Culture of Canada

What does it mean to be Canadian? Its a question Canadians ask each other so much, its
practically a national mantra. The goal of establishing a Distinct Canadian Identity is a task
that has consumed generations of Canadian writers, artists, politicians and everyone in between
and still shows no signs of being settled any time soon.
Obviously, culture is a broad category that can encompass any number of topics depending on
whos setting the terms. For the purposes of this guide, I am focusing on culture as Canadians
traditionally define it, which is to say, anything that provides a sense of purpose and patriotism to
the country, including both cultural products (like art and music) and broader social attitudes.

Social Issues Laws and attitudes on controversial topics.

Religion in Canada What Canadians believe.

Canadian Manners and Etiquette - How to behave around Canadians.

Canadian Traditions Celebrating Canadian-style.

Canadian Foods Eating Canadian-style.

Canadian News and Media How Canadians learn about current events.

High Culture - Art, literature and theatre.

Pop Culture TV, movies, music, celebrities, and more.

Sports The games Canadians play.

Anti-Americanism Canadas most persistent obsession.

Canadian Self-Image How Canadians see themselves.

Canadian Urban Legends Weird things Canadians believe that may or may not be
true.

Social Issues in Canada

In recent years, one of the most defining elements of the Canadian identity has been the
countrys social policies, that collection of laws and regulations that govern how Canadians live
their lives, and what kind of government-guaranteed benefits and perks they enjoy. Particularly

in an era where Canadians tend to focus a lot on how their country is different from the United
States, social policy is often seen to be a window into the sort of values that make Canada a
unique and progressive country though it would definitely be a mistake to suggest any of the
policies below are universally beloved and uncontroversial.
Health Care

Whenever Canadians are polled about what makes them proudest to be Canadian, the
Canadian health care system frequently tops the list. Beginning in the 1960s, the government of
Canada began a gradual process of phasing out most private, for-profit health insurance, clinics
and hospitals, replacing them with a new, universial, publicly-funded health care regime.
Today, all Canadians are provided comprehensive health insurance automatically, through public
health coverage plans run by the various provincial governments (with some funding help from
Ottawa). In practice, this means Canadians dont have to pay out of pocket for their medical
procedures or rely on their employers for health insurance. The government foots the majority of
the bill for all check-ups, exams and operations, and only charges small monthly premiums in
exchange usually $100 or less.

In the 2001 Canadian federal election, Stockwell Day (b. 1950), the conservative candidate for
prime minister, famously brandished this sign during a televised debate, lest anyone think he was
soft on the issue of privatizing health care.
This health care system is one of the most generous in the world, but also one of the most
expensive to maintain. In recent years, provincial governments have been forced to scale back
their scope of coverage in order to make the program more sustainable, and many Canadians
must now buy supplementary private health insurance to pay for things like dentist trips, eye

exams and any operation the government deems non-essential. Similarly, Canadian hospitals
are notoriously overcrowded due to their ease of accessibility, and Canadians often have to wait
for months to see a specialist or access high-demand services such as MRI machines.
How to guarantee the long-term survival of the Canadian health care regime is one of the most
heated debates in contemporary Canadian politics. On the right, its common to advocate greater
privatization of hospitals and clinics (most of which are currently government-owned and
operated) and greater market choice in insurance. Folks on the left, in turn, are generally
extremely critical of anything that smacks of edging towards a so-called two-tiered system,
where Canadians with money can buy their way into better medical care than those using the
public system. To the broader public, however, the status quo is considered nearly sacred, and it
can be difficult for any politician to openly discuss altering the Canadian health care regime if he
expects to keep his job in the long term.

Canadas Health Care System, a summary from Health Canada

Health Care in Canada: a CBC in-depth report

Myths about Canadian health care, Snopes.com

Abortion

In the last couple of decades, Canada has swung wildly from being one of most pro-life countries
in the world to one of the most pro-choice. As a nation with a large Catholic population,
abortions of any sort were banned entirely until 1969, and then only permitted under narrow
conditions when the mothers life could be proven to be in danger.

Born in Poland to a Jewish family, Dr. Morgentaler survived death in a concentration camp and
was a frustratingly complex foe for pro-life groups. Brash and outspoken, he's one of the most
controversial Canadians of all time.
Illegal abortions continued in the background, however, and in 1988, a particularly unapologetic
abortionist named Dr. Henry Morgentaler (1923-2013) went before the Supreme Court of
Canada to face charges. The court ultimately ruled that the countrys existing abortion
regulations represented an unconstitutional burden on the rights of women, and the law was
overturned.
Though the Supreme Courts ruling allowed for some limits on abortion, in practice, the
Canadian government has never passed any. Canadian women thus have a universal right to
abort at any period of pregnancy even the final weeks which is a degree of permissiveness
largely unseen elsewhere in the western world.
Abortion is a very controversial topic in contemporary Canada, and tops the list of things to
avoid discussing in polite company. There are a number of passionate pro-life and pro-choice
activist groups all over the country, prone to staging aggressive demonstrations and protests in
order to ensure their opinions are heard. Politicians from all parties have pro-life members in
their ranks, but have so far been mostly unsuccessful at making the issue a mainstream topic of
discussion. Only the tiny province of Prince Edward Island has been successful in imposing an
all-out ban on the practice within its borders.

Timeline of abortion in Canada, abortionincanada.com (pro-life)

History of abortion in Canada, Pro-choice Action Network

Canadian abortion statistics, National Post

Drugs and Alcohol

Tobacco cigarettes are legal for Canadians over 18, but in recent years the government has begun
to actively discourage their use, both by banning smoking in all public places and forcing
cigarette manufactures to place enormous, graphic warning labels on all packages.
Liquor was associated with all sorts of social ills in early Canada, and at various times during the
early 20th century most provinces experimented with banning the sale and production
of alcohol in different ways. This era of so-called prohibition was not the magical solution many
had hoped for, however, and by the 1920s, most provinces had changed their laws to re-allow the
sale of alcohol, but only within certain tight regulations. To this day, Canadian provinces will
often have complicated rules governing just how or where booze can be sold; in some provinces
it may only be sold by special government-run liquor stores, in others the law may require hard
alcohol and beer to be sold at different locations. Almost all forbid the sale of liquor at 24-hour
shops like supermarkets and corner stores.
Canadas legal drinking age is set by the provinces. In Alberta, Manitoba and Quebec the age is
18, everywhere else it is 19. Most provinces also have strict laws against consuming alcohol in
public places and low standards for what constitutes driving while under the influence.
Hard drugs are all illegal in Canada, though newly-elected Prime Minister Justin Trudeau (b.
1971) has promised to legalize marijuana during his time in office. In practice casual, private
use of pot widespread, especially in big urban centers where anti-pot laws are rarely enforced
and offenders rarely face serious punishment. Since 2001, it has been legal for Canadian doctors
to prescribe marijuana for medical reasons, and in 2014 the federal government authorized the
licensing of private retail distribution of medicinal weed a decision which has seen vendors
and customers alike intentionally blur the definition of what exactly constitutes medically
necessary pot.

Freedom of Speech

James Keegstra (b. 1934) was a Social Credit politician with strongly anti-Semitic views
which he enjoyed spreading in his second job as a high school teacher. In a landmark 1990
ruling, the Supreme Court of Canada ruled that Keegstra could, in fact, be fined for spreading
hate propaganda under the Canadian Criminal Code.
Canadians generally take their constitutionally-protected right to free expression very seriously,
but the privilege is not an absolute one. As mentioned in the Canadian constitution chapter,
Canadas Charter of Rights and Freedoms allows reasonable limits to be placed on most civil
rights, and over the years the government has used this authority to pass some legal limits on
freedom of speech, though this is rarely uncontroversial.
The Canadian government maintains a list of banned books that cannot be purchased or
imported, though in practice these are mostly obscure pornographic comics or neo-Nazi
pamphlets. More mainstream pornography is only available in specially licensed stores or
theaters, though this has obviously become far less relevant in the internet age. Provincial
governments have similar laws banning children from buying pornography, excessively violent
video games, or tickets for movies with mature content
Canadian has hate speech laws that make it a crime to publicly incite hatred against any
identifiable group such as racial, religious, or sexual minorities, though the incitement generally
has to be linked to some other criminal act, and there are a number of exemptions for matters of
opinion or religious belief. More sweeping laws that made it a crime to expose a person or
persons to hatred or contempt on the basis of identity were abolished in 2014. Sentences for
hate speech, particularly hate speech that promotes genocide, can reach a maximum of two to
five years in prison. New national security legislation makes it a crime to distribute material that
advocates or promotes terrorism, as well.

List of prohibited works of obscenity and hate propaganda, Canadian Border

Services Agency, care of gomorrahy.com (Warning: obscene content)

How the battle for free speech was won, a look at the abolishment of section
13 of the Human Rights Act, Macleans magazine

When is it hate speech? 7 significant Canadian cases, CBC.ca

Guns

As a country founded in wilderness traditions of hunting and trapping, Canadas rate of gun
ownership has historically been high, particularly in rural communities. According to the
Canadian National Firearms Association, there are presently about 21 million guns in Canada
owned by about seven million Canadians, the majority of whom are hunters.
Gun control in Canada has proven to be an issue which sharply divides the country in terms of
rural-versus-urban. For those who live in big cities, guns tend to be associated with inner-city
crime, particularly gangland murders, and support to severely control or outright ban gun
possession is usually high. Canadians who live in more rural parts of the country, in contrast,
usually associate guns with fairly benign hobbies like hunting, sport shooting and collecting, and
see gun control as an undue burden that seeks to punish the otherwise law-abiding.
The Canadian government requires citizens to possess a gun owners licence and undergo a
background check before they can legally buy weapons, and laws governing storage and
transportation are detailed and strict. Efforts to establish a national gun registry in the early
2000s proved costly and unpopular, however, and the project was scrapped in 2009, though there
are plans to make one in Quebec.

FAQ on gun ownership, Canadian Commissioner of Firearms

Canadian Coalition for Gun Control

Discrimination

Canada has a fairly robust set of legal protections designed to prevent Canadians from being
discriminated against on the basis of things they cant control, such as race, gender, religion, or
sexual orientation.
The Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms is a section of the Canadian Constitution
that makes it illegal for the government of Canada, or any provincial government to pass laws
that either explicitly discriminate against certain Canadians on the basis of their identity, or
simply place an unfair burden on one group over another. The Supreme Court of Canada
routinely overturns laws they perceive to be discriminatory on the grounds of Charter
protections.

Canada also has a sweeping piece of legislation called the Canadian Human Rights Act that
forbids private entities, such as employers, landlords, schools, and stores from discriminating
against clients or customers on the basis of identity. Discrimination cases of these sorts are
adjudicated by a government-appointed body known as the Human Rights Tribunal that has the
power to issue fines and or other corrective actions. The various provincial governments have
their own human rights laws/tribunals as well.
Homosexuality

Most large cities in Canada hold lavish "gay pride" parades in the summer, though the exact
dates vary from city to city. Seen here, the Vancouver Pride parade though the city's "gay
village."
Canadians attitudes towards same-sex relationships have greatly liberalized over the last couple
decades. Beginning in 1969, most legal bans on sodomy were lifted, and since then, more and
more Canadians have been comfortable living out lives as open homosexuals. Most provincial
governments now explicitly prohibit discrimination in employment or housing on the basis of
sexual orientation, and the Supreme Court of Canada has ruled that it is constitutional to impose
fines or bans on those who spread aggressively anti-gay hate speech. At the same time,
however, homosexuality continues to be something of a taboo in day-to-day Canadian life. Many
gay or lesbians may experience tension with their families in the aftermath of coming out
(particularly in more rural or religious parts of the country), and public displays of same-sex
affection are rare, except in certain gay-friendly venues or neighbourhoods.
After years of opposition from both major parties, in 2005 same-sex marriage was legalized in
Canada when the government of Prime Minister Paul Martin (b. 1938) passed the Civil

Marriage Act that redefined marriage as simply a lawful union of two persons. The law was
opposed, and continues to be opposed, by many Christian groups and political conservatives, but
the Conservative Party itself has long since abandoned its promise to reverse the legislation.

Egale, Canadas largest LGBT lobby group

Xtra! Canadas leading gay and lesbian newspaper

Prostitution

Selling sex is legal in Canada, but purchasing it is not, a somewhat confusing status quo born
from a 2013 Supreme Court ruling holding that previous attempts to outlaw selling represented
an undue burden on the rights and safety of prostitutes.
Canadas new prostitution laws, passed in 2014, impose tight regulations on precisely how sex
can be sold and advertised generally as far from public view as possible, and only by the
prostitute herself (as opposed to a pimp, madam, or brothel).
Gambling

Quebec's massive Casino de Montreal was at one time the largest casino in North America.
First legalized in 1969, government-run gambling underwent a dramatic boom in Canada during
the 1980s and 1990s, largely as a way for provinces to increase budget revenue without raising
taxes. All provinces are now home to a wide variety of legal games of chance, including slot
machines, casinos, lottery tickets, sports bookies, online poker, animal racing tracks and video
lottery terminals (or VLTs). In 2010, the province of British Columbia went even further and
became the first jurisdiction in North America to legalize internet casinos as well. It should be

noted that in all these cases, however, gambling services are government-run; it remains illegal in
Canada to run a private casino or betting house.
Compared to some of the other issues discussed on this page, gambling is generally only a minor
controversy in modern Canada. While most Canadians may not want a casino in their
neighbourhood and may be aware that there are health problems associated with too much
gambling, casual gambling once in a while is a fairly common pastime unlikely to evoke much
judgment from others.

Canadian gaming and betting laws, Criminal Code of Canada

Gambling in Canada, a CBC in-depth report

One of the Canadas biggest online gambling sites

Legal Canadian online slots review site

The Death Penalty

From 1859 to 1962, the Canadian government executed 710 convicted prisoners, mostly by
hanging, for various crimes involving murder or treason. After a series of controversial cases, a
moratorium on further executions was imposed in 1967, followed by the outright abolishment of
the death penalty in 1976, by the Liberal government of Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau (19192000).
Despite being execution-free for more than 30 years, public support for executing murderers
remains high in Canada, though no Canadian political party officially supports reversing the
current ban.

History of the death penalty in Canada, CBC

Animal Rights

Though pet ownership (cats and dogs, mostly) is common in Canada, its not a right, and pet
owners are often discriminated against in law. Many public buildings, including apartments,
forbid animals and in many parts of the country the types and breeds of animals youre allowed
to own is limited by law. The physical abuse of animals remains a crime, however.

Canadian animal cruelty law, Criminal Code of Canada

Pensions and Welfare

Compared to other western democracies like the United States and Europe, Canada does not
offer super generous forms of social security and welfare to its citizens, though this has been
credited with helping the country avoid some of the debt and spending problems that have posed
so challenging elsewhere.

Welfare remains most actively sought by Canada's poorest neighbourhoods, as well as regions
like the Maritimes, where seasonal industries such as fishing create a very up-and-down labour
market.
Every Canadians paycheque includes a deduction for the Canadian Pension Plan (CPP), which
is then pooled by the federal government and redistributed in the form of pension cheques to all
citizens over the age of 67. In addition, there is also the similar but optional Old Age Security
(OAS) pension program, which can be opted into by retirement age seniors who have lived in
Canada for a significant period of time. Of course, this is just a broad summary. Both programs
are, in fact, extremely complicated and bureaucratic, and likely to get even more so as the
government is forced to deal with a population that is aging rapidly but also living longer.
Welfare is a broad term that basically refers to various forms of government handouts that are
given to people who, for whatever reason, are not working. Unemployment Insurance (recently
rebranded with the more upbeat name Employment Insurance or EI) is the most common
form of this, and is available to Canadians who have been unexpectedly laid off or forced to quit
their jobs for reasons such as pregnancy, illness or injury, or to take care of a sickly loved one.
Most provinces offer similar forms of compensation as well. In general, welfare is a fairly
controversial government program and theres a real taboo associated with taking too much of it
for too long. Since the 1990s, welfare regulations have gotten steadily stricter, and now its
usually expected that welfare recipients will be actively seeking jobs or otherwise making plans
for their future while on it.

Quick Facts:

Canada is usually considered to be a fairly liberal country in terms of the

government's permissiveness towards several controversial social issues.

Abortion, divorce, gambling, gay marriage, are all legal in Canada with few
restrictions.

Prostitution, marijuana and hard drugs are not legal, though attitudes may be
shifting in a more permissive direction.

Canada's provinces provide government-run health insurance for all their

citizens, which guarantees mostly complete coverage.

Canadian Manners and Etiquette

The stereotype of the fundamentally polite Canadian is a bit of a cornball cliche, but it does
have some basis in reality. Canada is a nation with fairly strong conventions of social etiquette,
and properly obeying and understanding these rules is one of the most crucial ways to fit in to
broader Canadian society.
In general, Canadians are a mostly friendly, unpretentious people who value honesty,
sensitivity, empathy and humility in their relationships with friends and strangers, as well as
respect for the privacy and individualism of others. While obviously many Canadians fail at
honouring these lofty principles, such values nevertheless provide the basis of what is considered
good manners in mainstream Canadian society.
Roles and Formalities

Most corporate Canadian workplaces embrace a dress code known as "business casual," with
outfits similar to the ones above representing the norm. Ties and jackets have become
increasingly uncommon in all but the most formal or high-ranking office settings.
Canada is usually considered a mostly egalitarian country in the tradition of other western
democracies, which means that respect for hierarchy is not considered a particularly important
value in daily life. Most Canadians are strong individualists of one form or another, and will
dislike changing too much of their behaviour or personality just to please others indeed, such
aggressive conformity may actually be scorned by others as phony or weak.
Modern Canadian children are usually permitted to be relatively outspoken and independent
from a young age, and may speak to adults, even teachers or parents, in the same casual style
they use for friends. The same is mostly true for employer-employee relations, and maintaining a
friendly workplace where everyone acts as if theyre on the same level (even if theyre obviously
not) is exceedingly common these days. Though the Canadian government, judicial system and
military possess a lot of complex protocols dictating things like proper titles of address and
appropriate dress, such institutions are considered outliers of unusual formality and strictness
within a broader, casual culture of relaxed relationships.

Signs like this, imploring travellers to surrender their seats to the old or disabled, are common in
Canadian buses and trains.
The main figures of reverence in Canadian society are people over the age of 70 (so-called
senior citizens), who are usually given a higher-than-normal degree of politeness and courtesy,
and people with obvious handicaps or physical disabilities, who are expected to be treated with
compassion and understanding. Authority figures with obviously intimidating powers, such as
police officers, will usually be given polite deference as well, though it should be noted that
Canadian law and the Canadian Constitution grants individual Canadians significant legal rights
to question or disobey authorities whom they have reason to believe are misbehaving.

Time

Canadians use the 12-hour clock and tend to refer to time in fractions, for example "quarter-after
three" or "half-past two."
For the most part, Canadians are very literal about time and schedules. If someone says to
come at 3:00 he usually expects his guest to be there at 3:00. Lateness of more than 15 minutes
is considered rude, and an apology or explanation will be expected. Likewise, earliness of more
than 15 minutes is usually considered presumptuous and may cause an awkward surprise for a
host who is not yet ready.
Most Canadians with full-time careers work from roughly 9 AM to 5 PM Monday through
Friday (so-called 9-to-5 jobs). 12 noon is usually considered lunchtime, while 6 PM is
approximately when most families eat dinner. With some exceptions, telephoning people in the
very early morning or very late night is considered rude and disruptive. Most do not appreciate
being disturbed at work, either. Weekends (Saturday and Sunday) tend to be the most busy and
active days for socializing since most people will not be working though Sunday morning
can be a somewhat taboo time to make plans since many religious Canadians will be attending
church.
Canadian Social Customs
Greetings

Canadians meeting for the first time usually shake hands to introduce themselves, and may
shake hands before departing, as well. Short hugs are becoming more common for closer friends.
Kissing remains mostly reserved for family or lovers, though some French-Canadians may
partake in the European practice of giving light cheek kisses as part of a friendly greeting.
Gifts

Giving gifts to strangers is generally rare in Canada, unless the person in question has done some
favour or is otherwise considered to be owed one as thanks.

Even on designated gift-giving holidays, the decision to actually exchange gifts with friends (or
even certain family members) is very much dictated by the degree of closeness one feels towards
them. Gifts for no occasion can be sweet, but also hold a high potential to create lingering
feelings of awkwardness for the recipient, especially with expensive gifts.
Tipping in Canada

These days, a lot of restaurants will give you the option to give an automatic 15 per cent tip when
you pay using a debit or credit card machine, thus sparing customers the difficulty of after-dinner
math.
When dining at any sit-down style restaurant, Canadians are expected to tip, or donate, some
extra money to their waiter at the end of the meal. The bare minimum expected is 15% of the
total price of the bill, but over-tipping in the case of exceptionally good service is common as
well. Failing to tip (or under-tipping) is considered extremely rude and will probably generate
some sort of immediate reaction, even if only a subtle one.
A variety of other professions in Canadian life expect tips as well, including pizza delivery men,
taxi drivers, bellhops and hairdressers, among others. Confusion over exactly who should and
should not be tipped (and how much) has led to the creation of a lot of helpful online guides. In
general, Canadian tipping etiquette is the same as that of the United States, and American tipping
manuals are often used for reference.

Guide to Tipping in Canada, About.com

Gestures

In contrast to some other parts of the world, Canada is not a nation with a lot of obscene or
offensive gestures. In general, most rude hand or body gestures are done knowingly, and can be
easily avoided as a result.

Some of the most common bad gestures include:

Raising only the middle finger an extremely obscene gesture of

anger/frustration towards someone else.

Thumbs down mild gesture signaling disapproval.

Elbows perched on the table while eating generally considered rude

in formal settings, though common in more casual situations.

Eating with an open mouth or talking with a full mouth; unapologetic

public belching, nose-blowing or other releases of bodily functions
all considered extremely disgusting and are usually expected to be followed
by an apologetic Excuse me.

Sneezing is weirdly ritualized. Sneezers say excuse me following a sneeze,

while anyone in the immediate vicinity says bless you, as a sign of
sympathy.

Pointing or staring at strangers considered rude and a form of leering.

Conversely, not making eye contact with the person one is speaking to is
considered a rude form of shyness or bored distraction.

Though attitudes can be more forgiving in hot summer months, most indoor
businesses generally hold firm to the no shirt, no shoes, no service
principle. Public nudity of any sort is illegal, and attempted only by the most
avant-garde and attention-seeking.

There is something of an ongoing debate in Canadian society regarding

public displays of affection or PDAs, such as cuddling or passionately
kissing in public places. Some may find such displays easy to ignore, while
others consider them quite gross and offensive. Unfairly or not, homosexual
partners continue to be judged more harshly in this regard.

Conversation Taboos

A common cliche is that the three most common taboos in Canadian life are sex, politics, and
religion, as each are considered extremely personal, private matters that many Canadians can
find awkward or uncomfortable to discuss in public especially with strangers.
Politics

Aside from those who make outspoken political opinions a large part of their personality, politics
is generally considered a mostly private matter in Canada. Voting is done in secret and Canadians
have a legal right to keep their party preferences hidden, even after they leave the voting both. As
a result, who did you vote for? can be a very presumptuous and uncomfortable question, and
even a close friend might react with offense if asked.

Swearing is a strange sort of taboo. Almost everyone swears in private, or when talking to
friends, but swearing in front of strangers remains controversial, and Canadian law does not
permit uncensored swearing to be broadcast on TV or radio. In both cases, the primary
justification is usually protecting children from hearing offensive language that they might
imitate.
Politics in Canada is quite polarized between right and left, consisting of parties (and voters) who
believe very different things about basic government principles and programs such as raising
taxes, spending taxes, foreign policy, criminal justice, gun ownership, poverty, welfare,
immigration, drug legalization, homosexuality, prostitution and individual rights. Publicly
spouting strong opinions on topics like these is usually seen as an invitation for argument, which
many find obnoxious and insensitive.
Sex

Sexually explicit conversation can actually be illegal in Canada in many contexts, making it the
most sensitive social taboo of all. The federal government, as well as the governments of all the
provinces, have laws on the books banning sexual harassment, which includes workplace
conversation about sex that makes others feel uncomfortable or vulnerable. This includes stuff
such as excessively sexual compliments or come-ons, as well as discussions of ones own
bedroom appetites and habits.
Most Canadians consider their sex lives a very private matter, and may regard hearing about
other peoples as unsettling, if not disgusting. In most cases, even mentioning things such as sex
organs or sexual acts is considered highly tasteless in any public setting.
Religion

Canadians have widely different religious beliefs, and like political beliefs, these often reflect
vastly different opinions on fundamental questions about life and society. Many of the most
common Canadian faiths were actually founded in explicit opposition to one another, and thus
promote theories of God and salvation that are mostly incompatible, and may portray nonbelievers as heretics of some form or another.

People dont like to be judged, so ones religious views are rarely discussed openly in public,
though Canadians are usually fine with openly self-identifying as a member of a particular faith.
Beyond that, attempting to explain or promote ones religious beliefs (or, for that matter,
atheism) in any sort of uninvited setting is almost always regarded as preachy, irritating and
cloyingly self-righteous.
Other Canadian taboos

Unlike some parts of the world, Canada has a "waiting in line" culture that encourages customers
to be patient and orderly when shops or services are busy. "Budging" in line is an enormous
social taboo.
Many Canadians have complicated views about the United States, and mentioning America or
Americans can often provoke intense argument or discussion that many might find
uncomfortable. Regardless of political context, the issue of abortion is considered almost
uniformly taboo to discuss openly, as are any questions or theories about innate differences
between the two genders or members of different races. Attitudes considered sexist or racist are
generally among the most scorned in modern-day Canada, even if not everyone agrees what
racism or sexism actually entails.
Discussions about French-Canadians and their sense of persecution in Canada, or desires to
leave the country, have a strong potential for generating polarized, uncomfortable debate as well
particularly if there are French-Canadians present. The same is true of the status of aboriginal
Canadians, whose chronic social problems are one of the most frustrating and embarrassing
realities of Canadian society.
Canadians sense of what is private can vary a lot depending on the person, with some having
no embarrassment about openly discussing things such as their relationship with their parents,
failed marriages, career woes, income or physical appearance. Others, however, may be more
guarded, shy, or sensitive. Being a good conversationalist in Canada is generally a matter of

being able to sense a persons level of comfort on different personal topics, and proceeding
accordingly.
Canadian Stereotypes

The common international stereotype that Canadians are excessively, or even absurdly polite is
well-known in Canada, and even if not entirely warranted, still affects the way Canadians deal
with one another. A sort of positive feedback loop, in other words.

Our friends on the Internet, of course, have a lot of fun with the polite Canadian stereotype.
In practice, a lot of Canadians, particularly those from more upper middle-class backgrounds,
take very seriously the idea that they should apologize a lot, or only ask for things in a very
roundabout, indirect sort of way. Theres also a fairly common perception that a stereotypically
good Canadian does not engage in excessive bragging or self-praise, but rather carries herself
with a strong sense of humility and even light self-deprecation. At one time, there was also a
certain cliche about Canadians being quick to defer to authority or blindly agree with
anyone who outranks them though in recent decades this has become more a theory of
understanding Canadian politics and history, and less a practical, day-to-day value of Canadian
living (as discussed in the roles and formalities section above).
Of course, in the end stereotypes are just that unfair generalizations. Each Canadian is
ultimately an individual, and as such will likely have his own unique perspective on how to be a
decent and well-mannered human being. And sadly, there will always be a large amount who
cant be bothered at all.

Quick Facts:

Canadians are generally taught to be friendly, polite, and respectful to both

friends and strangers alike.

Canada basically follows standard western cultural traditions in regards to

things like greetings, rudeness, and gift-giving.

The most taboo subjects in Canadian life tend to be politics, religion, and sex.

Many Canadians take seriously and enjoy the stereotype that Canadians are
supposed to be a very polite people.

Canadian Traditions

By global standards, Canada is not a country with many flashy, folkloric traditions which isnt
to say none exist. In general, its the aging process, and the various key dates that occur as one
moves steadily from adolescence to adulthood that tend to be the most celebrated and ritualized
moments in mainstream Canadian culture, with each important date home to its own rich array of
customs.
Canadian traditions also tend to be closely tied to the countrys national holidays, which we
discuss in more detail in that chapter. It should likewise be acknowledged that since Canada is a
country of considerable diversity born from the eclectic immigrant heritage of its people, the
traditions of individual Canadian families can vary greatly based on which customs theyve
decided to import from their former homeland.
Birth

No one seems to know exactly why, but light blue is considered the traditional baby boy colour
in Canada while light pink is the traditional colour for baby girls.

Pregnancy and childbirth is often considered an opportunity for excited celebration in Canadian
culture, particularly amongst young women who may still regard pregnancy as something of
novelty.
Canadian couples will generally announce their pregnancy with great pride to friends and family
as soon as theyre aware, and its common for girlfriends of the expecting mother to organize a
baby shower - a small, lighthearted house party to honour the new mom sometime before she
gives birth. Shortly after the child is born, its similarly customary for friends of the parents to
give at least one baby gift, usually a toy or clothes, to express congratulations.
When it comes to naming the baby, its a relatively common (but by no means universal)
Canadian tradition for children to be given names from within the family. A son might be named
after his father or grandfather, for instance; a daughter for her aunt or cousin. Middle names in
particular are very often chosen this way.
Birthdays

If theres one thing Canadians really love celebrating, its the anniversary of their own birth. In
recent years, birthdays have risen to become one of the most tradition-rich spectacles of modern
Canadian culture.

Along with pointy party hats, the most common birthday tradition is giving the birthday boy or
girl a large cake with candles. Friends sing the special birthday song ("Happy Birthday to You"),
then the birthday kid will try to blow out all the flames in one gust. It's an omen of good luck if
they can!
During childhood, most parents will arrange birthday parties for their children on their special
day (or the closest available weekend), a fun excuse for the birthday boy or girl to gather up all
their schoolyard buddies and spend the whole afternoon hanging out. Since Canadian kids tend

to be fairly spoiled these days, the organization and planning of childrens birthday parties has
actually become something of a grueling and expensive assignment for many parents; parties are
now often expected to include a visit somewhere entertaining, such as the bowling alley,
swimming pool, or movie theatre, as well as a full meal for all the guests. But the guests parents
are also expected to buy the birthday boy or girl a nice present in exchange, so perhaps it all
evens out.
As Canadians drift into their teenage years and adulthood, they begin to assume greater control
over their own birthday plans. Explicit parties become rarer, while more casual outings such as a
birthday visit to a favourite restaurant or bar become more common. Gifts from friends are also
usually phased out around this point, though they may continue from close family. At any age,
however, its always important to at least acknowledge someone elses birthday with kindness
and warm wishes even just with a Facebook post.
Graduating

Completing a phase of school in Canada is almost always celebrated with a fancy graduation
ceremony.

Grad caps are known as "mortarboards" and feature a small, dangling tassel. After being handed
their diploma from the school principal or president, the official (or the grad) will sometimes
move the tassel from the right side of the cap to the left to symbolize completion.
In their final year of high school (and sometimes middle school as well), students will usually
celebrate the completion of their studies with some sort of party organized by the school, usually
known as prom or grad night. These usually take the form of a formal dress gala held at a local
hotel or banquet hall, complete with a dinner, dancing, limo rides, and lots of awkwardlyposed photographs.

The actual act of graduating is commemorated with a whole other ceremony a few days or weeks
later, however, usually known as convocation. On this day, the successful students don a
distinctive cap and gown outfit and publicly receive their diplomas in a packed auditorium
full of friends and relatives. Though convocation ceremonies are common at all levels of
Canadian education these days (even some kindergartens have been known to partake), the most
lavish spectacles are usually performed at the university level. So-called grad presents from
parents are increasingly expected from students these days as well, though not all families will be
equally eager to indulge.
Marriage

While Canadians dont marry as much as they used to, a legally wedded husband and wife still
remains the most common living arrangement in Canada by a heavy margin, comprising over
two-thirds of all families counted by the Canadian Census. In recognition of this fact, there is
probably no single moment in any Canadians life more awash in ritual and ceremony than the
long process of getting married.
Courtship

Some guys will really go all-out with their proposals, even staging them in public areas like the
Toronto International Airport. (Click for video.)
Most Canadians will start dating members of the opposite sex in their late teenage years, usually
with fun trips, activities, and other fairly structured outings. Its no longer uncommon for
Canadians to have sex while dating, though there are still taboos about going to bed too early,
particularly before the third date.
If things go well, a couple may continue dating for several years and even live together for a
while to further test the compatibility of their relationship. Eventually, the man will be expected
to formally propose to his girlfriend, usually by giving a little speech and presenting her with a
special engagement ring. Should she agree, they then enter a phase of engagement that usually

lasts several months to a year as the wedding is planned. Because of the long courtship process,
the average age of marriage in Canada has been steadily rising, and is now estimated at around
30 for both genders.
In the final months of engagement, the friends of the bride or groom-to-be will often organize socalled bachelor or bachelorette parties to celebrate their last months of singledom, often in a
crude or raunchy way. Depending on how tasteful the friends feel like being, such parties can
include strippers, pornography, heavy drinking, gambling, and erotically-themed games, or
simply a somewhat more chaste night on the town.
Canadian Weddings

Weddings in Canada have gotten so elaborate and complicated that their planning and
organization is now a multi-billion dollar industry unto itself, and surveys have shown that the
average Canadian couple will spend upwards of $20,000 on their special day.

Most Canadian women will legally switch their last name to their husband's following the
wedding, a normally expensive privilege the government gives away for free as a perk of
marriage. Some women find this tradition outdated and sexist, however, and elect to keep their
so-called "maiden names" even after marriage.
To briefly summarize, most Canadians generally get married in a lavish public ceremony in a
church or banquet hall, before a hundred of so of their closest friends and family members. The
bride will typically wear a beautiful white wedding dress purchased especially for the ceremony,
while everyone else will wear their finest formal wear. Once the gang is assembled, a legallycertified wedding officiant (administrator), usually a religious preacher or judge, will publicly
lead the bride and groom through special wedding vows expressing loyalty to one another, and
then proclaim them officially married. The event will then usually conclude with an equally
lavish, but more relaxed wedding reception, dinner, or after-party.

In practice, of course, almost every detail of a typical Canadian wedding, from flowers to music
to seating arrangements, is governed by more rules and traditions than could possibly be
summarized here. Though such wedding rituals are broadly inspired by European-Christian
customs, particularly British custom, North American weddings these days are often said to have
evolved to exist in a world of unique tradition all their own.
Anniversaries

Canadian couples are generally expected to care a lot about the number of years theyve been
married, with the annual anniversary of their wedding date (or in some cases, engagement
date) used as an opportunity for gift-giving or a special night out. Anniversaries ending in 0s or
5s (20 years, 45 years, etc.) are considered particularly important, and may be used as an
occasion for a special vacation or the exchange of larger, more expensive gifts. For those who
take tradition particularly seriously, there is even a formal anniversary gift chart dictating which
presents should be bought to commemorate which milestone.
But anniversaries arent just for people! The Canadian obsession with round numbers usually
means that that any school, club, store, restaurant, retirement home and so forth that manages to
survive several decades in existence will usually proudly acknowledge its anniversaries too,
often with parties, decorations, or sales.
Divorce in Canada

Canadas once-puritanical divorce laws were greatly liberalized in 1968, and in 1986 so-called
No Fault divorce was introduced, which basically allows married couples to dissolve their
marriages at any time, for any reason, without having to first meet some government-mandated
precondition, such as infidelity or abuse.
While divorce is undeniably a difficult phase for couples to go through, it has become
increasingly common in Canada in recent years, and theres no longer much of a social taboo
against it as a result. Indeed, many Canadians now recite a truism that half of all marriages end
in divorce (though the actual statistic is closer to 40%) as a reason to not be too judgemental
towards those who choose the option.
That being said, divorce is still generally regarded as a private, intimate, and in many cases
somewhat traumatizing experience for Canadian families especially if there are children
involved. Its thus not something that is usually commemorated with any formal activities or
ceremonies, beyond the required visit to a government administrator by the affected couple.
Death

Canadian funerals are not terribly unlike Canadian weddings at least in the sense that they
tend to be big, expensive, showy spectacles involving a lot of planning and guests.

Black has long been the colour associated with mourning in Canada, and it's considered quite
impolite to wear any other colour to a funeral.
In most Canadian families, the moment someone dies their corpse is shipped to a mortician for
embalming and preparation. Once thats done, there will usually be a viewing where close
family can quietly view the presented body in a special decorative casket followed by a full
funeral a few days after that. Depending on the religiosity of the family, funerals may be held in
either a church or some manner of secular funeral parlour, and will usually feature dozens of
guests who knew the deceased during life. A few short speeches, or eulogies, usually by close
friends or family may be given, followed by another viewing of the body.
Burial ceremonies will usually be held a few hours after the funeral, and as the name implies,
center around the ceremonial lowering of the deceased into an awaiting grave at a cemetery. In
recent years, Canada has seen a tremendous spike in the popularity of cremation where the
body is burned into ashes after the funeral then buried in a small urn but the more traditional
practice of burying the full body in the full casket still remains a popular alternative. Most
Canadian cemeteries are privately owned and will house dozens, or even hundreds of bodies,
with graves sometimes separated by religion.
Because death can be such an unexpected thing, and funerals so rushed, the exact planning of a
Canadians death ceremony is often either explicitly outlined in the deceaseds will, or, more
commonly, simply delegated to the multi-million dollar industry of funeral planning. Like
weddings, there also tends to be a great deal of multicultural diversity in funerals these days,
with Canadians from Asian or Middle-Eastern backgrounds in particular often having distinct
traditions and customs regarding the proper way to handle and dispose of the deceased.

General traditions
Presents

As mentioned in the etiquette chapter, Canadian gift-giving tends to be quite

restrained. Some friends and families may exchange lots of expensive presents on symbolically
important days like birthdays or Christmas, while others may give only small ones, or none at all.
Weddings tend to be the only events in which it is absolutely expected that every single person
will give a reasonably high-quality present, otherwise Canadian standards of generosity tends to
be a mostly personal thing. Canadians often wrap their presents in special decorative wrapping
paper, but usually only if the gift is going to be given during some sort of party.
Cards

The typical Canadians stinginess with gift-giving is offset somewhat by the

massively popular tradition of giving greeting cards to friends and family on important dates.
These cards, commonly sold at supermarkets and drug stores, as well as specialty card shops, are
very cheap to purchase but are nevertheless considered one of most important ways to indicate
you havent forgotten about someone elses special day. For the particularly eager-to-please,
slipping in a Canadian banknote is also fairly common.

Flowers

For those looking to give a present rich in symbolism, flowers continue to the
be the Canadian gift of choice. In general, the act of giving flowers in Canada is considered a
gesture of rather strong affection, usually in the context of a romantic partner or very close
friend. A man may traditionally give his wife or girlfriend a bouquet of flowers as a birthday or
anniversary present, for instance, or simply as a gesture of interest during the dating process.
Flowers are very common decorations during weddings and funerals, and a common gift of
compassion to a sick friend, but are less commonly seen on other holidays or special occasions.
A few flowers have specific symbolic meanings in Canada. Roses are very strongly associated
with romantic love or interest (possibly even to a corny degree), poinsettias are a symbol of
Christmas rarely seen outside the holiday, poppies are the leading symbol of war veterans and
Remembrance Day, and white calla lilies are a somewhat old-fashioned symbol of death.
Luck

Canadians are not an overly superstitious people, but many may still believe in a number of
strange omens of good or bad luck just in case.

Thirteen is considered an unlucky number and most Canadian

apartments, hotels, storage units and parking lots will not have a 13th floor, locker, or stall.
Friday the 13th in turn, is considered a uniformly unlucky day and people will usually avoid
scheduling important events, such as weddings or plane trips, on it.
A wide variety of odd and arbitrary actions are considered unlucky as well, usually for longforgotten reasons vaguely correlated to the Bible or fears of witchcraft. Opening an umbrella
indoors, walking under a tall stepladder, accidentally knocking over a salt shaker, killing a
ladybug, or having a black cat cross your path are all fairly common omens of bad luck, while
finding a lone penny in the street, picking a four-leafed clover, spotting a shooting star, throwing
money in a decorative fountain, or blowing a lone eyelash off your finger are considered
harbingers of good luck. Obviously, some people will take these sorts of things more seriously
than others, but most Canadians will still show some mild respect for luck traditions even if
only ironically or whimsically.
Many Canadians believe somewhat seriously in astrology the pseudoscience of fortunetelling
through the position of the planets and most Canadian newspapers publish a daily horoscope
column written by a certified astrologer. Knowing your sign, which is to say, which of the 12
astrological constellations is connected with your birthday (see chart on the right), is considered
a basic tenet of self-awareness on par with knowing ones shoe size, and its not uncommon for

even otherwise non-superstitious people to openly relate with at least some of the personality
traits tied to their astrological profile.

Quick Facts:

Most of Canada's most organized, structured traditions and rituals involve

commemorating important dates in someone's life.

Birthdays, weddings, funerals, and school graduations are commemorated

with some of the most common and well-known Canadian traditions.

Most Canadian traditions and rituals are broadly inspired by ChristianEuropean practice, but many are now uniquely North American.

Canadians are not overly superstitious, but do have a fair amount of

traditions involving omens of good and bad luck.

Religion in Canada

Quick Facts:

The vast majority of Canadians believe in God and consider themselves

members of an organized religion.

The most popular religion in Canada is Christianity, and most Canadian

Christians are Catholics.

Virtually every major world faith or denomination has a significant number of

members in Canada, including Judaism, Islam, Buddhism, Hinduism, and
Sikhism.

Despite the presence of religion, Canada is a strongly secular society that

emphasizes attitudes of privacy and tolerance towards faith.