Re: I have a few questions about Canada.
Thought from a British desi who’s slumming in Canada these days:
Medical Care
-
Medical care is free for everyone who is legally entitled to be resident in the country, either temporarily or permanently. People who are legally just visiting, or illegally present, are not entitled to free treatment. Free medical care kicks in after you’ve been in the country for 3 months. (By contrast, the UK offers free medical care to all temporary and permanent residents from the day of arrival onwards. Things are just better in the UK
) -
The government picks which treatments are covered by free care, the patient only gets to choose from a limited list of treatments.
-
When it’s free, you take what you get, you don’t get to choose your care.
Misc
-
Quebec seems to mainly get French-speaking immigrants (ie lebanese, north africans, other africans, and french)
-
Haven’t seen that many itching to move to the US, though I know a lot who are.
-
The TV sucks, because they only get US television and some Canadian. There’s only one channel which shows the best television in the world, British television, and even that is only for half the day. The quality of TV available would skyrocket if only thet could get more British channels
Education
A 4 year degree costs a total of $24,000 in total I believe. I think it is $6000 per year for tuition.
My thoughts
Though the taxes are so much higher in Canada, between not having to save for college education and not having to pay for medical insurance, one’s total annual expenditures are significantly lower than the mere difference in taxes may suggest. Thus things aren’t that much more different.
On the other hand, property prices and car insurance prices are higher enough that there’s no sense denying that in material terms, the quality of life is slightly higher in the US.
But balancing that is social security - being a welfare state, the poorer segments of society are better looked after and there’s less crime in general than in the US, meaning that your body, possessions, and life are more secure.
PS: All the good things about Canada are there in the UK too, only they are better in the UK 
. Except land prices and petrol prices are 50% lower in Canada.