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What's so great about living in Canada? (For fun!)


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Tim Horton's on. Every. Corner.

 

As to health care, it's great if you already have a doctor. Not so great if you are a newcomer. No doctor means trips to the er for random illness. The doctors where we were had wait list years long and to go to a pediatrician you have to have a rec from a doctor!

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Tim Horton's on. Every. Corner.

 

As to health care, it's great if you already have a doctor. Not so great if you are a newcomer. No doctor means trips to the er for random illness. The doctors where we were had wait list years long and to go to a pediatrician you have to have a rec from a doctor!

 

We have walk-in clinics that anyone can go to so no ER visits for simple things. I haven't heard that finding a doctor is hard in our area although my doctor is hard to get into for regular appointments because he only works half the week! I think he's enjoying the Okanagan lifestyle a little too much.

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Some of Canada sounds lovely...other parts not so much. lol I do love mountains though. Sure do miss seeing them all the time.

 

Ok so seriously...curling is actually popular there? I kind of thought that was a joke! I might be the most UN-popular person if I moved there. :tongue_smilie:

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We have walk-in clinics that anyone can go to so no ER visits for simple things. I haven't heard that finding a doctor is hard in our area although my doctor is hard to get into for regular appointments because he only works half the week! I think he's enjoying the Okanagan lifestyle a little too much.

 

We were in a small town. Only one walk in clinic and apparently it was a tad bit shady. Even the hospital was a little sad. Seems like that finally upgraded it to keeping medical records online when we left!

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We're in the Okanagan valley. It really is lovely. Huge lakes, beautiful beaches, mountains are close by with fantastic skiing. The weather is fantastic - long, hot summers, a beautiful fall, relatively mild winter but we still get snow (we live on a small lake that the kids skate on in the winter). It doesn't rain all the time (like Vancouver). I've lived in three provinces and overseas and the Okanagan is my favourite place. I hope we never have to move.

 

Yup, I live there too. Great place to live. A picture's worth a thousand words.

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We're in the Okanagan valley. It really is lovely. Huge lakes, beautiful beaches, mountains are close by with fantastic skiing. The weather is fantastic - long, hot summers, a beautiful fall, relatively mild winter but we still get snow (we live on a small lake that the kids skate on in the winter). It doesn't rain all the time (like Vancouver). I've lived in three provinces and overseas and the Okanagan is my favorite place. I hope we never have to move.

 

Yup, I live there too. Great place to live. A picture's worth a thousand words.

 

I have some family and friends that live in that area and a brother in Abbotsford so I get to visit a fair amount. It is by far my favorite area in western Canada. Actually it's probably my favorite place in all of western North America.

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We're in the Okanagan valley. It really is lovely. Huge lakes, beautiful beaches, mountains are close by with fantastic skiing. The weather is fantastic - long, hot summers, a beautiful fall, relatively mild winter but we still get snow (we live on a small lake that the kids skate on in the winter). It doesn't rain all the time (like Vancouver). I've lived in three provinces and overseas and the Okanagan is my favourite place. I hope we never have to move.

 

I always thought you were on this coast for some reason.:001_huh:

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Wow this thread is moving quickly! I grew up in Kingston Ontario (Eastern Ontario) and I can still not see how the way I say 'out' sounds like 'oat'.

 

I love Ottawa as we live on the outskirts and get to enjoy a large yard (at least by today's standards) but are an easy bus ride away from the Parliament Buildings, many museums, and skating on the canal. There are many biking and walking trail through green space and we really don't have a lot of crime to worry about.

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I always thought you were on this coast for some reason.:001_huh:

 

Nope. Although we visit there often. We lived in the Lower Mainland for a couple of years when we were first married but I didn't like it - it rains *way* too much and there's no snow. And the summers aren't hot enough. Ick.

 

Plus the housing market stinks. I can't imagine shelling out a million dollars for a 1970's split-level in Burnaby: http://www.realtor.ca/propertyDetails.aspx?propertyId=12414080&PidKey=1768813449

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What? No one mentioned malt vinegar on the fries?

 

That's because MALT vinegar is NASTY. Nasty. Gross.

 

You use distilled WHITE vinegar on the fries. Can even get it in little packets like the ketchup packets at McD's, etc.

 

Malt vinegar is a U.S. (and maybe British?) thing. Gross. Do not ever make the mistake of ordering vinegar for your fries in the U.S.

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Wow this thread is moving quickly! I grew up in Kingston Ontario (Eastern Ontario) and I can still not see how the way I say 'out' sounds like 'oat'.

 

I love Ottawa as we live on the outskirts and get to enjoy a large yard (at least by today's standards) but are an easy bus ride away from the Parliament Buildings, many museums, and skating on the canal. There are many biking and walking trail through green space and we really don't have a lot of crime to worry about.

 

I lived in Belleville! Trips to Kingston helped me stay sane!!

 

 

What? No one mentioned malt vinegar on the fries?

YUM! My favorite! Thanks for reminding me to pick up some vinegar at the store!!

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That's because MALT vinegar is NASTY. Nasty. Gross.

 

You use distilled WHITE vinegar on the fries. Can even get it in little packets like the ketchup packets at McD's, etc.

 

Malt vinegar is a U.S. (and maybe British?) thing. Gross. Do not ever make the mistake of ordering vinegar for your fries in the U.S.

 

Uh, the only time i've seen malt vinegar on the table at a restaurant is in Canada! I've never seen it in the States.

 

And as for malt vinegar being British, well... I think most Canadians know a bit about GB. ;)

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Uh, the only time i've seen malt vinegar on the table at a restaurant is in Canada! I've never seen it in the States.

 

And as for malt vinegar being British, well... I think most Canadians know a bit about GB. ;)

 

Interesting. I've only ever seen it in the states (where I live now) and I grew up in Canada. :001_smile: Maybe you were in the east...that's not really Canada. LOL Just kidding!

 

Seriously though. Go to McDonald's, order fries, and ask for Vinegar. You will get the little packets but it will contain White vinegar with the golden arches logo on it, but only in Canada. I stock up whenever I'm there to carry in my purse for when we eat out in the U.S. :tongue_smilie:

 

People here (U.S.) have tried to KILL me by serving Fish & Chips with malt vinegar. Attempted homicide, I tell ya!! :lol: Honestly, I did not even know there was such a thing a Malt Vinegar until I moved here.

 

ETA: Salt & Vinegar chips. Canadian. Looooong before they could ever be purchased in the U.S. Flavor: White Vinegar and salt. Not malt vinegar and salt.

Edited by fraidycat
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They have a restaurant near me that just opened up. They only serve poutine.

 

You can get tons of extra toppings besides gravy and cheese. I know the vegetarian one comes with peas and mushrooms.

 

Ohhh, where do you get the vegetarian one? I've wanted to try poutine, but I don't like meat.

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Wow this thread is moving quickly! I grew up in Kingston Ontario (Eastern Ontario) and I can still not see how the way I say 'out' sounds like 'oat'.

 

I love Ottawa as we live on the outskirts and get to enjoy a large yard (at least by today's standards) but are an easy bus ride away from the Parliament Buildings, many museums, and skating on the canal. There are many biking and walking trail through green space and we really don't have a lot of crime to worry about.

 

This is where I would live given a choice.

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Ohhh, where do you get the vegetarian one? I've wanted to try poutine, but I don't like meat.

 

 

Regular poutine doesn't have meat. :confused: It is just fries, cheese curds and gravy.

 

Anything that is not just fries, cheese curds and gravy is NOT poutine.

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Wow, all this is really interesting. I'd never heard of poutine, and I'd never heard of pierogie either so that's two new foods in one day. I might acquire a passable amount of general knowledge if I hang around here long enough...

 

SOTW 3 was actually the first time I ever learned anything about Canadian history, but I reckon you could study it for several hours, easy ;) We also learned lots about Canada from our Canadian friends in the Culture Swap. I know about 300% more now (which isn't saying much because my whole idea before was "It's cold, they make maple syrup, and it's less scary than the US" And my 7yo asked me whether they have planes in Canada).

 

I'd love to go there one day if we ever had the money.

Edited by Hotdrink
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Perogies/pierogies (diff spellings, depending on where you are) aren't Canadian though. They're Ukrainian.

 

 

 

No, but verenke is (okay, technically Mennonite-Canadian)! And, that's like a perogie, only bigger, and round and no potato, but plenty of cottage cheese and when you eat it, you also have to have farmer sausage with it, and THAT is totally Canadian.

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We're considering moving back in March/April (hoping to avoid the first 6 months of winter ;)).

 

You guys are NOT really selling it.

 

Uh, the only time i've seen malt vinegar on the table at a restaurant is in Canada! I've never seen it in the States.

 

And as for malt vinegar being British, well... I think most Canadians know a bit about GB. ;)

 

Don't you have any pubs where ou live? Or even decent burger joints? They ALL have malt vinegar.

 

Regular poutine doesn't have meat. :confused: It is just fries, cheese curds and gravy.

 

Anything that is not just fries, cheese curds and gravy is NOT poutine.

 

Is THAT what it is? I'm IN! Somehow I pictured it like a gumbo. :glare:

 

Canadians are CANNIBALS?!

 

Again, you guys aren't too convincing. I home your tourism folks apply themselves more. Also, your bacon sucks.

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I love Ottawa as we live on the outskirts and get to enjoy a large yard (at least by today's standards) but are an easy bus ride away from the Parliament Buildings, many museums, and skating on the canal. There are many biking and walking trail through green space and we really don't have a lot of crime to worry about.

This is where I would live given a choice.

There's a shadow side, though -- a lot of boredom, apathy, and social conformity. (Ottawa was ranked #8 on MSN's worst dressed cities in the world, not without reason.) And I'm not sure if it's just a reaction against this, or something in the water supply, but there are also a lot of talented and intelligent people who are very, very strange. Sometimes creatively; other times, just clinically. And if you're creative and strange in a place like that, you'll probably end up moving far away. Ottawa exports oddballs by the pallet load. Everything from Tom Green, to scientific boffins, to this guy who seems to have reached high echelons of fame simply by acting like a chimpanzee at sporting events. :lol:

 

Tom Cruise lived in Ottawa for a while. And now look at him. ;)

 

Sorry, Imp, but the National Capital Region takes the weird banner. They might be all Stepford on the surface, but half of them are secretly channeling Martians through their specially designed mesh underwear.

Edited by Eleanor
fixed quote... oh, who am I trying to kid; the Martians made me do it
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Most gravy is made from meat.

Well, that is true in a global, slow-food sense. But due to extremely cold weather causing near-extinction of livestock, the Canadian delicacy known as "chip wagon gravy" is often more hastily prepared from such fine vegetarian ingredients as:

 

modified cornstarch

salt

wheat flour

dehydrated vegetables (tomato, onion, garlic)

hydrolyzed soy, corn & wheat protein

dextrose

modified palm oil

Torula Yeast

Caramel Colour

glucose solids

spice & herbs (including red pepper)

Corn Maltodextrin

soy flour

xanthan gum

citric acid

Disodium Inosinate & Guanylate

modified milk ingredient

yeast extract

potassium phosphate

monoglycerides

Flavour

calcium silicate

silicon dioxide

TBHQ

 

 

That is, unless you're in Mennonite country. I've heard that their poutine is only made with real farmer gravy.

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