Something from the sea

Flipper pie is one Canadian cuisine dish that would likely make an unfamiliar visitor ask what’s actually inside it. Commonly found in Newfoundland and Labrador, it consists of seal flipper meat prepared with onions and vegetables under a pastry topping. Seal has long been a staple meat in coastal communities, so while this may sound incredibly strange to others, it has deep-rooted ties to Newfoundland culture.

Everything in one pot

Jiggs dinner takes Newfoundland and Labrador comfort food to a whole new level of hearty. Salt beef is boiled with veggies like potatoes, cabbage, carrots, and turnip, usually with peas pudding on the side, with everything soaking up the flavour of the cooking broth.

Boiled salt beef and mushed peas might not sound appetizing to those who have never tried Newfoundland food. Families growing up with it, though, will think of Sunday dinners, family events, and thoughts of home.

Not an ordinary pie

To make rappie pie, you start by doing something drastic to potatoes. After grating potatoes, you wring out most of the potato liquid. Hot meat broth is poured into the potato mix and then layered with meat and cooked.

The consistency is dense in a way that neither mashed potatoes nor meat pies can achieve. It is made mostly in Acadian communities in southwestern Nova Scotia.

Only one side

Ployes look like small thin pancakes at first glance, but they are a distinctly Acadian culinary tradition. Made mostly from buckwheat flour, this Acadian treat has some customs unique to itself.

Most popular in New Brunswick’s Madawaska region and the adjacent borderlands, they are traditionally cooked one-sided so that the top has little holes in it. Rolled or folded around butter, molasses, maple syrup, or savory ingredients, they can fill many different mealtime niches.

Before the jam

Toast with cold pork spread may sound like a bizarre breakfast treat for most Americans, but cretons is not new to Quebec.

Typically prepared by cooking ground pork with onions and spices until it thickens into a soft paste, it’s sliced on bread or toast and is usually served at breakfast. Consider it a country French-Canadian version of pâté instead of the sugary breakfast topping that those from outside of Quebec may imagine first thing in the morning.

A strange name

Few dishes on this list have names that stick with you quite like oreilles de crisse, a Québécois staple at sugar shacks across the province.

Often made from pork jowl or fatty pork, these tasty tidbits are served with the heaping plates of food you’ll find alongside every maple-season feast. Their extremely salty crunch contrasts delightfully against maple syrup and other foods found on the table.

Not a person

Solomon Gundy sounds more like the name of a crazy old sea captain. In Atlantic Canada, however, Solomon Gundy has been a nickname for pickled herring for years.

Herring is commonly pickled with vinegar, onions, and spices. Before the days of refrigeration, marinating seafood was one way to preserve it. This salty dish is a testament to the thriving preserved- fish culture along the Atlantic seaboard. The acidic bite of fish mixed with vinegar and onion can be too intense for some beginners.

The other poutine

Say poutine râpée outside New Brunswick and you might get fries, gravy, and cheese curds. But what actually shows up couldn’t look more different: an old-fashioned Acadian potato dumpling stuffed with seasoned pork. Grated potato and mashed potato form a big ball around the filling, which is boiled until dense and a bit sticky.

Yesterday’s dough

Newfoundland’s toutons show that leftover bread dough doesn’t have to go to waste. Dough is cut into pieces and fried until golden brown, resulting in a treat that’s crispy on the outside, soft and chewy on the inside. Toutons are traditionally served at breakfast with butter, molasses or syrup, although there are many topping combinations from family to family.

Where are the figgs?

The first thing that surprises most people about Newfoundland’s figgy duff is that you likely won’t find any figs in it. Historically in Newfoundland usage, “figgy” could actually mean raisins that are added to simple steamed or boiled pudding.

It can traditionally be steamed in a cloth/pudding bag and served as part of a hearty meal with a sweet sauce. Boiled raisin pudding might sound super old-fashioned these days, but that’s exactly why it’s such a uniquely Newfoundland culinary treasure.

Bread with fish

Fish and brewis is a Newfoundland and Labrador dish consisting of salt cod and hard bread softened by soaking. Scrunchions (small cubes of rendered salt pork, along with their rendered fat) are often added on top of the dish for saltiness and richness. To some, this may sound like ship’s rations: hardtack soaked until softened and topped with salt-cured fish and pork fat. To generations of Newfoundlanders, it’s a familiar taste.

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15 foods that instantly reveal you grew up on a tight budget

If you grew up watching every grocery dollar, some of these foods will probably bring back memories instantly.

15 foods that instantly reveal you grew up on a tight budget

The breakfast shortcut

Processed meats, including bacon, sausage, hot dogs, and salami, should be eaten sparingly. They are usually high in sodium and saturated fat. In addition, regular consumption of processed meat is linked to a higher risk of colorectal cancer. Choose beans, eggs, nuts, or other less processed sources of protein more often.

Liquid dessert

Sugar-sweetened soft drinks provide a lot of added sugar with little nutritional value to curb hunger. Regular consumption is linked with weight gain and increased risk of type 2 diabetes and heart disease. Simply replacing one soda a day with water or unsweetened tea or sparkling water can make a big difference.

Straight from the fryer

Deep-fried foods like fried chicken, French fries and battered fast food items can deliver lots of calories, salt and unhealthy fats in a small portion. Eating fried foods has also been linked to poor cardiovascular health. How foods are cooked matters as well, especially when oil is reused for deep frying.

The convenient slice

Frozen pizzas that are highly processed can pack together a few things we should limit: white flour, processed meat, high amounts of sodium, and significant saturated fat. Pizza isn’t inherently unhealthy. A homemade or minimally processed pizza topped with vegetables can be nutritionally different. It’s the extra processed, meat-heavy pizzas we eat often that we should be careful with.

Morning sugar bomb

Processed cereals can be more dessert than nutritious breakfast. Many are full of added sugar and refined grains with not much fibre or protein. Whole grains like oats, unsweetened cereals, fruit, nuts & seeds will fill you up longer.

More than a coffee

Hot drinks can sneakily have high amounts of sugar, syrups, whipped cream and saturated fat. It’s easy to justify drinking them on top of a regular meal because they’re drinks, not dessert. Coffee by itself is another story entirely, so most of the time it’s what you add to it that counts.

The endless crunch

Potato chips and other salty snack foods are easy to over-consume. They’re typically calorie-rich, heavily salted, and lack the fibre and nutrients of whole foods. The issue isn’t mindlessly snacking on them at parties. It’s when they become your mindless daily snack.

Out of a packet

Instant noodles are quick and cheap. However, most are shockingly high in sodium and offer little to no fibre, vegetables or protein by themselves. Having them once in a while isn’t too bad. Making them a staple can replace meals that are much better for you.

The bakery trap

Packaged cakes, doughnuts and pastries cram refined flour, added sugar and saturated fat into insanely calorie-dense packages. Sure, they’re meant to be treats. But treats have a way of turning into daily breakfast foods and snacks. Making sure they stay occasional instead of routine is a far more realistic longevity habit than pretending you’ll never eat cake again.

The white flour habit

Processed breads and baked goods contain far less of the fibre found in whole intact grains. Overall, whole-grain options have a less dramatic impact on blood sugar, and offer more fibre and micronutrients. You don’t have to stress about every piece of white bread, but choosing whole grains most of the time is a smart choice.

Dinner from a box

Ultra-processed ready meals are designed to be convenient and often contain lots of salt, refined carbohydrates and saturated fat. More importantly, when people eat lots of ultra-processed foods, there is usually less room in the diet for vegetables, beans, whole grains, nuts and other minimally processed foods that make up healthier diets.

The candy drawer

Candy and sweets are full of added sugar and offer very little nutritional benefits. They also continually expose your teeth to sugar if you snack on them all day. One treat every now and then is fine; but having sweets within reach all day changes an occasional treat to a mealtime habit.

The over-sized combo

A fast-food combo meal merges a refined bun, processed or fatty meat, fries, high-fructose corn syrup, and absurd amounts of sodium all in one meal. Eating a burger every now and then isn’t what’s killing you. It’s when fast food is your main meal multiple times a week.

The hidden salt mine

Highly processed and canned foods can have extremely high levels of sodium. Consuming too much sodium can increase your blood pressure, which is a major risk factor for heart disease and stroke. Reading labels is important as two seemingly similar soups, sauces or ready meals can have vastly different sodium levels.

The sweetened cup

Sweetened fruit drinks, bottled teas and energy drinks may have just as much added sugar as soda. They can fool you because they have a healthier image. Even fruit juice-based drinks shouldn’t be considered the same as whole fruit. Whole fruit contains fibre and takes time to consume. Your daily choices of what to drink matter more than you might think.

The second helping problem

Big portions of processed and high-fat red meats can tip your saturated-fat and calorie intake over the top. Processed meats also come with other health issues. You don’t have to completely give up unprocessed red meat. Simply cutting back on how often you eat it and substituting beans, fish, nuts or other protein sources for some servings will help you achieve a healthier balance.

The everyday dessert

Ice cream and other sugary/high-fat desserts can absolutely have a place in your diet every once in a while. The issue occurs when dessert becomes automatic after dinner night after night while you’re already eating a lot of calories.

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15 foods that instantly reveal you grew up on a tight budget

If you grew up watching every grocery dollar, some of these foods will probably bring back memories instantly.

15 foods that instantly reveal you grew up on a tight budget

Life at a premium

Switzerland ranks as one of the most expensive countries to live in every year. You will find prices to be very high for rent, groceries, medical expenses, eating out, and more. Salaries are higher than in most other countries, but tourists and expats visiting Switzerland are quickly overwhelmed by prices. Basic public services, daily transportation, and leisure activities are expensive throughout all major cantons.

Small island, big bills

Singapore is a densely populated city-state with negligible natural resources. It imports nearly all its food, energy and industrial raw materials. Housing land is limited, so residential rent and property prices are among the highest in the world.

Taxes levied by the government on car ownership are some of the highest in the world as well, making owning and driving a car costlier than in most other places.

The Alpine microstate

Liechtenstein is small in size, has a strong financial sector, and one of the wealthiest populations on earth. Sharing an open border and currency with Switzerland means Liechtenstein displays the same high cost for goods, services and building. Limited availability of housing drives real estate prices and rent payments to some of the highest in Europe.

The luxury coastline

Monaco has earned the reputation of being a playground for billionaires due to its tax advantages. With limited land area on the French Riviera being developed for real estate, prices per square meter are some of the highest in the world. Regular goods and services such as eating at bistros and the cost of home services are targeted towards high-net- worth individuals.

The island effect

Solomon Islands are a gorgeous archipelago in the South Pacific filled with rainforests, sea life, and shipwrecks. One downside to living on the islands is that prices are extremely high. Nearly everything, from fuel to packaged food to daily necessities, is imported from overseas. Bringing supplies to the islands themselves and transporting them between the nearly 1,000 islands is very costly. Also, rent and electricity are unexpectedly expensive in the capital, Honiara.

The remote high life

Situated in the North Atlantic, Iceland imports nearly everything, including consumer goods, electronics, and farming products. High import tariffs, domestic labor rates, and strict market regulations ensure grocery bills stay high. Heating and electricity rates are low due to plentiful geothermal resources, but eating out and short-term accommodations cost a lot.

The North Sea giant

With its large oil-funded economy and relatively high wage levels, Norway is an expensive country. Taxes on most goods are very high compared to Europe (value added tax), and agricultural tariffs are among the highest in the world. They keep imported food expensive in order to subsidise domestic agriculture. Eating out, buying alcohol and tipping for services will take up a larger share of your budget than in most parts of continental Europe.

The Middle Eastern oasis

Due to Qatar‘s recent economic growth brought on by its large natural gas industry, it has developed into a large metropolis with an extremely high standard of living. Since Qatar imports many luxury goods, electronics, and fruits and vegetables, the cost of living can be quite high. Rent in some neighborhoods of Qatar’s capital city, Doha, and private education for expatriate families are two of the highest costs of living.

The Nordic welfare model

Denmark has a very high standard of living. It has a large public welfare system which is funded by high personal and sales taxes. A strong currency paired with high minimum wage rates keeps service-sector expenses, eating out and entertainment expensive. Taxes on new cars and energy use increase monthly expenses.

The Pacific Ocean archipelago

Australia‘s distance from everywhere else means importing goods, specialist machinery and electronics requires lengthy shipping, which inflates retail prices. Demand for housing in Australia’s large coastal cities pushes rents and purchase prices through the roof. Strong minimum wages mean Australia’s workers earn very well, but that equates to higher prices for eating out, entertainment and personal care.

The desert capital hub

Dubai and Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates attract a huge international population lured by tax-free salaries and new infrastructure. Local energy costs, utilities, and transportation can be cheap, but luxurious real estate, private international education, and imported food can really expand your budget. The cost of living is kept elevated by standards of living in metropolitan areas.

The Western European powerhouse

Ireland has quickly become a European hub for technology and corporate headquarters, which has led to sudden population booms in major cities. Rapid expansion has led to housing shortages, resulting in soaring rents in recent years. Indirect taxes are high, healthcare can be expensive, and utility bills are above average, keeping Ireland’s cost of living well above Europe’s average.

The North American leader

There are substantial regional cost-of-living differences across the United States. However, the national average cost-of-living is still considered high. Much of this is due to large metropolitan areas that serve as centers of the American economy and commerce. Higher costs of health care, college education, and housing in urban centers can cause expenses to skyrocket. While fuel and consumer goods prices are lower than in Western Europe, many other costs of living are high.

The Pacific gateway

New Zealand is geographically isolated like many of its Pacific neighbors. Because of this remoteness, transport costs make most manufactured goods and specialist products very expensive to import. The relatively small population restricts economies of scale, resulting in few supermarkets, so grocery prices are relatively high due to limited competition. House prices remain high compared to incomes because demand for housing, particularly in urban centres, continues to outstrip supply.

The expensive paradise

The Bahamas is well known for its clear turquoise waters, warm weather, and upscale resorts. The Bahamian government taxes heavily on imports as they do not have a personal income tax. Nearly all groceries, gasoline, and construction materials are imported to the islands. For this reason, groceries and store prices are very expensive. Everyday living can be quite costly with high electric bills and a competitive real estate market targeted towards luxury vacation buyers.

Caribbean costs

Grenada is called the “Spice Isle” and is known for producing nutmeg, cocoa, and gorgeous tropical beaches. Grenada grows fresh fruits and vegetables on local farms but must import most other staples, processed foods, and fuel by boat. Electricity costs are high because it’s powered by imported oil, and landlords charge high prices to visitors and students. Eating locally grown food from the market is cheap; however, it is expensive to live an average Western lifestyle there.

Sources: Please see here for a complete listing of all sources that were consulted in the preparation of this article.

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The invitation that never comes

A Canadian colleague may chat amiably for months before ever asking to meet outside of work. Social circles can be tightly formed, and it can be very difficult to enter into them as a newcomer. Americans may feel more comfortable telling someone, “Come over sometime,” grabbing a new colleague for a drink, or just extending an invitation to someone they’ve only just met. Casual as the invitation may be, it means a lot to a newcomer.

Hidden behind the hint

Canadians are often not very direct when we communicate. If someone annoys us, instead of plainly stating what is wrong, we might start talking less than usual, give short responses, or say something craftily worded and expect you to pick up on it.

Americans are stereotypically very blunt when communicating, which can come across as rude, but at least you know where you stand. Speaking exactly what is bothering you can be nicer than letting someone figure it out.

Sorry doesn’t always mean sorry

Canada’s famous “sorry” can become a reflexive social habit. You might hear it when you bump into someone, elbow them passing through a crowd, talk over them, or even if they’re the ones stepping in your way. Sure, that allows for polite day-to-day life, but it can also devalue the word reflexively.

Someone from the US who doesn’t apologize quite as freely might use the word more sparingly, but mean it more sincerely when something is legitimately their fault.

Strangers get more conversation

Americans like to strike up conversations with strangers pretty much anywhere: elevators, checkout lanes, airports, cafés and waiting rooms. To Canadians, this can feel frivolous, or even invasive. Visitors will feel differently when they’re lost or otherwise stranded alone.

The stranger who talks to you, helps you find somewhere to eat, or just makes you laugh can make an unfamiliar place feel friendly.

The compliment gap

Over-the-top praise doesn’t always play well in more reserved cultures. Canadians might understate a compliment, whereas Americans don’t blink at telling someone they’ve just met that they love their jacket, gushing over a coworker’s success, or praising a person’s work outright.

It’s not that Americans are necessarily more genuine and Canadians rude; sometimes it just is how they communicate. However, when someone is taking the time to lavish praise on you, it sure feels good.

The complaints come later

A Canadian might grin and bear an annoyance because it’s rude to tell someone off, and then proceed to complain about them to everyone else. Americans can be too direct, but directness can also be more fair.

When you say “That bothered me,” you allow the other person an opportunity to explain themselves or change their ways. Passive-aggressive resentment is politely spoken sweetness topped with a heap of bitterness.

Too polite to help

Privacy can sometimes become excessive distance. If someone looks upset or is fumbling with bags, directions, or some other little issue, a Canadian might avoid getting involved because we don’t want to intrude.

Americans will often be startlingly forward with “Are you okay?” or “Need a hand?” Often, intruding on someone else’s space for thirty seconds is just the kindness they require.

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Not quite the same

The quickest way to rub Canadians the wrong way is by treating Canada like the 51st state. Sure, the US and Canada share a border and language. We may listen to many of the same songs. But we are not the United States. Thinking that the rules, workplace culture or even HR policies are the same out here is just ignorance.

Lost in translation

Sending official documents with “color” instead of “colour”, “center” instead of “centre”, and “traveled” instead of “travelled” is a sure sign you didn’t take the time to localize. Neither does making metric-minded Canadians think and re-translate every measurement, temperature, or distance into Fahrenheit, miles, or pounds.

Sounds different up here

Calling “chesterfield” or “washroom” or “tuque” weird or funny gets tedious fast. Ridiculing regional lexicon or making jokes about Canadian accents changes friendly conversation into forced comedy. Canadians like it when co-workers accept region-specific phrasing.

Keeping it out of the office

Invoking divisive U.S. political issues like gun control or health care battles in casual office chit-chat forces Canadians into uncomfortable territory.  Most Canadians don’t want to discuss hot-button politics while at work. Don’t force Canadian employees to pick a side in issues that are your country’s domestic battles.

A complicated system

Generalizing ignorantly about Canada’s single-payer health care system will usually earn you an unspoken group eye-roll. Claiming it’s “free” ignores the fact Canadians are heavily taxed. Claiming it’s “socialized medicine failure” ignores how Canadian’s feel about universal coverage. It’s best not to lecture citizens on how their own social programs work.

Dial it down

The standard mode of American business communication is hyper-drive cheerleading: pushy self-promotion, mega-volume excitement, and shouting-over-other-people. Canadians in the workplace are a bit more reserved, appreciate group agreement, and are humble. Interrupting colleagues or boasting about your accomplishments is seen as hostile, not driven or ambitious.

A little courtesy

Skipping niceties and jumping right to pressure emails or imperative action items can sound jarring to Canadians.  Canadians like to lead with pleasantries, even in business emails. It might be as simple as “Hope you’re having a good week” or inserting “please” instead of dropping into command mode. If everything is rushed and conversation is squeezed out, it just comes off as blunt rather than efficient.

Check the calendar

If you schedule around U.S. holidays and realize you’ve missed a Canadian deadline, that’s poor planning. Canadians celebrate Thanksgiving in October, Remembrance Day in November, and Boxing Day after Christmas. Failing to realize (or plan around) those holidays will make you look incompetent.

The famous S-word

When Canadians say “sorry,” it does not always mean that they feel they are at fault. They may be saying “excuse me”, “I didn’t catch what you said”, “that’s too bad” or “we almost collided.” If you correct them with “Why are you apologizing?” each time, it will get more irritating than the apology.

Different scoreboards

Presuming each co-worker fills out NFL, college football, or March Madness brackets leaves Canadian colleagues out of team bonding. Some Canadians can be huge fans of U.S. sports, but they tend to care more about hockey and their domestic teams. Don’t assume everyone at your company watches the same sports as you.

Business works differently

It frustrates Canadians when you treat Canadian business practices as though they are merely duplicated from those of the U.S., e.g., failure to account for differences in labor laws, privacy laws (PIPEDA), or payment processing platforms (Interac).

Complaining because Canadian banking or tax policies/workflow don’t default to American ones shows you didn’t do your research. Acknowledge that Canada has its own economy and laws you will have to follow, or you’ll end up making costly mistakes.

Forgetting the indoor voice

Offices in the States can often be overwhelming with loudspeaker phone conversations, people chatting across cubicles, and raised voices down the hall.

Noise in many Canadian offices is frowned upon as rudeness to those around you. It might not occur to you, but your normal noise could be seen as obnoxious to coworkers who are simply trying to focus. Loud voices are naturally perceived as rude and self-absorbed.

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The Big Apple

Colborne, Ontario

Traveling on Highway 401, drivers will unexpectedly see a gigantic smiling red apple on the side of the road. Mr. Applehead, as it’s called, is actually something you can go inside of and climb to a viewing deck. Nearby, there’s an entire attraction with apple pies and more treats to snack on.

The Giant Lobster

Shediac, New Brunswick

If you ever find yourself posing next to a giant lobster on the side of the road, you know you’ve arrived on Canada’s East Coast. Standing at 11 metres long and weighing approximately 90 tonnes, Shediac’s giant lobster was built as a monument to celebrate the area’s lobster industry. The roadside attraction is one of New Brunswick’s most famous photo ops, and clambering on top of the monument for a photo is unofficially part of the experience.

The Big Nickel

Sudbury, Ontario

It seems almost too Canadian to believe, but beside a road in Sudbury stands a giant Canadian coin called Big Nickel. Sitting next to the road is a nine-metre-tall replica of Canada’s 1951 five-cent piece. It’s a monument to the area’s mining history.

Mac the Moose

Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan

The city of Moose Jaw was practically fated to have a huge moose on the side of the highway. It is about 10 metres tall and has been welcoming travellers since 1984. He became embroiled in a delightfully Canadian international feud when another giant moose in Norway took the title of tallest moose in the world. Mac got bigger antlers and reclaimed the title.

The World’s Largest Axe

Nackawic, New Brunswick

Perched next to the Saint John River is an axe head so big that a typical lumberjack would appear small next to it. Created in 1991, this roughly 15-metre-tall structure honours the forestry industry of the area. There’s just something delightfully Canadian about scaling a useful logging tool into a gigantic roadside attraction.

Husky the Muskie

Kenora, Ontario

Perched on the banks of Lake of the Woods is a fish that’s much bigger than the ones you’ll reel in with your rod. Husky the Muskie has watched over Kenora since 1967. He measures about 12 metres from snout to tailfin. Husky commemorates the region’s fishing heritage.

The World’s Largest Dinosaur

Drumheller, Alberta

Drumheller has already earned its reputation as Dinosaur Town, but apparently normal-sized dinosaurs just weren’t big enough. They built an enormous Tyrannosaurus rex that stands just about 25 metres tall and features stairs, so you can climb inside it. At the top is a view of Drumheller nestled inside the dinosaur’s mouth.

The Giant Beaver

Beaverlodge, Alberta

It wasn’t enough for Beaverlodge just to share a name with our nation’s beloved rodent. They also had to erect a six-foot-tall sculpture of a giant beaver right by the side of the highway. Standing about five metres tall and near the highway, it’s odd, happy, and almost impossible not to take a picture of.

Wawa Goose

Wawa, Ontario

Few landmarks along Canadian road trips are more fitting than a huge Canada goose. The original statue was built in 1960, and today’s version is over eight metres tall. Visitors travelling across Northern Ontario have almost made it a tradition to stop and take photos with the giant bird.

The World’s Largest Easter Egg

Vegreville, Alberta

It’s not just a giant Easter egg. Vegreville’s Big Pysanka, which was erected in 1975, celebrates the region’s Ukrainian roots and incorporates a complex geometric pattern instead of just painting an eggshell. This egg is approximately nine metres in length and spins in the wind.

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A different kind of sick day

In U.S. parlance, “PTO” may refer to vacation, sick, AND personal time as one big bank of days. (Employers there vary widely on this policy.)

In Canada, employers do sometimes offer combined PTO, but since our employment standards are usually outlined in terms of specific categories (vacation, separate protected leaves, etc.) American terms/assumptions don’t necessarily apply.

Keeping the date short

American month-day-year date notation never fully caught on in Canada. Canadian institutions use year-month-day or day-month-year depending on context. Meanwhile, government standards prefer formats without ambiguity. So Canadians interacting with Americans must consequently face the puzzle: does 04/07 refer to April 7 or July 4?

Taking the ad break differently

American television can be aggressively shameless when it comes to pharmaceutical ads: commercials that urge viewers to “ask your doctor” about a name-brand prescription medication. Canadians receive some broadcast spillover from south of the border, but Canadian prescription-drug advertising laws are stricter. Getting to pick a drug based on watching a feel-good commercial has never been quite so normalized here.

Not everything needs a flag

American flags are everywhere, from front porches to car dealerships, restaurants, clothes, offices, and stretching across suburban lawns. Canadians wave the maple leaf proudly too, particularly around Canada Day and big sporting events.

But when it comes to routinely flying a flag, Canadians don’t take it nearly as far. Just because a building houses a Canadian business doesn’t mean it needs to fly a fifty-foot flag to prove it loves its country.

A different kind of transfer

Americans might say “Let’s split dinner” or “Pay me back” with Venmo, Cash App, or Zelle in mind. Canadians often just reflexively reply: “I’ll e-transfer you.”

Canadians are so conditioned to Interac e-Transfer being part of our bank accounts that we haven’t had the necessity of one American-style social payment app for quick transfers between friends.

Politics as entertainment

American elections can become year-long affairs complete with rallies, merchandise, celebrity endorsements, massive ad spends and wall-to-wall television coverage.

Politics gets intense here in Canada too, but campaigns are shorter, and our politics aren’t worn as proudly on our sleeves. Americans love to brand themselves as belonging to a certain party, whether on hats, t-shirts, cars, or lawns. Canadians aren’t quite as extreme.

The gun question

Canada has guns and plenty of gun owners, especially in rural communities, but the American-style gun culture popular in the United States has never truly gone mainstream in Canada. It is not normal for Canadians to carry a gun as part of their daily self-defense regimen, and firearms tend to be viewed as far more heavily regulated.

Leaving the shoes behind

This isn’t mandated by law or official etiquette, but taking off your shoes before entering someone’s home is very much the norm throughout a large portion of Canada. Snow, slush, road salt, mud, and rain all give you some very functional reasons to do so. As such, taking your shoes off on someone’s carpet that you wore outside can cause considerably more panic in a Canadian household than some Americans anticipate.

Healthcare at work

American workers may spend hours evaluating differences between employer-sponsored health plans, deductibles, provider networks, and enrollment options since where you work may determine what your primary medical insurance is.

Extended benefits provided by Canadian employers are extremely helpful, but most Canadians’ plans top up provincial coverage instead of acting as primary insurance. So Canadians don’t have to decide between two jobs solely because one company’s health care plan allows you to see a regular doctor or visit a hospital.

Don’t touch the price tag

Americans bargain in far more situations than we do, especially when it comes to cars, furniture, services, and privately sold merchandise. Hard negotiation can seem out of place or rude in regular day-to-day Canadian retail situations where it is not explicitly understood that bargaining is acceptable. Pushing every purchase to feel like a bargain can seem tiresome instead of frugal.

A different kind of football

The NFL does have fans here, but Canada never gave up on its game. Canadian football uses a bigger field, has 12 players on the field instead of 11, three downs instead of four, etc. And the CFL has been proudly Canadian. You can still draw a crowd for the Grey Cup without turning Canada into a branch office of the NFL.

One size too big

American restaurant servings are often thought of as colossal. Canadian servings have gotten larger as well. However, the ideology that bigger is necessarily better hasn’t completely caught on north of the border. You can see it everywhere from drink sizes to restaurant servings, especially when you step from a large U. S. chain into a more traditionally Canadian restaurant.

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Across the frozen north

Russia is home to one-fifth of the planet’s trees and the largest forested area on Earth: the Siberian Taiga, spanning over 12 time zones. Taiga is a cold and dense forest that covers thousands of miles and consists primarily of hardy evergreens including pines, spruces, and larches, all adapted to withstand temperatures below −50° C (−58° F).

The biome serves as a global carbon sink, storing immense quantities of carbon in its trees and permafrost soils. Logging and huge summer wildfires pose major threats to the taiga.

The green giant

Approximately 60% of the Amazon rainforest is located in Brazil. The largest and most well-known tropical rainforest on the planet, the Brazilian Amazon is hot, humid, and bursting with biodiversity. Spanning millions of acres of dense greenery, the rainforest is home to millions of species of plants, insects, and animals.

It absorbs billions of tons of carbon dioxide every year. Indigenous populations in the hundreds call the Brazilian Amazon home, and the ecosystem is responsible for worldwide weather cycles through evapotranspiration, also known as “flying rivers.”

Beyond the lakes

Canada‘s vast wilderness consists of millions of acres of northern tree species including spruce, pine, and fir, mixed with lakes and peatlands. This forest makes up nearly 40 percent of Canada’s land mass and 9 percent of the world’s forests.

The ecosystem is home to abundant wildlife, including grizzly bears, woodland caribou, and billions of migratory birds. It contains more freshwater per acre than almost any other ecosystem due to its vast network of forest wetlands.

From Alaska to Florida

Forests in the United States cover more than 300 million hectares and include everything from Alaska’s snow-packed pine forests to the rainy Pacific Northwest temperate rainforests and scenic hardwood trees along the East Coast.

Forest land is managed as national parks, public lands, and timber company-owned forests. Forests in the U. S. also produce billions of dollars worth of timber each year and provide watershed protection and recreation for millions of Americans.

A greener transformation

China has forests ranging from cool temperate coniferous forests in the north to humid subtropical forests and jungles in the south. China is one of the few countries in the world to increase its tree cover over the last few decades, adding tens of millions of hectares through government programs such as the Great Green Wall.

These programs were started primarily to stop the expansion of the Gobi Desert, cut back on intense dust storms in China’s major cities, and reclaim eroded agricultural land.

The second great rainforest

The Democratic Republic of Congo sits centrally in Africa, harboring most of the Congo Basin, the world’s second-largest tropical rainforest. The dense and stratified jungle canopy is one of the most intact ecosystems on Earth. It serves as a home for threatened wildlife such as mountain gorillas, forest elephants, and bonobos. Over 40 million people depend on this forest for food, shelter, and medicine.

More than the outback

Australia’s bushland is best known for hard-leaved, drought-resistant, sunlight-requiring eucalyptus (or gum trees) that account for about 80% of the country’s forest cover. Adapted to extremes in climate and soils of low fertility, these woodlands are fire-prone, with many eucalyptus species only regenerating after fire events (which open the seed pods).

Although clearing of bushland has occurred extensively for farming uses, Australia’s diverse dry forests still support kangaroos, koalas and possums amongst many others.

Across thousands of islands

Home to millennia-old tall trees, deep peat forests and unparalleled biodiversity, Indonesia‘s rainforests stretch across thousands of tropical islands. Situated on important evolutionary crossroads, Indonesia is one of the few places left on Earth where you can find wild orangutans, rhinos, tigers and elephants all living together.

However, large tracts of these ecologically important forests are under severe threat from commercial logging and palm oil.

From mountains to mangroves

Forests in India include snowy pine forests in the higher elevations of the Himalayas, wet evergreen forests on the coasts, and dry scrub forests in the interior.

Forests cover more than 20 percent of India’s land area, much of which comprises isolated patches that are inhabited by large human populations along with wildlife. India also has a system of protected tiger reserves and national parks across its forests to conserve flagship species such as the Bengal tiger, Asian elephant, and Indian leopard.

Beyond the Andes

Occupying over half of Peru‘s landmass, the Peruvian Amazon spans lofty, mist-covered Andes Mountains foothills down into broad plains jungles. Spanning thousands of feet in elevation, Peru contains hundreds of different microclimates within its forests. As such, the Peruvian Amazon is one of the most biodiverse places on the planet. It is also home to many isolated and uncontacted Indigenous tribes, as well as the Amazon River itself.

Sources: Please see here for a complete listing of all sources that were consulted in the preparation of this article.

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The Wall Street pulse

If there is one city that can be considered the financial and economic capital of the world, it is New York City. Home to Wall Street, the New York Stock Exchange, and hundreds of corporations, the city runs much of the world’s trade.

New York also controls much of the world’s media, advertising, fashion, and global culture. It is home to the headquarters of the United Nations and is the center of international politics and diplomacy. Decisions made in New York City affect people on every continent.

The historic financial engine

London is still at the forefront of international business, serving as a hub connecting European, Asian, and American markets. It is one of the leading financial centres in the world. The city has thousands-year-old institutions, cutting-edge financial tech hubs, and some of the world’s biggest law firms.

Hosting world-leading universities, a vast international labour pool, and centuries of diplomatic influence, London also holds great soft power.

The hyper-connected metropolis

Tokyo has great influence as the political, economic, and cultural center of Japan, the third-largest national economy by nominal GDP. The Tokyo metropolitan area is the most populous urban area on Earth and has one of the most extensive and sophisticated metro systems in the world.

Tokyo is the headquarters of many international car, electronics, and robotics companies that ship worldwide. These factors, along with the city’s history and unique modern blend of ancient and cutting-edge technologies, make Tokyo Asia’s economic powerhouse.

The diplomatic & cultural benchmark

Paris is a diplomatic, political and cultural force with enormous influence on European affairs and international trends. Host to key multilateral organisations such as UNESCO and the OECD, Paris is a centre of international development.

It is also considered the world’s capital of haute couture, fashion, gastronomy and tourism. As such, Paris attracts millions of decision-makers and travelers from around the world every year.

The superpower command center

Beijing serves as the political capital of the world’s second-largest economy and an emerging superpower. Beijing is home to the central government of China and national state-owned enterprises funding large infrastructure and trade projects worldwide. Beijing dictates national economic policy, military direction, and foreign policy, meaning they have direct influence over global supply chains.

The crossroads of global power

Singapore is an island city-state and economic hub that serves as Southeast Asia’s leading financial center and hub for international trade. While small in size, Singapore is home to one of the busiest container ports in the world and a hyper-efficient financial center.

It has captured enormous foreign investment due to its stable government, business-friendly laws, and location on key global shipping routes. The city is known for its world-class urban innovation, green tech, and smart-city infrastructure.

The maritime trade titan

Shanghai is the industrial and financial capital of mainland China. Home to the world’s busiest container port, Shanghai’s stock exchange and giant shipping ports allow internal Chinese manufacturers to ship their goods straight to consumers worldwide. Shanghai is a major center of high-tech manufacturing and international trade and billions of dollars in foreign corporate investment flow into Shanghai each year.

The policy & defense hub

Washington, D.C.‘s strength comes directly from its status as the power center of government decisions made in the United States. Home of the World Bank, IMF, and thousands of embassies representing world economies, decisions that affect international economics, security, and trade treaties are made daily inside the White House, Capitol Building, and Pentagon. The politicians, global think tanks, defense contractors, and policy experts that call Washington home make it the most powerful command center for world politics.

The digital & creative wave

Seoul is a technologically advanced city known for leading the world in several industries, including electronics, automobiles, and digital technology. Tech corporations with worldwide recognition such as Samsung and Hyundai are based in Seoul. It is one of the leading cities for research and development and is known for advanced high-speed infrastructure. In addition to manufacturing large volumes of high-tech products, Seoul exports enormous amounts of soft power through K-pop, film, and music.

The entertainment & logistics gateway

Los Angeles is the leading global center for entertainment and media production, including the production of worldwide popular culture, film, and internet trends. Home to Hollywood and the majority of streaming platforms, Los Angeles produces and commands the largest share of media seen around the globe.

Outside of entertainment, its twin ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach comprise North America’s largest trade gateway for goods moving through the Pacific. Alongside a massive aerospace, biotech, and creative industry, Los Angeles serves as a crucial hub of international influence.

The modern innovation catalyst

Silicon Valley and the city of San Francisco host the technology and venture capital powerhouse of the world. It’s home to some of the largest tech companies, software firms, and AI research institutions on Earth. The products of these companies influence how every person on Earth interacts with each other, does business, and finds information day in and day out. With such unparalleled concentration of riches, scientific intellect, and venture capital, Silicon Valley has unparalleled influence on the world’s future.

The East-West capital bridge

Hong Kong serves as a financial conduit between Western capital markets and Mainland China. Known for its low taxes, free-market economy, and large stock exchange, it is one of the world’s leading centers for international banking and wealth management. Hong Kong’s natural deep-sea port has been an important center of transshipment within Asia. Even after political shifts, Hong Kong is still one of Asia’s leading centers for multinational corporate headquarters.

The desert aviation junction

Dubai is rapidly growing from a regional trading hub into an international hub for air transportation, finance, logistics, and real estate. Dubai’s geographic location between Europe, Asia, and Africa has made its international airport a major hub for international passengers.

Vast amounts of foreign capital flow into Dubai due to tax-free economic zones, plush infrastructure, and flashy real estate developments. Dubai serves as the Middle East’s leading economic capital and is the meeting point for trade flows from East to West.

The southern anchor

Sydney is Australia’s and the Southern Hemisphere’s financial and economic capital. It contains Australia’s central bank and stock exchange, as well as regional headquarters of most multinational companies that conduct business within Oceania. Sydney has access to a skilled workforce, strong support from natural resource exports, and high rankings in quality-of-life indexes.

The vault of global capital

Zurich is one of the world’s secret superpower financial capitals. Renowned for banking, wealth management, and insurance, Zurich controls vast flows of money around the globe. It is home to some of the world’s safest, biggest private banks. The city ranks among the highest in quality of life, infrastructure, economic stability, and science and research.

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Stories written in stone

Writing- on- Stone / Áísínai’pi Provincial Park is a dramatic landscape of hoodoos and towering sandstone cliffs, which are adorned with one of the highest concentrations of Indigenous rock art in the world.

The landscape is culturally and spiritually important to the Blackfoot and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It’s a very different landscape than the mountain vistas travellers think of when visiting Alberta.

Alberta’s other world

The landscape of Dinosaur Provincial Park seems almost alien compared to Alberta’s mountainous backcountry. Badlands dotted with hoodoos and other exposed rock formations house some of the world’s largest deposits of dinosaur fossils.

People sometimes mistake the park for Drumheller, but the park is located about two hours away. Exploring the park on foot really feels like you’re walking on a different world than the Canadian Prairies.

A different side of the Rockies

Waterton Lakes National Park is located in south-western Alberta. However, many foreign visitors visit Banff and Jasper instead. The prairie appears to tumble headlong into the Rockies’ peaks here, with deep-blue lakes nestled among them.

The tiny Waterton townsite allows visitors to enjoy amazing views with less of a crowded resort feel. The historic Prince of Wales Hotel perched above Upper Waterton Lake is sure to make your visit unforgettable.

Where the roads get quiet

Driving through Grasslands National Park will introduce a Canada many visitors won’t expect to encounter. Forget mountains and dense forests; the land suddenly opens up into rolling grasslands, rugged badlands, and mile-high skies. Bison still roam the area, and colonies of prairie dogs dot the grassland. At night, the secluded setting and very dark skies offer phenomenal stargazing opportunities.

Islands at the edge

Situated off the northern coast of British Columbia, Haida Gwaii feels incredibly isolated from the rest of Canada’s tourist circuits. Ancient forests, wild beaches, and indigenous Haida Nation culture and history are unlike anywhere else in Canada. Traveling here requires more effort than Vancouver Island, which is likely why some tourists never find themselves on these islands.

Beyond the end of the highway

Accessible only by ferry, Fogo Island lies off the northeastern coast of Newfoundland. Small fishing villages, rocky coastlines, colorful homes, and vast expanses of the North Atlantic contribute to Fogo’s lovely isolation. Icebergs and whales may also be spotted offshore, depending on the time of year.

The mountains without Banff

Kluane National Park and Reserve is home to some of the largest mountain scenery in Canada, though it receives far less recognition than its southerly neighbours in the Rockies. It has massive icefields and houses Canada’s highest peak, Mount Logan.

In many areas, it is wilderness you travel through, as opposed to scenery created around accessible viewpoints. It is difficult to fully grasp the vastness of the landscape until you experience it firsthand.

Quebec beyond the cities

With its rocky coastline, bays, islands, forest, and headlands jutting out into the St. Lawrence Estuary, Parc national du Bic is picturesque. You can frequently spot seals along the shore and enjoy gorgeous sunsets. Sunsets are one of the park’s big draws. However, visitors from outside Quebec often never venture much beyond Montréal and Québec City.

A town beneath the cliffs

Percé’s big attraction is the massive Percé Rock offshore in the Gulf of St. Lawrence. The surrounding Gaspé Peninsula adds cliffs, coastal roads, colorful houses, and spectacular ocean views. While certainly known to Quebecers, foreign travellers exploring eastern Canada often ignore this bit of the province.

The island inside a lake

Manitoulin Island is located in Lake Huron. Called the largest freshwater island in the world, Manitoulin has lakes on the island itself, waterfalls, hiking trails, quaint villages, and significant Anishinaabe cultural experiences. Toronto and Niagara Falls take up so much tourist attention in Ontario that many international visitors aren’t aware that such a destination exists so far north.

Nova Scotia after the crowds disappear

Lost in the shadow of Cape Breton and Nova Scotia’s well-known coastal drives is Kejimkujik National Park and National Historic Site. Keji’s forested interior of rivers and lakes is tranquil and lends itself well to exploration on foot or by canoe. The area also provides a rich cultural landscape that tells the story of thousands of years of Mi’kmaq settlement.

Canada’s Wild Pacific

Great Bear Rainforest covers a remote swath of British Columbia’s Pacific coast and is home to one of the largest remaining expanses of coastal temperate rainforest in the world. Dramatic misty forests, islands, fjords, and mountains make for an awe-inspiring landscape. The area is also known for its wildlife, including the elusive white Kermode or spirit bear. It is very isolated from typical Vancouver–Whistler tourist destinations.

Canada’s northern surprise

Jagged peaks, alpine tundra valleys, strange rock formations and fall colours can make the scenery at Tombstone Territorial Park feel surreal.

Bordering the Dempster Highway north of Dawson City, it takes much more effort to visit than Canada’s more famous southern parks. That isolation is part of the draw: this is Canadian landscape that still feels truly wild.

Newfoundland’s ancient secret

Over 500 million-year-old fossils are preserved at Mistaken Point Ecological Reserve on Newfoundland’s spectacular Avalon Peninsula. Impressions of some of the earliest complex, multicellular life forms exist here, and Mistaken Point is a UNESCO World Heritage site because of it. This fantastic site is often overlooked by tourists who focus on visiting Newfoundland’s quaint towns and coastline.

An unexpected desert

Situated far away from Canada’s Pacific coast, Osoyoos astonishes visitors who envision Canada to be covered in trees, mountains, and snow. Rolling grasslands and shrub-steppe dominate the southern Okanagan region that surrounds Osoyoos, as do vineyards, orchards and hot lakes. The semi-arid climate can’t seem more different than Vancouver’s West Coast vistas in the same province.

Sources: Please see here for a complete listing of all sources that were consulted in the preparation of this article.

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