I am a certified elementary teacher who wants to become a resident of Canada. I appreciate the country's political system there, and I would like to be a part of a more enlightened group of people. Please give me some information as to how I may establish a life in Canada. I have travelled there many times but, unfortunately, I had to mind the border patrol and come back! Thanks.
US teacher looking to get out
- Thread starter belle1
- Start date
Hi Belle
Your sentiments are ones that I have heard many times by my fellow Americans.
Here are a few of my opinions/thoughts/experiences.
I lived abroad for many years and I will hopefully soon be moving to Canada to be with my wife. I have visited over 20 countries, lived in 4, and speak 3 languages. After so many years/experiences in other places, I can say that the US definately has its weaknesses and problems, but so do other countries.
We Americans have short historical memories and little patience and unfortunately sometimes wear blinders. We forget that this still is the land of opportunity. We forget that we can choose to do practice any profession we want, we can go back to school at any age, and that almost anything the heart could possibly desire is available to us cheaply and in abundance. We are free to start a business if that is what we want, we are free to speak any language we want and educate our children in the language we desire. (The last two points are references to the language laws in Quebec. Even if you're planning on going to live there, you should read up on Quebec history and politics)
I am not sure what you consider enlightened. I will say that my Canadian friends and relatives are much more informed as to current events than most Americans I know. They tend to be more widely read and more tolerant of other peoples' differences than in this country. My experience is that they are less racist than we are, although my friends and my wife may dispute this. Since I am moving to Canada, it is obvious that I find these to be strong points. I derive much more pleasure from speaking with, associating with and living with Canadians than I do with Americans. I find Canadians less superficial, less materialistic and more easy-going than Americans.
My destination is going to be Quebec and my wife and her family are Francophone. I am not yet perfectly bilingual, but I do speak French and I have made many visits and spent a lot of time in Montreal. I actually happen to admire the efforts of the Francophone community to preserve their heritage and linguistic rights within Canada. For many years Francophones did not have equal language rights and did not earn as much, on average, as Anglos. During the 1960s, Francophones asserted their linguistic, social, and cultural rights and many things changed (Google the Quiet Revolution for information). As a result, the French language is firmly ensconced as the language of everyday life in Quebec.
But did you know that there is a language police in Quebec and that businesses can be fined for putting up signs in English only? Did you know that if my wife and I choose to have kids and we raise them in Quebec they must be educated in French because neither my wife nor I were educated in English in Canada? Did you know that Quebec is the only place in the word to have "Arret" signs instead of "Stop" signs? Even in France they say "Stop". Did you know that former PM Pierre Trudeau had to declare martial law in 1970 because a separatist group, the FLQ, murdered the Quebec minister and kidnapped the British trade commissioner? Nobody, I hope, would call kidnappings and murders "enlightened".
I have to go now so I will leave you with this link to the CIC when you can obtain information on how to immigrate to Canada http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/index.asp.
Do also look into having your credentials evaluated, as there are many PhDs in Canada delivering pizza and driving taxis.
All that being said, I love Canada and my Canadian friends and family. I don't know as much about the other provinces, but my heart will always be in Quebec and it will always be my first choice as a destination in Canada.
Your sentiments are ones that I have heard many times by my fellow Americans.
Here are a few of my opinions/thoughts/experiences.
I lived abroad for many years and I will hopefully soon be moving to Canada to be with my wife. I have visited over 20 countries, lived in 4, and speak 3 languages. After so many years/experiences in other places, I can say that the US definately has its weaknesses and problems, but so do other countries.
We Americans have short historical memories and little patience and unfortunately sometimes wear blinders. We forget that this still is the land of opportunity. We forget that we can choose to do practice any profession we want, we can go back to school at any age, and that almost anything the heart could possibly desire is available to us cheaply and in abundance. We are free to start a business if that is what we want, we are free to speak any language we want and educate our children in the language we desire. (The last two points are references to the language laws in Quebec. Even if you're planning on going to live there, you should read up on Quebec history and politics)
I am not sure what you consider enlightened. I will say that my Canadian friends and relatives are much more informed as to current events than most Americans I know. They tend to be more widely read and more tolerant of other peoples' differences than in this country. My experience is that they are less racist than we are, although my friends and my wife may dispute this. Since I am moving to Canada, it is obvious that I find these to be strong points. I derive much more pleasure from speaking with, associating with and living with Canadians than I do with Americans. I find Canadians less superficial, less materialistic and more easy-going than Americans.
My destination is going to be Quebec and my wife and her family are Francophone. I am not yet perfectly bilingual, but I do speak French and I have made many visits and spent a lot of time in Montreal. I actually happen to admire the efforts of the Francophone community to preserve their heritage and linguistic rights within Canada. For many years Francophones did not have equal language rights and did not earn as much, on average, as Anglos. During the 1960s, Francophones asserted their linguistic, social, and cultural rights and many things changed (Google the Quiet Revolution for information). As a result, the French language is firmly ensconced as the language of everyday life in Quebec.
But did you know that there is a language police in Quebec and that businesses can be fined for putting up signs in English only? Did you know that if my wife and I choose to have kids and we raise them in Quebec they must be educated in French because neither my wife nor I were educated in English in Canada? Did you know that Quebec is the only place in the word to have "Arret" signs instead of "Stop" signs? Even in France they say "Stop". Did you know that former PM Pierre Trudeau had to declare martial law in 1970 because a separatist group, the FLQ, murdered the Quebec minister and kidnapped the British trade commissioner? Nobody, I hope, would call kidnappings and murders "enlightened".
I have to go now so I will leave you with this link to the CIC when you can obtain information on how to immigrate to Canada http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/index.asp.
Do also look into having your credentials evaluated, as there are many PhDs in Canada delivering pizza and driving taxis.
All that being said, I love Canada and my Canadian friends and family. I don't know as much about the other provinces, but my heart will always be in Quebec and it will always be my first choice as a destination in Canada.