Canadian Boomdiada

Miss Teeth

2011-07-17T23:09:00.000-04:00

The most current photo of my buddy, Tilda-who will be 6 months old tomorrow.

Tilda

2011-04-14T09:23:00.000-04:00

The new addition to our family, Tilda, a Portuguese Water Dog, was born on January 18th and we adopted her eight weeks later. Here we are sitting outside our friends Tom and Emilio's Gelato/Ice Cream store, Sweet Creamery on Parliament St. in Cabbagetown, Toronto.

Immigration Blog Interview

2010-02-14T20:04:00.005-05:00

I invite you to read my interview at Zhu's blog, "Correr es mi Destino." An endless amount of additional good reading is to be found there. Cheers, and Happy Valentine's Day!

Capilano Suspension Bridge, North Vancouver, BC

2010-02-10T22:30:00.003-05:00

Here are several random shots of our trek to North Vancouver to walk the Capilano suspension bridge.

We had two wonderfully sunny days during our trip to Vancouver. The weather during our visit to North Van was a bit more typical - light rain.

What a great picture of my Eric, eh?

The very tourist-y park side of the suspension bridge has a tree top walk. If you are thinking Ewok village on the forest moon of Endor-you get the idea. As always, click on this or any other picture for a larger more detailed view.

The Capilano suspension bridge experience is a complete tourist trap. It's very expensive but rather enjoyable. Free rain ponchos provided if desired. Please return when exiting the park. Thank you.

Trees.

Coal Harbour, Vancouver, BC

2010-02-03T00:50:00.003-05:00

Looking East-ish out over Coal Harbour from Stanley Park.

Vancouver is a highly walkable city. There is a public walk along the water around almost the entire downtown peninsula including Stanley Park.

This view is looking West toward Coal Harbour and Stanley Park from Canada Place. Canada Place was closed-blocked off from the public because of the Olympic games.

Moving west along the Burrard Inlet shore of the city toward Coal Harbour.

Eric and the Marina at Coal Harbour.

One of the many water features outside the buildings in Vancouver.

Nice place to live, eh?

Stanley Park, Vancouver, BC

2010-01-31T20:07:00.003-05:00

More pictures of my first morning in Vancouver, BC. My coffee in-hand, I strolled up the False Creek/English Bay Beach toward Stanley Park at approximately 7:30ish A.M. There's a public walk all the way around the downtown/Stanley Park/Coal Harbour Peninsula including a couple of beaches and a public pool.

The infamous Seawall was built almost completely around the peninsula completely accessable to the public for walking, jogging, biking, blading, etc.

I had an absolutely amazing first morning. I began my walk along English Bay at, I believe, Thurlow St., and continued my journey to complete about a quarter of the Seawall along Stanley Park.

I then cut up a flight of stone steps and cut diagonally back to the Lost Lagoon along two of the paths in the urban Forest known as Stanley Park. I couldn't get a decent picture, but just about at the spot of the picture above, there were two Bald Eagles in a dead tree above me.

On the way to Lost Lagoon and then down Georgia St. back to the Fairmont to meet up with Eric-post his business meeting. We visited another part of Stanley Park together later in the week.

English Bay, Vancouver, BC

2010-01-31T01:12:00.003-05:00

7:30 A.M., English Bay, Vancouver, BC

I exchanged perhaps thirty "Good Mornings" in absolutely no time. As a cynical New York born it became almost too much...the smile on my face, I mean. Those out and about (say it like a Canadian, you know you want to!) doing their morning exercise were exceptionally friendly. It was a great first morning in Vancouver!

Couldn't help but love the full grown tree planted atop this building. The architecture in Vancouver is extremely diverse.

Architectural, artistic and natural beauty are everywhere!

The edge of Stanley Park.

Vancouver, BC

2010-01-29T00:04:00.002-05:00

Coal Harbour and Downtown Vancouver

Vancouver Holiday!

2010-01-04T22:32:00.007-05:00

Eric and I are off to Vancouver for a five day, mid-January holiday! Woo Hoo!

How Could I Not Post This?

2009-10-21T12:47:00.006-04:00

Philip, on Marriage Equality and what the U.S.A. stands for...

Don't you just want to jump through the screen, shake his hand and thank him?

Click HERE for an Monsters and Critics article on Philip.

Holiday Cheer!

2009-10-11T00:54:00.003-04:00

Something amusing I found on the Wiki regarding Santa Claus and the mail he receives via the Canadian Postal Service. Anyone else think it's awesome?

Santa Claus
In 1974, staff at Canada Post's Montreal office were noticing a considerable amount of letters addressed to Santa Claus coming into the postal system, and those letters were being treated as undeliverable. Since those employees did not want the writers, mostly young children, to be disappointed at the lack of response, they started answering the letters themselves. The amount of mail sent to Santa Claus increased every Christmas, up to the point that Canada Post decided to start an official Santa Claus letter-response program in 1983. Approximately one million letters come in to Santa Claus each Christmas, including from outside of Canada, and all of them are answered, in the same languages in which they are written. Canada Post introduced a special address for mail to Santa Claus, complete with its own postal code:

SANTA CLAUS
NORTH POLE H0H 0H0
CANADA

In French, Santa's name translates as "Father Christmas", addressed as:

PÈRE NOËL
PÔLE NORD H0H 0H0
CANADA

H0H 0H0 was chosen for this special seasonal use as it reads as "Ho ho ho".

As the H0- prefix would normally signify a rural area in Montreal, this portion of the postal code allocation is otherwise relatively empty. H0M, assigned to the Akwesane
Indian reserve, is the only other H0- postal code in active use.

DADT

2009-09-10T23:54:00.004-04:00

Posting YouTube videos isn't normally my thing. The piece below was particularly entertaining and thought provoking.

Labour Day in Muskoka

2009-09-10T23:23:00.007-04:00

Howdy all, it's been a while. Perhaps I've had nothing to say. Perhaps I've been distracted. Labour day came and went. Eric and I spent the long weekend in the Muskoka region of Ontario. Our friend Jeff hosted us and several others at his family's home on the Muskoka River near Bracebridge. 'Twas very relaxing-much like Redwood country north of San Francisco or the Sierras near Tahoe.

If the river looks crisp and refreshing to swim in-it was. Most of our time was spent on the dock and in the river...or sitting around the fire pit enjoying good conversation and the heat and light from the blaze.

Muskoka River, Bracebridge

Toronto Islands-Post City Worker Strike

2009-08-07T21:20:00.011-04:00

Gratuitous Ferry-Leaving-Dock Shot
Now that the strike is over we can again hop onto the Island ferries and visit what one could describe as Toronto's Golden Gate or Central Park...the Toronto Islands. They are beautiful and, seemingly, no matter how large the hoards of people get that visit them, the islands are serene and relaxing. And we haven't been able to visit them for, I believe about forty days, because of the city worker union strike. Summer isn't all that long here in Ontario and I am certain many of us are glad to again have the ability to enjoy one of the city's most wonderful places while the warm seasonal temperatures remain. I know I am. Our plan, like many of the other folk-an afternoon picnic and pleasant several kilometer walk with friends. We all look a bit surly in the photos. Not quite sure how I managed to digitally capture such consistently negative facial expressions, but I was assured by one of the gang-the lad directly below-that we all did, indeed, have a good time.

One might imagine that I suggested to all they look as unhappy as possible for the photos. Not the case...

...we're about to eat. We should be smiling, right?

I've been told it's all about the bird. It's there-click on the pic.

Ah, the many ubiquitous angles from which one can photograph the city of Toronto.

My promise to myself; take no pictures of Toronto next time. Here I was standing on the shore near the ferry dock on Ward's Island. I turned around and, in contrast to the city, there lie one of the very cozy, very "New England-esque," "Cottage Communities" of the T.O. islands.

I had never been...so a couple of us took a stroll.

Some "cottages" were shacks while others were grand homes. A bit too nestled together for my taste considering the hundreds of tourists walking amongst them on the concrete paths used for streets. Except for public services, no cars allowed on the islands. In my opinion, the least tranquil place on the islands.

A bike-wheelchair kind-of-thing.

A view from one of the cottages. And, below, a different kind of view of two of my buddies. They had a good time and are smiling-I assure you.

One last note. I know that Blogger is "free," but photo uploading is the worst. Considering they use Picassa Web Albums or whateveritiscalled, shouldn't it be a bit more user friendly? I'm just sayin'.

U.S. Health Care Reform

2009-07-23T21:17:00.015-04:00

O.K. So there is quite the talk south of the Canadian border regarding Health Care Reform. Leaning toward Socialism like I do, I fully support the idealistic dream that would start with the creation of universal ~comprehensive~ health care with a single payer system. Many false apologies to those of you who believe that there is a place for the many private health insurers in the U.S. I do not. As long as there is a profit motive cost reduction will not occur. No citizen of the U.S. should be without health care. None. Not the poor, or the unemployed, or the families of the unemployed. No one.

On the other side of the pond, England's NHS covers all residents and visitors also receive several (free) services. Why do I mention England? Simply because the U.S. GDP in 2008 was over 14 Trillion. The GDP of England? Not even two and a half Trillion (give or take a buck or pound). With a population of roughly 61 million, the NHS covers all its residents and provides several health care services to visitors (tourists) for free. Not so the U.S. system. No free coverage for visitors and upwards of 45 million of its own residents without coverage. Of the remainder, how many are underinsured?

Now let's look across our northern border. Canada's population? Approximately 34 million. Canada's GDP? 1.5 trillion. The Provincial Health care plans that make up the Canadian system cover all citizens, permanent residents and temporary foreign workers (certain conditions apply).

Let's compare the U.S. and Canada for a moment. 303 and 34 million people respectively with nominal GDPs at over 14 Trillion and approximately 1.5 Trillion (U.S bucks). And yet, all Canadians are covered AND health statistics and outcomes for Canadians as a population are better than those of the U.S. ...Oh, yeah, Canadians are paying per capita roughly half of what the U.S. is paying; $3173. vs. $6096. Eric and I can attest to the U.S. figure (your milage may vary). As part of a spread sheet comparison of health plans offered by his previous employer, we determined our yearly monetary health care spending. Premiums, deductibles, co-pays, costs for lab tests and prescriptions (did I leave anything out?) amounted to roughly the U.S. average. All rather baseline stuff. Nothing exceptional. I have had employer provided health care like most in the U.S. I have also been an independent contractor and had to provide and purchase my own individual health care policy. I have been lucky to be covered under my partner's employer provided health care plan. In the states I had to concern myself with pre-existing condition exclusions, health care coverage gaps, and each time I changed insurance providers I had to learn the new rules; what was covered, excluded, the limits, etc. I even had the indignity of having to pay taxes on my health care benefits as if they were income. For that, thank you to the U.S. Federal Government.

Much of what is told the U.S. population about the Canadian system is myth. The debunking of such misinformation can be found in articles on my "links" resources page under health care. As with much of life, they are all a little bit true. And the deeper one investigates the more, dare I say it, understandable these myths become and the less frightening they are.

I write this post in response to a current T.V. ad that is being aired in the U.S. One where a Canadian woman speaks rather poorly of her home country's health care system. She is pissing a lot of people off up here. For you see, Canadian medical tourism to the U.S. is one of those myths. Does it happen? Sure - which makes it a little bit true. But it is rare-which is one of the reasons she, the one in the T.V. ad, has no other Canadian company in her criticism. Out of 34 million people she is the exception, not the rule-and that is being generous. She was covered under the Canadian system and would have received treatment. No one - no doctor or bureaucrat denied her treatment because that never would have happened. The system here doesn't allow it. She *chose* not to wait and to pay out-of-pocket for treatment. There are quite a few folks up here asking for more details regarding her situation. People do, indeed, wait for treatment up here but only if the situation is not critical. Medical concerns requiring immediate attention are moved to the front of the queue. She may be one that fell through the cracks of an imperfect system. If that is the case I don't begrudge her opinion. If that is the case, should she be the example given of the Canadian health care system? I think not. The jury is still out.

Watching the health care circus south of the border makes my head spin for several reasons. Firstly, that in the U.S. the population still sees the current health care system as superior despite the fact that the numbers and outcomes do not support that conclusion. That society and businesses will greatly benefit if a universal single payer system is adopted in the U.S. but that it will not happen because of one lone exception that is being paid to shout out on U.S. television. That health care bankruptcies will continue to occur, that people will continue to worry over health care and have to compare and forecast the cost and benefits of company health care plans hoping to make the correct decision. How many more insurance forms and questionnaires will have to be sweated over and completed...?

Good questions all because, you see, I had to fill out no forms or compare plans living here in Canada. I have the same coverage as the CEO next door to me and the homeless person on the street corner. I have a private doctor and I pay less for my drug prescription (same name brand drug) than I would in the states without a drug plan (yes there are, and I have a, supplemental health plan(s) that include drugs). During the time I've lived here I have received more than adequate health care from both primary and a urgent care doctors and so have several of my Canadian and U.S. expat friends-among them situations including health maintenance, emergency care, cancer, and several on-going physical and mental treatments. I have confidence in the system here and I like that all I need do is hand my "Health" card over to be treated. I am not asked to fill out a form, I am not asked to update my insurance, I am not asked about payment. There are no deductibles or co-pays. No doctor will ever deny me treatment-and the provincial gov't assumes that if we decide I need a procedure it will be paid for. I could go on...

Canadians like to bitch about it, but as mentioned in one of the articles on my "links" page, they wouldn't give it up for anything. And the rules here are the same for everyone. Health care details are the same for everyone-doctors, patients, institutions and governments. This makes it really easy to bitch about specific health care treatment and delivery problems with pin-point accuracy. Those concerns affect us all so everyone has an interest. And that interest becomes loudly apparent. For Canadians, the issue isn't health care coverage but how to maximize its delivery and control costs. How many different insurance companies, plans, rules are there to navigate and manage in the U.S.? And one can play the U.S. health care game by the rules and still be denied a pay out for a treatment. Health care insurers in the U.S. clearly have an incentive to find ways to limit how much they pay for treatment. Not so much in regard to protect their subscribers, but to maximize shareholder returns on investment.

Point is, Universal Single payer health care is not all that scary folks. The benefits definitely outweigh the risks. Once U.S. moxie is part of the Universal Single Payer Health Care formula, what is there to fear?

New Zoo Review - Toronto!

2009-07-14T11:44:00.006-04:00

Sunday was our day to explore the Toronto Zoo. I am not the biggest fan of caging animals but an afternoon out in the sun touring a zoo's grounds and exhibits is rather pleasant. The T.O. zoo is huge and the grounds are very forest-like. We didn't stop to think that the Zoo on Sunday would be overwhelmingly crowded. It was.

Our time on the service road traveling north to the parking lot was over an hour. Accessing the parking lot by traveling Southbound from the North would be our unanimous suggestion. The Northbound traffic from the South, the way we came, was jammed while in the opposite direction it was almost non-existent.

Our buddy, John.

A candid shot of Eric.

Walking under the waterfall.

...which makes an obvious back drop and photo opp.

Sleepy kitty.

Feeding the Hippo.

Sleepy kitty #2.

It was a nice relaxing afternoon followed later by pizza delivery and board game playing at John's place. ...I won. :-)

Candian Health Care System

2009-06-30T22:09:00.007-04:00

Here is a re-posting of an informative opinion piece written by a Canadian living in the U.S.A. who is familiar with both countries health care systems. Thanks to L-girl for recently posting this interesting and educational article on her blog, "We Move to Canada." I thought it an excellent addition to the three articles by Sara Robinson that I have listed on my "Websites/Links" post-the link to which you can find on the right side bar under, "Immigration." One can find them on that page under, " Canadian Health Care."

While the article is written without depth, it is no simpler than the black and white fear based lies that are constantly reported to the U.S. population. It does, however, contain an honest picture of the health care system north of the border. Taken as a whole, the information in all four health care articles listed on my resource page ring true based on my current experience with the Canadian system.

One aspect which I have not yet seen compared is the relaxed ease of use the Canadian population, at least here in Toronto, experience when accessing medical treatment. Patients do not concern themselves with payment and front-line medical workers are overwhelmingly pleasant and friendly. Follow-up calls are not rushed or frustrating and the staff on the other end of the phone are genuinely helpful. These are the interactions my partner and I have had.

Neither system is perfect, but the "facts" regarding Canadian health care being reported to the U.S. population are, for the most part and at best, stilted and misleading. While the Obama administration is attempting to overhaul and improve the U.S. system, (it) they are doing so without solid conviction, allowing the spread of fear that is based on a significant amount of nonsense.

Debunking Canadian Health Care Myths -DenverPost.com

Toronto Islands

2009-06-15T22:16:00.010-04:00

Eric, our friend Dan and I took one of the harbour ferries to the Toronto Islands on Sunday. We weren't expecting to be so impressed with the experience. The park and the islands were incredibly green and clean. As always, click on a pic for a larger more detailed viewing.

There are several different beaches-all a bit different from one another. While there seemed to be an overwhelming number of people spending their day on the islands-just like us, the overall atmosphere was pleasant and serene. The park was very clean with one exception-the beach. We stopped and sat for a long moment on Hanlan's Point Beach-which is officially clothing optional.

Gibralter Beach.

Unfortunately, the sand at Hanlan's Beach was the dirtiest part of the park. I am not a fan of smoking, and, unfortunately there were cigarette butts and the like in the sand. Disgraceful. Butts should be viewed as littering as anything else. And fines handed out. The beach was still quite lovely, despite the nasty smokers and their discarded garbage. No pictures of Hanlan's because almost all around me were nude. Above is Gibralter Beach.

Near Centennial Pier

Central Plaza (not sure what it's really called)

Central Plaza again.

Near ferry terminal on Centre Island.

Walking bridge from Centre to Olympic Island.

Views of T.O. from Olympic Island.

We left the Islands incredibly impressed with Toronto. The Islands are an amazing resource. A treasure of a destination-an easy place to spend the day. There seemed to be a nook or cranny, a comfortable spot for everyone-serene and pleasant. Historically and recently there has been talk of building a bridge or tunnel from mainland T.O. to the Islands. Big mistake. I hope they never do it. Keep them just out of reach. Make the park just that more special by having to take a "ride" to get there. I look forward to returning in the near future.

Victoria Day Weekend Hike

2009-05-19T11:58:00.010-04:00

Canadian immersion 101. Victoria Day. What's that? A day to celebrate Queen Victoria's birthday and a three day weekend in Canada to unofficially mark the beginning of Summer. Eric and I decided to explore Tommy Thompson Park, a.k.a. the Leslie Street Spit, located in the city of Toronto.

The Leslie Street Spit.

It's an iconic Canadian moment, smack dab in the biggest city in Canada. Eric and I are fairly used to seeing the lowest portion of trees protected from beavers with a wrapping of metal mesh. This was, I believe my first beaver lodge. I admit to not expecting to see one within city limits. Silly me, eh?

There is the tiniest, pathetic utilitarian type light house at the end of the peninsula. I am sure it does the job. But it is clearly unloved. A sad sight for someone who lived in New England like myself, and has witnessed firsthand the adoration and worship of the lighthouses in that region.

The Spit is on the right in this picture. Eric and I hiked to the lighthouse and back. We haven't yet been to the Toronto Islands which can be seen on the lower left in this image.

U.S. Expat Registration

2009-04-21T11:50:00.007-04:00

Registering with the local U.S. consulate is a task every expatriate should do. I have been thinking and forgetting to do so for months now. It came to mind last night and I made a point to pull up the U.S. State Dept. website and complete their information request on behalf of myself and my partner, Eric. Visit the website if you haven't. There are several legitimate reasons to shout out to your government where beyond the U.S. border you are traveling or residing and for what duration.

All of this had me thinking about the protections granted the citizens of Rome when traveling. Apparently one needed only to announce that they were a Roman citizen when traveling to guarantee their own safety. No one dare cause a citizen of the Empire (Republic?) harm least a legion of Roman soldiers arrive to raze the hamlet or teach proper respect to the offending kingdom. Or so the story goes.

While not expecting an army sent to defend me or inflict punitive damages on those who dare to offend, the consulate is indeed there to help with unexpected and possibly serious concerns. They have even listed on the website the most commonly presented expat life challenges recognized as their usual day at the office.

So if you are an expat and haven't yet introduced yourself to your local consulate, consider doing so. Once you have completed the original series of information requests, there will be a box at the bottom which reads "add a foreign address" or something like that. If you are living outside the U.S. this would be the place to state where and for how long. One person can do this for all fellow travelers and/or relatives residing with them. Detailed passport information will be required.

Relationship status information is done by way of pull-down boxes. They need to be updated as four states now allow same-gender marriage. While the U.S. federal government may not, as yet, recognize such marriages, I invite anyone concerned, straight or gay, to use the "comment" sections provided to question the state department's lack of comprehensive relationship categories.

http://travel.state.gov/travel/tips/registration/registration_1186.html

Saturday at Niagara Falls

2009-04-19T23:09:00.008-04:00

A wonderful Saturday at Niagara Falls, Ontario with our friends, Tom and Emilio. Like a dolt, I, having had thought of our camera the entire morning before our drive south to the falls, completely forgot to bring it. Thanks to Tom and Emilio for allowing me to publish the photos they shot with us. I wouldn't want anyone to miss out on the experience, be it vicarious or not.

We all had a great time. It was the first time to the falls for Eric and myself. Shocking, I know. I have to say I had built it up in my head. I was expecting so much more. The falls were impressive. So much water...

...but the atmosphere was very, very cheesy. Cheez Mosai, actually - as my friend, Roger would say. I felt like I was in Las Vegas again. And I thought there would be more to it than an afternoon. Alas, there was not.

So glad we went. We had a wonderful afternoon with our friends, Emilio and Tom.

We all shared an incredibly expensive lunch, a great walk and view of the falls from several vantage points...

...a great cup of gelato at a local shop, and, of course, many laughs.

Obviously a good afternoon, eh?

It is difficult to believe that there is quite a bit more water they could allow to fall. So much of it is diverted away from the falls to create electricity at the hydro plant.

Imagine if it was ALL allowed to rush over the falls as in times past?

No Meat - Two Month Update

2009-04-17T22:11:00.005-04:00

Give or take a day or two, it is two months since I officially and notoriously stopped eating meat. I had two "setbacks" during the first couple of weeks where I ate fish at home that I had already purchased and didn't want to waste. There was another moment involving fish at a dining experience at the restaurant Scaramouche here in Toronto. One of Eric's co-workers treated us to a meal there. We had checked the on-line sample menu and had been satisfied there would be one or two vegetarian options to choose from. There either wasn't one available that night or it wasn't appetizing. I can't even remember. Either way we weren't going to make a fuss and insult our host. We both chose fish dishes. Other than these exceptions I haven't eaten any flesh in two months.

Cooking has been a challenge. There is a learning curve. Thankfully my knowledge on the subject was not zero. I didn't begin this endeavour clueless. In High School I devoured (no pun intended) a book entitled, "Diet for a Small Planet" by Francis Moore Lappé which my mother had bought, read and placed on one of our bookshelves. I even bought and read it again later in my life. I currently don't have a copy but for anyone interested, it's a very comprehensively written book on vegetarian living in regard to health, environment and animal cruelty. Since that time I've read several other books, done a bit of research on my own and spent a significant amount of time over the years eating (and watching them cook) with several vegetarians friends. However helpful all that prior exposure has been, actually cooking vegetarian for oneself (and one's partner) regularly, on a daily basis is another matter completely. I don't know where I am on that learning curve, but my confidence level is high.

How am I doing? Who knows. I feel great. Before my dietary change I had to remind myself to eat. Really. I knew I had to eat because I would get quiet or cranky, usually at two or three in the afternoon. I am much more enthusiastic about food now. And I look at food differently. I am constantly considering what nutrition a food item will add to a meal I am preparing. And I eat until I am full. Many small meals. Whenever. And I am very slowly losing a bit of weight. I had weird hunger pangs a couple of times the first month that I attribute to adjusting to a much lighter diet. They screamed, "EAT" and I felt them throughout my entire body. At the time I was eating a lot, too. I don't seem so ravenous any longer. My digestion seems to be normal again. Before I deleted meat from my diet I used to have "low blood sugar" moments on a daily basis. I still have similar moments but not as often and the lack of focus that typically accompanied them is gone. My partner no longer has to take my hand and lead me to food. Or remind me to eat. Oh, and I smell different. Sweeter perhaps. And I am more "regular" and the consistency has changed for the better. I have to laugh because I know you probably didn't need to read that. Consider it the drama of the changes I've noticed. Ha. I am also lifting weights regularly and doing a bit of cardio. My weight is slowly going down and my fat as percentage of body weight is also lowering slightly. More work needed to be done there but it's a start.

I truly believe that vegetarian eating could be unhealthy. Thought has to be used to avoid certain pitfalls. Processed food is one, reliance on dairy is another. I am very careful not to load up on dairy, especially cheese. As mentioned in a previous post, I am not a milk drinker. Yuck. I do like yogurt but don't go near the industrial kind found in most grocery stores. There is a wonderful Greek yogurt my sister-in-law introduced me to that is very good and well made but (un)fortunately for me one can not purchase it (yet?) in Canada. I am trying very hard to choose foods low in simple sugars. I am very conscious about how much extra fat such as oil and butter I add to meals during preparation. When "necessary" I use Canola or Extra virgin, cold pressed, organic, unfiltered olive oil. I think I've used four tablespoons of butter in two months. Current dietary wisdom is stating that protein combining isn't necessary, but I still try to cook a bean and grain together when possible. And/or a pulse such as lentils. I am very aware of the colors of my vegetables and try to eat a variety every day (vegetables and colors). There are other guidelines but you get the idea.

I used to whine when my partner mentioned food shopping. I hated it. I love going now because I am excited about the food. Needless to say I don't shop very often at the local supermarket. It's all about organic, real, and (whenever available) locally produced food. Toronto has at least one food co-op, the Big Carrot, which is located on Danforth Ave. We also have a Whole Foods Market. Neither in my neighborhood, unfortunately. As an aside, I decided one of my life goals is to one day be able to shop in WFM without being concerned about offensively high prices. Great products but they don't call it "whole paycheck" for nothing. Ours is located in Bloor-Yorkville, go figure. I still find I can selectively shop there without emptying my wallet. Toronto also has a chain store called Noah's in various locations. I am not sure if I am more offended by the prices at Noahs or the patrons who actually pay them. The one in my neighborhood has lousy produce and is small. And expensive. There should be no doubts - I reject Noahs. My excursions for food are fun because I am much more aware of what is available now. And I make it a point to regularly learn to cook something I don't normally. An example would be beets. Not difficult. So I am trying and adding new foods to our diet.

And I think this needs to be stated. Designing, preparing and cooking is not difficult or time intensive with a bit of thought beforehand. I think most people would be amazed. The internet is of great help when deciding what to make and how. Recipes are ubiquitous and, for the most part, free. If you are interested, check out Vegetarian Times, Epicurious, Food Network, and Cooking light, among others. Choose a food stuff you want to eat or learn to cook and do a search on one of these sites until you find an agreeable recipe. And then cook...or go to the market and cook it the next day. You will be amazed at the awesome meals you can create.

One downside is eating out. It's not as difficult as some make it seem but it also takes some thought beforehand. Locally, here in Toronto, I am slowly learning where to go or, at least, what to look for. Even in Las Vegas, where Eric and I just stayed for seven days, we were able to find very satisfying eateries amongst all the fast food and burger joints. Most of the higher end cafes and casino restaurants have vegetarian options, it's just that one doesn't necessarily want to spend that type of money for every meal. We found a couple of buffets that were absolutely loaded with vegetarian food. The only real concern would be that the food was higher in fat content than that I would have made at home. But doesn't everyone have this problem on a vacation? Don't we all come home a bit heavier after a holiday? If I ever go Vegan I don't know what I'll do for food outside the home...but I have no serious concerns currently.

So what food choices are we making? And why? Who taught us to eat the way we do (or did) and how did they come to eat that way? Who makes these decisions? You? Your parents? The food companies? Lobbyists? What factors went into your food decision(s)? Or has there really been any thought at all outside of what taste good? Hmmmm. I am learning (more) about food. I am learning more about the consequences of my food decisions on me, animals and the environment. I am not being forced. I do not feel deprived. I am eating a more varied diet than I had been. My diet and my exercise routine are reinforcing each other in a positive way. And I feel good. I can't say I miss eating meat. I don't. But Eric and I did order pizza last week and admit I was craving pepperoni...greasy and crispy on the edges from being cooked (come on, you know)...the moment passed and was (almost) forgotten. The Vegetarian pizza we ate was delicious.

More Red Rock Canyon

2009-04-15T14:52:00.008-04:00

Here are some more pictures of Red Rock Canyon. The details and scale are much more impressive when viewed on larger size pictures so choose the one you like and make a worthy click on it. Unfortunately Eric was still hard at work at his conference when I took my excursion and did not accompany me.

Boomdiada!

In these shots, just above and below, the Gorn was waiting to get me around one of the rocks. Clearly I was too quick for him and lived to see another day. Too busy surviving, I forgot to take his picture. Many apologies.

Travel: Las Vegas

2009-04-14T15:36:00.005-04:00

Eric and I spent a week in Las Vegas, Nevada. I had the pleasure of making the entire seven days a holiday. Eric had a work conference for all but an extended weekend - we tacked on a couple of extra days so Eric could enjoy himself a bit. We did as most do; gambled and casino crawled. We saw a show. We walked around aimlessly. I had quite a bit of time without Eric. I spent one afternoon at Red Rock Canyon where there is a thirteen mile loop drive with several scenic view parking stops. Not too exciting but something other than gambling to do.

Red Rock Canyon, Las Vegas NV

We didn't stay on the strip. The conference was being held at the Red Rock Resort and Spa which is on the very far Western edge of town, about twenty five minutes from Las Vegas Blvd. and all the glitz and to-do. We rented a car which I got most use of. The weather was rather chilly. I should have brought a light jacket or a hoodie. My bad. Though the resort had a very nice pool it wasn't much use. Despite some good sun there was too much wind and chill.

We hit many of the casinos including: Bellagio, Caesar's Palace, The Winn, Luxor, several others the names of which I can't remember. Several again which were smaller and less impressive. Gambling isn't my or Eric's thing, but we did enough of that. We both won some money. And lost some money. The good news is we managed not to spend a good portion of money which was otherwise destined to be gambled away. More money for our upcoming San Francisco/Bay Area trip, I suppose.

Eric's sister and brother flew in from San Francisco to join us for a couple days after Eric's conference was over. They roomed on the strip. We all had a good time.

A week in Vegas is too long. Three full days is good. Even four might be pushing the limit. Some casinos are better than others. I decided I prefer those that are set back off of the street. Those that are flush with the sidewalk seemed older, dirtier, tighter. The fountains at the Bellagio were a highlight. "Singing in the Rain" played over the speakers during a short sprinkle. The fountain show is impressive. I also enjoyed "The Fremont Street Experience" - two street blocks covered overhead with an LCD screen. Replete with casinos such as The Golden Nugget, shops and restaurants, Fremont St. is in the old Vegas downtown and is almost more enjoyable than the strip. Vegas has a monorail which the four of us took to the Stratosphere, an observation tower at the North end of the strip complete with "amusement" rides over a thousand feet in the air. While Eric and his siblings chose to be frightened to death by being catapulted and hung over the city, I opted out of the insanity. Unfortunately I was denied "Star Trek: The Experience." Apparently the attraction closed at the Hilton and is soon to reopen somewhere near Fremont St. Bummer. My inner geek is so disappointed. :-(

I think that about covers it all. I didn't take many pictures and will post the best ones when I have a moment. We're both looking forward to the trip to San Francisco in May. Ten days to hang with friends and family in The Bay Area. I can't wait!

Travelling

2009-04-02T22:59:00.004-04:00

...or traveling. Either way I am very excited because I am going to be visiting both Las Vegas and The Bay Area/San Francisco in the near future. Eric has conferences in both cities (Vegas and San Jose, actually) - one in April, the other in May. Thanks to frequent flyer miles and other fortuitous circumstances, the costs associated with my accompanying him will be minimal. Vegas will be a typical vacation for me. I'll be able to sit by a pool read, drink, gamble (a little-I am not a big gambler), see a show...you know, the usual. And as all who read this blog know, Eric and I met and lived for many years in San Francisco, where we both have family and friends - so there will be no lack of familiarity, fun, frolic, re-connecting and activities. My Eric has conference work to do in both cities. We've made sure there is extra time for his enjoyment after his obligations are completed.

...oh, and Eric was recently promoted. Three cheers!

Anyway, it's all very exciting. We very much like our lives here in Toronto but can't help missing the San Francisco Bay area and our family and friends that live there. Something to look forward to!

Vegetarianism, Routine, Control and Semblence of Positive Direction

2009-03-12T21:12:00.013-04:00

I decided to stop eating meat three weeks ago. It's not the first time I've drastically altered my diet in this direction. I went vegan cold turkey in the late eighties - no meat or dairy; nutritionally speaking - no animal anything. To make a long story shorter, that attempt went well except that I didn't know at the time that my coffee intake would affect me as it did. My body reacted dramatically to the amount of coffee that I was drinking on a daily basis to the point that I went to the doctor to determine why I felt the way I did. You see, I didn't know it was the coffee. In truth, I thought I had a neurological disease. The doctor couldn't determine anything but soon thereafter I had a conversation with a waitress friend regarding her boyfriend, caffeine and the splitting headache he had for three days after he quit coffee cold turkey. Apparently after the three day migraine all the other symptoms ended including shaking and nausea. Interestingly for me, those "other symptoms" were exactly what I was experiencing on a daily basis and I decided to quit coffee on the spot. I had a headache for only one day and then felt better than I had in, like, forever. Yippee; problem solved. Except that I had stopped my vegan dietary experiment just prior to ending my intake of coffee/caffeine because I thought that my nervous shaking and sour stomach was caused by lack of animal protein. Silly me; I never resumed the new diet. Between then and now I have on two separate occasions half heartedly attempted to delete meat from my diet. Both incidences were short term limited successes. During the last occasion I was working two jobs and was never really home to cook or even plan my diet correctly. So be it. My partner had a more lengthy achievement - his first time being vegetarian and he lasted several months. My lack of commitment was undoubtedly the reason he reverted to flesh eating ways.

Flash forward. My partner and I live in a new city, in a new country. I am unemployed. And my lack of a solid routine became too much to bear. I spend hours daily job hunting. That is good. On some level I believe I am making progress despite still not being employed. But one must purposely leave the house routinely or become insane. I don't know how my cat does it. I have always been a rather active, almost physically manic person. My social energy is also quite generous. To release these pent up energies I joined a gym. I go three days a week and, believe me, those days are glorious. The alternate days can be rough. Attending the gym every day would ruin it because I find my fitness club of choice lacking. I will leave those details for a future posting. Going every day would also be like continuously being in the house and I would lose motivation. I am contemplating a return to swimming laps on those alternative days I don't work out at the gym. And meditation. And perhaps, yoga if and when I find employment. And volunteer work. It is all about meaningful daily structure and mental and physical balance of which the vegetarian thing has a part.

I have no issue with killing animals for nutrition. It's how nature works. What I do have an issue with is how we treat those animals beforehand. Animals are not products and should not be treated as such. There is something very attractive to me about making a dietary statement that is both better for me nutritionally and also spares unnecessary suffering. There are also legitimate environmental reasons to reduce or eliminate meat from one's diet. Again, I will spare anyone reading this those details. They are readily available on the internet, in books and magazines. I should also state for the record that I enjoy eating meat. It's yummy. I dread the day I am "assaulted" by the smell of grilling lamb chops. But, interestingly, I also find I don't miss eating meat either.

I am not eating vegan this time 'round. Not yet anyway. I am not a milk drinker and never have been. I use a bit of half and half in my coffee when it is purchased outside my home. Home brewed coffee is always dairy free. And I continue to eat eggs, though Eric and I have been purchasing free range, "organic" eggs for a very long time. And we don't eat all that many. We recently discarded half a carton because they had been in the refrigerator long past their expiration date. Cheese is a horse of a different colour. A whole 'nother megillah. I. Love. Good. Cheese. If life is too short to drink bad wine, it is also too short to eat processed, industrial, or commercial cheese. I'm just sayin'. Obviously this is my challenge if I am to eat properly and reduce my blood cholesterol and related levels through diet. Oh, yeah, I have excessively high cholesterol. It appears to be genetic.

I began the endeavor while Eric was travelling for work three weeks ago. I had already been eating this way for a week when he returned. He jumped on board the SS Vegetarian immediately and with enthusiasm. It's going really well. Back in the day I read several well known and highly regarded books on vegetarianism. This time around I am re-educating myself using the internet. Information and recipes are only a couple of key punches away which makes it all much less of a hassle. And enjoyable.

So far, so good. We both seem quite content.

RANT

2009-02-25T18:25:00.003-05:00

I was doing some research and I happened onto a city guide list generated by someone at TorontoLife. All good so far...except that many of the businesses on the list were closed, defunct. Many others had been purchased and re-named, err...branded. I do not know how old the guide is There was no posting date but it was on the current T.O. Life website. Much of it was useless. Perhaps they create a new one each year. I doubt it. And there is obviously no date or way to tell. USELESS. A magazine (on-line or off) should do better.

This is jut one example of how gunked up the internet seems to be. I may be visiting sites that I otherwise might not (definitely not in most cases...how useless IS n49.ca?) Have you ever tried to find a good review? Did you find one...and was it dated? And even when the info is dated, how relevant is that opinion from 2002 if the site hasn't been updated since then? Well, at least I know when it was written.

I have often thought that all information on the internet should be dated. It should be a law. I am sure when the results of search inquiries include such ancient useless information more site traffic is generated. Anything to possibly boost advertising revenue - I get it. It is all stored on a server somewhere out there. Probably not cost effective to have someone remove it. But at least if it were dated, I'd know more about that piece of news, opinion, review, etc.

And what's up with 2,000,000+ search results? Does anyone ever look beyond the first couple pages before they modify their search terms and try again? Sorting by date might help, eh?

Storming the Castle

2009-02-24T20:57:00.003-05:00

My job search continues. I have long been a member of three job/resume sites. I actively visit them every day despite having activated email alerts regarding possible job matches. I am also exploring the Canadian Job Bank site and Craigslist.com. The process is very time consuming and, in its own way, exhausting. It seems every couple of days or so I find a couple of new positions to apply for. Those days are good ones. I can only hope that an employment agency or company emails or calls me regarding a position they feel might be suitable.

I am also signed up with a recruitment agency. I don't hear from them often but every once and a while my phone rings and they check in with me. My partner tells me that a very knowledgeable contact of his, who worked in this field, states that recruiting firms drop like flies during recessions. I can believe it. At the very least I am impressed by the phone calls I am getting by "my" recruiter, even if she hasn't found an appropriate job for me.

Navigating through the job sites isn't rocket science or particularly original but it still has to be done. One has to work as many angles as possible. My creativity in the process seems to be growing. One can only look unsuccessfully (depending on how one chooses to perceive it) through job listings so long (not that long actually) before they start thinking about how to work it a different way. I am enjoying this part. I won't elaborate the details but the research angles are endless. One has to make it all as interesting as possible if not fun. I might as well learn something more than I know about the process. I've always had fun learning, so...

A largely depressing situation occurred with two resumes submitted, where, during the process I found that both companies required the candidate to be either a permanent resident or Canadian citizen. I am neither but do have a valid Canadian work permit. It's heartbreaking because the positions were ideal for my skill set and interests. Argh!

I've written previously about the notorious difficulty of finding first employment for new Canadian immigrants. Both Eric and I understood this when we made the decision to move here. This would be a great place to mention that I am not regretting that decision. Not. At. All. Canada is amazing and Toronto is a great city. The only piece that is missing is employment. Life is good. Challenges abound but they are those that opportunity created. I can't complain.

Perhaps this post has become "train of thought." Choo! Choo! Or a string of non-sequiturs. Or perhaps it's just ending that way. LOL ...But it is very stressful to not have active employment for an extended length of time. In the past I have watched friends and family physically and mentally break down during a lengthy bout of unemployment and its accompanying job search. For various reasons I have never had this experience. I have never had to work hard to gain employment. I have not suffered physically but definitely notice the mental effects. I joined a gym as a healthy outlet to my frustration. It's just a matter of time before I look to become a barista at Starbucks. I love coffee and it's an honest buck. Hopefully I don't need to be a permanent resident.

"Lights, camera, guest list...just do your best darling"

2009-02-17T14:45:00.007-05:00

Last week I took the opportunity presented to me by my sister-in-law to work as a production assistant on a two day corporate event her company was producing here in Toronto. The show was a "sales kick off" simultaneously broadcast by satellite between five cities: San Francisco, Chicago, New York, Toronto and Dublin. Lights, cameras, screens and a stage were all set up so company big wigs could interact in real-time with the sales people in all the cities. The Imperial Ball Room at the Fairmont Hotel was the site location in Toronto. Approximately two hundred people attended though much larger groups could be seen in several other cities. I worked alongside a dozen or so "techies" and was basically paid to be an extra two hands (and mind, as it turned out) for the on-site director.

The job met almost all of my expectations. I retrieved coffee and food for the director and some of the crew. I waited around and played on my iPhone. I stood on-stage and assisted with the sound and video check. I waited around some more - thank god for smart phones. I helped to acquire the internet connection needed for two laptops and a video conferencing unit being utilized to run the event. I even got to trouble-shoot those connections when they failed to meet the mandatory specifications.

I am glad for the computer/IT background knowledge I had. Thanks to very knowledgeable friends, a partner replete with IT background and my own moxie over the years, I have probably accumulated more than your average Joe's amount of computer knowledge. I can only say, "thank goodness." I was not clueless. At least I understood the basics needed to achieve the results. Despite clearly being the least qualified person for the task considering those around me, I managed to successfully communicate with several off-site IT experts and coordinate one very long conference call. All but one of the issues was resolved in the end. We had done all we could. Despite our lack of success on that one point, the situation ended in a strangely satisfying way.

It was not hard work. It was actually very easy money. I am not sure "crucial" is the correct word for a PA but there were obvious unexpected moments the director needed an extra set of hands. I had a good time despite the boredom of sitting around. The crew and site director were all very easy going and friendly. There were one or two moments of intensity but otherwise the show went smoothly. They all clearly know their jobs. And now I have a handle on what is going on - the flow and atmosphere. It was a good experience.

Update of Sorts

2009-02-06T23:51:00.003-05:00

Our lives in Toronto this February have been good. Work has taken Eric away and back for a couple of weeks now. I won't be seeing much of him until, I think, the second week in March. He returns on weekends which makes for rather lonely work weeks here on Oriole Parkway - just me and Caesar the cat. I can't really complain. He has a very stable job with a company that is doing well considering the world economic crisis. Every week I have a relative or friend in the states ask me how Canada is fairing. "Better than many countries," I say. While none have been personally affected, friends of mine here in T.O. have spoken of concerns regarding staff lay-offs at the companies were they work. The U.S. lost approximately 600,000. jobs this last January. Can anyone imagine the entire population of a city losing their jobs in a months time? How 'bout next month?

I continue to pursue employment. I am sure that like everyone else in my position I regularly visit several job/resume web sites. I receive updates on saved searches from those that provide them. I scour Craigslist job ads regularly. I have to admit I have never, ever worked this hard to find a job. I find the frustration building and manifesting into unfocused anger. It's interesting. So far. Nothing my partner has had to deal with but when I speak of it he becomes concerned. He does not generally know me as an angry person. To deal with this negative energy, this week I joined a gym. It feels good. I've become more my normal self.

My sister-in-law has hired me for two days this coming week. The company she works for does gigs all over North America and Europe. They have a show here in Toronto and I am to be a production assistant. She is wonderful to think of me. I am happy to accept.

The rest of the week I will continue my job search. I am going to try something different but I am not sure how that will manifest itself.

And I will keep going to the gym.

February 06, 2009

2009-02-06T15:51:00.003-05:00

A wonderful hand-made holiday decoration made by my friend, Steven.

Ah! Found Photos!

2009-01-16T14:06:00.007-05:00

Fortuitously found photos of my friends; John, and his husband, Steven - taken this last New Years 2009. It was wonderful hosting you guys here in Toronto. Eric and I look forward to our next visit with you both in New England.

Is it me, or are layout issues on Blogger universal? Is it solvable?

Belated Notes on the Holidays

2009-01-16T12:48:00.004-05:00

The holiday season wouldn't be complete without a visit to or from the family. This year I decided that a trip down to Long Island was needed. While we lived in San Francisco, Eric and I were both lucky enough to have family live nearby. This is something I am truly missing here in Toronto. Despite having no relatives here in T.O., we are now within driving distance of both my father, who lives on Long Island, NY, and my mother who lives in Pittsburgh, PA. A very exciting prospect not having to plan or jump on a plane to make a visit. Toronto, like San Francisco, is also a city family and friends seem to want to experience, so Eric and I have high guest room occupancy expectations. Indeed, we have already been hosts.

Now, one of the joys of living in California is that everyone you know wants to visit. Let me translate; guest rooms get a work out. California is beautiful and, compared to much of the country, the weather is gorgeous most of the year. With both my brother and his family and myself living in the bay area, I saw my parents visiting regularly from the east coast. Much of the time there was a extra bedroom for them in both San Francisco and Berkeley. It's good to have options, eh? In any case, because I saw them so much in California, I hadn't visited them in NY or PA in five or six years. My bad.

As I mentioned, the upside of moving to T.O. is that we are now within driving distance of both my parents as well as several good friends in New England. On that note, I decided a trip to my father's house on Long Island was long over due...so, Eric and I hopped in the car, made the drive and spent a couple of days over Christmas with my Dad.

It is approximately nine hours to drive to the island from T.O. The trip is several hours longer than flying to NY from San Francisco. I would still rather drive. Both have hassles but I think I'd still rather travel by car than fly. Crossing the border can be a trying with long queues and surly agents asking questions. I don't expect our car will ever be searched - but it could happen. And navigating through New York City and it's traffic is nothing short of a test of patience. Gods forbid one has to face holiday or rush hour traffic or a traffic accident. Any one or combination can add hours to your trip.

A nine hour road trip is easily manageable with two drivers. Our travels were uneventful despite holiday traffic in New York City. We spent three full days with my father who was a great host. Fortunately, my youngest brother, Christopher, was in town and we were also able to spend some time with him. I took his picture but the image was unfocused, probably because I shook the camera...so no pictures of Chris - this time.

The weather was great - seemingly warm and balmy compared to that of Toronto. It was still cold, though, and to get out of the house and show Eric, who had never been on L.I., something of the scenery, we all drove a short distance to one of the great beaches on the south shore - to Robert Moses State park. Time was limited, and, again, it was cold, so, aside from going out to dinner, this was the only excursion.

An enjoyable trip. We returned to Toronto just before New Years so we could host my friends from Providence, RI, John and his husband, Steven. I think they were the only ones taking pictures during their visit. So, again, no pictures. Alas. They are great friends and, in warmer weather, we'd find some mischief to get into, but, thankfully, we are also all quite content just sitting around in a (warm) room with each other just being. That we got plenty of - but when extra social stimulation beckoned, we did some bar hopping in the Church/Wellesley "gay village" here in T.O. as well as traipsing around the Royal Ontario Museum. Perhaps the highlight of their visit was bringing them to a New Year Party some Toronto friends of ours threw.

To come full-circle and wrap it all up, being able to jump in our car for a last minute weekend holiday to see friends and family in Boston, Providence, Pittsburgh, NYC, Long Island or wherever is a wonderful benefit to moving to Toronto. Eric and I are looking forward to some "easier" traveling to be with our loved ones.

Yawn

2009-01-06T10:55:00.011-05:00

A new year; a new look.

But, alas, the choices. Or lack thereof. Blogger doesn't seem to add new templates often - if not at all. And the formats of those same templates - the ones we have been choosing from, say, forever, often can't be modified as completely as one (I) would like. I whine. I know - it's free. As free as anything is in this world. But the lack of choice and personalization bores me. I've been to Wordpress. I've been to Live Journal. I am still looking. *yawn*

As I write this and indent specific words, the "i" icon doesn't seem to know when to properly highlight. It is highlighted now and I am not indenting my words. Interesting. I also made some changes in the elements. Simple ones regarding titles and wording. I didn't actively alter the pictures and yet they automatically got smaller when I saved my changes. Not happy. User friendly? I have to laugh. I even work on IE to mitigate the odd behavior often found when using alternative (and usually preferred) browsers. Alas...not the answer.

I know. Stop whining. OK, I'll try...

The new look isn't that great and I am not satisfied. I will take my victim mask off and learn how to create a more personalized blog. I will find a new blog host. And I will migrate and park my blog there and finally use the URL that I paid money for.

Apparently I have too much free time on my hands. But I knew this. And I've probably had too much coffee this morning. Again...I have to laugh.

*yawn*

Advice - Banking Issues #2

2008-12-21T12:13:00.014-05:00

Tip - Funds transfer from Canada to the U.S.

If you've moved to Canada as a Permanent Resident there is a good chance you are doing so debt free. If you have immigrated on a temporary work permit in relatively quick fashion like myself, you may still have U.S. debt. If so, that debt still needs to be paid off each month and you may find that you have an agreement with your U.S. creditors to do so only in U.S. funds and ONLY from an account in a U.S. bank. In other words, your U.S. creditor may not accept payment using your Canadian U.S. dollars checking account. And, as mentioned in a previous post, one might wish to keep their U.S. checking account open for just such a situation.

If need be, getting money into that U.S. account from Canada might prove frustrating. Money transfers between Canadian and U.S. banks take approximately 21 days and you'd better hope nothing goes screwy. You may not make your payment due date if it does.

We found Paypal to be a quicker, painless method for transferring money from our accounts in Canada to the U.S. Using Paypal can cut the transfer time from 21 days to as low as six or seven. The funds transfer from your Canadian account to Paypal takes approximately six days. It may be the same day to an additional couple of days to move your money from Paypal to the U.S. bank account. Paypal will do a conversion. When we checked the rate it was one penny higher than that published on the internet. Verify the bank and Paypal links by transferring an insignificant amount of money the first time.

Can You Hear Me Now?

2008-12-19T21:44:00.007-05:00

Eric and I haven't ever had a home land line phone in the time we've lived together. It's been nine or so years since I personally have had one. There was a point in 2000 or so when I had three voice mails to keep track of; home, office and cell phone. Doing so was exhausting and costly so I opted to ditch the one at home. Work voice mail was mandatory and incredibly important and if I wished, I could forward the work calls to my cell phone and its proprietary VM system. Doing so made everything seem right in the world. K.I.S.S. ...or as simple as possible. Since then I've only been wireless.

We moved to Toronto ON four and a half months ago and traded in our U.S. cell phones for Canadian ones. I suppose we could have kept our service from San Francisco but doing so would cost an arm and a leg. We'd also have missed the opportunity to pay an equally insane amount for mobile communications here in T.O. Ah, the joy of access fees, eh?

So, new cell phone in hand I very quickly realized the number assigned me had been very recently associated with a moving company. How incredibly fortunate for me to be receiving very random calls regarding my moving services. In short time those calls stopped coming, thank the gods. All became rather normal and routine except for the odd "wrong number." Until last week. There were about ten separate calls, some seemingly with no one on the other end of the line. The number on the caller ID kept changing but all the variants were of an excessive length and a couple of them started with a "9." Perhaps out-of-country? Would caller ID register if so? Except for several, "hello, hellos" no one would speak to me. The calls finally stopped. Annoying as they were, Rogers Wireless would be no help at all. The customer rep I spoke to stated that the system hadn't even registered those calls to my phone. What? 'Tis true.

Flash forward one week to tonight. I was unavailable to take any of the numerous calls that rang my phone for ten minutes straight. Whomever it was kept calling, letting the phone ring and then hanging up and repeating the process. They didn't even try to leave a voice mail. And the caller ID was blocked. Go figure. Eric finally answered for me. The caller wouldn't identify himself or why he wanted to speak to me, only mentioning that it was "personal." He also wouldn't leave Eric his number for my call-back. Go figure. End of phone call. I was able to answer the next time it rang...it was his girlfriend. She wouldn't identify herself either but mentioned that her boyfriend was under the impression that she was having an affair with someone at my end of the line.

Please feel free to clue-in at the sound of the beep. "beep"

I politely informed her that she and her boyfriend had reached the home of two gay guys and that I had no idea what was going on at her end of the line and that they shouldn't call my number again. I then hung up.

Rogers Wireless immediately got another phone call. The experience wasn't very amusing and I figured it should at least be documented. I had hoped they could do something on their end to determine who had called. Not that I wanted to know. I just wanted it documented on my account in case the situation escalated. No. Can. Do. Great. Go figure (x3)

So, I am done with that cell number. Both the Rogers rep and I agreed that number needed to be retired. I now have a new one. I asked for a number that has been out of circulation for a lengthy time. Hopefully my new number wasn't used in the recent past by a drug dealer or escort. Cross your fingers for me. Please. LOL

If I haven't yet called, sent a text, or otherwise informed you of my "new digits," please contact me so I can do so.

"Can you hear me now?"

Thursday Morning in Toronto

2008-12-18T11:52:00.021-05:00

My activities of late have centered around painting several rooms of our flat. To that end, I've been inside a lot and haven't taken use of the car during the day in a week or two. With my brush strokes finished for the time being, I decided to drive my partner to work and despite not really needing the car, to have use of it to distance myself from home.

Coffee...

...I love the stuff. I have to give a tip o' the toque (a shake of the fist?) to my former room mate and good friend John C., who, every morning for the year he lived with me, faithfully brewed a full pot o' joe. I am now as addicted as anyone, thankyouverymuch - though I do have to say the machine gets a good amount of rest since I discovered Tea, Earl Grey, hot. A future blog posting for sure...

So, this morning I drove my Eric to work and then headed to the Starbuck's on Laird in Leaside to read the Toronto Star and enjoy a cup of coffee and an apple fritter. I like this particular shop because there is a small parking lot. This means I don't have to feed the parking meter.

I arrived and parked. There was a car in the next space with its hood up. A woman was quenching her very needy vehicle's thirst for windshild wiper fluid - an activity I had recently done with my own. Have you ever driven with an insanely dirty windscreen? I remarked on my way into the coffee house how much more pleasant driving home for her would be and small talk ensued regarding my gas-electric hybrid SUV and, also, what has "lovingly" been described by my former auto mechanic as "idiot" lights -dashboard icons that illuminate after something breaks or fails on your car.

Anyway, she had very nice energy and I enjoyed the interaction. I also enjoyed the coffee and fritter that she spontaneously bought for me inside when we both reached the counter. How thoughtful. Moments later she said, "goodbye," left, and drove away. It could've happened anywhere at any time; I know. But it happened here in Toronto. And, since my partner and I moved to T.O. from California four and a half months ago, we have had many other similar interactions with random folk here in our new land. Is it all about (aboot?) a more polite, considerate Canadian culture? Hmmmmm.

Its Official!

2008-12-14T12:43:00.007-05:00

Canadian Newcomers/Immigrants 3.0! Eric's and my new official title passed on to us by Tom and Emilio of the blog Canadian Hope. They celebrate their first full year as residents of Canada. In doing so they shed their newcomer title, given to them presumably by Nick and Mason of the Life Without Borders blog who arrived before them. ...And we all owe our thanks to L-girl from We Move to Canada - our very own "Grandam" of U.S. to CA immigration. Incredibly generous, helpful people all.

Tom and Emilio anointed Eric and I last night while attending a holiday party. The event was apparently documented this morning. I can only say that I am truly honored to receive such a title from two really great guys.

As third (fourth?) generation in this line of immigration connection, we will continue the tradition of helping inform those who contact us regarding the nuances of Canadian immigration, meeting, greeting and welcoming, and generally using our experience to appropriately assist anyone with their immigration adventure.

Looking Toward the End of January

2008-12-12T08:35:00.007-05:00

Good Morning! And for those of you still waiting for your coffee machine to finish it's task - good morning. I sit, laptop definitively where it is designed to be, on the couch in the living room - and yes, my coffee mug is full and steaming, placed on a forest green marble coaster on the table before me. The cat is behind, perched over my shoulder on the back of said couch and I have CNN on the TV for background noise. I even lit up two of the darker corners of the room with candles. One, a square pillar, sits atop a bookcase. The other is a tea light inside a true alabaster votive holder aside a dark leather chair on a table. Their glow is very pleasant. Eric has gone to work and before he kissed me goodbye I learned that we are attending a Martini party on this fair Friday eve.

Last Saturday I went with two new friends to a rally for the Liberal/NDP coalition at Toronto's Nathan Phillip Square to see party leaders Jack Layton (NDP) and Stephan Dion (Liberals) speak. In a most ridiculous move, a decided not to bring or wear any gloves. Hello Dorothy, you are not in California any longer. I was uncomfortable but it didn't turn into a crisis. And despite the cold and the lack of gloves, the trip downtown was completely worth it. I enjoyed hearing the two Canadian politicians speak at the rally.

Attending the rally seemed a rare opportunity. It is technically possible to see a U.S. politician speak, though doing so usually means paying a tidy sum to receive an invitation to some event with limited space that an excessive number of the people desire. Attempt to attend such an event in San Francisco where said politicians only come to extract campaign money from the venture capitalists and Silicon Valley power players - those who have the connections to get and can afford the hefty price of a ticket. And I write only about Democrats. Republicans do not or rarely visit the S.F. bay area. Arguably the most liberal area of the U.S., there is very little money and few votes to be had for them. So they ignore it. But back to the rally...and my cold hands...

It's not every day that the sitting Canadian Prime Minister makes such egregious political mistakes while leading a minority government that the three opposing parties decide to shelve their differences, create a coalition and attempt to unseat said PM and his party from power. It was all very dramatic. Perhaps I should say it is all very dramatic because there has been no conclusion. Yet. In any case, there were rallies for the coalition in several cities across Canada and the three of us attended the one in Toronto.

Canada's Prime Minister, Stephen Harper, is a bully. His leadership is more Conservative than Canadian. He seems more interested in how his decisions further his Conservative party and not how they might benefit the Canadian people, it's culture and ultimately, the country. It is disturbing that increasing his Conservative party's power seems more important to Harper than what properly used political power can achieve - a more stable and prosperous nation. During the world economic crisis he is focusing on power politics and not properly managing the Canadian nation. Harper's answer to "strengthen" Canada's economy? He declared to take away the right of civil servants to strike for three years. He attacked pay equity laws. And, just as importantly, to end governmental political subsidies. All questionable responses to an economic crisis. What was he thinking? Even some conservatives wondered. What followed was a lack of confidence with him by all those in Parliament except his Conservatives. He managed to have Parliament suspended, or Prorogued - the only way to avoid losing on a vote of confidence and, ultimately his job and government mandate. Shrewd politics to be sure. But to what end? To successfully lead a minority government through cooperation with opposing parties? To confidently lead Canada through a world crisis? NO. Parliament will resume at the end of January, when, unless something changes drastically, one assumes the vote of confidence will be taken. He will surely lose and he understands this. So instead of addressing the nation with a plan and strategy to weather the economic storm, he concerns himself with filling 18 Senate seats with Conservatives. And while this is politically understandable, the timing is amazing. While I expect these partisan antics during the best of times, during an obvious crisis I insist in strong leadership benefiting the people. That is the elected job. What do Canadians get from Harper during a crisis? Politics before Country. It's truly shameful. Again, back to the rally...

I was astounded by the diversity of those who attended. I was with a true cross section of the population. Both Jack Layton and Stephan Dion spoke well. I have no doubt that they are taking advantage of a political opportunity. Who can blame them? But they also speak to the opportunity to focus again on the Canadian people, the country and the crisis at hand. They are proactively and aggressively acknowledging the current economic situation and the concerns of the people of Canada. This I find a stark contrast with the tepid response the Conservatives give when pressed. With the time he has left, Harper will continue to play partisan power politics at the expense of the world economic crisis and the true concerns of the Canadian people. This is why I continue to support unseating Harper and the Conservative minority government at the end of January.

Miss Thing

2008-11-20T12:55:00.004-05:00

Miss Thing is a post card and I believe she originally had been hung by my roommate and landlord on the door to the laundry room in our San Francisco flat. I adore her. I adore the absurdity of her. I spotted her when packing up to move across town and simply couldn't leave without her. Isn't she precious? Isn't she perfect? ...the shoes, the hat, the Capri Pants? Aren't clean towels wonderful! One has to wonder what her theme music would be. Could we expect a crescendo as she opens the door to the machine or when the fresh, fluffy, warm clean towel is placed up to hug her face? Would we then see a sparkle in her eyes? Or have we just accepted her continuous, never ending gleam of joy? Let us hope her satisfaction remains forever.

Miss Thing

Toronto Snow

2008-11-20T11:06:00.003-05:00

Apparently I've been neglecting my blogging duties. Many apologies. Where does the time go? Anyway...

...here are a couple of pictures of Toronto's first hard snow fall of the year. The first two were taken last night on the front step of the house just before bed at approximately 11:00pm. The second two were taken the next morning at about 7:45am. Beautiful, eh?

If one wants to experience snow in San Francisco, one drives to it. To that extent, I am still feeling quite the Californian. What is this white stuff outside my windows? I haven't driven to Lake Tahoe or Yosemite Valley!

Aside from that which I drove to at Tahoe and Yosemite, the only other snow I've dealt with in the last six years was a flash storm in Portland, Oregon.

I will undoubtedly have to get used to this again. Luckily we have been told that our drive is professionally plowed. At least that is one chore I don't have to acclimate to again. I hope. A plow has yet to be seen.

I am looking forward to learning how to cross country ski. Eric and I joined an outdoor activities/social club and I am hoping to connect to a group within willing to deal with a novice.

I wonder how much snowshoes cost?

Oriole Parkway, Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Advice - General #3

2008-11-16T23:12:00.009-05:00

In speaking with other immigrants I continue to glean very useful information and sometimes even expand on it. New friends of ours recently raved about their health care provider and health clinic. This thrills me because I have always relied on stellar reviews and referrals in choosing a doctor and dentist. I've relocated several times and my experience told me that my buddy's enthusiasm for his and his husband's general practitioner was such that I should collect the contact information and hope the doctor and clinic were accepting new patients.

In every new city I've moved to I've had to wait to become a patient of my future doctor. Not unexpectedly, the situation here in Toronto (as in the U.S.) is the same. Eric and I have a five to six month wait to become patients at our chosen health clinic. We are both healthy people so this situation is not problematic.

Now, for minor and immediate concerns there are walk-in clinics, urgent care centers and, gods forbid, the hospital emergency room. During our three month waiting period to use OHIP benefits we had the "opportunity" to experience both the clinic and UCC. All puns aside, these visits were relatively painless and pleasant and the medical attention received more than adequate. And the non-provincial health care plan out-of-pocket cost for a Toronto walk-in medical clinic visit was less than half the price of a comparable uninsured visit to a doctors office in The States. Word. ...I'm just sayin'.

So, say you are immigrating to Canada from U.S. And let's say you are moving to a province like Ontario that has a three month waiting period to use the benefits of the provincial health insurance plan. And let's say that you have an immediate need for or just want to proactively avoid any additional waiting time to establish a relationship with your own physician. If you have social connections in the area in which you will be living and those folks are comfortable referring you to their health clinic or family doctor, in order to reduce further wait time I highly recommend that you collect the pertinent information and sign up with the clinic as soon as possible. This could even mean before you leave The States. Your residential area is key because certain health clinics have catchment areas and to be treated or seen you must live within those boundaries.

A good family doctor is an important part of one's support system. For those U.S. to Canada immigrants with health concerns, families or children, the information and suggestions above may help to reduce anxiety and transition time.

Ottawa, Thanksgiving, Autumn Colours

2008-10-16T18:09:00.008-04:00

Eric was in Ottawa on a business trip for the last two or so weeks and we decided that his situation demanded that I join him for a long weekend holiday. Here are some pictures of the city of Ottawa, Ontario and Gatineau Park, Quebec.

Gatineau Park

Parliament Hill.

The Rideau Canal locks.

Parc de la Gatineau

Nuit Blanche

2008-10-05T14:42:00.019-04:00

"For one sleepless night, experience Toronto transformed by artists"
Last night Eric and I attended "Nuit Blanche", an all-night city-wide art party that "transforms" Toronto. We chose to stroll down Queen St. West on our way to a separate event called 'Chunk'. We missed all of the bigger art installations but experienced dozens of smaller open-gallery exhibits as well as hundreds of red bicycle safety lights installed throughout Trinity-Bellwoods Park. Unusual. The sidewalks were a mass of interested people and the night was full of energy. Our art walk ended at a bar called, "Beaver" to meet a couple of new friends and socialize at gathering called "Chunk." We finished our evening out with a late night feast at "Golden Griddle."

Nicely Said...

2008-09-25T17:31:00.003-04:00

Someone needed to say it aloud.

Advice - General #2

2008-09-24T17:25:00.020-04:00

Provincial Health Care Eligibility - If you are relocating to Canada, you, and possibly your family, will need to be covered by your provincial health insurance plan. In Ontario one must be issued a work permit valid for at least six months to be eligible for OHIP (Ontario Health Insurance Plan). The employer's intent to hire the main applicant must be for three years for an accompanying spouse and/or children to be eligible. Note the difference. The intent to hire can be stated easily in a job offer letter (signed on letterhead). An employer unfamiliar with hiring a non-Canadian may be hesitant to put such a statement in writing. You may reassure them that by doing so, they do not waive their future right to terminate a lousy employee. The advice here is that communicating all this beforehand avoids possible long delays re-writing or amending offer letters to include the appropriate statements or dates. You will need the original, signed offer letter when applying for OHIP at Service Ontario.

Health Care Benefits Waiting Period - Depending on the province, you may have a waiting period to use the health care insurance plan. In Ontario for example, the wait is three months beginning on the first day of your residence. To get an OHIP card and take advantage of the benefits you must apply with Service Ontario during that three month period. Apply earlier rather than later as it may take several weeks to receive the card(s).

Oh, and...

If you, like Eric and I, make the decision to risk not having any health insurance during the waiting period, please note that in case of an unexpected sniffle, there are walk-in health clinics where one can pay cash for services at very reasonable rates.

Legal Canadian Work Status for Families - Your spouse or children may also be eligible for Canadian work permits if yours is valid for six months or longer. Other restrictions apply but, if HRSDC has issued an LMO, chances are those requirements already are covered. Work permit applications are processed and issued at the appropriate Canadian Consulate or by Immigration at a border crossing. All can apply together initially on one application, or the family can wait and do so individually after landing. As the main applicant, your work permit will be tied to a specific employer. Your spouse (common law partner) and children may apply for an "open" permit that will allow them to work anywhere.

In our case...

Eric's employer applied for a three year LMO. HRSDC issued the LMO for two years stating that the job market was too uncertain for a longer period. We applied for our work permits with Canadian Immigration at the Queenston/Lewiston Bridge at the border crossing near Niagara Falls, NY. Eric's work permit was issued for two years. I obtained an "open" work permit as his "common law" partner. In regard to provincial health insurance, we both qualified; Eric based on the length of his work permit and I based on his employer's intent to hire him for three or more years. As mentioned above, the intent was stated on the original, signed job offer letter (on letterhead) which we submitted to Service Ontario along with our residential lease (as proof of residency) and my own two year work permit.

Leaves Turning Already?

2008-09-24T12:01:00.003-04:00

In Eglinton Park, just up the street from the house

With barely a hint of autumn in the air and a lovely chill in the morning, I have to admit I was not prepared to see the leaves on trees turn color this early in the season.

More Kensington Market

2008-09-18T22:05:00.008-04:00

A continuation of my post on our walk through the Kensington Market area of Toronto. You can find the first post (with pictures) here.

Oh, how can one ignore the vivid colors of Kensington Market...?

...Green Culture Festival, anyone? Bueller? Bueller? Anyone?

My second thought was to look for a massive number of parking tickets. None.

A bush grows atop the car. Does anyone mow the grass?

An example of one of the blocks of colorful houses and shops.

Across from the yellow clothes shop were a group of girls singing karaoke.

Late July at the PIL

2008-09-14T19:04:00.008-04:00

Eric waiting for everyone to arrive

A couple of friends of ours from the Bay Area were thinking of us and sent us an email today. I thought I'd post a couple of pictures of some of our clan in San Francisco having a last drink with us on the patio of one of my favorite pubs, The Pilsner Inn.

We miss you guys!

Kensington Market Artwork...Err, Walk

2008-09-14T18:20:00.005-04:00

Eric and I decided to take a Sunday afternoon stroll through a neighborhood of Toronto called Kensington Market.

It's unpretentious and Bohemian-esque...including several blocks of bazaar-like shops and ethic food cafes and restaurants.

It is definitely one of the more colorful areas of town. Click on the pix for more detail.

Included here are some of the larger of the many examples of "wall art" or murals to be found on the buildings in the area. There were smaller pieces, too.

Food, cafes and restaurants are everywhere as are used clothing, produce and knickknack shops.

And crowds of people.

Incredibly casual and relaxed, Kensington Market doesn't give the impression that it is trying to remain something it once was or even trying to be something it isn't, it just is.

It was kind of cool to see so many specialty food shops and ethnic eateries. Where is there a cheese shop in the Yonge/Eglinton area where I live? I couldn't tell you.

Anyway, the murals were everywhere...

...on every building and in every alley.

Aren't the birds sthuper?

Advice - General #1

2008-09-13T21:30:00.026-04:00

OK, in no particular order, here is some general advice for anyone considering U.S. to Canada immigration.

Research - It can't be stated too many times that immigration regulations and policies change constantly. Any information may be out-of-date. Or maybe not. Folks planning to move across the border should comprehensively answer all their own questions and confirm all second-hand information on official websites such as Citizenship and Immigration Canada.
In my opinion, Canadian immigration procedures, rules and regulations are, for the most part, presented in a straight forward manner by the CIC, HRSDC, and other agencies. Unless your particular situation is unusual or complicated you will not need an immigration lawyer. You will, however, need to be serious and thorough. Read everything - every article, document, application, instruction packet - every word. Then Read it all again. Become an expert. This takes time but is not difficult. If possible, do this before you meet the employer, get the job offer or the positive LMO. Your remaining time-line may become incredibly short once you find your dream position with an interested Canadian employer willing to apply for an LMO. The more knowledgeable you are about the immigration process prior to this moment the better.
Relax - If it isn't taking "too long" then it is happening too quickly. Don't rush it. This is a huge endeavor. Not having enough time to properly prepare is not the way to go.
Plan - For me, it all really boils down to these three categories; pre-landing; landing/border crossing; and post-landing. Make "To-do" lists for each including tasks and required documents.
Organize - We bought an inexpensive expandable multiple pocket accordion-style files folder. Each pocket was dedicated to a different aspect of the immigration process and contained the required paperwork. "Where is the (name of critical document)...?" "Well, it's in the file folder in the appropriate pocket." For example, all of our vehicle import docs and info were in one pocket and easily retrievable for the customs agent at the border during our landing. Nice. In the file folder your critical paperwork will be together, organized and will travel well. Just don't lose it. Remember, Canadian agencies almost always require original documents but make and bring copies of everything.
Money - Best advice given; determine how much you'll need and then double it. You simply can not have too much available cash. Expect to need more than you think and bring more than you expect to need. "Extra" money translates into reduced frustration at best and actual sanity at worst.
Leave your current U.S. bank checking account open indefinitely with available funds to pay any remaining U.S. bills. We know U.S. immigrants living in Canada several years who are just now closing their U.S. bank accounts. Acclimate yourself to the Canadian banking system until you are familiar with how both country's systems interact (and don't). Overdraft and return check fees add up. So does the cost of international phone calls to banks, credit card companies, and other creditors. With money in your U.S. checking account there will be no need to worry about the timely payment of bills, or the bruising or ruining of a great U.S. credit history (see below). When the time comes to close the U.S. account, any remaining funds can be transferred to Canada by simply depositing a U.S. check written to oneself into one's Canadian U.S. Dollars Account. How easy is that? More on banking in both countries, here.
U.S. Credit History - Your U.S. credit history will not follow you across the border. While largely irrelevant in Canada one should endeavor to remain in good standing with their U.S. creditors. A U.S. credit history can be used to obtain a Canadian mortgage. Again, more on banking, here.
U.S. Elections and Living "Over Seas" - Unless you are immigrating to Canada with PR status, your move is considered a temporary one. A U.S. citizen who moves "over seas" temporarily can vote in both local and Federal elections. Local elections would be in the last district in which one lived. Those who retain their citizenship and move permanently are eligible to vote only in a Federal election. To obtain an absentee ballot in either case, one simply completes and returns the U.S. Federal Post Card Application to their former voting district election board. It's easy.
Expat/Travel "abroad" Registration - Every expat or persons traveling abroad should register with the U.S. Dept. of State and the U.S. consulate located at their destination. There are a dozen reasons to do so. Visit the website and register. Passport information will be required

Advice - Landing/Border Crossing

2008-09-08T12:20:00.033-04:00

There will be minimal to no stress if you are thoroughly prepared. Our landing was a relatively fast and pleasant experience.

We drove with our cat in our SUV from San Francisco across the U.S. to officially land at the CBSA facility at the Peace Bridge at Niagara Falls. CBSA confirmed our work permits, processed the temporary import of our vehicle and officially acknowledged/stamped/kept copies of both our mandatory declarations (Form) of personal belongings ("goods to follow" as well as those we brought with us). Our expectation was that they would also inspect our cat's required rabies certificate, our auto and accompanying belongings. All of which they opted not to do.

Immigration officials at the border can also issue Temporary Work Permits. We chose to obtain our work permits at the border during a prior week long visit to Toronto. Be advised that a CBSA agent inside the facility will not assist you if you have not received an entry slip given by the officer at the drive through booth as you cross the border. Why do I mention this? Because, during the prior week long visit to T.O., Eric and I tried accessing the facility from the Canadian side. It was a no go. We were instructed by an officer just outside the door to the building to return to our car, drive toward the U.S. border and take a specific U-turn just before we left Canada. This would allow us to re-enter the queue of cars just before the Canadian Customs booths where we would receive the required entry slip. OK. Sure. Whatever. Not the biggest hassle - but don't just think you can Waltz right in. Or maybe you can - Nah. Everyone we saw inside did have an access slip.

Our moving company had actually arrived several days prior to our landing and the truck was being held in a GTA warehouse awaiting Canadian Customs clearance for delivery. With our landing papers in-hand, we acquired the clearance needed for delivery at the local Toronto Customs office on Front St. Once again, they opted not to inspect the truck or it's contents - our belongings.

Have all your documents ready. In our experience the more knowledgeable and comprehensively prepared you appear, the less scrutiny you will receive from the CBSA officers. If all is in order, scrutiny will be neither a concern nor a big deal anyway, but the less you get the faster you will be on your way. We were obviously very organized. Our documents were ready and in-hand almost before they were requested. We clearly knew what was expected of us and which documents would be necessary. They did not even inspect our cat's mandatory rabies certificate when we proactively presented it. And they were obviously impressed with our Declaration of Goods Lists, both of which were thoroughly detailed.

All the CBSA agents we dealt with were incredibly pleasant. This was the case both at the border and also the customs office we visited on Front St. in Toronto. We had been told that they might go completely by the book inspecting everything in our car and moving truck. Or they might not. For example, having watched us from the time we parked the car, the several agents outside the border facility showed us and our vehicle neither interest nor concern. They did, however show others a great deal of attention. In my opinion, our demeanor and obvious preparedness went a long way toward an incredibly quick and painless landing experience. Food for thought.

As of June 1, 2009, a passport or similar document will be required to enter the U.S. when traveling by air, sea or land. Although currently one is not technically necessary to enter by land or sea, travelers are still required to prove citizenship. Here are the "official" details. What does it all mean? Anyone visiting you in Canada needs a valid passport. Now. Inform any family, friends, or expected house guests. More information, here. Click here for Passport Canada. And here for U.S. passports.

Advice - Banking Issues #1

2008-09-04T12:12:00.034-04:00

Guess what?

You are moving out of the U.S. and into another country. If you haven't yet contemplated the ramifications of that, allow me some 'splaining. It's all done a bit differently across the border. There will be different laws, rules, and expectations. Your new living situation will look and feel very similar to the one you had in the states, until you examine it up close. Ok, so back to banking...

Credit History and Rating

Neither your U.S. credit rating nor history will follow you across the border. You will be starting from scratch. This may elate you if it wasn't so good. Or, if it was stellar, cause you (like Eric and myself) to shake your head, roll your eyes to god and try not to think about it. Alas.

That being said, come prepared with several copies of your U.S. credit reports with FICO score from all three agencies (Experian, Trans Union, and Equifax). I know Equifax has a product that contains all three including one's FICO score. Canadians who are not familiar with these U.S. reports will not have to rely on your explanation of them as they contain an extremely precise explanation of the financial details. One can be purchased inexpensively on-line; hard copies easily made on a home printer.

If your history is long enough and your risk score (FICO) is high enough (sounds contradictory but that is how it works) those reports will clearly show a prospective landlord or Canadian Creditor that you are financially responsible.

We have also been told by other U.S. to Canada immigrants that their credit history/rating from The States was used to obtain a Canadian mortgage. So, it might be worth your time to continue to maintain good credit standing with your remaining U.S. creditors.

Where to Bank?

Unlike the U.S., which has hundreds, Canada basically has only five retail banks. These five dominate the Canadian Banking scene - which isn't to say there aren't other banks or Credit Unions to choose from. However, if you value an abundance of branches and ATMs, chances are you will choose one from "The Big Five." A Canadian Social Insurance Number (SIN-the equivalent of a U.S. Social Security Number) is not required to open a bank account. If you don't yet have a Canadian abode use your current U.S. address as a residence and have your statements sent temporarily to the bank. Bring your picture ID (passport/PR card) and/or your immigration documents such as a work permit.

Banking Fees

Canadian banks are fee happy. There are per transaction fees, per check fees, per branch visit fees, per Interac purchase fees, etc. You get the idea. Keeping a minimum dollar amount in an account or having multiple account types at the same bank usually eliminates or reduces Canadian Bank fees. Somewhat.

Debit Cards

Canadian debit cards do not carry the MasterCard or Visa logo as many do in the U.S. The logo you will find on the back of the card is that of Interac. Interac is the financial network associated with debit cards in Canada. Many Canadian retailers and supermarkets allow purchases with debit cards via the Interac network.

Regarding logos, displayed on the back of one's debit (and credit) card will be the symbols of the financial networks with which it is associated. If you need to obtain money from a Canadian ATM using a U.S. debit card, the challenge may (will?) be finding an ATM that displays the same symbol. Networks may include STAR, PLUS, CIRRUS, INTERAC (Canada) and others (See "Transferring money..." below).

Remember also that:

there is usually a maximum daily withdrawal amount - usually between $200-$500, and
for security purposes, your U.S. bank may (will?) freeze your account (and use of your card) if you don't notify them beforehand that you will be withdrawing large sums of money while traveling in a foreign country.

Bank Account Numbers

U.S. creditors and purchases must be paid with U.S. dollars. Canadian banks have a product called a Canadian U.S. Dollars Checking Account. Canadian bank account numbers, including Canadian U.S. Dollars accounts, are not compatible with U.S. on-line banking. They have a different number of digits. Your Canadian U.S. dollars checking account will be no use to you for paying your remaining U.S. bills directly on-line.

Transferring Money Across the Border

This process can take up to twenty one (21) days. If you can do this ahead of the time you might need access to the money, great. Research the process with both your U.S. and Canadian banks. Proper routing and account numbers will be required. Withdrawing money from Canadian ATMs with your U.S. debit or credit card is also possible but, in our experience, can be challenging at best and over-the-top frustrating at worst (see "Debit Cards" above).

U.S. Credit Card Bills and Other Accounts

Be aware that you may have an agreement with your U.S. creditors to pay their bills in U.S. dollars from a U.S. bank account. American Express doesn't seem to have any problems accepting U.S. Dollars from a Canadian U.S. dollars account but your MasterCard and Visa might. Check into it.

My advice is to call each U.S. creditor to confirm if they will accept payment in U.S. dollars drawn from a Canadian bank account. Don't assume anything. Also, remember that transferring money from Canada to the U.S. usually takes a minimum of 21 days. This process can be agonizingly slow and cross your fingers nothing goes awry. More on transferring funds, here.

Toronto City Hike

2008-09-02T21:49:00.008-04:00

View Larger Map

Last weekend, Eric and I went for a walk through High Park. We took a ride on the TTC south from Eglinton on the Yonge St. line and then west on the Bloor St. line. Starting our hike at the north end of High Park we walked south to Lake Ontario and then continued East-ish. We eventually made our way North until King St. which we then followed East to University. Coulda sworn we hit the subway on University but can't remember the name of the Station. St. Andrew? No matter. We still made it home and our legs look great!

Advice - Importing an Auto to Canada from the U.S.

2008-08-31T18:42:00.045-04:00

Please note there are differences between importing a vehicle temporarily and permanently into Canada. Eric and I immigrated with Temporary Work Permits so I will be writing about temporary vehicle importation.

There are many agencies that must be contacted to properly import your vehicle. Be familiar with the rules and regulations of all agencies. In many cases one must complete certain tasks before moving on to and completing others. Documents** take time to obtain. Possible modifications to your auto require appointments and more time. Auto insurance is necessary for registration and obtaining it at the lowest cost requires prior insurance records. There are also several inspections and officially stamped mandatory forms. If you have financed your auto you will need a letter of approval from the lien holder to export your auto out of the U.S.

**Make multiple copies of all documents. In most cases, Canadian agencies will only accept original documents and not copies. However, the same document may need to be given to several agencies so having multiple copies of each is in your best interest. This may seem contradictory. Several times I presented a document only to have it inspected and then returned to me. Other times, the document was taken and not returned. Try to keep your originals.

Websites of Importance:

**A note on both Service Ontario and Service Canada offices. Expect queues in both. Possibly long ones. Service Ontario has both government offices and franchised private offices. If there is any possible way to go directly to the main government office - in my case, Service Ontario on Bay St. and College St. in Toronto - DO IT. Save yourself time and go directly to the mother ship. In my experience with exchanging my California driver's license to that of Ontario, I originally went to one of the smaller franchise offices. They weren't authorized to do license exchanges (not mentioned on the website) and directed me to a second, larger franchise office which informed me that they couldn't confirm the legitimacy of the California license number I had for six years and that I needed to obtain a certified driver's record to complete the license exchange. Driving home frustrated I decided to push my luck and go to the main office of Service Ontario in downtown Toronto hoping their computer software was more up-to-date. It was. They processed my license exchange without any issues.

Importing a U.S. auto into Canada

Canadian customs requires anyone importing a vehicle from the U.S. to show Title. You must also show proof of registration and insurance. Providing proof of Title might be extremely difficult if you've financed your auto. Paying off the remaining loan might be the answer to obtaining this document. You may, however, not wish to pay off the remaining loan - especially if you have 0% financing like we do. Additionally, Canadian Customs requires any lien holder, in this case the finance company, to provide a letter of approval to export the vehicle out of the U.S. Through a customer rep. our finance company, Ford Motor Credit, stated explicitly that auto export approval was not usually granted for periods longer than ninety days. Our approval was eventually granted for the length of our work permits. We also received a Disposition of Title from Ford, a document explaining why Title could not be issued. Both documents were signed on Letterhead and Canadian Customs accepted both and allowed us to import our vehicle.

Your finance company may require certain documents prior to approving your auto export. These may include:

Job offer letter
Canadian Temporary Work Permit
Guarantee of auto insurance coverage

Your U.S. auto insurance should continue to cover your auto for a short period of time once you move to Canada. In my case, that amount of time was approximately twenty days. A SNAFU between my U.S. insurance broker and Ford Motor Credit reduced that time to eleven days. Arrgh!

At the Border
Importing your car will be part of declaring your personal goods at the border with the Canadian Border Service Agency (Customs and Immigration). For temporary immigration you will be exempt from paying any fees or taxes.

The customs agent will provide you with a completed/stamped Vehicle Importation Form 1. This form can be stamped in three separate places. If they do not cross out a section requiring but missing a stamp, make a polite inquiry. One of our stamps was forgotten which caused a wasted trip to Service Ontario and several extra phone calls and an extra visit to Canadian Customs to correct - not to mention a delay in auto registration.

Vehicle title is required to import your vehicle. If you don't own the vehicle outright chances are you won't have the official title. We were able to obtain a "Disposition of Title" letter along with the Vehicle Export Approval Letter from Ford Motor Credit. These along with our California Registration card satisfied Canadian Customs.

Canadian Auto Inspections Required for Registration:

Safety Inspection
Emissions Inspection (Not required for Gas Electric Hybrid Vehicles)
RIV Inspection (not required for Temporary Import) (Done at Canadian Tire)

Auto Insurance
To obtain the lowest insurance premium you will need to provide a history of auto insurance. You should also come prepared with Certified copies of your driving history or driving abstracts. Each state calls them something different and you will need one from the DMV in each state in which you were a licensed driver. Somehow I managed to obtain auto insurance with the lowest premium and the best driver's rating without these documents. I credit my amazing insurance broker. My advice would be to come prepared with all in hand.

Approved Autos and Modifications
Not all U.S. vehicles can be imported legally to Canada. Transport Canada has a list of vehicles acceptable for import. Check it out (HTML).

Many U.S. autos do not have daytime running lights which are mandatory in Canada. Autos temporarily imported are exempt from this federal requirement. Despite the federal exemption, the Province of Ontario still mandates all imported autos to have activated daytime running lights. This is just one example of a potentially required auto modification. In my experience, each agency is aware of only their own regulations. Anyone importing a vehicle will need to contact both the RIV and their own Provincial Ministry of Transportation to determine necessary modifications.

Obtaining an Ontario Driver's License
Normally no actual driving or written test is required for U.S. license holders to obtain one from Ontario - simply pay a fee and complete an application for the exchange. A minimum of two years prior driving history is required to receive a Class G (full/no restrictions) Ontario license. Service Ontario will confirm your previous state license information by computer.

Wrapping up Affairs in your Former State

There always seems to be "one more thing to do" in all regards when immigrating across the border. Closure, seemingly achieved on whatever issue, may be short lived when you receive a "notice" stating something dire. This type of thing annoys me greatly because it usually involves something rather easy to do (see below) that isn't mentioned on a website-or mentioned SO deeply on an information tree that no one would ever see it. And chances are few folk need to do it and because you moved to another state/country a computer coughed up your name because it wasn't completed. It is also usually something critical that will land your name on some list in red ink that will affect EVERYTHING and cost you BILLIONS of dollars for years to come. ...OK, I am being inappropriately dramatic. Just don't be surprised if you find yourself revisiting seemingly retired issues when "Official" notices arrive demanding action yesterday.

In our case the notice in question regarded our auto registration and insurance. Two weeks after landing I sent our license plates back to the California DMV with a change of address (to T.O. Canada). Two months later the notice arrived. Apparently I had to prove new insurance AND new registration to the California DMV or be put on some list that surely would complicate obtaining the least expensive insurance and possible registration of my vehicle if I should ever return. I take these kind of things seriously because both my partner and myself have family in the "Eureka" state and one never knows what the future holds.

So, if applicable, make a copy of your new insurance card and your provincial auto registration and send it (along with the license plates?) to your former state DMV.

And then cross your fingers and hope there isn't just "one more thing."

Hindsight on the Immigration Process

2008-08-22T11:09:00.034-04:00

Eric and I have now been in our Toronto flat twenty plus days. Nearly all of our belongings are unpacked and after weeks/months of complete disruption we have a functional home again. There are hints and glimpses of a new routine emerging. A much healthier diet is being consumed - healthier for me than the one I had in California! I am even exercising regularly! I would like to think that we have caught up on our sleep and are once more breathing properly. There are still a couple of critical tasks to accomplish but most have been completed. The light at the end of the tunnel is becoming very bright.

Though it might not seem so to those we know who watched it transpire, the time frame of our immigration process was incredibly short. There was absolutely no way we could have successfully navigated it without a massive amount of research beforehand. Much of the information gathered was done through the official Government websites of the U.S., Canada and Ontario. A lot more was done off of the blogs of experienced U.S. to Canada immigrants. Their advise was critical in many respects.

It is wonderful to live in the moment. Sometimes it doesn't take a crisis and one is fortunate enough to experience this through "benevolent" acts of their own - yoga, meditation, sports, painting, drawing or any of the arts come to mind. Immigration has been like that for me. Planning, completing the necessary actions, following deadlines - it's been nearly 24/7 for months. I admit I exaggerate a bit - there's been some down time interspersed between the completion of the tasks, applications, documents, forms, phone calls, etc. But there was always to-do and follow-up lists. Additional items were continuously being added to both. And it was all either critical to successful immigration to Canada or it's mere possibility.

Has all this ended? Is the immigration process complete? As I mentioned above and in prior posts - not exactly. We can live and work here legally for two years. We now have to wade through the current Canadian immigration environment to gain permanent residence. If that takes more than two years we can renew our work permits. I'll keep y'all* updated.

Many U.S. to Canada immigration bloggers have pulled information from a variety of sources and included it in their writing. This bevy of knowledge and experience can greatly reduce the work and stress of future US2Canada immigrants. Eric and I now have an intimate familiarity with the temporary work permit, border crossing and post-landing processes. If you are interested in such things, stay tuned and keep reading.

* I am a native New Yorker and have never lived in The South.

Home

2008-08-16T16:47:00.007-04:00

N 43° 42.224'

W 79° 24.344'

Thoughts on Our Journey Across the U.S.

2008-08-14T21:16:00.001-04:00

Eric and I threw the cat, Caesar, his litter box and crate, several pieces of luggage full of clothes and some camping equipment into the car and drove away from San Francisco on Wednesday, July 23rd. The plan was to visit friends and family on the way to our final destination, our new home, Toronto, Ontario. We broke the trip up into segments, sometimes making stops only to sleep and taking extra time at others to see the sights and visit with friends or family.

We drove from S.F. to Las Vegas on the first leg of the trip. Neither of us had ever been to Vegas and figured if we didn't go there on the way to T.O. we never would. Gambling is not our thing and there are other destinations that interest us more. Still, despite there being casinos in many places all over the U.S., Vegas is unique and we decided not to miss the opportunity to experience it.

Our drive to Vegas began by leaving San Francisco as non-residents. We will, of course, return to visit. We both have family there we care deeply about. And a great group of friends. We may even move back permanently. It's an incredible place and a wonderful area in which to live. It is, though, very odd to close the door to your home knowing you will not re-enter...and then drive away. My brother and nephew hosted us at his house in Berkeley that night for a proper send off. Unfortunately my sister in law was travelling for work. We also stopped at the homes of Eric's brother and sister beforehand to say farewell to them.

The next morning we drove from Berkeley to Las Vegas. We stayed an extra day and spent much of that time at three of the larger casinos; the Bellagio, Caesar's Palace and the MGM Grand. Our hotel allowed pets as did all the accommodations we stayed in. Our cat, Caesar traveled in the car really well, though he did have some help thanks to some great drugs provided by our veterinarian in San Francisco. We also consistently set up a space in the car that we kept identical during every leg of our journey. Caesar became very comfortable, drugs or not, in "his" space right behind the driver and front passenger seats. He had an open crate, lined with a clean towel with space in front and on the side leading to his litter box. We made sure he could lay inside or outside his crate, that he had both food and water during the entire trip and access to his litter box at all times. Caesar is an older kitty, about sixteen - so we were keenly aware to reduce his stress wherever possible.

Las Vegas is a sprawling city in the middle of a desert. It has no business being there. It can only exists because of the electricity produced by the Hoover Dam and the water of the Colorado River. And the city obviously uses a lot of both. Vegas is dry. And hot - like an oven. Unfortunately we were in town at the end of July - the middle of the summer. I am not a big water drinker. I drank a lot of water. During one walk down the strip at about nine thirty at night I realized my eyelids were sticking to my eyeballs. Vegas is hot.

Las Vegas, is, however, amazing for just the reasons it can exist. The city is grand, flashy, and extremely over-the-top. There is never a minute you aren't reminded what keeps the city thriving; money, water, and electricity. The extreme amount of all three flowing into the city is beyond obvious, it is ostentatious.

We spent most of our time at three of the larger casinos; the Bellagio and the MGM Grand and Caesar's Palace. I have only gambled once before in my life. I left that casino, in Connecticut, with significantly more money than when I arrived. I did not have the same amount of luck my second time around. But it took me a day and a half to lose the money gambled, win back that amount and more and then lose almost all of it again. It was fun. I had a good time. I would do it again. We also attended a Cirque du Soleil performance. The scale of the theatre and the production was grand, staged on hydraulic platforms used at one hundred percent vertical as well as horizontal. And the renown athletics of the performers are even more impressive live.

Our next stop was Albuquerque for some sleep. New Mexico was surprisingly beautiful. The landscape was very diverse and I didn't realize how verdant parts of it would be.

Eric lived for several years in Denver so we made our way there to visit for an extra day. We had a very lovely time with Eric's friend, Christina, who hosted us at her house, made us a family dinner with her brother, sister in law and their family and allowed us to thoroughly relax. During our time there we also walked around Denver's downtown pedestrian mall and met up with a large group of friends for a dinner at a local restaurant.

After Denver we traveled through to Omaha, Nebraska only to rest and then on to Chicago. We stayed an extra day in Chicago, got a good nights sleep, toured the downtown loop, went to the top of the Sears tower to the observatory, and visited Boystown and had a couple of drinks. I've been to Chicago twice now and both times really enjoyed it.

Better rested thanks to our stay in Chicago we traveled to Pittsburgh, PA to visit with my mother and Step father. I haven't been to Pittsburgh in years and it was nice to visit with my mother and her husband and to allow her to show off her city a bit to Eric, who had never been before. He also got to add another state to the list of those visited. I believe he has been to most of them.

That was the last stop before ending our journey in Toronto. The last leg seemed the easiest. We had to stop at immigration and customs at the border between New York state and the province of Ontario to declare our "landing" and personal possessions. We were completely prepared and all went very smoothly.

Eric, Caesar the cat, and I successfully crossed the country ending our journey on August 2nd in T.O. - Toronto, Ontario. It was a good trip and I am very glad we made the opportunity happen.

Who Lives in Toronto?

2008-08-03T23:54:00.000-04:00

Hello all. Just a short post to declare, "We've Landed!"

Our drive across the U.S. with our cat Caesar is finished. We crossed the border with "flying colours" having no issues with Canadian Immigration or Customs.

Having arrived early evening on Saturday, we've now been in our new flat on Oriole Parkway one full day. Our belongings are currently sitting in a warehouse somewhere on Front St. and we are expecting delivery in a day or so. I would like to sleep in my bed and not in the camping gear we brought along so cross your fingers for us.

Today we explored our new neighbourhood, had a bite to eat, attended the movie, "The Dark Knight" at the local cinema, and introduced ourselves to the grocery shopping at the Dominion up the street.

Happily, we have been exchanging text messages from our friends in San Francisco who are busy with the normal weekend frolic, wondering what our state of affairs are, and missing our company. We miss them, too, despite being pleasantly distracted by our new surroundings.

It's great to finally be here. More posts to follow regarding our trip across the U.S., our new home, and details about our landing as soon as I catch up on some sleep.

Canadian Permanent Resident Application

2008-07-14T17:51:00.000-04:00

As mentioned before, no two immigration stories are identical though we all follow incredibly similar routes. This truth probably arises because immigration rules change frequently. What was "true" for me and mine might not transpire or be pertinent for you and yours. Good timely research is key.

I read several times while researching that I could expect a reduced application time for Permanent Residence if I had already procured Canadian employment. I have also been told, and I might add, did not read, that the above process is made more difficult and lengthy if one is already living and working in Canada. Quite contradictory, eh?

My partner Eric and I will be moving to Canada - living and working there for the next two plus years on Temporary Work Permits. It's very exciting to know Toronto will be home on August 1st. And we will also be applying for Permanent Resident status. Indeed, we have already begun collecting the necessary information and documentation.

I do not know of, nor have I read about, an immigrant like Eric and myself, who applied for PR while living and working in Canada on a Temporary Work Permit. All our contacts obtained their permanent residence status first. Will having prior Canadian employment shorten our application time? Does living and working in Canada on a work permit make the PR process more difficult or lengthy? I'd really like to know. Aside from contacting the CIC and asking them directly, which I intend to do, I believe it is time to reach out and ask anyone who might be reading this blog to share their experience. Please shout back and tell us your story.

We will apply for PR status no matter what the answers. But it would be nice to plan ahead.

The truth is out there.

More Details

2008-07-08T00:00:00.000-04:00

I felt like the trip was a huge success. All our goals were accomplished and I am reasonably certain we made good decisions. We left Toronto, Ontario, Canada in great spirits knowing that we could look forward enthusiastically to our "permanent" return.

A few notes though, for those of you who might be considering immigrating to Canada on a work permit. Do your research. Working and living in Canada can happen much faster by means of a work permit than by the permanent residence process. There are several professions that do not need a positive Labor Market Opinion beforehand to acquire the work permit. If you are in these fields and meet the requirements and also have U.S. citizenship it is merely a drive across the border with the correct documents and a meeting with a Canadian Immigration officer to be issued one. You won't need to have the FBI check or the medical exam in most cases. In the short term this will save you time and money. Please keep in mind that:

the principle applicant's work permit must be issued for six (6) months or longer for the spouse and children to also receive one. All can apply on the same application.
Canada has a much more relaxed definition for spouse than the U.S. Canada recognizes common law and conjugal partnerships for both hetero and homosexual couples as well as same-sex marriage/domestic partnership/civil unions etc. Documentation or other proof is required.
for the principle applicant to be eligible for provincial health insurance their work permit must be issued for a period of at least six (6) months.
the Canadian employer must intend to employ the principle applicant for at least three (3) years for the spouse and children to also be eligible for provincial health insurance (OHIP). A written statement by the employer is the easiest way to do this. In Eric's case, the LMO and Work Permit were both issued for two years but the three year intent to be employed is stated in both the signed job offer and contract.
Employment can be terminated. The principle applicant must remain employed by the specific employer associated with the work permit to remain living in Canada.
Work Permits are issued for a specific period of time and can be renewed before expiration.

From start to finish the process has been an incredibly quick six or so months. Almost too quick. Though immigrating through the Permanent Residence process might seem to take forever, that time may be very well spent getting ones affairs and minds in order. Our experience with the Temporary Work Permit process was so quick that occasionally I felt there wasn't enough time to properly plan. Keep in mind, "Luck favors the prepared" (gobblegobblegobblegobblegobblegobble). Though we did plenty of research, we were caught off guard several times and, luckily, the Universe provided us with an equal number of "safety nets". And remember also that work permits are temporary. We now have to apply for PR status or renew the permits before their expiration in two years. The upside, of course, is we'll be living and working in Canada while we do so.

Our Week in Toronto

2008-07-05T17:35:00.001-04:00

We've come to Toronto for a week to set up our lives here north of the border. It's been a very successful trip. As they say, "hindsight is 20/20", and how we'll feel at a later date about the decisions we made this week will have to wait for a future posting. Today, however, we are psyched.

Our new place is in an area called Yonge and Eglinton. Technically "downtown" but not in the "core", it is a ten minute drive without traffic straight down Oriole Pkwy and Avenue Rd. from our front door to the "Gay Village" of Church and Wellesley. How important that drive or destination will be in the future remains to be seen. But, for now, "the village" seems important and it is good to know that we aren't a) too far away from "our people", and b) living in or too close to the gay ghetto (LOL). The flat is also a short block or so from Eglinton Ave. another ten to twelve minute drive to Eric's office on the same street. The Yonge and Eglinton subway is a slow ten minute walk from the house which, again, goes straight away past Bloor St. and Wellesley through to the downtown core. Very convenient. There is also a larger park right up the street as well as a smaller mall, movie theater, a branch of our bank and shopping strip within walking distance east on Yonge St. I have read there is also a more upscale variety of shops etc. west on Eglinton to discover. We'll see.

Our new place is on Oriole Parkway. It is a main floor flat in a two unit building. It offers hardwood floors in all of the rooms and carpeting in the hallway. There are two bedrooms and an office and one and a half baths. There is a formal dining room and living room separated by french doors. The master bedroom is big, has two closets and the half bath mentioned above. Extra storage is downstairs as well as shared laundry with the second floor unit, which is occupied by the landlord and his wife. There are numerous closets throughout. Another nice detail is some stained glass in the living room. Our unit also includes garage parking for two vehicles. And while there is a small yard between the house and garage, it is not completely fenced, which is unfortunate for our cat, Caesar, who is currently used to being able to go outside.

Our trip also included a journey back to the border to acquire our work permits which are issued by Canadian Immigration. A "non event" as someone else had written in their blog. I agree completely. We drove down to the immigration station at the Lewiston/Queenston Bridge with all the necessary documentation "required" and mentioned on both the Canadian Immigration website as well as the checklist provided for Temporary Work Permits. We even had the required "passport" pictures. Much of this was simply ignored or waved away when offered. Of the several documents they did take note of were the Labor Market Opinion issued by HRSDC and our Domestic Partner Certificate issued by the state of California. Our passports now officially stamped and stapled - we are both officially allowed to be employed here in Canada. Yippee!

We both had very good first impressions of our new city. It is very green. Walking the streets is a truly "United Nations" experience. It seems no specific group or type of people is dominant. They are all represented. The sidewalks and roads are clean. Very clean. The people are very polite and helpful. And friendly.

We had the pleasure of meeting up with Tom and Emilio from the blog, Canadian Hope. We all went to the Greektown section of Toronto and had lunch. Afterward they took us to an area of town called, "The Beaches" where we strolled the boardwalk and enjoyed a beautiful sunny Sunday afternoon. Tom and Emilio were great company and Eric and I look forward to hanging with them again once our move is complete.

We had a productive and successful week in Toronto and return to San Francisco tomorrow. We are still working out specific pick up dates with the movers, but the lease on our flat in Toronto begins August first and we are looking forward to exploring and creating our new Canadian home.

The George W. Bush Sewage Plant

2008-06-25T16:33:00.001-04:00

Sign the petition!

Ok, consider me a brat, but anyone coming across news of such poetry can hardly ignore it. Perhaps, if we were lucky, no honorary distinction would ever be given this evil man. Not likely, right?

Sign the petition!

A shame that groups aren't forming all across the nation to propose the naming of similarly appropriate structures after this notorious, destructive disappointment of a President/leader/citizen/man/human. For every aircraft carrier, park, boulevard or other prominent structure being "honored" with his name, let's find another more fitting example. How about a landfill? Let your imagination run wild. Naming a sewage plant after "W" is indeed poetry. I invite everyone in San Francisco reading this to be a brat and make a statement.

Sign the Petition!

Toronto Travel Plans 6/29 - 7/6

2008-06-21T13:12:00.000-04:00

Eric and I made our travel plans to Toronto the other day. Now that our LMO has been issued we can go get our work permits, find a place to live, open bank accounts, etc. Very exciting.

We'll be there a week, arriving Sunday evening, June 29th and leaving on Monday July 7th. We got a great price on a room at the Intercontinental in Yorkville, which is centrally located and very comfortable. The details of the trip have come together splendidly. Another bonus - Tuesday, July 1st is "Canada Day". On that note, I just had my Microsoft Outlook add Canadian Holidays to my Calendar on my laptop. I need to keep track of them now, don't I? (Eh?) It's a nice little detail that makes this adventure all the more real. OK, you can stop laughing at me now. No, really. Stop.

We will fly into Buffalo, which was several hundred dollars per person less expensive than flying directly to Toronto. I've been told the drive from Buffalo to Toronto is bleak and I shouldn't let it discourage me. Two unrelated people have told me that. Interesting. In any case, we would have rented a car in Toronto anyway and I don't at all mind the opportunity to see more of the surrounding area. We are also looking forward to experiencing Niagara Falls, which surprisingly, I haven't done despite living in Ithaca, NY for almost ten years in the '80's and early '90's. On the more practical side, we can collect our work permits from Canadian Immigration when we cross the border.

And then on to Toronto!

America's Berlin Wall

2008-06-19T13:36:00.000-04:00

Anyone interested in renouncing their U.S. citizenship? Tired of that U.S. passport and ready to give it up? Here is a link to a very interesting and, at least for me, unexpected article in The Economist magazine regarding a proposed law to heavily tax expats on their net worth of US$ 2 million or more, if they surrender their passports and renounce their U.S. citizenship. Reading this article would have had little impact on me before my move to Canada. I don't, however, have this kind of wealth (yet?), Canada and the U.S. currently have a taxation agreement, and I will always keep my U.S. citizenship.

Labor Market Opinion Issued!

2008-06-18T16:13:00.001-04:00

Eric's Labor Market Opinion finally came back positive! Yippee! HRSDC would only issue a two year LMO instead of the requested three. Apparently the labor market is too uncertain and three year LMOs are rare. Whatev...I called OHIP to confirm I would still be eligible for Provincial health care coverage and was reassured that the determining factor is the employer's intent to hire for three plus years not the length of the LMO or the Temporary Work Permit. The customer representative was incredibly polite and helpful, too. Time to plan our trip to Buffalo/Toronto to have the work permits issued, rent a house or apartment and start setting up our lives north of the border.

Hail the bureaucracy!

2008-06-06T14:46:00.001-04:00

Apparently it is going to be approximately one more work week before HRSDC completes the LMO. As exciting as it would have been to receive an official decision today, this could be welcome news as it gives us additional time to plan our departure. Caesar the cat doesn't seem concerned.

**update** I remember checking the definition of "hail" and "hale" when I wrote this post and my "wonderful" (laughing) partner Eric has not so subtly let me know I picked the wrong word -gasp! This actually horrifies me to no end. It has now been corrected. I can now sleep soundly.

Still Waiting...

2008-05-31T15:49:00.001-04:00

Just a short post to mention that we are still waiting for the Positive Labor Market Opinion to be issued. As soon as we have it in hand, we will by flying to Toronto to rent an apartment. Thanks to all for your input regarding suitable neighborhoods.

***6/2 Update*** HRSDC has informed Eric's Toronto employer (ETO) that the LMO will be completed by this coming Friday. Good news, I suppose! ETO also agreed to a later start date because of the additional processing time.

Oh, and going into its third growing season is my cute little backyard garden. Aside from a newly planted pine tree and un-killable bush (no jokes please) it was a virtual dead zone when we moved in. Much of the soil was as hard as concrete. Now significantly more verdant, I find worms and salamanders regularly and it is actually starting to look like something. Life supports more life. I am going to miss it. Click on the pic. :-)

Where in Toronto should we live?

2008-05-23T00:47:00.000-04:00

These are the areas of Toronto (in no particular order) that have been suggested by you, the people. I believe we are still aiming for a June trip to Toronto to apartment hunt. We love to explore, so I am sure we will be roaming as much of the city as time will allow. Even so, these areas will be a great place to start. The poll is still open. If there are any more suggestions, click on "comments" and let me know.

Yonge and St. Clair
Yonge and Eglinton
Cabbagetown
East York (Old East York Village)
Leslieville
Kensington Mrkt.
Riverdale
Danforth (Greektown)
Parkdale
Liberty Village

Choosing a Toronto Neighborhood

2008-05-20T03:34:00.000-04:00

Eric and I have a dilemma. We are not familiar enough with Toronto neighborhoods. We're hoping that we will be traveling to Toronto sometime in the beginning of June to rent an apartment and we have no idea where to focus. Yeah, we know the "gay" area is Church and Wellesley but other than that, where would a gay male couple want to live? I don't necessarily need to be in a gay ghetto/neighborhood.

We currently rent a two bed single family with a backyard and a garage but we've also really enjoyed living in a flat. I'd like to be near a subway station and have what I consider walk-ability. It would be nice not to have to drive every time I leave the house. Having some shopping, grocery, farmer's market, pub, COFFEE SHOP, etc. close by would be ideal. So would a park. Anyway...

What do you all think? What areas do you consider great to live in? And why? And what areas should we avoid? Any help is appreciated.

Enlightened Perspectives

2008-05-17T16:58:00.001-04:00

The recent California Supreme Court decision overturning the ban on same-sex marriage got me thinking about two wonderful commentaries I read in The San Francisco Chronicle, Louis Freedberg's "Personal Perspective: My Gay Neighbors," and "Everyday Life Best Argument for Gay Marriage," by C.W. Nevius.

Now, I hate the Chronicle. My opinion is that it is a tabloid masquerading as a newspaper. I don't think the writing is stellar. I don't think the editing is exceptional. I think it strongly follows the trend to pander to it's readers including a dumbing down of all that is reported. I feel that the focus is too far toward making the news entertaining than actually hard reporting of the facts and well thought out analysis. Also, the excessive amount of reporting that is based on some person or company's public relations statement or product releases, 99% of which are not news but simple advertising, overwhelms me. Almost a complete rag. All my opinion. However...

...in a city as uber-liberal as San Francisco - surrounded by pockets of conservatism, the opinion and editorial pages shine. Perhaps the only reasons I can't stop myself completely from reading San Francisco's major newspaper. Which brings me back to the two columns I mentioned above, the first of which is almost four years old but still a completely relevant and important read for someone who has no experience around committed gay couples. If you haven't already, click the links above and read the commentaries. And here is my invitation to sample the writings of C.W. Nevius, Louis Freedberg, Jennifer J. Saunders, and Mark Morford.

California Supreme Court Overturns Gay Marriage Ban

2008-05-15T13:12:00.000-04:00

A very good day indeed. The Californian Supreme Court has overturned the gay marriage ban. How exciting. The fight is not over. Over one million signatures are being verified for an initiative to amend the California Constitution making marriage only between a man and a woman - for a November ballot. More to come for sure. Stay tuned.

Labor Market Opinion Needed

2008-05-14T03:48:00.002-04:00

Eric's Toronto employer has determined that a Labor Market Opinion will be required. It is our understanding that the determination will take approximately twenty days. More info here, and here. Employer LMO info here.

***Update: Originally we believed that Eric would not need a LMO (see above) because his position is listed as one that is exempt. Sounds great right? Wrong, unfortunately. Canada highly skews their immigration policies toward those that have educational degrees. Now, while Eric's work experience and skills make him uber qualified, highly employable, and, thus, highly valuable, he does not have a degree past high school - alas. Because of this he is caught waiting for a positive labour (I am starting to spell like a Canadian, LOL) market opinion from HRSDC. The Canadian employer must apply for the LMO, which happened, I believe, this last Monday. Again, we are told this will take twenty days.

First Steps

2008-05-11T18:14:00.000-04:00

The devil is in the details, so they say. The job offer needed to include a starting and ending date. these are going to be added. Other than that, all was good and now we have to apply for the work permit, hire movers, fly to Toronto to rent an apartment/open a bank account etc. and attend to all those requirements to cross the border. Do we need a medical exam-not so sure. I read something that said the requirement is based on how long one's work permit is. Eric read something else saying that US citizens don't need one for a temporary work permit. I am going to try and find out by phone on Monday through the Canadian Visa office in Los Angeles. So many aspects to cover.

Ask for what you want....

2008-05-09T14:06:00.000-04:00

...and The Universe will provide.

Our actual immigration becomes less aspiration and more reality. Eric has the initial Toronto job offer in hand. I have to laugh as it all feels like a Twilight Zone episode. Is this really happening? Stay tuned...

Happy Birthday, Eric!

2008-05-09T00:35:00.000-04:00

Today is Eric's 35th birthday. It was a regular work day for him. We attended French (language) class together after the work day and took our final. After class we went home to find a birthday goody bag from his sister, Rose on the table in the foyer...and my celebratory pile of gifts for him waiting in the living room. We're having a nice evening, despite having to take a test (blech!).

Immigration Resources/Links/Web Sites

2008-05-06T15:05:00.006-04:00

A seemingly endless list of informative web site links. I frequently add to this list.

IMMIGRATION/MOVING/BORDER CROSSING:

Citizenship and Immigration Canada - official site
Going to Canada
Movingscam.com - (interesting/no endorsements)
Canadian Visa Office - Buffalo NY - Office Locations...
Canadian Visa Office - Los Angeles CA - ...and contact info
Canadian Border Service Agency - Border Crossing Requirements

U.S. DEPT OF STATE: Travel/Expatriate Registration

TEMPORARY WORK PERMITS:

Human Resources Social Development Canada (HRSDC) - Issues Labor Market Opinions

DUAL CITIZENSHIP:

richw.org - unofficial. Dual Citizen info.

U.S./CANADIAN TAX AND SOCIAL SECURITY (U.S.) ISSUES:

CANADA:

Service Canada - Social Insurance Numbers (SIN#s)
Registry of Imported Vehicles (RIV.ca) - How to...
Government of Canada - Official Site
The Seminal - "Canada vs. the U.S." Article comments fascinating, thought provoking.
We Choose Canada -Interesting, Intelligent (esp. "Interesting Views of Canada)

CANADIAN HEALTH CARE: Articles Regarding Canadian Universal Health Care

TORONTO/ONTARIO:

Service Ontario - Auto Registration; Driver's Lic.(Ministry of Transportation); OHIP applications
Toronto Life - Toronto Culture; Life; Neighborhoods, etc
blogTO - What's happening; Toronto 411
Settlement.org Ontario bound resettlement
OHIP - Ontario Health Care
2Ontario.com - Facts, Info

Immigration Resources/Canadian Reads:

2008-05-06T14:32:00.001-04:00

Immigration and Travel Books

A similar list to those you may have seen before.

**A note regarding dates and publications**

Immigration regulations change regularly and, whether on-line or in books, one should always choose the most recently published information.

The Canadian Way: An Immigrant's Guide to Settling in Canada - Jo Davenport
How to Move to Canada: A Primer for Americans - Terese Loeb Kreuzer/Carol Bennett
Living and Working in Canada - Graeme Chesters
Canadian History for Dummies - Will Furguson
Lonely Planet: Toronto City Guide
Lonely Planet: Vancouver City Guide
Fire and Ice: The United States, Canada and the Myth of Converging Values - Michael Adams
So You Want to be Canadian - Kerry Colburn/Rob Sorensen

The Meeting/Our Strategy

2008-05-06T12:12:00.000-04:00

As I mentioned below, Eric met yesterday with a potential Canadian employer. Apparently the meeting went extremely well and Eric is expecting an job offer in the next couple of days. Though final details weren't yet agreed on, the discussion more than implied that our "sticking points" for acceptance will be exceeded. Wow. Now we wait. The meeting occurred here in San Francisco. The employer is flying back to Toronto today...so we'll see what happens in the next few days.

We decided to procure a Canadian job before applying for Permanent Residence. We have debt. If one already has a job then there is no unencumbered funds requirement. We figured that could be a much faster way to go. Otherwise, it would be a year or more before the debt was paid off and at least the minimum amount of unencumbered funds could be saved so we could apply under the skilled worker program. Eric's unique work skill set is such that would attract an employer willing to involve themselves in the process to hire a non-Canadian.

That being said, his potential employer will be applying for a Labor Market Opinion which basically states that there was exhaustive attempts to employ a qualified Canadian (but to no avail) and to authorize the hiring of someone outside the Canadian labor pool. Once authorized, Eric would receive a Temporary Work Permit to be employed in Canada. For health care eligibility and other reasons his Temporary Work Permit has to be for at least six months. For me to accompany him and also be eligible for health care, etc. it has to be for at least three years. A time extension can be applied for in the future if need be. During that three plus years we would apply for Permanent Resident status. A grand scheme as all the while we will be living in Canada. That is the plan. A three year situation gives us time to evaluate our lives in Canada while actually living there. Sthuper!

First Contact

2008-05-04T03:21:00.000-04:00

Eric and I have been contemplating his meeting with the Toronto employer scheduled this Monday.

Probably of more significance is that we are "out of the closet" with our families regarding not only our desire to move to Canada but the active nature of it. I think this is a bigger deal because my brother, sister-in-law and nephew also live in the bay area. We'd be leaving them. My parents both live on the East Coast - Long Island, New York and Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Their location might not seem a significant factor except that they are both over seventy years of age and, I think rightly, having both their sons in the same area is comforting to them. We all wonder if they'd ever relocate to the S.F. Bay Area. The cost of living is prohibitive for them both. I am, however, a strong believer in human nature and circumstance and figure that it's just a matter of time before necessity of their age makes it an inevitability. Does my moving out of the area make the situation more difficult? Hard to say.

I recently had a chat with friends of ours who had a job offer in London, England. One of the reasons they mentioned for not accepting it was their older parents who live in the Los Angeles area. I could sympathize with this immediately. One would like to think that they will be able to take care of their parents properly in their old age but it's really difficult to know exactly what that will involve. Or where.

In any case, my brother seems understanding. His wife and he recently had to make a similar decision regarding whether to relocate. Their situation allowed them the option of staying - which they chose to do. My brother's concerns for Eric and I were mostly of a professional nature.

Eric's brother and sister have also been informed of our intentions and I am told they took the news well. They are significantly younger than the two of us and I believe I am warranted in wondering if they have completely contemplated the significance of our moving out of the area.

The meeting between Eric and the Toronto employer is this Monday...

Toronto?

2008-04-18T18:02:00.000-04:00

As I've mentioned to several folk, there was professional interest in my partner's resume from two companies - one in Vancouver and the other in Toronto. Latest update is that the Vancouver position was filled with someone locally. However, the Toronto employer has scheduled an interview with Eric and has stated he has consulted an immigration lawyer. How 'bout that? Both are good signs. I especially like that the boss has decided not to rely only on the immigration info we have currently supplied. That he has inquired with a lawyer shows some serious (should I say focused?) interest pursuing Eric for the position.

Looking Better Every Day...

2008-04-07T13:16:00.000-04:00

Direct to Consumer Marketing of Medicine is prohibited in Canada...and according to my reading only allowed in the U.S.A. and New Zealand. I am going to add this to the many reasons why I am drawn to live north.

Abortion rights. Women's rights over their own bodies
Legal same-gender marriage
Gun control. The Firearms Act. No Second Amendment gun ownership rights
Medicare. Universal Health Care
No Capital punishment
No DTCA of medicine
Several viable political parties

Are there additional aspects which I've momentarily forgotten? Let me know. I will continue to add to the list.

Oh, Canada!

2008-04-02T15:22:00.000-04:00

Welcome, my first blog now defunct, this is the new, improved and more "focused" version. I believe my "Welcome" statement says it all. My first posting is below...a very short account of where the journey became more than just a fantasy...

A couple of Canadian employers have shown serious interest in Eric's resume. References have been sent and there is a bit of waiting going on. We've decided to inquire with moving companies and continue to accumulate information regarding immigration and the transition from U.S. and Canadian living.

Canadian Boomdiada

Miss Teeth

Tilda

Immigration Blog Interview

Capilano Suspension Bridge, North Vancouver, BC

Coal Harbour, Vancouver, BC

Stanley Park, Vancouver, BC

English Bay, Vancouver, BC

Vancouver, BC

Vancouver Holiday!

How Could I Not Post This?

Holiday Cheer!

DADT

Labour Day in Muskoka

Toronto Islands-Post City Worker Strike

U.S. Health Care Reform

New Zoo Review - Toronto!

Candian Health Care System

Toronto Islands

Victoria Day Weekend Hike

U.S. Expat Registration

Saturday at Niagara Falls

No Meat - Two Month Update

More Red Rock Canyon

Travel: Las Vegas

Travelling

Vegetarianism, Routine, Control and Semblence of Positive Direction

RANT

Storming the Castle

"Lights, camera, guest list...just do your best darling"

Update of Sorts

February 06, 2009

Ah! Found Photos!

Belated Notes on the Holidays

*Yawn*

Advice - Banking Issues #2

Can You Hear Me Now?

Thursday Morning in Toronto

Its Official!

Looking Toward the End of January

Miss Thing

Toronto Snow

Advice - General #3

Ottawa, Thanksgiving, Autumn Colours

Nuit Blanche

Nicely Said...

Advice - General #2

Leaves Turning Already?

More Kensington Market

Late July at the PIL

Kensington Market Artwork...Err, Walk

Advice - General #1

Advice - Landing/Border Crossing

Advice - Banking Issues #1

Toronto City Hike

Advice - Importing an Auto to Canada from the U.S.

Hindsight on the Immigration Process

Home

Thoughts on Our Journey Across the U.S.

Who Lives in Toronto?

Canadian Permanent Resident Application

More Details

Our Week in Toronto

The George W. Bush Sewage Plant

Toronto Travel Plans 6/29 - 7/6

America's Berlin Wall

Labor Market Opinion Issued!

Hail the bureaucracy!

Still Waiting...

Where in Toronto should we live?

Choosing a Toronto Neighborhood

Enlightened Perspectives

California Supreme Court Overturns Gay Marriage Ban

Labor Market Opinion Needed

First Steps

Ask for what you want....

Happy Birthday, Eric!

Immigration Resources/Links/Web Sites

Immigration Resources/Canadian Reads:

The Meeting/Our Strategy

Yawn