91% Of Americans Surveyed Think Canada Would Be Better Quality of Life

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801 Comments

neom, on 12/02/2007, -42/+220The problem is, that if 91% of Americans moved to Canada.. Canada would end up just like America.. and that, my friends.. would suck.

So, you Americans can keep your country, and please.. stay out of ours... your government and media and many of the people, have already damaged it enough.

And no, I don't hate Americans.. I hate everything they stand for.
CBTF, on 12/02/2007, -45/+19591% of Americans are correct
daizaru, on 12/02/2007, -18/+153People are missing the point of this Article. People outside Canada see our country as something better than it is. People inside Canada don't see what all the fuss is about.
Tsaran, on 12/02/2007, -98/+225no thanks, we don't want any americans here, our national I.Q. would be in the negatives
CBTF, on 12/02/2007, -9/+112Canada isn't a utopia; nowhere in the world is. Can you provide the names of the cities that are just as bad as Detroit when it comes to crime rates? I don't believe that this is true. I live in Toronto, and other Canadians tend to think that it's very violent here- compared to any large US city, we're not even close. The large cities in Canada such as Montreal, Vancouver, Winnipeg, etc.. aren't comparable to any US city when it comes to crime. Tourists usually hit these spots- you say the tourists don't visit the ugly places, but *****, Saskatchewan isn't any worse.

I think many Canadians do indeed view our country as it is. There are things to be concerned about, yes. But on the whole, It's a damn good place to live.
vault, on 12/02/2007, -48/+138So leave and go to Canada. There's a different culture in the US, the US is what it is, Canada is what it is, if you prefer Canada then no one is forcing you to be here.
dimmerswitch, on 12/02/2007, -24/+105"This is published on a Canadian site so..."
So what? Where's the rest of the description? I'm interested in hearing the rest of that.
drhamr, on 12/02/2007, -25/+99The best thing about living in Canada is that you are not surrounded by a bunch of stupid Americans.
Spl1nter, on 12/02/2007, -3/+76Ha ha, areas of Canada that are as violent as Detroit. In Toronto in 2005 there were 80 homicides. In Detroit there were just under 400. Chicago had about 600 homicides a year (a city that is compared to Toronto often). You cant compare crime between the US and Canada at all. So while Canada isn't perfect it is nowhere as near violent as the US in terms of homicides.
Malarie, on 12/02/2007, -7/+67I am Canadian, and I would never go live in the US, with all I am reading on digg and other social media, I prefer my country over the USA. Sure it is nice for the people or the weather, but I dont like how your government is trying to control you. I know corruption is everywhere, but i think it is not as bad in Canada as it is in the USA. Last time the liberals tried to screw us up with the Scandal des commandites, they were taken off the parliament the next election. Dont take offense of what I am about to say, but here in Canada, we do not have the level of entertainment you guys have to keep our minds occupied at something while our leaders are doing some other things.

I think money and powr have corrupt your government much more than on our side.
quaxon, on 12/02/2007, -11/+64Last i checked canadians loved guns and beer as weel, the only difference is canadians are more responsible.
futurepope, on 12/02/2007, -3/+50Being an American going to university in Montreal, I find this poll extremely interesting. Canada has it's many pluses: Socialized medicine is ****** awesome* regardless of what the current slew of politicians and media pundits try to drill into your mind. Also, the social stereotypes are quite true and people here generally seem nicer and more polite than Americans - even the famed Quebecois beat their southern friends IMHO! Furthermore, Canadians seem to be more likely to understand that we live on a planet with many nations and many peoples, each of these groups deserving their own civil rights which should never be transgressed. My experience of Americans (and I used to live in this bubble as well) is that we view the world as America and the rest of them. I'm not talking about the famed American's lack of geographic knowledge, but rather the viewpoint where Americans don't acknowledge the basic human rights of other nations - you know, that "were the best so ***** the rest of you" attitude.

Granted, my survey group is somewhat biased since the people I most often talk to are college students in what is arguably the most European of cities in North America. This bias is especially important for my third point.

Conversely, Canada also has its downsides. It is cold; there's no denying that. Also, Canada's economy is tied to the US since America is the largest importer of Canadian goods, so any slip in the American economy sends shock waves through Canada's counterpart. Though the US and Canadian dollar are currently at parity (or so my desktop tells me), the recent rise of the value of the Canadian dollar when compared to the American created a lot of fear in both the Canadian tourism and export business. A lot of people won't have jobs if Americans can't afford to come here or buy Canadian goods. Finally, the taxes here are atrocious, though not as bad as Europe. Most goods (maybe all, don't hold me to this) are taxed both the Canadian sales tax and the provincial sales tax (called the CAT and the QAT in Quebec) and their cost adds up quickly. I don't have any experience with estate taxes, property taxes, etc., but if the have any sort of equivalence to the cost of sales taxes then we can assume they're expensive.

Oh, and for any of those right wing, blue blooded idiots who will respond to this post by saying that taxes would be lower if Canada didn't have all those costly health and social service programs, let me say now that you're right. However, though I am complaining about paying a lot for things, I'm only doing so in a manner akin to when people complain about the rain. People often don't like it when it rains: it takes away the sun, sometimes makes traveling annoying, and makes normal outdoor play nearly impossible. However, no one of sound mind would ever honestly say they want the rain to go away; the rain serves a purpose and raises the welfare of all. I view these taxes the same way, they raise the welfare of all.

Hope this helps.
akatherder, on 12/02/2007, -29/+72So you're saying that any American who is stupid enough to move to Canada would pull its collective IQ into the negatives? You must be pretty close already then.
fnaqzna, on 12/02/2007, -4/+46Whoa, whoa... WHOA!

Hate everything we stand for? Do you mean all of us, or just the 30-percenters?
brad3378, on 12/02/2007, -4/+45The $50,000 of negative equity in my mortgage is forcing me to stay.
manicleek, on 12/02/2007, -9/+49Canada has a better quality of life than most of the world, this is nothing new
arjie, on 12/02/2007, -5/+44Okay, it may not be greener, but it's safer. You can roll up a joint and they won't put you behind bars.
whataboutdave, on 12/02/2007, -32/+71These people can leave at any time - yet they don't. Guess what, folks? Responses to polls are often misleading.
dawgma, on 12/02/2007, -3/+42You've wrongly interpreted that sentence...

It means that despite the fact that Americans show deep admiration for our country, we as Canadians don't show the same degree of admiration for our OWN country.
boflaade, on 12/02/2007, -9/+47You are an embarrassment to the rest of us Canadians. Insulting as well.
inactive, on 12/02/2007, -2/+39Because it is covered in snow.
fnaqzna, on 12/02/2007, -2/+39On the other hand, more and more people both inside and outside of the United States are beginning to think we're *****.
jucodadi, on 12/02/2007, -1/+38Largest city in Canada is Toronto. It does not come close to Detroit for crime. http://www.toronto.ca/quality_of_life/safety.htm
gravis86, on 12/02/2007, -2/+38You know what? Not only did I digg you down, but I buried your story. Just because you tried to promote it here. Retard.
echelonist, on 12/02/2007, -5/+40"I hate everything they stand for" isn't what you really meant right ? We Canadians share MOST of Americans values .. you can't deny it.
diggSJaustin, on 12/02/2007, -17/+52US wins, 98 to 97.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IQ_and_the_Wealth_of_ ...
loconet, on 12/02/2007, -10/+44Not if Harper continues to imitate the monkey from the south...
nova912, on 12/02/2007, -25/+58Yet.
Siraf, on 12/02/2007, -4/+37tell Rosa Parks, Martin Luther King Jr., Ceaser Chavez, Ben Franklin, and everyone else that if they don't like it, they can move. ***** that social idea -- if you don't like something in the country, CHANGE IT.
pizzler, on 12/02/2007, -33/+62Americans may think Canada would be a better quality of life; but more often than not, we come to find out, that the grass isn't always greener on the other side...
CapeKid, on 12/02/2007, -0/+2995% of cliches are overused.
Skootles, on 12/02/2007, -2/+31I feel bad for those imigrants if they're getting their start in Surrey..
deetank, on 12/02/2007, -4/+32I went to Canada for thanksgiving and loved it. Everyone up there is so much nicer compared to here (U.S.). Plus, getting a half for $105 is just insane.
simplistics06, on 12/02/2007, -13/+39God don't start this Canadian patriotic crap we are not the new arrogant Americans.
Skootles, on 12/02/2007, -2/+28"Canada has a lot of areas that are just as violent as Detroit and only the criminals carry guns."
Sorry, but we're not THAT much like Britain - our cops carry guns.
ToastPop, on 04/17/2009, -2/+28Maybe people inside Canada just don't know how well they have it.
arizonagroove, on 12/02/2007, -10/+36"91% Of Americans Surveyed Think Canada Would Be Better Quality of Life"

That's not even a coherent sentence.
inactive, on 12/02/2007, -11/+34I have no problems with those that want to leave....Unfortunately...Canada doesn't want them.
mrisi, on 12/02/2007, -4/+27As a Canadian, I can also say I hate most of what America stands for. Consumerism, gluttony, terror, media tyranny, corporate bullying, exclusive healthcare, lost freedom to protest, warrant-free wire-tapping, etc. Key is that I don't hate the people of America, just their government. Easy to mistake the two, but from what this poll (and many others as I've seen), your government isn't speaking for you guys.
schrutefan, on 12/02/2007, -2/+24We could use immigrants to do the jobs we're not willing to do ourselves.
diggSJaustin, on 12/02/2007, -1/+22But only for three months each year.
CondoleezzaRice, on 12/02/2007, -12/+33The grass is greener on the other side of the fence.
mrcpu, on 12/02/2007, -3/+24Nooooo!!!! We would have to build a fence and start patrolling the border with shotguns watching out for you snowbacks!
quaxon, on 12/02/2007, -7/+27"Canada is a USA clone with subtle differences, that much of what you said I agree with".

ive always viewed america as canada's evil twin.
cheesehead, on 12/02/2007, -6/+26Actually under pressure from America, the toadie Harper is proposing manditory prison sentences of 6 months in jail for growing two pot plants. There aren't enough cells to imprison these people so I expect to see a privatized prison industry. Our digital rights are also being undermined by American lobbyists. The rot and vermin that is undermining your American democracy is spreading to the puppet gov't we suffer under.
vault, on 12/02/2007, -7/+27Then I guess Canada will develop an illegal immigrant problem. They'll have to build a fence along the world's longest undefended border, you know, to keep us out.

***** conspiracy theorists.
inactive, on 12/02/2007, -8/+27"so..." you make the judgment call on the veracity of that statement.
tightscrummy, on 12/02/2007, -4/+22"So leave and go to Canada. There's a different culture in the US, the US is what it is, Canada is what it is, if you prefer Canada then no one is forcing you to be here."

I'm trying. It's a long process just to get a workers permit and it's not just a matter packing up and moving.
bdbr, on 12/02/2007, -9/+27Yes, well, as an American with a master's degree from one of the top 50 universities in the world and a daughter with a 4.0 average in honors biochemistry, I'm tired of all the "stupid American" comments.
darlyn, on 12/02/2007, -3/+21"I hate everything they stand for"
Just because a bunch of numb-skulls are in charge of our country doesn't mean we all support of their half-witted decisions.
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