Close Reading

Until 2020 (pandemic), most lifelong Canadians would have proudly & quickly said Canada is a great place. For multiple generations (young & old). It still is in many ways. But like all countries, a bunch of things have made life more difficult lately. \n \nDuring the COVID lockdowns, many people went wild wanting to buy a house (urban & rural). Increasing demand and rising prices. Not long after, inflation caused mortgage rates especially to rise. Rent costs soared too. People interested in working in hospitals declined. Less doctors etc.. \n \nSimultaneously in Canada, the number of people coming by air, land and boat to claim asylum skyrocketed. For example, in 2023 alone, in just one region (Central Canada) around 400 people arrived per day (on average). Ditto for other populated provinces. Also the number of international students SKYROCKETED too. In 2023, averaging around 2,000 per day across Canada. Years 2021 and 2022 had high #s too. \n \nThe majority trying to migrate to Canada recently have been from South Asia. And it's become extremely obvious to Canadians. Even those that are very used to much diversity & many cultures. Plus neighborhoods now know that international students are using schooling as a 'back door' ticket to come to Canada for permanent residency. No one says it in public amongst strangers, but everyone knows because they've witnessed the extreme PR frenzy firsthand by now. To many Canadians it has felt like a tidal wave that has reached all cities and small towns, with a post secondary school. This extreme situation never existed prior to 4 years ago.\n \nHospitals have been hit with many wanting free healthcare. Less doctors/nurses etc., means greater waiting times. Plus a VERY SEVERE HOUSING CRISIS has occurred in many western countries including in Canada. In ways not seen in people's lifetimes. And if you do find a place to live its quite expensive. Including small basement rooms. \n \nNow westerners want the money greedy agents (pseudo smugglers) in other countries to stop marketing & LYING to their own people about access to PR or citizenship … or accommodation/jobs … being easy (to get). And for any greedy people living in western countries to be ashamed of themselves if they're hurting students. Anyone doing things to make $ off of people's PR desires. At best, there is a 25% chance of gaining PR (better odds if you are masters/medicine etc.). \n \nNot all players across the board have acted honestly over the years, i.e. contract marriages (IELTS spouse), anchor babies, fraud, false asylum claims. Canada has asked the India government to prevent “ghost consulting”. The new PRIVATE (non-public) colleges are being investigated (including looking for strong oversea ties). \n \nCanadians are meeting students who told Canada they have enough $, but it turns out they borrowed it (some borrowed it for the application process only). Canadian food banks and other CHARITY services have been recklessly advertised on YouTube (by India students in Indian language). Many transit services have launched stricter rules, i.e. lost monthly bus passes registered in your name are now never replaced (unlike before). \n \nThen this year throw in all the Palestinian vs Israeli angry protests happening regularly in cities. Plus the Sikh vs Hindu violence/extortion mostly happening in Ontario and British Columbia. Plus the Canadian government also recently launched investigations in regards to foreign interference in Canadian elections. All stemming from Asia continent. Hate crimes have gone from rare to occasional (primarily South Asians against South Asians). \n \nCanadians are so so so so so not used to all this. So many, who have embraced multi-culturalism and immigration for decades are now VERY worried and fearful (due to all of the above). And all are praying it doesn't turn into great anger (like in the USA). \n \nCanadians want multi-culturism to succeed … and for all people (including immigrants) to be okay. Everyone I know is VERY happy with Canada Immigration's recent changes (reductions & investigations). Including multi-generational long-term Asian-Canadians where many have been the most upset (by all of this).

I’m surprised you never saw me. I’m homeless in a shelter and I hate this city.. well I hate all the cities like this. The people are heartless and sacred. The homeless are high and sad… I wander the streets like all day every day. When I have money I try to help the street people. Or I end up smoking weed on occasion. But there’s a lot of garbage and garbage people out there. I’m basically the rat king. I wander round doing anything I can. I’m pretty crazy tho I have bpd and doctors don’t really help anyone. I just live in the shelter and during the day I wander the streets trying to learn the city and help people. Sometimes I’m rude and angry and insane due to the state of the city and all I’ve seen. I yell and sing as I walk around just to hate everyone who is the average scumbag citizen. You know who I mean.. and I call them out on their bs. But only during my bpd episode or whatever. Otherwise I try to help all the street rats. But lots of them are helpless addicts like it’s hard to find the proper way to help. You gotta be careful who you help I suppose, because your good intentions of helping can lead to harming them. They end up buying drugs I guess sometimes. I am very easy to spot. I’m zooming down the streets. I usually walk so fast and everyone is so brainwashed brain dead slaves of society for real… they don’t care or help no one. I mean some do but it’s extremely rare…. I’ve probably walked literally everywhere you were. That park on Jarvis. I see those security guards lol they were dicks to you and definitely lied about not being on camera. I see them like almost every day. And all the other places. I slept outside a few times not often. I’ve been to all these spots I walk by them all the time it was crazy to see it all. That’s my life haha it’s awesome. I do the best I can and it’s definitely better than everyone else who has a job and a place like…. They’re all just selfish shallow heartless scumbags. Harsh truth. Keep it real.

Superbly explain. I've never seen such an extensive description of any story like this. Keep it up.

Hey? What? You've never seen Hypocrisy speaking itself??? Welcome, you're at the right place.

I’ll tell you why my family and I moved out of Canada and emigrated to the USA because of mainly one reason — RACISM!!! The racism in Canada was so so bad, the worst I’ve ever seen on 4 continents!!! I dusted off my shoes after leaving and never want to go back!!!

As a United States citizen, I've never ever seen someone get in bed with shoes on????

All the best to you and yours whatever decision you make. I've never seen snow and doubt I could live somewhere that is colder outside than the inside of my freezer.

As someone who moved Canada 3.5 years ago, I agree with all the reasons mentioned. There are many things government could have done better to fight against the inflation, housing crisis, high cost of living and rise in crime and homelessness. I don't even want to mention about the taxes. Like I am almost giving half of my salary to the government yet they are still taking %13 more on what we spend on, yet I've never seen a single place where that money was used to address any of these problems. One of the reasons I moved to Canada was to have a better life style, more buying power and better future for my future kids. But at this point I feel like I am living in a zombie land. High skilled workers will have some other opportunities elsewhere but refugees and low skilled workers will be stuck in Canada and it will get only worse with the current policies.

UN is a bloody rubbish bogus facade, hasn’t/couldn’t resolve the Palestine problem in 75 years, still BSing, n they will never. The Arabs or the Muslims should’ve seen this right after Libya !!!!

The problem is the US, we need to fix our problems at home with immigration first!!!! \nWe have immigrants on the waiting list, doing the right thing by following the law!!! Waiting in line to have there case and situation heard.\n\n Immigrants from the 60s 80s never got free housing free food were never allowed to enter the country the way the immigrants today are just entering and they're staying in 5 star hotels in New York City never in the country's history has it been seen.\n Never in the country's history has resources from US citizens been given to immigrants I have entered illegally.\n And now if you are from Venezuela you're ahead of the line ahead of all the people that've been waiting to legalize their status these people are just getting documents faster than everybody else why is that.\n We need to fix the situation in our country first and take care of the people that are in line doing it the right way.

1) Toronto is poor value. Getting housing of any kind (buying or renting) is stupidly expensive. And the quality you get for the price is lousy. Especially the newer builds, which are just thrown up as quickly as possible and sold to investors. Policy measures generally all seem to serve to just inflate the price of housing further. The occasional lip service given to affordability is amusing, but ultimately sad. There are lots of people who really do not want the housing bubble to pop. They will fight against it with all they have.\n\n2) It has become kind of boring. There is lots to do if you have money, but it’s harder to find entertainment on a budget. Even the free stuff like parks are filling up. Stuff like sporting events, eating out, going out is very costly across the board. Even the “cheaper” stuff is expensive. It seems like a lot of local culture is disappearing. Even the cool neighbourhoods are filling up with the same chains. I think the high commercial rent and bureaucracy is deflating a lot of would-be entrepreneurs. Most landowners seem to just be banking on cashing out their land for condos.\n\n3) Canada overall has a high cost of living compared to salaries. In the US you can find lower cost of living areas that still give you a real city experience. And in Europe you can be poor but still live a decent, if no frills, life. In Canada the basic necessities are all expensive. Phone bills, grocery bills, rent, insurance are through the roof. Domestic travel is expensive. And the dollar sucks if you want to travel abroad. Health care is free but good luck finding a family doctor or waiting 8 hours in the ER these days. It’s expensive to be poor, or even middle class.\n\n4) Most of the Greater Toronto Area, outside the core, is soulless suburbs with awful transit - very “American” except with worse traffic congestion. You will need a car, which is another huge cost. Row upon row of old cookie cutter suburbs with the same crappy houses. Good luck walking anywhere, and if you do you will need to walk down boring, treeless arterial roads with cars zooming past right beside you, and cross giant eight lane intersections that were never built for humans on foot. In a rainstorm or on a fall evening you have to be really careful not to be run over by aggressive drivers.\n\n5) It is hard to raise a family in an apartment here. You can do it but it’s not very easy, and also you are still kind of judged for it. Lots of young people are feeling stuck and are deferring or avoiding starting a family. Buying any type of house, even a basic townhouse, requires pledging your soul to a bank by taking a massive mortgage with eye watering debt in a volatile market. But few apartment buildings have the kind of sensible gentle density, the family unit sizes and the common amenities, like little courtyards with jungle gyms, that you might find in Europe. No one ever contemplated that anyone would ever desire to raise kids in an apartment. It’s just a cultural thing that has worked its way into how things are planned and designed.\n\n6) The transit system is ok by North American standards but awful by international standards. There are only two real subway lines, one stub line, one line that is permanently out of service after a derailment, and another line that was supposed to open a couple years ago but still has no date for opening. The subways go out of service frequently, sometimes for the dumbest reasons, and then it is a zoo of shuttle buses. The streetcars are nice but so slow. The buses are fine if you find yourself dreaming about riding a daily herky jerky rolling tin of sardines. They are building a lot of transit but it will take decades to get done.\n\n7) There is still a lot of cool multiculturalism and opportunities to experience different foods and cultures - one of the best things about Toronto. Increasingly though it seems to be losing the fun vibe of the 90s, when everyone celebrated each other’s backgrounds and was chill. It seems the immigration is not as broad based anymore and also people are importing a lot of their “old country” grievances here. The immigration system also kind of preys on people abroad by selling them a false fairy tale, so they end up dejected when they arrive and see how things really are.\n\n8) This one might be controversial but it’s kind of an ugly city. There’s nothing particularly of historical meaning or value. Some of the older neighbourhoods are kind of nice, but the last 25 years they have only built giant glass skyboxes, one after another. There aren’t the cool “missing middle” walkups like in NY, Chicago or Montreal (or even LA). There are very few buildings with much architectural character. Some of the buildings they deem “heritage” here are an embarrassment.\n\n9) For safety, honestly on this score I think Toronto is not bad. There are not too many real “ghettos” and it’s night and day compared to much of the US. With that said, there is more vagrancy and social issues these days, with tents and such. It’s very sad but the shelters are full, lots of homeless go into the libraries, parks and transit system. It does make it harder to enjoy these public amenities safely. It is nowhere close to Europe where you might let your kids run free around town. Canadian parents still helicopter their kids and the place again is not designed to really be safe for kids, in the same way as Europe.\n\n10) Finally, a bit of a double edged sword. Toronto had a lot of youthful energy - people coming here from all over. It is definitely not as sleepy as many parts of the world. With that said, it is becoming a bit of a transient place (minus the world class experiences like London or NY). If you are from elsewhere you might find it hard making and keeping friends. I’ve seen lots of people struggle because it’s is hard to build a strong social network. We have a very “shallow” culture here - people are extremely polite but not overly warm and hospitable. We treat one another kind of like neighbours - meaning we’d like to have a cordial, drama-free coexistence and otherwise kind of stick to ourselves.

The world has changed. It's wild what we are seeing right now. Like the affordability crisis is like something I've never seen. We moved to NYC two decades ago and the rent for our first apartment never went over $1k a month. My mom was making minimum wage the entire 13 years we lived there and while we were very much meeting the requirements for public assistance, her job could at least cover the majority of the necessities. The immigrants coming in today would be lucky to find a room for the rent we paid.

I live in a very small town. I’ve waited over 5 hours to be seen. Most of the time it’s at least 2 hours. Fifteen minutes, are you serious? Never, ever, have I been seen that quickly in an ER. Rose colored glasses much? Maybe.

It depends on where you live in Canada... i've never seen any homeless person in my city, anybody that is on the verge of falling gets taken cared of immediately. We have an amazing community with strategically placed community garden all around the city. Just walking around the city gave me enough stuff for a whole dinner. Great job opportunity with great bonuses for people coming. Just got a 10k bonus just because i stayed in my hometown after my college graduation.

I moved 26yrs ago from Kenya. I've worked in the social services sector in USA and I can tell you that I have seen poverty here on a level that most people in Kenya will never understand until the land over here. The mind control, plus debt, plus high cost of medical care etc keeps people stuck. I have surrendered completely and made my peace. Life is better for people who come straight from the village or they are escaping abuse etc. But if youre doing well in Kenya, I would just stay there. But remember neocolonialists have already made their way into Kenya and life won't be much different once they get their fangs into the system.

I stay in Toronto because of my kids who are teenagers. Aside from enjoying singing in my choir and living in the Beaches area… I’d leave in a heart beat. I loathe driving into the city! You basically can’t anymore as the roads are taken over with bike lanes… There is constant construction everywhere and they removed the Gardiner heading east so everyone has to take Lakeshore in! That road is a nightmare due to construction everywhere. There are many more homeless people and long lines to food banks I’ve never seen in the 35 years I’ve been here! Rent is insane as mentioned with no one doing anything about it!

Excuse me who force you to go Canada? \nEven doe if you’re in abroad respect others motherland and their culture if you can’t then go back to your home country why are you guys spreading negatives thoughts you guys are raised in a place were people used to interfere others life and causing drama aunty you can’t work at 56 good for you but hardworking women i’ve seen working in their 70s yeh to apka DOGLAPAN hai many of my white friends always praised about Indian culture they never said to me like India is to smelly full of cheap aunties like you just respect others values if you can’t then go back do you think any American or Canadian could stay in a environment like you live noway they will run away in 2days back to their home country at least they are not living like you for years and complaining to others country & their living standards

I’m a Toronto born proud Canadian. And I DON’T agree with the immigration system. It’s stupid. Outright. Yes my parents are immigrants and I’m LUCKY to have been born here but it’s just a matter of no space and jobs suitable for the unaffordable housing crisis. It’s just a matter of people and space… That’s it. We aren’t animals that can comfortably live on farm land. We have massive condos here that are vacant because no one, especially not a millennial can afford it. Whatsoever. \n\nBut sure, I’ll probably be insensitive for saying that because it’s “racist”. When I really never cared to begin with. I love different cultures. I do. If anyone can vouch, it’s me. I can. I’ve seen how racist and cruel this world can be and I NEVER had a problem with people of different races growing up. Due to all of the stress, I can totally see and understand the concerns.

I've seen a lot of videos where the migrated Indians educate the indians not to come to that country due to various problems... but, they, themselves never return to their motherland...????

? President Xi got to be the most coolest president I've ever seen. I've never seen express any anger, stress? straight out. No worries

तत्पश्चात, we've never seen him.

I feel very safe in downtown Toronto because I am accustomed to it. I've never experienced any issue with the homeless and continue to talk to them, offer them food IFFFF they just happen to be pan-handling and often hug them to make them very SEEN. I feel safer in downtown Toronto at 3 am then I do when the 905'ers (suburban types) come to party in the entertainment district or around any French-separatist bc of how they are liable to treat me for my lack of decent conversational French. And IF guns are reported, I have to the thank the US for smuggling them in. \nFinally - as for health care - I believe its breaking down... our hospitals are beginning to fail us. The decline in health care is SO evident, BECAUSE anytime the Conservative party is in provincial legislative power they drop medical and education funding. I believe medical funding is being dropped purposefully to manipulate the population's thinking in order to have us eventually\nvote FOR privatization of health care. I NEVER MIND PAYING TAXES - WHAT I MIND... IS HOW OUR TAX DOLLARS ARE BEING SPENT... it all depends on the party in power. I would pay 40% income tax happily IFFFF our tax dollars were devoted to services mirroring the way Scandinavian countries do - they invest it WELL in their municipal services rather rather than blow it. \nOur federal and provincial bureaucrats are sucking. Fine... our municipal bureaucrats are sucking, too. Oh, Canada - I love you and wish Pierre Trudeau, or Joe Clark or Ed Broadbent were back in Parliament. I miss you Jack Layton. We would have loved to have seen you as Prime Minister. CANADA IS MUCH TOO INFLUENCED BY THE US... we are thankfully different, but your influence is\nmuch too prevalent. And as for the Canadian people - get your heads out of your asses and re-familiarize yourselves with Canadian CIVIC STUDIES. The shit was taught in grades 7, 8 and on.

I've never seen a boarder so secure. \nRemember walls don't work. If there were walls all these illegals would've ran right through them lol.\nIs there literally anything Biden can say that idiot Democrats won't believe LOL

You've obviously never seen Silicon Valley.

I'm Canadian and worked in Dertoit for almost 10 years, I crossed the border daily working for GM. I've also done work in Louisiana, Indiana and all around Michigan. \nAmerica has some of the nicest people I've ever had the pleasure of knowing. It's a beautiful country and has a ton to offer anyone with an ounce of drive. The variety you have in your economy is amazing, we don't have a lot of choice when we buy stuff, you guys have so much more to choose from, take restaurants for example, I've never seen so many chain restaurants in one place, we have a handful of them. \nFrom what I've seen, there's also a lot of poverty, crime and violence, but that's literally everywhere right now, even here in Canada, we don't prosecute violent crime anymore. The gun issue is probably the biggest problem...I always felt extremely vulnerable out in public, especially driving, because I assumed everyone had a gun on them, I seen so many random guns on people, it just blew my mind. I always had to keep in mind when I was driving not to road-rage...That's how you get shot. The health care industry in America is nothing but a business model designed to bankrupt people. Our system isn't great at all...nothing to boast about. If you have to visit the ER at any hospital, you'd better bring food and water, you'll be there at least 8 hours before you're even seen by a doctor. Our health care is free yes, but we're taxed to death here because of it. I do indeed wish we had a 2-teir health care system, I want the option to pay to get seen soonest. America and Canada have free(ish) speech. We're both being ruled by leftist loonies, but that's all changing in our next respective election cycles. Biden and Trudeau will be shown the door and we can hopefully get back to healthy debate and more conversation in society...Instead of automatically dismissing each other, vitriolic badgering one another and hating each other. We had unity for a brief time, we all saw it, after 9/11 happened. We put our petty crap aside and saw each other as brothers and sisters. That didn't last very long and we've been in a constant state of crisis ever since. The media has driven a huge nail right through society, and takes a blow at every single issue we face, making it Left vs Right...\nIt's unfortunate to say, but it's going to take something truly devastating, possibly on a biblical scale, for us to come together again.

I ve never seen in the busses too

I've never seen poly matter post a video so late at night. His videos are usually morning videos.

I'm a 37 year old Canadian and I've never even seen a gun up close, never worried about my safety in school, never worried about gun violence, never had to worry about hospital bills, etc. The list goes on. Also I wish the U.S could chill the fuck out because you're dragging us down with you

I would not move to the US. I have vacationed 3 different times, so a man thrown against a car with multiple police drawing their guns on him and had a pointed at me the other time I went to the US. I’ve never seen a gun in public in Canada. I have not been to the US on over a decade and I will not be vacationing there as long as things continue to escalate they way they are. It’s unfortunate because there are so many beautiful places to visit and people are generally very friendly.

No offence to Tyler, but the number of school shootings I've seen covered in the news from small towns in the US is extensive. I've seen countless small communities in the US rocked by mass killings, usually taking place at schools where children are the main targets. And every time I see one of these stories, there's always at least one distraught parent explaining how this type of thing never happens in their community and how they never thought it would happen to them. I find it interesting that Canadians are generally more informed and aware of the prevalence of gun violence in the US compared to actual Americans. School and mass shootings happen so frequently in the US, that I no longer even look into the stories. I've become completely desensitized to them and unsurprised whenever I hear about the most recent school shooting. My perception is that nowhere is safe if the US, even if you think you live in a small, quiet, safe community.

I am a born Canadian and never I would move in the US because I've seen a lot of Americans here in Canada and I don't like their behaviors. They behave disrespectfully like they don't care about your culture and your actual country, they act like they are the king of the world, owe everything and they literally just transfer their attitude in your country without trying to adapt, learn and understand the way we are. So to me it's all about their attitude. I also heard while I was traveling in UK that Amricans are the worst tourists for the exact same reasons. I know not all Americans are like that but sadly a good % are.

IF… I met my dream Hollywood crush and she said USA or nothing I might consider it if I couldn’t convince her otherwise. In all honesty I leave the house without locking the door regularly I’ve never met anyone who owns a gun let alone seen one outside of a cops holster, and agree that people have the right to choose what they do with their body and who they want to marry, government should never take woman’s or lgbtq rights from them. It’s hard to imagine in a developed country this is still an issue in 2023

In all my years, I’ve never seen it this bad! I am 70 years old and at this time I should’ve \nbeen comfortable. I served 22 years in the Canadian military and I’ve always worked. \nNow I have to rely on the Veteran’s Food Bank to get through the months! \nI can’t even afford to get the repairs done on my house!

I’ve never seen any raisism in a lot of parts of Canada , sorry that you had to go threw that ! Please don’t judge one place in Canada .

We need trump back bad!!!! Nothing but illegals live in my moms apartment complex now. Been here 12 years... the last two years I've never seen anything like it.. nothing but illegals.

I understand seeking asylum, but it burdens our economic system, health system, and safety. There is a legal way to enter. I moved to Texas 4 yrs ago. I've never seen such a burdened health care system and such low wages for jobs. This has to end. The whole immigration law needs to be revamped. It must be done legally. This is almost like an invasion of the US. Biden will not get my vote. When moving to their country, you need a sponsor, must learn the language, and prove you won't be a burden on their health care system, etc. This is simply not right.

It needs to get very very bad until it gets better. Canada needs a wake-up call like that. Especially its young and naive generation. I've never seen so many people so eager to build a socialist/communist dystopia. This country is heading down the same road as Venezuela, Cuba and all others who thought they could pull off that ridiculous prescriptive style of economic system.

Did y’all seriously just ask “why are we seeing this right now?” Really y’all are going to ask that as if this hasn’t been going on the entire time Biden has been in office. What a joke. This has been going on the whole time y’all just ignored it and wanted to act like there isn’t a major unprecedented border crisis going on right now and pretend we don’t have millions pouring into our country from all over the world and we don’t even know who’s coming over but we know cartel and terrorists are definitely taking advantage of this we’ve caught many think about all the ones we didn’t catch. I’m actually shocked to see that y’all are reporting anything about the border crisis. Now if we could just get y’all to actually report just how bad it really is it’s so much worse than what you see in this video. The only time y’all showed footage from towns near the border was when the Biden administration had them clear the whole area of migrants and cleaned the streets so y’all could tell Americans that the crisis republicans say is happening at the border isn’t at all like what they are saying it is which is such a joke. My family has a ranch near the border and it’s been in my family since before Texas was Texas and what is happening today on our border is something we’ve never in all of history seen before and it’s never been more dangerous than it is now.

They want to come into a country that is broke I've never seen anything like it

I’ve never seen so many Latin people where I’m living in my entire life . It’s out of control that their is more latin people here then my own race . It’s crazy and they don’t even speak English

Black people and their mentality of comparison. I’ve never seen white people comparing countries esp African countries like African comparing the Western or white dominated countries! \nColonised minds

My parents came illegally and I've have never seen a welfare check in my life. Except all I saw was my parents working 7 days a week and started paying they're taxes just like everybody else when they got the residency and American citizens ship. So when you or anyone else says shit was given to us for free I do not know what F$@%! your talking about.

Yes, and there's disorder down on the border\nYeah, troubles like we've never seen before\nOh, there's disorder down on the border\nOh, they're turning our border into a revolving door - Ray Stevens

Cuz we act like animals that’s why some people don’t like us dragging them knuckles I was brought here when I was 9 and I love your country but new immigrants I seen around wanna be acting like they thugs out there in our country like don’t bring your f up kids here I never wanted to be in a gang or nun I just do me mind my own god damn business they tried to try me just cuz I’m big I’ve told them why tf act like that should of stayed in your country

I've been in Canada for nearly 25 years and have never had a family doctor, just walk in clinics. In Victoria BC the average waiting time in a walk in clinic is 2 hours 20mins and they close once they've seen their quota of patients. Not to mention I have to pay 60% of my income on rent so I now rent a parking space of a friend and live in my van

Risky ??? I've seen that windup before. Never seen a punch.

Canada got extremely cheap airlines if you've never heard of Flair. (Not an advert I just know of them) I seen flights from Halifax to Toronto for like 15 bucks.

I always laugh when I hear someone say they don't live in the US because of safety concerns. I've lived here my entire life and never felt unsafe. Personally, i dont know of a single person who's been murdered or even shot. I guess if I was in a gang maybe I'd be concerned or if I lived in a violent area in a big city. But man if you live in more rural areas violence just isn't much of a concern in most places. Seems like people who don't live here just like to use it as a dig against the US. As if the fact that crime is high in some areas in the US means it's a flat out dangerous place to live in. Which is completely unrealistic. There are many many towns in the US who haven't seen a homicide in decades. But of course Chicago or New Orleans or Houston is a different story.

As an American living in the middle east for several years now. I’ve been robbed and held at gun-point 2 times in New York, had a break-in at an airbnb I rented while visiting family in Florida and got my passport stolen. In the 8 years I’ve been living in Oman, I’ve never seen or even heard of a break-in, most people don’t lock their cars in the neighborhood, people leave the cars running while grabbing something from the store. There is a sense of community here where I know most families around my neighborhood and I’ve been surprised where I get greeted by their kids that I’ve never met at the mall or store. I can’t even give u 3 names of my neighbors in my hometown where I lived for 22 years.

I felt deeply the pain of the problems in the healthcare system... like DEEPLY... I've seen people dying in NS because the ambulance took several hours to show up, or that the ambulance NEVER came