>>1570
>It doesn't matter where I'm from
It... kinda does, you know

>>1571
And why would you say that?

>>1572
Not that guy, but where you're from affects your chances of receiving certain visas, affects your permanent residency and citizenship processes, and so forth.

>1. How's the law and enforcement system over there?
Depends where you go. Generally, cops are cops and cops are dicks. The RCMP is kind of notorious for discrimination against Aboriginals ("starlight cruises", sexual assaults, and so on), and I've had some bad experiences being harassed by the OPP (Ontario Provincial Police) way beyond any reasonable measure, as have other people I know. Generally though, it's the same as anywhere. I've never had any problems with city police in any of the cities I've lived in or visited, and that experience involves not only public drinking but involvement in protests and demonstrations. They're normal, nice, reasonable people who will treat you respectfully if you do the same for them. If you're drinking alcohol in public or any other mildly illegal thing, be discrete, be polite, be honest, and they probably won't even give you a ticket. There are of course power tripping dicks everywhere.

>2. Realistically, how difficult is it gaining citizenship from your point of view. (I'm white if race is weighing factor).
Like anywhere, it is a long, annoying process, an inefficient mess of bureaucracy. I don't know anyone applying for citizenship but I've had quite a few friends over the years who have had all kinds of problems with work visas, residencies, and so on, especially when it comes to renewal after the initial visa expires.

>3. What's the demand like for programmers? Bachelor's in Computer Science is what I've got.
No idea. I've known people with engineering degrees, natural resource management degrees, etc etc etc from first world institutions (Sweden, France, Australia) and they almost always end up working as telemarketers, managers at Starbucks, retail, and so on while they are here.

>4. Do Canadian politics really bother everyone? Or is it kind of out of mind for many?
Voter turn-out is pretty low, but most people where I live are not happy with the Harper government's policies (restricting third-party scientific review processes for oil sands operations, cuts to arts programs like the CBC and Council for the Arts, massive cuts to childcare programs, and so on), and the country is pretty strongly divided regarding the Keystone XL and Enbridge Northern Gateway Pipeline projects. Like anywhere, you have people who are engaged, people who don't know fuck all, and people who just don't care.

>5. How are "different" people treated over there? Is it getting better and how quickly? Race, religion, sexual orientation, etc.
Depends where you live. If you're in Toronto or Montreal or any large metropolitan area with large immigrant communities, large gay communities and so on, you won't have any problem; there will be a community of like-minded and accepting people. If you're in Red Deer or Quesnel or something, you may feel like a bit of an outsider.

>6. Include something you feel like the rest of the world should know about Canada when it comes to life there. Your pick.
It's a first-world democracy with a high standard of living and socialized health care. Federal environmental policy is shitty and regressive. Australians love it here for some reason.

>1. How's the law and enforcement system over there?

It's alright. I don't know of anyone who's had trouble with them. I know a lot of people like the cops. I guess it varies depending on where you live.

>2. Realistically, how difficult is it gaining citizenship from your point of view. (I'm white if race is weighing factor).

It took us 6 years to get permanent residence, 3 to get citizenship. It may sound painful, but many people have done it and so can you (if you really want to).

>3. What's the demand like for programmers? Bachelor's in Computer Science is what I've got.

It varies depending on your experience and specific field of interest (webapps, databases, compilers, algorithms, Machine Learning etc). If all you got is a degree and no experience whatsoever then I don't think you'll find a (programming) job that easily. If you have a few finished projects that show your interests and talents then you should be good. Bonus points for working with a large group to complete the project. I'd say web application and database programmers are in high demand.

>4. Do Canadian politics really bother everyone? Or is it kind of out of mind for many?

I guess most people don't worry about it that much. Voter turn out (at best) is around 30-40% for most elections.

>5. How are "different" people treated over there? Is it getting better and how quickly? Race, religion, sexual orientation, etc.

Open discrimination is very, very rare. Discrimination is not a problem.

>6. Include something you feel like the rest of the world should know about Canada when it comes to life there. Your pick.

Uh, it's fucking cold in most places. Taxes are really high too.

>1. How's the law and enforcement system over there?

Pretty ok. I've rarely dealt with them directly and while once they probably violated my rights (they pulled me over and took my name/address down) I was biking around drunk at 2 in the morning in an area with known robberies having occurred in the past few nights, so I can absolutely understand them doing their job.

>2. Realistically, how difficult is it gaining citizenship from your point of view. (I'm white if race is weighing factor).

Not sure about this to be honest, sorry. Born'n'raised. You
could call CIC (citizenship and immigration Canada) to ask some more questions. I think we recently had some malarkey going on about Labour Market Opinions (I deal tangentially with labour law related fields), and so I dealt with a few individuals who've had problems with work visas falling through. I do think that's more political bickering than anything. I believe being a skilled worker puts you on the shortlist, but please don't quote me.

>3. What's the demand like for programmers? Bachelor's in Computer Science is what I've got.

I can't say for certain about any computer-related fields. I
live in Alberta, and Edmonton and Calgary (both cities) are pretty boomtastic right now with the oilsands and everything. If you're fine with indirectly profiting from envirofucking, the economy is doing pretty swell. I'm not sure if this would directly translate to the programming sector, but you could definitely email the HR depts of a few utilities/energy companies and see what kinds of jobs they'd offer you.

>4. Do Canadian politics really bother everyone? Or is it kind of out of mind for many?

Sort of depends on the city/area. I live in the Texas of canada, so taxes are low and people are against gub'mint taking their freedoms.
If you live in central Edmonton (around Belgravia or
Strathcona), everyone's a hipster university student who has an improv troupe who votes NDP. If you live in downtown Calgary, or anywhere on the river in Calgary, everyone's an upper-middle manager at a financial company, or their trophy wife, and is a diehard conservative.

>5. How are "different" people treated over there? Is it
getting better and how quickly? Race, religion, sexual orientation, etc.

Edmonton is great for being inclusive of the arts, and is sort of a pioneer for transrights and just generally weird fucking people. Calgary is a bit more reserved/old-fashioned, more of a corporate/danceclub kind of town.

6. Include something you feel like the rest of the world should know about Canada when it comes to life there. Your pick.

the "welcome to Edmonton" sign was recently vandalized with the slogan "A confusing ratio of Hipsters to pick-up trucks', which everyone I've talked to agrees is entirely fucking true. We're a city full of oil workers and bluecollar shmoes, with a good bunch of fine arts majors. I like it. Good city, good economy. Also we're the "murder capital of Canada", despite having a very small population, but that's entirely centered in a few very sketchy neighborhoods. There's no overlap at all to the rest of society, as shitty as that is