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Pardon my French [Canadian Politics Thread]

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Posts

  • CaedwyrCaedwyr Registered User regular
    I will buy that for Trump and his admin, but there are some competent, but evil people in multiple positions with power and they seem happy with how things are going. In those cases, I am sure the calculus has been done and the current choice of action is what they settled on as being acceptable. As I said, they are largely insulated from any consequences.

  • RichyRichy Registered User regular
    We need to count spreading covid-19 as bioterrorism, and procecute the hell out of Americans who come here and spread it.

    sig.gif
  • RichyRichy Registered User regular
    edited July 2020
    So the conservative MSM are falling over themselves reporting how hurt the RCMP is feeling today, because some people online said mean things about them by implying that they would not have captured the terrorist who attacked Rideau Hall without so much as a scratch on him if he'd not been white. Poor little RCMP is so wounded in its fragile feelings, journalists are giving them a safe-zone of positive online reporting where it can be free from the pain of mild criticism.

    None of these articles mention the numerous innocent and unarmed First Nations people RCMP officers killed during wellness checks in the days leading up to their very gentle and respectful arrest of a heavily-armed white terrorist in the middle of an attack.


    EDIT: Dammit @Caedwyr, I shall never forgive you for proving me wrong. Well, unless holding a grudge takes more work than forgiving you. Because I am mean and spiteful but also lazy. Ah screw it, I forgive you.

    Richy on
    sig.gif
  • CaedwyrCaedwyr Registered User regular
    I was surprised that the CBC article actually pointed the discrepancy out.

    https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/rcmp-race-rideau-hall-arrest-1.5646146
    CBC wrote:
    The incident at Rideau Hall followed weeks of stories about police officers treating people of colour, especially Indigenous people, harshly, to the point of killing them.

    That included Rodney Levi, an Indigenous man shot by the RCMP in New Brunswick during a visit to check on his welfare in June.

  • CaedwyrCaedwyr Registered User regular
    Richy wrote: »
    So the conservative MSM are falling over themselves reporting how hurt the RCMP is feeling today, because some people online said mean things about them by implying that they would not have captured the terrorist who attacked Rideau Hall without so much as a scratch on him if he'd not been white. Poor little RCMP is so wounded in its fragile feelings, journalists are giving them a safe-zone of positive online reporting where it can be free from the pain of mild criticism.

    None of these articles mention the numerous innocent and unarmed First Nations people RCMP officers killed during wellness checks in the days leading up to their very gentle and respectful arrest of a heavily-armed white terrorist in the middle of an attack.


    EDIT: Dammit @Caedwyr, I shall never forgive you for proving me wrong. Well, unless holding a grudge takes more work than forgiving you. Because I am mean and spiteful but also lazy. Ah screw it, I forgive you.

    Ever since there was a pretty public raking the CBC over the coals about their coverage of the NYPD SUV driving into the crowd, some public resignations and bad behaviour it seems like they've been working extra hard to not come across as another "fair and balanced" news broadcaster and are actually putting in the extra work to put things in context. We'll see if this is temporary or a sign of longer term change.

  • ShadowenShadowen Snores in the morning LoserdomRegistered User regular
    Alternately, perhaps because it happened at Rideau Hall, the CBC might have wanted to make it clear to their boss's boss's boss that they're not at all right-wing cranks who think the guy who might have been trying to assassinate him was totally harmless, please don't gut us and replace us with cronies.

  • OmnomnomPancakeOmnomnomPancake Registered User regular
    edited July 2020
    Anyone else prepping for legitimate worst-case scenarios with regards to the United States over the coming year?

    I don't think it's fatalist to say that the condition in the United States will continue to rapidly deteriorate with the current COVID rates skyrocketing in dozens of states; an election whose results and capacity to vote in are already under contest; a potential lame-duck president with evident mental decline and severe personality disorder; 28 million evictions in August; and the continued protests throughout the country regarding race/police abuse/wealth inequality.

    Should we, as Canadians, do more to actively aid in the condition of the United States? I've written to my local MP and MPP, stressing my concern for a continued closure of the border (preferably into 2021), and have donated to a reputable us-based health charity. If Trump wins again, I'm more than comfortable hosting American friends for extended stays, knowing where the continued fascist overture will inevitably lead.

    Beyond that, it's rather frustrating to watch a country completely melt into molten slag. It reminds us of how vital and delicate our democracy is.

    OmnomnomPancake on
  • CorvusCorvus . VancouverRegistered User regular
    Anyone else prepping for legitimate worst-case scenarios with regards to the United States over the coming year?

    I don't think it's fatalist to say that the condition in the United States will continue to rapidly deteriorate with the current COVID rates skyrocketing in dozens of states; an election whose results and capacity to vote in are already under contest; a potential lame-duck president with evident mental decline and severe personality disorder; 28 million evictions in August; and the continued protests throughout the country regarding race/police abuse/wealth inequality.

    Should we, as Canadians, do more to actively aid in the condition of the United States? I've written to my local MP and MPP, stressing my concern for a continued closure of the border (preferably into 2021), and have donated to a reputable us-based health charity. If Trump wins again, I'm more than comfortable hosting American friends for extended stays, knowing where the continued fascist overture will inevitably lead.

    Beyond that, it's rather frustrating to watch a country completely melt into molten slag. It reminds us of how vital and delicate our democracy is.

    Other than locking down the border, there's not much we can do.Maybe work with Mexico to keep all land borders closed on the Lower 48. This isn't a question of a country that doesn't have the resources or capabilities to handle this crisis appropriately. For the most part, they are choosing not to do the things necessary. I can't imagine America in general, and especially this administration accepting foreign aid.

    The data is out on how COVID is disproportionately affecting black and Latino people in the USA. I'm pretty sure that's having a role in the lack of response.

    Elections have consequences, especially when a fascist death cult wins. This is why I vote strategically when necessary. I will always, always, vote for the candidate most likely to defeat a conservative.

    :so_raven:
  • CorporateGoonCorporateGoon Registered User regular
    Anyone else prepping for legitimate worst-case scenarios with regards to the United States over the coming year?

    I don't think it's fatalist to say that the condition in the United States will continue to rapidly deteriorate with the current COVID rates skyrocketing in dozens of states; an election whose results and capacity to vote in are already under contest; a potential lame-duck president with evident mental decline and severe personality disorder; 28 million evictions in August; and the continued protests throughout the country regarding race/police abuse/wealth inequality.

    Should we, as Canadians, do more to actively aid in the condition of the United States? I've written to my local MP and MPP, stressing my concern for a continued closure of the border (preferably into 2021), and have donated to a reputable us-based health charity. If Trump wins again, I'm more than comfortable hosting American friends for extended stays, knowing where the continued fascist overture will inevitably lead.

    Beyond that, it's rather frustrating to watch a country completely melt into molten slag. It reminds us of how vital and delicate our democracy is.

    If you're single, you could start looking for love down south on the internet, get married in a cross-border ceremony, and then sponsor their permanent residency. Every little bit helps.

  • WiseManTobesWiseManTobes Registered User regular
    Anyone else prepping for legitimate worst-case scenarios with regards to the United States over the coming year?

    I don't think it's fatalist to say that the condition in the United States will continue to rapidly deteriorate with the current COVID rates skyrocketing in dozens of states; an election whose results and capacity to vote in are already under contest; a potential lame-duck president with evident mental decline and severe personality disorder; 28 million evictions in August; and the continued protests throughout the country regarding race/police abuse/wealth inequality.

    Should we, as Canadians, do more to actively aid in the condition of the United States? I've written to my local MP and MPP, stressing my concern for a continued closure of the border (preferably into 2021), and have donated to a reputable us-based health charity. If Trump wins again, I'm more than comfortable hosting American friends for extended stays, knowing where the continued fascist overture will inevitably lead.

    Beyond that, it's rather frustrating to watch a country completely melt into molten slag. It reminds us of how vital and delicate our democracy is.

    If you're single, you could start looking for love down south on the internet, get married in a cross-border ceremony, and then sponsor their permanent residency. Every little bit helps.

    Wait I can actually become someone's Canadian boyfriend?

    Does my uncle have to work for Nintendo?

    Steam! Battlenet:Wisemantobes#1508
  • PhyphorPhyphor Building Planet Busters Tasting FruitRegistered User regular
    It can't hurt!

  • OmnomnomPancakeOmnomnomPancake Registered User regular
    edited July 2020
    Thankfully, the border to the U.S. is closed until August 21. Hopefully, we can see it closed until at least 2021, but the largest concern is Americans coming through, arguing 'essential' travel, and completely fucking us with infected entering our borders.

    As Florida alone increases daily cases by the tens of thousands, the greatest short-term threat to our current national security is the American border. The border is going to be a HUGE issue as Fall approaches.

    OmnomnomPancake on
  • BroloBrolo Broseidon Lord of the BroceanRegistered User regular


    Alex Boyd is a reporter for the Toronto Star

  • finnithfinnith ... TorontoRegistered User regular
    It's amazing to me that the two officers only got "temporarily demoted" for this kind of thing. When you're given a position of privilege like they have, an ethical violation like this should result them in being fired or losing their pension at minimum.

    See also, another incident by Lethbridge police: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/lethbridge-police-storm-trooper-arrest-investigation-1.5561474
    Lethbridge police are being investigated by an outside force after handcuffing a woman in a stormtrooper costume outside a Star Wars-themed business earlier this week.

    The 19-year-old was carrying a plastic toy gun for her assignment of waving at people and encouraging them to visit the establishment for themed specials, like Yoda Soda.

    The business was holding a May the fourth promotion, a reference to the Star Wars day that's a pun on the movie franchise's expression "May the force be with you."

    Bnet: CavilatRest#1874
    Steam: CavilatRest
  • ZibblsnrtZibblsnrt Registered User regular
    Thankfully, the border to the U.S. is closed until August 21. Hopefully, we can see it closed until at least 2021, but the largest concern is Americans coming through, arguing 'essential' travel, and completely fucking us with infected entering our borders.

    As Florida alone increases daily cases by the tens of thousands, the greatest short-term threat to our current national security is the American border. The border is going to be a HUGE issue as Fall approaches.

    I'm worried about international students right now. More than one percent of the population is currently infected; if US undergrads are allowed into residences this fall there's going to be immediate outbreaks at every university in the country.

  • PhyphorPhyphor Building Planet Busters Tasting FruitRegistered User regular
    Require them to come early and isolate. Penalties if they don't

  • ZibblsnrtZibblsnrt Registered User regular
    College students complying with a two-week, zero-contact quarantine? Especially freshmen?

    Not happening unless they were physically compelled.

    The safer solution is that they not come at all.

  • WiseManTobesWiseManTobes Registered User regular
    finnith wrote: »
    It's amazing to me that the two officers only got "temporarily demoted" for this kind of thing. When you're given a position of privilege like they have, an ethical violation like this should result them in being fired or losing their pension at minimum.

    See also, another incident by Lethbridge police: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/lethbridge-police-storm-trooper-arrest-investigation-1.5561474
    Lethbridge police are being investigated by an outside force after handcuffing a woman in a stormtrooper costume outside a Star Wars-themed business earlier this week.

    The 19-year-old was carrying a plastic toy gun for her assignment of waving at people and encouraging them to visit the establishment for themed specials, like Yoda Soda.

    The business was holding a May the fourth promotion, a reference to the Star Wars day that's a pun on the movie franchise's expression "May the force be with you."

    When the least fascist person in an incident is an actual stormtrooper, maybe it's time for some changes

    Steam! Battlenet:Wisemantobes#1508
  • SteelhawkSteelhawk Registered User regular
    Zibblsnrt wrote: »
    College students complying with a two-week, zero-contact quarantine? Especially freshmen?

    Not happening unless they were physically compelled.

    The safer solution is that they not come at all.

    Exactly. And where are they supposed to isolate? The dorms? Its been a while since I went to University... but from what I recall, and I can't imagine its changed all that much in 20 years, its not like Dorm living is conducive to any sort of distancing. Social/Physical Distancing is somewhat antithetical to dorm life in the first place!

    A better solution indeed is that that they don't come at all... or if they can, quarantine somewhere else other than on campus. Hotel? Family?

  • ZibblsnrtZibblsnrt Registered User regular
    I'm not even thinking dorm conditions specifically - I'm just taking it as a given that the vast majority would refuse to quarantine no matter what the facilities were, provided they had any say in the matter, and especially if they're coming from the kinds of background leading to the YOLO spikes in half the US right now.

    If they're to come up at all I don't want them having the choice or the ability to violate that quarantine. Kind of in the "welcome to CFB You'restuckhereforafortnight, enjoy your stay" camp at this point. Students from countries that actually have policies and are doing anything are another matter, but I don't and can't trust American students right now.

  • SteelhawkSteelhawk Registered User regular
    Agreed.... but unless the government is going quarantine international students on our military bases on behalf of the universities, where are the students going to go? They're supposed to go straight to the dormitories. Maybe some of them have options like family, or they have money for other arrangements but not all of them would.

  • ZibblsnrtZibblsnrt Registered User regular
    I'm suggesting the government either do something like that or deny entry altogether for the academic year.

  • CaedwyrCaedwyr Registered User regular
    Well, the border closure to general traffic has been extended another 30 days. This may all be a moot discussion.

  • Romantic UndeadRomantic Undead Registered User regular
    So, has anyone else started receiving more earnest than usual requests for immigration information from American friends... cause I got one... and I'm not sure how to respond.

    3DS FC: 1547-5210-6531
  • CorvusCorvus . VancouverRegistered User regular
    So, has anyone else started receiving more earnest than usual requests for immigration information from American friends... cause I got one... and I'm not sure how to respond.



    <bugs bunny sawing the USA off from Canada.gif>

    :so_raven:
  • BouwsTBouwsT Wanna come to a super soft birthday party? Registered User regular
    Corvus wrote: »
    So, has anyone else started receiving more earnest than usual requests for immigration information from American friends... cause I got one... and I'm not sure how to respond.



    <bugs bunny sawing the USA off from Canada.gif>

    I think that's just us (and Alaska) floating away into the Arctic... Fair trade IMHO though.

    Between you and me, Peggy, I smoked this Juul and it did UNTHINKABLE things to my mind and body...
  • ShivahnShivahn Unaware of her barrel shifter privilege Western coastal temptressRegistered User, Moderator mod
    So, has anyone else started receiving more earnest than usual requests for immigration information from American friends... cause I got one... and I'm not sure how to respond.

    If they're young and well educated, they can apply for permanent residency through the Federal Skilled Worker program (Express Entry). That pipeline will still take ~8 months at the fastest, though (I think. Six month processing time on average, with stuff beforehand like language tests).

    If they want out, like, NOW, though, they're kind of fucked, what with the border closure.

  • CroakerBCCroakerBC TorontoRegistered User regular
    Shivahn wrote: »
    So, has anyone else started receiving more earnest than usual requests for immigration information from American friends... cause I got one... and I'm not sure how to respond.

    If they're young and well educated, they can apply for permanent residency through the Federal Skilled Worker program (Express Entry). That pipeline will still take ~8 months at the fastest, though (I think. Six month processing time on average, with stuff beforehand like language tests).

    If they want out, like, NOW, though, they're kind of fucked, what with the border closure.

    Skilled Worker is about 12 months elapsed, if you get lucky and get pulled for the move from EE to PR quickly. That’s assuming you’ve done your language test, and got your police certificate paperwork ready to go.

    Source: Did the EE->PR route last year.

  • KetBraKetBra Dressed Ridiculously Registered User regular
    Hey Shivahn how've you been finding things so far? Moving countries in the midst of a pandemic would be... non-ideal, I imagine.

    KGMvDLc.jpg?1
  • HandkorHandkor Registered User regular
    It makes for a story to tell grand kids: Our family immigrated to Canada in two-thousand-dickity, now we couldn't say twenty because nobody want to remember 2020 anymore, now where was I, oh yeah, wearing a mask on my chin, it was the fashion at the time, me and my wife crossed over during the worst pandemic in history, it would have been a minor pandemic but the deplorables put an orangutan in the white house, now don't get me started about orange americans, never trust a man with orange skin, I know you kids call me racist but back in those days the orange skinned man was the most hated person on the planet...
    ...grandma...
    ... where was I...
    ...you were telling us about when you immigrated to Canada.

  • ShivahnShivahn Unaware of her barrel shifter privilege Western coastal temptressRegistered User, Moderator mod
    CroakerBC wrote: »
    Shivahn wrote: »
    So, has anyone else started receiving more earnest than usual requests for immigration information from American friends... cause I got one... and I'm not sure how to respond.

    If they're young and well educated, they can apply for permanent residency through the Federal Skilled Worker program (Express Entry). That pipeline will still take ~8 months at the fastest, though (I think. Six month processing time on average, with stuff beforehand like language tests).

    If they want out, like, NOW, though, they're kind of fucked, what with the border closure.

    Skilled Worker is about 12 months elapsed, if you get lucky and get pulled for the move from EE to PR quickly. That’s assuming you’ve done your language test, and got your police certificate paperwork ready to go.

    Source: Did the EE->PR route last year.

    Right, but it's 6 months processing time once the docs are in, iirc, if you score high enough then you'll get in as soon as there's a draw. Coming from the US, the FBI is actually really fast wrt police stuff. The language test is the only thing that really throws a wrench into that. Well, also education certification. But it can certainly be faster, it hinges on how high you are in the pool and how long it is before the next IELTS test.
    KetBra wrote: »
    Hey Shivahn how've you been finding things so far? Moving countries in the midst of a pandemic would be... non-ideal, I imagine.

    You'd think that, but now I have the experience of driving across a wasteland that had increasingly-closed scenic overlooks as the drive went on, logging on to the internet every night to see that twice as many people were ill as the day before, and getting to talk to the most un-Canadian mansplainy border guard in the country before being allowed in :P

    Umm, I'm going to include a bunch of depressing things under a spoiler. These all have to do with the situation - Canada's been great overall - but a lot of things have conspired, not even all involving COVID, to cause some issues.
    Uhh, honestly, I'm unemployed and that kind of sucks, since I feel like a drain on my wife (I'm not, to be clear, but I feel parasitic). And she's having a real hard time sometimes. She's never lived far from family, this was a huge move, leaving everything she knew for the only time (she went to college near her grandparents, who were themselves only a couple hours from her parents). She was counting on seeing everyone in August, when they were going to fly in, and for Christmas, when we were going to head back. That was the positive thing keeping her going, but the border closures have preempted that (we could get across in either direction, but won't). So that is really crushing, and I'm worried that the BC winter is going to murder her via sunlight deprivation inducing depression.

    So she's the sole earner, who has been stripped from family, which is very important to her. Also, she could've died shortly after we arrived? She has an "extensive" clot in her leg and pelvis that could easily have broken chunks off and killed her via heart attack, pulmonary embolism, or stroke, and had a lengthy hospital stay because of it (thank god for... COVID? Because the insurance waiting period to discourage medical tourism was waived for us, saving us probably like thirty thousand dollars). I wasn't allowed to visit as she waited weeks for a procedure that could cause brian hemorrhaging, to get rid of most of the clot that ALSO could've been fatal. It was not a fun time!

    And she has been really, really excited to try and start a family, but now she is on blood thinners for somewhere between six months and indefinitely, and the particular ones she is on are not necessarily safe during pregnancy, so that has been taken as well. She wanted to have family visiting as she tried to have a baby, and instead spent two weeks in the hospital alone, family can't visit indefinitely, and having a baby is going to be acceptable possibly never.

    So if anyone has any babies they don't want, let me know? >.>

    Having said all that, it's... ok. BC is beautiful. It's like ninety five Imperial degrees and humid where we left, everyone's complaining about heat, meanwhile I'm like "oh no it reached seventy five woe is me." The weather's amazing, I love the periodic rain. I walk outside and can see Mt. Baker across the border, go for a walk in the neighborhood (which is beautiful and has amazing interesting architecture) and see snowcapped mountains craggily existing in every direction. We paid nothing for the hospital stay (seriously, many tens of thousands of dollars in the US, cannot overstate how lucky we are that she had the DVT over here). I've been training the cat to walk on a harness and she loves outside. It sucks that we can't go to.. events, or meet new people? That is definitely hard. But BC is basically everything I expected, and I'm looking forward to continuing to live here. Government services have also had real short lines, since COVID, so I've had really great service in general with everything I have to do. And I've had to interface with some weird parts of the government, because I, for example, am literally not allowed to do what's required, under normal circumstances, to import our car. So that's been nice.

    Still, it's surreal to watch my homeland murder itself with COVID as civil unrest results in op-eds suggesting the government use the military to murder civilians.

    I have more thoughts, surely, but they boil down to "what a weird time to be doing what I'm doing." I'm honestly doing ok, overall, but a lot of things also suck.

    Also, some things are just weird. Y'all have bizarrely expensive anchovies, for example, and they're waaaay harder to find than in the US. What's the deal? And I have been unable to find szechuan peppercorns, so how am I even supposed to cook? A lot of things like that have been funny. Some things are so much easier and more sensible and available. Other things are unpredictably harder or less available. It's been interesting!

  • Phoenix-DPhoenix-D Registered User regular
    Don't say too much about the weather til February. This is the good part. >.>

  • PhyphorPhyphor Building Planet Busters Tasting FruitRegistered User regular
    Do you enjoy lots of cold rain, lots of slush and barely any actual winter? Because that was my experience of winter in Vancouver

  • CaedwyrCaedwyr Registered User regular
    edited July 2020
    T&T supermarket might be your best bet or a place like the Bulk Barn chain for szechuan peppercorns. I would also suggest Superstore but that is going to depend somewhat on the individual store.

    August and September tend to be the dry months. Everyone gets to spend July bemoaning how much it is raining.

    Caedwyr on
  • shrykeshryke Member of the Beast Registered User regular
    edited July 2020
    Caedwyr wrote: »
    T&T supermarket might be your best bet or a place like the Bulk Barn chain for szechuan peppercorns. I would also suggest Superstore but that is going to depend somewhat on the individual store.

    August and September tend to be the dry months. Everyone gets to spend July bemoaning how much it is raining.

    Around here at least (Toronto area), szechuan peppercorns are pretty easy to find. Maybe, maybe, in the ethnic food aisle of a standard grocery store. But 100% for sure the Bulk Barns around here carry them. As do the asian supermarkets in their spice aisle.

    shryke on
  • CroakerBCCroakerBC TorontoRegistered User regular
    Shivahn wrote: »
    CroakerBC wrote: »
    Shivahn wrote: »
    So, has anyone else started receiving more earnest than usual requests for immigration information from American friends... cause I got one... and I'm not sure how to respond.

    If they're young and well educated, they can apply for permanent residency through the Federal Skilled Worker program (Express Entry). That pipeline will still take ~8 months at the fastest, though (I think. Six month processing time on average, with stuff beforehand like language tests).

    If they want out, like, NOW, though, they're kind of fucked, what with the border closure.

    Skilled Worker is about 12 months elapsed, if you get lucky and get pulled for the move from EE to PR quickly. That’s assuming you’ve done your language test, and got your police certificate paperwork ready to go.

    Source: Did the EE->PR route last year.

    Right, but it's 6 months processing time once the docs are in, iirc, if you score high enough then you'll get in as soon as there's a draw. Coming from the US, the FBI is actually really fast wrt police stuff. The language test is the only thing that really throws a wrench into that. Well, also education certification. But it can certainly be faster, it hinges on how high you are in the pool and how long it is before the next IELTS test.

    Yeah, you’re not wrong. The draws went pretty quickly for us, too. I think that took three or four weeks? I remember the police certificate took a month or so, and waiting on the IELTS and education certification took what felt like forever. I went and checked the confirmations in my email, and it looks like we applied at the end of April 2018 and got COPR in March 2019. Of course we then spent 9-12 months getting ourselves sorted too, because international moves are, really, the worst.

    Have to say, touching down in January at Pearson was not my smartest move. It was capital-C cold. On the other hand, the Torontonians I’ve managed to meet have been friendly, welcoming, and surprisingly tolerant of a Brit being baffled by Canadian things. The lack of overhead lighting in homes. The peameal bacon, which is almost like British bacon but not quite. The frickin’ ovens that only have one cavity. But everyone has been amazing at tolerating my confusion at little things, as well as the big stuff. Government services were quiet for me, too - glad I got OHIP right before the pandemic hit. Given the Mrs came over three months after I did, at the last minute after her cruise(!) was cancelled, pregnant(!!), really glad they sacked off the OHIP eligibility period in the meantime. That saved us a few pennies. Would’ve been free in the UK too, but still.

    The doctors have been amazing, speaking of which. And its maybe my tech-bubble in downtown TO, but everyone seems fairly chill, and reasonably sane. It’s weird how much not being in the UK, even in a pandemic, has benefitted my mental health. Congratulations, Ontarians, this has been great so far.

    Hard things have been looking at housing prices (we didn’t plan for having a small when we planned our initial move, and GTA prices are brutal), and trying to work out how to be parents without a support network or any idea what the resources are - turns out, for example, there’s a childcare subsidy we might qualify for, and also some drop in centres to take kids to play and meet other parents, both of which I found out about by accident.

    Oh, and doing non-PAYE paper taxes, that’s just crazy.

    Anyway, just adding on to @Shivahn ’s above, really. Canada really has lived up to its reputation as a friendly, welcoming place. Some of that is going to be our privilege, but we’ve weathered moving countries, starting a new job, bring apart in a pandemic, finding we’re starting a family...and you know what, you all have made the choice to do so the right one, and Canada the right place to do it in.

    So thanks for that. If you all ever need a coffee (or a pint), I owe you one. And if you ever feel like giving advice to a pair of clueless newbies, we’d love that too.

  • CorvusCorvus . VancouverRegistered User regular
    So, if your wife is prone to SAD, definitely be proactive about a therapy light or something for that. People who are new here In Vancouver can be shocked at how grey it can be for long stretches of the fall, winter and spring. Generally, we don’t get those crisp sunny winter days other places get.

    Also, there’s got to be somewhere to get those peppercorns here. Maybe try your closest Asian produce market?

    Or try this local store: https://gourmetwarehouse.ca/sichuan-peppercorns-25g/

    Anchovies, I got nothing. Maybe cheaper in the Greek or Italian food stores?

    :so_raven:
  • ShivahnShivahn Unaware of her barrel shifter privilege Western coastal temptressRegistered User, Moderator mod
    Phyphor wrote: »
    Do you enjoy lots of cold rain, lots of slush and barely any actual winter? Because that was my experience of winter in Vancouver

    Yes

    I grew up in northern California, it snowed approximately never, but rained a lot, and I missed that. It's part of why we moved here. So we'll see!
    Corvus wrote: »
    So, if your wife is prone to SAD, definitely be proactive about a therapy light or something for that. People who are new here In Vancouver can be shocked at how grey it can be for long stretches of the fall, winter and spring. Generally, we don’t get those crisp sunny winter days other places get.

    Also, there’s got to be somewhere to get those peppercorns here. Maybe try your closest Asian produce market?

    Or try this local store: https://gourmetwarehouse.ca/sichuan-peppercorns-25g/

    Anchovies, I got nothing. Maybe cheaper in the Greek or Italian food stores?

    We have a sun lamp. I REALLY want this move to work, so I've put a lot of effort into trying to head off possible bad things. I will find the peppercorns, I appreciate all the help and suggestions. I'm gonna try H-mart next, if not I'll look for the various suggestions.

    (I actually have found anchovies, like, two days ago at a more local market. I was just kind of surprised at how expensive they were at all the other places I had been to. And they have also been... different from ones in the US? I don't know if they were a different species or what, but they didn't melt right when used in pasta. Hopefully the new ones do!)

    Anyway, again, I appreciate all the suggestions. I am slowly nailing down all the small things, this'll hopefully all help!

  • WiseManTobesWiseManTobes Registered User regular
    Is there a number to call to work with someone who knows about all the various Covid relief benefits? To see if maybe there's something you are qualified for but didn't know/didn't apply? Me and rest of staff kinda can't wait for the whole audit to shake out, we are all desperate and behind bills now, and still making less than a Cerb payout would have been, we're getting weird roadblocks trying to go for topup thanks to business fudging their wage subsidy. We're just kinda all in panic attack desperation mode at this point.

    Steam! Battlenet:Wisemantobes#1508
  • CaedwyrCaedwyr Registered User regular
    edited July 2020
    https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/safety/emergency-preparedness-response-recovery/covid-19-provincial-support is the central portal for COVID stuff in BC.

    This page has a bunch of contact info on it as well related to the CERB:

    https://www.canada.ca/en/services/benefits/ei/cerb-application.html#contact

    The one number that keeps on coming up is contacting the CRA at the following number

    Contact the CRA at:
    1-800-959-8281

    The report fraud site has a phone number on the last page (click next at the bottom). I would hope that once you are in the phone system you could ask the person you reach for help in figuring out who to talk to in order to get some financial relief for the short term.

    https://www.canada.ca/en/revenue-agency/programs/about-canada-revenue-agency-cra/suspected-tax-cheating-in-canada-information-include.html

    Caedwyr on
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