CanadaThe name Canada is derived from the
Iroquoian word kanata, which means village
Canada slightly higher than U.S. on Uncertainty Avoidance
Similar to U.S. on Power Distance
Slightly lower than U.S. on Individuality, Masculinity, Long-Term Orientation
Population density by region
Quebec City
MontrealToronto
Vancouver
Edmonton
CalgaryWinnipeg
British loyalists – American Revolutionary War
Second largest nation
Pop. 33 ½ Million
90% live within 125 miles of US
1867 “Independence”
1965 Maple Leaf flag replaced the Union Jack
Life expectancy
1995 Quebec Separatist movement
English speaking 60 percent
French 24 percent.
English and French 17 percent
EgalitarianismMetaphor – Backpack and Flag
Patch on bags: I am Canadian (not American)
Indirect communication – never “in your face”
Willing to accept others as equals, even if different
City dwellers
Youth connection with nature
Humility
Internalize problems and concerns
Emphasize good manners and conflict avoidance, but not at the expense of the truth
Accept situations they don’t like, instead of complaining
Support for universal health care and social safety net
Most accept the trade-off (higher taxes, greater social services)
Cultural Symbols
Hockey
The Royal Canadian Mounted Police
The Beaver
Cooperation
Industriousness
Patience
A kind of national politeness
Concern for order and stability
Identity as communal rather than individualistic.
The Beaver
Industriousness
Toiling
Triumph over the seasons
Humble, nonpredatory, and diligent
Olympics Logo
The Canadian Mosaic Culture
Canada's Inuit
Inukshuk
600 recognized First Nations governments
Cree
Inuit
Ojibwe
First Nations – Native American Indian Tribes
Hockey
Both prefer a low-context form of communication (context doesn’t matter, just say what you believe)
Accomplishing a goal is more important than the process or getting to know one another before working together.
Year Gold Silver Bronze1920 Canada United States Czechoslovakia1924 Canada United States Great Britain1928 Canada Sweden Switzerland1932 Canada United States Germany1936 Great Britain Canada United States1948 Canada Czechoslovakia Switzerland1952 Canada United States Sweden1956 Soviet Union United States Canada1960 United States Canada Soviet Union1964 Soviet Union Sweden Czechoslovakia1968 Soviet Union Czechoslovakia Canada1972 Soviet Union United States Czechoslovakia1976 Soviet Union Czechoslovakia West Germany1980 United States Soviet Union Sweden1984 Soviet Union Czechoslovakia Sweden1988 Soviet Union Finland Sweden1992 CIS Canada Czechoslovakia1994 Sweden Canada Finland1998 Czech Republic Russia Finland2002 Canada United States Russia2006 Sweden Finland Czech Republic
CurlingInvented in Scotland, brought
to Canada by Scottish immigrants
Olympics:
Men: Silver 1998 2002 Gold 2006
Women: Gold 1998 Bronze 2002 2006
Nova ScotiaChateau Frontenac, Quebec City
Moraine Lake in Banff National Park, Alberta. The intense blue waters of the lake come from the run-off of nearby glaciers.
Canadians as Non-Americans
May be the essence of Canadian culture, defining itself in terms of what it is NOT
While US Constitution emphasizes “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness” the Canadian Constitution emphasizes “peace, order, and good government”
“Joe’s Rant”