Canadian Alternative

Apparently a lot of Americans frustrated with Bush’s re-election are starting to think that the grass is greener north of the border, Canada.

The Canadian immigration Web site had 115,000 hits the day after the election — from the U.S. alone. Usually, they only get 20,000 hits.

There was so much interest that a Vancouver-based Internet company, Communicopia, set up a new Web site this month — www.canadianalternative.com — to suggest Canada as a viable option for its American clients, including anyone concerned about constitutional bans on gay marriage passed in 11 U.S. states this month.

Another Web site urges Canadians: “Open your heart, and your home. Marry an American. Legions of Canadians have already pledged to sacrifice their singlehood to save our southern neighbours from four more years of cowboy conservatism.”

The Reasons to move to Canada, as cited by www.canadianalternative.com:

1. Canada has universal public health care.
2. Canada has no troops in Iraq.
3. Canada signed the Kyoto Protocol environmental treaty.
4. More than half of Canada’s provinces allow same-sex marriage.
5. The Canadian Senate recommends legalizing marijuana.
6. Canada has no law restricting abortion.
7. Canada has strict gun laws and relatively little violence.
8. The United Nations has ranked Canada the best country to live in for eight consecutive years.
9. Canada abolished the death penalty in 1976.
10. Canada has not run a federal deficit since 1996-97.