The more ignorance revealed by Duggie and friends the greater the
opportunity to educate them.
The United States is a pretty nice place for a lot of people but it just
isn't
the best country in the world to those who have trvelled to Europe and to
other English speaking countries..
When you go to Canada or Australia or Sweden don'r expect people to clutch
their shirts and say
"God bless Canada or God Bless Denmark" or whatever" and intone like some
meaningless mantra "..............and liberty an justice for all" and then
turn a blind eye when some black kid gets brutalized by a cop.

A Owen

It's all out there. Do the research.
http://www.cita.utoronto.ca/livingin.shtml

COMPARISON OF THE COST OF LIVING AND QUALITY OF LIFE ISSUES FOR TORONTO AND
AMERICAN CITIES 2000 - 2001
Seven out of the past eight years, Canada has been ranked number one by the
United Nations in their annual Human Development Index. By combining factors
such as the cost of living, adult literacy, job opportunities, life
expectancy and school enrollment, the UN determines the Canadian standard of
living to be among the highest in the world.

Toronto is Canada's economic and business centre, offering all the academic,
cultural and commercial opportunites that are available in many American
cities. Being in Canada, however, the cost of living is much lower than
American cities. When compared to New York City in the Worldwide 2001 Cost
of Living Survey done by by global human resource consulting firm William M.
Mercer, it is reported that the average cost (in US$) for a two bedroom
apartment is $4,275 in NYC, while it is $1,658 in Toronto. An average cup of
coffee is $3.35 in New York, and $1.85 in Toronto. The survey gives NYC a
score of 100 for "quality of living" and rates Toronto a score of 103.5.

According to Runheimer International, Toronto is one of the least expensive
cities to live in in the world. Their research shows a family of three
making US$100,000/year would only need US$65,958 to live the same lifestyle
in Toronto. A cost of living calculator shows that one making US$40,000 in
Chicago would only need US$29,000 to live in Toronto. Similarly, one making
US$35,000 in Los Angeles, whould need only US$26,000 in Toronto.

The quality of life in Toronto is uncomparable to most American cities as
well. Education standards are high, the Canadian Health Care system is
available to anyone who has residency in Ontario for three months, and Crime
rates are lower than almost all major U.S. cities.


COMPARISON OF QUALITY OF LIFE ISSUES FOR TORONTO, BOSTON, LOS ANGELES,
CHICAGO, NEW YORK 1996-2000


The Geneva-based Corporate Resources Group has praised Toronto for its
"combination of social stability, excellent infrastructure and good leisure
facilities".

According to the Corporate Resources Group's Spring 1998 Cost-of-Living
Survey, Los Angeles is the third most expensive city in the world, Chicago
fourth and New York the 21". Toronto ranks in the 91st position in the same
survey.

In 1996, Fortune rated Toronto as the No. 1 international city in which to
live and work.

According to a 1997 report released by the Corporate Resources Group,
Toronto is ranked No. 3 in the world for quality of life, after Vancouver
and Auckland.

According to Runzheimer International, a house in Toronto would have a home
market value of US$180,800, while the same house in Boston would cost
US$304,200, US$239,500 in Los Angeles, and US$225,100 in Chicago. (Analysis
of home values was based on an 8-room, 2,000 sq.ft. home with 4 bedrooms and
2.5 baths, in communities where transferring homeowners earn $50,000
annually, with four family members).

According to the Union Bank of Switzerland's 1997 Edition of Prices and
Earnings Around the Globe, the cost of a standard basket of goods in New
York, Chicago, and Los Angeles would be more than in Toronto. Using Zurich
as the standard of 100 points, New York received 82.9 points, Chicago 81.1
points, and Los Angeles 78.7 points, while Toronto received 69.2 points. The
international average is 74.3 points.

In North America, residents pay the most for food products in Los Angeles
(US$402) and the least in Toronto (US$288) for a basket of 39 food items. In
Chicago, the same items would total US$396, and in New York, US$370. The
North American average is $US361. (UBS, Prices and Earnings Around the
Globe, 1997

Toronto's cost of living index, as calculated by Fortune is 139.22, lower
than Boston's 153.92, Los Angeles' 147, Chicago's 141.77, and New York's
163.35. The U.S. average is calculated to be 100. (Fortune)

Toronto is one of the safest cities in North America.

According to Statistics Canada, robberies in 1997 for all of Ontario were
9,272. According to the Relocation Crime Lab, robberies in 1997 were 390,251
in New York, 66,987 in the Los Angeles/Long Beach area, 72,853 in Chicago,
and 20,296 in Boston alone. Similarly, while there were 177 homicides in all
of Ontario, there were 358 in Boston, 2,165 in Chicago, 8,643 in New York,
and 1,919 in the Los Angeles/Long Beach area alone. While there were 55,937
motor vehicle thefts in all of Ontario, there were 540,906 in New York,
110,305 in Los Angeles/Long Beach, 96,750 in Chicago, and 54,264 in Boston.

Health care in Toronto ranks as one of the foremost in North America, with
world-renowned specialists researching and practicing in health care.
Additionally, 1998 statistics published by the World Health Organization
indicate that Canada is the fourth safest country for woman to have a baby
in.

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Sucess is not an accident it is a result of hardwork with intelligence.