Commentary
In June, I ruptured my Achilles tendon. That necessitated me going to the local hospital for check-ups and physiotherapy. Given my inability to drive as my right foot was injured, I used Uber to get to and from the hospital. Unsurprisingly, most of my drivers were immigrants, mostly recent ones. Given the understandable lack of job opportunities for new immigrants, especially ones with limited English skills, leasing a car and driving for Uber seemed to be a good opportunity.
One of my drivers was a Ukrainian gentleman who informed me that he had been in Canada for about four months. I naively assumed he must be happy and grateful to get out of a war zone. I was wrong. He informed me that he was having difficulty supporting himself and his family. He was working as a line cook full time and driving Uber at the equivalent of another full-time job. I could see he was physically and mentally exhausted.
Even though this man was in his late 30s and of military age, he spoke of how his life was better in Kyiv. He had a nicer place to live, at less cost, and food was more affordable. Given that the GDP per capita was US$4,828 in Ukraine in 2021 compared to about US$55,000 in Canada, this is remarkable. This man would prefer living in a war zone than in Toronto. Nor was he unique. I have had drivers from Turkey (a Kurd, to be exact), a Bulgarian, a Pakistani, a couple of other Ukrainians, a Taiwanese fellow, and an Afghan. Only the Afghan man felt he was better off in Canada, though even he expressed his disappointment and dissatisfaction with his adopted country.
