5 months since moving into Canada. What have I learned since?

It’s been about 5 months since I first stepped into Canada (August 18th, 2023). What have I learned since then? Down below is a list of things I have learned and some general advice I have for folks, especially white trans USians.

1. First big lesson that I learned the hard way: Apparently psychology departments in Canada are more okay with eugenics than psychology departments in the US. On this note-
2. Canada is not inherently more progressive than the US. Telling white trans USians this in particular as some plan to flee to Canada. Also that Canada is enacting many of the same terrible transphobic bills as the US, though it varies by province just like it varies by state in the US. More of an FYI than a discouragement.
3. The way white people in Canada state anti-Indigenous sentiment is the exact same tone white people in the US say antiblack things. It’s super unnerving to say the least because at least in the US, white people typically attempt to hide this but in Canada they generally don’t. I’m not sure if the tone being the same is a coincidence or if they are just so antiblack (with a low percentage of the population being Black) that they aren’t even aware of this. Still can’t get used to that!
4. Poutine is everywhere!
5. Minimum wage is generally more livable than the US. This I knew prior, but I was surprised that I was able to save money and pay tuition from minimum wage and jobs near minimum wage.
6. Temporary immigrants don’t get access to the same healthcare facilities as permanent residents and citizens. This one shocked me. I knew this would be the case for refugees, but I was not aware that this applied for international students as well. I am not sure if this also applies to workers who work longer term jobs.
7. Healthcare is way cheaper. I’m still not used to the much lower prices for medication.
8. Canada has earned its reputation for US lite / Diet US. Canadians also consume a surprising amount of US politics.
9. Lots of Asian places to eat at for Winnipeg. I like it!
10. Many more job opportunities that center Indigenous folks, but otherwise somehow even worse than the US currently for basically everything else in that regards.
11. I’m still getting used to the reduced affirmative action for Black folks in Canada. So far, it almost feels like neglect more than anything else. On a related note-
12. The amount of Canadian things that are using data specifically about Black Americans (and not their own Black population) is fairly alarming. Especially for things like seeking mental health care where the majority of the Black population in Canada are immigrants and have to worry about additional things that most Black Americans don’t (like deportation). Also feels weirdly erasing (and racist) that it’s assumed that these 2 populations are the exact same?! This gets even weirder when you look at things with a low percentage of Black folks in the US, such as mathematics. Oftentimes rather than just stating they do not have enough information or saying more research needs to be done, they’ll instead use data from the US and not note the limitations?! That has made trying to find data on those Black in STEM in Canada to be a pain in the rear and annoying.
13. I definitely do not want to become a Canadian citizen or permanent resident. I’m not dying to leave Canada, but I can definitely tell this isn’t the country for me. I would be okay with being a temporary resident in the future again, but nothing beyond a few years.
14. Winnipeg is a cheap city considering its size, population, population density, and other large cities in Canada. It is fairly conservative, but also one of the most diverse cities in Canada. It’s definitely not a sundown town. I feel comfortable walking alone at night as long as police are not near by. As expected, police are extremely antiblack and should be avoided at all costs (and also abolished).
15. Still not used to some of the brands having slightly different colors for Canada compared to the US. Means I have to think more when shopping, least I accidentally buy the wrong flavor.
16. Manitoba specific: The province has a strong demand for agricultural engineers, psychologists, and those in a trade. There is also a demand for IT workers, those trained in kinesiology, agriculture in general, and biochem workers who specialize in agriculture. The universities in Manitoba have a difficult time recruiting and maintaining much of their adjunct workers, instructors, and professors because this is one of the lowest paying provinces for that. Additionally, there is not much work in Mantioba to be found outside of education for many of these fields (such as mathematics), so they are often heading to other provinces for work. Manitoba will continue to bleed out the bulk of its highly formally educated population unless changes are made. One upshot is that due to the cheapness of the province that it is actually feasible to adjunct 3 courses a semester (Fall and Winter) and make enough money to cover all of the basics and save a significant amount of your income.

Anyways, stay tuned for more information! I have some good news to share and I have confirmed that I’ll be out of the US for all of 2024 (and possibly also 2025! Maybe.)