🚀 go-pugleaf

Woo hoo hoo, the Bush victory is paying-off in ways I never expected.
Don't let the door hit ya in the ass.
_________________-


http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=57
3&e=1&u=/nm/20041105/od_nm/canada_usa_dc

Americans Flock to Canada's Immigration Web Site

Fri Nov 5, 2:22 PM ET   Oddly Enough - Reuters 
 
By David Ljunggren 

OTTAWA (Reuters) - The number of U.S. citizens visiting Canada's main
immigration Web site has shot up six-fold as Americans flirt with the
idea of abandoning their homeland after President Bush (news - web
sites)'s election win this week. 

"When we looked at the first day after the election, Nov. 3, our Web
site hit a new high, almost double the previous record high,"
immigration ministry spokeswoman Maria Iadinardi said on Friday. 

On an average day some 20,000 people in the United States log onto the
Web site, www.cic.gc.ca -- a figure which rocketed to 115,016 on
Wednesday. The number of U.S. visits settled down to 65,803 on
Thursday, still well above the norm. 

Bush's victory sparked speculation that disconsolate Democrats and
others might decide to start a new life in Canada, a land that tilts
more to the left than the United States. 

Would-be immigrants to Canada can apply to become permanent resident,
a process that often takes a year. The other main way to move north on
a long-term basis is to find a job, which requires a work permit. 

But please spare the sob stories. 

Asked whether an applicant would be looked upon more sympathetically
if they claimed to be a sad Democrat seeking to escape four more years
of Bush, Iadinardi replied: "There would be no weight given to
statements of feelings." 

Canada is one of the few major nations with an large-scale immigration
policy. Ottawa is seeking to attract between 220,000 and 240,000
newcomers next year. 

"Let's face it, we have a population of a little over 32 million and
we definitely need permanent residents to come to Canada," said
Iadinardi. "If we could meet (the 2005) target and go above it, the
more the merrier." 

But right now it is too early to say whether the increased interest
will result in more applications. 

"There is no unusual activity occurring at our visa missions (in the
United States). Having someone who intends to come to Canada is not
the same as someone actually putting in an application," said
Iadinardi. 

"We'll only find out whether there has been an increase in
applications in six months." 

The waiting time to become a citizen is shorter for people married to
Canadians, which prompted the birth of a satirical Web site called
www.marryanamerican.ca. 

The idea of increased immigration by unhappy Americans is triggering
some amusement in Canada. Commentator Thane Burnett of the Ottawa Sun
newspaper wrote a tongue-in-cheek guide to would-be new citizens on
Friday. 

"As Canadians, you'll have to learn to embrace and use all the
products and culture of Americans, while bad-mouthing their way of
life," he said.