I am a little confused on the suggestions for transiting via Canada. Canada pretty much has the same rules as the US dont they? You have to go through immigration even if you are transiting and depending on what country you are a citizen of you are required to have a visa. As far as I can tell it is basically the same visa. I was looking at some itins to Asia and considered going via YVR and my wife is on a Thai visa so that was the info I dug up and why we didnt transit via Canada.

Also, what country is your citizenship? Are you even required to have a visa? I would think the list that Canada has for visas is the same as the US.