I know many many many Canadians who have left our country in favor of the United States....
Depends who you talk to.
Depends who you talk to.
Thank you Canada for keeping liberals
- Thread starter T. Rex
- Start date
crash said:
Many of my old friends from University have as well. Most came back, or went to Europe.
None that I know have come back yet besides one guy who just went for easy money on a term job.
Its sad too cause a lot of my better friends did and I never see them anymore :-/
Its sad too cause a lot of my better friends did and I never see them anymore :-/
I'm not sure how old you are, Crash. That does have a lot to do with whether they come back though. If you're in your twenties or early thirties, just wait. Once they have a certain amount of money/equity built up, Canada starts looking good again.
The field your friends work in has a lot to do with it too. I know a few who would love to come back, but are in fields where that isn't really possible.
Politics have a lot to do with it too. I know several people who have come back in the last few years (since Bush took power, mostly post 9-11) because they disagree with the direction the US is taking.
On the other hand I know two writers who have moved down. One wants to be a script writer (son of a friend) and pretty much has to live in LA. He loves it there and will likely stay even if he doesn't make it.
The other is a political writer who specialises in US politics. He doesn't like it there, would come back in a second if he could, but if you are going to write about American politics you pretty much have to be in Washington.
The field your friends work in has a lot to do with it too. I know a few who would love to come back, but are in fields where that isn't really possible.
Politics have a lot to do with it too. I know several people who have come back in the last few years (since Bush took power, mostly post 9-11) because they disagree with the direction the US is taking.
On the other hand I know two writers who have moved down. One wants to be a script writer (son of a friend) and pretty much has to live in LA. He loves it there and will likely stay even if he doesn't make it.
The other is a political writer who specialises in US politics. He doesn't like it there, would come back in a second if he could, but if you are going to write about American politics you pretty much have to be in Washington.
Reverend Blair said:
They range from early 20s to now early 70s.
I have heard no such horror stories from these people either. Some have even had a self enduced assimiliation into the culture. Those who are active in politics just attach themselves to the party that closest fits their ideology and goes with it. Those of them that are democrats and dislike GWB and the religious right voice that opinion about it but don't usually generally come down on the nation.
Those are the people that are politically active. A lot of them couldn't care less what the United States does in Iraq or anywhere else.
So you're dealing with the same non-demographic as me.
I'm not sure you're really talking to these people though. Everybody is political or cultural to some extent. Like I said, some love it there, others hate it. The point is that it isn't for everyone and, regarless of your aquaintances' ages, it is your age that will allow you to see that some return and some don't.
The US is a very different place than Canada. Some notice the difference, others don't. Some can live with the difference, others can't. I resent people trying to make Canada more like the US, especially since they have a real tendincy to emulate its failures instead of its successes.
I'd suggest that you hang on for a few years and you'll see some friends come home.
I'm not sure you're really talking to these people though. Everybody is political or cultural to some extent. Like I said, some love it there, others hate it. The point is that it isn't for everyone and, regarless of your aquaintances' ages, it is your age that will allow you to see that some return and some don't.
The US is a very different place than Canada. Some notice the difference, others don't. Some can live with the difference, others can't. I resent people trying to make Canada more like the US, especially since they have a real tendincy to emulate its failures instead of its successes.
I'd suggest that you hang on for a few years and you'll see some friends come home.
Well, actually I talk to a lot of them every day through the wonder of the internet.
Their ages do make a difference in somen cases considering my great uncle left when he was my age. No doubt i will see some come home but there is not this rejection of the US life that you claim there is, atleast among those I know. It doesn't have to be the same, you OBVIOUSLY have different types of aquaintances than myself.
I agree that everyone is political or cultural but this most certainly does not mean that there are the truly indifferent at the same time.
"Abortion? War in Iraq? Gay marriages? I don't care! I just want to be left to my own divices and not see my taxes go up" Is what I get often.
But this isn't exclusive to just the people I know. Perhaps one day there will be something that hits home and makes them care more, and have more interest than just their cars, house, and financial security but I have seen some pretty big issues come and go without a blip.
Their ages do make a difference in somen cases considering my great uncle left when he was my age. No doubt i will see some come home but there is not this rejection of the US life that you claim there is, atleast among those I know. It doesn't have to be the same, you OBVIOUSLY have different types of aquaintances than myself.
I agree that everyone is political or cultural but this most certainly does not mean that there are the truly indifferent at the same time.
"Abortion? War in Iraq? Gay marriages? I don't care! I just want to be left to my own divices and not see my taxes go up" Is what I get often.
But this isn't exclusive to just the people I know. Perhaps one day there will be something that hits home and makes them care more, and have more interest than just their cars, house, and financial security but I have seen some pretty big issues come and go without a blip.
Or a different kind of relationship with them. People tell me a lot of things because they know that, unless they screw me over personally, we'll still be friends. They also know that if they are going to talk to me the subjects of politics and religion are going to come up in one way or another. It becomes almost casual conversation after a bit.
I don't have a lot of aquaintances that cannot see the correlation between high taxes and increased benefits. I also don't have a lot of friends willing to tolerate the crippling effects of massive debt. Perhaps that comes from them being wiling to discuss politics openly.
I never hesitate to discuss politics with anyone, even those who I would be better not to. Its a flaw in my social makeup heh
If someone where in a far off place the one of the first questions I would ask would be about the political climate. Some people would probably see that as weird.
But if thats wrong I don't wanna be right, and can't help it anyway....
8)
If someone where in a far off place the one of the first questions I would ask would be about the political climate. Some people would probably see that as weird.
But if thats wrong I don't wanna be right, and can't help it anyway....
8)
A lot of people don't talk to friends about politics because of potential conflicts. Many who do talk to friends about politics do so only with people who share their political outlook.
Reverend Blair said:
I can't agree more with this, Rev.
It's true that with friends, I wouldn't dare bring up certain topics which we are bound to disagree on. There are some, however, that are brought up on the evening news that sparks discussion and sometimes stalemates.
See, that's one of my fatal flaws...I'll talk politics, forcefully, with anybody. It scares the crap out of people who don't know me and some of my right-leaning friends...they always think that a fist-fight is imminent.
I even got into with my boss the other day. He was screaming about how evil unions are and how the left is destroying this country and how unions weren't necessary if people would just talk to the management everything would be dandy. I said (likely a paraphrase, but i'm pretty good at remembering dialogue), "Bruce, you laid Danny off and now you bitch when the camera monkeys have to do his job. Danny didn't get a chance to talk to you and the camera monkeys are all afraid of you. If we had five more employees I could have a union in here within a week. I you piss me off any more today it'll take me month to find somebody who will take four guys and a receptionist. now sit down and admit that unions happen because the owners are morons."
He called me a communist and a leftist and a hippie (I find that hilarious because he's the one who hitch-hiked around Europe in the sixties...I was safe at home since I was only six), but I still have a job. He bought us all Egg McMuffins the next day and today he gave me my bonus early.
If I started a union tomorrow, that bonus would still be there because I make him money. So do the camera monkeys...much moreso than I do. So would his new BMW and my twenty year old truck.
Hmmm...I'm pondering whether we should start a union now. It would certainly up the political discourse by a notch or two. That and we could get Jimmy a raise. Jimmy deserves a raise....
I even got into with my boss the other day. He was screaming about how evil unions are and how the left is destroying this country and how unions weren't necessary if people would just talk to the management everything would be dandy. I said (likely a paraphrase, but i'm pretty good at remembering dialogue), "Bruce, you laid Danny off and now you bitch when the camera monkeys have to do his job. Danny didn't get a chance to talk to you and the camera monkeys are all afraid of you. If we had five more employees I could have a union in here within a week. I you piss me off any more today it'll take me month to find somebody who will take four guys and a receptionist. now sit down and admit that unions happen because the owners are morons."
He called me a communist and a leftist and a hippie (I find that hilarious because he's the one who hitch-hiked around Europe in the sixties...I was safe at home since I was only six), but I still have a job. He bought us all Egg McMuffins the next day and today he gave me my bonus early.
If I started a union tomorrow, that bonus would still be there because I make him money. So do the camera monkeys...much moreso than I do. So would his new BMW and my twenty year old truck.
Hmmm...I'm pondering whether we should start a union now. It would certainly up the political discourse by a notch or two. That and we could get Jimmy a raise. Jimmy deserves a raise....
Unions are Fun. Québec certainly doesnt lack them. We have the first ever walmart in the world, to have unionised employees. I'm actually in the region right now. The saguenay area. Nice place. 80% of workers are Unionised heh.
i cant vote yet....wuts the age 18??? and im glad i cant vote...so i dont have those people sayin "the youth of today should get out and vote,vote,vote,vote!"