Will Wilkinson - Latest Comments in Waking Up Canadian

Re: Waking Up Canadian

nadjim — Sun, 19 Apr 2009 13:28:34 -0000

hi guys

please help me to obtain visa for canada , just for visit and may nationality is comoros island, kindly send me e-mail if you any one able to assist me in this case
my e-mail : strongstar-mhz@hotmail.com

thnx in advance

brgds, nadjim

Re: Waking Up Canadian

Fred S. — Sun, 12 Apr 2009 20:54:03 -0000

Adina,

I didn't say "all of [you]" would have no connection to the country. Given the fact that Canada has extraordinarily lax req'ts for citizenship already, and given the tendency of emigrants to retain their citiizenship long after having left the country for good, this reform must necessarily scoop up a great many people who have no connection to Canada.

There are additional problems, of course: the fact that citizenship entitles these "new Canadians" to a plethora of welfare state goodies that they haven't paid into, the fact that these people have citizenship as a matter of right and thus won't be vetted (criminal record checks, disease testing, etc.) like garden-variety immigrants, etc.

"Anyway, if you want to move to the U.S., I say welcome, to you and most everyone else."

Funnily enough, I am in an analogous position to WW. My mother was born in the States. I used to visit relatives and friends just across the border on a fairly regular basis. I certainly wouldn't be averse to having the permission to live and work in the US - by all means, write your Congressman on my behalf. I would say, though, that if everyone who wanted to move to the States were permitted to, it would very swiftly become a place in which no one wanted to live.

Re: Waking Up Canadian

adina — Sun, 12 Apr 2009 15:59:42 -0000

Fred, why do you assume that all of us have no connection to the country? My grandma and cousins still live there, and I visit at least once a year. I know the streets, the cafes, the museums, and all of the bridge-playing senior citizens in my bubbe's neighborhood. I will concede that becoming a citizen is not necessary for many practical purposes, but I feel affinity for a country that's been part of my life, for as long as I can remember. So, why not? Anyway, if you want to move to the U.S., I say welcome, to you and most everyone else.

Re: Waking Up Canadian

Steve M. — Sun, 12 Apr 2009 12:08:05 -0000

Behold the power of law!

Re: Waking Up Canadian

Fred S. — Sun, 12 Apr 2009 06:53:54 -0000

Great. Just what Canada needs... more deracinated foreign dross with zero connection to the country.

"watching that I really notice the dearth of non-stereotypical symbolism in Canada"

Sir, in case you didn't see, the mountie was black. It doesn't get much more non-stereotypical than that, does it?

Brennan,

What's your objection to swearing an oath to the Queen? Is it garden variety libertarian antinomianism or a particvualrly Irish Anglophobia?

Re: Waking Up Canadian

Tyson — Sat, 11 Apr 2009 06:05:48 -0000

"Everything you wanted to know about Canada, but were afraid to ask" http://www.youtube.com/watc...
From Rick Mercer, Canada's Jon Stewart

Re: Waking Up Canadian

uknowbetter — Sat, 11 Apr 2009 04:11:46 -0000

I really don't want to wake up with a vagina. This is the ultimate nightmare that I have never had and don't ever want to have.

Re: Waking Up Canadian

Patrick — Fri, 10 Apr 2009 22:33:56 -0000

You are such a citizen of the world. You didn't go into a lot of detail as to why you would do this, care to explain?

Re: Waking Up Canadian

huadpe — Fri, 10 Apr 2009 14:21:42 -0000

Yeah. Also, watching that I really notice the dearth of non-stereotypical symbolism in Canada. The US has eagles, the flag, very pretty founding documents, and a host of prominent looking buildings.

Canada has...maple leaves and maple syrup. And the peace tower I guess. And 1/20th of a Queen. I say this as someone living in Canada for some time now.

Re: Waking Up Canadian

Robert S. Porter — Fri, 10 Apr 2009 13:03:50 -0000

Oh I feel alright. There are other uses of my tax dollar I am more concerned with.

Re: Waking Up Canadian

Will Wilkinson — Fri, 10 Apr 2009 10:53:56 -0000

Yes, I do!

Re: Waking Up Canadian

Will Wilkinson — Fri, 10 Apr 2009 10:53:04 -0000

I don't have to take an oath. Starting on April 17th, I will have always been Canadian.

Re: Waking Up Canadian

J Brennan — Fri, 10 Apr 2009 10:12:42 -0000

Here is the text of the Canadian Oath of Citizenship:

"Oath of Citizenship

I swear (or affirm) that I will be faithful
and bear true allegiance to Her Majesty
Queen Elizabeth the Second, Queen of Canada,
Her Heirs and Successors, and that I will faithfully
observe the laws of Canada
and fulfil my duties as a Canadian citizen."

Are they serious? You have to swear allegiance to Queen Elizabeth?

Re: Waking Up Canadian

Anonymous — Fri, 10 Apr 2009 09:16:33 -0000

If it makes you feel any better, I can't imagine that a lot of your tax dollars paid for that.

Re: Waking Up Canadian

huadpe — Fri, 10 Apr 2009 07:52:07 -0000

I would sign up solely for free poutine and maple syrup.

Re: Waking Up Canadian

adina — Fri, 10 Apr 2009 03:28:29 -0000

I get to be Canadian, too, on April 17 (Thanks Momma!), but it seems like some anti-Kafkaesque nightmare if I go to sleep as that guy, and wake up as the same guy, just with more moose memorabilia.

Re: Waking Up Canadian

P.M. Jaworski — Fri, 10 Apr 2009 02:03:34 -0000

Hey, does this mean you're going to be a Canadian for reals?

Congrats. Do you feel freer already?

Re: Waking Up Canadian

Robert S. Porter — Fri, 10 Apr 2009 02:00:32 -0000

Wow, I can't believe my tax dollars paid for that. Soon you can contribute too!