So...I am 19, a college student trying to get my B.A., and I'm seriously considering moving to Canada after I graduate. America right now is imploding on itself under the weight of hate, greed, inequality, and people who should genuinely not be allowed to pass on their genetics. Now I probably won't move up there for another 4-5 years at least if all goes well, so laws and ease of immigration may change a little bit, but there are some things that I would appreciate learning about Canada firsthand from Canadians. First...Marijuana laws. I know it's illegal unless it's medicinal, and from what I've been reading, cops are fairly chill about it. But what happens if a cop does decide to write you a possession ticket? How large is the fine for less than an oz.? Is there anything you can do to erase it from your record (i.e. classes, community service, etc.)? I wouldn't have anything to do with growing or selling, so I'm not worried about those laws. Second...How is the use of marijuana perceived by the general public? Like if (hypothetically) a picture of me ripping a pipe showed up on someone's FaceBook page and my boss or a coworker somehow saw it, would it be career suicide like it is here in the states? Third...Cost of living vs. Living in comfort. I'll have my B.A., and I'll be working in a field where I should make some pretty decent money. But does it take a ton of money to live in a decent house, toke some bomb, drive a decent car, etc., etc...basically to live comfortably without going in debt? I appreciate your responses. Anything helps.
From my experience with chillling in the public, people usually just ask politely to do our business somewhere else. Obliging to their request won't get you any heat from anyone. For maintaining a "good citizen" image, I suggest you don't show any signs of suspicious activity. Image is a main factor to get jobs anyways. So be nice to neighbors, friends, workers, etc. Living in comfort pays off if you have a decent amount of money with you already. The same applies for the cost. Although if you plan on living near Vancouver, British Columbia, the economy will be significantly in debt due to the recent Winter Olympics. About the police, well I've never been near one to give advice. Hope I kind of helped.
I thought about this same route, but don't get your hopes up. I think its actually funny how everyone tries to flee to Canada... First you have to apply for citizen ship. Its not easy either. You will get questioned about everything from your views on gay marriage to how you dress. Secondly living expenses are high as fuck. 2-3 bedroom houses can sell for 700k+ It goes way back to the 70's and how people started buying property for investment ect,ect. You could possibly rent a basement living quarters for a decent price, but that doesnt mean that the house owner will put up with smoking/growing. And basically a living quarter is when someone takes their basement and puts a kitchen/living area in it and rents it out. Apartments and condos are extremely high priced. Alot of things are. Vancouver is in the top 10 most desired places to live after all. People who attend college in CA or have science related jobs seem to get citizenship easier. Anyways, dont think its as easy as just moving your shit there. If it was im sure alot more people would do it. And I did tens of hours worth of reading, to move there just isn't really plausible. Canada is picky about who gets in. edit: and for how the natives view cannabis, It is definatly more friendly up there. But dont be ignorant and think its weed central. Many neighborhoods issue grow watches, and even though cannabis is more accepted by society up there, keep it to yourself as most people do and be sensible. Treat it the same as you do here, be respectful. I have family in canada, I will be attending college in VC. But with the cost of living being high, I doubt I could live there. Renting a house (not just a basement) would be expensive as fuck. Buying one wouldn't happen without serious cash.. In summary, its without a doubt a nice place, but moving there, esp. because our country is going down the shitter isn't easy or cheap. If its MJ laws that really worry you more then anything, move to a medical state.
thinking people who have different beliefs or values shouldnt reproduce isnt cool. i realize you arent serious but still
yes it may be cold...but suck it up buy yourself a jacket (not to be rude lol) but yes some people are deadly strict over it some people dont give a shit one bit but dont take that for granted. i dont know the charge for under a oz but when i started smoking and shit my dad hammered on me to never carry weight over a oz. cops are sometimes chill (like most) but most of the time they dicks so dont take that for granted ethier . canada has EXTREMELY FRIENDLY PEOPLE everyone is super chill if you live up in the bush like BC and go dirtbiking and shit everyone says hey and whats up and shit. but like the other people said you cant just jump on a plane and go to canada you have to do tests and shit i wanted to move to the states but just wasnt gonna happen to much work.
I''m not talking about people with different beliefs or values. I'm one of the most liberal people you'll ever meet. I'm talking about the 90 lb. meth-head and the 490 lb. woman with diabetes having 15 kids and living off of welfare in the back woods of Alabama because he can't pass a drug test to get a job and she can't fit out the door of her bedroom. Because those people pass on their genetics, the gene pool of the world gets more diluted by the day. It's no longer survival of the fittest. Ever seen the movie Idiocracy? It's a true story. And thanks to everybody else. Big help.
I've been saying that since Idiocracy came out... we're heading in that direction - Mike Judge is a prophet!
Dude, if your able to, move the fuck out of here before you're required to pay tons of money on health care and hold a national ID card in order to get work.
If you just plan on moving here for whatnot it's fine, but if you want to call this your home and in the future have kids you should get involved with the government/community. The way things (atleast in British Columbia) are going is they are cutting back money from places that need it such as schools and using that to pay for a giant debt. As with many places the politics make you want to scream. During the election they had people talk on the radio about who they were voting for and one old lady said "I'm voting for Jack Layton because he's old, like me." but whatever haha
$70 ticket man and it dosent even go on your record. Its the same thing as a parking ticket. So dont even worry about it + it RARELY if ever happens. I doubt anyone would care. The majority of the population supports legalization. You'd prolly get in as much shit as if you had pictures of yourself stupid drunk. So not much? But Ive never really had a serious job like that.. Marijuana is pretty open, everyone pretty much does/ has done it. Depends where you are. Toronto has the highest home prices in the country, Vancouver a close second. In my experience its pretty affordable. Esp if you have a B.A and a descent job. Condos downtown go for 300K+. Houses in the city are pretty expensive, but the prices get cheaper the further away from downtown. OBV theres differences btw cities, im just speaking for T.O on the affordability thing. For some reason in the states people think the weather here is fucking like Alaska or something? Really not man. Toronto gets like the same if not warmer weather than Chicago/ Upstate New York. Vancouver gets the same stuff as Seattle. The temp dosent just drop 20 degrees when you cross the border LOL.
I'm Canadian. I love it, I would live in no other country except for possibly the Netherlands or England ( impossible to immigrate to, Ive checked ). Younger Canadians (19-30) tend to be more excepting of marijuanna, but dont push the envelope. I would never put photos of myself on facebook smoking a bong or smoking at all, just looks bad to those who are more conservative. I keep my toking on a personal and close friend basis. Police aren't as chill as you think.. if your pulled over, and they smell weed you will get in shit, I don't know exactly how much shit, could be a simple ticket for possession or they could slap you with trafficking if you have a scale. I would love to live in BC, but the costs are just way to high. I live in Ontario ( 20 minutes east of Toronto ) and living costs are not insane. Middle class houses ( 4-5 bedroom, 3-4 bathroom, etc for 250-350k ) If your serious about immigrating here, just know that our views on MJ aren't that different from the US, the police still in-force the law, and living costs can be outrageous if your set on moving to BC. Good luck