He's a coach in Chillawack, BC
http://www.cheamskating.com/coaches.php
So maybe it was Soviet era Moscow.
There is apparently, another article in this series coming.
I
I'm not Russian, but I don't like this article and Denis. He speaks as if he would have lived in Moscow during the communist era. And the Canadians will love this story, and Dennis will have a good start. He moved to Canada because of financial reasons. Moscow is a very exciting city, many people say " Moscow never sleeps". http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=doKpZnkZAwc http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BFucbIpEFoM. Incredible beautiful (but for me St. Petersbourgh is more beautiful), and every global companies are already there.
Actually I read recently that life in post-Soviet Russia hasn't improved as much as most Westerners think. Yeah, there are a lot of rich people in Moscow and Petersburg, some of whom found ways to make money off the post-Soviet collapse. But the average Russian salary is less than $800 a month, and most people are still living in the same crummy, tiny apartments common in Soviet times. Here's a relevant article: http://www.itar-tass.com/en/c39/266542.html. (It's from 2011, so a little out of date, but not much.)
He found the people [in the Russian immigrant community in Montreal] to be the same as the people in Moscow, consumed by the same petty jealousies and living the same inside-the-box lives he found so intolerable.
Worse, he found them unable or unwilling to acclimate to life in Canada. There was so much to see and do in this country, but they wanted no part of it. They wanted no part of the ‘weird’ Canadians either. Instead, they isolated themselves in their community, backstabbing the country and people who’d welcomed them with open arms.
It's because you are reading without filter. No barely intelligent journalist would ever use "average salary" idea to speak about level of life. It makes as much sense as "average body temperature" in the hospital. To put it simple- let's take 100 people, 1 of them is a billionaire in Moscow, 99 are folks in villages of Smolensk region. Their average salary will be just fine. $800 is nothing in Moscow, while in the village it's a hell of money, simply because the cost of life is different. The "crummy, tiny apartment"? Haha. You sould have seen what shoeboxes not super poor company workers rent in Tokyo for $800 a month. Does anybody here think that the life in Tokyo is bad and poor? Oh well.Actually I read recently ...
But the average Russian salary is less than $800 a month, and most people are still living in the same crummy, tiny apartments common in Soviet times.
Canadian consulate got closed in St-Petersburg. They used to be in a crappy location where the hystorical barracks of Izamilovskij regiment used to lodged, with drunks and hookers. While the Russian consulate in Montreal is enjoying their fancy residence: www.montreal.mid.ru/ Which means there are more people in Canada who needs the consulate service to visit Russia than in Russia- to visit Canada."Canada at it's worst is better than Russia at it's best!"
Chilliwack is a Canadian city in the Province of British Columbia. It has long been a predominantly agricultural community, but with an estimated population of 80,000 people, it has become more suburban. Chilliwack is the second largest city in the Fraser Valley Regional District after Abbotsford. The city is surrounded by mountains and recreational areas such as Cultus Lake and Chilliwack Lake Provincial Parks. There are many outdoor opportunities in the area, including hiking, horseback riding, biking, camping, fishing, and golf. Chilliwack is the location of the head offices of the Fraser Valley Regional District.
Chilliwack, BC's appeal would seem to be very different that Moscow's.
And it is warmer than Moscow, and has some of the best air quality in the world.
Chilliwack
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chilliwack_(city)#Climate
Moscow
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moscow#Climate