[Zhang Fei]

Thousands of wealthy Chinese families are moving to Canada, buying million dollar homes with all cash. These are not economic migrants. These successful Chinese want to get out of China. So why would a Russian, who doesn't even speak Mandarin, want in? ... a slightly better wage? I am sceptical about this story, which the author acknowledges to be second hand.

Lots of wealthy people move from Europe and Japan to the US every year. And this is despite the rough parity in wages. I suspect that for a lot of these Chinese, it's a fear of future political turmoil, rather an economic slowdown. In some cases, it's corruptly obtained funds being laundered abroad - note that Bo Xilai's son was driving a Ferrari/Porsche that could not possibly have been afforded on Chinese government wages. Obscenely rich people have all kinds of reasons why they move abroad. People of moderate resources move for one main reason - the grass is greener...

[Eska]

Always been Russkies in Alaska, before and after 2000 big exodus to Alaska from Siberia. They are looking for a better life like everybody else and I know a few of them, many are highly educated, have become citizens, bought their first home, their kids play hockey on travel teams and speak English like all of our kids. They do go back to see relatives but ain't leaving Alaska; life will always be much better in the USA they tell me.

One friend was of German ancestry and even though his people had been Russians since Catherine the Great Days; they were still ethnic Germans and second class citizens, couldn't ever get a good job, move up. Main reason my friend moved to Alaska. Funny thing is he still thinks Russkie Hockey is better than North American Hockey though.