jessicanuck

Hi,

Firstly, I'd like to welcome you all to Canada and I hope that you all have a great future here.

Secondly, I'd like to ask why you chose Canada instead of choosing any of the many European countries considering that the EU guarantees the freedom of movement of people and the many shared cultural and political familiarities (soccer, euro currency, European politics, etc.)

Thirdly, how would you compare the culture of Canada vs. the general cultures of Europe? I know that Canadian culture is very modern but does there seem to be a "dearth" of Canadian culture compared to the cultures of Europe?

Any comparisons/differences of Canadian and European society and cultures are welcome.

Again, welcome to Canada!

magnumpi

Timmies

Novocastrian

Are you the Queen?

I've done both. I came here for a cushy job.

Canadian culture is not modern, it's non-existent.


Thanks LIz.

Oink

Job. I'll refrain from commenting any further.

Paul_Shepherd

Well personally I feel there are a number of answers to what you have asked, but looking at it in basic terms, and giving you a brief answer, I feel I have far more in common with Canadian people than any European country, I could never live in any European country, I would feel very homesick, but have no problem settling in Canada, for a start we speak the same language, (with the exception of a few quirky terminolgy differences) Canada and UK share very close historical ties which still exist today.

Canada is different to UK but because of much of Canada's history is interwoven with links to UK, it reminds me of what the UK used to be 30-40 years ago, I consider that to be a very good thing. In addition to that it as its so close geographically to the US it has all the good things the US offers but none if the downsides that come with the US. And ive actually heard that from some US expats too!

Of course Europe has so many different cultures and its nice to explore that, and i have enjoyed doing that over the years, but living in a place is very different to visiting it, with the exception of Germany and Scandanavia, I dont feel much of connection to any of the European countries. I feel far more of a connection to Canada and its people. ITs all personal opinion though, im sure many would disagree.

Well thats a few brief reasons of why I chose Canada, I could go a lot deeper into it, but you get the jist of my opinion. Ive lived in Canada for almost 4 years now, and am very pleased to call it my home.

rwin

I'm not allowed to answer.

Tony_Tiger

It chose it as its very 1980's here...

christmasoompa

Are you asking all of this for a specific reason or just out of interest?

Beaverquest

find it much more interesting than the usual 'how much does i cost to fly fido' routine

Jimbo2012

I came here for family reasons. That and the fact I am unilingual!
I'm not sure anyone can make a simple comparison between Canada and Europe. That would be comparing one (albeit huge) country to a continent with over 50 nations, each with their own cultures and customs.
Of course Canada doesn't have the depth of history of the "old world" but personally I didn't come here for the "culture" - that doesn't pay the bills as many in southern Europe would no doubt tell you. That said, I'm finding Canada quite liveable - sure the winter was cold but it was bearable. The sun shines most of the time, the people are very friendly in the main and generally it's much more laid back than the UK. I work slightly longer hours than back home but it doesn't feel like it (if that makes sense).
As for "soccer", I can watch EPL here much cheaper than I could in the UK! ECL is also well covered as are WC qualifiers.

I wouldn't get too hung up on the "culture" thing really. I mean how important is that in our day-to-day lives? Besides, there are plenty of places of interest to see in the Americas if travel and discovery are a real passion for you.

Tangram

It was for the children and the rollercoaster ride of immigration.

Edit: and the block heaters.

MarylandNed

You won't get many intelligent answers.

Brits don't do languages (except for various dialects of English) so they tend to flock to mostly English-speaking countries such as Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa and the US. Otherwise they congregate in expat enclaves in places like Spain where they can still speak English and go to British pubs and fish & chip shops. If they travel around Europe, they always seek out locals who speak English (which they nearly always find - because continental Europeans do languages very well).

Brits also don't know what culture is. They think it has to be "old stuff" otherwise it's not culture. So therefore there is nothing in the "New World" that is actually cultural in nature.

dbd33

It seems not.

CanadaJimmy

Interesting question. Brits and other Europeans do share a similar mindset, and to extent I do miss the european attitude to some things like alcohol for example, so in that sense it would have made sense for me to stay in Europe. The primary reason I moved the Canada was mainly because I like the North American style of things, and how new everything was so things were less established, proximity to the US and the fact that I didn't have to learn an entirely new language. Cultural differences were not really on my list.

I also agree with Paul_Shepherd that the UK links that still exist here do help to make Canada feel more like home. There are lots of other British people here, and at the end of the day I'm a British person in British Columbia. Historical connections like that are nice to have.

I disagree when people say there is no Canadian culture. The big difference to me is how Canadians revere the 1950s, there is a huge respect for that time period which is shown by how people restore classic cars from that period, and preserve old diners/drive-ins. There was an economic boom in North America at that time that wasn't paralleled in Europe, so that is interesting to me. Canadian history also ties back into Hudson's bay company, so culturally the country is "used" to having a company-run government, I believe that is why today there are still many gov't operated institutions like car insurance, liquor stores, workers compensation etc. Again there is no parallel to this in Europe.

In terms of day to day life there are some cultural aspects I enjoy, Canadians are proud of their country and I see that as a positive thing - the Flags people put up are nice and Canada Day is a good festival. I have heard that since the Olympics, Britain has become more patriotic - that will be interesting to see when I return to visit. I also like that there is less emphasis on social class than there is in the UK, and that people can say "Have a nice day" without it being taken cynically. There are lots of small things like that.

I would say that the North American society is much more business oriented than European, I think sometimes here it's business first, life second. That exists in Europe too but it seems less common.
On a more positive note there is unparalleled personal freedom in Canada, the police and gov't do not interfere in people's daily lives. There is very limited CCTV. There are processes in place so that when the people disagree with something, they can oust their MLAs or call for a referendum. Democratically, for the most part, Canada has some additional protection than some other countries. There is a lot of opportunity here for entrepreneurs and smaller businesses.

Beaverquest

this is a wind-up right ?