Anyone from U of Alberta or U of Manitoba

I have heard 'not so good things' about Uof A SON.
From current students and from a friend who interviewed for a faculty position.

I went to the university of Manitoba. Faculty is a little inbred, Strengths are new building, faculty specializing in gerontology and palliative care, really good dean. Waiting list for faculty of nursing is apparently really long and it's rumered to require a 3.0 GPA to get in. Clinical placements are okay, they are intentionally keeping capacity of nursing program smallish so as not to oversaturate places. Winnipeg is also a much cheaper place to live than Edmonton.

I've known some situations where people have transferred to the U of M (programs other than nursing) and been very frustrated with the amount of courses they were asked to retake and previous credits that weren't honored. These were in programs other than nursing mind-you, and was a few years ago. I also went to school with some former students of a bible college who had no program whatsoever having their previous credits honored -- so I guess it all depends on where you're coming from. Just make sure you do your homework without making any final decisions.

By inbred, I mean that the teaching staff seems a little bit like an old girl's club and it's all very much about who you know. For example I was entertaining the idea the last few years of entering into the masters program there and was told in no uncertain terms that I didn't have a chance unless I could provide references from at least 3 members of the nursing faculty.

adrienurse's experience is probably the same in a lot of nursing schools. When a bunch of nurses get together....can get very cliquey. I think a lot of the Canadian schools of nursing are not very current... in their faculty having clinical expertise. Also true for Hong Kong SONs.
What I liked about the US university SONs is the emphasis on clinical excellence in conjunction with teaching.
My American NP professors all had part-time clinical practices which kept them up to date.

I am a nursing student at the U of M and I didn't have to wait in any list to get in. The minimum req is a 2.0 GPA, but since it is competative, if you have a GPA over 3.0, you're pretty much guarenteed to get in.