Top 10 Things Canadians Want You To Know
Everyone's favorite friendly country has some fun facts to share! From our coffee, to our bacon, to our rich history of basketball, Canada is full of special surprises, eh? WatchMojo counts down the Top 10 Things Canadians Want You To Know.
Special thanks to our user Muppet_Face for suggesting this idea! Check out the voting page at WatchMojo.comsuggest/Top+10+Things+Canadians+Want+You+to+Know.
Top 10 Things Canadians Want You To Know
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Everyone’s favorite friendly country has some fun facts to share! Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we’ll be counting down our list of the Top 10 Things Canadians Want You to Know. For this list, we’ll be looking to clarify Canadian stereotypes, correct misconceptions, or generally gush about things that we think you should know about this North American country.
#10: It’s Not Winter All the Time
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When many people think of Canada, they picture blizzards and polar bears. And don’t forget the stereotype that all Canadians live in igloos! While it’s true that Canadian winters can be intense and long, Canada does warm up during the summer months; igloos would be pretty useless. Like in many other countries, Canadian seasons are varied and unique! Visit in the summer or fall and you’ll be surprised at just how warm it can get, especially in the southern part of the country. Though one thing is certainly true; visiting Montreal in the winter can get a little slippery.
#9: Toronto Is Not the Capital of the Country
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While there’s a joke that they like to consider themselves the centre of the universe, despite popular belief, Toronto is not the capital of Canada. It is, however, the largest city in Canada by population, and the fourth largest in North America, just above Chicago. The title of Canadian capital goes to the much smaller, and quieter, Ottawa. A lovely city dedicated mainly to being the centre of government, much like Washington, D.C., Ottawa often gets mocked for being “boring”. While not as exciting as Toronto, perhaps, Ottawa’s charms are still not to be missed!
#8: A Canadian Invented Basketball
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Believe it or not, it was the Canadian James Naismith, a McGill University graduate, who invented this popular sport back in 1891. Naismith was a phys ed teacher at the YMCA International Training School in Springfield, Massachusetts. He struggled with a class of students who were disobedient and short-tempered due to being stuck inside all day thanks to a harsh winter. He resolved to create an indoor game to keep the students distracted and that would help them stay in shape. The end result was basketball!
#7: “Canadian Bacon” Is Just Ham
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Yes, that’s right. The term “Canadian Bacon” is actually one made up by Americans. In Canada, it is known as “back bacon”, which is a far more accurate term, but really, it’s just ham. Just look at it; does that really look like bacon? No, and Canada agrees. Canadians treat bacon seriously, and as such, the fact that Canada has come to be associated with this term borders on being offensive to the Canadian culinary world! In all seriousness, real Canadian bacon is excellent if you live south of the borde. So if you want a real taste of Canadian Bacon, you’ll just have to make the trip. We highly recommend the maple-glazed variety.
#6: Tim Hortons Isn’t Our Only National Coffee Chain
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Sure, when you’re in the mood for a quick double-double or a box of Timbits, Timmies is a great place to stop. But it’s not Canada’s only coffee chain, or even its best. Second Cup is another of Canada’s national coffee chains, and some would argue it’s much better, albeit typically more expensive. You could also try Montreal-based Van Houtte, which has cafes across the province of Quebec! While competitive pricing, amazing marketing campaigns and its place in pop culture has made Tim Horton’s the reigning champ, you’ve still got options.
#5: We Have 2 Official Languages
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The history of Canada is shaped by both the English and French, with the two both laying claim to parts of the land until the Seven Years’ War, at the end of which France ceded its colony to the English. Thanks to policies of Official Bilingualism enacted in the 20th century, both languages are protected and represented today. These policies ensure that citizens can be served by the federal government in both languages, and politicians seeking to lead the country typically learn both French and English. While most of the Francophone population lives in Quebec, there are many French-speaking communities across Canada, including a large one in New Brunswick.
#4: Canada Is Pretty Progressive
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Compared to our neighbours, it often seems like Canada is lauded for being a progressive paradise. While it has its own share of social problems and debates, it is true that most of the fights on social issues that take such precedence in the American media have been solved in Canada. This is due in large part to stark differences between Canadian and American culture. Access to abortion is almost a non-issue, gay marriage has been legal since 2005 and even the Conservative Party doesn’t oppose it. There are still many problems in Canada, and it is by no means a progressive utopia, but the country should be proud of all the progress it has made already.
#3: Not All Police Officers Are Mounties
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Those officers dressed in red suits and great big hats are members of the RCMP: the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. While Canada does indeed use Mounties on the federal level, cities and municipalities use regular police officers, as they do in most countries. Mounties enforce federal laws and will work closely with the provinces and municipalities in order to accomplish their goals, and their tasks include dealing with organized crime, drug trafficking and border control, among many other federal offences. So yes, Canada does have Mounties, but no, they don’t go around solving crimes on horseback, and the country does rely heavily on municipal police forces as well. They also don’t always dress like that either.
#2: Healthcare Isn’t “Free”; It’s Paid for by Taxes
Often when talking about the great things in Canada, “free healthcare” is brought up, but that term is a bit of a mischaracterization. Healthcare in Canada isn’t somehow free, that would make no sense; it’s just paid for by taxpayer dollars, because access to universal healthcare services is considered a right in Canada. While some arguments persist about the best way to design and maintain a program of universal healthcare, and there are still complaints that Canada’s system lags behind those in European countries, the large majority of Canadians agree that it has been incredibly beneficial, and that healthcare is a great use of tax money. Before we reveal our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions: Pancake Syrup Is Not the Same Thing as Maple Syrup Our Milk Comes in Bags & Cartons All-Dressed & Ketchup-Flavored Chips Are Delicious
#1: Not Everyone Has That Stereotypical Accent
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“Sorry aboot that, eh?” While the accent does exist, it is more common in rural areas, and even then, people in the Maritimes and Newfoundland have their own distinct accent. All that being said, the majority of Canadians you meet, who will likely be from the big cities, don’t talk with that accent; in fact, they sound very similar to Americans from big cities. We will concede that Canadians do say the word “eh” a lot - but it is often misused by those mocking Canada. “Eh” is another way of saying “right” or “you know” at the end of a sentence, not a random word we just interject in the middle of conversations, eh.
