by Kendahl » Sun Apr 19, 2009 6:25 am
I grew up in southern Ontario, came to the United States for graduate school, married an American girl, became a permanent resident and have lived and worked here ever since.
Although there are regional differences, just like in the United States, Canada is, on the whole, more liberal, left-wing and socialist. Think about where the Democratic party would like to take the United States. Canada is already there. Some examples are
- generally lower speed limits,
- more public transportation,
- tight gun control,
- more government social programs,
- higher taxes (to pay for the programs),
- lower salaries,
- higher cost of living (largely due to taxes).
If you intend to practice medicine, you would have to work within Canada's socialized health care system. The government is not just the insurance company. They manage the entire system.
A capable, well educated professional can do better for himself in the United States than in Canada. Because of this, more Canadians move south than Americans move north.
American and Canadian college degrees are respected on both sides of the border. What matters are your own demonstrated ability and the reputation of the school you graduate from.
Once you have finished your education, you would have no trouble immigrating to Canada. You should consult an immigration lawyer to be sure, but I believe you could become a Canadian citizen without giving up your American citizenship. If you want to go to school in Canada, and especially if you want financial support, you need to read the fine print about residency requirements.
As I have pointed out, there are differences between the two countries. Pick the one that suits you better. You don't want to have to swim against the current in order to make progress toward your own goals.
If you like snow, we have plenty here! Just sucks that all that salt eats at our Gs, so we have to clean them even more often!
