BS: Calling Canada

Subject: BS: Calling Canada
From: Mrs.Duck
Date: 12 Aug 05 - 12:59 PM

Apparently the Ducks Fly South thread is confusing a lot of folk. We are travelling to the Getaway in October and intend to travel to Canada - probably around Lake Ontario for a week beginning Friday 21st October. The trip is part holiday but also partly to think about emigration. We hope to meet up with plenty of Mudcatters en route. The exact itinery isn't sorted yet and may well depend on what we hear on here. We have a car hired for the trip so are open to suggestions.

Subject: RE: BS: Calling Canada
From: John MacKenzie
Date: 12 Aug 05 - 01:29 PM

I'm open to suggestions too Jane!
G..

Subject: RE: BS: Calling Canada
From: Charmion
Date: 12 Aug 05 - 01:57 PM

If you Ducks would care to motor up to Ottawa (about five hours from Toronto by autoroute), you would arrive after the end of tourist season -- always a good idea for those contemplating a long stay. (It would be even better, for research purposes, if you came in February or March!) Edmund (CET) and I live in downtown Ottawa, in a house equipped with several musical instruments, three cats, a guest bedroom, and a library with enough floor space for several young persons capable of getting a good night's sleep on an air mattress. We have jobs, but they let us off the chain now and then ...

Subject: RE: BS: Calling Canada
From: Clinton Hammond
Date: 12 Aug 05 - 02:22 PM

If you cross through Detroit into Windsor, avoid the Kildare House... Unless you like (molsty) good music, great food, and a wonderful selection of beers and whiskeys...

Subject: RE: BS: Calling Canada
From: GUEST,daylia
Date: 12 Aug 05 - 02:34 PM

You might find this info just ducky!

Click here for info / great links re the folk scenario in Ontario.

ANd this is Simcoe County's folkie calendar - as you can see, there are lots of events/concerts scheduled in Barrie, Orillia, Newmarket etc this fall - all of which are no more than an hour's drive north from Toronto.

It's not easy to guess exactly what you need - are you thinking of working here, or retiring? Do you prefer rural settings or the concrete jungle? If you like the country, I suggest you focus on locales north of TO (but then again I'm probably biased!).

Subject: RE: BS: Calling Canada
From: gnu
Date: 12 Aug 05 - 05:19 PM

You can get whatever you want in Canada. Concrete? Fast lane? Tronna. Montreal. Calgary. Victoria. Halifax. Warm, rainy Bitish type weather? Province of British Columbia. Foggey, freeze yer arse on a July day, Newfoundland and Labrador. And, everything in between. North woods adventure... any territory or norhtern part of most provinces.

Moderate weather? British trad music and culture? Combined with French trad music and culture? Big city crap like the Stones in concert or a wee bit otherwise at an 800 seat venue with Tommy Makem rattling the seats? One hour from the best grouse, deer, bear and moose hunting in the world? Less than two hours from the most famous salmon and trout fishing in the world? Twenty minutes from the warmest salt water pristine beaches north of the Carolinas and the Lobster Capital of the World? Two hours to the US border in New England? They don't call it The Picture Province for nothin. But... we ain't got no hosers, so, have fun in Ontario.

Ontario is really beautiful. Why, If I had to move, I would stop there for a visit on my way to....

Subject: RE: BS: Calling Canada
From: Mrs.Duck
Date: 12 Aug 05 - 06:45 PM

OK we are not expecting to get a full view of Canada in a week but hope to at least get a feel of it. Long term plans are that we might move there to work and live. We both have teaching qualifications although I gather there may be some process to go through to have those recognised there. We will study maps closely and hopefully might be able to get up to Ottawa - I'm sure Geoff and Edmund would enjoy discussing beer!

Subject: RE: BS: Calling Canada
From: number 6
Date: 12 Aug 05 - 08:05 PM

Good luck on your future endeavors Ducks.

Another area of Ontario worth mentioning is the Bellevile and Port Hope vicinity. Stay away from Toronto, way too expensive, hectic and yes, Highway 401 from Oshawa to Guelph is horrendous. Man, I don't think I could ever drive it again.

You could even try the maritimes ... best part of Canada.

sIx

Subject: RE: BS: Calling Canada
From: gnu
Date: 13 Aug 05 - 07:07 AM

Ah... sorry... made a mistake when I said trout fishing. Not near as good as Labrador.

Subject: RE: BS: Calling Canada
From: Willie-O
Date: 13 Aug 05 - 10:02 AM

gnu hasn't really clarified what the heck he's rambling about...he is promoting his home province of New Brunswick aka The Picture Province, a largely (and unjustly) ignored spot usually regarded as a place you drive through to get to Nova Scotia or PEI. I agree with everything he said, just thought you needed a clue what he's on about!

I live in Eastern Ontario about an hour from Ottawa (and recommend Charmion & Edmund's hospitality and strategic location, btw). Last year Greg Stephens and Kate Barfield let me show them around our neck of the woods and I'd happily do the same for you. Keep us posted on your plans. Are you more interested in rural, or urban environments?


Bill

Subject: RE: BS: Calling Canada
From: GUEST,Bardford
Date: 13 Aug 05 - 12:13 PM

Here's a link to the Ontario Teachers College . You will find info about internationally trained teachers, etc. I imagine other provinces will have similar sites.

Enjoy your visit!

Subject: RE: BS: Calling Canada
From: number 6
Date: 13 Aug 05 - 02:34 PM

New Bruswick is also my home province ... it certainly is a beautiful province ... it tops all of the Maritime Provinces in regards to it's beauty ... the Saint John river valley is cetainly Canada's best kept secret ... New Brunswick is the favourite province of Governor General (ex) Adrienne Clarkson.

sIx

Subject: RE: BS: Calling Canada
From: Metchosin
Date: 13 Aug 05 - 02:58 PM

You are brave souls indeed if you are considering immigrating to central or eastern Canada from the realtively mild climate of the UK.

Of course you could migrate to the west coast of Canada and God's country, as most wise Canadians do, when they finally get sick of the never ending winters and sweltering uncomfortable short summers.*BG*

Subject: RE: BS: Calling Canada
From: Mrs.Duck
Date: 15 Aug 05 - 10:48 AM

Putting Ottawa on our itinery is definitely looking good. As the visit is in part to see whether we would like the country it makes more sense to meet real people rather than stick to tourist routes. Travelling further North also means we can avoid the 401 we keep hearing about, although living where we do so close to the M62, reputedly the busiest motorway in Europe, we are used to heavy traffic but would still rather avoid it.
Where we end up living would depend very much on work. I have already looked at the info on the Ontario Teachers college site and it seems to suggest that my qualifications will be accepted over there and then I have to pass a test within 12 months of starting teaching there.

Subject: RE: BS: Calling Canada
From: gnu
Date: 15 Aug 05 - 08:21 PM

Probly fer ta check up ta see how yer Canadian kinda grammer an spelin are.

Subject: RE: BS: Calling Canada
From: Beer
Date: 15 Aug 05 - 08:55 PM

Every Province is great. They all have something to offer. If you had time and drove from Prince Edward Island (and lets not forget Newfoundland. Been there 4 times and that is where I would move.)to B.C. you would have a very difficult time to decide. The best thing to do is come, visit and enjoy. Once you have established contacts then you'll be hooked.
If your passing through Quebec, p.m. me and I'll give you my phone number. You have a place to stay.
Beer

Subject: RE: BS: Calling Canada
From: Jeremiah McCaw
Date: 16 Aug 05 - 01:01 PM

And there's lots of folk-oriented activity just west of Toronto as well. I document as much as I can at
www.jeremiah.ca

Subject: RE: BS: Calling Canada
From: Beer
Date: 16 Aug 05 - 02:49 PM

Like your site Jeremiah. Will add it to my favorites and look at it closer when I have time.
Beer

Subject: RE: BS: Calling Canada
From: Geoff the Duck
Date: 19 Aug 05 - 05:54 PM

Doing Whitby Folk Week from tomorrow. We will not be at a computer, so don't expect to hear from us. We are not ignoring our thead.
Quack!!
GtD.

Subject: RE: BS: Calling Canada
From: gnu
Date: 19 Aug 05 - 06:05 PM

Quack back.

Subject: RE: BS: Calling Canada
From: gnu
Date: 23 Aug 05 - 06:00 AM

refresh

Subject: RE: BS: Calling Canada
From: Rapparee
Date: 23 Aug 05 - 09:24 AM

Inuvik. Mayo. Ft. Smith. Why, the excitement never ends!

Terrace. Ft. McPherson. Lynn Lake. Shucks, Canada overflows with urbanity!

Stewart. Meadow Lake. Aklavik. International centers of sophistication, each and every one!

But then, if you must live in Toronto, Ottawa, Quebec, Halifax, or other remote and isolated hamlets, why, Canada has those for you as well. But then you might find the excitement of Churchill or Old Crow overwhelming to recent arrivals from Ye Olde Sodde.

Personally I find Destruction Bay or Carcross or Johnson's Crossing about all the excitement I can handle whenever I "go North."






CANADA MY OWN LAND
- Words and music by Tommy Makem
Copyright 1982

The sun it comes up on the green fields of Newfoundland
On Vancouver Island, he sheds his last ray
The great Arctic Circle reflects back his glory
The wheat-laden plains grow more golden each day

Chorus:
This is my own land so fertile and beautiful
Majestic her mountains, her rivers run free
Priviledged the children, who call her their homeland
Canada, my own land for ever you'll be

Proud are the people who travel your highways
The farmer, the teacher, the factory hand
The merchant, the miner, the doctor, the fisherman
Proud to belong to this beautiful land

Chorus

Famed is your power and famed is your gentleness
Your bounty is endless from sea to shining sea
Your arms ever open to help those less fortunate
A bright light of freedom to those who would be free

Chorus

Subject: RE: BS: Calling Canada
From: gnu
Date: 23 Aug 05 - 09:35 AM

Sniff, sniff.

Subject: RE: BS: Calling Canada
From: Charmion
Date: 23 Aug 05 - 10:23 AM

Canada calling Tommy Makem:

No bureaucrats in your list? Close to 50 percent of Canada's workforce is in the public sector, and the federal government is by far the largest employer.

But "civil servant" is kinda hard to scan.

Subject: RE: BS: Calling Canada
From: Rapparee
Date: 23 Aug 05 - 11:51 AM

Doesn't have trappers, fisherfolk, prospectors, or musicians, either.

Subject: RE: BS: Calling Canada
From: Mrs.Duck
Date: 27 Aug 05 - 11:35 AM

Does it have ducks?

Subject: RE: BS: Calling Canada
From: Metchosin
Date: 27 Aug 05 - 02:05 PM

Ducks unlimited.

Subject: RE: BS: Calling Canada
From: Mrs.Duck
Date: 27 Aug 05 - 06:16 PM

Seems they have :0)

Subject: RE: BS: Calling Canada
From: gnu
Date: 27 Aug 05 - 06:40 PM

(:>