Susan's Place Transgender Resources

'A no-brainer': Why some U.S. health-care workers are moving to Nova Scotia (https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-scotia/american-healthcare-workers-moving-nova-scotia-9.7025866)

By Moira Donovan, CBC News, Jan 05, 2026

When Donald Trump started talking about running for re-election, Heather O'Dell began looking for an exit.
...
"I knew ... the federal government could step in and start doing things like changing my passport gender and changing my driver's licence gender, all the things that led me to feel safer as a trans-identifying person, they could take those things away very quickly."
...
"It seems like most of the general consensus in the entire province is, you know what? Be a good person, do a good job, treat people nicely. That's all we really ask," said Matt. "And that's all we want. We just want to be treated fairly, treated politely, like we would treat you."

The article talks about a grass-roots initiative to encourage and support health-care workers who want to move from the US to Canada (all provinces), and focuses on one trans person and a gay couple who have moved to Nova Scotia. 

The Nova Scotia "consensus" referred to in the quote above is something I have noticed and remarked on in the past.  If people don't quite know what to make of you here, they will treat you politely, which is not a bad default.

No country is perfect but as someone who lives in Canada I would say that its a good country for anyone who is LGBTQ+

No it's not perfect but people of all stripes are generally given the space to be themselves here.

Quote from: Jillian-TG on January 05, 2026, 05:45:30 PMNo country is perfect but as someone who lives in Canada I would say that its a good country for anyone who is LGBTQ+

No it's not perfect but people of all stripes are generally given the space to be themselves here.

I have only one complaint about Canada, and it is not the people. The people are great.

I just wish you weren't so far north! Brrrr.

🤣

My dad did a lot of hunting in Alberta. He has some beautiful pictures of the land.

Quote from: Lori Dee on January 05, 2026, 05:55:41 PMI have only one complaint about Canada, and it is not the people. The people are great.

I just wish you weren't so far north! Brrrr.

🤣

My dad did a lot of hunting in Alberta. He has some beautiful pictures of the land.

It is indeed very cold in the winter. But its best kept secret is summer with most of the major cities enjoying hot summers. Plus, the elbow seasons of Spring and Fall are generally mild and pleasant. So if one can survive 3-4 months of winter each year you are ok.

Quote from: Jillian-TG on January 05, 2026, 09:32:00 PMIt is indeed very cold in the winter. But its best kept secret is summer with most of the major cities enjoying hot summers. Plus, the elbow seasons of Spring and Fall are generally mild and pleasant. So if one can survive 3-4 months of winter each year you are ok.

I'll keep it as a backup plan. If we can get Canada to back out of the Safe Third Country Agreement because the U.S. is no longer meeting the criteria, then we could request asylum there. As it stands now, they send us back home. But there are other avenues, so the situation is not hopeless.

I could be able to move to Canada for graduate school in about two years. I could see myself doing it but I would feel like a traitor to all the Americans I left behind.

Quote from: Scylla on January 08, 2026, 07:56:43 PMI could see myself doing it but I would feel like a traitor to all the Americans I left behind.

Do what works best for you. Canada is our closest ally, so you can't be a traitor living there.

I lived in Germany twice, for a total of 6.5 years. I seriously thought about staying there.

Quote from: Lori Dee on January 08, 2026, 08:11:31 PMDo what works best for you

Thanks 😀

Quote from: Lori Dee on January 08, 2026, 08:11:31 PMCanada is our closest ally, so you can't be a traitor living there.

I moreso meant a traitor in the sense that I would be running away from people that might need my help.

Quote from: Scylla on January 08, 2026, 08:44:58 PMI moreso meant a traitor in the sense that I would be running away from people that might need my help.

I get that.

Bring them with you!
😁

Quote from: Scylla on January 08, 2026, 08:44:58 PMThanks 😀
I moreso meant a traitor in the sense that I would be running away from people that might need my help.

I might sound callous but sometimes you have to do what's right for you and your own happiness. You can't save the world and you owe it to yourself to find happiness - if that's in another country then don't martyr yourself. Be happy and find your place of peace.

Quote from: Jillian-TG on January 08, 2026, 10:51:39 PMI might sound callous but sometimes you have to do what's right for you and your own happiness. You can't save the world and you owe it to yourself to find happiness - if that's in another country then don't martyr yourself. Be happy and find your place of peace.

That's fair, thanks!