Vacation, All I Ever Wanted?

It has been a pretty productive week. We didn't go away anywhere like I hoped because Monster has to request vacation time at least a month in advance and we didn't think of it fast enough. But really, we just haven't gotten the hang of vacation time yet.

In the States, Monster's job didn't come with ANY paid vacation leave (or even medical coverage a lot of the time, but that's a different story). So when we moved to Canada and discovered it was a federal LAW that all employees get paid vacation, we didn't quite know how to handle it (or handle the amazing health care package that came with his employment, but that's another story). It's like, we don't know what to do with time off because.we.never.really.had.it.before. How sad is that?

This is why, when I see American pundits freaking out that the US is becoming 'socialist' I want to laugh. Why is socialism bad? It has made our lives soooo much easier and better to move to a semi-socialist country: the banks and trades are regulated, time off for employees is mandatory to some point, and while B.C. residents must pay $50 a month for health care this amount covers all primary care, no checking with providers to make sure they take your insurance, no treatment not covered in the E.R. etc.

The kicker for me about the benefits of socialism is the story of my sister's maternity leave. Right now, her baby girl is five months old. And she has both parents home caring for her. That's right. Both. My sister quit her job a month before the baby was born and is covered for a year of goverment paid maternity leave (but she will give this up early when she starts her articling program in two months.)

Her husband took paternity leave starting when Squishy was two and a half months old. I watch them care for this baby together, with all three of them relaxed and happy being together and it just makes so much sense. Starting out the family with the minimum of stress is a pretty great way to insure happy, invested families in the future. The Canadian goverment recognized this and I am happy to use my taxes to pay for it (after all, if I was in the States, my taxes would be used to bail out banks and fund CEOs golden parachutes).

I figure, when pundits work so hard to make Americans afraid of something, like socialism or universal health care or France, it may just be because that thing is pretty terrific.