cover image How to Move to Canada: A Primer for Americans

How to Move to Canada: A Primer for Americans

Terese Loeb Kreuzer. Thomas Dunne Books, $15.99 (233pp) ISBN 978-0-312-34986-8

Recently, 1.1 million Canadians voted Tommy Douglas, ""the Sakatchewan premier who spearheaded Canada's universal health care system"" the ""Greatest Canadian"" of all time. This sort of mentality is what makes Canadian emigration more and more enticing to Americans out of step with their homeland's priorities. In their easy-to-follow and comprehensive guide, Kreuzer, editor-in-chief of the Travel Arts Syndicate, and Canadian-American Bennett offer a detailed action plan for those serious about making a permanent move northward. From the color of pen to use on the application to the rules regarding moving from Hawaii with a houseplant, the volume covers details vital and otherwise, and supplies websites and phone numbers for additional information. In addition to the hows, Kreuzer and Bennett provide the whys from a Canadian perspective: apparently, skilled workers are needed, and as it currently stands 49 percent of Toronto residents were born outside Canada. Brief overviews of each province and territory help readers find where they fit best. The writers play to the presumed liberal bias of their readers and provide information to that end (abortion: legal since 1988; the death penalty: abolished in 1976; same-sex marriage: legal since 2004;the firearm homicide rate: one-eighth the U.S.'s). As a lighter and less ideological companion to this useful but narrowly targeted book, readers should check out Will and Ian Ferguson's comic work How to Be a Canadian.