NBC Delivers Upbeat Portrait of Americans Moving to Canada

MRC ^ | Dec 13, 2004 | Brent Baker

[Tumbleweed_Connection]

NBC on Friday night delivered a positive portrayal of U.S. citizens so upset by President Bush's re-election that they've moved to Canada. Reporter George Lewis highlighted how one woman "says Canada is more in tune with her liberal views than the USA." She then touted how Canada has "gun control and universal health care and no death penalty." Lewis trumpeted: "She's not alone. In Bellingham, Washington, Charles Key, a Vietnam veteran, is planning his move to Canada." Key claimed that America no longer stands "for freedom and diversity and tolerance." Without any regard for how the "pursuit of happiness" was declared in the Declaration of Independence for the USA, not Canada, Lewis relayed how the woman insisted that "all of us are entitled to the pursuit of happiness." She declared "I found my dreams in Canada" before Lewis jovially concluded: "And as she spots a bald eagle, she jokes that even America's national bird is taking a serious look at Canada."

Anchor Brian Williams set up the December 10 NBC Nightly News report: "NBC News 'In Depth' tonight. After the hard-fought election this nation has now been through, after the victory for President Bush and the red states, a lot of those on the losing end, the bluest of the blue, find life so unbearable they've made the ultimate decision: To leave. While neighbors wish them good riddance, they say they're going to a place they're welcome. NBC News 'In Depth' tonight: Here is George Lewis."

Lewis began, as checked against the closed-captioning by the MRC's Brad Wilmouth: "Lorraine Wright, originally from California, has pulled up anchor and headed to Canada. Do you think you'll spend the rest of your years here?"

Lorraine Wright, at a marina: "Absolutely."

Lewis: "As a Canadian citizen?"

Wright: "Absolutely."

Lewis: "Wright, who runs a hotel and tour company on Quadra Island, British Columbia, says Canada is more in tune with her liberal views than the USA."

Wright: "You know, they have gun control and universal health care and no death penalty."

Lewis: "She's not alone. In Bellingham, Washington, Charles Key, a Vietnam veteran, is planning his move to Canada."

Charles Key: "America no longer reflects my political and social values."

Lewis: "Spoken by a man whose ancestor, Francis Scott Key, wrote this:"

Clip of artist singing: "-the land of the free-" Key: "'The land of the free and the home of the brave' to me always meant that America was supposed to stand for freedom and diversity and tolerance. And I don't think that it does anymore."

Lewis, at a border crossing: "So far Canadian officials say they haven't seen any huge exodus of Americans moving to Canada, but they do note that since the U.S. election thousands of Americans have been checking out the Canadian official immigration Web site. And in the last week, more than 300 people in Seattle, Los Angeles, and San Francisco paid $25 apiece to attend seminars hosted by Canadian immigration lawyer Rudolph Kischer."

Rudolph Kischer, immigration lawyer: "Bush has been great for business."

Unidentified man: "Good riddance."

Lewis: "On a show televised in Canada, Charles Key noted there are plenty of Americans who think the idea of moving North is plain stupid."

Key on the TV show in Canada: "And it's reflected in words like 'good riddance' and 'don't let the door hit you in the butt on the way out.'"

Lewis: "Lorraine Wright says some may think of expats like her as traitors, but says all of us are entitled to the pursuit of happiness."

Wright: "I found my dreams in Canada."

Lewis concluded: "And as she spots a bald eagle, she jokes that even America's national bird is taking a serious look at Canada. George Lewis, NBC News, Quadra Island, British Columbia."

[CyberAnt]

No such luck!

[purpleland]

Hummm...do ill-liberal expatriates have to pay taxes to both socialized Canada and the U.S.?

It seems only fair...