As Bush Exits, Expats Staying Put

This article is about Americans who made good on their threats to move to Canada during George W. Bush's tenure.

Before I begin discussing this, let me just say that there are a whole lot of non-political reasons why we moved here. I suspect it's the same for most American expatriates. If you moved every time politics didn't go your way, you'd never stay in any country for very long. That said, U.S. politics and the extent to which the U.S. government neglects the needs of the people have rubbed us the wrong way for a long time.

I can really relate with the gal who said it's not just Bush. A contributing factor is the fact that literally ½ of Americans knew what Bush was about, had watched him in action since 2000, knew what he was going to do, and still voted for him again. Now, despite a truly abysmal presidency full of lies and illegal conduct, fraught with scandals, wrongful deaths, enshrining torture, ignoring habeas corpus and basic human rights, flouting of Constitutional rights and the system of checks and balances, blatantly taking from the poor to give to the rich, gutting the educational system, and so much more... the Republicans still garnered 45.7% of the vote last November. I'll never understand this. Are people taking crazy pills?? This speaks volumes about American society in general and in my mind is just one more symptom of how backward things are over there. (See my discussion of the U.S. South below.)

I can also relate to the lesbian couple, who quite enjoy having the right to marry and full protection under the law. When I've met people here, and they inquire upon introduction who my partner is to me so they'll know how to refer to her, it doesn't even faze them when I tell them. They don't freak out or hesitate or anything. It's amazing! I've always dreaded that moment whenever meeting anyone new in the States, because so many times they'd start right in on us like it's any of their damn concern. I say, don't ask if you might not like the answer! I finally gave up and just started lying and saying she's my roommate, which I really hate doing, because I really don't like lying for any reason and I don't like denying our relationship. But it got so we started doing it habitually, because we couldn't even go out and have a good time at mixed social events because some closed-minded jerk always had to take it upon him/herself to ask the question and then ruin our good time. We had to either go to gay events or face the homophobes.

Mind you, it's not like we were in the Deep South either... this was California, one of the most socially liberal states in the U.S., a leader that has had domestic partnership in place since 1999. So draw your conclusions from there. I lived for a brief time in the U.S. South, incidentally, so I know what I'm talking about, and I can vouch for the fact that the widespread racism, homophobia, condemnation of anyone who is not a fundamentalist Christian, and general closedmindedness were shocking and dismaying enough to convince me to avoid any future visits.

So coming here to Canada, it's mind-blowing and really refreshing when the question comes up about my same-sex partner, who also happens to be of a different race than myself, and nobody even bats an eye. What a difference!

Returning to Canada as an adult has made for some serious culture shock, in so many very positive ways. We love it here! And as we get to know it better, we love it even more. We have a lot of dear loved ones in the States, but we wouldn't dream of moving back.