Country book · North America

Canada

Wilderness the size of a continent, manners to match

Canada stretches from Atlantic fishing villages to Pacific rainforests to Arctic tundra, holding together French, English, Indigenous and immigrant cultures with a famously calm civic glue. It has more lakes than the rest of the world combined.

Myths

What's true, what isn't

Actually true

Politeness is a genuine cultural value
Saying sorry constantly and holding doors is not performative — it's deeply ingrained social behavior.
Hockey really is a national obsession
Backyard rinks, Tim Hortons and NHL playoffs dominate winter conversation from coast to coast.
The wilderness is immense and close
Even major cities sit minutes from forests, lakes and mountains that stretch for thousands of kilometers.
It really is bilingual
Cereal boxes, government forms and airport signs are in both English and French by law.

Commonly believed, wrong

"It's covered in snow year-round"
Southern Ontario and British Columbia have warm, humid summers; Vancouver rarely sees snow at all.
"Everyone lives near polar bears"
Most Canadians live within 150km of the US border, in temperate cities, not the Arctic.
"Canada and the US are basically the same"
Universal healthcare, gun laws, multiculturalism policy and political tone differ sharply between the two.
"Quebec is just like the rest of Canada"
Quebec runs on French language, civil law traditions and a distinct cultural identity from the rest of the country.

Highlights

The best of Canada

The Rocky Mountains

Banff and Jasper offer turquoise lakes, glaciers and wildlife within driving distance of each other.

Niagara Falls

One of the most powerful waterfalls on the continent, straddling the US border in mist and rainbows.

The Northern Lights

Yukon and the Northwest Territories offer some of the clearest, darkest skies for aurora viewing anywhere.

Coastal British Columbia

Rainforest, orcas and fjords meet in a Pacific landscape unlike anywhere else in North America.

Culture

Cultural riches

Multiculturalism as policy

Canada formally adopted multiculturalism in 1971, and cities like Toronto are among the most diverse on Earth.

Indigenous heritage

First Nations, Inuit and Métis art, totem poles and land acknowledgments are woven into public life.

Hockey culture

From backyard rinks to the NHL, hockey structures winter life across the country.

French Canadian identity

Quebec's language laws, chansonniers and distinct cuisine set it apart within the federation.

Food

What to eat

Poutine

Fries, cheese curds and gravy, born in rural Quebec and now a national comfort food.

Maple syrup

Tapped from sugar maples each spring, it flavors everything from pancakes to bacon.

Montreal-style bagels

Smaller, sweeter and wood-fired compared to their New York cousins.

Butter tarts

A flaky pastry shell filled with a gooey, sweet butter-and-sugar filling, uniquely Canadian.

Nanaimo bars

A no-bake layered dessert from Vancouver Island with custard and chocolate ganache.

Music

World-famous voices

Drake

The most-streamed rapper of the streaming era.

Céline Dion

Québec's voice, and the world's.

The Weeknd

Toronto's dark-pop superstar.

Shania Twain

Country-pop crossover queen.

Justin Bieber

From Stratford, Ontario, to global pop.

History

Important people in history

John A. Macdonald

1815 — 1891

First prime minister of Canada, oversaw Confederation in 1867 and the transcontinental railway.

Lester B. Pearson

1897 — 1972

Nobel Peace Prize laureate who helped create UN peacekeeping and later served as prime minister.

Pierre Trudeau

1919 — 2000

Championed multiculturalism and patriated the Canadian constitution with the Charter of Rights in 1982.

Cities