“And perhaps it was just God whispering to me, which one never really hears when it’s happening.”.
I hate it when this happens. I read a phrase or sentence that punches me in the face with such force that I can’t focus on that which follows. I’ll be back.
Both countries, it could be said, are operating sub-optimally at present, but both are still great places to live and raise families and thrive by comparison to most of the rest of the world.
Thanks 'MENTAL. There's no doubt that's true. If you go back to my post "Dispatch From Canada" in October of last year I wrote a few paragraphs about the unchanging demographics (over 50 years) of the pancake breakfast at the Chokecherry Festival in Lancer, SK. Lots of thriving young families.
Educational and enjoyable. Your Canadian start mirrors my British one, i moved thinking short 4 yr rotation and back to Aberdeen to be a leader in our industry. Gun control, health care, etc i had no idea i was borderline communist until i moved here to Texas. By the end of 4 yrs i was married to an amazing girl and had 4 kids and recently celebrated 33 yr anniversary. I am now more conservative than most Texans and an anathema to my friends and family back in UK. They simply cannot fathom that i was pro Brexit and skeptical of AGW, and of government in general. Up to Biden i believed that the government always had our best interests in mind. Now i have learned they have never had our interests in mind. Thank you
You're welcome. I have other friends who moved from Canada to Texas at the same time I moved to Louisiana and they have undergone similar transformations. Thanks for reading!
I came to Canada from the UK in 1977 to work on Canada's contribution to the Space Shuttle, the robotic manipulator arm. 47 years later I'm still here still here, having decided that life was much better in Canada than in the UK.
When I first arrived in Toronto, Ontario, I was assured by everyone I worked with that Canada was much different from the US and that Canadians were much more polite and self-effacing than Americans. I have to confess that I couldn't see any differences, or more precisely the differences between British and North American culture, whether Canadian or US, dwarfed any differences between Canadian and American cultures.
A wonderful essay. Thank you. Many similarities to my own journey although it was an ability to play ice hockey not discover oil reserves that brought me to the USA.
For all those absolute American rights, I'd rather live under Canadian government. Which country produces more stories of out-of-control police, sheriffs, and prosecutors that routinely violate civil rights and throw innocent people in jail? Even given population differences, I'd call America at least twice as bad.
America scored badly in a human-rights comparison:
...the authors of the report complaining about 1000 citizens killed by police every year, and the way that interrogations still frequently stray into torture.
Speaking of which: Guantanamo is still open.
The thing about those unstated, vague "rules" that Canadians have - the British have no written constitution at all - is that they work as long as you don't get a Trump or other fascist who doesn't fear breaking "norms".
Most politicians are actually terrified of "norms". One just discovered it was no longer a "norm" to shoot "a dog that won't hunt", for instance. Breaking norms is devastating to a politician, which is why the "weird" label is hurting, recently.
America had and has a whole bunch clearly-written of rules against war, Guantanamo and torture and all that, but they didn't do any good, once it was realized that unlawful war and torture would in fact be cheered, accepted as a new norm.
For sure about the provinces. I think everyone involved should have been more circumspect about the language. And not blaming Quebec, only pointing out their usage. Thanks for reading!
Damn, @trevor casper. That's a fine bit of writing.
Couldn’t agree more. That’s real talent.
Thanks Robert. I really appreciate it.
An interesting comparison.
I just wish more citizens of the US could see the country through the eyes of others. I fear we often take far too much for granted. Sigh
“And perhaps it was just God whispering to me, which one never really hears when it’s happening.”.
I hate it when this happens. I read a phrase or sentence that punches me in the face with such force that I can’t focus on that which follows. I’ll be back.
Superb, Trevor.
Both countries, it could be said, are operating sub-optimally at present, but both are still great places to live and raise families and thrive by comparison to most of the rest of the world.
Well written!
Thanks 'MENTAL. There's no doubt that's true. If you go back to my post "Dispatch From Canada" in October of last year I wrote a few paragraphs about the unchanging demographics (over 50 years) of the pancake breakfast at the Chokecherry Festival in Lancer, SK. Lots of thriving young families.
Educational and enjoyable. Your Canadian start mirrors my British one, i moved thinking short 4 yr rotation and back to Aberdeen to be a leader in our industry. Gun control, health care, etc i had no idea i was borderline communist until i moved here to Texas. By the end of 4 yrs i was married to an amazing girl and had 4 kids and recently celebrated 33 yr anniversary. I am now more conservative than most Texans and an anathema to my friends and family back in UK. They simply cannot fathom that i was pro Brexit and skeptical of AGW, and of government in general. Up to Biden i believed that the government always had our best interests in mind. Now i have learned they have never had our interests in mind. Thank you
You're welcome. I have other friends who moved from Canada to Texas at the same time I moved to Louisiana and they have undergone similar transformations. Thanks for reading!
I think it was Ronald Reagan, though he may have been quoting someone else, said something like this:
"Many people are born Americans, but some take a little longer to get here."
That's a great quote, and it does sound very Reaganesque.
Very good comparison, thank you.
I came to Canada from the UK in 1977 to work on Canada's contribution to the Space Shuttle, the robotic manipulator arm. 47 years later I'm still here still here, having decided that life was much better in Canada than in the UK.
When I first arrived in Toronto, Ontario, I was assured by everyone I worked with that Canada was much different from the US and that Canadians were much more polite and self-effacing than Americans. I have to confess that I couldn't see any differences, or more precisely the differences between British and North American culture, whether Canadian or US, dwarfed any differences between Canadian and American cultures.
Excellent article. Well done, eh!
Thank you!
Thanks so much Trevor for sharing your perspective. Helps me to appreciate how fortunate I am.
My pleasure. Thanks for reading!
You write very well @trevor casper. I'm in Canada and grateful for your clear thinking.
Thank you Paul.
Wonderful article Trevor. I passed on to seven people. Excellent unique perspective.
Thanks Barry!
Trevor,
A wonderful essay. Thank you. Many similarities to my own journey although it was an ability to play ice hockey not discover oil reserves that brought me to the USA.
Robert Smith
Between us we can just call it hockey. 🤣
Thanks for reading!
Outstanding!
For all those absolute American rights, I'd rather live under Canadian government. Which country produces more stories of out-of-control police, sheriffs, and prosecutors that routinely violate civil rights and throw innocent people in jail? Even given population differences, I'd call America at least twice as bad.
America scored badly in a human-rights comparison:
https://bigthink.com/the-present/united-states-human-rights/
...the authors of the report complaining about 1000 citizens killed by police every year, and the way that interrogations still frequently stray into torture.
Speaking of which: Guantanamo is still open.
The thing about those unstated, vague "rules" that Canadians have - the British have no written constitution at all - is that they work as long as you don't get a Trump or other fascist who doesn't fear breaking "norms".
Most politicians are actually terrified of "norms". One just discovered it was no longer a "norm" to shoot "a dog that won't hunt", for instance. Breaking norms is devastating to a politician, which is why the "weird" label is hurting, recently.
America had and has a whole bunch clearly-written of rules against war, Guantanamo and torture and all that, but they didn't do any good, once it was realized that unlawful war and torture would in fact be cheered, accepted as a new norm.
For sure about the provinces. I think everyone involved should have been more circumspect about the language. And not blaming Quebec, only pointing out their usage. Thanks for reading!