OTTAWA (CP) - Canada's immigration website is being flooded with a record-smashing number of visits from U.S. Democrats dismayed by the prospect of four more years living under President George W. Bush.

His re-election has some long-faced U.S. liberals apparently musing that perhaps Canada's cold winters, high taxes and strained health system are more easily endured than their commander-in-chief. A new record was set within hours of Bush's acceptance speech as six times more Americans than usual surfed the site Wednesday. The overall number of 179,000 visitors was almost twice the previous one-day record set last year and a whopping 64 per cent of visitors - 115,016 - were from the United States.

Many were doing more than just casual surfing, a spokeswoman for Citizenship and Immigration suggested Thursday.

"The most-visited pages . . . were the skilled worker online self-assessment pages (to check if) they'd meet the selection criteria," said Maria Iadinardi.

But there's no proof of an influx of Americans seeking asylum from their politics: "Applying and intent are two different things. We're only going to see this about six months from now," she said.

Americans moving to Canada must deal with the same rules as other immigrants - including the $500 application fee, the $975 landing tax, and the six-to 12-month wait.

The waiting time is shorter if you're married to a Canadian, for which help is available at www.marryanamerican.ca, a Canadian satirical site also being inundated by visitors.

A quick Internet Google search under the terms, "move to Canada' + Bush" turns up more than 8,000 web pages - including chat groups and at least one opinion poll asking frustrated liberals whether they'd consider fleeing.

About 60 per cent replied 'Yes' to leaving in the tongue-in-cheek poll of more than 1,000 on CBS's Chicago affiliate web site.

One American who lives in Brooklyn says many people in the U.S. now feel they identify more with Canada than their own country in the wake of the election.

"I'm not alone," said Chris Walsh, a native of New Hampshire married to a Canadian.

"The first thing people said to me when I went to walk my dog in the park this morning was: 'We're moving to Canada.' People are very disillusioned, and Canada is looking pretty good right now."

A mock map of North America circulated on the Internet illustrated an expanded Canada. The lingering rump of pro-Democrat states - namely the Great Lakes area, and the east and west coasts - would be carved into a larger new country called the United States of Canada.

The rest of the continent was left alone in a new entity named, "Jesusland."

A gleeful Republican posted this response to suggestions of a liberal exodus: "Enjoy the Molson's while you wait an eternity for an imported doctor making the equivalent of minimum wage."

"They can pay high taxes for non-existent health care, non-existent military, and non-existent jobs. So go already. . . . be the first in line!" another said.

Prime Minister Paul Martin tossed his arms wide open Thursday to aspiring immigrants from the U.S. But he joked they shouldn't expect preferential treatment just because they're neighbours.

"The fact is we are a country of immigrants and we're prepared to receive immigrants from anywhere. (But) I doubt very much if refugee status is the way that I would characterize it," he said.

The growing ideological gap between the neighbouring nations was perhaps best illustrated during Tuesday's election by the unanimous rejection of same-sex marriage in 11 state referendums.

By way of comparison, Canadian gays and lesbians have acquired the legal right to marry in six provinces and the federal government supports extending that benefit nationwide.

But one prominent American gay-rights advocate says the talk about moving to Canada is just that - talk.

"I don't think you're seeing people do it. It is certainly an expression of frustration you hear more often these days," said Evan Wolfson of Freedom to Marry.

"It's people saying, 'Canada is on the right track. We're on the wrong track.' "

The number of U.S. immigrants to Canada has slowly dwindled to about 5,000 per year from a high of around 23,000 annually during the Vietnam war.

One Montreal immigration lawyer said he remains skeptical of a new influx even though his office has received several e-mail inquiries from Americans this week.

"I think at this stage it's just a backlash and a reaction by certain very fervent Democrats," said Colin Singer.

"My sense is there're more hype than there will actually be applications."

Quotes about disgruntled Americans moving to Canada following President George W. Bush's re-election:

"The Republicans have a lock on this country," - John Duddy, president of the University of South Florida Democrats association, saying in his school paper he plans to move north.

©The Canadian Press, 2004

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