deenailz

just wondering as my family is scottish , is there many scots in canada ?

Wookie Wayne

I've seen a few I must admit, there are Scottish bars as well. Saw the old firm game in one, beer for breakfast, Celtic and Rangers fans mixing quite happily, police sat downstairs enjoying a coffee break and a few English (including me). Also try Nova Scotia, loads of Scottish roots etc.

I've even met people from Glasgow who lost their accent and a couple who couldn't go home either. On a stag do I was in a Scottish bar sampling the whiskeys with the owner, never again, I couldn't move the following day without throwing up!

The Rose and Crown at Younge and Eglington used to be owned by a Scot, can't say now however.

Loads of Irish and even Welsh, Canada accepts us all.

Hope this helps!

deenailz

cheers , i just love takin to em , it reminds me of my mum

Voyager970

MMMEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE

I'll be one very soon, and a true Glaswegian over the big pond

Eddie

deenailz

cool well if we get over in a couple of years we will have to meet up where abouts in glasgow are yer from ??

Souvenir

Canada is packed with Scots. Have no fear.

I knew four Glaswegians just from one pub in Oakville.

Liana

Too many clannish people here already.

Alberta_Rose

LOL ...... why don't you "meet up" while ur in the UK, it's potentially a lot more convenient than in Canada, which is somewhat larger!

Biiiiink

I think something like 4 million said they were of Scottish origin in a recent census? We meet many in day to day life - the man two doors up is from Helensburgh, the lady at the bakery in IGA is from Dundee, Mr B's college sec is from Dennistoun, his pharmacy tutor is Scottish...

Jenni Calder's Scots in Canada is worth a read if you're interested in how and why Scots came, and what happened to them once they got here.

montreal mike

That's an amusing question. This land is massive so it all depends which part one lives in. In these parts I haven't met too many but there are tons of haitians, sri lankans, lebanese, algerians, vietnamese, chinese, etc. etc. to be found.

willmore

And that's why I say.....God I hope there arent many scots in canada!

montreal mike

That may well be. But I am not disputing the stastistic.

But the factof the matter is that, in relative terms, immigration from the UK is now virtually non existent. It already slowed down in the sixties when I came over.

Anyways, all scots are welcome as are other nationalities.

Don't be fooled by the name. I knew a few quebecois with scottish surnames who didn't even speak English properly. All due to 300 years of inter-marriage.

montreal mike

'Before 1971, Canadians of Scottish descent were listed as a separate category from British. In the 1960's, they were the third largest ethnic group in the country (after the English and French). Including large numbers of Scotch-Irish from Ulster, they have formed a distinctive cultural group since the 17th century.'

A good link here .. read all three pages though.


http://britannia.com/celtic/scotland/scot18.html

Biiiiink

You may be blunt, but I'm not sure what you're saying Are you saying that the 4 million were wrong to self-identify as being of Scottish origin? That figure was from the 2001 census where you could choose as many options as applied for your origin, I imagine your QC acquaintances ticked more than just the "Scots" box.

I wouldn't call immigration from the UK virtually non-existent either, the UK has remained in the top 10 source countries for new immigrants to Canada for the last decade, 7th in 2004 being the most recent stat I can find.

But anyway, my point was to illustrate that Scots migration to Canada is not only historic, but that you'll come across plenty of Scots-born people in your everyday life too.

montreal mike

No I am not saying that at all.

There is a world of difference in my view between a Scot who 'came over' and a 10th generation Scot. I am saying this, in a blunt way but without trying being offensive, so as to put the situation into a more realistic context.

Honestly, I do not figure that numbers you quoted, even if they be accurate, are really all that meaningful, realistic, or are necessarily a fair representation.

And again, I stress that I am speaking purely in relative terms. Immigration from Scotland, the entire UK, as well as Europe, is down sharply from what it was, say, 35 years ago. That is why in my post upthread, I used the term 'relatively'.

Immigration -- in terms of sheer numbers -- to Canada is now essentially from so called third world nations. That is the situation in Europe too.

As to one's heritage, I ask myself how pertinent is it? In the example I gave, when one goes around in QC with a Scottish surname but can hardly speak the language and the heritage itself means sweet nothing to these people who are really 100% 'Quebecois Francais'.

So someone from Scotland, just getting here, and meeting up with one of these people, won't have anything in common would they?

As an added example, and to make the point stronger, my very own surname is East European, a former commie country. Since I was born in the UK and my late Dad never taught me the language, I do not speak their lingo (I can only speak English, French and German) and have never visited the country of my Grandad. I have never been inclined to do so either. So, in my particular case, I ask myself 'what does it really all mean'? Quite honestty my ancestors might as well have come from Timbuktu!