Canada Travel and Hotels

Nearly 10 years ago I immigrated to Canada. I gave up a successful legal practice and my other business interests to start a new life in Canada. People ask me all the time why my family and I chose Canada. What makes Canada unique and special?

Although I did lots of research before making the decision to move to Canada, over the past 10 years I have discovered for myself what makes Canada special and why the country and its cities are consistently ranked amongst the top places to live in the world by the UN. I have discovered what it means to be truly Canadian. I have learn’t to appreciate what Canadians so often refer to as Canadian values and to understand how important they are to being Canadian.

Canada is a country that is built on immigration and immigrants continue to play a very dynamic and important role in the development of both the economy and culture of the country. It is very rarely that you will come across a Canadian who will not be able to trace his or her roots back through their parents, grandparents or great grandparents to another country in the world. That is of course if they themselves are not an immigrant.

Canada needs immigrants. It needs people who have the ability to become economically established and who can add to the cultural fabric of society. But that doesn’t mean that Canada is desperate. Far from it! There are many people waiting in line (some have been waiting a really long time too!) to be considered for permanent residence visas and there are many of those applicants who regretfully will not meet the selection criteria. For those who are selected, the adventure and a new life will begin when they arrive in Canada to take up their residency. It will be a very worthwhile reward at the end of a lengthy and complex process. And they will start to understand what it means to be truly Canadian:

People in Canada can live their lives according to their individual value system. Canadians see richness in diversity and what makes each of us different, rather than seeing this as a divisive factor. This is apparent in everyday life and not just something protected in the constitution. Differences in lifestyle and divergent opinions are respected and accepted rather than criticized. Canadians care about Canadians.

Canada has an excellent health care system. I know of someone recently who experienced some chest pains – what followed was an ambulance ride following a 911 call, admission into hospital, the attention of a cardiac specialist and other doctors, additional diagnostic procedures, and an ECG. This person was diagnosed with a heart condition that required immediate surgery and an extended stay in hospital. There was no cost to the patient other than the very reasonable monthly premium he pays to the government. I have my own private family physician, however if I wanted, I could drive a few kilometers down the road and visit one of our local walk in clinics (there are about 4 in close proximity to where I live). I could see a doctor immediately. Again, outside of the very affordable premium I pay to the government each month, there would be no cost to me (the same would apply if I saw my own doctor).

We don’t like guns in Canada. In fact we have strict gun control and only people who have a very good reason to possess a gun are permitted to do so. Compared to most countries in the world, Canada has a very low rate of crime. Where I live, (a 30 minute drive from the city centre of Vancouver), our biggest concern are the bears that wander through the garden in the summer. One or two of the larger cities may not be as free of litter as the other cities in Canada, but on the whole our cities are clean and have low levels of smog and pollution. The roads are in great shape and the environment is very well maintained. Things work in Canada. Levels of service are high and there are few instances where you will find that you are not treated courteously and with respect.

Canada is a true democracy. The quality of life factor is high. The economy is in great shape. For people with drive and initiative the sky is the limit in Canada. It is a privilege to call myself Canadian.

Charles Burgess is the publisher of Charles Burgess’ “Live in Canada!” Ezine – a free newsletter for people thinking about living, working or studying in Canada. Read breaking news from Canada as it affects you and get up to date information to help you make the right decisions at:
http://www.canadaimmigrationinfo.com

Beautiful Montreal has such a European flair, you’ll forget you’re still in North America. French is the main language spoken here, and while many of the residents and tourist industry workers are bilingual, it doesn’t hurt to know a little French. Let’s discover what you can expect from a weekend getaway to this beautiful city!

Museum Lovers

The Mus

Mention the word “Siberia,” and images of gulags, frozen tundra and wastelands may come to mind. While there is some truth to these, my impressions of Siberia included more.

Siberia comprises more than 75 percent of modern Russia. Unless you visit, there is simply no way to describe the total landmass of this much-maligned area of the world. To give you some perspective, consider the fact that Siberia is bigger than Canada, has more natural resources than any area of the world, spans nine time zones and contains the largest plain in the world.

One of the best ways to give you an impression of the size of Siberia is to discuss the infamous gulag system. When one thinks of a gulag or prison, visions of guards with guns, electrified fences and so on come to mind. In Siberia, most of the gulags did not have fences or any kind of barrier to keep people in. With freezing temperatures in the winter, huge rivers of mud and water in the summer, Siberia formed a natural gulag for many of the prisoners. If a prisoner escaped from a gulag, there was simply nowhere to go. The closest population center might be 1,000 miles away.

“Siberia” comes from the Mongolian word “sibir”, which means “sleeping land.” In the early 1700’s, Siberia became a place of exile. It continued to be “the last stop” for criminals and political exiles throughout much of the 20th century. The city of Chita is in fact known as the “City of Exiles.”

With the end of communism, Siberia has seen a voluntary migration of Russians who work on the Trans-Siberian Railway or in the massive natural resource industries. Siberia is the home to tremendously large oil, gold, timber and diamond deposits. With the turn to capitalism, the country is making a major effort to take advantage of such resources. This has led to a population explosion in cities such as Irkutsk, Chita and Ulan Ude.

Siberia is always depicted as a land of freezing snow. Having lived there, I can tell you it does get “Oh, my god” cold in the winter. Temperatures can drop into the -40s. In the spring and summer, however, temperatures can reach as high as 110 degrees. With such a massive area, the climates and temperatures fall all over the map. Put another way, the United States could fit in Siberia, so you can see how temperatures might vary.

Lake Baikal

Lake Baikal is the largest fresh water lake in the world. Fed by over 300 rivers, the lake is really an inland sea. The lake has over 30 islands. If you drained all of the water from lakes Superior, Erie, Huron, Michigan and Ontario, you still couldn’t fill Lake Baikal. Standing on one shore, you cannot see the other side. It is simply huge.

Siberia is one of the few locations in the world still considered to be an untamed adventure travel destination. You can fish, hike, camp, hunt, drink vodka, ski, swim, take in a spa and do just about anything you like. The Siberians are universally friendly and can tell one heck of a story.

If you get a chance to visit Siberia, I highly recommend it. Heck, I stayed for a year!

Rick Chapo is with http://www.nomadjournals.com – makers of diary and writing journals. Visit http://www.nomadjournaltrips.com to read more about travel and the great outdoors.