Canada as the perfect alternative

There is a new website titled Canadian Alternative.com. It describes Canada as the "perfect alternative for conscientious forward-thinking Americans". Under the headline Cool Canada (not the temperature), the site named five reasons for Americans to consider moving north:

• Canada has universal health care.

• Canada has no troops in Iraq.

• Canada signed the Kyoto Protocol.

• More than 50 per cent of Canada’s provinces allows same-sex marriage.

• The Canadian Senate recommends legalizing marijuana.

If some Americans are not upbeat with their country, the Canadians feel differently. According to the latest Canadian economic index, it showed that 81 percent of Canadians describe their economy as "good" or "very good." The index functions as a predictor for the economy. The study measure consumer’s take on interest rates, job security, spending plans and outlook of personal finances.

Canadians also feel good about their own pocketbooks, with more than three times as many people believing that their finances will improve over the coming months. Albertans are the most likely to have positive impressions of the Canadian economy, followed by residents of British Columbia, Saskatchewan/Manitoba, Ontario and Quebec.

Krispy Kreme was one of the most anticipated donut chains in Canada so the American company opened shops in different parts of Canada for the past two years. Today, Krispy Kreme Doughnuts Inc. is drastically slowing down its operations in the country, squeezed by a more diet conscious society and falling sales. The company will close three kiosks in Ontario, leaving it with just six outlets. The future of Krispy Kreme in Canada looks bleak.

Here’s an interesting story from Nova Scotia that will unlikely happen in the Philippines. There’s a Canadian man who closed his bank account on his 25th birthday, gave away his money, his computer and embarked on a most unusual personal quest called "Buy Nothing Year." For the past six months, he survived on the generosity of friends and the excess of society. The man could definitely earn a living (if he wanted) as a jewelry maker after earning a fine arts degree from the Nova Scotia College of Art and Design. He called his new lifestyle as "low-impact," a philosophy he experienced as a student. Environmentalism is the primary objective of the artist. And he believes in the trading his labor for his needs.

The Philippine community will surely miss Consul Josefina Ceballos who left for Manila after completing her assignment and tour of duty in Vancouver. Consul Ceballos, Majo to friends, was assigned to Vancouver in May 1997 as Vice-Consul, then promoted to Consul in 2001. She was also the administrative officer and supervising officer for Trade and an active member of the Philippine Trade Council.

Consul General Zenaida Rabago announced the arrival of Consul Robespierre Bolivar and Consul Raul Hernandez during her emergency meeting with Filipino Canadian associations/organizations to appeal for assistance to help the typhoon victims. A trust fund for typhoon victims in the Philippines was started by Consul General Rabago.

Canadians generally believe that the traditional family is essential if we are to instill values in our children, build healthy communities, and enjoy a sense of personal well-being, according to the study of Vanier Institute, The Future Families Project. However, the notion of the Family is changing. While 58 per cent of Canadians said that the ideal family is a married man and woman with a least one child, another 10 per cent stated that there is no one single form of family, a finding that mirrors the reality in Canadian Society.

The latest trends for Canadian families are:

Fewer couples are getting legally married. More couples are breaking up. Families are getting smaller. Children experience more transitions as parents change their marital status. Canadians are generally satisfied with life. Family violence is under-reported. Multiple-earner families are now the norm. Inequality is worsening. The future will have more aging families. 22 per cent of young Canadians are cohabiting with a partner. And fewer young Canadians are trying the knot early.