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That's weird because I find it to be the complete opposite. I live in Boston and have been to Canada many times, I have also met Canadians here in New England while they were on vacation. Canadians in my experience are more reserved where Americans generally speaking are verbose. This could also be because I tend to meet more people from Quebec.
It wouldn't be surprising that people from Quebec are less talkative when outside (due to the language barrier) and more chatty when on their home turf.
That's weird because I find it to be the complete opposite. I live in Boston and have been to Canada many times, I have also met Canadians here in New England while they were on vacation. Canadians in my experience are more reserved where Americans generally speaking are verbose.
By Boston standards, much of the majority of the United States is markedly more reserved, and even taciturn by comparison.
By Boston standards, much of the majority of the United States is markedly more reserved, and even taciturn by comparison.
Interesting. Boston is a great city, and I used to think I'd like to live there.
But, honestly, I've lost count of the number of people I've heard complain about how cold, closed, unfriendly, and unwelcoming people in the Boston area, if not New England, are. One hears New Yorkers described as "rude" or "impatient" or "aggressive," but not often "cold." But that is the word I've heard people consistently use when talking about their experiences living in Boston/New England, and they weren't talking only about temperature.
My own experience there is as a tourist, and I can't say I found people any less friendly than people are in my hometown near Toronto. But I now wonder if it's possibly a cultural thing, or if people native to the Boston area are simply misunderstood.
US is a lot wealthier. 60k per capita GDP vs. 45k in Canada. If Canada were a state, it would be about the same as Mississippi in terms of per capita income.
Canada has no Google, Facebook, Apple, etc. Professional wages are much lower there, which is a big reason why more Canadians immigrate to the US than vice versa. Canada feels far less entrepreneurial.
US is a lot wealthier. 60k per capita GDP vs. 45k in Canada. If Canada were a state, it would be about the same as Mississippi in terms of per capita income.
Canada has no Google, Facebook, Apple, etc. Professional wages are much lower there, which is a big reason why more Canadians immigrate to the US than vice versa. Canada feels far less entrepreneurial.
I don’t think that gdp comparison is entirely fair; the US is richer than Canada, but Canada’s middle class is wealthier than (or at least about as wealthy as) America’s, because America has more wealth inequality and less socioeconomic mobility.
And I may be wrong since I don’t have any sources on this, but I’d suspect that Americans who move to Canada and Canadians who move to America are more financially well-off than your average American/Canadian (because immigrating is expensive!) so it makes sense that more people move from Canada to the US because rich people are (usually) better off in America.
(For the record I’m an American who moved to Canada)
A Canadian friend said, that she feels the difference is that US society seems much more chaotic. I suppose Canada by comparison is more orderly?
I think “chaotic” is a bit harsh, but I get where you’re coming from. I live in Canada and my brother lives in the US, and when I told him Canadians (or at least Vancouverites) line up for the bus, he thought that was really weird. And this is anecdotal, but I feel like Canadians also tend to be less confrontational than Americans, like if someone’s being a little bit rude/oblivious/inconsiderate, people just deal with it lol. I feel like I have to be more mindful here to make sure I’m not accidentally ticking anyone off, because they’re too “polite” to say anything about it.
I Also like how a lot of people thank the bus driver (although I think they do that in American cities too)
US is a lot wealthier. 60k per capita GDP vs. 45k in Canada. If Canada were a state, it would be about the same as Mississippi in terms of per capita income.
GDP does not necessarily equal income. Most of Canada is much more developed and offers a higher standard of living than Mississippi. Same goes for many European countries that do have a similar GPD per capita as Mississippi.
I think “chaotic” is a bit harsh, but I get where you’re coming from. I live in Canada and my brother lives in the US, and when I told him Canadians (or at least Vancouverites) line up for the bus, he thought that was really weird. And this is anecdotal, but I feel like Canadians also tend to be less confrontational than Americans, like if someone’s being a little bit rude/oblivious/inconsiderate, people just deal with it lol. I feel like I have to be more mindful here to make sure I’m not accidentally ticking anyone off, because they’re too “polite” to say anything about it.
I Also like how a lot of people thank the bus driver (although I think they do that in American cities too)
Interesting. Here in Texas we line up for things like a bus or whatever. I can't imagine thinking that's weird. In fact, when I moved to Germany, Americans were told specifically that most Germans do NOT queue so don't think it's weird (because we do queue).
People in the southern US do tend to be courteous rather than confrontational - this varies of course between cities and regions - and even individuals but my point is that there are many regions and places in the US where people are very polite.
I kind of get what you're saying though because as polite and kind as I think we are, we can tend to be more blunt than some other cultures. I know when I visited London a few years ago, I became aware of just now non confrontational people in general can be.
A lot of American inner cities have become rejuvenated and gentrified it is true, but a good question is where are the poor people from these areas going? (Because in most cases if we're being realistic, the gentrification is not a question of the legacy poor demographic simply become richer. They're being displaced and replaced.)
They're going to suburbs like the infamous Ferguson, Missouri (outside St. Louis).
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.
This is interesting. I'm sorry, I just saw this. Better late than never? I'm curious, how is the insurance paid for? Is it all paid for through taxes? I think I remember him telling me that there is private insurance as well? It sounds like a pretty good system that insures everyone? Are there any down sides like long waits if you need immediate treatment for something like cancer?
Here in America that would be called a socialist system by the hard core haters. Heck even FDR was called a communist for proposing social security. Try and take it away now. We have to do something in this country to insure that everyone has health care coverage, but, I certainly don't want to lose my private insurance.
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