# Non-Canadians who have visited Canada - what surprised you about the country? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [March 6, 2015, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/non-canadians-who-have-visited-canada-what-surprised-you-about-the-country/714364 "2015-03-06T15:36:46Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 8
**Author:** ![Marlonius](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/838e76/32.png) [@Marlonius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marlonius)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2015, 12:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/non-canadians-who-have-visited-canada-what-surprised-you-about-the-country/714364/141 "2015-03-10T00:51:49Z")
The Tim Horton’s comments in this thread are shocking, amusing and embarrassing all at once. I have both admiration and contempt for how Tim Horton’s has co-opted Canadian patriotism and made themselves the national brand even though it’s just shitty coffee and mediocre doughnuts. ---
**Author:** ![EmilyG](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/emilyg/32/364_2.png) [@EmilyG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EmilyG)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2015, 12:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/non-canadians-who-have-visited-canada-what-surprised-you-about-the-country/714364/142 "2015-03-10T00:55:50Z")
I guess people drink their coffee because it’s less expensive than other places, plus the whole “roll up the rim” thing. I’ve won twice. ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2015, 2:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/non-canadians-who-have-visited-canada-what-surprised-you-about-the-country/714364/143 "2015-03-10T02:37:17Z")
> [@CalMeacham](#): > > Got that? In Boston, a flashing green means the same thing as a non-flashing green. They just want to mess with your head. It sounds like there is a difference. It there’s a solid green and a solid red on the cross-road, then someone who gets the green can go through the intersection without worrying about someone entering the intersection from the cross-road. But if there’s a flashing green, that means the cross-road has a flashing red, which is the equivalent of a stop sign. Someone on the cross-road therefore can stop at the flashing red, then lawfully enter the intersection, even though the other street is showing a flashing green. A driver who gets the flashing green has to be prepared for a vehicle to enter the intersection. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2015, 2:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/non-canadians-who-have-visited-canada-what-surprised-you-about-the-country/714364/144 "2015-03-10T02:42:03Z")
> [@Northern\_Piper](#): > > It sounds like there is a difference. It there’s a solid green and a solid red on the cross-road, then someone who gets the green can go through the intersection without worrying about someone entering the intersection from the cross-road. > > But if there’s a flashing green, that means the cross-road has a flashing red, which is the equivalent of a stop sign. Someone on the cross-road therefore can stop at the flashing red, then lawfully enter the intersection, even though the other street is showing a flashing green. A driver who gets the flashing green has to be prepared for a vehicle to enter the intersection. Well no wonder drunk driving is so dangerous. Sheesh. ---
**Author:** ![foolsguinea](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foolsguinea/32/14751_2.png) [@foolsguinea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/foolsguinea)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2015, 6:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/non-canadians-who-have-visited-canada-what-surprised-you-about-the-country/714364/145 "2015-03-10T06:47:59Z")
> [@Leaffan](#): > > It’s a holiday for all federal public employees in Ontario…except me. (Well, except my [crown corporation](http://www.aecl.ca/en/home/default.aspx) which will be privatized by October, and then who knows?) Is this a _Haarrperrr!!!_ situation? Should we be worried? [del]Are you guys going to smuggle nukes into Turkestan for profit?[/del] ---
**Author:** ![edwardcoast](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/cab0a1/32.png) [@edwardcoast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/edwardcoast)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2015, 6:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/non-canadians-who-have-visited-canada-what-surprised-you-about-the-country/714364/146 "2015-03-10T06:50:05Z")
> [@EmilyG](#): > > For those who have visited Canada - what surprised you about the country? Is there something about the food, customs, places, people, that surprised you? > > And yes, I am aware that Canada isn’t a homogeneous country, but a large, diverse country with many different regions. So, what surprised you about the part of Canada that you visited? Funny looking money. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Urbanredneck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ea5d25/32.png) [@Urbanredneck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Urbanredneck)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2015, 9:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/non-canadians-who-have-visited-canada-what-surprised-you-about-the-country/714364/147 "2015-03-10T09:28:00Z")
I only visited Saskatchewan and Alberta once about 20 years ago. 1. The metric system. 2. A&W are full restaurants there. 3. Canadian WalMart. 4. Going thru an international border. 5. Seeing a picture of the queen at the border. 6. More cars have block heaters. 7. I thought Kansas was flat until I saw Sask. 8. I visited a Canadian museum and was surprised at just how bland Canadian history was. Remember I’m coming from places like Abilene and Dodge City where people like Jesse James and Wild Bill Hickock are legends. But no similar “wild west” in Canada. Just straight up settlement. ---
**Author:** ![An\_Gadai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@An\_Gadai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/An_Gadai)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2015, 10:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/non-canadians-who-have-visited-canada-what-surprised-you-about-the-country/714364/148 "2015-03-10T10:25:02Z")
It was expensive by comparison with the US and there were a lot of Union Jacks about. This was in Ontario around about Niagara Falls. Are the Union Jacks because of historical sites or are Canadians/Ontarionianians into Union Jacks generally? ---
**Author:** ![amanset](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/8dc957/32.png) [@amanset](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amanset)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2015, 10:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/non-canadians-who-have-visited-canada-what-surprised-you-about-the-country/714364/149 "2015-03-10T10:34:30Z")
That I went into some “British Bar” in Downtown Toronto on Yonge Street (Duke of Something or other IIRC, east side of the street) wearing a Coventry City football top, and found someone from Coventry there. ---
**Author:** ![amanset](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/8dc957/32.png) [@amanset](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amanset)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2015, 10:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/non-canadians-who-have-visited-canada-what-surprised-you-about-the-country/714364/150 "2015-03-10T10:46:43Z")
> [@Morbo](#): > > I drove into Victoria BC from Port Angeles. Driving off the Ferry through customs in BC consisted of this: > > “Hello, Passports please.” > “Here ya go.” > “Are you guys here vacationing?” > “Yes.” > ::hands back passports:: “Do you have any weapons in the car?” > “Nope.” > “OK! have a nice visit!” Lucky you. Canada has, so far, been the place I had the worst time getting in to (although the worst time full stop was getting out of Romania). I was going there on business, basically to install a test version of our EDI solution, set up some test flows and show people how to use it. My first mistake was bringing the CDs with me. My second mistake was being truthful when asked how much a full version cost (about 100k USD). My third mistake was not having a ticket showing I was leaving Canada (I had a ticket back to London from Atlanta and was going to be given the ticket for Toronto to Atlanta by someone I was meeting. Apparently having a ticket from somewhere else on the continent back home was not proof that I was leaving Canada). It was horrible. God knows how long we were discussing it, but I eventually got in. And the chap certainly was not polite. ---
**Author:** ![EmilyG](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/emilyg/32/364_2.png) [@EmilyG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EmilyG)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2015, 12:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/non-canadians-who-have-visited-canada-what-surprised-you-about-the-country/714364/151 "2015-03-10T12:10:32Z")
> [@An\_Gadai](#): > > It was expensive by comparison with the US and there were a lot of Union Jacks about. This was in Ontario around about Niagara Falls. Are the Union Jacks because of historical sites or are Canadians/Ontarionianians into Union Jacks generally? Ontario’s flag does feature the Union Jack (as Canada’s flag used to.) Maybe that’s part of it? ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2015, 1:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/non-canadians-who-have-visited-canada-what-surprised-you-about-the-country/714364/152 "2015-03-10T13:05:41Z")
Probably some of both. The Niagara area was one of the areas of Loyalist settlement (Niagara-on-the-Lake was the first capital of Upper Canada) and the Union Jack does have some sentimental value for some Canadians. It also has official status as a symbol of Canada’s membership in the Commonwealth. For example, it’s one of three flags flown over the Legislature of Saskatchewan. You have to remember that Canada’s evolution from colony to nation was peaceful and evolutionary, with Britain gradually ceding control as Canada requested it. Given that history, there was never strong anti-British sentiment as a major component of Canadian nationalism. (There was and is anti-British sentiment as a component of Quebec nationalism, but nowadays it tends to be a sub-set of anti-Canadianism amongst Quebec nationalists. That’s probably historical as well - it’s been a long time since Britain had any active influence in Canada that Quebec nationalists can point to. The Queen on the currency is about it. ) ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2015, 1:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/non-canadians-who-have-visited-canada-what-surprised-you-about-the-country/714364/153 "2015-03-10T13:46:16Z")
> [@Northern\_Piper](#): > > It sounds like there is a difference. It there’s a solid green and a solid red on the cross-road, then someone who gets the green can go through the intersection without worrying about someone entering the intersection from the cross-road. > > But if there’s a flashing green, that means the cross-road has a flashing red, which is the equivalent of a stop sign. Someone on the cross-road therefore can stop at the flashing red, then lawfully enter the intersection, even though the other street is showing a flashing green. A driver who gets the flashing green has to be prepared for a vehicle to enter the intersection. That might be the intent, but, as I say, no one really knows the significance (it isn’t in the driver’s manual, recall). That pretty much subverts the intention. ---
**Author:** ![Elret](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b9bd4f/32.png) [@Elret](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elret)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2015, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/non-canadians-who-have-visited-canada-what-surprised-you-about-the-country/714364/154 "2015-03-10T17:28:15Z")
> [@RealityChuck](#): > > I had to explain to a couple of locals that, no, tides didn’t work that way anywhere else. Really? Could they have been teasing you? It’s kind of a tourist attraction for a reason… ---
**Author:** ![RetroVertigo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b38774/32.png) [@RetroVertigo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RetroVertigo)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2015, 5:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/non-canadians-who-have-visited-canada-what-surprised-you-about-the-country/714364/155 "2015-03-10T17:41:16Z")
I was surprised while staying in downtown Montreal that after buying some liquor I had to carry it in a bag that I had to buy ( I was planning on just carrying it in my hand down one block to my hotel, but was told that wasn’t permissible), but passed 3 groups of people smoking weed out in the open on the sidewalk. ---
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2015, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/non-canadians-who-have-visited-canada-what-surprised-you-about-the-country/714364/156 "2015-03-10T20:35:55Z")
I haven’t been to Canada since my family went to Montreal for Expo '67 (yes, I’m old). My two main impression (I was only 6, so cut me some slack): 1. Even in August, Montreal was COLD!!! 2. BOY, Montreal’s subways were about a million times nicer than New York’s! ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2015, 9:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/non-canadians-who-have-visited-canada-what-surprised-you-about-the-country/714364/157 "2015-03-10T21:00:37Z")
> [@astorian](#): > > I haven’t been to Canada since my family went to Montreal for Expo '67 (yes, I’m old). > > My two main impression (I was only 6, so cut me some slack): > > 1. Even in August, Montreal was COLD!!! > > 2. BOY, Montreal’s subways were about a million times nicer than New York’s! I went to Montreal for Expo, too. I don’t recall it being cold, but I agree completely about the subways. I grew up with the NYC Subway. Montreal’s wasn’t only MUCH cleaner, it was QUIET. New York subway cars braking send out squeals that can destroy eardrums, but Montreal’s were so quiet we had to ask if they were padded, or something. ---
**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2015, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/non-canadians-who-have-visited-canada-what-surprised-you-about-the-country/714364/158 "2015-03-10T21:05:59Z")
> [@polar\_bear](#): > > Also, all the border officers (both on the airport and the road) were just as unpleasant and distrusting as their southern neighbors. Really, whenever I enter the US or Canada I feel like I’m being given the third degree because I obviously must have something sinister in mind (although the guy in St Paul at least smiled once or twice). I somehow had expected the Canadians to be friendlier… Same experience at Toronto. I was like, “Wow, the Canadian border officers are even more hostile than U.S. border officers.” ---
**Author:** ![EmilyG](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/emilyg/32/364_2.png) [@EmilyG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EmilyG)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2015, 9:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/non-canadians-who-have-visited-canada-what-surprised-you-about-the-country/714364/159 "2015-03-10T21:07:17Z")
Also, in Montreal, the subway (called the “metro”) has different designs, artwork, etc. for each station. So each one looks unique. We’ve added many stations since '67. ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2015, 9:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/non-canadians-who-have-visited-canada-what-surprised-you-about-the-country/714364/160 "2015-03-10T21:09:09Z")
Don’t the Metro trains run on tires, not railway wheels, and that’s why it’s quieter? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/non-canadians-who-have-visited-canada-what-surprised-you-about-the-country/714364.md?page=7) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/non-canadians-who-have-visited-canada-what-surprised-you-about-the-country/714364.md?page=9)