Super nice hockey fanatics
Canada celebrates its sesquicentennial this year, which offers extra incentive to visit, but the locals have a few quirks you need to know about, writes
Ben Groundwater.
In 2017, there’s agood reason to visit Canada: this year marks the country’s 150th birthday, and celebrations are planned through the year. Events such as Saint-JeanBaptiste Day on June 24, Canadian Multiculturalism Day on June 27, and Canada’s national day on July 1, will provide something extra for visitors. But what about the Canadian people? Here’s a brief introduction...
They’re not American
Although their country boasts some truly beautiful scenery, most Canadians’ favourite geographical feature is the border that separates them from the US. Canadians are different to Americans, and they don’t enjoy being mistaken for their southern neighbours.
They’re extremely friendly
Stand around looking confused in any Canadian city for a few seconds and someone will offer to help you. You’ll see strangers striking up conversations on public transport. You’ll find you walk into a bar and immediately have friends. Canadians are like that.
They love hockey
‘‘Hockey’’ in Canada means icehockey, and it’s a national passion that eclipses any other facet of life. Yes, it’s confusing that such polite, peaceful people are obsessed with one of the most brutal sports on the planet, but ice-hockey is the game of choice.
They’re multicultural
Though you might assume most Canadians are of British or French origin, the fact is the majority now descend from other parts of the world. In Toronto, more than 140 languages are spoken, and almost 50 per cent of the population was born outside of Canada.
They’re progressive
When Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced his cabinet in 2015, it was a first for the country: an equal number of women and men. There were also Aboriginal members, and three from the Sikh community.
They’re outdoorsy
You’ll find most Canadians seem to have at least one passion that allows them to enjoy the great outdoors, from skiing and snowboarding to hiking, mountain-biking, rock-climbing, camping, canoeing, and snow-shoeing.
They’re prone to apologies
One of the cliches you’ll hear about Canadians is that they’re forever apologising – and it has some basis in truth. There’s something very charming about having someone tell you they’re sorry, even though it was clearly your fault.
Their coffee is terrible
There’s an increasing focus on good, locally sourced food in Canada via the ‘‘100-Mile Diet’’; however, their coffee is uniformly terrible. Canada’s most popular coffee shop is Tim Horton’s, a chain founded by a former ice-hockey star that dishes up a very average brew.
Their capital city is Ottawa
Many people are taken by surprise when they discover Canada’s capital is Ottawa. It’s not exactly a tourism hub, but it will be popular during Canada’s 150th birthday.
They’re just like us
One of the most important things you notice about Canadians is that, essentially, they’re just like Kiwis: similar values, similar traditions, similar history, similar ideals. It makes Canada a very easy place to visit. – Traveller