Canadians amused by American threats to move north if their candidate loses

[xchrom]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/worldviews/wp/2012/11/01/canadians-amused-by-american-threats-to-move-north-if-their-candidate-loses/



Thursday morning, I asked Canadian readers what they thought of a peculiar U.S. political tradition: Americans, often but not always Democrats, threatening to pick up and move to Canada if their candidate loses.

Readers wrote in on comments and social media. The responses were varied, but the trend seems to be that Canadians find this funny and a bit flattering. Who wouldn’t enjoy being seen as the preferable alternative to the world’s richest and most powerful country?
The rare sour notes came from Canadians who expressed impatience with Americans who give up on their own country, offense at the idea that Canadian culture was indistinct, and concern for the line at their local Tim Horton’s.

Many said they’d welcome an American immigration wave, but few expect many Americans to actually follow through. If they did, many of the Canadian respondents said, these American immigrants might find some surprises.

***SNIP


Heather Anne Carson@heatheranne
@Max_Fisher Personally, I would like you to handle your own drama. But, you know, we've got room.


James Carter@JECarter4
Build the dang fence! RT @Max_Fisher: What do Canadians think about American pledges to flee north after the election? wapo.st/TVXkNi

Scotianblue@ScotianBlue
@Max_Fisher Canadians worry about the impact such a flood (that always fails to materialize) would have on the fragile national consensus

[Freddie]

1. They don't want us

I've heard that in order to emigrate to Canada one must have a job offer and the employer must prove to the Canadian government that there are no qualified Canadians available to fill the job. Put another way, we're stuck here.

[safeinOhio]

3. Do they accept retirees?

Just incase.

[FrodosPet]

7. From the Citizenship and Immigration to Canada website

Do you have boatloads of money?

http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/immigrate/index.asp

There is a walk-through page at http://www.cic.gc.ca/app/ctcvac/english/index that will help determine your eligibility.

I have noticed that many of the countries that DUers want to emigrate to have some pretty strict eligibility requirements.

[Ilsa]

2. It's fun taunting right-wingers who want

To emigrate to Canada. It's fun reminding them of limited gun rights and nationalized healthcare there.

[Berlum]

4. "You hosers." - B & D McKenzie

[FrodosPet]

5. Oh, Canada!

[Franker65]

6. Canadians definitely don't want American immigrants

Though I could understand Americans wanting to move north despite who's in the White House.

[DiverDave]

8. Isn't it tough to get a, I dont know what

they are called, a permanent visa or something?
The immigration laws are pretty strict, no felony's, absolutely NO drug arrests
(oh, my wild youth, it WASN'T mine dammit).
And have a job and a sponsor.
You cant just get an apartment and switch your license over.
These maroons think they can just step across the border and everything will
be fine.

Another 'I'm AMERICAN and I CAN DO ANYTHING I want'
Including just living in foreign countries without any regard for their laws.

[pampango]

9. Even better: Electing Canada (the whole country) as US president - comedians campaign

As Barack Obama campaigns to win a second term, and Republican Mitt Romney fights to stop that, two comedians are trying to convince Americans to choose a real outsider as the next US president.

In their satirical book America, But Better, Brian Calvert and Chris Cannon are asking Americans to choose Canada - not a specific Canadian but rather the entire country.

Brian Calvert, who plays the Face of Canada in a series of viral YouTube videos, and writer Chris Cannon argue that their homeland already leads the US when it comes to quality of health care and education.

The BBC joined them during a campaign stop in New York City where they explained why they think the US has much to learn from its northern neighbour.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-19594334

Instead of Americans having to move to Canada for a better government, we move Canada's government to the US.