https://youtu.be/gYai5ml5xEI

There once was an old man who sat at the edge of a city. A stranger walked up and asked what the people were like who lived their. The old man asked the stranger what the people were like from where he came from. The stranger started complaining saying how the people were unkind and were cruel to him in the previous city. The old man said to the stranger that he had better try a different city because the people in this city were just the same.

After a period a second stranger arrived and asked the same question. As before the old man ask the stranger what the people were like in the previous city. The second stranger said that he regretted having to leave the previous city because the people were so kind and friendly toward him. The old man said "Welcome stranger, the people here are just the same".

I normally use this parable to explain when I travel, I always find people friendly. This same parable can be used to used to describe to people what their experience will be like if they choose to immigrate to Canada. The only difference is that we have the additional insult of the weather. Many immigrants arriving to Canada from equatorial regions do so with the pleasant surprise that only about 4 months of the year has warmth (less in some areas). The economics are also similar. I once had some friends who arrived from Romania who complained that their qualification were unrecognised in Canada. This was after they had gone to university for roughly 10 years. Sure enough, it took them another 10 years before they were able to get jobs that replaced the ones they had left behind. 

People with marginal skills in their home country come to Canada expecting to live "the standard Canadian living". They also expect to live where the most opportunities are perceived to exist (Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver) where the cost of shelter are the highest. Over half of an individual's income is spent in accommodation. I did a quick survey of a single region of Toronto and the cost of a one bedroom apartment was about $1500. At minimum wage, this means that all the other expenses (food, clothing, utilities and phone) need to be paid out from the roughly $700. While one can live this way, it is very difficult. As illustrated by one of the women in the piece with 3 kids, she needs three jobs to maintain her family. 

The reality is that if a person is poor in their previous country, they will be poor in Canada. Yes we make more money, but money is like leaves on a tree. Just because you have more leaves on the ground in your yard, doesn't make you richer. In fact when I was younger (and married), I worked 80-120 hours per week. For periods at a time, I lived on 4 hours per night. While my children might not remember it (they were young) there were many times that I would drive to downtown Toronto ( 3 hour drive) to teach computer technology to certain government ministries. 

Yes Canadians have cars and houses and clothes and a lifestyle which might be envied by others but a society is what people make of it. I was never alone in doing the work that I did. Countless other Canadians would get up in the middle of the night and drive hours to go to work. That is why I have a picture similar to this on my wall. This is what I aspire to ...
![](https://steemitimages.com/DQmUvUAwAaZ6EPsQ1cKGhb7nL2HTfBzeehbkuEVaJnYEvft/image.png)
[Source](http://www.abc.net.au/news/image/8099414-16x9-940x529.jpg)