Avoiding US goods and services – from tech to whisky to air travel – has forced many to find a new way of living
This week the US imposed 50% tariffs on US$20bn (£15bn) of Canadian goods, and Mark Carney, the country’s prime minister, has vowed to match them “dollar for dollar” after the collapse of trade talks between the two countries last weekend. Donald Trump retaliated on Thursday by ordering the federal government to rename Lake Ontario to Lake America.
Such actions have added fuel to a widespread boycott of US products and services by Canadians that began early last year in response to the president’s trade war and threats to annex his northern neighbour.
More than 3,500 people from across Canada shared with the Guardian via an online callout how they have made changes to their lives in response to the US administration’s political and economic stance. Many expressed deep anger and sadness, but remained resolute that this was now a new way of living.
I live in the States now (have since 2013). And here’s what’ll blow you mind about me –
Passport stolen in Cambodia while I was teaching English there. Can’t bank or leave there without one, can’t get a job, can’t receive money via Western Union (even if I’d had family willing to send the stuff), can’t do anything but go hungry and learn to live like most Cambodians actually do. I walked the Mekong to South Vietnam entirely, made friends I still talk to, and survived. The US Embassy wouldn’t do squat for me because I didn’t have my birth certificate. It wasn’t until I almost died that I was finally repatriated. And when I finally was, I landed at LAX in the middle of December in 30F weather wearing nothing but a pair of shorts, t-shirt, and bamboo flip-flops. No shit. No job. No home. No family. Homeless and cold.
So I hitchhiked. To Florida. Hitchhiked back to Southern California (twice) for my birth certificate, when you’re homeless your documents are the first thing that gets stolen. I took odd jobs, worked a summer season at Yellowstone National Park, hitchhiked a few more years, got into offshore oil and gas, then started falling down (without the benefit of being drunk!). Eventually got on Medicaid (took forever), got an MRI (or four), and was diagnosed with spinal stenosis and CES. So game over for me on the labor front. Or just about anything that requires lifting, standing, or even most sedentary work.
So I spent several more years homeless and hitchhiking. I’m heading to Texas next week, still fighting a VA PTSD claim and an SSI disability claim. I finally have a lawyer for both. Hitchhiking introduced me to offshore work, and then later house-sitting work once I couldn’t do that anymore. I now have cash clients in Florida, Texas, Louisiana, Colorado and Montana. All obtained while homeless. And in the process, I went from no address and no credit to 5 major credit cards and a high-700 FICO score.
So if anyone here should bitch about their circumstances, it’s me. America is not perfect. But I don’t need permission to go work in a different city or state, I can vote, I can just decide I don’t like it here and leave. And go anywhere I want minus the real pariah states like North Korea, Russia, Syria or Iran.
I went from 110 pounds (I’m 5’9") when I left Cambodia to 165 pounds today. Credit cards, house sittings, and hopefully a safety net that will eventually come through.
Most countries don’t have half that.
Is America perfect? No. But it (and its people) are not near as bad as the idiots in this thread are pretending it to be.
If it were that bad, I would have left again years ago. I stay for a reason. And that reason is because it’s genuinely better than the 16 other countries I’ve lived in.
Have a nice day!
PS – The WARN act you mentioned is only for companies that have 100+ workers (a tiny fraction of American employers) and does not require the employer to get government approval before laying off. So please take you misdirection and misrepresentations elsewhere. Nobody likes straw man arguments. They just make you look like a liar.
So why the hell are you telling people that they can just leave easy? Come now, even your tale paints a fucking nightmare. You even describe the very issue with an american living outside of america (mostly the us sucks in and out of the usa). Did you know most places also let you move around freely inside of the nation? Hell I have done it twice in my life here in Canada, and its not something to brag about. This is a big issue with americans, your damn exceptionalism because most countries have a fuck lot more then half that. You are living in a shit nation throwing shit at other nations.
You don’t get to tell people fables and then tell them to “grow up” due to your situation being shit, it makes zero sense.
Sadly, the liar here is you and the truth-teller is me. My story is not a fable. KI5ONA. Do some research, it’s all public domain. But please, don’t spread lies and expect me to choke them down. I’ll call you out every single time.
The fable is that americans can “leave” if they want to. They can’t, do some research. Do you think working one year contracts as an English teacher in Asia counts as giving up your american citizenship? Do you think having to pay double tax is normal? We will be calling each other out till the heat death of the universe.
If you want citizenship in a different country, that’s between you and said country. Not America’s fault if that other country doesn’t want you.
Having to pay double tax is absolutely normal outside of the Western world. Most of Asia, most of Africa, and most of South America rely on the practice. Please tell me more how that’s America’s fault…
And no, you’ll eventually gain knowledge and quit arguing with me because information is freely available. But lies cost you brainpower. And you just lost all 4 of your arguments.
America does not prevent (or charge) people to leave. So you do some research, I didn’t have to pay to leave. I don’t have to pay to leave now. Quit lying. One year working contracts lead to resident visas, after you prove yourself (amazingly, just like America!). So please quit lying. You are clearly pulling shit our of your ass, trollbot!
Bro, it’s not fair to tell people who don’t like the country they live in to move. If everyone did that then there would be no country left. It is fair to stay and try to create the nation you want, doesn’t it? What kind of nation do you want? I mean that seriously, I think you have something to say, and I think this thread derailed into name calling. So may I constructively ask you, what is your main topic of contention with your country that you would want changed? I understand that this is a broad question, and if you wouldn’t mind, I would prefer an answer that is a description of the kind of society you would want to live in.
What type of society would you feel happy in? Can you describe it? I think it is important for us all to talk about these things, genuinely.
Thanks.
The usa will not let you leave, that is the point.
Oh, and no its not normal to double tax. Only two countries impose this income tax system: the United States and Eritrea.
The second point you tried to make is also a lie. I live in Colorado. I was born in California. I haven’t paid taxes in California since I left it 35 years ago. And when I go to Texas, I won’t pay California or Colorado taxes. So please quit lying.
You’re the stupidest trollbot known to man. Please, mods, remove the lying bot.
Those, and this might shock you, are not nations but states.
I moved from Ontario and don’t pay taxes there anymore as well. The fact you think that states are nations is odd. The states (the nation as a whole) does make you pay taxes when you leave, use none of their services and for all purposes stop being american. Something something taxation without representation…
Please stop with the name calling. I hate when people do that, and you hate when people do it to you. I get it. We’re all mad. But I’m not gonna interrupt, I would like to hear your take on my question in the comment I posted to you above. Peace.
fuck it, I’m gonna upvote all the comments in this chain, regardless of the name calling, because I can.
Why are you upvoting them when they are having an american tantrum? Not going to stop you, you do you and all that but I would guess its not helping.
Your statement is a total lie. You can literally walk into Mexico without any US guards stopping you. Millions do it every single day. Do some research (or do it yourself) and stop lying.
The USA will absolutely let you leave. No questions asked.
Now whether the other country lets you in is their business. Which is not the fault of the USA.
US guards no, Mexican ones yes. The usa is one of only two nations that will demand a cut of your income when outside of the states and no you can’t become not american so no you can not leave in the way that matters.
Yes telling people if they don’t like it they can leave but then having such a bad international reputation does in fact make some of the fault land on the usa.
Yeah that one is 😵
Hey I wonder if that goes for billionaires who own multinational corps as well.
They can! There’s no American law saying they have to stay. They are free to leave! And they are lying when they say they’re not. This isn’t difficult to understand!
I lived in China and no – you’re not free to move around the nation. Han Chinese or not. There’s a thing called a Hokou. Same with Cambodia and many other nations. You have to pay to leave your town. And pay to arrive in another. And pay taxes in both places just to work outside your birthplace. Corruption in its finest form. You should do some research. Because right now, you look naive at best.
What gets me about you “damn” Canadians is the fact your very existence is based on US subsidies. My shit nation guarantees your shit nation actually exists! 🤣
He does need to grow up. My situation has been far shittier than his ever has, but I’m not complaining. I’m thriving. Like a grown-up does. So yes, he needs to stop bitching and expecting the world to owe him shit like Canada does…
I mean really, nobody gives a crap if 10,000 people boycott US goods… 🤣
I can quote sources stating quite the contrary- not only is it very much more than 10,000, the businesses affected are most outspoken about the sudden lack of it.
Yeah, I don’t think they would be this upset if it did not matter.
Something something all the cards…
Hey I wear a suit to bed out of respec.
The very fact I can get these clown world references is not a good sign of the world we live in.
The world we live in is not a good sign of the world we live in, friend.
THEY CAN’T the us still considers them american and requires taxes and all the other bullshit to be paid.
You should really just stop all these “subsidies” to us then, I am sure they exist and are not just more bullshit. Actually lets have both our nations stop the shit, I am sure the us will do just fine without potash, power, wood, steel and aluminium. Oh wait, we will get to see what happens!
The us of a does not give Canada subsidies, in fact our history has been your nation ripping mine off for years (softwood lumber, oil, power, etc. etc.)
HA! Spoken like an american. Enjoy your time thriving, since clearly your winning like Charlie Sheen.
That is another lie – I got my passport and left owing $15k in student loans and another $50k in back taxes. So please, quit lying.
No problem, I’m all for closing the northern border and seeing how long you last! Heck, I say we should sell Alaska back to Russia at cost! How do you like us now?!?!
We have paid you for lumber, oil and power at the price you sold for. For hundreds of years. Now you want to say we didn’t give you enough, after paying the price you agreed to? Did you know the electricity you sell us makes up less than 1% of what we actually use? Seriously dude, you make me laugh!!!
But Eh, no worries. One of my best friends is Canadian. We drink beer, we laugh, we’re friends through it all. And sometimes we even yell at each other and break out in laughter.
But seriously, you can keep the wood, we moved on to steel. The oil? We took Valenzuela back. Electricity? I guess my bill goes from $100 to $101. Ouch.
So cut off what you like, you’re only cutting your own nose off to spite your face.
Have a good one. Don’t take shit too seriously.
Please where is the lie?
Do you think that having a Canadian friend is some pass? Your nation sucks and has been a drain on the world. Your nation has cut off trade, you never “took” Venezuela just kidnapped it’s shitty leader. I only hope we cut the power so you can see that 1% in action.
We will see how this all plays out, so far the us is falling apart and is becoming persona non grata.
Everything you say is a lie!
My favorite, proved statement you made, “The usa will not let you leave” is a complete lie!
You do nothing more than lie! About things you don’t even know about. Worst troolbot on Earth, you are!
Yes, clearly I am some sort of troll bot that uses the terrible nasty truth to ruin your upstanding nation…
The us will not let you leave and not be american anymore, the very core of the bullshit statement “if you don’t like it, you are free to leave” is false. You can physically leave but the us will never let you go. You are getting silly, please continue with such great comments.