Top Reasons for being Canadian PR or Citizen.

Well, first, I am not unhappy nor frustrated with CIC. Not unhappy with or frustrated about the Canadian government. I come from a country to which, in contrast, Canada is more or less (recognizing that there are some flaws) a dream come true. Really.

I should also acknowledge that I am not waiting to become a PR. I have been a PR for more than a year and a half now. I became a PR pretty much on schedule, on a reasonable time line. I am waiting to become a Citizen. I am looking forward to becoming a Canadian citizen. Very much so!

Why?

There are way too many reasons to go into much detail in one post. Let me say this: I was reluctant to seek PR status, let alone citizenship, for a long time despite the amount of time I was spending in Canada, despite the increasing ties I had to Canada, but in full recognition of the taxation disadvantages I would incur if I did become a bona fide resident of Canada. My reason were selfish. I could (or at least had been allowed to) spend lots and lots of time in this wonderful country, without having to "settle down" here and pay the kind of taxes a country like this needs to impose in order to function. I preferred the American approach: pay as little as possible, take as advantage as much as possible. Things change. Circumstances change. Attitudes at the border have been changing.

It was either stop spending so much time in Canada or make it official. OK. My then gf decided she really wanted me around (sometimes she suggests she might think differently these days), so she married me and sponsored me. I said "yes" as in "I do" and now I am, as in I am paying a lot, lot more in taxes.

But, in the meantime I have had time to reflect on the whole thing, on the context, on what it means to be a Canadian, and what it means to pay for being a Canadian. And, despite the thousands of dollars more it takes out of my pocket, yeah, really yeah I am happy to be a PR, I am very much tickled to be living in Canada, really living in Canada, and looking forward to the day I can become a Canadian citizen. I have entertained the prospect of living in a number of place in the world. Canada is the only one I would consider as the place I really want to say to "I live there," and for sure the only other country in the world I would like to become a citizen of. For me, "this is the place,", no doubt about it.

Agree with Happytaz on those,plus:

-to have and be entitled to being treated as a human being with rights
-Freedom to visit EU without applying for visas,avoid documentation
-No worry of not being able to get back to Canada safely
-Visiting US I won't need to be fingerprinted and registered under nseers
-Access to federal govt jobs
-be a citizen of one of the most resourceful and diverse countries of the world
-no need for status renewal or deal with immigration
(quickly out of airport/customs)

If the purpose of this thread was to get some criticism in, here you are. I can understand and agree with many items above, but disagree with some other.

"#2 : I sometime felt that being a PR is being a 2nd class citizen" - never felt this in Canada, even before getting PR

"#4 : My future children and I will have the same citizenship" - for citizens of most of countries this happens anyway regardless of place of birth

"#6 : I can go to the States without being considered as a threat" - not true. They will consider anybody a threat, including their own citizens, based primarily on origin, religion etc.

"Access to federal govt jobs" - would never come to a foreign country for that

"be a citizen of one of the most resourceful and diverse countries of the world" - doubtful

"# funny but true.. when you go backhome you will be treated as special. lol" - well, in some countries it would not be beneficial at all, not only in relations with authorities, but I would hesitate to disclose the fact of the 2nd citizenship to friends and even to some relatives. Bad for employment too, nothing to be much proud of.

"# medical benefits" - extremely doubtful (and not related to citizenship)

"# retirement benefits" - extremely doubtful (and not related to citizenship)

"# your kids school fees & other benifits will be paid by govt. for fixed years" - very doubtful (and not related to citizenship)

m1005,