight into it. Yep everything has a good side and a bad side.

Canada is not socialist. We are a parliamentary democracy, with the Queen of Canada being our head of state.

The medical system is not socialist. It isn't owned by the state. Doctors are not government employees. Clinics, labs are private. What Canada has is government financed health insurance, that covers everyone that is a Canadian citizen, or Permanent Resident.

As for retirement income, property taxes and the cost of living, it is totally dependent on where you live in Canada. You'll need more money in Toronto and Vancouver, than in a smaller city.
There are two government pensions. Canada Pension Plan, which is one that you contribute to while working. No work, no pension. You can start collecting at a reduced rate at 60. Full rate at 65.
There is also Old Age Security at 65. You must be a Canadian citizen or PR, at the time of receiving it, and have lived in Canada for at least 10 years since the age of 18. 40 years of living in Canada gives you the full amount.

[Natnasci]

Depends on where in the US, but political and religious extremes, seem to be the biggest difference.

[cebuan]

Canadians freely and openly talk to strangers. Americans even avoid eye contact, which they see as threatening.