After that disgraceful Republican debate, after that self-serving, self-righteous no-Trump lecture from Mitt Romney, after those primary results that show Trump is apparently unstoppable, after the CPAC love fest with Ted Cruz…
After all that, I am not surprised that Internet searches on moving to Canada are at an all-time high.
And I wouldn’t be surprised if you were thinking about it.
So you might be interested in the Huffington Post’s guide on emigrating to our northern neighbor.
The article includes the following suggestions:
- Get a job
- Choose your new neighborhood. (Cape Breton is offering to take in American refugees if Trump wins the White House, but I’ve been to Cape Breton and I would suggest you pick someplace just as beautiful and a lot less rugged, like Vancouver).
- Book your airline ticket (helpful hint: Kayak is offering free one-way tickets to 10 Americans “looking to get away” because of the election).
- Learn French (Canada is officially a bilingual country).
Of course the Huffington Post piece is tongue-in-cheek. But a lot of Americans are seriously thinking of heading north. Google searches for “how to move to Canada” have surged 2,450 percent since Tuesday’s Republican primaries.
I know Canada is cold. I spent two decades there, and I went from tropical Jamaica to Timmins, Ontario, where the temperature got so low even the snowplows wouldn’t start. But Sandra and I are about ready to give Canada a try – in my case another try.
After all, my Canadian-born son, Ross, lives in Toronto, and he seems quite happy. He has a wonderful wife, Lisa, and they have a beautiful new home. And he gets well-paying gigs as a project manager. He can afford a winter break on some sunny Caribbean island.
My brother Bill and his wife Faye, live in London, Ontario, and although they spend a month in Jamaica and a few weeks in Florida every year, they love their hometown. Bill served in the Canadian Black Watch for a long time and reaps the rewards now that he’s retired. Faye worked for the province.
Canada appreciates its vets and its public servants and makes sure they’re comfortable after they retire. What a concept, eh?
My sister Elizabeth and her husband Wendell live in Toronto and spend winters in Florida. It’s a long haul back and forth, but Wendell doesn’t seem to mind the drive. He is a retired school principal, and Ontario – in contrast to those Republican states – treats its teachers well. Elizabeth was a writer and editor.
Apart from its frigid winters, I can’t think of anything bad to say about Canada.
There are good jobs in Canada. And employees are treated like partners – not minions. There is free – I mean free! – health care, laws against hate speech, parliamentary government, sober politics, a Billl of Rights… even a Royal Family to fill the void left behind by all those Canadian stars who move to the USA.
Canada, once a staid British colony, has evolved into a progressive, diverse country where civilized behavior prevails and tolerance is the norm.
To some Americans, it might even seem boring. But after this campaign season, boring might not be that bad.
Click for the Huffington Post.
