Canada....enquiring minds want to know!
 

Just a simple request...... cause enquiring minds need to know ;)

List one thing (more if you want to) that you know or have heard about Canada and Canadians.

It can be historical, current news, myths...anything at all.
Ask questions too if you feel inclined......:D

It snows a lot, and PixieSprite lives there. Sounds a great place :D

It all depends where you live regarding the snowfall. British Columbia very rarely sees snow......whereas the east coast usually gets bombarded.

QE II still the head of state

Vacationed in Canada one time! It was wonderful. But when I went to get gas I had no idea how much I was getting (due to the fact that I couldn't convert gallons to litres....or however thats done). And the speed limits seemed ludicrous to me. I am used to MPH........I had no idea how fast I should be going till I tried to keep up with a little old lady in front of me and discovered I was going much too fast. The nice officer explained it very well!

I also had more money in Canada then if I had stayed in the states to vacation. WooooHooo! Bonus!

The people were extremely friendly! We camped at a provincial park (state park in the U.S.) and took a camp site called "boating in" where you got a canoe and rowed the lake till you came to a site you liked and then you set up camp. Hubby and I thought we found a really secluded site and we set up camp. During the evening it started to rain and our tent filled with water and we had to move to higher ground. While doing this we found that a boat had docked at "our" dock. No one was around and so we figured they were aboard sleeping. Next day we rose and started breakfast and dressed and cleaned up camp and went for a swim and fished.....and still not a peep from that boat. Somewhere around 2pm the boat came alive. Four guys disembarked and started hooting and hollering and partying like crazy! Here I was on a secluded island with 5 men. Could a girl have a better fantasy? They were the cutest guys (all 4 of um) and they were so nice and so fun to hang out with! They had the best beer and pot I have had in years! Oh, that's another thing......in the states the alcohol content of a specific brand name of beer (Labatt's in this case) is less than in Canada. I have never gotten drunk on 3 beers in my life.....but I did on this vacation!

BTW! Those guys would periodically quiz us on what we actually knew of Canada as well. Did we know the current president's name.....etc.? To be honest (and to prolly reveal my stupidity here) I had thought Canada was a parliment and I didn't know at the time that they had an elected president. Boy was my face red! They told us they knew that American's weren't required to learn as much about other countries in school unless they chose to take specific courses on them, but that they (Canadians) are REQUIRED to learn nearly EVERYTHING about America. They joked that they are better citizens of the U.S. than we are, as they knew more about our constitution and the laws of our land than we did. If you think about it, any alien trying to become a citizen of the U.S could make this claim. Tests have proven it!

Also, we noticed as we entered the country that almost everyone seemed to drive with their headlights on. This was around the time when car manufacturers started making cars that when you started the engine the lights would automatically come on and stay on. Now either we hadn't noticed this saftey precaution in the states and it was more pronounced in Canada as we were typical tourists and looking and taking in every site, or this saftey precaution hadn't made it's debut in the states yet. I am not sure to this day about that. But when that nice officer stopped us and explained the "lay of the land", we asked if it was a major holiday in Canada and to show respect all Canadians turned on their headlights while driving. The nice officer (with a grin on his face) explained the saftey precaution to our embarrassed selves.

Anyway........this was also the trip that unconditionally proved to my hubby that I did indeed know my north from my south (I have a terrible sense of direction without a map) and that I could navigate an unknown country and get us back home safely with the help of a map. Perth was beautiful....BTW!

TY for your hospitality Canada!

Oh...and one more thing. Wherever I go I usually pick up the accent almost immediately. I still to this day, say ya'll when I am drunk....from my travels down south. I also now say, eh, alot! Those party boys (from the boat) said it all the time and other than watching The Mckenzie Brothers on Second City TV (The Great White North) I would have never known that. Pretty interesting....eh? LOL!

I took a then-gf through part of Ontario for Labo(u)r Day weekend 1998. We really enjoyed ourselves.

The car thing was a bit different, remembering km/h and buying gasoline by the liter, but not too tricky. I kept a few of the coins, and we picked up a couple of books (Haunted Ontario, and I don't remember the other one). No I've not been to these listed haunted sites, but I'd like to go some time. Heck, there's still all the other provinces too.

Well Lixy you were had......Canada is run by an elected parliment. The party that gets the most votes has a leader he/she becomes the Prime Minister of Canada who heads the Federal Government. Provinces have Premiers who head the provincial goverments........

Years ago there was a far greater requirement in schools to learn about America but this was due to the text books. Back then they were mainly published in the states and of course about the states.


As far as a courtesy to use headlights in this country....it may well be but I have never heard of this as being a sign of respect. The newer cars of course have them on at all times. I tend to flash my lights to oncoming traffic if I have passed a cop to let others know one is ahead waiting for them with radar. Me thinks the cop was grinning for a reason.....the big shit!

And you have been to Perth......love it there. Very quaint area around that region.
Yes we do have the best beer for the money!!!!!! Labatts triple X 12% alcohol.

I still dont get the conversion of the metric system either!!!!! And yes it is true your money goes farther here in Canada than the States and...........SO DOES MINE!!!!!! lmao

Oops! Yeah! Never thought of that........except that I don't know if the pay scale is similar in the states as in Canada. Example....I live in Pa. and if I were to commute to New York to earn a living and still maintain a residence in Pa., I would own a larger more expensive estate than I do currently! If I were to commute to Canada and still maintain citizenship and homeownership in the states, could I still afford the property I own now? That's pretty much what I meant!

Sooooooo......I'd been had, eh? Why I outta go back to Perth and look them fellers up and give em a piece of my........um....mind! LOL! They were so fun.....I have really fantastic memories of that trip....it's spontanaiety.....and the outcome! We left Pa. without an agenda.......and it turns out it was one of my best vacations ever!

Hey Lixy, I just meant the rate of exchange on the money.......it is far cheaper for me to stay home than venture to the states anymore. I used to love vacationing in the good ole US of A .......but now it is almost 45 percent exchange rate on our dollar!

WoooooHooooooo! BIBI! I'll be right over with a pocket full of dough! We'll get together and partayyyyyyyyyyy!

I only know a few things about my neighbor and they’re all good.
 

Can’t remember ever hearing any serious derogatory comments about it. (That is except for that ONE province that hasn’t gotten the word that you’re no longer a dominion, but a free, independent, federated country now;). Although it’s understandable as they don’t speak the language:rolleyes: )
I know that you are the biggest country on the planet and that 93% of your population lives within 200 miles, (320 Km)of the coastlines or US boarder. I know that my spiritual leader and guru, Red Green, dwells up there:D. And I know that we should be more grateful to you for all the topsoil the glaciers bulldozed from you and dumped for our farmers at the same time they dug out the Great Lakes and gave us the largest fresh water deposit in the world. Sorry we haven’t taken better care of it all:(. I don’t know how you were smart enough to adopt the metric system, like the rest of the world:confused:, when you’re so influenced by the economic and media giant to the south.
I’ve found some of the sexiest ladies at Pixies come from there and one VERY special one:).
I know who’s embassy in Iran gave shelter for six months to Americans when ours was overrun and hostages were held for 449 days.:whiteghos
And I personally found it very novel to see MOOSE CROSSING signs along your major highways.:)

dadaist

I don't know a thing about Haunted Ontario other than the fact we are still being haunted by the former premier and all the garbage he implemented "The Common Sense Revolution"........imagine a politician claiming to have common sense!!!!! :)

Lixy

Rock on girl......we can go to all the hotspots along the way back up to Perth. Mind you to get there we would have to go through Toronto, soooooo you may be here for a while! ;)

Sharniqua

I hate to disappoint you.......but we are only allotted one mountie per person here...lmao, but if you ever come here I will gladly share mine with you! You can mount and ride all you want to...err the horse I mean :)

Pantyfanatic

Holy duct tape PF...quick to the bedroom! Red Green is awaiting on the VCR. I am impressed with you(lay back and relax and I will soothe you with the cool cool texture of satin)...actually knowing about that silly province who's leaders think they are part of France. It amazes me to go to Quebec (politically correct pronunciation being "K-beck") for so many there do not know a word of English and even if they do , they won't speak it. We have bilingual signs all over the place in Canada and kids have to learn French in school but the kids in Quebec don't have to learn English!
Oh you hit a nerve I think ;)

re: Moose/Deer Crossings

I remember a nice old aunt visiting from the states asking my mother why they have deer crossings on such busy roadways!:)

Old Bessie......yes she still is a figurehead for Canada Australia and Great Britain! Go figure! ;)

Re: I only know a few things about my neighbor and they’re all good.
 

pantyfanatic... you only laugh til you pass thisclose to hitting a moose!!! :eek:

i used to live in canada... when i was 6-10 so i barely remember anything but the summers were nice and the winters were a shitload of snow and fucking cold... and i went sledding and it was fun... memories memories...

Canadians think that their health care is free. Eventhough they pay 15% sales tax on everything...

I don't think you will find too many Canadians who think health care is "free". We know health care costs are paid from our tax dollars, BUT at the time of need, the care is free and no one has to mortgage their homes or take out loans for operations or treatments. Everyone has coverage for health care here.

BTW Our taxes on purchases is a sales tax of 7%. The other tax is a Goods and Service Tax of 8%, but provinces differ on the sales tax for each province sets their own. The Federal Gov't sets the other tax. No one likes this extra added tax but I think that I would rather pay this tax than to be expected to come up with thousands of dollars in the blink of an eye if I ever needed surgery!

Re: Re: I only know a few things about my neighbor and they’re all good.
 

How true......hitting a deer is not a fun way to end an evening either.......mmm.........ask me how I know!:)

No offense intended, Bibi, but I've had this same discussion with several Canadian buddies of mine. One thing is for certain, the health care debate will continue on both sides of the border.

There is legislation in the US so that noone will be denied emergency medical services regardless of their level of insurance. The quality of health care in the US is generally considered superior, as shown by the number of Canadians who go south of the border to seek treatment.

The bottom line is that he who pays determines the treatment. I would much rather retain my medical decisions than have a the government make those determinations.

None taken H@rd Rock, but I started this thread due to someone in chat from the States asking me where Canada is!


Just for fun!

Keeping my stick on the ice!
 

Sorry BiBi, I didn’t mean to tweak a soar spot. That’s about the only thing I know of Canada that leaves me uneasy. Please remember that my country is the one that fought one of the bloodiest wars ever:( only because some of its States, that had issues of human slavery that you resolved 100 years before we did, attempted to divide our country. It’s just a personal dislike of the condescending attitudes I found in France itself or any France-wennabes.:mad: And I think your right. You’d be very hard pressed to find somebody in your country that doesn’t speak EXCELLENT English or is willing to do so when talking to some one that’s NOT speaking French. LMAO
Right now I wish our ?elected? leader was as subject to collective reasoning as your “figurehead”.:eek:
Should we tell Sharni that the RCMP is your equivalent to our FBI. I wonder if she too got to listen to “Sergeant Preston of the Yukon and his dog, Yukon King” on the radio:rolleyes:. Today I feel lucky when I catch “As It Happens” from CBC on NPR. It may brake her heart to know that the red uniforms and horses only come out like those of the Buckingham Palace Guards who wear the 5,600 bear skin hats that were taken at one time from Canada the last time they were replaced.:eek: :eek:
I know a tiny bit about the VAST resources you have but really want you to tell me more about the recent diamond mine development that may be a rival to the DeBeers diamonds cartel in South Africa.:D


And why DO they make the moose cross those busy highways at those places? :confused:


;)

Noooooooooooooooooooooooo!!!!!!!!

I don't believe it.....lies all lies

(And here i was hoping to bring home two Mounties and set them free in Oz....ya never know they might breed and we'd have our own feral Mounties...and i sure as hell would be there at round up time :D:D:D )

I know that Windsor is actually south of Detroit ;)

Do you mean Seagrams is south of Detroit?

No, Seagram's goes south from my lips occaisionally...

Been to Canada twice. My wife and I made a drive around Lake Superior and thought it was an absolutely beautiful drive. Just wish there were roads down to the lakes we saw sprinkled between the hills.

Then I was in Toronto for a business trip for a week. Great, great city. My brother-in-law flew in on Thursday of that week (he was dating a lady who lived near the lake). They picked me up for dinner at a place on Bloor about two miles or so north of my hotel. Told them I knew where Bloor was. His grilfriend then mentioned a little coffee shop on a side street near there and I responded ... "You mean the one on Yorkshire?" She was amazed I had even found the coffee shop let alone visited it twice. I think there's six square miles of downtown Toronto where I've been on every street. Loved it.

It a beautiful and wonderful country! Glad we're neighbors! :D

Canada Rocks!
 

My $ = $1.50 +. Just kidding:D. My aunt and uncle live in Detroit, and when I visit them I like to go to Windsor! The casino there rocks!

NEWS.........
The American News Media Sucks.
We get 2 Stations from Canada and they are by far better.
Never been there.
My 2 cents

Re: Canada....enquiring minds want to know!
 

One word says it all for me: Lovediva

:D


rabbit

;)@rabbit

It was a Canadian that invented basketball, football, hockey, lacrosse.

It was a Canadian that wrote the 'Star Spangled Banner'!!

Canada has been the only country to successfully invade the USA!

It was a Canadian that invented invented ski-doos, jet-skis, velcro, zippers & zambonis.

Canada has the largest English population that never ever surrendered or withdrew during any war.

Canada has the largest French population that never surrendered to Germany.

In the war of 1812, we pushed the Americans so far back...past their 'White House', we burned it...and most of Washington under the command of William Lyon McKenzie.

The biggest flags ever seen/flown at any Olympics were Canadian....twice.

I am proud to be Canadian. The reason I have for my pride is because my pride is not based on how we invaded other countries, or how compared to other countries how well we are doing. I look at my situation and that of the people around me. Of course, people will live on the moon and still have to find a way to make a living and do things with their time. But when a country is polite and friendly as Canada you know that overall the people must be happy. (Japan is the only other country I can think of that is soo polite, just look at their conduct during international sporting events and you will see what I mean) We know that at the end of the day, we live life not neccesarily the way it was meant to be lived but damn near close as any other people in history have come.

That depends on the province my Pixies pal. In Alberta we pay only 7%. In British Columbia it is 14.5%. Ontario is 15%.

Bibi - our GST is still 7% for now. Your province may have a PST of 7% but good ol' AB is still 0% PST.

Quebec is larger than Alaska. Ouch..that sucks. lol

Here Pantyfanatic......lots of info on the diamond industry that has been in the works for years!

http://www.canadianarticdiamond.com...ry/history.html

omg.....Sgt. Preston......lol ages are showing PF I remember the old TV show.

oops I was wrong! Our pst is 8% and GST is the same as yours for it is a federal tax......always get the figures confused!

Lucky Alberta.......no sales tax still!!!!!

the onlt good thing about our taxes in ontario is that when you go to tip at a restraunt all you have to do is add the taxes and you get you 15%

all this talk about canada and knowbody brings up our amazing christmas parties..........hey where is sfc???

Ohhhh, how I miss my native land! I have been in Argentina for one year, with at least two more to go! I miss the beer, the women, everything! You don't know what you have until it is gone!!!!!!

I look at the Rio de la Plata here and the water looks like chocolate milk with garbage floating in it. Sometimes there is the most disgusting smell that comes off of it. The environment and nature that is available in Canada is sooooo much better.

I barely get any hockey here (and they actually specify hockey sobre hielo, like there is any other *real* kind), the beer is pretty much like American beer, and the women are beautiful but like to keep an asperin tight between their knees.