What is it like to come home to Canada?

[Doady]

Not Just Bikes is the same guy who made an entire video about most transit users in suburban Toronto are drivers who are park-and-ride at GO Train stations, and that there is no way for anyone without a car to travel to/from GO Train stations. He is a dumbass and completely clueless about life in the suburbs in Canada.

[Truenorth00]

Originally Posted by Doady

Not Just Bikes is the same guy who made an entire video about most transit users in suburban Toronto are drivers who are park-and-ride at GO Train stations, and that there is no way for anyone without a car to travel to/from GO Train stations. He is a dumbass and completely clueless about life in the suburbs in Canada.

Can't attack the arguments made I guess.....

His point in the GO transit was video was absolutely right. It's insane to have acres of parking beside GO stations. Even Metrolinx knows that. It's why they have set targets to reduce the percentage of users who park n ride. It's also why they are starting to look at developing some of that land.

You're just not a fan of your mediocre suburban lifestyle getting called out. Oh well.

[suburbanite]

Originally Posted by Truenorth00

Can't attack the arguments made I guess.....

His point in the GO transit was video was absolutely right. It's insane to have acres of parking beside GO stations. Even Metrolinx knows that. It's why they have set targets to reduce the percentage of users who park n ride. It's also why they are starting to look at developing some of that land.

You're just not a fan of your mediocre suburban lifestyle getting called out. Oh well.

I don't know if it's insane to set up your service to accommodate the needs of the people who use it. The way the suburban GTA operates today is very different than it was twenty years ago when a number of these places were built. If getting rid of GO Station parking in 2010 meant that a good portion of people would switch to driving downtown, then it's not really a productive solution. That being said weaning people off of the traditional park and ride model, capitalizing on potential transit-adjacent density, and extending the transit catchment area around GO stations are long-term goals that need to be well-executed to accommodate the changing requirements of the city.

[Doady]

Originally Posted by Truenorth00

Can't attack the arguments made I guess.....

His point in the GO transit was video was absolutely right. It's insane to have acres of parking beside GO stations. Even Metrolinx knows that. It's why they have set targets to reduce the percentage of users who park n ride. It's also why they are starting to look at developing some of that land.

You're just not a fan of your mediocre suburban lifestyle getting called out. Oh well.

His entire video is a complete lie. Most of the transit funding and ridership in suburban Toronto is for local buses, not the GO Train. And that's not even including the TTC service in Etobicoke, Scarborough, and North York. I take the bus to the GO station all the time, yet he claims people are stranded at GO train stations due to lack of alternatives to the car. I am not even allowed to drive a car anymore due to epilespy, and you want to call me out for my "mediocre suburban lifestyle." You are just clueless.

[Doady]

Originally Posted by suburbanite

I don't know if it's insane to set up your service to accommodate the needs of the people who use it. The way the suburban GTA operates today is very different than it was twenty years ago when a number of these places were built. If getting rid of GO Station parking in 2010 meant that a good portion of people would switch to driving downtown, then it's not really a productive solution. That being said weaning people off of the traditional park and ride model, capitalizing on potential transit-adjacent density, and extending the transit catchment area around GO stations are long-term goals that need to be well-executed to accommodate the changing requirements of the city.

Even 20 years ago, transit riders in the suburban GTA were mostly using local buses and the TTC subway, not the GO Train.

[samne]

My longest stretch outside of Canada was living/working in the US for a couple years. The US isn’t that foreign to Canadians, but did feel like I lived like an American that time. When I did return to Canada the strongest feeling I had was it just felt like a really simple place in most aspects of life. There’s both negative and positive sides to Canada’s simplicity compared.

[Laceoflight]

Originally Posted by Nite

Stopping them from creating their bastardized version of France in the first place.

Comment faire dérailler un thread qui aurait autrement été intéressant.
That's the kind of sh*t that I am tired of reading everytime I log in here. It is honestly insulting and shouldn't be tolerated.


-----

Back to the real thread, an observation I had since 2 of my (relatively)close friends came back to Quebec after 10 and 13 years abroad respectively, is that they tend to have an idealized view of our country, as if it was frozen in time during their absence, and seem to live quite a shock coming back, as things have moved on here. Part of the shock seem to be for the better (for example, my friend realizing the huge increase in korean food in Montreal after living 13 years in Seoul) or for the worse (the healthcare being even worse in Montreal now). Il y a un décalage entre l'image qu'ils ont gardée du Canada et ce qu'ils vivent en revenant.

I did not experience this after only +/- 4 years in Europe.
However, it made me realize that :
- Canada, or at least the part of Canada I know (the french one, you know) is really family-oriented, rather than work- or friend-. I don't know where I stand in that regard.
- Quebec and Quebecers have a less competitive mindset, and it was hard to adapt to this when living abroad (I cannot speak about other parts of Canada as I don't know them enough)
- Making friends is harder here than in french-speaking Europe, where everyone becomes your friend but won't help you if you have to move
- Quebec and Canada in general are regarded as very progressive and peaceful places
- There is a real gap between the image that Canada projects internationally and what really happens in our country (the First Nations situation is the best example of this IMO).

[P'tit Renard]

Originally Posted by MolsonExport

One thing Canada beats Europe in is the toilet sweepstakes. Finding a place to take a piss in Europe is frustrating. Either you have to drop 3 Euros for an unwanted coffee, or you stand in line for a disgustingly grubby clogged bowl.

I've found on this front Western Europe is improving fast at least. Last couple times in France, Spain and Switzerland, I didn't have to pay a single time to use the toilette, and many of them were automated self-cleaning. Nowadays, there's more free public toilets in Paris than any city in Canada including Quebec, and you can even geo-locate them on google maps. On the other hand, finding an open public toilet in downtown Toronto after business hours is next to impossible.

[P'tit Renard]

Originally Posted by suburbanite

The first is how absolutely fucked over the Canadian consumer is at every turn. Everything from buying food and booze to air travel and car rentals. Everything is cheaper, more accessible, and the service is exponentially better in the States. The U.S. has a culture of customer service that you don't really get in many other places in my experience. I was in LA for the first time a month ago, and wanted to rent a car to drive up the PCH for half a day. I booked last minute and got one of the last reservations for some little hatchback for $70 USD. I got to the lot and was chatting to the young guy working there, ended up talking about where I was from, he was interested in "The Six" and things like how popular the Raptors are and whatnot. As we were finishing up, someone came back and dropped off their rental car early. It was a brand new Mercedes E-class convertible. He asked if I wanted to switch to that and he'd give it to me for the regular upgrade price and not the "premium luxury car" price. I said why not it's a bucket list item to drive along the Pacific Ocean with the top down. He runs out, scrubs the car down, cleans the inside, and hands me the keys. I ended up driving a $120,000 car for $158. I just can't remember many situations like that in Canada in where someone goes above and beyond (not that I blame them). The same car also probably would've cost me at least $400 to rent in Toronto.

Not exactly the same experience, but at YYZ once I did get a nice unexpected upgrade..booked a midsize and they insisted I take the X3 instead. On the other hand, worst rental car experiences I've had were at Newark and LAX, where they tried to shove a downgrade (booked SUV but they offered compact wtf) down my throat without cutting the price.

What I don't like is how rental car companies now think giving you a Tesla is a big upgrade. In reality it's not and especially for longer business trips I'd rather take the gas car.

[SignalHillHiker]

My email signature has little logos linking to my employers' social media accounts. I removed the Twitter one ages ago - and am pushing for us to just get off of it altogether. It's already nearing the point where it's embarrassing for a reputable agency to have an account there.

Tesla seems to be the same, with bumper stickers saying the owner bought it before, you know, all that

[Kilgore Trout]

I lived full-time in Hong Kong for 10 years and came back to Montreal specifically, not Canada. In fact I think I'd rather leave Canada than move somewhere else in the ROC.

Still, there was an adjustment. I came back specifically for that urban Montreal lifestyle of being able to live in a comfortable medium-density environment where everything you need is within walking distance and it's a pleasure to walk and cycle around. The last point is crucial because Hong Kong is very dense but it can be very unpleasant, not because of the density but because its urban design is often very hostile to pedestrians.

I was also looking forward to the cultural life. Hong Kong has improved a lot in this regard but Montreal is a place where you have an enormous amount of culture — live music, film festivals, art events — and most of it is affordable and accessible. The idea of having access to literally thousands of free outdoor concerts every summer is unthinkable in most cities around the world.

So I came back to Montreal for these kinds of things and it hasn't let me down. It's way more expensive now than it used to be, which is unfortunate, but so far that hasn't killed the vibe.

But there are lots of things that annoy me. Like other Canadian cities, Montreal is very relaxed in terms of the work environment, which is nice for work/life balance but frustrating if you're self-employed and actually want to get things done (and get paid). Socially, it's a bit more closed-off, and it's hard to meet people outside your particular bubble and even harder to actually become friends with them. I think that's true for every Canadian city, not just Montreal.

Maybe the biggest thing is something other people in this thread have mentioned: what happens when you leave the city. I don't like absolutely needing to drive if I want to enjoy some nature that isn't Mount Royal. I hate that, as somebody else in the thread mentioned, that most small towns in Canada are basically just tiny versions of Mississauga. And I hate that there is no high speed rail in North America. I would go to Toronto way more often if there was a faster and more reliable way to get there – driving is awful and Via is five hours and kind of expensive unless you book really early, and there's always the risk of massive delays. And flying is a drag and always too expensive.

Maybe the biggest thing is the overall lack of ambition. I don't think there's anywhere in Canada where you feel like you're living in a consequential place. And that translates to a "just good enough but no better" mentality that leads to a lot of things being shittier than they ought to be.

Also, practically speaking, don't ignore how awful Canadian health care has become. I think it's the same in every province. Yes, you won't have to pay out of pocket for anything important (although Quebec and many places now have a two-tier system with a shocking amount of private services), but you also won't have a family doctor. Specialist treatment is great but preventative care is basically non-existent.

[Truenorth00]

^ Very interesting observations between Hong Kong and Montreal. That really is a unique perspective.

I'll second your point on small towns in Canada. I used to think small towns suck. I've seen many during my military career. Then I went to Oberammergau for a NATO Course. I went there without a car. Got there in an era before smartphones, Google Maps and fare cards by train. And regularly walked to class. Had a blast. That town has ~5k people. Forget small towns. I can't think of a single urban neighborhood in Canada with that many people that was as fun and charming as that small town.

Our small towns have zero identity. They are all full of pickups, people who drive pickups, and people who hang out with people who drive pickups, in the parking lot of the Tim's. And whenever I spend time in a small town in Canada, it makes me sad. So much potential wasted. These places should be filled with our best food and hospitality. Instead, it's Comfort Inn and Boston Pizza if you're lucky.

[p_xavier]

Originally Posted by Truenorth00

^ Very interesting observations between Hong Kong and Montreal. That really is a unique perspective.

I'll second your point on small towns in Canada. I used to think small towns suck. I've seen many during my military career. Then I went to Oberammergau for a NATO Course. I went there without a car. Got there in an era before smartphones, Google Maps and fare cards by train. And regularly walked to class. Had a blast. That town has ~5k people. Forget small towns. I can't think of a single urban neighborhood in Canada with that many people that was as fun and charming as that small town.

Our small towns have zero identity. They are all full of pickups, people who drive pickups, and people who hang out with people who drive pickups, in the parking lot of the Tim's. And whenever I spend time in a small town in Canada, it makes me sad. So much potential wasted. These places should be filled with our best food and hospitality. Instead, it's Comfort Inn and Boston Pizza if you're lucky.

My small town is amazing. Culture comes from hundreds of years of people's isolation. That's why the Canadian model to a post-national state will kill Canada.

[Truenorth00]

Originally Posted by p_xavier

My small town is amazing. Culture comes from hundreds of years of people's isolation. That's why the Canadian model to a post-national state will kill Canada.

X for doubt. Unless you want to name the place. There's plenty of people who think their small town is special. But that's because they know everybody in town and are high enough on the pecking order to get one of the nice parking spots in the Tim's parking lot. Good for them. But not something that really strikes me as culturally unique or special....

Also, gotta love the whinging about "the post-national state" from the country where massive (usually foreign) chains absolutely dominate, and especially in small towns, and where those chains are substantially reliant on foreign workers to stay alive. The irony.

[Wigs]

Québec towns seem to be more urban, more intact and offer better amenities per capita than most of Canada. But they are also older than most of Canada.

That being said I like the cultural diversity of Ontario. Everywhere Ontario West to BC is becoming highly diverse, actually. I wish we could import the best ideas from Québec from Montréal down to the smaller towns, without the terrible ideas and xenophobia like turban/hijab bans. I do understand trying to protect the French language however.

[p_xavier]

Originally Posted by Truenorth00

X for doubt. Unless you want to name the place. There's plenty of people who think their small town is special. But that's because they know everybody in town and are high enough on the pecking order to get one of the nice parking spots in the Tim's parking lot. Good for them. But not something that really strikes me as culturally unique or special....

Also, gotta love the whinging about "the post-national state" from the country where massive (usually foreign) chains absolutely dominate, and especially in small towns, and where those chains are substantially reliant on foreign workers to stay alive. The irony.

North Glengarry. Nothing culturallly unique but that's the point, better be monocultural. No need to lock my doors. Same religion. Same customs. Geez I missed it so much.

[Acajack]

Originally Posted by Wigs

Québec towns seem to be more urban, more intact and offer better amenities per capita than most of Canada. But they are also older than most of Canada.

That being said I like the cultural diversity of Ontario. Everywhere Ontario West to BC is becoming highly diverse, actually. I wish we could import the best ideas from Québec from Montréal down to the smaller towns, without the terrible ideas and xenophobia like turban/hijab bans. I do understand trying to protect the French language however.

Montreal is still way more diverse than anywhere in Ontario except the GTA and about the same as Ottawa and Hamilton. Even Gatineau is as or more diverse than most other Ontario cities.

[thewave46]

Originally Posted by Truenorth00

Our small towns have zero identity. They are all full of pickups, people who drive pickups, and people who hang out with people who drive pickups, in the parking lot of the Tim's. And whenever I spend time in a small town in Canada, it makes me sad. So much potential wasted. These places should be filled with our best food and hospitality. Instead, it's Comfort Inn and Boston Pizza if you're lucky.

Is that not culture and identity, though? It may not be your cup of tea, but it's culture to someone.

I've lived in some small towns. I - more a city person - didn't necessarily fit in with the pickup truck/snowmobile/hunting/camping/hockey/Tim's crowd, but it was a culture.

Culture isn't necessarily ultra-local whimsy to the exclusion of all other things. Yeah, it can be hick in a pejorative sense, but I recall someone who entertained a bunch of Aussies who thought a snowmobile was about the craziest device invented. Or that small-town festivals - even if redneck in scope - kind of did have their charms.

[p_xavier]

Originally Posted by Acajack

Montreal is still way more diverse than anywhere in Ontario except the GTA and about the same as Ottawa and Hamilton. Even Gatineau is as or more diverse than most other Ontario cities.

But Montreal doesn't accept accept anyone who applies. Hence their diversity is more strength.

[Truenorth00]

Originally Posted by p_xavier

North Glengarry. Nothing culturallly unique but that's the point, better be monocultural. No need to lock my doors. Same religion. Same customs. Geez I missed it so much.

There's plenty of towns in Canada where you can avoid darker skin tones. North Glengarry is not uniquely "monocultural" in that regard.

Man, when you said you were in a town with centuries of isolation, I was expecting something really off the beaten path. But you're in a generic place, off the 417, with the same mix of chains as every small town in Canada. Giant Tiger. McDonald's. Tim's. And Dairy Queen. You guys didn't even get the Boston Pizza. Embrun did. Failing, even as a "monoculture".

Also, at least be more creative with your affirmation of xenophobia. "Monoculture" sounds like something from a chain restaurant's HR training guide. You gotta have more positive spin. Tell people you enjoy a community that is uniformly melanin deficient.