ronaldoooo

There are some right miserable buggers on another thread, whinging and complaining about Canada. So this is a thread for all the great things about this place.

For me, it's the little things that make Canada stand out so much. On the very first day I arrived I was in the local supermarket buying a drink. When it come time to pay, I was $0.25 short...I said to the check out guy that I couldn't pay and that I would have to put the drink back. The guy reached into his pocket, pulled out $0.25 of his own money and put it into the till and told me not to worry about it!

A simple thing, but it made a huge impact on me. Since then 1000's of little things like that have made living in Canada so great. What little things about Canada / Canadians / Canadian living have impressed you the most?

R I C H

The cost of booze, cheese and insurance.

Putting out a hillside blaze from a lightening strike while the fire department looked on drinking coffee, because it was 50m outside of the fire protection limit.

Paying tax on second hand goods.

How many are you looking for?

rivingtonpike

I think one of the biggest impressions I've had is the lack of professionalism in business. EVERYTHING - and I mean EVERYTHING, takes twice as long as it needs to; and that's if it even happens at all.

Manyana isn't the start of it - never mind the half of it.

Mind you the beaches lakes and hills are nice.....

Howefamily

you so know you were asking for irony and sarcasm when you posted this, right?

I love:
Tim Hortons (yes I do!!! to all the haters out there)
Firepits
My pool
empty beaches
beautiful views
my 2500 square foot home
our excellent neighbours and the amazing community we live in
Donair pizza!
Apple crisp
Cinammon rolls from the oven
My keurig machine with its funky coffee - spicy eggnog, Golden french toast, winter carnival
the seafood
the seasons - the fact that they exist
the summer!

Howefamily

the lack of professionalism drives me bonkers, its like being back at school at times.
I wish they would put more fresh paint on the roads

rivingtonpike

Knew I should have stayed out East - we've none of that here (except firepits).

Animal

I could also go down the route of RivingtonPike & RICH (and agree with some of the comments ) but will keep within the OP's original post by saying that I find the majority of people more positive, upbeat and family orientated here compared to the majority in the UK (possibly not in some other areas within Canada).

iaink

Can we for once try and stick to the intent of the thread rather than make smartarse knowing comments from the cheap seats?

There are more than enough threads to vent frustrations and air warnings of the negatives, so please save the negatives for those threads rather than piss all over this one.

ExKiwilass

I really like poutine

Animal

Winterised the pool the week we moved into the house so never used it yet and no idea what I'm doing with it when we open it again - no doubt there will be some questions from me on here about it all

I don't drink Coffee and the OH got a Keurig for Christmas but must try some of the more 'exoctic' Concoctions you mention

Agree with the seasons and summer though and looking forward to spring and sitting on the mower with a beer !

Animal

ronaldoooo

wow...seriously guys, this forum is in dire need of some cheering up.

Just getting in a car driving to a camp site and splitting a few beers with a complete stranger is so liberating. To walk down the street and have everybody say "good morning" to you as you pass them. To have a Smore for the 1st time. To burn the arse out of your hand on Timmy's coffee for the 1st time. The openness and friendliness of everybody in Canada is unlike anything back in the UK.

I can't wait to raise kids here.

iaink

So, positives...

People are prepared to pay it forward, like putting a quarter in the till if you are short, or the take a penny leave a penny trays.

Most of the people I know here do way more community / charitable work than those in the UK... its always gratifying that people go out in the spring and help to clear all the litter from the roadside, rather than it being a permanent dump.

How excited the kids are to watch a Santa Clause parade, and the fact that many people are prepared to freeze their arse off on a float in november or december to make that happen!

I love the changing seasons and the wildlife that goes with it (saw swans this morning flying from the river, and a bald eagle last week in the distance)

I love that my 10 year old speaks fluent French without thinking about it.

I love that I can stop and ski on the way home from work if I want. Or go swim in the river in the summer.

I like that my commute involves no traffic snarl ups.

I love the crunch that snow makes under your feet on a really cold day, and hunkering down by a real wood fire as a winter storm rages outside. (at least until the power goes out)

I love the sense of community where I live, people help each other, neighbours will clear my driveway if they are out there with a snowblower before I get there with my shovel after a heavy snowfall

I love the view from my house over the river

I love that there is space for my kids to play and I dont have to worry about them.

I like that we could afford all this on one salary when the kids were little so that they had a lot of quality time with a parent rather than getting shuffled off to daycare.

A leisurely weekend family breakfast with my better halfs fantastic blueberry pancakes with maple syrup and bacon or cinnamon buns fresh from the oven.

Making smores over a bonfire in the back yard fire pit with a few beers with the neighbours.

Soaking up the heat, sitting with a cold beer on the deck in the summer. Before running back into the comfort of the A/C

Fall colours, just breathtaking.

Dark starry nights, watching for shooting stars.

Someone buying donuts for everyone at the office for no reason.

Grilling on the BBQ when company visits. Even if you have to shovel a path to get to it.

Anyway, this list could go on, its not like its the first time Ive done this here. Its not perfect, God knows, but for me the pros outweigh the cons and its good for the soul to think about the good things I have here.

Oink

Salmon fishing
Rock fish fishing
Spot prawn fishing
Dungeness crab fishing
Local smokehouse providing free bait for crab and prawn fishing
Cuban cigars to smoke while fishing
Liberal attitudes to alcohol consumption while fishing
Lack of local hard-work ethic to allow time for fishing

ExKiwilass

nudity.