Canada

Here we go Canada!

Is a country in North America consisting of 10 provinces and 3 territories. Lets start with interesting facts about Canada:
1.Canada is also home to the longest street in the world. Yonge Street in Ontario starts at Lake Ontario, and runs north through Ontario to the Minnesota border, a distance of almost 2000 kilometres.

2. A bear cub named Winnipeg was exported from Canada to the London Zoo in 1915. A little boy named Christopher Robin Milne loved to visit Winnipeg (or Winnie for short) and his love for the bear cub inspired the stories written by his father, A.A. Milne, about Winnie-the-Pooh. It’s thanks to a little bear from Canada called Winnipeg that A.A. Milne invented Winnie-the-Pooh for his son Christopher.
3. The Blackberry Smartphone was developed in Ontario, at Research In Motion’s Waterloo offices.

4. Canada holds the record for the most gold medals ever won at the Winter Olympics, since taking 14 Golds at the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics.

5. Montreal is home to many beautiful churches and is often called The City of Saints or City of a hundred bell towers.

6. Canada has over 30000 lakes.

7. Ontario is believed to be home to the world’s smallest jail, which measures only 24.3 sq metres.

8. Canada is the second largest country in the world by total area (Russia is the largest).

9. The 2 main languages spoken in Canada are English and French.

10.The Hotel de Glace in Quebec is built every year
using 400 tons of ice and 12 000 tons of snow.

Every summer it melts away and every winter it is rebuilt. 

Facts and Statistics
Location: Northern North America, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean on the east, North Pacific Ocean on the west, and the Arctic Ocean on the north, north of the conterminous US
Capital: Ottawa
Climate: varies from temperate in south to subarctic and arctic in north
Population: 33,212,696 (July 2008 est.) 
Ethnic Make-up: British Isles origin 28%, French origin 23%, other European 15%, Amerindian 2%, other, mostly Asian, African, Arab 6%, mixed background 26%Religions: Roman Catholic 42.6%, Protestant 23.3% (including United Church 9.5%, Anglican 6.8%, Baptist 2.4%, Lutheran 2%), other Christian 4.4%, Muslim 1.9%, other and unspecified 11.8%, none 16% (2001 census) 
Government: constitutional monarchy that is also a parliamentary democracy and a federation 

Customs and Etiquette in Canada

Meeting and Greeting

• The most common greeting is the handshake.
• It should be firm and accompanied by direct eye contact and a sincere smile.
• Wait until invited before using someone's first name although Canadians tend to move to a first-name basis rapidly.
• French Canadian friends may greet each other by lightly kissing on the cheeks (once on the left cheek and once on the right).
• If using French in Quebec always use the formal pronoun "vous" (you) when speaking to someone and do not switch to the informal "tu" unless invited to do so.

Gift Giving

• In general, Canadians give gifts for birthdays and Christmas.
• If invited to someone's home for dinner, take a box of good chocolates, flowers or a bottle of wine.
• In Quebec, sending flowers in advance of the dinner party is proper protocol.
• In Quebec, if you give wine, make sure it is of the highest quality you can afford.
• Do not give white lilies as they are used at funerals.
• Do not give cash or money as a present.
• Gifts are usually opened when received.

Dining Etiquette

• Table manners are relatively relaxed and informal in Canada.
• Quebec does see a little more formality.
• Table manners are generally Continental, i.e. the fork is held in the left hand and the knife in the right while eating.
• Wait to be shown to your seat.
• Do not begin eating until the hostess starts.
• Do not rest your elbows on the table.
• Feel free to refuse individual foods or drink without offering an explanation.
• Leaving a small amount at the end of the meal is generally acceptable.
• In formal situations, the host gives the first toast. An honoured guest should return the toast later in the meal. Women may give toasts.

Top 10 Canadian Foods!?

Ten foods from Canada that can’t be missed.

PoutineA list of the top 10 Canadian foods wouldn’t be complete without acknowledging the most popular, and possibly the least nutritious, Canadian dish out there – poutine, a Quebec staple that’s a melange of greasy thick-cut fries, squeaky cheese curds and warm peppery gravy. 

Tim Horton’s iced capYou know summer has arrived when you see Canadians across the country clutching their frosty, creamy Tim Horton’s iced caps, a blend of Tim’s signature coffee, cream (or milk), and ice.

Beav TailserA whole wheat pastry is flattened to resemble a beaver tail (how patriotic!) and is cooked by “floating” on top of hot oil. Then they remove it, slather it with butter, and add your favourite toppings (the classic is sweet cinnamon sugar).

TourtiereTourtiere, which is a Christmas dinner staple on the tables’ of Quebeckers, is a meat pie often made with ground pork, veal or beef.

Labatt BlueIt may seem strange to have a beer on a top 10 Canadian foods’ list, but when suds are their own food group in a country, you can’t deny acknowledging Canada’s favourite local brew.

 Maple syrupSure, maple syrup may be in pantries across the globe, but this yummy concoction was first discovered and used by Native Americans in north-eastern North America, so Canadians will gladly take credit for making maple syrup a sweet staple.

May West

The Canadian version of the Twinkie, a May West consists of a round cake with a creamy center enrobed in chocolate. Can’t get much better than that!

 Dill pickle chips

Americans eat ranch.  In England, they snack on roasted chicken flavoured chips -- and Canadians love their tangy home-grown dill pickle chips.

Nanaimo barsNamed after the city in BC, Nanaimo bars have layers upon layers of sugary goodness – first, a thick crumb crust, then a layer of vanilla frosting or custard, and then it’s topped with melted chocolate.

 Smoked meatSmoked meat originated in Jewish delis in Montreal, and it became so popular that the city became known for its coveted smoked meat sandwiches (served warm, on rye bread, with a bit of mustard and a dill pickle on the side).