Hopefully this one won't get derailed...

I'd like people's opinions on Canada and Australia, specifically the various areas, their laws, climate and freedoms. If you live there what are the good and bad aspects?

Thanks

What do you mean by freedom? Do you mean freedom from government intervention in the private lives of individuals or freedom from gossip because people are open-minded?

Canada:

Canada is the second largest country in the world, behind Russia (AUS =235th and UK =51st). Its population is 33.2Million (UK=61Million and AUS= 21Million) and its ranked 230th in terms of population density. Its is ranked 14th in terms of GDP(purchasing price parity)  per capita(UK =8th and AUS= 19th).

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Countries_by_area 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_population_density 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_GDP_%28PPP%29_per_capita 

Given its size, Canada's climate is very varied. In the great north you have nearly uninhabitable cold winters or course, but even the more densely populated regions vary greatly. Starting with Newfoundland heading east up until Quebec, the winters are very cold (-10C to -25 is common with up to 10 days where temperatures dip below -30C) snowfall can be considerable (Quebec city, where I live, received over 3 meters of snowfall this year. Summer temperatures are generally in the mid 20sCentigrade during the day with a few days reaching into the low 30s. Into Ontario, especially its south, the winter temperatures are more temperate (though they will complain of the cold anyways) with warmer summers. The prairie provinces(including Alberta) get very cold winters and very hot summers. British Colombia has very temperate climate with Vancouver not getting much snow in the winter, it rains instead (I prefer snow to rain). In the Canadian Rockies, all bets are off. 

So from a climate standpoint, you can find a climate to suit your needs (tropical excluded).

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Temperature_in_Canada 

Canada's government system is a federation where legislative powers are separated between the federal government and the provincial governments. This separation of powers was established by the Constitution Act of 1867.

The Federal powers include(among other things): Taxation,unemployment insurance, regulation of commerce, military, navigation and fisheries, Banking, Bankruptcy, Intellectual property law, immigration (though not exclusively, since provinces can have their own immigration policy), Marriage and divorce and Criminal Law.

So no matter where you go in Canada, you will be subject to the same legislation with regards to those exclusive powers.

The Provincial powers include(among other things):  taxation, health care, property and civil law (which is what I do), administration of justice,

http://canlii.org/en/ca/const/const1867.html 

The Constitutional Act of 1982 is Canada's equivalent to America's Bill of Rights (yes it took us until 1982 to partially agree with each other)

This act is what guarantees that governments (provincial and federal) must respect the following "fundamental freedoms":

It also codifies the following rights(which only existed under the form of Case law before):

• The right to life, liberty and security;
• The right to be safe against unreasonable search and seizure (Generally speaking, if the cops can't see it, they can't do anything about it. If you keep something in your stash in your glove compartment, or trunk or closed backpack, they can't force you to open them unless they are searching you prior to detaining you for another legitimate reason.)
• The right to not be arbitrarily detained or imprisoned;
• The right, when arrested or detained, to be informed promptly of the reason, and the right to a lawyer (Hi :) );
• The right to a fair and speedy trial;
• The right to not be subjected to any cruel or unusual punishment.

It also guarantees that provincial and federal legislators cannot (without invoking a controversial clause) create laws that do not respect the equality of  people  without regard to their race, nationality or ethnic origin, colour, religion, sex, age or physical or mental disability.

http://canlii.org/en/ca/const/const1982.html 

Each province can also enact their own Charter of rights (only to add right, not remove them). On top of setting up the guidelines for government action, it also sets up rights with regard to other citizens. I don't know about the other provinces, but Quebec's Charter of  human rights and freedoms includes (among other things):

• the right to be helped when in physical danger (which creates an obligation for everyone else to try to help in the event of an emergency without having to put their own safety in peril);
• the right to dignity, reputation and honour;
• the right to the respect of privacy;
• the right to the peaceful enjoyment and disposal of personal property (to the extent of the law);
• the right to not have your home or personal property violated;
• the right to equality (and freedom from harassment by other people) based on race, colour, pregnancy, sex, sexual orientation, civil status, age, religion, language, political conviction, social condition, ethnic or national origin, handicap or use of a device to palliate a handicap.

http://canlii.org/qc/laws/sta/c-12/20080314/whole.html

So when it comes to living your life the way you want to, Canada and Quebec has you covered. I haven't verified if Alberta has such an extensive Charter of rights.

Now, when it comes to taxes, Quebec is almost the most taxed society in North America, especially in the highest tax bracket (which is much lower than other provinces).

If taxes really concern you, Albertans pay a 10% flat tax on income and no provincial sales tax. They do still have to pay Federal taxes though. As said before, Alberta is also the province where the government interferes the least in people's daily lives.

 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Income_taxes_in_Canada

There is a place in Canada for everyone. I hope for you that you find your place. :) 

Freedom from government force or threat of force. For example I'd prefer not to live somewhere that tells people they must be straight or they must think this or they must subscribe to this culture or that religion, or mustn't own a gun, or whatever. Obviously there's no country in the world that's completely free, I'm just wondering which areas in Canada and Australia have the least restrictive laws and lowest taxes.

For Canada:
Dont go to Ontario. (unless you just want to be a leech)
You might try out west (alberta or BC...alberta can be a costly place to live though)
or up north if you dont mind the cold and gas huffers.
If you are white and wouldnt mind learning french you could try Quebec

For Aussieland:
Everything is poisonous...seriously

It is complete (first post is edited)

EDIT: yes, for Quebec, French is a must, but people learn. 

Wow, thanks for all the info Dogs Rule

@MrBubbles. You say you need to white for Quebec? I take it that means it's quite racist? I am white but I can't stand racism of any kind and have been a victim of it on several occasions. I only speak basic French and as I'm going into journalism I'd need to be in an English speaking place as I'm never going to get my French up to a brilliant written standard even though I'll attempt to improve it before I move. I guess that rules Quebec out!

not so much racist. but ive found the quebecers, generally, to be a bit xenophobic.

ferret1603 said: Wow, thanks for all the info Dogs Rule @MrBubbles. You say you need to white for Quebec? I take it that means it's quite racist? I am white but I can't stand racism of any kind and have been a victim of it on several occasions. I only speak basic French and as I'm going into journalism I'd need to be in an English speaking place as I'm never going to get my French up to a brilliant written standard even though I'll attempt to improve it before I move. I guess that rules Quebec out!

Quebec is not racist!!! We are mostly homogenious, but that does not make us racist, especially in the major urban centers. If you go to Montreal, there is a large anglophone community with newpapers and television news. (some reporters have british accents and australian accents, so they are open to immigrant journalists) Even Quebec city, my city, has a small english comunity that has a newpaper the Quebec Chronicle-Telegraph (which may be the oldest newpaper in North America). 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quebec_Chronicle-Telegraph 

 Are there some racists, of course, like anywhere, but they are old and dying. Among the people you would surely be around intellectuals (since you are a sociologist) and youths, there will be very very little to none.

Thanks for clearing that up. Do you know what the average house prices are in each area?

Each area of Canada? Which provinces interest you?