Culture Shock in Canada
Much like the US, Canadian culture derives from an amalgamation of various immigrant groups. Expats arriving from many countries may be surprised to find remnants of their own culture reflected in the different Canadian characteristics.
The large cities, especially Toronto and Victoria, reflect a strong British heritage, Montreal is proudly French, and Vancouver mixes Indian and Asian cultures. Where America prides itself on integration of cultures in a said 'melting pot' Canada encourages coexistence in...well...an 'ice cream swirl' or more commonly referred to as a cultural mosaic.
While various cultures are encouraged to flourish, by and large, mainstream culture is identical to that of the US – which will be largely familiar to expats as a result of the globalisation of the film and TV industry. An exception is Quebec, a French lingual and cultural province that feels so at odds with the rest of Canada it sporadically tries to secede from the nation.
What may come as a surprise to expats is more geographical than cultural. The incredible size of Canada makes driving to the next town easily as far as driving from one coast of England to the other. Driving across Canada itself is almost equivalent to the distance between the UK and Saudi Arabia. Most of the north isn't even driven to at all. Even within towns it is difficult to get around without a vehicle although larger cities have public transport more similar to Europe.
A bit of self-deprecating humour with a friendly 'howya doin' cheerfulness is the norm and despite, or because of, the cold the people are generally warm and welcoming to strangers. Canada is a huge destination for immigration and is largely unaffected by the resentment towards ethnic groups that immigration can bring in the US and Europe.
The large cities, especially Toronto and Victoria, reflect a strong British heritage, Montreal is proudly French, and Vancouver mixes Indian and Asian cultures. Where America prides itself on integration of cultures in a said 'melting pot' Canada encourages coexistence in...well...an 'ice cream swirl' or more commonly referred to as a cultural mosaic.
While various cultures are encouraged to flourish, by and large, mainstream culture is identical to that of the US – which will be largely familiar to expats as a result of the globalisation of the film and TV industry. An exception is Quebec, a French lingual and cultural province that feels so at odds with the rest of Canada it sporadically tries to secede from the nation.
What may come as a surprise to expats is more geographical than cultural. The incredible size of Canada makes driving to the next town easily as far as driving from one coast of England to the other. Driving across Canada itself is almost equivalent to the distance between the UK and Saudi Arabia. Most of the north isn't even driven to at all. Even within towns it is difficult to get around without a vehicle although larger cities have public transport more similar to Europe.
A bit of self-deprecating humour with a friendly 'howya doin' cheerfulness is the norm and despite, or because of, the cold the people are generally warm and welcoming to strangers. Canada is a huge destination for immigration and is largely unaffected by the resentment towards ethnic groups that immigration can bring in the US and Europe.
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