Well now here's a big subject. Disclaimer...sigh .. I have learned from exprience that there has to be a disclaimer when you publish an opinion.... Disclaimer: This is just my viewpoint having lived here for more than a dozen years, I am not saying I'm right, it's just the way I see life here. I have lived in the US, UK and several other European and Caribbean countries. In fact I have lived in Canada for longer than I did at one stretch in any other country and I have lived in this house for many more years than I have in any other including my childhood homes.

That said ...... Where to start, this is a very big country. Comparatively few people in it but the geography makes for quite distinct community personalities across the country.

Above all Canada is polite, clean and quiet. They say that at an orgy you will always find the Canadians in the kitchen washing the grapes. The cities obviously have graffiti and so on but overall it is stunning clean when compared with other parts of the world.

Like every other part of the world there is violence but nothing like that of the US, due in part I am certain, to the better gun laws in Canada.

And quiet. What do I mean by that? Well Canadian armed forces are part of peace keeping missions throughout the world but you don't hear all the sabre rattling and "We're here to save your butts you ungrateful peasants." type of comment that sometimes can be heard from parts further south. And when Canadians do behave badly then there is an investigation and consequences - it's by no means perfect but it's a lot better than some.

One thing that surprises Canadians is that I have only recently started to be able to distinguish between the general Canadian and US American accents. Obviously I can tell if someone is from the deep south or the Bronx and equally the Newfoundland accent is pretty noticeable. But the average accent? I couldn't tell the difference. They are always amazed when I mention this. Apparently US Americans think Canadians sound British. I can't hear it myself but then I am British so perhaps that's why. There does seem to be a vaguely Scots/Irish lilt in the accent - just a hint really, not like those god awful fake Irish accents you sometimes hear affected by Americans around St. Patrick's Day.

Ethnically it is a very mixed nation with a great deal of tolerance and respect shown on every side. Same goes for religious beliefs, sexual orientation and the rights of women. Again there are glaring exceptions, Alberta is perhaps not the best place to live if you are gay. Manitoba is conservative, especially with regards to the rights of women but it is crawling out of that. (I remind you this is only from personal experience).

What are people passionate about? Well they seem to talk about politics a lot though I have yet to drum up much interest myself. But then I have never been very interested in politics generally so perhaps it's just me. They take their leisure time very seriously indeed. Huge amounts of money and time are spent on (holidays) vacations both home and abroad. Even in Manitoba a surprising number of people have swimming pools. Many more have cabins by the lake. Winter sports are obviously popular, skiing, skating, curling but the very moment there is a hint of spring the summer sports and activities take over. Golf if king here. Bores me rigid but if you're into it you could golf to your hearts content across the nation.

So there you have it, tolerant, clean and quiet. Not a bad way to raise children.

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