Quote Originally Posted by Helene2013 View Post
Yep. French Quebecers (french is Québécois).

It is not easy to become an American. Many rules and regulations.

As for the snowbirds, in Quebec you can leave the province for a max of 180 days per year not to lose the health care benefits. You can't even be out of the province (let's say travel in Canada for 180 days). Some cheat (by paying cash for everything for x period of time just as they leave or a few weeks from their return, or have family do transactions in QC for instance during their leave so it "looks" as if they are physically here!)

In some other provinces the leave is not 6 months but 7 months. And if we stay longer in the USA, there is a form to fill out to prove you are still a Canadian. This form prevents the US government asking you to pay taxes as an american citizen. Complex thing for being neighbours but I guess every country (either Canada or USA) wants part of your income.

Our snowboards are starting to migrate South anytime now. They cherish Florida, Arizona and Texas.
Same is true on the reverse, we looked into to emigrating to Canada a few years ago, very complicated! And unless you are wealthy, almost impossible after age 50.

Your written English is great, must be cool to be able to speak and READ in different languages. I always wanted to read The Count of Monte Cristo in the original French.