Some Canadian Stereotypes - true or false?

Canada: the land of polite apologies, endless forests, and apparently, people who live on maple syrup and hockey alone. If you’ve ever wondered whether Canadians really say “sorry” every five seconds or if we all secretly ride moose to work, you’re not alone. What are some of the common Canadian stereotypes, and are they really true?

We are polite and say sorry all the time - Mostly true. I don’t know what it is about our culture that makes us so apologetic, but Canadians are always apologizing. If we bump into a tree, we apologize to the tree. If someone bumps into us, we apologize.  We say sorry so much that the Apology Act came in to being that says that even if someone says sorry, it doesn't necessarily constitute an admission of guilt and can't be used against them. Sorry is a very true Canada stereotype. 

It is cold and icy all the time - This is not true.  We have four distinct seasons, and during the summers it can get hot in much of the country.  (Yesterday it was 32 degrees celcius where I live - which is 90 degrees Fahrenheit) Even in the Arctic  it gets warm.

We say eh all the time - partially true - Some people say it alot (I'm guilty).  I find the younger generations don't say it as much - if at all.  My three boys who are in their 20s and 30s make fun of me for saying it all the time.  They rarely say it.

We all love hockey - certainly not everyone in the country loves hockey, but as a whole we tend to be a little hockey obsessed.  We start our kids in hockey at two years old, we have backyard skating rinks, we have passionate arguments about our favourite teams, we play pond hockey, and the whole country stands behind our national teams in the Olympics or World Juniors. Hockey is Canada's game (or so we think). This one is mostly true.

We love Tim Hortons - mostly true - while not every Canadian visits Tim Hortons daily, it is a common thing to do - especially in the morning for a coffee fix. You don't have to go far to find a Tim Hortons. We even have our own lingo around Tim Hortons - "I'll have a double double" "I'm going on a Tims run" "roll up the rim" 

Everyone speaks French - not true - the majority of Canadians only speak a little French if at all.

Canadians drink a lot of beer - true - beer is the number one alcoholic drink in Canada.  Wine may be catching up, but Canadians still love their beer.

The case of oot and aboot - not true - and we will argue the point. (even though it's kind of true) Canadians don’t actually say “oot and aboot,” despite the popular stereotype. We do pronounce the "ou" sound in words like “out” differently than Americans, but it’s a matter of accent, not an entirely different word. While Americans tend to say it with a wider, more open sound - closer to “owt” - Canadians usually have a slightly rounder, tighter pronunciation that leans more toward “oat.” It’s a subtle difference, but it stands out if you’re listening for it.

We put maple syrup on everything - not true- Many people think maple syrup ends up in every Canadian dish, whether it’s sweet, salty, or even sour. While it’s true that Canada is the world’s largest producer of maple syrup, that doesn’t mean it’s the only thing Canadians eat. It's a beloved part of our culture, but definitely not a regular ingredient.

There are polar bears everywhere - not true - Canada is home to more polar bears than any other country, but that doesn’t mean we share our neighbourhoods with them—well, except in Churchill, Manitoba. In Churchill, polar bears really do wander into town, and it’s one of the only places on Earth where humans and bears cross paths so regularly. It’s no surprise the town is known as the Polar Bear Capital of the World.

Fun fact: In Churchill, people often leave their cars and homes unlocked—not because they’re careless, but so anyone can duck inside quickly if a polar bear happens to be nearby. These incredible animals are found only in Canada’s far north, where they roam the Arctic landscape in search of sea ice and seals.

Canadians are just like Americans - not true, and Canadians hate to be called American - While both countries share a border and have some similarities, we have a distinct identity and significant cultural, political, and social differences. 

Sure, the stereotypes make us laugh—and sometimes, they’re not too far off. But Canadians are more than just polite, hockey-loving maple syrup fans. We’re a little quirky, sure, but that’s part of the charm. And if you ever visit, you’ll see there’s a lot more to Canada than just toques and “eh.”