“Approved destination status marks a significant moment in the history of our relations with China, indicating not only our mutual commitment to strengthening our diplomatic and commercial partnerships, but also our people-to-people ties.” said Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper in statement released by his office in December 2009. (read the rest of the article)

Yes, those ex-colonists love Canada. Statistics show that increasing numbers of foreigners are spending their hard-earned holidays here, with 663,000 overnight visits to Canada in the first quarter of 2007 – a 7.2% increase on the same period in 2006. Britons make up almost a quarter of those visits. Many Brits find it not only a nice place to visit, but would also like to live here, choosing to relocate permanently.

Contributing to this trend is the fact that your pound goes a lot further in Canada than it does in Britain at the moment. It also doesn’t hurt that the second largest country in the world shares the same mother tongue as Britain (more or less) , and is known worldwide to be a politically stable, secure, friendly place to live, with a very high standard of living.

Many Britons may initially be suspicious of the standard customer service in Canada, feeling that it is so over-the-top friendly, that it borders on sarcasm. But experience soon proves that yes, most Canadians really are that nice, and can’t wait to serve you.

The west coast in particular is a big draw for those who enjoy outdoor life, with endless possibilites for skiing, fishing, golfing, hiking, rafting, or simply sitting and enjoying the fresh moutain air.

Which part of Canada is your favourite to visit?