Americans Flock to Canada's Immigration Web Site

Great. Just what we need up here, a bunch more left wingers. But I suspect a lot of this sentiment is in line with the following equation. "I'm gonna move to Canada if the Democrats don't win = I'm gonna hold my breath til I turn blue if you don't vote the way I want". Grow up, guys. You live in a democracy, and you can't have it your way all the time. Not that there's any great difference between the two US parties anyways... didn't Kerry spend most of the election saying he was going to follow Bush's policies anyways - just make fewer mistakes in doing so?

Originally posted by hellbunny
I know. I don't get that either. The way of life is pretty much interchangeable. You can supersize at McDonalds or shop at Walmart, however the spirit moves you. It's not like you're taking off to the great white north and fishing salmon with a spear.

But I'm willing to do my part. Anyone see this website?

www.marryanamerican.ca...

[1] Can I still come if I am already married
[2] If not, can I still come being that my garage is FULL of duck tape, and there's a Possum in it?

lol

==================

Originally posted by DontTreadOnMe
Well, all I can say is if you feel that strongly about leaving...go.
But, how does your leaving the US impact what happens here? Who would know? Who would care? Certainly not George Bush.

Change must come from within and you won't be part of that change on foreign soil. I hope you rethink your move.

BTW, how many presidential elections have you voted in? How many wins and how many losses?
I can tell you my candidate has not always been the winner, but I've never wanted to leave cuz my guy lost.

My leaving does not impact the states one damn bit. It will, however, impact my way of life - much for the future better.

Foreign soil? Nah, it's still Earth. At least there I will get medical attention (granted, after my 6mos) for the injuries attained while in US MILITARY that the gov will not attend to.

Employment? Same corp here of the wife is there.

Beyond that - no Patriot Act II. If you don't fear that - you don't know what it is.

I don't want to leave because my guy lost, I want to leave because of who won.

zieg heil !!!

====================

@ OpenMinded

Being your nik vs your thoughts - your sig should be "oxymoron".

====================

Originally posted by AlexofSkye
Great. Just what we need up here, a bunch more left wingers. But I suspect a lot of this sentiment is in line with the following equation. "I'm gonna move to Canada if the Democrats don't win.........You live in a democracy, and you can't have it your way all the time.........

I can only speak for myself and my family. We are not left wingers, nor right. We do what we feel is best for ourselves and the land we live within (especially the wife, being half Cherokee). We work, we help those who need it whenever we can, we pay our taxes and watch TV, etc etc etc - we're just plain people.


It's not about "having it your way" for us - it's about feeling safe. Personally, NONE in this household are as Rep or Dem, we vote for who we feel would best fit our country. Sadly, this time the person that won, we feel, is detrimental both in the short & long run to our saftey.

I do, truely, understand your feelings about everyone coming there - believe me I do - I was raised in California, can you say Green Card? (or should I say "lack thereof")

====================

Misfit

115,016 hits on a website that normally only draws 20,000 hits.

If you use an advertising inquiry rate of 1 percent of 1 percent of total circulation,..


You get about maybe 10 or 11 visitors that may actually seriously consider this on any given day. (that is consider, not necessarily act upon)

Not exactly a 'run-for-the-hills' type scenario.

(and I cannot think of any other safer country to be in right now.)


[edit on 5-11-2004 by smirkley]

My partner & I lived in a small, christian, conservative town. A same sex couple had recently been murdered, and job had been lost for reasons as stupid as not going to the same church. We thought about moving back to the big liberal city we originally came from, but the day I sold my house there, I could never afford to buy a another one. We were disgusted with the hypocracy of the god-fearing folk who never hesitated to let everyone know how they felt about lefty, liberal, feminists (No way could we even hint about our relationship, but I'm sure people guessed). There was no work in town, the few scarce jobs went to men, because they needed to feed their families. People thought it was funny when I mentioned needing to feed my family too. Oh yeah, being an unemployed american, I had no health care, couldn't pay cash for medical services, and the state health system was full for the year, even if I paid their highest rate.

Lets see....add to all that surveys showing that 40% american men think a man should be head of the household, compared to 18% of Canadian men, possible legalization of pot (showing common sense and compassion for people with aids & cancer), and biggest of all, a "constitution" that says all *people* are equal under the law (america denies equality to women, and only recently counted black men as people).

In the months since applying (which cost almost a grand up front and required documenting our entire lives since age 18) we've learned that Canada is rather cozy with america in some unsettling ways. The job market is really tight and Canadians look on immigrants as job-stealers, though not as bad as americans do to immigrants here.

We knew the application process could take over a year, but wanted to hedge our bets against another stolen election. Living under a religious regime is ugly for non-conforming women. I'm glad now we got a headstart on the process. We've moved to a nicer place not far from our original home, and if the Handmaid's Tale doesn't look likely to come true, we like enough to stay and make our home here. But when Canada tells us it's time for the next immigration step (medical and FBI check) then we evaluate the political climate and whether or not the witch burnings are imminent

Yes I voted. And I'll keep voting as long as I can. But I can vote with my feet and my wallet, and I don't think it's right to support a dictatorship, no matter how nicely it's supersized.

And BTW, the day before the elections I went to the Canadian immigration site to check on my application. there was a notice saying the site would be down for "maintenance" from 8am to 12 on Nov 3rd. Seems they knew americans would be freaking out if Bush get "elected" again.

--Saerlaith

Misfit - and others who have heartfelt disappointment at the electoral outcome - please don't think my short and quick posting indicates a lack of sensitivity. As a Canadian political activist of the small-c conservative variety, I have had more than my share of "getting over" an electoral outcome I didn't agree with, and the grave concerns - and outright frustration - about my country's direction that go with it.

But we both still live in two of the greatest countries in history. We live in democracies, and the will of the majority has to be respected. There was a very good study published - I wish I could find it - after our election concerning collective wisdom as expressed in the cumulative vote of the people. I believe that one should be very wary of one's hubris in putting an individual opinion above the collective opinion of the millions.

@ AlexofSkye

I most certainly did not take your post as offensive; your feelings are just as deep rooted about your country as my feelings are of my country.



Misfit
aka: Bullwinkle

Its great we live in a country where you can leave anytime you want granting your new host country lets you in ofcourse. Try that in Cuba or North Korea.

But if alot of people leave I dont see it as a problem as there are still many people comming to the US some even risking their lives to do so. So if people feel that bad about the election dont worry America will fill the vacancies.

Didn't think you had, Misfit, but I am concerned about the passions being expressed on both sides... I'm old enough to have lived through many elections, including a couple of triumphs for my side... but also a number of disappointments... but the depth of feeling and the evident willingness to go to great lengths to do something in reaction is somewhat of a surprise (maybe its just venting?)... but its difficult to do justice to the subject, given all the threads on this ATS site... I'm used to just getting on with my life irregardless, and I expect others to do the same... but I'm getting a vibe like the old song "Something's happening here, what it is ain't exactly clear". Maybe we'd all be better off just signing off from the website for a while instead of feeding off one another... get out for a walk in the fresh fall air to clear our heads.

Originally posted by ShadowXIX
Its great we live in a country where you can leave anytime you want granting your new host country lets you in ofcourse. Try that in Cuba or North Korea.

But if alot of people leave I dont see it as a problem as there are still many people comming to the US some even risking their lives to do so. So if people feel that bad about the election dont worry America will fill the vacancies.

People come to US because it is better than the life they have.
People leave the US because they see it as a better life than the US future.
It is my right as a human to choose which free land as I wish to live with.
You people are so bent on people leaving the US -
you keep saying go, yet you say it with such animosity it is very difficult to grasp insight to what you are really thinking.

Hmph.

Misfit

Originally posted by AlexofSkye
Maybe we'd all be better off just signing off from the website for a while instead of feeding off one another... get out for a walk in the fresh fall air to clear our heads.

Man I like your attitude

And yes, we are one of the group that have been not just "looking into" moving, but setting with wifes company to do so, long before elections.

As for signing off ............. I'll snooze to that one.

Night bud

Misfit

Originally posted by Misfit
People come to US because it is better than the life they have.
People leave the US because they see it as a better life than the US future.
It is my right as a human to choose which free land as I wish to live with.
You people are so bent on people leaving the US -
you keep saying go, yet you say it with such animosity it is very difficult to grasp insight to what you are really thinking.

Hmph.

Misfit

It may be your right to chose where you want to go but its not a human right. People in N Korea get shot for trying to cross into S Korea there human but they have not rights to move anywhere they want.

I dont mean any Animosity in anything I said heck in the US you have the right to leave anytime you want. But what do you want me to say please dont go please stay in America. I dont care so I wont say that if anyone wants to leave then go with my best wishes.

They're runnin like roaches when you move the refridgerator.....

stuff.co.nz...

Enquiries from Americans wanting to move to New Zealand have "exploded" since George W Bush was re-elected president.

The Immigration Service's website had 10,300 hits from the United States the day after the election. Usually it gets 2500 hits a day.

And the phones of its US marketing directors in Los Angeles, San Francisco and Portland, Oregon, have been ringing nonstop since the election.

Marketing director Don Badman said there had been up to 300 telephone calls and emails a day.

"We've been doing this for 11 months and it's been building up to about six to eight calls a day, but from Thursday it's exploded. It really started picking up from 11pm the night of the election."

The San Francisco Chronicle reported that many Americans were inquiring about moving to New Zealand, Australia and Canada as a result of the election.

Here's hoping that Canada is as happy to welcome these fine people as we are to see them go.

I will predict that those who actually do leave the country over something like this will find that the problems they try to leave behind will follow them wherever they go.

God bless them, I hope they find happiness.

This news is no surprise to me, in fact on Wednesday morning word of this was already being disseminated on Canadian news stations. However, as much as I feel empathy toward those hoping to escape Bush's reign, I, as a Canadian, see two reasons to object. The first is that as with the Vietnam refugees, once things return to normality in the US, the vast majority of you will leave Canada, therefore, I object to Canada being used as a means of interim refuge. Secondly, your country's politics needs fixing, which you cannot do from here. Know this though, that the majority of Canadians have thus far agreed with your position, and while we may not be able to influence your choice of government, we can and have stymied your government's control of ours by our election process.

Politicians are all self-serving, every last one of them, and Canadians have come to learn this more so than ever within the last four years. We have delivered unto them a government that demands the parties either work together or be corrupt together, and if they are the latter, we will remove them from, or limit their power. We have done it a few times before, but considering the number of Canadians demonstrating in the streets in 2003, the signal that we too have finally shown a tolerance level, the politicians know that complacency is no longer an adjective used to described Canadians. So, we are aligned with the anti-neo-con American in this regard, whereby the country as a majority supports you, especially those of you who hope to return home, but in essence you need to stay and find a way to reverse the disparity from within, something we cannot do.

edit
[edit on 5-11-2004 by MysticOfRadiance]

[edit on 5-11-2004 by MysticOfRadiance]

Originally posted by Misfit

Originally posted by hellbunny
I know. I don't get that either. The way of life is pretty much interchangeable. You can supersize at McDonalds or shop at Walmart, however the spirit moves you. It's not like you're taking off to the great white north and fishing salmon with a spear.

But I'm willing to do my part. Anyone see this website?

www.marryanamerican.ca...

[1] Can I still come if I am already married
[2] If not, can I still come being that my garage is FULL of duck tape, and there's a Possum in it?

lol

==================
Misfit

Seeing as I got a soft spot for possums, you can still come. You say your wife's Cherokee? Good. She'll fit in fine with all us Mi'kMaq! Ok- I'm expecting you for dinner next Friday! Don't be late (and bring the possum!)

Originally posted by jsobecky
I think you are over-reacting. I would be more afraid of those who seek a civil war in our country.

I hate to say this, but a little political violence might be just what the doctor ordered. The talking heads on both sides spend all of their time preaching how the other is worthy of death and damnation but they never let all of that anger out.

I think if one side or the other would just give into temptation and start mailing busting skulls at peaceful demonstrations everyone would eventually figure out how stupid this infighting is.

Tell me this much: is it or is it not true that Republican, Democratic and third party voters all live in the same country and all want the country as a whole to prosper? If even that much can be agreed, then it is utterly beyond my comprehension that we the people allow themselves to be distracted with the vitriolic rhetoric over unimportant issues. All of this waste over stupid crap is INTENTIONAL. Political Elites like Bush AND Kerry use it to ensure their own power by preventing compromise. If the voters had an intelligent public exchange of ideas and came to compromises on key issues, the parties would crumble and corrupt influences which invest so much money in the parties would be crushed. It would be enough to destroy any NWO in and of itself.
Thats OK though- I'm just dreaming. We can never evolve beyond jabbering back and forth about Vietnam records, bad tans versus bad grammar, or who tells bigger lies. Just keep on doing what you're doing. Maybe it's God's will that we shouldn't avoid a rational discussion on key issues which can be resolved if we try.

I'm thinking of moving to some other country because I want to live in a nation where people are LEFT ALONE. That's all I want out of life really, to be left alone.

This election has shown that the United States is fast becoming a place where people will NOT leave others alone. Instead it's becoming a place where people wilth harsh ideologies push their values on others. The conservatives won and now their going to use that win as a mandate do whatever they want, and damn the other half of the country that doesn't agree with their religious persuasions and *cough* family values.

Many blacks fled the segregated south for more freedom up north. It seems that others who are victims of bigotry and ignorance may feel the same way.

Originally posted by Flinx
I'm thinking of moving to some other country because I want to live in a nation where people are LEFT ALONE.

When you find a place like that, please be sure to let the rest of us know.