Canadian Diaspora

[lio45]

Originally Posted by 1overcosc

Excluding native ancestry, my earliest ancestor would have arrived in Canada in 1644.. by coincidence, that's my direct male line ancestor. But that's just one line. Only 2/8 of my great-grandparents and only 2/4 of my grandparents were born here.

Despite my direct male line ancestor being a New France settler, my surname is not French. It was interrupted twice, first through an adoption and secondly through an anglicization of that adopted name. My 'true' surname if those interruptions hadn't happened would be Demerse.

Interesting! Are you actually saying that that branch of your family tree follows the bloodline rather than the surnames?!? Seems very unusual! (i.e. a documented adoption with the biological ancestors remaining as the above branches of the family tree.)

Nowadays the name is Demers, without that final -e.

[1overcosc]

Originally Posted by lio45

Interesting! Are you actually saying that that branch of your family tree follows the bloodline rather than the surnames?!? Seems very unusual! (i.e. a documented adoption with the biological ancestors remaining as the above branches of the family tree.)

Nowadays the name is Demers, without that final -e.

After my great-great grandfather (the one adopted) grew up he disconnected himself from his adopted family and reconnected with his biological family. As such we generally place the biological ancestors as the above branches.

He's got an interesting story. He was born in Montreal, biologically the child of an Irish prostitute and her Quebecois client. He was adopted into another family but had bad relations with his adoptive parents, and after he grew up, his dad regretted giving up and reconnected with him. He retained his adoptive name, though, for whatever reason (I'm behind on the family lore). When he was about 30-ish (I think) he moved to Ottawa to start up a taxi business, but he feared his francophone name would turn off customers, so he anglicized his (adoptive) name. He did somewhat weirdly, he just respelled it a bit to make it sound a bit more anglophone. As such the surname he invented was unique. Anybody with my surname has to be a descendent of him. As this happened only a hundred years ago, my surname is quite rare.

[Acajack]

Originally Posted by 1overcosc

After my great-great grandfather (the one adopted) grew up he disconnected himself from his adopted family and reconnected with his biological family. As such we generally place the biological ancestors as the above branches.

He's got an interesting story. He was born in Montreal, biologically the child of an Irish prostitute and her Quebecois client. He was adopted into another family but had bad relations with his adoptive parents, and after he grew up, his dad regretted giving up and reconnected with him. He retained his adoptive name, though, for whatever reason (I'm behind on the family lore). When he was about 30-ish (I think) he moved to Ottawa to start up a taxi business, but he feared his francophone name would turn off customers, so he anglicized his (adoptive) name. He did somewhat weirdly, he just respelled it a bit to make it sound a bit more anglophone. As such the surname he invented was unique. Anybody with my surname has to be a descendent of him. As this happened only a hundred years ago, my surname is quite rare.

Hmmm I wouldn't say you are behind on the family lore. That's pretty impressive detail there!

[Bcasey25raptor]

Canada is the one of the best countries to live in the world. Strong economy, excellent education, excellent healthcare, clean air, true democracy, low crime. I guess I'm just curious why people would want to leave. Climate aside, I really don't see how I could move somewhere else, at least not permanently.

Ok I haven't left yet but every day my wish to leave is growing.

A few things I need to ask you before I continue.

Do you seriously believe what you typed? If so, allow me to tell you why you are wrong.

1) Canada does NOT have a strong economy, we are HEAVILY reliant on the US and resource development. Canada's economy resembles a developing country and not a high tech industrialized nation. This is a reality we have to deal with
2)Excellent healthcare? My grandmother died two weeks ago because she couldn't get a damn liver transplant since our ration-care system seems to think people can wait years for life saving surgery. Wait times in Canada are among the worst in the world, and our system doesn't cover some extremely important essentials like Pharmaceuticals, dental, optical, and ambulance rides. Being better than the US isn't a good way to judge how good our pitiful Healthcare system is.
3)True democracy? Harper won a majority government with 39.6% of the vote when only 60% of the Canadian population even went to the polls in the first place. He continues to a run a fascist-lite government and rules with less then a 50% approval ranking of the population. He continuously attacks democracy and our constitution. True Democracy indeed.
4) I think you under estimate how much climate matters to people. We have the choice between freezing to death or being rained on for half the year. Theres no middle ground and not a single desirable climate in the country, even Russia has a sub tropical climate in and around sochi.

The rest of the things you posted are extremely debatable and we only perform better on those aspects then the US.

Even then, the US may perform worse then Canada on most aspects but wages are substantially higher and the weather is substantially better. Job prospects are much much better for professionals and educated individuals in the US than in Canada.

This is why 1 million Canadians live in the US.

Canada is not one of the best countries in the world to live in. It's second worst in the developed world after the US.

I haven't even mentioned the appalling social safety net in Canada and the extremely high cost of living that is completely out of whack compared to the average income.

[lio45]

Originally Posted by 1overcosc

After my great-great grandfather (the one adopted) grew up he disconnected himself from his adopted family and reconnected with his biological family. As such we generally place the biological ancestors as the above branches.

He's got an interesting story. He was born in Montreal, biologically the child of an Irish prostitute and her Quebecois client. He was adopted into another family but had bad relations with his adoptive parents, and after he grew up, his dad regretted giving up and reconnected with him. He retained his adoptive name, though, for whatever reason (I'm behind on the family lore). When he was about 30-ish (I think) he moved to Ottawa to start up a taxi business, but he feared his francophone name would turn off customers, so he anglicized his (adoptive) name. He did somewhat weirdly, he just respelled it a bit to make it sound a bit more anglophone. As such the surname he invented was unique. Anybody with my surname has to be a descendent of him. As this happened only a hundred years ago, my surname is quite rare.

Wow, that's a fascinating story

This M. Demers ("the Client") in the Montreal of the late Victorian era, seeing his prostitute regularly... It's quite special that your ancestry line survived this passage through the bastard child of a prostitute without any loss of info!

Since "the Client" managed to track his child later, I'm assuming he had pretty close (and lasting) ties with the mother, in spite of their... "professional", at first sight, relationship.

So your father's side is your Irish side and your mother's the Jewish one?

If you feel that's too personal there's no need to answer, it's no big deal. I just find that kind of family lore super interesting, and will second Acajack's comment -- you're very well informed!

[Metro-One]

Originally Posted by le calmar

Don't tempt me, there is definitely something with Japanese girls... While I will be in Canada for at least one year starting in April, as I said earlier in this thread I consider eventually moving to Asia temporarily later on. It will depend of the job opportunities I get in Canada.

I will begin a temporary contract in Gatineau in April (potentially permanent but it still has to be determined, but I think I am not exactly ready to settle down yet) but I am more than open to the idea of moving to another province/state in the next year or two. And perhaps also oversea, and Japan is definitely up there regarding this second option. I hear it is hard for a foreigner to find a job in Japan, is it true? (not counting English teaching jobs)

Outside of teaching it is hard to work in other fields (unless you speak fluent Japanese). Lower level service jobs are always available though, if you can speak broken Japanese then you can bartend and other such activities.

That being said teaching is not as bad as some imagine, in Japan it is a very respected profession, even for foreign language teachers. The trick is to get a more "real" teaching job. There are many after school cram schools and part time teaching jobs, but they are a little flacky. I am working a full time 8 to 5 (usually 6 or 7) position at a high school with real classes. Also with the 2020 Olympics coming up if I stay here I will be able to climb the company ladder pretty quick since many English companies are planning on doubling in size by then. (and then you can have administrative / office positions).

But teaching is not for everyone. Even so, living in Japan is super fun, it pretty much has all the freedoms and luxuries of the west, with an East Asian vide (and of course all the crazy kawaii culture aspects unique to Japan).

PS, my family is rare in that 4 of my great grandparents were born in BC (2 others elsewhere in Canada, and 2 others from Italy), and all 4 grandparents were born in BC.

[1overcosc]

Originally Posted by lio45

Wow, that's a fascinating story

This M. Demers ("the Client") in the Montreal of the late Victorian era, seeing his prostitute regularly... It's quite special that your ancestry line survived this passage through the bastard child of a prostitute without any loss of info!

Since "the Client" managed to track his child later, I'm assuming he had pretty close (and lasting) ties with the mother, in spite of their... "professional", at first sight, relationship.

I'm honestly not too sure about that, but know that he was a 'regular' and they were close. My grandma told me that they were just friends and their relationship became non-sexual over time but I do get the sense that's a lie.

Originally Posted by lio45

So your father's side is your Irish side and your mother's the Jewish one?

Yep. My great-great-great grandma, the Montreal prostitute, was born in Ireland. My great-great grandpa, the bastard, was thus half Irish, half Canadien. The chain of marriages that go from there to my dad is complicated, I can't remember all of them, but I know that through my great-great grandma, great-grandma, and grandma, that English, Scottish, and I think a bit of German entered the mix too. I do remember when we analyzed it all that Irish ended up being 5/8ths of my Dad's ancestry.

My mom is 3/4 Jewish. Her mother, my grandma, is Ashkenazi Jewish, a native speaker of Yiddish. Her father was 1/2 Jewish and 1/2 gentile Ukrainian, I can't remember which parent was which. As such, I am technically Jewish according to traditional Jewish custom which is to define Jewishness on the female line.

So the long and the short of it is...I'm a mutt If asked to define my ethnicity, I usually respond with 'Anglo-Canadian', or simply 'Canadian'. When pressed, I say 'Irish-Jewish' but seeing as how I have very little of those cultures in my personality I don't like using that label.

Genetic testing I had done identified me as having 26% Middle Eastern origin, presumably from the 37.5% of me that's Jewish, and ~1% Aboriginal origin, presumably from the trace Quebecois ancestry from the Demerses.

I have the right of citizenship in Ireland, the United Kingdom, and Israel as a result of all this. If I wanted to go overseas I have some very easy options.

[isaidso]

Originally Posted by Acajack

The U.S. was also into this "best-ness" thing for a long while. Some of it still persists to this day but it's no longer as central to the identity I'd say...

By necessity. A significant number of Americans don't buy into the myth any more.

[kool maudit]

myths are crucibles in which identity is formed.

that photo was taken at a time when the myth was untrue for many (as it always was), hence its irony-derived fame, but that does not mean that it did not continue to work its way through the national psyche, constructing "american-ness" out of whatever ingredients it could.

you cannt understand history without understanding the role of myth. we live in a very literal time and must approach this with a certain handicap, but it remains as true as ever.

[kool maudit]

as noted above, one of our myths in canada is that we are a truer, fairer and better version of the north american project than is our giant neighbour.

this was unavoidable given our loyalist past but the way it introduces an "other", or is dependent on comparison, can make it seem shallow and weak. john ralston saul constructed a really erudite and interesting version of this thesis in his "reflections of a siamese twin", and this was reflected a few years later in the popular realm by that molson ad.

i think it was in margaret atwood's susanna moodie poems that i first encountered this idea of canada as being peculiarly unhaunted, a land with no ghosts. we have come to imagine this as a strength, an absence of cloudy hindrances to the humanist project.

i don't think it is a strength, though. but maybe that's a discussion better suited to the diaspora thread. i don't think there will be a country called canada for very long in historical terms (that doesn't mean nobody will live in canada, or that the people who live there won't live well, only that the idea will break down).

[kwoldtimer]

Originally Posted by kool maudit

as noted above, one of our myths in canada is that we are a truer, fairer and better version of the north american project than is our giant neighbour.
this was unavoidable given our loyalist past but the way it introduces an "other", or is dependent on comparison, can make it seem shallow and weak. john ralston saul constructed a really erudite and interesting version of this thesis in his "reflections of a siamese twin", and this was reflected a few years later in the popular realm by that molson ad.

i think it was in margaret atwood's susanna moodie poems that i first encountered this idea of canada as being peculiarly unhaunted, a land with no ghosts. we have come to imagine this as a strength, an absence of cloudy hindrances to the humanist project.

i don't think it is a strength, though. but maybe that's a discussion better suited to the diaspora thread. i don't think there will be a country called canada for very long in historical terms (that doesn't mean nobody will live in canada, or that the people who live there won't live well, only that the idea will break down).

I seem to recall someone (a journalist?) once say that "Canada adopted the "American Dream".... and improved it". It was not said in jest and there were arguments given for the statement. I wish I could remember the details, but he would not be alone in his view.

[Acajack]

Originally Posted by kool maudit

as noted above, one of our myths in canada is that we are a truer, fairer and better version of the north american project than is our giant neighbour.

this was unavoidable given our loyalist past but the way it introduces an "other", or is dependent on comparison, can make it seem shallow and weak. john ralston saul constructed a really erudite and interesting version of this thesis in his "reflections of a siamese twin", and this was reflected a few years later in the popular realm by that molson ad.

i think it was in margaret atwood's susanna moodie poems that i first encountered this idea of canada as being peculiarly unhaunted, a land with no ghosts. we have come to imagine this as a strength, an absence of cloudy hindrances to the humanist project.

i don't think it is a strength, though. but maybe that's a discussion better suited to the diaspora thread. i don't think there will be a country called canada for very long in historical terms (that doesn't mean nobody will live in canada, or that the people who live there won't live well, only that the idea will break down).

As you probably know, the contemporary Canadian mindset doesn't see this as a weakness at all, but rather as a kind of heightened state of societal evolution. Or at least as though Canada was "onto something", that other societies will eventually adopt or at least should consider emulating.

[Acajack]

Originally Posted by kwoldtimer

I seem to recall someone (a journalist?) once say that "Canada adopted the "American Dream".... and improved it". It was not said in jest and there were arguments given for the statement. I wish I could remember the details, but he would not be alone in his view.

It's something you hear quite often.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/repor...ticle18678434/

http://www.tribemagazine.com/board/t...can-dream.html

It really goes to some Canadians' heads, especially when it comes from Americans!

[kwoldtimer]

Originally Posted by Acajack

It's something you hear quite often.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/repor...ticle18678434/

http://www.tribemagazine.com/board/t...can-dream.html

It really goes to some Canadians' heads, especially when it comes from Americans!

Yes, I was thinking that the respective situations of our middle classes (enjoy it while it lasts, Canada!) would tend to reinforce that kind of thinking. Beyond the bilateral, however, it does have a certain resonance around the world in terms of the "New World" and the opportunities provided by both Canada and the USA.

[lio45]

Originally Posted by Acajack

The U.S. was also into this "best-ness" thing for a long while. Some of it still persists to this day but it's no longer as central to the identity I'd say...

The whole family is crammed into that tiny cab like sardines in a can!!!

Surely you can't call that a high standard of living with a straight face!

[kwoldtimer]

Originally Posted by lio45

The whole family is crammed into that tiny cab like sardines in a can!!!

Surely you can't call that a high standard of living with a straight face!

You certainly could in the post-WWII era (what's that poster - pre 1955?).

[lio45]

Originally Posted by kwoldtimer

You certainly could in the post-WWII era (what's that poster - pre 1955?).

The vehicle is a mid-1930s model. So I'm guessing late 1930s pic, years into the Great Depression era.

And I wasn't serious, FYI

Even though of course that family of four (and dog) would be more comfy in a modern Chevy Suburban. 4x4, of course, just in case they need it. (Or maybe they can settle for only a Tahoe, if they can't afford a Suburban.)

[kwoldtimer]

Originally Posted by lio45

The vehicle is a mid-1930s model. So I'm guessing late 1930s pic, years into the Great Depression era.

And I wasn't serious, FYI

Even though of course that family of four (and dog) would be more comfy in a modern Chevy Suburban. 4x4, of course, just in case they need it. (Or maybe they can settle for only a Tahoe, if they can't afford a Suburban.)

Just buy the Suburban and live in THAT!

[Acajack]

Originally Posted by lio45

The vehicle is a mid-1930s model. So I'm guessing late 1930s pic, years into the Great Depression era.

And I wasn't serious, FYI

Even though of course that family of four (and dog) would be more comfy in a modern Chevy Suburban. 4x4, of course, just in case they need it. (Or maybe they can settle for only a Tahoe, if they can't afford a Suburban.)

That's a classic Depression-era American photo BTW.

[Tosin007]

Originally Posted by Metro-One

Outside of teaching it is hard to work in other fields (unless you speak fluent Japanese). Lower level service jobs are always available though, if you can speak broken Japanese then you can bartend and other such activities.

That being said teaching is not as bad as some imagine, in Japan it is a very respected profession, even for foreign language teachers. The trick is to get a more "real" teaching job. There are many after school cram schools and part time teaching jobs, but they are a little flacky. I am working a full time 8 to 5 (usually 6 or 7) position at a high school with real classes. Also with the 2020 Olympics coming up if I stay here I will be able to climb the company ladder pretty quick since many English companies are planning on doubling in size by then. (and then you can have administrative / office positions).

But teaching is not for everyone. Even so, living in Japan is super fun, it pretty much has all the freedoms and luxuries of the west, with an East Asian vide (and of course all the crazy kawaii culture aspects unique to Japan).

PS, my family is rare in that 4 of my great grandparents were born in BC (2 others elsewhere in Canada, and 2 others from Italy), and all 4 grandparents were born in BC.

Yeah I love the Kawaii Culture! Oh wow I thought u worked 10 Hour Day's so you don't work crazy long hours in Japan after all? Do u know anyone that does?