Every time I go out to buy anything, I am almost always fuming at the amount of tax that I have to pay. Whats worse is that it is never added to the price which is listed on the cover; so a 200$ dvd player isnt exactly 200$, its 230 instead and so on and so forth. I am outraged when every time I end up paying a 23% fed tax plus around 400$ in CPP and EI out of my meagre student paycheck. Then I talk to someone in United States and feel almost angry at the low priced stuff available– especially in the everyday items category.
Yet, the day I decide to cross the border and go to United States, I fall back in love with Canada all over again. The border on Niagara between Canada and United States is almost a non border in the sense that one can walk at leisure back and forth as far as the distance is concerned. I have seen people picking up liquor in Niagara and going back to Buffalo, I have myself travelled from Toronto to Buffalo and back in one day. There is so much geographical closeness and the norms are quiet similar; we all drive on the right side, we all call our elevators as elevators, we all have freeways or highways instead of motorways, we all have malls at every second corners and we all call our mobiles ‘cell phones’. But it is a different world on the two sides of the border even then. The difference is there in the atmosphere, and worst– the people.
Every time I cross the border into United States I feel like a frigging idiot. The list of incessant questions is infuriating; worst is the tone in which they are asked. I have been driven to almost forget about going to States anywhere and return from the airport. Whats with all this? I understand that security is an issue with the country, it is with every country however and not just United States, but the border officials actually question you like you have committed a murder and they are your prosecutors. Whats worse is the obvious racial discrimination that goes on — maybe I am being a little too sensitive but I am not used to beind made to feel as if I have committed a crime by being a Muslim or brown.
On the other hand when you hit the Canadian border, it is almost as if you are hanging out in a Tim Hortons – the border officials would be almost joking around with you, sympathising with you if you drove all th way from Oregon, and not asking you 30 min long annoying rhetoric questions.
Well once the ordeal with the border is done with, then comes the actual United States dilemma. Everyone seems either angry or downright psychotic. I am sorry for making such a general statement but in the few times I have actually been to United States, I can count the number of helpful or ‘nice’ people I have met. I had always heard that French were the rude ones, and Canada would be half French. Au contraire, I see well 90% nice people around here, all ready to help you around if you have a knack for getting lost or in general. This last statement is based on my observation of Toronto during rush hours, say around 8 am at a busy subway station, compare this to New York or anywhere else in United States. The first statement I had from my cousin who came to Canada for a visit was, ‘I cannot believe how nice everyone is’. Somehow it does make a day easy when livin up here — even in the wind chill of 0-40 C.
Its amazing how I keep on hearing people calling countries such as United States and UK as ‘multi-cultural’ — correction, they are not multi-cultural, they are basically caucasians and Asians (including Indians and Pakistanis) with a sprinkling of African Americans. Again, not so in Canada — well thankfully. When it is called multi-cultural — it means MULTI CULTURAL — including Asians, Desis, europeans (especially italians, greeks, polish, french, irish and scottish) as well as people from Africa and Australia. It is one nice panache and maybe thats one reason the society is so much more tolerant of different belief systems and ethics as well as races than anywhere else. Another salient reason would be the fact thta everyone who calls themselves a canadian is a first generation or second generation Canadian (with very rare occurrences of third generations and longer Canadians), so a person whose family has lived in canada for 100 years or more is as Canadian as an immigrant who took his oaths just some months ago. The very make of the society and the general feeling towards different races makes these people into Canadians — much more so than most people living in other countries such as UK and US can ever say.
Canada would also be the definite place to live and raise a family. The taxes are a killer (going to about 50- 55% I believe) but the free healthcare, secondary education, extensive loan structures for post secondary education, pension plans, employment insurance and so on so forth make it worth the while in the long run. Canada was in the top three countries of the world for its living standards in 2002-2003.
If you have an artistic flair and love country or just love the old style pubs and archietcture, Canada is definitely the place to be. Even Toronto is full of ravines and valleys and parklands in the middle of the bustling city,helping people like me feel close to nature. On the other hand, anyday you are feeling a little artsy or folksy, all you have to do is go downtown and hit Entertainment district, cabbagetown or the old English area around St George and Kensington Market. Even the day you want some sun and a beach fun– all u need to do is to hit the lake shore.
Its all these things and many more, which make so many people fall in love with this country. It is a country above United States in every sense – geogrpahical, literal and actual.
Interesting. Can’t say i have tasted the worlds though
Would life be learning–taking loans, paying loans, working–paying taxes, mortgage-pauing even more taxes, and dying one fine day???? Not that these things are not done in US, but I do aggree with what you have written. With success comes greater senility, US is a victim of this adage, or be it any other country in the years past.
US is a victim of apathy in my opinion .. especially the US public.. they r way too busy working 2 jobs and raising kids as single parents to bother whats the image or more philosophical themes of racism and the likes. i believe US problem cnnot be repeatd anywhere else, reason? due to its geographical location and size ..US is a world in itself.. it has been afforded the chance of surviving almost unaided.. the result has been its utter disdain for anyone else in the world..which has not only led this wave of hatred for US but the apathy in its own people.
US living standards were never in the top of the list … but it was a land of opportunity still .. thanks to all this ..its a no-man land now.
I remember watching one of the micheal moore movies. i guess it was bowling for columbine, where he mentions a similar strings of thought. never been to canada myself to have a first hand opinion. But over here in texas ppl are nice n friendly but sometimes they r proud n stupid.
My, My, that’s a very narrow view to define US’ apathy. I would say the reverse is true. The person working two jobs and trying to raise kids will have more sympathy than apathy. You don’t seem to undersand who works two jobs. It is the same in Canada, these are the people who are educated and intelligent but can’t get into the system becasue they haven’t a canadian education or hold Canadian citizenship. They are the ones who work themselves to death simply becasue they are far more aware of their surroundings than others who simply have to fill their own tummies. So what about the yuppies or middle class folks who don’t work 2 jobs, and have a family, they don’t have apathy?? For once you overshot the mark by a long margin.
i think u missed the point. apathy is not because they r doing 2 jobs or whatever, the apathy arises because of various factors as i pointed out, one of them is the fastpaced life of course, other factors and in my opinion, more important ones are the geographical, political and economical situation of united states as a country. it is a whole world in itself, no questions asked. when a situation like this arises, a common affect is the apathy of the masses. I am not saying the masses in canada are not apathetic, but less so, one because of the diverse racial make up it doesnt allow them to be completely apathetic. secondly canada as a nation isnt into the world poltiics and in the power nexus.hence the apathy of the masses isnt exactly a problem
secondly i wud disagree that educated people r the ones doing 2 jobs..people who do 2 jobs r the ones who cannot earn enuff from one. and these r the ones working in gas stations, fast food joints and the likes. not the top notch educated crowd in my opinion.
I can agree with your assessment about Canada being a great place to live but your view of the US is mostly wrong and quite narrow.I have travelled extensively in the US and spent alot of time in that country.In my experience Americans have always been ready to help out a person when needed, and as a people they are among the most generous countries in the world.Who does most of the world look too in times of natural disasters or man made disasters? Certainly not the countries of the Middle East who are more than financially capable,no the US is always there first,ready willing and able to help,and in general they get damned little thanks for it.