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 moving faster than expected. As in, 5 months ahead of what we were told would be the earliest likely date.
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.
Before covid19 we had expected to have our debts paid off and have savings for the move and resettlement. Our 2012 5-door sedan was totaled in 2022 (still had so much energy!) and then the used 2020 Kia Soul that replaced it was totaled in 2024 (shot down in the prime of life). That’s been replaced with a 2022 Kia Soul. A lot of deductibles and insurance rate increases- followed by the current social and economic collapse.
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 (valuable expertise at less expense than a lawyer).
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. Many of the community-based (ie unofficial) groups in which I participated left no paper trail- no official Registration, no Board Minutes, never a Head Office beyond a member’s living room. No 40th Anniversary Reunions are likely for the small number of us who survived this long, and we’ve no Facebook Group connecting us.
I have plenty of posts and pages here for anyone wanting more details- I was born in Toronto in 1958, lived in various towns/ cities across Ontario until I moved from Toronto to Columbus, Ohio at the beginning of 1996. Leaving Toronto was a necessary step in my survival- too many funerals, too many dreams destroyed, too few signs of a ‘happy ever-after’. I wasn’t trying to escape Canada- just put some distance from the ghosts. And the mental health injuries I had buried.
Another stress factor is not having funds to immediately rent our own place when we move. Merrick (pictured here) has been strictly an indoor cat since he was taken off the street as an infant. Our current place is the only home he’s known- and cats hate change. The shorter the time we spend bouncing around family guest rooms (and the fewer times we need to move) will be as important for his quality of life as it will be helpful to our own mental health.
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.
How You Can Help:
Please click here to financially help bring/send me home.
I am also looking for freelance/ contract work- my specialty is design with a Mystical Arts focus. See my LinkedIn post for more.
As an aside- see my youTube video Did We Lose a Generation to HIV/aids? for how ‘we lost a generation’ sidelines survivors.
