Canadian original settlers still maintain their culture as they have known it for over 5,000 years, but the Inuit culture didn't really catch on in the southern regions of the country.

They have French-Canadians in Canada, the only identifiable ethno-hyphenated Canadians who mark their culture with their language and traditions based largely in Quebec and New Brunswick. Traditions and language are based on 19th century French and form an integral part of the entire Canadian cultural experience.

All together the French-Canadian population represents about 20% of the population of Canada. So what about the other 80%? Does Canada HAVE an identifiable culture?

Canadians do indeed have a culture, but it is the combination of most other cultures from around the world. To draw a parallel, the United States has been characterized as "the great melting pot of humanity", where people of all nations are invited to join the nation to form "a more perfect nation". Everybody is expected to comply with common community standards to make the nation strong.

Canada, on the other hand, has been compared to a mosaic, where each individual people are invited to join the nation and still retain their cultural identities, complete with traditions, languages and customs. In British Columbia for instance, a person may write their drivers license in English, French, Chinese, and Punjabi, and in Nunavut, the primary language of government will be Inuitituk with secondary services available in English as required.

Their commonalities are found in things which Canada has laid claim to as a nation in the last 135 years:

The Henhachel: A.K.A. The National Hockey League (NHL). As late as the 1972 expansion, 90% of the hockey players were born in Canada but some chose to play for teams in the USA

Political Bashing: Perhaps a favorite sport of many nations, but Canadians take it to heart. Less than a month after they were elected, it was difficult to find a person who would admit voting for (fill in any politician's name).

USA Bashing: Yup, they love to take shots at our neighbours to the south. You can have Canadians of a variety of cultural backgrounds all finding a common jokes at the expense of the 'Mericans.

Snow: They complain when there is too much on the road, not enough on the hills, and forms the basis for conversation for almost six months each year. They believe we get more of it more often than any other nation on earth.

Manners: Canadians are polite to a fault. they have been known to thank their bank machines for dispensing the correct amount of cash on request.

Peace Keepers: Much of Canadian culture is wrapped up in the knowledge that we may not start the fight but we sure do know how to finish them.

Pride in their Differences: We take pride in the knowledge that we do not have to be homogenous to have a strong peaceful nation. This in itself is the greatest hallmark of that which can be described as the Canadian Culture.

You can use your international cellular phone rental to get closer to the people of Canada.

CUISINE...