Close Reading

In 2004 I wrote a somewhat famous article called 'Top 8 reasons not to immigrate to Canada'. In short, the Canadian authorities tried to destroy my life. They made it so that I could not be employable in Canada. So I moved to the U.S. in 2005 and then some years later I moved permanently to the Philippines. I am happy that so many years later videos like yours are saying essentially the same things that I did. I was ahead of my time. I will never go back to Canada. Not to live, not to visit, not even a connecting flight. Too cold, too expensive, taxes are astronomical, no freedom, no jobs, no opportunities, xenophobic people, too depressing. It has become the North Korea of the western world.\n\nTheir are many reasons why Canada has fallen apart. But the number one reason is ‘multiculturalism’. My friends, multiculturalism simply does not work. Different cultures do not come together and mix, different cultures come together and clash. The world is divided into different countries for a reason: because people hate each other and only want to be with their own kind. The number two reason for Canada’s demise is ‘socialism’. In this modern era of aging populations, it is mathematically impossible for socialism to continue. The government does not have the money to take care of old people and provide healthcare, pensions and the various other benefits, even with the astronomical taxation that burdens hard working Canucks. Well Canada, you had a good run. Time for Canucks to move to an emerging country. We welcome you here in Southeast Asia.

Perhaps I will not name the most popular destination for relocation, but I suggest coming to Russia, there are many positive reasons for this (I take Moscow as an example):\n1) Affordable housing with reasonable prices. The price for a one-room apartment in Moscow, for an apartment with a good renovation will cost you about $500 Plus utility bills with the Internet will be 50%. (The most surprising thing for foreigners is that in winter you can wear a T-shirt and shorts in apartments, and sometimes it will be hot), my cost of heating in a three-room apartment is $35 per month for 95 sq.m.\nDo you want a house? Please! House 435 sq.m. 3 floors for $100,000.\nAre you a young family? Get a preferential mortgage. Got a baby? Get money! A second one appeared. Get even more! Third child? Children's camps, travel card, free school meals, as well as a lot of benefits.\n2) Developed infrastructure, accessible public transport ($30 pass for all types of transport in Moscow and the nearest Moscow region), unlimited travel pass. 783 parks in Moscow, numerous shopping centers, countless child development centers; in winter you can ski and snowboard in these same parks. In general, you will definitely find something to keep yourself busy.\n3) Affordable medicine. Russian citizenship can be obtained after 5 years of permanent residence, BUT foreign citizens have the right to obtain a medical policy for themselves after obtaining a residence permit. The price comes out to be approximately 30-60%, depending on what risk group you are in. After obtaining citizenship, all medicine is free, seriously, a foreigner I know from Australia asked me about this: “What do you mean it’s free?” All this is included in taxes, and the cost is peanuts compared to yours. The level of medicine is high, this is a separate topic for discussion, I don’t know why, but our medical centers are compared with India, this is not so. The current clinics look like Cyberpunk 2077, seriously. In the regions, unfortunately, it is completely different. In December 2023, I was hospitalized with double pneumonia, and I didn’t pay a single ruble for treatment.\n4) Security. You can calmly walk around Moscow at night and not be afraid of anything. There are cameras everywhere in Moscow, on shops, on poles, and video recorders on cars. Everyone knows perfectly well that if you commit a crime in Moscow, you will be punished, and no one in their right mind needs this. Here I advise you to look at the channels of your fellow countrymen. Banditry is an echo of the past, in the 90s people survived as best they could, then the ruble depreciated and everyone fought for food as best they could, now the situation is different.\n5) Racism. I won’t rant, here you should also watch the video of your fellow countrymen who live in Russia, not those who accuse us of racism while living in their country and who have never visited us, but those who live. If you feel other people’s eyes on you because of your dark skin color, excuse me, it’s out of interest, well, there are few of us like that. On a personal note, no one cares what color you are, as long as you are a person who lives within the law as a peaceful citizen. If you act like an asshole, behave inappropriately, use insulting words towards other people, you will feel it quickly. In general, if you are a good person, you can forget about this word.\n6) If you receive a residence permit, education for your children is free. Our state generally cares excessively about children. And I still remembered! Summer holidays for children are 3 months, so where should they go? Summer camp, give mom and dad a break from your nasty whims))\nIf you want to send them to the Black Sea, if you want to send them to Altai to a health center, you can send them to a city camp (They brought the child in the morning and took them away in the evening). Previously, I was constantly sent to the black sea on a permit that was given to my father at work (Shipyard). Now this is only possible in special cases.\n\n7) Vacations. You are required to go on paid leave for 28 days a year. 12 public holidays.\n\n8) Sexual minorities. Having seen enough of cancel culture, where the minority opinion became higher than the majority opinion, these communities were cancelled. When people are openly threatened for their opinions on gender. Fire teachers for using the wrong pronoun. Where pedophiles try to legitimize themselves. We are not on the same path with this.\n\nNow there is an acute shortage of IT specialists, maybe this will be interesting for them.\nFarmers like to settle here; 100 hectares of land can be bought for $16,000. Compared to Europe at $5000-6000 per acre. A well-known foreign representative is Justus Walker if anyone is interested.\nIn general, Russia is open to new citizens of the country, the state gives everything to create a unit of society, on your part you just need to be a law-abiding citizen and live a quiet life. We have problems in the country, they are the same as in any other, but nowhere will there be freedom to implement your plans as in Russia.\n\nAll the best!

I'm planning on visiting Canada this year. Going to Toronto. I'm assuming it's safe enough to visit still?

I have visited the US but under no circumstances would I move there

I'm so glad to finally see people talking about this issue. I'm originally from Africa, but I was raised in the US, so spent most of my life in the country (35+ yrs). And, I felt this deep loneliness even as a child. I would cry whenever we went back home to visit and it was time to go back to the US, and I would be really depressed for quite a while after getting back to the US. I never felt that life was normal, and everytime we met a new immigrant, I remember thinking to myself, even as a child or teenager that they just don't know the trap they are getting themselves into. Kudos to you for speaking up about this.

Toronto resident here. I do agree with everything that Alina pointed out. Those thing exist. But the only REAL problem is the high cost of rent. It now equals and even surpasses the cost of a mortgage. If the rent problem were resolved, and they can do this by simply building more housing (which they are now starting to do - with government programs and incentives), then most of these problems Alina reported on would recede or disappear completely. \n\nAlso, the homelessness is not visually worse than anywhere else I've visited. Homeless encampments are visible in every city I've been too. However, in Toronto, a LOT of homeless people come from other parts of Canada. \n\nThe violence that Alina referred to was just a snapshot in time. She made her video around 4 months ago, and at that time there were several truly shocking incidents on the subway (which even made international news). Those incidents have not continued. The subway system, and Toronto, is still a very, very safe city. We are the third largest city in North America, after LA and NYC, and we had something like 50 homicides last year. Chicago has like 500. Just by way of example. \n\nI love Toronto, even though it is very expensive to pay rent here. But there is so much to offer that I wouldn't consider living somewhere else. Not a chance. It's great that you can live somewhere else if you work remotely, but when you're not working, what do you do?...Toronto is safe, clean (except in tourist season), with limitless opportunities for career and lifestyle. Wouldn't live anywhere else.

Hello everyone! I'm Nemanja from Serbia. Recently, I had a conversation with a Canadian friend who now lives here in Serbia, and I was captivated by the stories about Canada. I was planning a visit, but I came across some videos discussing issues in Canada. Is there anyone there who can share their positive experience? I'd like to hear different perspectives before making a final decision. Thanks in advance!

OMG, I think there is something I was not doing right. Thank God I have not submitted because what I have is quite different from what I just watched. I filled the form for my family of 5 to visit from the UK in celebration of my 15th Wedding anniversary. I do not know if I used a wrong portal because a lot of things look different from what I am seeing here. You are a star Seyi. Keep up the good work. I will just start all over.

I have visited European ambessy they always talk very rudely to me.

Dude if y’all seen how the Arab and Muslim world is. You wouldn’t be so quick to be swayed by this silver tongue devil. I advise you to visit these areas and what cultural norms they practice.

Hey, many many thanks for such a detailed and amazing video. You have very clearly described every step and also explained meaning of so many terms. I was having no knowledge of this process and with your step by step guidance in this video I was able to submit my parents visit visa application very quickly. I followed the steps and got my parents visa approved in 10 days. Many thanks again and god bless you.

Cannot agree more. If anybody who is earning good , have good social life and attached to their family then should not even think once to move to Canada. These countries are good to visit for touristic purpose. Jai Shri Ram!

Visit Belgium.

Dubai is full of gold and silver, be cautious. However, the best places are Mecca and Medina. Because these two places will never be visited by Dajjal.

I'm from argentina and I never considered canada to visit or even for living .. beside that ,.shawn mendes ?.

I have visited the United States many, many MANY, MANY times over the years. I've loved every single visit. The people are warm and lovely....some of your scenery and historic things were more than a joy to behold Would I ever want to move there ? Not even for a second. In fact, sadly, my husband won't even go back for a visit anymore. This is sad to me, but I understand where he is coming from. \nWas sad to say good-bye to our dearest friends who moved to the US, because the job pay and promotion was impossible to say no to. They lasted 2 months and settled for less pay and no promotion to come back home. They found it so weird, that all the new friends they made, thought they were freaks because they didn't own guns. The final straw was when they learned these people were packing when they came to summer barbeques. That was the final straw, and they high-tailed it home. \nIn recent times, a country run by someone I see as a loose cannon, psychopath...makes it a most emphatic NO.

U BOTH NEED TO COME PAKISTAN I THINK PAKISTAN WILL BE THE BEST OPTION U CAN DECIDE WELL WATCH VELOGGERS WHO CONVERTED TO MUSLIM AFTER VISIT TO PAK

@cbc news why is the focus about international students only. There is also alot around refugees which are brought in large numbers. We need to visit the immigration issues across the board and not one sided.

Visit Morocco ❤

First visited Toronto in late 2019, it was my first time in Canada - loved it!! Went for a family wedding, the taste of Toronto that I got during that trip, left a really positive impression on me - the space, it was clean, the quality of life looked idyllic. Then the global pandemic happened, I always kept up with the news of what was happening in Toronto and have noticed how it has changed. The crime seemed to just increase from out of nowhere, housing costs increased. My relatives and I keep in touch and they have told me how Toronto has changed.

Canada is ruined! My kids will NEVER be able to afford a house, or even rent! Even spaces in university are taken by foreigners. You can’t find a doctor. Visiting a hospital is like a UN field hospital. Everyone comes here to take. Nothing but trouble coming.

Canada visit Visa is just 185 CAD nothing more and nothing less. Agents will build sky scrapers with your money.

I was born and raised in Toronto and lived 57 years there. 6 months ago, I moved to Saskatchewan having never visited before. I'm ashamed of Toronto. It's not what it was. I outgrew it and although I have good memories of what it once was, it no longer is. And I will forever tell everyone it's not even worth the visit.

Can I apply through GCKey AND the IRCC portal!? Ive submitted a Visit Visa app back in October 2023 through the IRCC portal and there hasnt been any progress post biometrics. Can I made.a new application through GCKey? will that be processed faster?

Moved out from Toronto to Saskatchewan in 2007. Visited Toronto in late 2020 and hated every part. Maybe small city life has grown up on me. I found torontonians rude.

Visiting as a tourist, will verifiable flight itinerary be need or just place you wish to visit in Canada

The Government can give expats the below::\n1 Student visa\n2 Work permit(temporary or permanent, so they can work here and build their country of origin )The salary for expats will be different from the salary of locals. \n3 PR.\n4 Instead of citizenship (golden visa will be good, where they get the same benefits as citizen, but cannot vote). If they like it here, they can live or travel to any 150 countries(without a need of visit visa)or go back to their country.

I live in the US. Besides the weather I will choose Canada over US. Visit NYC and other metro cities in the US you will see homeless crisis and trash. In my opinion Canada is a great country and y’all should stop whinning like Canada is bad.

Come to Ireland ?? the publice and government both support Palestine ??. The weather is pretty good than Canada ??. Whenever visiting Dublin i would be glad to meet you's.\nStay blessed and in Allah protection...Ameen

I’d have to say I don’t live in Canada and I visited Canada twice for short periods of time\n\nWhat I do notice about Canada is that there isn’t enough employment for Canadians and many of them have to come or choose to come to the United States\n\nIn your case, you were a light skin, European appearing woman, and in Asia, especially Tokyo, you is very popular in the entertainment industry and people are willing to employ you for that look \n\nGetting back to Canada a lot of Canadian actresses And actors wind up, going to the United States for work specially Los Angeles, and doing quite well or Las Vegas, and other entertainment centers in the US because there is opportunity there where there isn’t any Canada\n\nI hate to say this to other Canadians but is backwater when it comes to economic activity it’s had some bright spots at certain times in the last 20 years, but it doesn’t last

Born in Toronto in 1953. Left Toronto in 2019 and settled in rural Nova Scotia. I can sleep now. I am on zero meds now. I own a house and acreage which are completely paid for. I have zero debt. I hate Toronto and will never go back...not even to visit. Toronto is now officially the armpit of Canada.

I’m a Canadian who moved to the United States. I recently got my U.S Citizenship. Life has been so much easier here. I have so much more savings and disposable income. I have a mortgage that has a rate that is locked in for 30 years! A 30 year fixed mortgage. My phone is unlimited for $30 a month. Insurance for two new cars is $170 a month. Gas is cheaper. Food is cheaper. Alcohol is cheaper. When you go to the doctor or hospital you get seen right away. I’m very unlikely to ever move back to Canada. I love to visit, but the U.S is far superior when it comes to overall quality of life which I have experienced first hand.

I lived in TO for 20 years. Didn’t like the climate much and was looking to move somewhere south but not to the States. Ended up in Merida, Yucatan, purchased lovely furnished colonial house with the pool, former AirBnB, 1km away from the main cathedral. No need for a car. Paid little 6 years ago for the $$ most people can’t afford to renovate their kitchens in TO. Monthly bills are $140 CAD including all the services, property tax, excellent internet, electricity and yes we use AC when sizzling hot outside. The best of all there are some direct flights to TO and we do visit in summers exclusively ?. Overall ….we are born again, the best decision ever. Still love TO but too pricey for us as we need more than $140 daily for survival!

amazing video. found you through True north. I ditched vancouver 7 years ago and haven't looked back. Nice to visit in the summer for the amazing sunshine but damn the winters are brutal.

I visited Toronto from the UK in 2000 age 18, it was like a utopia compared to London, spotlessly clean, safe, affordable and the people were so friendly. So sad to see the changes.

Being from London, these ‘anglosphere’ mega cities seem all the same culturally. Not worth the expense visiting.

I worked for an international airline for many years and visited Canada and most cities in Canada including Toronto many times, unfortunately it has gone the way of all extreme progressive liberal cities throughout the west. The decline is truly shocking

I visited Toronto in 1986 and I've had friends from that city. The whole world is changing and facing the issues you mentioned in your video. I had lived in Seattle before its decline. I'm in Pittsburgh temporarily and I had lived recently in Erie, PA. They all seem to be facing the same situation--housing crisis, homelessness, and crime. And in Pittsburgh, limited social services.\n\nHowever, I'm sad to see a socialist country such as Canada suffer with these ills. If a socialist country can't take care of its people, there's little home for a capitalist country like the US.

I have always wanted to visit Toronto, native Chicagoan. That is sad, but all cities have their ups and downs.That is stupid and unfair how rent is increasing.

Why any one in HELL would you want to visit....let alone be in canuck land is....beyond questionable.

Thank you. I now have no intention of visiting Canada any time soon..

Left the GTA in 1999 to raise my children...one of my son's was in school that went to sixth grade, there were gangs and there were swarmings at that time...our three bedroom was 935$ plus hydro then..Shudder to think what it would be now. Live in NB now...house is paid off on a five acre lot, kids are grown, great place to raise grandchildren. Best decision we ever made. I missed the city when we moved here, but after a visit a few years ago...not so much.

I've changed my mind to not visit canada?? dangerous really. Not good for kids too

As a non Muslim I found the call to prayer 5 times a day unnerving in Muslim countries I have visited. \n\nI love drag queens reading books to kids :-)

A very well documented vlog about pros and cons of settling in CANADA. Presently visiting Canada to see the reality of this Country. And after 4 months i completely agreed with whatever you have explained in this video. I have decided myself to educate more people like you to never leave their Country no matter what the circumstances are. Racism is so subtle and different here now a days. We Indians cannot tolerate each other here leave alone the Canadians. Never leave your home Country ever. Never!!❤

Only Lunatics will move in Canada. I am tired that lie. I don't like that Canadian pretend to be best country in the worlds and pretend to everywhere they visit that everything is fine in Canada etc. They don't want to see the truth. Also I don't like when they go visit other countries and come back to canada and lie to me and say oh its very expansive in USA or that or this other country etc. WTF, they did not see the cost of living in Canada? they are fucking blind or what?

the shots of the tent city in allan gardens park are heartbreaking. I lived in toronto for a few months back in 2018, and that was my favourite place to hang out. I visited again for the first time in 5 years this summer and decided to go on a walk there. i was shocked to see how drastically it had changed.

I am living in Australia, great to hear you are leaving Canada. Yes Canada. I have visited Canada and love it. Great place for skying in winter, hopefully you found a country soon. Let me give you some suggestion of choice to got to 1. Afghan, Pakistan, Yeman and Gaza will be the best choice as you can help build the country back. Good luck.

I'll get slammed for this, but, look, history is history and you can't change it. Back in the mid-20th century, the peoples of central Africa and North Africa fought ferocious guerrilla and insurrectionist wars to eject the hated white man colonizers who came in a century prior and took their land. Understood. Got it. The insurrectionists and guerillas were fervent they could run their own countries more efficiently and with more compassion than the white man. Got it. The African insurrectionists got meaner, resorting to terrorism, kidnapping, torture, brutal murder, planting explosives in shops and restaurants, mounting hit-and-run submachine attacks day and night on the populace, white and black and north African. Don't believe me, look up the old news films from the period.\n The insurgents, insurrectionists, revolutionaries, guerillas, partisans, and outright terrorists succeeded. White man gone. Fast forward to the 21st century. What do you see? Failed nation states. Lack of social and economic stability. Countries still with poor hygienic standards and low medical care. Famine. Hunger. High unemployment.\n What happened? Mostly....corruption, aggravated by increasing drought conditions over the past seventy years.\n What do you see today? Descendents of those once ferocious revolutionaries and insurgents who were willing to sacrifice their lives resorting to terrorism and murder, now risking life and limb by jumping into rickety boats to cross stormy seas and enter the countries of their former European oppressors. France and Italy are among the most astonished of all. \n Canada was not a colonial power yet look at all the migrants from Africa, desperately seeking a better life. Their forebearers promised far better than their European occupiers but delivered even less because everybody has their hand in the till and is lining their pockets. When a visitor has to pay government employees bribes for them to do their jobs, you know you've visited a failed state. Bring up the subject of institutionalized and cultural widespread corruption and they get defensive and angry, still blaming everyone else for their own failures.\n One of the more common solutions over the past twenty years, accepting huge, high-interest loans from the Red Chinese government that they cannot repay, is now coming back to bite them in the keister.

As a Torontonian born and raised here it’s had a couple shifts in feel over the past decades. Around the mid 90s, there was an increase of gun violence, crime and theft in the city which caused my family to move out to the burbs. I moved back during the 2009 recession for higher education at one of the institutions downtown. At that time, there wasn’t much violence at all. We went out til the wee hours of the morning from Fashion district (Queen and Richmond) to Honest Eds (Bathurst and Bloor), to Yonge and Dundas square. There were still some homeless people then, but fast forward to now, it’s gotten aggressive. Instead of the homeless people keeping in their camps, but now, they have been displaced, are angry, mental health issues are rampant and incidents can happen anywhere. I think we have the right mayor in place now to make some positive changes for the social issues in the city and I am optimistic that we can get it cleaned up over time. For now though, I agree with the sentiment, come for a visit, but maybe skip out on living here until the social issues get sorted. You always have to keep an eye on the back of your head these days.