Close Reading

Well ,there it is than. I live in the Netherlands and as a Dutch I can tell you we pay also a lot of tax compared to our salary, but public facilities, healthcare, roads, buildings and almost everything else is insanely well arranged. But I wonder, I often see that salaries in the USA and Canada easily can be 80K-150K for 'normal' jobs........well in the Netherlands by far most people do not make 50K a year before tax. So if your are complaining in Canada that the taxes are so high, than there is no other explanation that in the basis goods/services/utility bills are much more expensive compared to your salary right? Great video, I really like this country explainers :) One day I will visit Canada for a nice holiday trip or so, we still have I believe some distant relatives from my grannies side but I am not sure, old people :)

and I wonder why Canada still continues to welcome millions of immigrants. it's because of the people who leave.

They told me to leave after living in Canada 8yrs had successfull construction business had 8 employees paid taxes for on everything but still I had to go back than re-enter but than I opened up business in my home country and it did wonders and I never thought about going back the cbsa did me a favor I think or I would never have discovered what I was missing

Quebec is a wonderful Province but there are some serious problems : #1 - an anti English undercurrent which sometimes produces some counter productive language laws #2 - a health care system in serious distress ( this is ignored by the politicians ) #3 - the highest taxes in Canada #4 - a lack of low income housing which is getting worse every year which creates an increasing homeless problem #5 - short summers and long cold winters ( not so bad if you dress properly ) #6 - an education system that is firmly stuck in the past. That being said , it's still #1 .

Hi ladies. These are exactly the same situation here in the UK. I have been living in London since 1986 and surviving over here especially for those just arriving can be so frustrating. I often wonder why so many of our people are still struggling to come and live in these countries. I know you speak about the USA being better however I have a numbers of family and friends living in America and they are complaining about how hard you have to work in order to make ends meet. The answer to that could be the fact that many immigrants especially from Africa don't feel safe in their own home countries and bad leaders who continually fail to provide any opportunities for their youths and citizens. Thanks for sharing this vital information as many people think these western countries are paradise until they arrive and face the bare realities.

Sometimes I wonder if people think leaving Nigeria and life will be heaven on earth, have seen someone that jumped from a story building down cos the expectation he had about the Uk, maybe he was thinking of been served by one of her majesty servant ? Also Nigerians still don’t know that people leave on debt I had a relative asking if a 27 years old can share my flat meant for just one person because the daughter is paying out too much nothing left at the end of the month . Welcome to my world .

Great video, and wonderful selection. Indeed Québec is the best. I left this province 32 years ago. But still my heart belongs to la belle province.

I still wonder why Canada would give you a PR.

These aren't victims they are rich tax dodgers. But no wonder he did it, they have let him get away with it. Only 2 years? He made at least 10 million and only fined 900k. Why not fine him 10 million? He's still living in a huge house in Canada? Send him back to China.

Hey lads just wondering when Micheál (our favourite farmer) is going to get the recognition due for his Christmas songs?? \nSo many classics, it’s a travesty!\n\n ? And the cows (still) need feeding-out, on Christmas Day ?\n\n?All I want for Christmas is (another) Ewe ?\n\n? Last Christmas I gave you a calf ?\n\nAnd please tell me The FAH Quarantines weren’t involved…\n? The tiny seeds start swelling, it’s my favourite time of year and in 6 months time the harvest will appear ?

I visited New Brunswick in high school as part of an exchange program.\nI STILL, 40+ years later have fond memories of the wonderful scenery and people.

Holy cow, are we really the safest?? It's true that news buzz don't do that justice and sometimes makes us wonder if our crime rate is actually increasing... although it has likely increased all around the world due to stress caused by COVID now that I think about it.\n\nI did not expect us to become number 1 still lol, we have a lack of manpower that makes our healthcare suffer (all of our jobs suffer... we NEED NEW PEOPLE!!) which is enough to make an old senior's house close permanently and because of history and current nationalism, immigration can be a super challenge for people of color. I don't know if about the same things happen to other provinces, but... oh well.\n\n\n\nBtw, poutine.

Wonder what all these protesters would say when the sharia law is imposed.......on them\nWill they still think the same.....\nEvery reaction is based on some background action

Canada is what you make of it. You can arrive rich and end up poor and you can arrive poor and end up rich. In between that, you can have a great life that balances your needs. I’ve seen immigrants succeed simply because they see the opportunity in front of them . They worked hard in their own counties to stay just above the poverty line ,but when they apply that same effort here it pays off ten times greater. I feel that compared to a lot of immigrants, natural born Canadians come across as spoiled and a little lazy…we are. We haven’t had to struggle the same way someone from a poorer country might have. I’ve talked to people who’ve worked ten to twelve hours a day just to stay afloat. If you did that here you could make plenty of money to live and have some left over. As far as owning a house goes,yes it’s expensive . I feel that homeownership in any country is relatively expensive. Here is a tip; use that soaring home prices to your advantage. Houses are expensive but you can make a lot of money buying and selling. I recommend putting together a buyers group and share the house for a few years, then sell at a profit, buy a bigger house or two smaller houses.try to buy the worst house in the best neighbourhood and fix it up slowly . That house could double in value in five or six years in the Toronto market. This is nothing new of course ,the people from India and China seem to do this a lot here ,it drives up prices and profits. On the downside to this ,you are now part of the problem. As the housing prices are driven up the non wealthy can no longer afford to own a house . They are at the mercy of high rents with no rewards of ownership. They are caught in a cycle of hard work and (relative)poverty. This could also be you if you can’t keep up the house payments and are forced to rent.\nHow well you speak English is important but your native language is also useful here because Canada is half immigrants . As a Canadian that speaks only english (Irish descent)I have to say to all newcomers that I’m very impressed that you have learned a new language and that you may even speak more than two! Don’t be embarrassed about your abilities . I find that in my experience , Canadians do not look down on people just because they don’t know English. In fact ,I’ve known people that have lived here for decades and still know very little English. They are comfortable in their communities and they function just fine. Learn as much English as suits your needs and be proud of any gains you make.\nOutside of Toronto are other cities that you might consider when looking at southern Ontario.From my experience,most are generally the same, just not as big . There are large immigrant communities in London Ontario, Hamilton and just outside of Toronto where housing is just a little bit less expensive but the commute to work is probably longer. This is just my opinion but in the small towns there are less people of colour , (which is what people of no colour call everyone else . I wonder if I’m called a person of no colour in some other culture ? LoL ). That might make it harder for you to feel integrated ,if that’s what you want. I’m not saying that people from other cultures can’t make it in a small town , I’m just saying that it’s definitely not Toronto . Here, people of any nationality can feel like they have a place where they can belong . It seems that no matter where you are from ,there is a community already here that’s set up restaurants and stores and clothing shops and newcomer support systems. And if your from Portugal or China or India or Africa or the Middle East, there are large groups of your kin here that have established roots for generations and you probably know this already.\nToronto means meeting place and that becomes evident quickly. I was born here and it’s one of the things I love the most about my city. I’m not going to say that there isn’t systemic racism here ,the people of no colour still kind of keep the top position , but as we become a minority in a decade or so ,I hope that will shift to a broader spectrum. It’s certainly happening already. One good thing is that the police department tries to hire people of colour so that racialism may play a smaller role. We’re getting used to seeing our politicians more and more reflect their constituents.\nI have to talk about the weather. Because I’m from here I’m used to the extremes of minus thirty and plus thirty . Eventually you get used to it (somewhat). Dressing in the right clothes is important. Summer is easy , but winter is different. It’s trying to kill you. Spend the most that you can afford on winter cloths . If you can afford a quality parka you should get one. The hood can be drawn around the face and stay out of the wind.\nIf not ,think of layers with a outer layer that blocks the wind. We have things called long Johns that are basically full length thick cotton or nylon pants that go on under your pants and a pair of extra thick socks. Buy your boots to fit your thick socks. Try to get the best boots you can afford ,it’s something that you might spend a little extra for but never regret.\nAll in all we are a fairly organized and peaceful society. Most people are friendly and will give you a chance . We have a good social safety net here and you don’t have to be homeless or starving if you don’t want to. There are people and organizations set up to help ,that truly try to get people back on their feet. It’s a good investment that pays off in ways that matter for the quality of life in a big city. I’m not putting my American neighbours down when I say they do things differently. They have their ways ,we have ours. This is just something that we do because we’re trying to learn how to help those that society has discarded or can’t find their place. Sure we have one or two areas where the homeless have pitched tents and we have some resources for them if they want. Unfortunately The mayor recently forced a small camp to move from a very visible place to more scattered locations. There were social workers involved as well as protesters trying to protect them. I didn’t like that happening and I want to see even more resources dedicated to them ,but on the other hand ,we are trying to avoid something like what happens on the streets when it’s just ignored. When I see YouTube videos of the streets of Philadelphia I’m extremely saddened. I thank the lucky stars that I was born in Toronto Canada.\nFor all it’s pollution and expense and crowds ,I think it’s a great place to do almost anything your heart desires . For every ugly building there is a beautiful park ,for every honked horn there is a birds call , for every cold and dark day there is beautiful sunny one around the corner.

For those wondering: the USA does not have any official language, but of people who speak only one language here, most speak English. Many people speak a second language natively, taught by their families, and many high schools (grades 9 through 12) teach a second language, but many of us aren't very fluent from those classes (I took three years of German and I'm still terrible at it.) The second most spoken and written language is Latin Spanish, but Americans are very diverse, so there are many more languages spoken.

Thank you for this informative video . I am a registred nurse in my home country for 7 Years now and still in the same position . I Wonder If you Can provide me with a link of specialised agency that will help me find a job offer in canada .thanks in advance

Assalamu Alaikum\nRandomly I came across this video and while listening it reminded me that I have seen and listen to this person before and I remember that I have seen your drama serial in Pakistan.\nGreat person indeed. Your contribution in Pakistan as writer and actor still remembered and you impacted on my personality in my young age.\nAnd now again a wonderful contribution to expatriate Pakistani people. Allah bless you and your family.

If I was not from Canada I would agree with you on free healthcare, truth is healthcare is in free because you have to pay taxes, and not to mention Canada puts all their taxes towards that thing you still have to pay taxes to pay for it, No wonder the world thinks America stupid

Wonderful reporting! I am a Canadian in Greece and finally the Greek government has realised they need to close their borders from the invasion of ILLEGAL MIGRANTS. It is like a war zone on the border now. You can learn from the Greek experience. It is destroying the islands where there are still 60000 illegals camped out. With this new threat it is even more important! Canada needs to wake up!

If the West is so anti-Islam or anti-Muslims, why then does the West still accept Muslim refugees? PS. Still wonder why Muslims who hate the West still choose to come to the West than emigrate to a Muslim majority country.

Hello, I just watched your video. Three years after you made it. I hope you are still with us and a very belated Welcome. Many people throughout the world seem to have so many stereotypes about Americans. Whether it is good or bad there typically is some truth in a stereotype. Overall it seems like you are enjoying yourself and no matter what there is no place like home. I would think no matter what your current situation is you still miss Canada as I would miss the United States if I were to move to Canada. \nA couple things you mentioned in the video were not correct and as with anything there may be a little truth in the matter but yet still incorrect.\nThose who do not have health insurance are not charged or taxed $150 monthly. There is a provision in the affordable care act (ACA) that penalizes certain individuals who make above a certain dollar amount. The amount is either $150 or $300 for the entire year. I concur any monetary penalty against anyone for not having health insurance is outrageous. I could be wrong but I believe this aspect of the ACA was never implemented under President Obama and it was indefinitely suspended or revoked by President Trump. I also feel like I need to address your thoughts about the United States all about war. I believe the American people are like most other people and want peace and civility. The government and major defense contractors have differing opinions at times. Of course there is plenty of people who are war hawks but they are in the minority. Most of us are absolutely sick of war. We currently have been at war for almost 19 years. That's six complete world war 2's in their entirety. \nI think you were being awfully generous when you said obesity is on par with the rest of the world!! Unfortunately there is far to many fat people here and the problem is only getting worse because the media says be happy and proud you are fat. Celebrating obesity is absolutely insane and it sends the wrong message to young people. If a close one is fat of course I love them but I also tell them privately that they are a walking heart attack. It's more than OK to accept someone the way they are but as a friend or family member you doing them a disservice by not mentioning their obesity. \nI'm sorry if you feel I'm being to harsh or critical. I think it is a wonderful thing to share the world's longest border with such a great nation as Canada. I have always thought Canada was like the United States fraternal brother or sister. We are very much alike with a few beautiful differences that distinguishes from one another. It doesn't appear that you upload videos hear anymore but I hope you get the opportunity to read this. Thank you for coming to the United States and I love all my canadian brothers and sisters. Take care.

The punishment he got is laughable and embarrassing for Canada.. Its no wonder he still walks around pumping his chest in Canada.

Actually this guy seems like hard working, family man, which we should want. Compared to some people I see and wonder how the hell have they ever been able to convince a judge that they deserve to be in this country - which is still good, but only if we keep the bad out.

Thought for the day: you would still be with your family if you hadn't left Mexico and you wouldn't have to be running from the Canadian in United States government if you had come into this country legally instead of illegally. You enter this country already a criminal and you wonder why you get treated as a criminal

America is not all about war war war and guns just because we have a big military jeez! And not everyone here has a gun, there are some people that just don't like them for different reasons.\n If you come to a place like Texas yea just about everybody here has one I do, but there are still people even here that don't like um. You can't be an expert on another country by being there 100 something days. And I don't understand where everybody has this impression that all Americans are fat. Americans come in all shapes and sizes the same as everywhere els and other parts of the country are more health conscious than others. In every state you will find hundreds of gyms and plenty of muscled up fit Americans.\n As for the health care thing, I don't get it either but that was Obama momma and his stupid ideas, he was trying to destroy this country on purpose you know he's a muslim and we will never let one of those bastards sneak their way in office again. Now that Trump is in office he is trying to fix that or make it better some how. I have often wondered why can't we have a healthcare system like Canada's but America spends all of it's money on so many things in the world because of our position on the world stage we just can't work that out, thats what happens when you're the world super power.\n Most Americans have health insurance through their employer, a certain amount is taken out of our paycheck every month and if I get sick or have an emergency I pay a small co pay at the doctors office which is 35 dollars and emergency room co pay is 150 the insurance pays the rest.

I'm a canadian moved to the united states when i was 2 years old i feel sorry for you canadians but you can blame trudeax for the muslims coming over there i wonder if obama and trudeau are friends but trump is trying to rid of them here but the democrats are in the way they want sharia law the united states are swarmed with them also i don't want to believe in what they believe in and if you don't heads chopped off or stoned to death but i will still believe in god no matter what

well my friend, the big bang is also described in the Quran down to details and how the universe is expanding. So instead of talking out of ignorance research these things. No wonder why Islam has become the largest religion in the world and still growing in a rapid scale considered all the propoganda it faces