I'm in Canada, but I don't think any one country is really better than another, at least not in the 1st world, they're just different.
Couple things:
Firearms
There are permits for carrying, but if you're not working in the forest then you have to be in a bad spot to need one (death threats or such)... Got a bolt-action rifle or a shotgun or anything rimfire, they can be kept (unloaded) locked in the trunk of your car, or if you have no trunk you have to hide them.
There's also an exemption if you clip on cross-country skis
You can see the list of banned firearms, if you didn't have one before they were banned you can't get one. No select-fire, super short weapons, bullpups, and there's mag limits on semi-autos (and of course the Stryker shotgun was banned by name). But you can own things that are banned in the USA, like PTRDs and grenade launchers (Though Barret light 50 was banned by name?)
If you hunt then you'll be happy, and iirc you can shoot any coyote and trade the pelt for money. Also I think that gopher tails are worth something (Richardson Ground Squirrels, technically) at least you get a free rifle if you collect the most of them, in some contests.
Medicine
The socialized medicine is sort of a hoax. In Canada there's provinces, like the USA has states. In the USA, it seems the Federal government increased in power over the states, but in Canada it's the other way. So health is a provincial thing, and the Feds pay a bit of it on the condition that they pass some laws, making it universal.
It's not free, you pay taxes (though 25% of them go straight to paying interest on national debt. That's just paying the interest. America you've been warned!) I pay $40 a month, every 3 months but there's discounts for families, and that covers all basic surgeries and hospital stuff, really basic stuff, maybe an eye exam every couple years. I'm shopping for insurance and that's what covers prescriptions and dental checkups, it's probably another $40 for that. Basically if you get hurt seriously, you're in luck! Oh yea, also almost any job you get will have a really good comprehensive medical plan, even if you drive a forklift in a warehouse you're going to be in on the group insurance, after a few months of course.
Oh yea, there's problems with health now though, obviously, because it's just so expensive. Prescriptions cost 70% of all health care expenses, so to save money in my province they decided to demolish a few hospitals :banghead: so now there's more lineups when you break your arm, because of triage. But my Dad has great service for his heart, first class.
When someone gets sick enough to need surgery, and you just start thinking about how much that would cost, my dad's heart surgery would have cost as much as a house. And people with cancer, it must be a little comfort to know that their family isn't going bankrupt trying to pay their expenses, in futility.
Immigrating
Talk to them. One tip I can tell you is that if you promise to invest $40,000 in Canada you are in like Flynt. And Canada is cool with the USA because the USA doesn't let people have dual citizenship with anyone else, so you can be a US citizen and a Canadian both.
Politics
issues: the nanny state grew fast, and the repurcussions are coming. Pensions are going to fail, all that. Also the general wussiness of the nanny state is being realized, some like it some don't whatever the case it can't be afforded long.
And there's trade issues like everywhere else.
But we don't have 2 million illiterate Mexicans jumping our border each year! Lol.