Close Reading

Whenever I’m feeling down I remember at least I wasn’t born Indian or middle eastern or any race that has that funny accent and then my mood changes all of a sudden

Trudeau, my brother, My words cannot begin to express to you or your people just how genuinely sorry I am for my country's utterly repulsive and inexcusable behavior throughout the last month and a half and for the downright cruel, hostile treatment you've suffered at the hands of the most incompetent, greedy, poorly educated, narcissistic, racist, sexist, xenophobic buffoon to ever preside over the United States. Not only is Donald Trump an overly privileged, pathetic, whiney crybaby who literally folds his arms, stomps his feet, and launches an all out temper tantrum whenever he doesn't get his way or when someone else has the TV remote, he is a dangerously delusional, high stakes risk taker who wouldn't think twice about using his own mother or child as a human body shield if he thought his life were in danger. There is absolutely no value, principle, moral or ethic he wouldn't betray without hesitation if he suspects there is anything at all to be gained - you know, the type of guy who would poison the entire neighborhood in order to hoard all the complimentary tampons and lip gloss samples from his neighbors' mail boxes just to ensure that he got first dibs on everything before anyone else. Incidentally, he is also the same type of guy who pockets all the flavored mini coffee creamers from the gas station and all the paper bed sheets and Qtips from the doctor's office. I wouldn't put it past him to steal the waitresses' tips off tabletops on his way out the door upon leaving McDonald's. In fact, I would bet everything that he steals the donation jars for Jerry's Kids at the local supermarket. I mean, its already a given that he is likely the guy who filed a lawsuit a few summers back against a sweet, innocent littls FOUR year old boy for having a lemonade stand on property not zoned for commercial use. If it wasn't Trump then I'm sure it's only because he was too busy ordering the National Guard to power hose and pepper spray the 30 or so elderly nuns who had been distributing bottled water to folks demonstrating in support of Black Lives Matter on the hottest day of the year. Satisfied in his victorious battle against the nuns - 9 of whom had been hospitalized for critical injuries including the 92 year old Mother Superior who suffered massive brain bleed, swelling and concussion due to the excessive force of the power hose and an 87 year old nun who lost permanent sight in one eye due to the pepper spray - Trump had the nerve to pose for a publicity shot in front of the church while holding a Bible - UPSIDE DOWN - and scrunching and contorting his face into that hideous trademark scowl he does ever so naturally. Yep. This is the man my fellow Americans chose to represent our nation as President - a man who beats up 90 year old nuns and imposes 25% tax hikes to our ONLY FRIEND in the entire world simply for refusing to accept his invitation for statehood. I mean, come on, Trudeau, is that really asking too much of you? Was it really worth bruising Donny's fragile little ego and sending him into a fit of rage? (Seriously, though, I suspect he really does feel as though you are in the wrong for refusing to humor his delusions and thus embarrassing him in front of all his Russian dictator and Ku Klux Klan buddies.)\nOnce again, I do humbly apologize and I promise I will support whatever actions you choose to take and I will help you in any way you deem is best. \nMuch love and peace always, \nMs. S. Delois Jackson

There are too many Indian in Scarborough too. Interview people there. I also feel like it’s little India whenever I’m visiting my mom that still lives in Scarborough. I feel out of place and I grew up in Scarborough.

I’m a US Canadian dual Citizen born in India living in US, I normally travel to Canada whenever I feel I need some Indian vibe.

I want my country back. I want the surrounding areas in Vancouver, BC to be Canadian again. I'm sick of feeling like I am living in someone else's country whenever I walk around my neighbourhood or take public transit to see the majority of bus/skytrain passengers are from South Asian countries. If that isn't bad enough, seeing them use our country as a platform for their religion/politics that belong on the other side of the world and not on Canadian soil.

Canada has the same problem as the United States: wrong kind of politicians elected. Like the U.S., most Canadians consider themselves compassionate liberals and thus feel obligated to vote for said, compassionate liberal politicians. The problem is, for Canada and the U.S., these compassionate liberal politicians don't know how to run the nation's economy except to run it further into the ground. And when the problems get really bad, the solution is always, raise taxes because liberal politicians are either Marxist Socialist and believe the citizenry are obligated to pay higher and higher taxes for more government intervention, meaning, interference, in most cases.\n Whenever Canada does get around to voting in a conservative prime minister and government, the Canadian mass media immediately goes on a years-long negative campaign of deliberately undermining the government in the eyes of the Canadian People, demeaning them as inept and uncompassionate and comparing them to fascists. Eventually the Canadian People get so distressed they have to vote back in the liberal party. And then the same happens again.\n I'm just glad our Canadian brothers are not blaming the U.S. government or the CIA, but instead are clear-headed and courageous enough to blame their own government and past legislations and laws that do the exact opposite of what is supposed to happen, level the playing field for all Canadians.\n I'm reading about the outrageous pricing of Canadian housing and am astonished. But one YouTuber explained this about his Canada. Everyone in Canada wants to squeeze into the few, concentrated urban areas that concentrate business, finance, manufacturing, job opportunities, et al. As it happens, these areas are too few and far between. So what ends up happening is geographical overpopulation, despite Canada having a total population of around 32 million souls. People in California can certainly understand this phenomenon. You can purchase a 3-bedroom house out in California City, which is near the Mojave Desert, for $176,000, but there's nothing out there to make it worthwhile living there. Conversely, a tiny, 3-bedroom home in Torrance, Los Angeles, was selling for $800,000 in 2018. \n As realtors put it this way all the time, location, location, location!\n I'm going to pass on commenting on Canada's National Health Care. I've read criticisms from native Canadians on the Internet. As Canadians, they're entitled to say whatever they want about their country. If I, a Yank, open my big mouth, I'm going to get trolled by a hundred angry Canadians defending their National Health Care as the world's greatest socialized medical care. Health Care is already expensive enough in the U.S. Most people get it through their employer, which pays a part of it. But employees' monthly deductions for health insurance have been growing steadily over the past 30 years to where it's now a huge chunk out of one's monthly paycheck.

I'm Canadian. I was born here, raised here, and have lived here all my life. However, my parents are American (they came during the Vietnam war), and I have full dual citizenship. I could cross the border into the U.S., get a job, start working and live there for the rest of my life if I ever chose to do so.\n\nHowever, I will never live in the U.S. Why? The cost of healthcare insurance and healthcare in general is definitely a part of that, but another huge factor is the socio-political atmosphere down there that is very unappealing to me. Everything from politics, the gun issue, much higher violence than we have in Canada, more racism issues, the media, and from what I have observed from decades of visits to the U.S.: there just seems to be a lot more people that are on edge and hostile than I am used to compared to Canada as well. For me, the general culture and mindset is just not something I want to live amongst.\n\nThere are some things I enjoy in the U.S., and there ARE wonderful people there too. I have several friends in the U.S. (born and raised), not to mention my entire extended family is American. But for me, the U.S. is a nice enough place to visit, but it's not somewhere I'd ever want to live.\n\nNo matter what kind of trip I take to the U.S., whenever I get back home to Canada it's always like a deep sigh of relief. I feel safer. I feel more relaxed. I feel at home. No matter how good my trip was, when I set foot back on Canadian soil again I always get a feeling of humble gratitude that I live here. For me, other than the warmer weather and some of the sights the U.S. has to offer, I'm much, much happier in Canada. I feel very fortunate to live here.\n\nAs a side note, I have never found our public healthcare system here in Canada to be lacking whatsoever. Any healthcare I, or anyone else I know that has received any, has always been prompt, of excellent quality, and reassuringly delivered in a professional manner.\n\nAs an example, in 1994, my father had a seizure and it was discovered that he had a benign brain tumour that had to be removed. Not even a week later, he was booked for his surgery and he had his procedure. He was operated on by one of the top two neurosurgeons in North America at the time, he spent three weeks in recovery at the hospital, and he had months of rehab afterward. About 2 weeks later, he had another seizure (the last one he ever had), he stayed in another hospital for an additional two weeks.\n\nHowever, all of what I just mentioned, and I mean ALL of it, was paid for by our public healthcare system. All he had to do was show his healthcare card and sign a release form for his surgery, and that was it. Nothing more. There were literally ZERO bills, no insurance companies, no paperwork, no phone calls, and ZERO hassle. Nothing.\n\nAnd no, our family was NOT rich or privileged either. Just an average middle class family. However, my dad's neurosurgeon told us his surgery and all the months of care he received afterward would have cost $180,000 (in 1994!), and our family would have been out on the street if it wasn't for our healthcare system. My dad also had a very minor heart attack in 2007 which didn't require surgery, and he didn't have to pay a dime or do anything else other than show his healthcare card for that either. Since those two events, my father has lived a healthy, normal life thanks to our public healthcare.\n\nIn Canada, EVERYONE receives that kind of care, regardless of if they are a billionaire or they are homeless. Because that's the moral and ethical thing to do, and is just one of the many reasons why I plan on staying here.

I live in the GTA but not IN Toronto, and I gotta say... I feel unsafe whenever I have the displeasure of going into Toronto. Part of that is growing up in rural northern Ontario, but the cost, the abysmal failure of our fed and municipal governments to help Canadians with the housing crisis.... I think I'll keep putting my class 4 vest on whenever I'm heading to Toronto. Probably overkill but heck... makes me feel safer.

Not that many people in the developed world are shopping for an alternative country. So I imagine most Americans and most Canadians will be content with their nation of birth. But as a Canadian, I have to admit I'm a bit scared of the US. The level of violent crime down there is such that _many_ (not all) people feel they need guns for personal security. American prison rates testify to a level of desperation and alienation that is _not_ appealing to me. I don't want to live somewhere where owning a deadly weapon seems like a sensible idea! Also, as a struggling creative/entertainment person, I can't guarantee I'll be consistently earning good money – there are plenty of lean times in my biz. I don't want to be repeatedly worrying about my health coverage disappearing, whenever work dries up. I've never had that type of anxiety in Canada, and I sure appreciate that. Btw, although the Canadian health system is a long way from perfect, I've always managed to get appropriate care, according to my needs, quickly enough, at no cost to myself. And currently, I really like my GP _and_ my specialists!

ya I'm Canadian and whenever I go to the states I feel like I'm the same country tbh