Close Reading

I understand they’re trying to run to a better life. But I don’t really think they know what America is going through nowadays. They have a unrealistic reality of how the US is supposed to be. It’s not a safe haven we have thousands of homeless on the street who are born and raised here. They’re going to come here and be in a tent right next to those born and raised Americans.

The US simply lacks openness. Women’s rights, the LGBTQ rights, immigration, firearms, law enforcement; so many subjects which American and Canadian citizens think very differently. And it’s true that we can find cities who shares the same values as us, but I don’t want to be part of an increasingly conservative country. ?\nAnd for the good part of the US, there are trips! ?✈️?

I would never consider traveling to, let alone, moving to the United States. I could not develop the arrogance that some Americans have. Thinking you are the greatest in everything you do. I also could not come to grips with the gun mentality.

There was a time I would have. My father and Grandfather grew up in New York city as children and spoke highly of the States. Since 2016 I would seriously not consider living there. The gun violence that occurs their has gotten to the point that it has to be especially eggregious before it makes the news. The cavalier attitude towards guns and gun saftey is disturbing even from your politicians. it would be a recipe for loosing your privalege to own a firearm in Canada if you did what many of us see americans do with their guns. Open carry. Not allowed. Concealed carry. Not allowed. There are courses you need to take and pass on firearm saftey and gun use here, before you are given the privaledge of owning a firearm. Those firearms need to be stored properly or carried in cases at all times when not in use \n\nThat being said I have done those courses and I own guns. Rifles to be precise and a shot gun I use for hunting food. Pistols are not easy to get here and you can only use them on a range. The only people legally carrying pistols in public are the police.\n\nHealthcare is fine if you are young and healthy, with a job. If i showed up at 53 with a handfull of pre-existing conditions, I would be in bad shape.\n\nYour record on lgbtq+ and a woman's right to bodily autonomy is back slipping to the 1950's. Some politcians (not sure what level, state or federal) are looking to even reverse the position on interracial marriages for pete sake.\n\nI think if Voter appathy is allowed to continue, the vocal minority of people who want this will get their way despite the fact that the polls suggest the majority of americans hate what is happening

So many Americans are brainwashed into thinking the US is the best place to live. Almost no-one else, outside of third world countries agree.

Just to touch briefly on the guns subject. Canada has quite a lot of guns relatively. Other than the United States, Canada has the highest guns per capita in the OECD. However, gun licensing, regulation and distribution along with various policies and cultural dynamics help in reducing mass shootings and school shootings.\nIn fact , Canada has only ever seen about a dozen school shootings in the last 50 years. Just to put that into perspective if a Canadian student were to attend an American school for a couple months, they are more likely to have a school shooting in those couple months than their entire K-12 education in Canada. I think that's why a lot of Canadians were mentioning their childs safety.

My family has been trying to get me to move to the US for the last 40 years. Sorry but no way! I prefer to live the life of freedom that americans like to think they have but really have no clue what freedom really is. Being able to shoot a gun and wear the flag as underwear is definitely not it!!!!

As a American there is a lot of things to say, I want to in the future duel with the uk/eu or Canada. I’m surprised they haven’t talked about the high excelation of racism, and as a Asian person it hasn’t been fun. Until we at the lowest minimum (not my actual minimum) fix our healthcare system is close to nhs that is basically free healthcare payed by your taxes, then I don’t see much people wanting to go to the states; aside from maybe university. There is a lot that plays a role, but in my eyes living in Cali or Portland or Seattle or nyc are the better places. One thing that I’ll say is though we need higher wages, I think that is kinda something we get more at times than other countries to a extent.

Americas car import rules are also a stupid 25 years when in Canada it’s 15. Americans think they’re in the land of the free until they think about it a little bit deeper. The connection between church and the government is insane. I just went to the Indy car race in Toronto and they did the invocation and no one replied to the amen at the end

So I work for a us company. I have for 5 years. in my industry, tech, pay scale is a lot more positive in the states than Canada. I have been offered several times, to have my move paid for, visas and all that jazz, and I still haven't made the jump. \n\nMy salary is also comfortable enough to afford health care, and I still haven't moved. I don't think Americans realize how poor their insurance is. Also have health issues in general.\n\nI also participate in sports that cause injuries (notice I implied I will definitely get injured). I would not want to have American coverage, in fact how do Americans financially justify casual sport activity.\n\nI won't go into political differences. It's extremely nuanced and an extremely interesting conversation. I don't like the Dems very much and the repubs are even worse. \n\nAll of this said it's always on my mind. Its a consideration but seems unlikely. Arizona/Utah/Colorado are my jam. Would love to be there, if it was Canada.

I've only ever lived in Canada, but have been to many parts of the US, and my honest answer is: probably not. Don't get me wrong, there are many places and things in and about the US that I like, but, unless I was offered a job that was too good to turn down, I don't think I could ever live there. One of my closest friends is American, and lives only a few short hours away, but...Possible exceptions would be places like Maine or Vermont. I've read a stat numerous times over the years, that there about as many people in the US who cannot afford health insurance than there are people in all of Canada. It's a shame because the USA has top tier medical facilities, but access is not guaranteed.\n\nPS: from a Canadian perspective, I really enjoy your honest reactions, and applaud your efforts to educate yourself. Cheers from Vancouver, BC.

I've traveled and worked in many parts of the USA. In most cases, I've found people to be more friendly, helpful and outgoing than Canadians because we tend to be more reserved.\n\nThe exceptions are when Americans feel afraid or threatened for some reason. Then things get really scary very quickly. The gun culture is one reason for this. At a coffee break in Houston my coworkers started talking about guns because one of them had been held up at gunpoint. His car was in the shop to repair a bullet hole in his front fender. This triggered talk about where people kept their guns at home, in their cars and on their persons. A small pile of 3 handguns ended up on the table while we talked, two of them from women's purses. All but one of the people had never used their guns except at a shooting range. The exception blew out a neighbor's over-loud outdoor speakers with a shotgun. He felt this was justified because he paid his shocked neighbor double the destroyed equipment's value in cash. Most of the Texans didn't agree with him but understood his rationale.\n\nI can handle a rifle and shotgun. Many Canadians hunt, but I can't think of a place in Canada where I could have had this conversation.

I always find it amusing that some Americans think they can move anywhere they want, start the paperwork...see how far you get. Why in the hell would I want to live in the states, well, the weather I guess...

I as a British born, and now Canadian, really admire you for doing this. It was interesting to me that you said, gun violence in schools isn’t something that you think about. It is called ‘desensitization’. You, as an American, hear it so much that it fails to have the impact that the rest of us feel. Thoughts and prayers are beyond ridiculous. There is not a hope in hell that I would move to the US.

No we are not a better America. We have a sane country, no guns, no militarized police, a democracy, a parliamentary form of government and a King as our Head of State. A Trump would be impossible up here. We elect a party not a leader. One non-confidence in parliament and our Vice Regent, the Governor General would inform the King and parliament would be closed for a new election. We also have no ridiculous nearly 250-year-old Constitution. Our Consitution is based upon the British North American Act. We can revise it anytime with the Governor General's permission (and the King's). We are a peaceful nation and do not think like Americans. But I'd travel in the North East US. America''s fixation with patriotism is nauseating.

In Canada the media and the government just exploites american gun violence to strip away the little right we have left in regard to guns. Much of that fear is overblown. As for healthcare, it has it's up and downs. People get all excited with our free but lame health service and always forget to say that it ain't really free. We are over taxed for it. In Quebec I pay around 35% income tax plus 15% purchase tax plus the gas and alcool that is taxed at a higher rate. On top of that we get two carbon taxes that in the end we are the ones paying for it. Over half of our income goes in taxes. I'm pretty sure that 99% of the time, in the US, you get more and better services for less money. Not saying that US is better than Canada. I think that depending where you live, it evens out.

Let’s remember a few historical things:\n\nSpain ended up colonizing indigenous people in “south america”\n\nThe english either went into war and burnt their villages, or forced them off their land to shitty land.\n\nThe french were also in the mix.\n\nAll of these european groups used guns and force.\n\nat this point the native americans saw guns as the new means of power.\n\nmoney also has power, but if you’re indigenous, there wasn’t a great chance of that. some resorted to guns to make a living. once america had structure, the people with guns got deported.\n\nthose deported still resorted to guns having power, because really…colonialization screwed up the native south and north american’s way of life.\n\nthey started gangs and drug cartels etc. they will kill and pillage like they were taught by their imperialist europeans and that power has been passed down for hundreds of years with much more complexity.\n\nIf anything, America should go to war with the drug cartels studying where the cocain etc is coming from. if they want to legalize it or make it a proper business or something to make it, that’s another discussion. \n\ndo you think these people want to come to america and clean a mcdonalds at 2am?\n\nno. \n\ndo they want to be mowed down with guns at home? heeeell no.\n\ndo they want to be united with their families, culture, and way of life free of guns? yeeees\n\nget to the root of the problem.\n\na blockade or wall is not a solution of any sort.

i'm a canadian. i perceive americans who are not working to change gun laws as suffering from desensitization (they don't know how bad it is) to insanity (they don't care how bad it is)\npeople from every country in the world think your gun laws are insane. you put the profits of gun manufacturers above the safety of your children.\nwe, in canada, probably get more news about your mass shootings than you do, more than a daily occurrence in the u.s.. i have read that the highest cause of childhood death is gun violence, of which school shootings are a small percentage.\ni lived for two years in texas (the things we do for live), brought my hubby home with me, and he did not return.

i think most Americans who are very defensive of their country have never traveled outside of the use when they dont know how much better most countries are

I was never interested in moving to the States but I think my reasons are different then most.\n\nStarting in my teens, I couldn’t understand why anyone would willingly live somewhere you couldn’t wander in the wilderness without worrying about things like poisonous snakes and poisonous bugs. I couldn’t understand what was so great about swimming in the sea if you have to worry about what part of the beach and how far out you go. How can swimming be fun? Lakes and rivers are much better. \n \nWhen I got older, I couldn’t understand how anyone could enjoy summer when the sun goes down so early in the evening. I left Vancouver, BC partially because the summer days are shorter then home and the winters are too dark. Even on an overcast night in winter up here, the light reflects off the snow and makes the night brighter. Do I like -30C or colder when it happens? No. I can’t walk the dogs because their feet might freeze but they’re idiots and will wrestle in the house if I don’t.\n\nNow that I’m almost 60, I note that all of my American cousins who had duel citizenship have moved back to Canada upon retirement where the conversation rate makes their pensions worth more and after 3 months they qualify for BC medical.\n\nThe guns, healthcare, right wing “Christians”, loss of human rights and potential for violence are why I don’t want my daughter to ever move there.

I don't think many Canadians would move to the US, health and hospital vists are not good enough. I further noteced that more Americans die during or after surgery. I love the sunshine in the US, but not enoughto move there. Shootings are out of control, I find that totally horrific!\nI think the American People are nice, I love the stores , because they carry different products ! I would love the borders to be open beteen \nour countries that would be ideal. Imused to work in nursing for 33 years and would have loved to work some years in the US., I loved my job . But I would not want to stay in the US. !???

Idk I think there’s a bit of a bias here, I feel many of these responses are way over dramatized and are heavily shaped by popular media, rather than necessarily representing reality. Honestly population is the only concern I have with the US appose to Canada, otherwise rural America I feel lines up pretty well with rural Canada, and really that’s all I care about, all urban centres suck ass in my opinion. We’re Getty pretty soft in Canada lately, and it’s kinda’ worrisome, so it’s sometimes reassuring to see Americans dig their heels in a bit. (Not at all saying everything is peachy by any means however)

I live just outside of Montreal, pretty near the border. One of my good friends used to live in Vermont, right near the border and we would visit each other several times a year. She moved to Tennessee, and I flew down to visit her a few years ago (haven't been down since COVID) while Trump was still president and I'm not even joking when I say that as soon as I left Nashville I was highly anxious 100% of my time there. And I'm white, I'm not a visible minority, I suppose if I kept my mouth shut nobody could tell I'm not from there, it really hit me how sad it is that I even felt that. All these patriotic gun toting Americans I feared would shoot me for whatever reason they could come up with. I understand that that's not ACTUALLY likely, I was glad I left my husband and children at home, and while I enjoyed my weekend there I couldn't WAIT to get back home. New England was easier to handle, but I'm not cut out for the openly racist, homophobic, anti women's rights, you name it kind of discussions. I was horrified that not only do people ACTUALLY think like this, but those who are being oppressed, or those who simply support those being oppressed are having to keep quiet for fear of being murdered because of this. Nashville was really cool, I loved it, but I truly feared for my safety outside of the city, despite being a straight white woman. I can't imagine what it's like for the minorities, it's so sad. I think you hit the nail on the head when you said that you're just numb to it, because being on the outside looking in, it's hard to believe what's actually going on, it looks as though the country is regressing,

One of the key issues when you ask a Canadian about moving to the USA is that they won't be thinking of a specific city, they will think of the country as a whole. The only real reason for a Canadian to move to the USA is economic opportunity. Most of the other benefits of being American we enjoy as Canadians as well, or we can take a quick trip to the USA to enjoy.

I think you have been desensitized to the mass shootings in the US. They occur in good neighbourhoods like Parkland which is close to where my sister lives. My sister has lived in Florida for 38years and is an American citizen but she wants to move back to Canada. It won’t be easy for her because she has developed very strong friendships in Florida, but really doesn’t like living there anymore. As for me, I say hell no, I would never move to the US. There are many parts of the US I would like to visit, but I am becoming more and more frightened to travel in the states.

I live in Canada and would never move to the US. MAGA republicans scare me. Though I do think Americans can be very proud of their ability to support nations like Ukraine in their fight for freedom. Well done USA!

I'm a Canadian that has longed to live in Hawaii all my life. I still can't understand why every American doesn't live in Hawaii. Is it because it's so expensive? I don't know where you live Tyler but I don't think it's Hawaii so I wonder why you're not living in Hawaii?

As an American I don’t think you hear all the incidents in your schools. A society that can disregard the attack on its children is a very sad place to be

Americans should be concerned about your children having the possibility of being shot to death & it’s strange that you say that they don’t, but I watch the Republican congressman talking & realize that these people earn a lot of money from the gun lobbyists so all their constituents don’t believe about the problems because that’s what they’re being told. Canadians tend to think more for themselves than what their politicians tell them & if the people in power are doing a good job, then they will stay in power, but if they are not, then they are voted out, period!

I greatly appreciate the differences between the two countries, Canadians exist, Americans LIVE. America: I think I can. Canada: I think I can't.

Even if you are in a place that hasn’t had a shooting in the local school, seems like locking doors and metal detectors and police in the school are everywhere because of it. That just implies that it’s something to be afraid of. Just thinking about those “security measures” makes American schools sound like prisons. Add on that any time there is a shooting that the problem is “the door wasn’t locked”, or “the cop wasn’t fast enough” instead of facing the facts that your gun laws are ridiculous… it’s amazing Americans DON’T fear for their kids lives…

You mention how Americans don't really speak much about the safety of their kids in school... I have another take on it; please correct me if I'm wrong. Americans *do* actually talk about it, except that their solution to the problem was 'more guns', wasn't it?\n\nWas there not a recent change about getting armed guards in schools, and at least a suggestion to give guns to teachers? I think I remember that in the news of the last couple of years. So I think they're concerned too, they just had a different response to it than Canadians.

As a quebecoise, canadian french, I think we're still far from all problems in the USA. But we shouldn't forget that there are 300 millions more american people than us, canadians. The more we'll grow as population, the more problems of all kinds will follow. So no, i would never move to USA, it's a fact, but I think it's a little unfair to compare both countries. Plus, Canada tends to be more and more influenced by USA and their politics... And we're no safe anywhere in the world. There are not a lot of them, yet, but still, we've got also few mass violence shootings increasing for more than 10 years now. It exists here too. Nothing happens in a small village because we don't expect it to happen most of the times. But as beautiful as Canada may look, I can tell you it will never be the same again. The only thing we can do is enjoy it while it lasts. And no, Tyler, you're nothing average! :)

Why sidestep the war on women’s reproductive rights? The folks you quoted in the video have this opinion which is as valid as anything you read aloud. The fact is that this is actually happening in the United States, under penalty of law. It is not pro life, it is however the antithesis of the freedom Americans pride themselves for. Pro life means responsible gun control, universal health care for all, child care for working families and an education that promotes the truth in history and learning critical thinking skills so students can grow up to be rational, caring human beings.

Never lived in the US but have visited a lot. I do have family in Washington state and I really enjoy visiting that part of the country. I didn't like New York and California only because of the sheer amount of people. Way too many people for my liking. Walking down the streets I felt like I was being shoulder checked with every step. In some smaller areas, absolutely loved the people and communities. Very friendly, and I find Americans to be very patriotic which I absolutely love! Health care and gun violence would be enough to keep me away though. Now in 2023, I find America becoming political polarized. Just watching the news is enough to raise my blood pressure (which I don't even have). If I got a chance to leave the snow behind, I think I would choose overseas on a island somewhere. Also at the age where I want peace and quiet. Raised kids already so more on the downlow and quite beach life. Thanks for your videos Tyler you are definitely one of my favorite Americans. Hugs to you.

Tyler, with complete respect you DON'T get why we generally have no interest in moving to the US. You constantly talk about 'you just have to find the right place to live'. True of anywhere, but here the choice would be about preferences and afordability, NOT to avoid gun violence or shunning because of political views.\nThere is no where in Canada I could move to where gun violence would be a big factor to consider (we have rough places, and gun violence, but STRICT gun laws). Let me give you some perspective. In 2019 the USA had 37,038 gun related deaths. (No other causes of death- JUST all gun death). In Canada, in 2019, our death by illegal means (which does include suicide, as it is illegal) was 5,874. (That is for ALL types of homicide, not just guns). And the government was shocked by the increase that year and tightened gun restrictions further.\nYou talk about having certain States more Red or Blue. We aren't bi- partisan, so our politics are a melting pot. You might have people you disagree with everywhere you go, but you will also always find an equal group who thinks similar (unless your an extremist). And even the people who think different will generally agree to dis- agree. There is next to nowhere in Canada where your political views would get you run out of town. \n\nYou are USED to thinking like an American. (Fair, your American; I think like a Canadian) Trust me, as a Canadian, there are aspects of the accepted American culture (your country's way of life) that is boarderline terrifying to people here.

The leading cause of death of children and teens in the USA is firearms!!!! That is insane!!! And Americans don’t think it’s a problem or want to do anything about it!!

I have two brothers living in the states. The one in Wisconsin is my big brother and he means the world to me. He does have his foibles about race and he tolerates me bringing him to task for some of the things he's said. He was brought up in Kentucky. He seems to be seeing the light now. I have spent time with him and my sister-in-law, and my nieces and nephews in Florida, Illinois, Kentucky and Indiana. We are close now despite being brought up worlds apart. My next oldest brother lives in West Virginia. I haven't seen him on over 30 years. He had a habit of moving without telling the rest of the family. I didn't know he had divorced and remarried. I worked for the Canadian Military as well as some of the American contingent where I worked. I had to renew information for my Security Clearance just after 9/11. He refused to give me any info because Rush Limbaugh was telling Americans the terrorists came to the U.S. from Canada (they actually were taking flight training in Florida). I suppose I could easily take up American citizenship since our mother had dual citizenship but I think I'll decline. I'm too much of a Canuck to change now. I don't think I could get used to politicians winning an election and immediately starting a new campaign. The process seems exhausting to always be bombarded with things politic. Here our electioneering is held to 6-8 weeks before the election and strict limits are placed on funding and contributions. Besides, I live in a small city of 58-60 thousand (North Bay, Ontario). In the close to 70 years that I've lived here, I can recall only 3 murders, so you'll under if I find mass shootings shocking and abhorrent and truthfully scary. I'm a little long winded today....Sorry.

I think you need to look at several things before you say most Americans are OK when it comes to health care. First, what proportion of Americans are NOT getting health insurance through their employer? (Hint: it's more than half.) Second how many people feel they must stay in a job they hate just to retain their health insurance? Third, how many Americans go bankrupt every year due to health care costs? (Hint: it's in the hundreds of thousands. This doesn't happen in Canada.)

I’ve lived in both countries in small towns and big cities Hell No Thanks and I would have great insurance. I remember in preschool having to do active shooter drills in the US nope. If you look at stats on gun violence and mass shootings it’s crazy. The US leads by an astronomical amount. Tyler says the US has more access to guns and although I have no idea where to get a gun I think people could get one pretty easily but we don’t need them. I can walk in the dark and not fear for my safety and Canada has only had 3 mass shootings in its whole history. Of course medical, dental, education, women’s rights, maternity and paternity leave, unemployment, help when Covid lockdown happened, clean free water in homes, housing, … on and on. America the “free” is antiquated and no longer true. Education has slid to 30 something in world rankings and Canada is in the top 3. Cost of education, daycare, child benefits ect. I could write paragraphs. Also it’s hilarious when you hear American say oh we’ll just moved to Canada like they can just drive here and settle down?!?there’s a border and you can’t illegally just move here and get a job. If you’ve lived in both countries you’d know the difference. I don’t even want to vacation there anymore since about 10 years or so ago.

I appreciate that you reflect on things and are open minded enough change your way of thinking. Many humans can not change general thoughts and values and stick to their guns no matter what. Your feelings toward school shootings changed quickly, which is good. Unfortunately, many people feel removed and distant from this violence. That’s why it doesn’t change or improve. Americans are conditioned to accept it.

Well, as a Canadian, I guess i'll pitch in.\nWould I move to the US? The short answer is no. But I will explain more in detail.\n\nFirst, I do not see any advantages to the US compared to Canada. Americams often tout their country as the beacon of freedom and the land of opportunities, but I don't feel that Canada is so different there. We're actually higher on the world freedom index, and its not like our economy was in shambles and everyone dirt poor... We pay more taxes, fine, but we also get more services in return, and that last part has the advantage to remove a big layer of worry. Like, for healthcare, I don't have to worry if i'm covered by insurance or not, or if the insurance carrier will drop me on some technicality. I'm a citizen. All the basic needs are covered; no questions asked (and the healthcare quality is not half bad. We just prioritize urgent cases over non-urgent; so if you go to the hospital for something non-urgent, you will wait, and more urgent cases will pass before you. Annoying when it happens, but I understand and agree with that in the end)\n\nSecond, I do see a lot of disadvantages. All the points raised in the video are valid, from the private-sector healthcare system, the gun control laws (or lack thereof), the social policies and legislation in some states; they don't agree with me.\n\nI think it comes down to some specific social and cultural ideas that are prevalent or at least present in a substantial manner in the american society. Bear in mind that I am generalizing here, not every american believes these points, but many do. I'm talking about ego, nationalism/patriotism, secularism etc.\nI feel that the US often has a really overinflated vision of itself. Like, the idea that America is the best. At everything. Wich is factually not true, but this idea also poisons the debate on many issues, and tends to limit social introspection that could lead to real advances.\n\nI've also noticed that the american basic school system is strongly patriotic. Everyone in the US is taught a lot about the US themselves in school, but not much about the rest of the world. Not great for open mindedness and introspection when you have little comparison points.\n\nAndlets not delve into the religious aspect. I've seen a poll somewhere where 48% of americans were AGAINST the separation of church and state. For me thats not only insane, its dangerous. It fits the individualistic mentality where people can more easily start thinking that their way is THE way. It creates a very polarized society much more prone to high volatility.\n\nSo, yeah, no, I wouldn't live in the US. I'd much rather stay in Canada where i don't have to worry if I get sick or hurt, if some agressive drunk idiot in a bar is armed, or if some fundamentalists from some religious congregation is gonna be able to try to politically force their point of view.

Very courageous of you to publish this and I want to point it out. I know Americans are very patriotic and therefore usually do not want to hear anything negative about their country, so I'm surprised you published this. Don't get us wrong, we think USA is a great place to travel to, it's just not considered a very livable place.

Love to visit the States. Met some wonderful Americans but a country that prioritizes guns over their children is fundamentally broken. The fact that it isn't something they think about (as he said) is telling. If children were being killed mass execution style here and the politicians weren't doing anything but shrug their shoulders I think Canadians would dismantle the Government. The fact that they don't do everything they can to protect their kids is everything in a nutshell to why I would never live there. Canada isn't perfect but I will take it any day over the States!

I am from Brazil, moved to Canada 9 years ago, now I am Canadian citizen. I was once asked by a American colleague why did I not immigrated to the USA, the answer is: it was not even in the list of possible countries. In fact it is on my top list of places not to move to. \n\nYou have a good insurance through your job? That only means you have one more reason to fear losing it or stay on a particularly bad one if you don’t have anything lined up, if you have a chronic health condition, then you are straight out hostage to your employer. Even if you do have good insurance your bills may one day go beyond the maximum and you still risk bankruptcy. \n\nIf you do go bankrupt, in any civilized country you can’t go to jail for debt, in the USA you can, the country with the highest incarcerated population in the world in absolute numbers and relative too. To add salt to the injury it is a country that did not completely make slave work illegal, it is still legal if you are not a free citizen and your prison system exploit that.\n\nSo it is a country that you can become slave because you got sick.\n\nThen there are the guns… the fact you think you are exempt of school shootings says it all, if you live in a small city it would not affect you? Are you really saying mass shootings never occur in small cities?! This is an excerpt:\n\n“The massacre that killed 10 people at a high school in Texas last week was just the latest to happen in a small or suburban city. Of the 10 deadliest school shootings in the U.S., all but one took place in a town with fewer than 75,000 residents and the vast majority of them were in cities with fewer than 50,000 people.”\n\nIt is all part of the gun culture, the absurd of making guns easily available and viewing guns as toys, a culture were people think taking your life is a proportional response to trespassing. \n\nIt is all closely tied with all the warmongering you are ok with all the taxes you pay going to your military to kill people outside your country yet you take exception in using a fraction of that to save your own citizens lives.\n\nIt is a place which put low value in the human life and well being, favour punishment instead of prevention and rehabilitation, keeps most of its population in a constant sense of despair and helplessness…\n\nIt is no wonder the USA has the highest number of psychopaths(over than 3000 versus the second next at 166), have kids going nuts and shooting others at school.\n\nIt is not a sane culture, it is not a good place to live and if you are well informed you won’t.

Maybe Canadians are more concerned about gun violence than Tyler feels they need to be, BUT HERE IS WHY! \n\nAccording to USA today and Forbes magazine there have been more than 300 mass shootings so far this year and 200 people were shot on the 4th of July alone. These articles are dated July, 2023. A mass shooting was defined as 4 or more people killed or injured. There is a bbc article from May 2023 that states 48,830 people died of gun violence in 2021 in the US; that’s the population of a small city in Canada. Half those deaths were suicides, which occur because the guns are available. All of these articles mention the shear number of guns in the US, more guns than people, 120 guns per 100 people. So yes, I think Tyler is exhibiting his American bias and has become desensitized. His statements that it’s only in some places and to choose carefully where you live because violence isn’t every where are not borne out by the stats. These shootings happen in all corners of the country and every time they do people are shocked that it could happen in their safe little town. Think back to Columbine, Sandy Hook, Parkland, Uvalde these were not violent communities yet their schools were targeted. \n\nThe gun culture is high on the list of reasons I wouldn’t move to the US but do is politics, women’s rights, anti 2SLGBTQ legislation, health care, environmental protection laws ( or lack there of), lack of social programs, etc. Canada certainly isn’t perfect but I’ll take it warts and all over a US option. Don’t get me wrong I love to visit the US but living there is a whole different ball of wax. Thanks but no.

I think you're missing the point about choosing locations for safety. \nAs a Canadian, we choose based on the best schools, neighborhood, amenities. \nWe never have to ask, has there been a school shooting in this district? \nYou should Google a map of school shootings in the US. Every state has had them. Urban, rural, suburbs. \nI guess that you're just desensitized to it, growing up there. \nFor a non-american, just the thought of having to consider whether or not there's been school shooting in your choice of where to live, is mind-blowing.

There are so many scary things about the US right now. Drugs, crime, mass murders, accessibility to healthcare, terrorism, racial hate crimes, etc. The list is quite long. Not everyone is affected by all of these things (knock on wood). One thing that is disgusting is politics. It is not dangerous per se as the aforementioned so it is probably not fair to say it as a justification against moving to the US. However, it is very commonplace in the US, and it is very annoying. Politics is extremely toxic, aggressive, and divisive right now. One wrong comment out of your mouth in public, and people will be ready to fight you. Or on the flip side, you hear one wrong comment in public, it is best to bite your tongue. \n\nPolitics in the US was not always intolerable. It has always been a strong subject of discussion since forever. However, it became disgusting and overly obnoxious ever since Trump came into the scene. I think his elitist personality gave his supporters a green light to be more vocal about their own divisiveness. Combine that with social media, and you have a recipe for disaster... so much hate, divisiveness, and willingness to not bite one's tongue right now in the States. American politics is really overbearing. And monkey see and monkey do... it will leak into Canada. I guarantee it.

You look a little sad ? I get it. You're proud of your country. \n\nAs a Canadian, I always felt the difference in basic attitudes between our countries may stem from our history of gaining national independence.\n\nYou all fought tooth and nail and are still immensely proud of that accomplishment. \n\nWe negotiated over time. It stands to reason our society would develop into one more invested in peace and negotiation, and even a deeper sense of social responsibility to our fellow citizens' welfare.\n\nI know of many different reasons why I love your country, enjoy visiting, and am glad we are neighbours. But to live in the US would take a change in my deeply ingrained sense of identity that I'm not willing to give up. \n\nI think you'll find even the Americans who joke about moving to Canada woukd find it similarly difficult to change their feelings. \n\nThank you for your interesting and respectful content. I always look forward to watching you.

As an American who has lived in Canada a very long time, I would never ever even think about moving back.