How does everyone feel Canada rates in terms of politeness/courteousness/people generally being pleasant? Here's a hornet's nest!

When we've been there we have found people generally to be more pleasant & socially considerate - here you just seem to get a grunt off the checkout staff if you're lucky etc. and litter, yobbishness (is that a word?) seem off the scale.

However my aunt in Canada says when she comes back to the UK she always finds people very friendly compared to Canada! Maybe she shops in all the posh stores

Maybe it's because we're all more sociable when we're in a different place or does anyone find there's a big difference between attitudes on opposite sides of the pond?

When we visited Ontario in June I found people friendly but would not say they were more friendly that UK. Just the same really. I suppose its the same whatever country you are in, some people are friendly some are not so!! I didnt meet one unfriendly person in Canada but wouldnt say they were all overly friendly like some people have said.

I would say Canadians were generally more friendly and courteous until you put them behind the wheel of a car!! Then it all goes to s**t.

The litter thing I tend to agree with, though there was just as much rubbish on the streets of Montreal as in Manchester in my experience, but a lot less on the roads/in public places.

I find Canadian service generally more pleasant (pubs being a notable exception) but I think the main issue is you're a gaijin in a foreign land and whether it's a Brit in Canada or a Canuck in Britain people try to make you feel welcome.

You know the thing where the checkout person asks "did you find everything you wanted today?" .... I used to think they really cared.

But last week I was near Sobey's and needed a few things that I normally buy in Safeway so popped in to see what they had. I wanted fresh soups (Safeway has a nice range), and I couldn't find any, so I asked, and they said they didn't sell it.

OK so I proceeded to the checkout, where they asked the question, and, to see what the response would be, I said "no, I really wanted some fresh soup, but it appears you don't have it here."

"Ah." was the only response, as the girl conitnued to check through what I'd bought. I don't know what I expected her to do about it, but I did expect a little more interest in my disappointment!

LOL

I went shopping with friends yesterday. They spent an extra 10 minutes at the checkout making the the staff find the correct price of the item. The people in the queue behind them waited without complaint or any sign of unhappiness. The Checkout operator was patient and unflustered and everyone seemed calm. They acted like they had all the time in the world. The only impatient one was me. I know in London it would be very different.

I think they just have a slightly different value system. I am sure if they got a job in a UK supermarket, it wouldn't be long before they started acting like everyone else there.

I was in North Bay last weekend and bought some stuff from Zellers. The checkout girl said that exact phrase....but in a broad Geordie accent. Turns out she'd only immigrated six weeks ago. No, I don't think they really care. Who knew?

Awwwe

The first time I heard it I thought that I must have looked very confused, lost and a bit dim and was mildly offended until I heard it again and again and again and gradually figured it out.

You mean my friendly thrifty cashier doesnt really mean it when they ask me that? Im devastated!

I thought exactly the same. Why do they always ask me that? Do I look lost?

To me there's no comparison. People are much more relaxed and friendly over here, but I guess it depends on where you come from and where you're going to.
I always used to get a bit apprehensive approaching the tills in the UK before entering 'the race'. This involved me seeing if I could pack up my shopping whilst Latrina, Keisha or Nutella threw your things down the till as fast as she could. If you're not at your best, you could end up with her asking you (in a Bristolian accent whilst chewing gum) "Thats a underd a thurty quid please" whilst you still had 6 bags to pack! The shame of it all! You can feel the people in the que huffing and even hear their eyes rolling! However if I was at my best and managed to pack my things before she told me the bill, it would feel like a great victory and I'd stand there very smug, she knew she'd been beaten

I found everyone to be so lovely in all three of the major cities we visited, east and west, and the holiday resorts too, and I do mean out of the way polite - providing additional info or thinking outside the box in terms of customer service.

I am lucky that where I live we are a generally friendly bunch but I have to say I found the Canadian manners to be above and beyond those - however, I was always brought up to be polite and courteous so perhaps it's contagious and if you are then they will be too??

Maybe the answer is here

http://portal.telegraph.co.uk/global...C-exp_11092006

Neither country's more polite than the other, it's just different and a bit of a novelty. Along those lines, I was gobsmacked to read Scarlett Johansson simply loves to go to London to browse round Superdrug. SUPERDRUG???? But I suppose to her it's exotic and new

Im not so sure. My experience is that people round here are way more polite and more likely to take a genuine interest than they were in the UK. In the big cities that probably less true. Maybe its not UK vs Canada as much as it is in cities / outside cities though.