A Glimpse of

Canadian Culture

Amanda SmallwoodIntercultural Communication01 April, 2013

Land & ClimateCanada is the second largest country in the world, with over 3,851,877 square miles of land2 varying in climate from permafrost in the north to four distinct seasons of spring, summer, fall, and winter nearer the equator3.

Canada has 10 provinces; British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, Newfoundland & Labrador, and 3 territories; Yukon, Northwest territories, Nunavut6. The capital city is Ottawa, in Ontario11.

The International Boundary, the longest border between two nations, is the official name of the 5,525 mile border between Canada and the United States- with 1,538 miles of it lying between Canada and Alaska5.

7% of Canada’s land mass is covered with over 2 million lakes, the largest being the Northwest Territories’ Great Bear Lake4.

An estimated 14% of the world’s fresh water supply is located in Canada4.

Some of Canada’s natural resources are; iron ore, nickel, zinc, copper, gold, lead, rare earth elements, molybdenum, potash, diamonds, silver, fish, timber, wildlife, coal, petroleum, natural gas, and hydropower8.

Government Structure

Canada is a parliamentary democracy, a federation, and a constitutional monarchy8. The three levels of government are the federal government, the provincial and territorial governments, and the municipal governments12.

The federal government is made up of: The Head of State; Queen Elizabeth II, and The Governor General that represents her, The House of Commons; consisting of Members of Parliament that make the laws, The head of government; The Prime Minister that chooses Members of Parliament and the Senate, and The Senate; that reviews laws proposed by The House of Commons.

The provincial government is made up of: The Lieutenant Governor that represents the queen, and the Legislative Assembly that makes law. Members of Provincial Parliament are the elected members of the Legislative Assembly. The largest political party is the one that forms government, with the leader of the party being the Premier that chooses who serves in the Cabinet.

At the municipal level, the local governments of cities, towns and villages have their structure, finances and management defined by the province. The residents elect the mayor and counsel members. Committee meetings are held for citizens, business owners, and community groups to discuss the councillors.

Government Responsibilities

The federal government is responsible for things effecting the entire country such as citizenship, immigration, national defense, trade with other countries12, the banking system, criminal code, and indigenous populations8. The federal government also has some involvement in things like employment, insurance, and Medicare that were once controlled by the provinces, because of the greater resources of the federal government8.

The provinces or territories have responsibility for things like education, highways, healthcare, and welfare8.

In areas with a municipal government, the municipal government is responsible for local matters like firefighting and city streets12.

Queen Elizabeth II

Governor General: David Johnston

Economy

The economy in Canada is the 9th strongest17 in the world8. The substantial growth of the manufacturing, mining, and service sectors in Canada since World War II has revamped the nation from a primarily rural economy into one predominantly industrial and urban8.

Canada signed the US-Canada Free Trade Agreement (FTA) and the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) with Mexico and the United States in 1989 and 1994, respectively. NAFTA provides for freer Movement of capital and goods, more cross-national investment, and a large market for many goods from each NAFTA country8,2.

Canada is the 10th largest exporter of oil and the 3rd largest exporter of natural gas in the world17.

Canada is the largest foreign supplier of energy to the United States, including; oil, gas, uranium, and also electric power8.

Economy

As of the year 2012 there are an estimated 18.85 million people in the Canadian workforce8.

Percentages of occupations held in the labor force in 2006: agriculture: 2%, manufacturing: 13%, construction: 6%, services: 76%, other: 3%8

Although many people reap the benefits of a strong economy, 7.3% of the population was unemployed in 2012 and more than 9% of the Canadian population lives in poverty as of an estimate done in 20088.

14.8% of Canadians ages 15-24 are unemployed.

Canada is a leader in the production of gold, silver, copper, uranium, oil, natural gas, agriculture, wood pulp, and timber-related products8.

Minimum hourly wage by province26: Alberta; $9.75, BC; $10.25, Manitoba; $10.25, New Brunswick; $10.00, Newfoundland; $10.00, NWT; $10.00, Nova Scotia; $10.15, Nunavut; $11.00, Ontario; $10.25, PEI; $10.00, Quebec; $9.90, Saskatchewan; $9.50, Yukon; $10.30.

That makes the average minimum wage in Canada $10.10.

& the workforce

CurrencyAll of Canada uses the Canadian Dollar20.

There are no 1 or 2 dollar bills in Canada, they have been replaced by the 1 and 2 dollar coins – the “loonie” and the “toonie”20.

In history, the Canadian dollar has usually been at least a bit weaker than the United States dollar, but recently the trend has changed8.

Canadian bills are brightly colored and easy to distinguish- which also happens to be a point of cultural Canadian pride20.

The newest Canadian bills, released in 2011, are made of polymer instead of paper21.

Symbols of Canada

Just a few

National Flag of Canada

The Maple Tree

The Maple Leaf

The Coat of Arms

National Horse of Canada

The Beaver

The Great Seal

Hockey: Canada’s national winter sport

Lacrosse: Canada’s national summer sport

The Healthcare System

Often referred to as “Medicare”, Canada’s national health insurance program30 consists of a group of socialized health insurance plans that provide publicly funded healthcare coverage to most all the citizens of Canada regardless of medical history, personal income, or standard of living. Healthcare is administered on a provincial or territorial basis, with guidelines that are set by the federal government29.

Citizens are provided preventative care, medical treatments from primary care physicians, access to hospitals, dental surgery and some additional medical services29.

The average number of physicians per 1,000 people in Canada is: 2.1.46

Canadians have a median wait time of 19 weeks for surgical or other therapeutic treatments.31

Health StatisticsTotal Fertility rate; Average number of children per woman24: 1.61

Current smokers24: 19.9%

Infant mortality rate24; per 1,000 live births: 4.9

Percentage of Canadians with a doctor24: 84.7%

Percentage of Canadians that drink heavily24: 19%

Percentage of Canadians with high blood pressure24: 17.6%

Life expectancy for males24: 78.8 years

Life expectancy for females8: 84.2 years

Percentage of overweight or obese adults24: 52.1%

Percentage of overweight or obese youth (age 12-17)24: 20.4%

Percentage of leisure time dedicated to physical activity24: 53.8%

Education

- In Canada, the education system is made up of both public and private schools, including; community colleges, technical institutes, secondary schools, universities, university colleges, career colleges, summer camps, and language schools34.

Under the Canadian constitution each province has responsibility for it’s educational system2.

Canadian children generally voluntarily attend kindergarten for one or two years at the age of four or five34.

All children begin Grade One at about six years of age34.

The school year lasts from September to the following June34.

Depending on what province you are in, secondary schools go

up to Grade 11 or 1234.

99% of the population of Canada over the age of 15 is literate8.

Population

Canada is the ninth-most sparsely populated nation in the world with a population density of 8.6 people per square mile8.

Around 33.4 million people live in Canada, and the population is growing by 0.9 percent annually2.

Canada’s per-capita immigration rate is one of the highest in the world with about 250,000 immigrants being admitted yearly since 20067.

*Canada has a society that is open and relatively free of social class distinctions50.

--Ethnic groups of Canada include; 28% of British Isles origin, 23% of French origin, 15% other European, 2% Amerindian, 6% other, mostly Asian, African,

Arab, and 26% mixed background. 8

--Religions in Canada; Roman Catholic 42.6%, Protestant 23.3% (United Church 9.5%, Anglican 6.8%, Baptist 2.4%, Lutheran 2%), other Christian 4.4%, Muslim 1.9%, other and unspecified 11.8%, non-religious 16%

Family, Marriage & RelationshipsThe family structure in CanadaHas been changing and becoming more diverse over the last 30+ years.

In 2006, 69.6% of households were family households, 26.8% were one-person households, and 3.7% of households consisted of unrelated persons81.

In 2006, 68.6% percent of families consisted of a married couple with or without children, 15.5% of families consisted of common-law couples and 15.9% of families were single parent families81.

Opposite-sex and same-sex marriage are both legal throughout Canada83.

It’s common for both parents in the family to work outside of the home2.

The average family size in 2006 was 3 members82.

43.1% of marriages end in divorce before the 50th anniversary84 as of 2011.

There were 70,226 divorces84 in 2008.

The dating process usually begins around ages2 13-16 in Canada.

Communication, gestures

& body languageShaking hands is customary when being introduced to someone new in Canada47. Many Canadians expect a firm handshake when meeting or departing as well as good eye contact52.

Saying “Hello”, nodding your head, or waving your hand are all acceptable ways to say Hello2.

It is proper to remove any sunglasses or hat when speaking with someone52.

In Quebec it is considered bad form to speak when you have your hands in your pockets52.

As far as personal space, body movement, and body gestures are concerned- the norms are different between English and French provinces48.

One to two feet of space between two people is the usual personal boundary in English areas along with a minimal amount of body movement, and little touching other than handshakes48.

French Canadians, on the other hand, may stand slightly closer, touch more frequently, and use more expressive gestures48.

Communication, gestures & body language

In Quebec, the "thumbs down” sign is considered offensive, as is slapping an open palm over a closed fist52.

"The "okay" sign made with the index finger and thumb means "zero" in Quebec52.

The “thumbs up" sign is used to mean "okay” throughout Canada52.

Pointing at someone with your index finger is considered rude2.

Using a toothpick, brushing your hair, or clipping your

fingernails are all things not to do in public52.

..continued

Social normsIt’s not uncommon in Canada for people who don’t know you to greet you with “Hi!” or “how are you?” when walking down the street69.

It’s considered rude to speak in a foreign language in the presence of others who do not understand what is being said48.

Most Canadians only allow guests in rooms of their home that they have designated as public or “guest” rooms50.

Many Canadians are non-smokers and they do not allow smoking in their homes or vehicles79.

Recycling and not littering are valued behaviors79.

A line is usually formed when several people are waiting for something, like at a coffee shop. Lines are first come first serve, and it is considered very rude to cut in69.

Bargaining or haggling is not a common practice in Canada other than for things like buying a house, a vehicle, or dealing with a private seller69.

In Canada, white lilies are associated with funerals and red roses are reserved for more romantic settings. When buying flowers for someone, it’s wise to keep these norms in mind48.

Eating HabitsPunctuality is important, but arriving 15 minutes late for a dinner party is acceptable50.

Canadians usually have the standard 3 meals a day and sometimes may have tea coffee in the afternoon or a snack break at work2.

Politely refusing food in Canada is unlikely to cause offence48.

Elbows should never be on the table when eating50.

15% tips are expected at restaurants and often are not included in the tab unless you have a large party2.

Eating while walking in public is not acceptable49.

In Canada, many people eat with the fork in the left hand and the knife in the right hand for foods that require cutting2.

After finishing a meal, eating utensils should be placed on the plate2.

Common FoodsCanadians eat a lot of the same foods that people do in the

United States73; they have fast food, processed foods, milk, cheese, eggs, breads, fruits, vegetables, pizza, meat, seafood, and so on.

Some common Canadian favorites are –

Poutine71: Fries layered with gravy and cheese curds ; Chicken wings71: Fried chicken wings with a variety of different sauces ; Pierogies71: A dough dumpling70 stuffed with a filling like cheese, meat, and/or potatoes ; Elk, moose, buffalo, and deer71 ; Tim Hortons Donuts71 ; Beaver Tails71: A type of pastry ; Maple syrup71 ; East coast seafood71 ; Kraft macaroni and cheese71 ; Beer71 from one of the many local breweries ; Subway ; Raspberries ; Waffles ; Stews ; Flax ; Quinoa ; Muffins..

Poutine

Pierogies

Beaver tails

This marks the end

of our exploration of…

Works Cited:1: (Slide one picture); http://exclaim.ca/news/exclaims_20_most_anticipated_canadian_albums_of_2013

2: https://www.viu.ca/homestay/host/CultureGrams/Canada.pdf

3: http://www.yourcanada.ca/climate/

4: http://www.nriol.com/canada-visitors/geography-climate-in-canada.asp

5: http://facts.randomhistory.com/2009/01/15_canada.html

6: http://gocanada.about.com/od/canadatravelplanner/tp/canada_provinces_territories.01.htm

7: http://www.cic.gc.ca/English/department/media/releases/2012/2012-03-02a.asp

8: https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/ca.html

9: (Slide 3 picture); http://www.themagazine.ca/cms/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/canadian-population-2009-2036-660-buyric.jpg

10: (Slide 2 permafrost picture); www.sciencepoles.org , (Slide 2 sunny picture); www.everytrail.com

11: http://www.oocities.org/teacherkab/countries/canada.htm

12: http://www.settlement.org/sys/faqs_detail.asp?faq_id=4000074

13:chatt.hdsb.ca

14: (Slide 3 picture); www.benefitscanada.com 

15: (Governor General picture); http://www.gg.ca/document.aspx?id=13874

Works Cited:16: (Queen Elisabeth II picture); www.saskabush.com

17: http://www.economywatch.com/world_economy/canada/?page=full

18: (Canadian coins); www.craigmarlatt.com

19: (Canadian bills); http://qajk.com/latest-news/greece-has-mixed-impact-on-canadas-currency/

20: http://gocanada.about.com/od/canadatravelplanner/qt/Money.htm

21: http://www.craigmarlatt.com/canada/symbols_facts&lists/currency.html

22: blogs.wsj.com

23: en.wikipedia.org

24: http://www.statcan.gc.ca/health-sante/index-eng.htm

25: (stethoscope picture slide 9); canada.lilithezine.com

26: http://canadaonline.about.com/od/labourstandards/a/minimum-wage-in-canada.htm

27: (Doughnut picture on slide 9); creampuffsinvenice.ca

28: (Cigarette carton on slide 9); www.cbc.ca

29: http://www.canadian-healthcare.org/page9.html

30: http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/hcs-sss/medi-assur/index-eng.php

Works Cited:31: http://www.fraserinstitute.org/research-news/news/display.aspx?id=2147484002

32: (Table on slide 10); www.medibid.com 

33: (Question mark picture on slide 11); www.carp.ca 

34: http://www.studycanada.ca/english/education_system_canada.htm

35: (School bus picture on slide 11); www.ncee.org

36: (Picture of students on slide 11); belcanex.by

37: http://gocanada.about.com/od/canadatravelplanner/tp/Symbols-Of-Canada.htm

38: (Canadian flag on slide 12); http://www.pch.gc.ca/pgm/ceem-cced/symbl/101/103-eng.cfm

39: (Coat of arms on slide 12, Seal of Canada on slide 12); http://www.canada4life.ca/symbols.php

40: (Maple leaf picture on slide 12); www.isavo.com

41: (Beaver picture on slide 12); ieatbuttons.com

42: (Canadian horse on slide 12); www.stonefortconsulting.com

43: (Maple tree on slide 12); phovanblog.blogspot.com

44: (Hockey picture on slide 12); content.usatoday.com

45: (Lacrosse picture on slide 12);  laxbuzz.com

Works Cited:46: http://www.nationmaster.com/graph/hea_phy_per_1000_peo-physicians-per-1-000-people

47: http://www.vec.ca/english/2/culture.cfm

48: http://www.todaytranslations.com/doing-business-in/canada

49: http://www.cyborlink.com/besite/canada.htm

50: http://www2.macleans.ca/2012/07/20/doing-business-across-the-border-hsbc-has-some-hilarious-cultural-advice/

51: (Waving picture in slide 13); www.pc.gc.ca

52: http://www.ediplomat.com/np/cultural_etiquette/ce_ca.htm

54: (Pointing picture); jesuslovesgays.blogspot.com

55: (Hairbrush picture); www.hercampus.com 

56: (Thumbs up picture); www.centralnewyorkinjurylawyer.com

57: (Okay gesture); www.sodahead.com

68: (Thumbs down picture); www.livingdice.com

69: http://www.cruisingtips.info/canadiansocialcustoms.html

70: http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pierogies

71: http://www.bakpakguide.com/canada/canada101/highlights/10-must-try-canadian-foods.shtml#.UVYR_RmRPoA

Works Cited:72: http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2012/06/05/most-popular-food-and-drinks-canada-_n_1562501.html

73: http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_are_the_most_common_foods_in_Canada

74: (Picture of woman eating fruit salad); thehairpin.com

75: (Picture of poutine) ; www.labanquise.com 

76: (Beaver tails picture) ; www.tumblr.com

77: (Pierogies picture) ; www.europeanfoodbayarea.com

78: (Family eating at the table picture) ; www.eatinghabits.org

79: http://www.kelseytrailhealth.ca/HumanResources/Careers/PhysicianOrientation/Pages/Canadian-Social-Standards.aspx

80: (Family picture-famil&marriage); powertochange.com

81: http://www4.hrsdc.gc.ca/.3ndic.1t.4r@-eng.jsp?iid=37

82: http://www.statcan.gc.ca/tables-tableaux/sum-som/l01/cst01/famil40-eng.htm

83: www.glad.org/uploads/docs/publications/canada-marriage-faq.pdf

84: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/statistics-canada-to-stop-tracking-marriage-and-divorce-rates/article4192704/

85: (Divorce picture); www.klugerkaplan.com

86: (CANADA picture); www.canadashippingrate.com