Canada has a very diverse culture which goes back as far as the 1890s when it began inviting people from all over the world to settle in this great country to help it grow and develop.  Its Immigration Policy was historically open and welcoming in its philosophy. People are encouraged to keep their cultural identities, traditions, languages and customs and the country’s cultural diversity is considered a national asset and the Constitution Act prohibits discrimination against individual citizens on the basis of race, colour, sex or religion.

Canada has two official languages; English and French. 

Because of its short history, Canadian culture is very contemporary concerning the Arts, Film, Theatre, Literature, Dance and Music.

Canadians are reported to be amongst the friendliest people in the world!

Due to its colonial past, Canadian culture has always been heavily influenced by British and French traditions and cultures.  Canadian culture is now greatly influenced by American culture, due to the proximity and the migration of people, ideas, and capital although saying this, Canadian culture has developed its own unique characteristics and therefore a more distinct culture has developed in recent years, which is partially due to a focus by the Federal Government on programmes which support culture and the arts.

There are many distinct First Nations across Canada and each has its own culture, history and language. Their culture was transmitted largely through oral means where stories were passed down through the generations. Various tribes created unique styles of artifacts such as woven baskets, painted pictures, and carved sculptures of animals and a lot of this artistic legacy is celebrated in Canada to this day.

From as early the 1500s, European explorers, traders, and fishermen from England, France and Ireland helped form the basis of Canadian culture.

Canada and the UK share the same Head of State and have the oldest parliamentary democracies in the world and still share many of the same customs, values, and traditions, this has been reinforced by working side by side in two world wars. The UK is Canada’s third largest trading partner and is also the second largest source of tourists visiting Canada.

Many Canadian citizens see Canadian culture as based on the policy of multi-culturalism, while others see it as based on a British and French with American and new immigrant influences.

Music
Canada’s music has reflected the multi-cultural influences that have shaped the country, the  Aboriginals, the French and the British have all made contributions to the musical heritage of Canada.
Canada has produced a variety of internationally successful performers and artists such as Joni Mitchell, Leonard Cohen, The Band, Arcade Fire, Broken Social Scene, Celine Dion, Shania Twain, Bryan Adams, Justin Beiber and Drake and are all honoured at The Juno Awards, which recognises achievement in popular music. 

Canada is also home to lots of popular Summer-time folk festivals. 

Canada has also produced many well known composers who have contributed to the history of Western classical music.

Food
In the past, food availability was very limited by Canada’s short Summers and cold Winters but in more recent times, food in Canada has been heavily influenced by the many different cultures that have immigrated to Canada.  Canada shows this multicultural background in the wide variety of foods available whilst dining out in restaurants and in all their grocery stores.

Canada can boast many unique dishes and different regions of the country all have developed their own, for example; fiddleheads in New Brunswick, tourtiere and poutine in Quebec, ice wine in Ontario, perogies in the Prairies and caribou in the Northwest Territories.

The favourite foods of Canadians vary slightly from region to region and are strongly influenced by their family heritage.  Along the Atlantic coast, seafood and dishes acquired from English traditions are most common except in Quebec, their favourite foods originate from the French heritage.

Throughout Canada, maple syrup and maple products are popular which reflects the significance of the maple tree, the leaf that embellishes the Canadian Flag.

Etiquette – Meeting and Greeting
The most common greeting is the handshake.  A firm handshake along with a sincere smile should be used with good eye contact when meeting and leaving.  Men will wait for a woman to extend her hand for a handshake.  When a woman enters or leaves a room, it is polite for men to rise. Men normally offer their hands to women.

Wait until invited before using someone’s first name although Canadians tend to move to a first-name basis rapidly.

Giving of Gifts
In general, Canadians give gifts for birthdays and Christmas. If invited to someone’s home for dinner, it is custom to take a box of good chocolates, flowers or a bottle of wine.  Do not give cash or money as a present. Gifts are usually opened as soon as received.