CANADA

CANADA
Facts and Statistics
Location:Northern

North America, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean on the east, North
Pacific Ocean on the west, and the Arctic Ocean on the north, north of the conterminous
US

Capital:Ottawa
Climate:varies

from temperate in south to subarctic and arctic in north

Population:33,212,696

(July 2008 est.)

Ethnic

Make-up:British Isles origin 28%, French origin 23%, other European 15%,
Amerindian 2%, other, mostly Asian, African, Arab 6%, mixed background 26%

Religions:Roman

Catholic 42.6%, Protestant 23.3% (including United Church 9.5%,

Anglican 6.8%, Baptist 2.4%, Lutheran 2%), other Christian 4.4%, Muslim 1.9%, other and
unspecified 11.8%, none 16% (2001 census)

Government:constitutional

federation

monarchy that is also a parliamentary democracy and a

Language in Canada

A multitude of languages are spoken in Canada. According

to the 2006 census, English and French are the preferred
language ("home language", or language spoken most often
in the home) of 67.1% and 21.5% of the population,
respectively. English and French are recognised by the
Constitution of Canada as "official languages," which means
that all laws of the federal government are enacted in both
English and French and that federal government services
are required to be available in both languages.
The five most widely-spoken non-official languages are
Chinese (the home language of 2.6% of Canadians), Punjabi
(0.8%), Spanish (0.7%), Italian (0.6%), and Arabic (0.5%).

Cultural Diversity

Canada is culturally diverse. This goes back to the

1890s when it began inviting people from all over
the world to settle in the country to help it
develop and grow. Canadian immigration policy
was historically open, welcoming and egalitarian
in its philosophy. This has also manifest into the
psyche of the nation where people are
encouraged and to retain their cultural identities,
traditions, languages and customs.

Regionalism
Most Canadians have a strong allegiance to their province or region,
sometimes more so than to the country. There are some broad
differences between regions, which can generally be summed up as
follows:
Atlantic Provinces (Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Prince Edward
Island and Newfoundland): The people are somewhat reserved and
provincial, to the point that they are seen as old-fashioned.
Ontario: This is the business hub and the people tend to be
business-like and conservative.
Western Canada (Alberta, Manitoba and Saskatchewan): The people
are open, friendly and relaxed.
British Colombia: The people are less conventional. This province is
often viewed as the Canada of the future.
Quebec: The French region, has a distinct cultural identity. The
people are extremely regionalistic/independent.
North: The people have a strong pioneer spirit.

Meeting and Greeting

The

most common greeting is the handshake.

It should be firm and accompanied by direct eye contact and
a sincere smile.
Wait until invited before using someone's first name although
Canadians tend to move to a first-name basis rapidly.
French Canadian friends may greet each other by lightly
kissing on the cheeks (once on the left cheek and once on
the right).
If using French in Quebec always use the formal pronoun
"vous" (you) when speaking to someone and do not switch to
the informal "tu" unless invited to do so.

Gift Giving
In

general, Canadians give gifts for birthdays and Christmas.

If invited to someone's home for dinner, take a box of good
chocolates, flowers or a bottle of wine.
In Quebec, sending flowers in advance of the dinner party is
proper protocol.
In Quebec, if you give wine, make sure it is of the highest
quality you can afford.
Do not give white lilies as they are used at funerals.
Do not give cash or money as a present.
Gifts are usually opened when received.

Dining Etiquette
Table

manners are relatively relaxed and informal in Canada.

Quebec does see a little more formality.
Table manners are generally Continental, i.e. the fork is held in the
left hand and the knife in the right while eating.
Wait to be shown to your seat.
Do not begin eating until the hostess starts.
Do not rest your elbows on the table.
Feel free to refuse individual foods or drink without offering an
explanation.
Leaving a small amount at the end of the meal is generally
acceptable.
In formal situations, the host gives the first toast. An honoured guest
should return the toast later in the meal. Women may give toasts.

Canadian Communication Styles

It

is difficult to specify any national trait in terms of

communication in Canada due to its regionalism and cultural
diversity. However, there are some basic communication styles
that are fairly standard across the country. For example,
businesspeople are generally polite, easy-going and somewhat
informal.
In general, communication is moderately indirect perhaps
reflecting an amalgamation of both North American and British
tendencies. Although most Canadians can disagree openly
when necessary, they prefer to do so with tact and diplomacy.
Their communication style is essentially pragmatic and relies
on common sense. If you come from a culture where
communication is very direct, you may wish to soften your
demeanour and tone so as not to appear threatening.

Communication

styles vary most between

Anglophone and Francophone parts of the country.
Francophones are generally more indirect than
Anglophones, although less so than the French.
They also tend to be more exuberant than
Anglophones. Anglophones do not generally
interrupt someone who is speaking. They consider
it rude not to let a person complete their thought
before entering the discussion. Francophones are
more likely to interrupt another speaker.
Canadians communicate more by the spoken word
rather than non-verbal expressions. Non-verbal
expressions are only really used to add emphasis
to a message or are part of an individuals
personal communication style.

Canadians

like their space and prefer to be

at an arms length when speaking to
someone.
Canadians are reticent to discuss their
personal lives with business associates. They
expect people to speak in a straightforward
manner and to be able to back up their
claims with examples. They do not make
exaggerated claims and are suspicious of
something that sounds too good to be true.

Medicine and Health Care

Basic

health care is provided in all places by a taxfunded system

of hospitals and practitioners. Some specialist services require
either complete or partial payment by the patient. The dominant
medical model is Western biomedicine, though, as is the case in all
ethnically diverse societies, other traditions do flourish serving
local community needs, and increasingly, also serving the needs
or health interests of the larger community. These "alternative"
health providers may be spiritual practitioners or practitioners
from other healing traditions such as acupuncture or Asian
Ayurvedic systems. There is also a system of non-biomedical
Western practitioners, such as chiropractors and homeopaths, who
have their own training institutions and professional organizations.
Except in restricted cases, these practitioners do not participate in
the publicly funded health service system.
Canada has a system of public health surveillance which monitors
infectious diseases, the safety of food and drinking water, and
other health risks and problems.

HEALTH ISSUES
There

are no documented health problems or medical

conditions specific to Canadian Americans. Recent Canadian
immigrants to the United States must adjust, however, from
government-controlled health care to a private system.
Canada's public system has been in place since the 1960s,
and in comparison, the cost of staying healthy in America
seems steep. In Canada, workers and/or employers pay a
special tax to the provincial government, which in turn pays
for most medical services, up to an agreed-upon limit. Most
health care practitioners are self-employed and bill the
provincial government directly for their services.
Canadians in Canada or in the United States have access to
sophisticated medical treatment using leading-edge
technology. Some Canadian physicians, however, have
become disenchanted with increasing levels of government
control over medicine in Canada and have moved to the
United States to practice.

END