The latest information on our efforts to move (back) to Canada.
We’ve received an update from the Canadian government indicating (although not promising) my husband’s application to become a legal Permanent Resident of Canada (with my sponsorship) is looking positive and moving faster than expected. Yes, of course, that is exciting. For both of us and my assorted (sordid?) biologicals waiting for us in S/W Ontario,
It is also quite terrifying in light of our current progress in saving up funds. The desire to move isn’t merely a reaction to the current regime- but that certainly is making every day here feel less safe.
I’ve noted elsewhere that when I moved to the USA early in 1996, the plan was to retire back to Ontario at some vague future point. Many generations of my family have been cross-border; knowing and respecting the differences between countries, but loving each as the great nation they could be.
For the first 12 years here I had a professional sales career, and was saving up for retirement and return. That career disappeared just after I turned 50, and it’s been replaced with a patchwork of self-employment, seasonal and temporary jobs. My husband works full time in Food Services, but not in management. Which is to say that keeping a roof over our head, food in our bellies, and our low-end, used, car insured and running takes up pretty much all our income.
Before the latest pandemic, strangers totaling each of our previous 2 cars, and the current social and economic collapse we’d expected to have our debts paid off in time. Even some savings for the move and resettlement. As noted on the earlier post (link in the very first line) we’ve used up the last of our savings to pay for both the official application expenses and a registered immigration consultant (less expense than a lawyer with valuable expertise).
Family and local friends have all contributed what they can (thank you). The next logical step would be to seek help from the Canadian communities where I lived and played and fought for our survival. The harsh reality is that 99% of the people I knew in Chatham and then Toronto’s gay and kink communities are gone. Part of the reason I considered moving down here was to put some distance from the ghosts.
To be clear, if the expiry date of husband’s PR Approval approaches, or something drastic happens here we are prepared to take only what we can pack in our car and run for the border. But I’d really hate to end my 30 year stay in such a negative way. I don’t want to be the last person in my family to have loved living in both countries during their life.
Please click here to help bring/send me home.
