AnIntroductiontoCanadianCultureMarcUptonCANADAs HISTORYCANADAs HISTORYNativeAmericanslivedinCanadafor thousands of years. In theearly1600s,colonistsfromBritainand France began to settle ineastern Canada, along the St.LawrenceRiver.Canadaprovedtobe an excellent spot for trappingandtradingoffurs.Inthe1800s,settlersbegantopushwest.Mostof the native Americans weredisplacedbytheEuropeans.Land & ClimateCanada is the second largest country in the world, with over 3,851,877 square miles of land2 varying in climate from permafrost in the north to four distinct seasons of spring, summer, fall, and winter nearer the equator3. Canada has 10 provinces; British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, Newfoundland & Labrador, and 3 territories; Yukon, Northwest territories, Nunavut6. The capital city is Ottawa, in Ontario11.7% of Canadas land mass is covered with over 2 million lakes, the largest being the Northwest Territories GreatBearLake4.An estimated 14% of the worlds fresh water supply is located in Canada4.Some of Canadas natural resources are; iron ore, nickel, zinc, copper, gold, lead, rare earth elements, molybdenum, potash, diamonds, silver, fish, timber, wildlife, coal, petroleum, natural gas, and hydropower8.Banff National ParkGovernment ResponsibilitiesThe federal government is responsible for things effecting the entire country such as citizenship, immigration, national defense, trade with other countries12, the banking system, criminal code, and indigenous populations8. The federal government also has some involvement in things like employment, insurance, and Medicare that were once controlled by the provinces, because of the greater resources of the federal government8.The provinces or territories have responsibility for things like education, highways, healthcare, and welfare8.In areas with a municipal government, the municipal government is responsible for local matters like firefighting and city streets12.Queen Elizabeth IIGovernor General: David JohnstonOttawaEconomyThe economy in Canada is the 9th strongest17 in the world8. The substantial growth of the manufacturing, mining, and service sectors in Canada since World War II has revamped the nation from a primarily rural economy into one predominantly industrial and urban8.Canada is the 10th largest exporter of oil and the 3rd largest exporter of natural gas in the world17.Canada is the largest foreign supplier of energy to the United States, including; oil, gas, uranium, and also electric power8.VancouverEconomyAs of 2014 there are an estimated 18.85 million people in the Canadian workforce8.Percentages of occupations held in the labor force in 2006: agriculture: 2%, manufacturing: 13%, construction: 6%, services: 76%, other: 3%8 Although many people reap the benefits of a strong economy, 7.3% of the population was unemployed in 2012 and more than 9% of the Canadian population lives in poverty as of an estimate done in 20088. 14.8% of Canadians ages 15-24 are unemployed.Canada is a leader in the production of gold, silver, copper, uranium, oil, natural gas, agriculture, wood pulp, and timber-related products8. The average minimum wage in Canada $10.10.& the workforceCurrencyAll of Canada uses the Canadian Dollar20.There are no 1 or 2 dollar bills in Canada, they have been replaced by the 1 and 2 dollar coins the “loonie” and the “toonie”20.In history, the Canadian dollar has usually been at least a bit weaker than the United States dollar, but recently the trend has changed8.Canadian bills are brightly colored and easy to distinguish- which also happens to be a point of cultural Canadian pride20.The newest Canadian bills, released in 2011, are made of polymer instead of paper21.Symbols of CanadaJust a fewNational Flag of CanadaThe Maple TreeThe Maple LeafThe Coat of ArmsNational Horse of CanadaThe BeaverThe Great SealHockey: Canadas national winter sportLacrosse: Canadas national summer sportThe Healthcare SystemOften referred to as “Medicare”, Canadas national health insurance program30 consists of a group of socialized health insurance plans that provide publicly funded healthcare coverage to most all the citizens of Canada regardless of medical history, personal income, or standard of living. Healthcare is administered on a provincial or territorial basis, with guidelines that are set by the federal government29.Citizens are provided preventative care, medical treatments from primary care physicians, access to hospitals, dental surgery and some additional medical services29.The average number of physicians per 1,000 people in Canada is: 2.1.46TorontoHealth StatisticsCurrent smokers24: 19.9%Percentage of Canadians with a doctor24: 84.7%Percentage of Canadians that drink heavily24: 19%Percentage of Canadians with high blood pressure24: 17.6%Life expectancy for males24: 78.8 yearsLife expectancy for females8: 84.2 yearsPercentage of overweight or obese adults24: 52.1%Percentage of overweight or obese youth (age 12-17)24: 20.4%Percentage of leisure time dedicated to physical activity24: 53.8%Education - In Canada, the education system is made up of both public and private schools, including; community colleges, technical institutes, secondary schools, universities, university colleges, career colleges, summer camps, and language schools34.Under the Canadian constitution each province has responsibility for its educational system2. Canadian children generally voluntarily attend kindergarten for one or two years at the age of four or five34.All children begin Grade One at about six years of age34. The school year lasts from September to the following June34. Depending on what province you are in, secondary schools go up to Grade 11 or 1234.99% of the population of Canada over the age of 15 is literate8.PopulationCanada is the ninth-most sparsely populated nation in the world with a population density of 8.6 people per square mile8.Around 33.4 million people live in Canada, and the population is growing by 0.9 percent annually2. Canadas per-capita immigration rate is one of the highest in the world with about 250,000 immigrants being admitted yearly since 20067. Canada has a society that is open and relatively free of social class distinctions50. Ethnic groups of Canada include; 28% of BritishIsles origin, 23% of Frenchorigin, 15% otherEuropean, 2%Amerindian, 6% other, mostly Asian,African,Arab, and 26% mixedbackground. 8 Religions in Canada; RomanCatholic42.6%, Protestant 23.3% (United Church 9.5%, Anglican 6.8%, Baptist 2.4%, Lutheran 2%), otherChristian 4.4%, Muslim 1.9%, otherandunspecified11.8%, non-religious16% Family, Marriage & RelationshipsThe family structure in CanadaHas been changing and becoming more diverse over the last 30+ years. In 2006, 69.6% of households were family households, 26.8% were one-person households, and 3.7%of households consisted of unrelated persons81.In 2006, 68.6% percent of families consisted of a married couple with or without children, 15.5%of families consisted of common-law couples and 15.9%of families were single parent families81.Opposite-sex and same-sex marriage are both legal throughout Canada83.Its common for both parents in the family to work outside of the home2.The average family size in 2006 was 3 members82.43.1% of marriages end in divorce before the 50th anniversary84 as of 2011.There were 70,226 divorces84 in 2013The dating process usually begins around ages2 13-16 in Canada.Communication, gestures & body languageShaking hands is customary when being introduced to someone new in Canada47. Many Canadians expect a firm handshake when meeting or departing as well as good eye contact52.Saying “Hello”, nodding your head, or waving your hand are all acceptable ways to say Hello2.It is proper to remove any sunglasses or hat when speaking with someone52.In Quebec it is considered bad form to speak when you have your hands in your pockets52.As far as personal space, body movement, and body gestures are concerned- the norms are different between English and French provinces48. One to two feet of space between two people is the usual personal boundary in English areas along with a minimal amount of body movement, and little touching other than handshakes48.French Canadians, on the other hand, may stand slightly closer, touch more frequently, and use more expressive gestures48.Communication, gestures & body languageIn Quebec, the thumbs down” sign is considered offensive, as is slapping an open palm over a closed fist52.The okay sign made with the index finger and thumb means zero in Quebec52. The “thumbs up sign is used to mean okay” throughout Canada52.Pointing at someone with your index finger is considered rude2.Using a toothpick, brushing your hair, or clipping your fingernails are all things not to do in public52.continuedSocial normsIts not uncommon in Canada for people who dont know you to greet you with “Hi!” or “how are you?” when walking down the street69. Its considered rude to speak in a foreign language in the presence of others who do not understand what is being said48.Most Canadians only allow guests in rooms of their home that they have designated as public or “guest” rooms50.Many Canadians are non-smokers and they do not allow smoking in their homes or vehicles79.Recycling and not littering are valued behaviors79.A line is usually formed when several people are waiting for something, like at a coffee shop. Lines are first come first serve, and it is considered very rude to cut in69.Bargaining or haggling is not a common practice in Canada other than for things like buying a house, a vehicle, or dealing with a private seller69.In Canada, white lilies are associated with funerals and red roses are reserved for more romantic settings. When buying flowers for someone, its wise to keep these norms in mind48.Eating HabitsPunctuality is important, but arriving 5 minutes late for a dinner party is acceptable50.Canadians usually have the standard 3 meals a day and sometimes may have tea coffee in the afternoon or a snack break at work2.Politely refusing food in Canada is unlikely to cause offence48.Elbows should never be on the table when eating50.15% tips are expected at restaurants and often are not included in the tab unless you have a large party2.Eating while walking in public is not acceptable49.In Canada, many people eat with the fork in the left hand and the knife in the right hand for foods that require cutting2.After finishing a meal, eating utensils should be placed on the plate2.Common FoodsCanadians eat a lot of the same foods that people do in the United States73; they have fast food, processed foods, milk, cheese, eggs, breads, fruits, vegetables, pizza, meat, seafood, and so on.SomecommonCanadianfavoritesarePoutine71: Fries layered with gravy and cheese curds ;Chickenwings71: Fried chicken wings with a variety of different sauces ; Pierogies71: A dough dumpling70 stuffed with a filling like cheese, meat, and/or potatoes ; Elk,moose,buffalo,anddeer71;TimHortonsDonuts71; BeaverTails71: A type of pastry ; Maplesyrup71; Eastcoastseafood71 ; Kraftmacaroniandcheese71 ; Beer71from one of the many local breweries ; Subway; Raspberries ; Waffles ; Stews ; Flax ; Quinoa ; Muffins.PoutinePierogiesBeaver tailsCanadas AnimalsCanadians I like.Pamela Anderson Jim CareyCanadian I really dont like!