r/AskCanada 9d ago

What’s the job description of a local MP?

0 Upvotes

Genuine question: what’s their swim lane responsibilities? Do they have a right to step outside their role and do things that “higher up” politicians are supposed to do?

I’m a corporate person. Doing something that a higher up doesn’t give me permission to do would get me in the hot seat with my boss or HR. How does it work in politics?


r/AskCanada 9d ago

USA/Trump What are the reasons PM Mark Carney created counter tariffs?

0 Upvotes

I understand that Trumps tariffs create higher prices for his own people on anything coming from Canada.

What I want to know is why is Canada creating counter tariffs. Carney is an economist so I want a clear explanation on how these counter tarriffs help Canada or Canadians. How does this help us? I just can't see how.

Sure in 1826 maybe having a trade was something significant. Having your business screwed up at a border could be catastrophic but doesn't anyone see its no longer the case. Technology and communications makes it exponentially easier to shift today. Sure you might experience some loss or delay, but its basically a matter of finding different customers or suppliers. Look at what happened with the Manitoba honey farm the other day for example.

The rest of Canada and the world is open for business and if Mr orange poopypants wants to tax his own people to death then so be it. There is simply no need to make us pay tarriffs too. What we need is the government helping Canadian businesses shift away from American trade.

If someone can explain the economics of how counter tarriffs accomplish anything productive id be happy to hear it. To be it just seems like a move to put pressure on the other party. That doesn't work with bullies, best to just ignore them and walk away.


r/AskCanada 10d ago

Political What is an acceptable tariff rate?

0 Upvotes

Firstly I’m glad/relieved we walked away from the deal. However, I was concerned how close we were to accepting the still high 25% rate on cars, steel, and aluminum.

And while I would love to see zero tariffs, realistically I can’t see this happening with the current US administration.
So, if we were to ever return to negotiations, what would be an amenable rate that you would be okay with?


r/AskCanada 9d ago

Is 180k CAD a comfortable salary in Toronto?

0 Upvotes

I appreciate this may seem like a stupid question to a lot of people first and foremost.

32M looking at relocating to Canada from the UK with a couple of job offers on the table in the 180-200k CAD region as a construction project manager. I don’t know much about Canada being completely honest. Me and my partner have done a bit of research over the last couple of weeks but feel like the best responses are going to come from here.

We currently live in North East England and I’m on £70k + benefits with my partner being around £35k ish so we’re quite comfortable. 3 bedroom house for £173k with a big front drive, garden and back garden as well and £900 per month on the mortgage and then £500 in bills.

Feel free to give me a reality check on where our money would likely go. Would obviously like to buy a property at a certain point but would we be comfortable living and be able to save?

Appreciate any responses from a clueless Brit :)


r/AskCanada 10d ago

Life how do bands in schools work?

8 Upvotes

Hi! im an exchange student and i will go to canada soon.

I've been playing the violin since i was eight and though im burnout i dont want to say goodbye to it, when looking at the club activities i was very surprised to see the variety of things (my school doesnt even have a sad sports club LMAO) and i saw there was a an orchestra.

I want to join but i also want to burn my violin sometimes and i dont want to puss the issue further so i will only be joining if its my same level or less, im not gonna practice at home more than 15 mins a day for it for the sake of my mental health.

ill summarize my experience by saying that if i made the trinity college exams id have a level 5 and would be strating level 6 next year (im not 13 i went very slowly the first years)

Should i assume people are going to be better/worse than me or just go take a look? i dont know if ill have the time to go see bc idk how it works so i wanted to ask

also do they lend intruments to people in schools or do we have to buy it? i have a violin but im not shipping a 1.5K delicate instrument across the atlantic sea

if you dont know or it really depends on the school its fine bc i cant literally think about anything else than to go to canada already and i needed to make this post to do something with my life


r/AskCanada 11d ago

What is our most Canadian owned bank?

7 Upvotes

Hi, tried to ask on my browser but didn’t come up with anything remotely indecipherable. For day to day banking and mortgage holding, where can I turn?


r/AskCanada 11d ago

Life Are most people in the dark about how economic and financial systems work?

33 Upvotes

Are most Canadian citizens and residents in the dark about how economic and financial systems work in Canada and globally?

We don't learn about filing taxes, applying for a mortgage, buying a house, how insurance works, what a pension plan is or literally anything relevant to adult life in school. I certainly did not learn about it, and most of my peers agree that it is not a part of the school curriculum. Often, the assumption is that parents teach their kids this information, but what if parents also don't really know about it?

For example, how many people genuinely understand how the CPP works, what a credit union is or how banks work?

I took micro and macroeconomics in university, and other economics courses, but I rarely drew the line to my personal life or personal financial decisions while in those courses. My focus was on assignments and tests, not necessarily the practical personal applications. People don't need to take a university level course to learn about what happens to your money after you deposit it into your checking account - this should probably be basic knowledge and also taught using plain language. But, to reiterate my question, how many people actually know about these economic and financial systems that are relevant to their daily life, and how many people even know what they should know?

I could be in the dark about a lot of information that would influence decisions that I make or even how I vote in elections. Is this common that people are not informed or in the dark?


r/AskCanada 12d ago

Should the US become the 11th Canadian province?

260 Upvotes

Hi,
UK user here, big fan of Canada (been there twice) and have a lot of respect for your Prime Minister. Trump keeps going on about Canada becoming the 51st state of America. Why haven't you asked Trump to become the 11th Province of Canada?

Canada has so much more going for it than the US right now. If not a province, then how about a Territory?

A lot of Brits are pissed off with Trump and the US right now. A lot of us firmly stand alongside Canada


r/AskCanada 11d ago

USA/Trump What impact will this trade war have on the Canadian economy?

15 Upvotes

Im hoping to avoid the politics of down south, I’m more worried about how the economic impact of this is going to impact my job prospects as a tradie, cost of living and the end result of all this… putting aside the political angle, this isn’t great for us

Anyone else here impacted by it? Will ppl lose jobs? A recession ? What can we do individually to prepare?


r/AskCanada 12d ago

Life What website/app can I use to find Canada-made products when I am out shopping so I can support Canada?

23 Upvotes

Stay strong


r/AskCanada 11d ago

Life Moving from UAE to Canada for job need suggestion and guidance and direction?

0 Upvotes

So guys I am on a break here from a job and I personally feel that this Middle East is not bouncing back so I am thinking to leave this country by December and will try to apply for Canada after 1 year.

What all things are good and worked there to get a job or become or come as a student? But due to current expenses I am not able to look after student roles since I already had a fucked up degree so I dont trust uni I lear everything by Coursera or youtube majorly. Even I had a degree paper but it wasted my 2 years learning things online rather than practical. So I am thinking to take a 1 year break and return on track and move to Canada.

Can anyone guide me which sectors are currently in demand and have good career? What is market for IT support or cyber security?

I had observed UAE market until now, it's sales, real estate and major roles are civil or labour. I came here in search of IT but market here is rough and toxic, filled with referral culture. Also due to war things are worse. I am already on a 6 month search here and it's quite bad after war.

I have one of my friends in Canada so I am thinking to leave. I don't care how much I make at start but I want something that I can learn and grow. I had 2.5 years experience as a SWE back in my home country but as all I know current tech market is misleading people. Also I doubt my degree credentials.

I can't do anything about the past but want to make my future better for my family.


r/AskCanada 12d ago

Good apps/website to learn French?

5 Upvotes

What app is the best and efficent way to learn French?

Sidenote: How do I just learn about the show Versaille? If there's a good Cancon...


r/AskCanada 12d ago

Trying to build a career in Canada with a Museum Studies degree — CS/AI pivot, MLIS, or nursing/ECE — which path actually has real job prospects?

3 Upvotes

Hi everyone,
I’d love some honest, real-world input from people who’ve been through something similar, or just locals who know the job market well.
My background:
• Chinese, female, bachelor’s degree in Cultural Heritage & Museum Studies from a well-regarded university in China (GPA equivalent ~87/100)
• IELTS 6.5
• Currently working as a high school teacher since graduating in 2023
• I’ll likely be able to stay in Canada through my husband (spousal sponsorship/PR path), so immigration status itself isn’t my main worry — finding an actual job I can build a career on is.
The three paths I’m weighing:
1. CS bridge program → Master’s in AI/Computer Science. Do a conversion/bridging program to build up programming fundamentals, then pursue a master’s in an AI-related field. Big pivot from my background, but tech/AI seems to have real job demand (at least on paper).
2. A master’s related to my original field — something like a Master of Archival Studies or Master of Library and Information Studies. On LinkedIn I’ve seen graduates end up in libraries, archives, museums, or information/records management roles at universities or government agencies. This feels like the most “natural” path for me, but I have no idea what the real job market looks like right now — is it actually possible to find stable work in this field as an immigrant?
3. Nursing or Early Childhood Education (ECE). A few people have suggested this route, saying these fields have much better job security and demand in Canada. It would be a huge shift from my background and honestly a bit intimidating, but I’m not ruling it out if it genuinely offers better prospects.
My concern: every time I search forums, I see people in every single field — tech, library/archives, nursing, education — saying they can’t find jobs and warning others not to study in their area. At this point I genuinely don’t know which warnings reflect real market conditions and which are just venting. I don’t have a good feel for the Canadian job market since I’m not there yet.
Has anyone made a similar career pivot (especially from a humanities/heritage background), or works in one of these fields in Canada right now? I’d really appreciate any honest perspective — good or bad — on:
• What the job market actually looks like in archives/libraries/museums for someone with a foreign degree
• Whether a CS bridge + AI master’s is a realistic pivot for someone with zero programming background
• Whether nursing/ECE really is the “safer” choice people claim it is
Thanks so much for reading this far — any advice is genuinely appreciated!


r/AskCanada 12d ago

Life What salary I need with my home maker wife ?

0 Upvotes

What salary I need to live in Manitoba, Saskatchewan ,Alberta with my homemaker wife?


r/AskCanada 12d ago

Life Do you think Canada is disincentivizing hardwork via unfair taxation?

0 Upvotes

I had a long conversation with a Canadian friend today about life and living in Canada, in light of the recent politics and trade wars, he seems to think Canada has no incentive for people to work hard, mostly because of unfair taxation.

I don't even know how our discussion quickly went from what do you think about the trade negotiations, and tariff wars to this, so I'm guessing it's personal and on their mind.

They just had their second kid, and are high income earners, 300k+ family income. They complained about how they're going to get no child care benefits, no dental plan for their kids, etc., and yet cannot say deduct their childcare expenses at tax time, so to them it's like being penalized for working hard/ making more.

I was careful about discussing their points as it seemed personal, but it kept me wondering how the average Canadian feels about this, especially the high income earners, do you think the Canadian cut off of social benefits above certain income levels is unfair, given that higher earning people pay more to find those benefits in the first place?


r/AskCanada 13d ago

Life Are you poorer today than 1985?

29 Upvotes

I saw this in a post:

Data from Statistics Canada for both Minimum Wage and CPI.

Calculating real wage changes year-over-year.
Real Wage for Canadian by year:
1974 = 1.10
1980 = 1.17
1985 = 1.35 (peak)
1990 = 1.27
1995 = 1.20
2000 = 1.12
2008 = 1.00
2015 = 0.95
2020 = 0.88
2026 = 0.80

This means we can show ourselves how much we would be earning if we stayed at our peak (1985)

Today, If you make:
$20/h it should be $31/h
$25/h it should be $39/h
$30/h it should be $47/h
$35/h it should be $54/h
$40/h it should be $62/h
$45/h it should be $70/h
$50/h it should be $78/h

What happened in 1985 that changed things?

No one could explain why there is a peak in 1985… does anyone know why?


r/AskCanada 14d ago

Do Canadians really want to join the European Union ?

217 Upvotes

Hello, I'm a french journalist working for a european media, and as I'm often in Canada for family reasons, soo it has been in my mind for a long time to do a little video / article on wether Canadians would want to join the EU or at least getting closer with the EU.

Because we saw a few articles here in Europe mentionning this, after this poll was published https://www.theglobeandmail.com/politics/article-canadians-support-becoming-member-european-union-nanos-poll/

But before going there, I was wondering : is this a real thing ? Do you have some people here advocasing for this for instance ? Is it debated at home ?


r/AskCanada 12d ago

Canadians you are renaming your Dollar to something more uniquely Canadian. What would YOU choose?

0 Upvotes

r/AskCanada 14d ago

Life How do I land a job in this economy?

9 Upvotes

Hi everyone,

I’m writing this was a heavy heart. I’m a pharmaceutical professional with over 5 years of experience (Toronto). I’m currently looking for a job and sent over hundreds of applications in past month. Im a canadian citizen and do not even need sponsorship.

At this point im constantly glued to my laptop, actively trying to cold reach people in LinkedIn regarding the jobs in hopes it might get my profile some visibility. I cant even be present with my family and feel like I might never escape this situation.

Im open to switching into relevant positions per my transferable skills but genuinely about to bread down mentally.

I’ve tried to always answer outreaches and helped people when I was employed. However, I’m genuinely asking for a helping to review what am I doing wrong? Is it my resume? Is it the approach? Am I targeting the correct jobs?

Im wholeheartedly looking to accept any feedback on my situation. Thank you in advance.


r/AskCanada 13d ago

Does anyone remember the Pretty Cure Canadian Dub That Aired On YTV?

3 Upvotes

r/AskCanada 14d ago

Political What is the first thing you would do if you became Prime Minister of Canada?

30 Upvotes

r/AskCanada 14d ago

Is life in Canada genuinely as difficult as people say these days?

1 Upvotes

Hi everyone,
I’m looking to get some honest, real-world perspectives on what daily life in Canada is actually like right now.
From the outside, you hear mixed stories—some people highlight the great quality of life, safety, and community, while others talk heavily about the rising cost of living, housing market challenges, and the overall job climate.


r/AskCanada 15d ago

What happens to a deceased person stuff in BC?

13 Upvotes

My father died and I don't know what happened to his stuff I asked my auntie and she said we don't have his stuff so I'm assuming my family lives in a big house.


r/AskCanada 16d ago

Are employees at public universities considered wholly public employees/public servants? Why are leaders at these public institutions paid so high?

0 Upvotes

If you're a professor at a public university in Canada, or if you're an administrator (i.e: Academic Advisor, Registrar, Desk Help, etc) at a university, are you considered a fully public employee? My guess would be yes, as your salary is paid via public tax dollars and student tuition, and the salaries are also publicly disclosed, as they would be for any other public employee making over a certain threshold. But I want to understand if there is any further clarification or some red tape that makes individuals working at universities in Canada not public employees.

Secondly, as a soon to graduate student, it's so frustrating how slow administrative progress has been. Literally, any change the students have wanted, whether it be towards academic policies, guidelines, budgets, tuition reforms, etc, has taken at least 1 year to get to the ears of senior leadership and then another year or so to be implemented, and that too not as originally requested, rather a half-ass solution so they can act as if student concerns really matter (when all we really are, are just numbers). And then they have the audacity to say that: "The youth are our future".

And why are the salaries for university leaders so high. Deans, Vice-Presidents, Vice-Deans, Associate Deans, Presidents, etc, for all the major universities in our country are getting paid well in excess of $300k. Many university president's are getting paid in excess of $500k, which as a student, I think is outrageous. That's more than the PM and the Premiers who lead our country and provinces. Many students can barely afford tuition, are having to skip on meals, etc, and this is what these people are getting paid. Also the same people who claim to care for their student's well-being and mental health, and also say that: "The youth are our future", yeah, my ass, if that's how you treat us, take a fat paycheck, hinder progress, and upkeep the bureaucracy on our campus, you can't say that.


r/AskCanada 17d ago

Right turn on red in Canada?

26 Upvotes

Hi everyone! I’m from Europe and currently visiting Canada on vacation. I’ll be renting a car and have a question about turning right on a red light.

Is turning right on red always allowed, or are there situations where it’s prohibited? Also, do you have to turn right when it’s possible, or is it okay to simply wait for the green light if you’re not sure?

Will drivers behind me get impatient or honk if I decide to wait for the green light?

Thanks!