Which is better to Migrate to: Australia or Canada and why?

[|ceman]

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kini ay, wa nasud ang duha nga nasod hehehe, ika 14th ra ang CA, ambot ra ang Aus



Europe leads the world in work-life balance
By Nadine Bells | Daily Brew – Mon, 6 Jun, 2011
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A Danish investor follows the value of shares in Copenhagen in 2008.
Work-life balance: Who does it best?
That was the question Paris-based Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) attempted to answer.
Their conclusion: Denmark.
The OECD looked at data from 34 countries, assessing work-life balance in their well-being index, the Better Life Initiative. For the study, the balance was determined by three indicators: time devoted to personal activities, employment rate of women with children between the ages of 6 and 14, and the number of employees working over 50 hours a week.
Belgians topped the "personal time" category, with an impressive 16.61 hours a day of time off. (Canadians have 14.97 hours outside of work, which is still lower than the OECD average.)
Northern European countries proved least likely to overwhelm with overtime. Both the Netherlands and Sweden have only 0.001 per cent of their populations working over 50 hours a week on a regular basis.
In Denmark, 78 per cent of mothers go back to work when their children head off to school.
The top ten countries with the best work-life balance:
1. Denmark
2. Norway
3. Netherlands
4. Finland
5. Belgium
6. Switzerland
7. Sweden
8. Germany
9. Portugal
10. France
Canada was ranked 14th.
The Great White North has a high female-employment rate, at 76 per cent, compared to the average of 64 per cent. Seventy-one per cent of mothers return to work once their children begin school. And while Canada performed well in a number of family indicators -- fertility rates, gender pay gaps, child poverty and children's educational achievement -- childcare enrolment lags behind OECD standards.
OECD's Canadian findings conclude that "childcare support could help vulnerable families."
(AFP Photo)

[|ceman]

if you want it expensive, go down under


World's Most Expensive Cities 2011
by Venessa Wong
Friday, June 10, 2011
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Americans might complain about the high cost of living, but overseas the U.S. dollar is even weaker. Find out where it buys the least.

Australia, former penal colony, home to the Great Barrier Reef, and producer of world-class shiraz, has never exactly been synonymous with a high cost of living. Yet because of a strong economy and proximity to the booming Asia Pacific region, many overseas visitors might find it more expensive to slip an extra shrimp -- or just about anything else for that matter -- on the barbie here than in most other countries around the world. In fact, in a recent survey, six Australian cities placed among the top 30 most expensive in the world, according to global human resources firm ECA International. Just two years ago, not a single Australian city ranked in the top 100.

More from BusinessWeek.com:

• World's Most Expensive Cities 2011

• 20 Countries With the Highest Proportion of Millionaires

• America's Most Expensive Blocks
Australia is not alone in becoming more expensive. Singapore, for example, rose to No. 36 in ECA's ranking, from No. 68 last year, on the strength of the Singapore dollar. Caracas, Venezuela, rose from No. 91 to No. 15, a result of rampant inflation.

The city that earns the dubious honor of being the most expensive for holders of U.S. dollars is Tokyo, a rank it also enjoyed last year. How expensive is it? How about $24 for a movie ticket and nearly $11 for a beer. Japan dominated the ranking with four of the 10 most expensive -- in addition to Tokyo, Nagoya (No. 3), Yokohama (No. 5), and Kobe (No. 9) also made the list.

Due to the weakened U.S. dollar, no U.S. city ranked in the top 30 this year. The country's most expensive city, Manhattan, N.Y., fell to No. 44, from No. 28 in 2010, making it cheaper than Canada's Toronto (No. 37) and Vancouver (No. 42). The U.S.'s second most expensive city, Honolulu, fell to No. 62 from No. 40. (And while they haven't yet, it could be only a matter of time before Beijing (No. 46) and Shanghai (No. 47) crack the top 30.)

Of course, a weak dollar is not necessarily a bad thing. "If the U.S. continues to be relatively cost-effective in an international context, we will see companies pay more attention to whether they are saving money by expanding operations in places like Asia if the cost of living in these places is increasing," says Lee Quane, ECA International's regional director for Asia.

Aussie Dollar Strengthens

ECA International's ranking is based on a survey carried out in more than 400 cities worldwide in March. It compares the costs of living for expatriates maintaining a standard of living on a par with developed countries to guide employers' salary and benefits offers. Items such as food and beverage, basic goods and services, and some entertainment are included, but the survey excludes housing, utilities, car purchases, and school fees, which can vary widely and typically are counted separately in expatriate compensation packages.

A combination of inflation, availability of goods, and exchange rates affect costs. "The strong Australian dollar, which hit parity with the U.S. dollar last November and has strengthened further since, has been a significant factor behind the continued rise of Australian locations up the global ranking," Anna Michielsen, general manager for Australia, New Zealand, and the Pacific for ECA International, said in a release.

The Australian dollar has strengthened by nearly 30 percent against the U.S. dollar since last June. That means a $100 meal would have cost about $83 last June and now costs about $106. The country is also becoming more expensive than other locations in Asia: ECA points out that goods and services in Sydney were only 3 percent more expensive than in Hong Kong last year and are now 17 percent more costly.

Rising prices, particularly of food and energy, also play a role: Fruit prices in Australia were up 24.9 percent year-on-year in the first quarter and vegetable prices 18.7 percent (due in part to floods); electricity rose 11.7 percent and gasoline 9.3 percent, according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics. Overall consumer prices in the quarter were 3.3 percent above their level a year ago. The bureau forecast in January that weekly living costs for families could increase by as much as A$100 per week this year.

Deteriorating Competitiveness

The cost of a quick lunch in a Sydney restaurant is now $27.10, compared with $20.57 in Manhattan; a dozen eggs is $5.60, against $3.65 in Manhattan; and a tube of toothpaste is $5 vs. $3.72 in Manhattan, according to ECA International.

Since 2004, Australia has seen a deterioration in its relative competitiveness doing business globally, says Glenn Mair, director of MMK Consulting in Vancouver and a leader of KPMG's Competitive Alternatives study, which analyzes the costs of doing business in cities around the world.

In 2004, the cost of doing business in Australia was about 8.5 percent lower than in the U.S., according to KPMG's report. By 2010, the gap had shrunk to 2.2 percent, due to Australia's strong dollar and stable economy during the global economic crisis.

"I anticipate some improvement for U.S. [competitiveness] if currency trends stay the same," Mair says. He adds, however, that volatile exchange rates can make this hard to predict.

It is too early for companies to change their strategy based on recent cost changes, and many other considerations are involved, says ECA's Quane. Still, signs are that U.S. cities may be becoming more cost competitive for businesses.

[|ceman]

This is how Hockey Crazy the Canadienzz are

Vancouver's post-Cup riots splash chaotic city on media websites around world

By The Canadian Press | The Canadian Press – Thu, 16 Jun, 2011tweet0EmailPrintA Canucks fan screams in front of an overturned burning pickup truck in downtown …
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TORONTO - The grim spectacle of Vancouver coming under siege from rioters is on display around the world as the aftermath of the city's Stanley Cup loss makes major news around the world.

Media outlets like the New York Times and CNN played reports about the chaos prominently on their websites, alongside reports of the Game 7 victory by the Boston Bruins.

"Trouble in Vancouver’s Streets After Defeat" topped the lead story in the online sports section of the Times, while the CNN site gave prominent play to fiery video images from downtown.

The Washington Post headline, "Riots erupt in Vancouver after Canucks lose to Bruins," was accompanied by a photo of a fan waving a Canadian flag with a burning pickup truck in the background.

The riot was also noticed in Australia, where the front page of the sports section of the Brisbane Times website displayed photos of the riot under the headline: "Hockey fans hopping mad."

The Sydney Morning Herald also displayed riot photos and the headline: "Violence in Vancouver after Canucks lose Stanley Cup final."

The rioting story was also picked up in India on the website of the Hindustan Times.

Mainstream media outlets were, however, just part of the story.

Social media sites like Twitter and Facebook were teeming with citizen dispatches from the scene, as well as expressions of disgust from Canadians — and Canucks fans in particular.

Mayor Gregor Richardson called the rioting "despicable," while NBA star Steve Nash of Victoria, B.C., said, "Vancouver is being embarrassed."

[d0raem0n]

aussie bro...................

[|ceman]

another score for aussie


Five places you’re most likely to meet cheerful people
By Jordana Divon | Good News – Sun, 10 Jul, 2011
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It's easy to focus on all the things that are wrong in the place you live, whether it's endless traffic, tangled bureaucracy, high unemployment or worse.
But how often do you give thought to the things that make your country a pretty great place to live? The Better Life Initiative , a recent project conducted by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), set out to determine which countries had the levels of well-being, based on 11 general categories.
The study touched on everything from work-life balance, safety, education, housing, environment and jobs to measure quality of life based on essential material conditions
Below are the top five countries considered the world's happiest, and what factors catapulted them to the top.
1. Australia
It could be the great climate, the beautiful beaches or the friendly people, but folks in Oz live longer than average, 81.5 years. Chalk it up to a health-conscious population and an environmentally friendly ethos. Civic participation also positions Australia at number one, with 95 per cent regularly turning out to vote. By far the highest percentage in the OECD.
2. Canada
Our home and native land sits close to the top, with high marks for average household income ($27,015 USD) and employment (72 per cent of people aged 15 — 64 have a paying job). Social relationships play a key role in a person's overall well-being and 95 per cent reported having someone they could rely on in a time of need. These, and other factors, contributed to 78 per cent of Canadians saying they were satisfied with their life — higher than the 59 per cent OECD average.
3. Sweden
Liberal-minded society: check. A highly-educated population: check. Low crime rate: check. Scandinavia often crushes the competition in happiness polls, and this study is no exception.
4. New Zealand
Australia's close neighbour, this charming island country earned top marks for sense of community. With 97 per cent saying they knew someone they could rely on in a time of need, New Zealand can boast one of the highest scores in the category. Crime is also a relatively low concern, with only 2 per cent falling victim to assault over the past 12 months.
5. Norway
Capping off the top five is another Scandinavian country famous for its delicious salmon, Vikings and the '80s hair band, a-ha. According to the OECD index, it's also famous for its economy. Although an expensive place to live, workers make much more than the average at $29,365 USD. And for all that cash, the employed put in far fewer work hours than average at 1407 per year (compare that to Canada at 1699). Seventy nine per cent of mothers go back to work after childbirth, and 81 per cent of the population holds a high school diploma or higher. All this contributes to an overall life satisfaction rating of 84 per cent — much higher than the average.
(Photo credit: Sergio Moraes/Reuters)

[bisaya_taga_cebu]

mao gyod sir .pero ug asa to ang kwarta adto ta pero at least na swertean nga maayo ang work nato diri sa oz unya daghan pod kaayo sila govt benefits taas pa gyod ang dollar. . asa pa man ka mangeta ana? mura raka ug naa sa pilipinas kay magtsinelas ug shorts bisan asa, beach-beach inig summer unya filipino restaurants daghan bisan asa pod asian grocerries. . makaluto pa gyod ug buwad,ka order pa gyod lechon.

sure ka pwede maka luto ug buwad? dili sila ma suko?

[Simplewish]

this thread is interesting.... die hards...for each adopted land.

Instead of putting down our land--The Philippines...wouldn't you want to share as well the good thing(s) you miss here?

Too intense na unya mo sa Oz is better than Canada or Canada is way this that Oz.

[|ceman]

Grats Australia, got the 1st place! na pildi na jud ninyo ang Vancouver, oh well, you cant always stay on top, a decade long supremacy is impressive enough for me hehe


Melbourne has edged out long-time front-runner Vancouver to be rated the world's most liveable city, a worldwide survey from the Economist Intelligence Unit said Tuesday.

The Australian metropolis topped the Global Liveability Survey's ranking of 140 cities worldwide, ahead of Canada's Vancouver which dominated the rankings for almost a decade but is now third behind the Austrian capital, Vienna.

Australian cities featured prominently in the top 10, with Sydney ranked sixth and Perth and Adelaide in joint eighth place, according to the survey, which is conducted twice a year.

Canada also did well, with Toronto and Calgary holding fourth and fifth places respectively. Helsinki in Finland (seventh) and New Zealand's Auckland (tenth) rounded out the top 10.

Cities were scored on political and social stability, crime rates, access to quality health care, cultural events, the environment, education and the standard of infrastructure.

"Australia, with a low population density and relatively low crime rates, continues to supply some of the world's most liveable cities," said survey editor Jon Copestake.

"Despite the rising cost of living, driven by the strong Australian dollar, these cities offer a range of factors to make them highly attractive."

Among other well-known cities, Paris came 16th, two places ahead of Tokyo. The top-ranked American city was Honolulu which came 26th, while London was a lowly 53rd, just behind Singapore.

Against the strong performance of Australian and Canadian cities, other parts of the world saw their rankings affected by austerity measures and unrest.

The Greek capital Athens dropped five places to 67th due to recent government cutbacks and protests.

The Arab uprisings prompted a fall in liveability for affected cities in the Middle East. This was most pronounced in Tripoli, where the descent into civil war saw its ranking plummet from 107th to 135th.

Zimbabwe's capital, Harare, was the least liveable city, just ahead of Dhaka in Bangladesh and the Papua New Guinea capital Port Moresby.

[leebogko]

sure ka pwede maka luto ug buwad? dili sila ma suko?

pwdi kaayo ang buwad bro...sugba pa gani silingan nga aussie di mo reklamo amo pa gani inviton...hehehe

[nitwit]

sure ka pwede maka luto ug buwad? dili sila ma suko?

OFC! magsugba pa gale ko ug buwad sa amoang wet kitchen unya mag lechon me sa luyo usahay ug magparty wala may magbuot diri oi.naa pa gale pod baligya balot ug gusto ka .i just sooo love australia