Comments on: Working With Canadians http://www.four-pillars.ca/2009/10/09/working-with-canadians/ Investing and Personal Finance Fri, 19 Mar 2010 17:40:37 -0400 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Nicola http://www.four-pillars.ca/2009/10/09/working-with-canadians/comment-page-1/#comment-58690 Nicola Sat, 06 Feb 2010 08:16:15 +0000 http://www.four-pillars.ca/?p=4451#comment-58690 These comments are so bloody funny! I'm English and have lived in Canada for nearly 2 years. So far I love Canada and will be more or less (apart from hopefully working abroad for a few years when I finish Uni) growing old here. However, I have to say that Canadians are so hard to make friends with, no one is open to new people joining their group and everyone is so set in their ways. In England everyone just invites each other out down the pub, but it just doesn't happen here. Oh and the tv sucks, you can't even watch shows on the internet cause you have to be in England or America. On the other hand living in Canada definitly has its benefits. The skiing is amazing and for me only an hour away and $40 for the day, you couldn't ask for much more really. Once more the shops are open all the time, but this could be seen as a drawback for a struggling shopaholic like myself. Oh I nearly forgot the absolute worst point of living in Canada. I have been to a few major cities including London and Paris and I have never seen such bad lane changing until I came to Canada, the country that has most likely the biggest roads in the world. An indicator is there for a reason, when I indicate I am pulling out, do not speed up!! Everyone has to pull out at some point and sorry, but tough luck this time it is infront of you. Also when people are pulling onto a motorway move over or make a space, it is how the road works. Sorry didn't mean to get into a rant about Canadian driving. I do love Canada and it is teaching me how to chill about abit, because lets face it, you can't teach the 1 million people of your city how to drive by beeping your horn and giving them the finger, especially when they have no idea what they did wrong in the first place. These comments are so bloody funny! I’m English and have lived in Canada for nearly 2 years. So far I love Canada and will be more or less (apart from hopefully working abroad for a few years when I finish Uni) growing old here. However, I have to say that Canadians are so hard to make friends with, no one is open to new people joining their group and everyone is so set in their ways. In England everyone just invites each other out down the pub, but it just doesn’t happen here. Oh and the tv sucks, you can’t even watch shows on the internet cause you have to be in England or America.

On the other hand living in Canada definitly has its benefits. The skiing is amazing and for me only an hour away and $40 for the day, you couldn’t ask for much more really. Once more the shops are open all the time, but this could be seen as a drawback for a struggling shopaholic like myself.

Oh I nearly forgot the absolute worst point of living in Canada. I have been to a few major cities including London and Paris and I have never seen such bad lane changing until I came to Canada, the country that has most likely the biggest roads in the world. An indicator is there for a reason, when I indicate I am pulling out, do not speed up!! Everyone has to pull out at some point and sorry, but tough luck this time it is infront of you. Also when people are pulling onto a motorway move over or make a space, it is how the road works.

Sorry didn’t mean to get into a rant about Canadian driving. I do love Canada and it is teaching me how to chill about abit, because lets face it, you can’t teach the 1 million people of your city how to drive by beeping your horn and giving them the finger, especially when they have no idea what they did wrong in the first place.

]]> By: Troy Johnston http://www.four-pillars.ca/2009/10/09/working-with-canadians/comment-page-1/#comment-48768 Troy Johnston Wed, 09 Dec 2009 18:24:36 +0000 http://www.four-pillars.ca/?p=4451#comment-48768 I Need Lawyer Help Anyone with a Heart Dear Sir or Madam: I am righting this letter and putting it in all the places I can, in the hopes that someone will see it and help me. In the year 2001 I was mugged in Ontario, I am currently living in Alberta. As a result of the mugging I received severe head trauma. I was in a small coma with a 3 inch crack in the back of my skull. After I got out of the wheelchair and started to walk again (about 3 months), I was attacked again and received a cracked Eye socket, cheekbone and jaw. I was supposed to receive steel plates in my skull after this but did not due to the reasons I will explain. I went over 12 months with no health care in this country, also no welfare, no disability and no E.I. insurance. I was refused medical help in Hospitals, walk-in clinics and even the medical clinics that help the homeless. To date I have yet to receive the help I need but I am working on it. So I will not get into the mental stress it caused me, a born and raised Canadian, that I did not receive any help from my government and that they threw me to the street to die. The issues that I am now dealing with and will be for sometime or forever are as follows: - I can not remember 40%-50% of my life before or after the injury. - Lost 30 IQ points. - My emotions and moods are all over the board. - I have numbness throughout the left side of my body - Panic and anxiety attacks almost on an hourly basis. - I have lost all of my education and skills from prior to the injury. - I lost my children. - I lost my ability to sleep ( severe head trauma, you should sleep at least 10 hrs a day – Not 5 ) - I lost my respect and faith in our Country! - I have been forced into work like construction, (due to the fact that all of my education is gone) where there is a good chance that I will injure myself and expire from this life. I can not take even one more hit to my skull. - I am scared of being in public places, being alone with someone in their house, In short I am very afraid deep into my bones. That is the few I will say in this letter, I do have more though. I know The Canada Health Act was violated as well as my Human Rights as a Canadian Citizen. I just want a chance at having my life back. Somehow to provide for my children, to be educated again, to go back to work at a safe job that enables me to live. And to feel like my Country cares about me and stands by it’s word that if we pay our taxes and work hard that the Government will not allow us to fall so far that we will never get back up. Sincerely, Mr.Troy Johnston mr.johnston73@yahoo.ca I Need Lawyer Help
Anyone with a Heart
Dear Sir or Madam:
I am righting this letter and putting it in all the places I can, in the hopes that someone will see it and help me.
In the year 2001 I was mugged in Ontario, I am currently living in Alberta. As a result of the mugging I received severe head trauma. I was in a small coma with a 3 inch crack in the back of my skull. After I got out of the wheelchair and started to walk again (about 3 months), I was attacked again and received a cracked Eye socket, cheekbone and jaw. I was supposed to receive steel plates in my skull after this but did not due to the reasons I will explain.
I went over 12 months with no health care in this country, also no welfare, no disability and no E.I. insurance. I was refused medical help in Hospitals, walk-in clinics and even the medical clinics that help the homeless. To date I have yet to receive the help I need but I am working on it. So I will not get into the mental stress it caused me, a born and raised Canadian, that I did not receive any help from my government and that they threw me to the street to die.
The issues that I am now dealing with and will be for sometime or forever are as follows:
- I can not remember 40%-50% of my life before or after the injury.
- Lost 30 IQ points.
- My emotions and moods are all over the board.
- I have numbness throughout the left side of my body
- Panic and anxiety attacks almost on an hourly basis.
- I have lost all of my education and skills from prior to the injury.
- I lost my children.
- I lost my ability to sleep ( severe head trauma, you should sleep at least 10 hrs a day – Not 5 )
- I lost my respect and faith in our Country!
- I have been forced into work like construction, (due to the fact that all of my education is gone) where there is a good chance that I will injure myself and expire from this life. I can not take even one more hit to my skull.
- I am scared of being in public places, being alone with someone in their house, In short I am very afraid deep into my bones.

That is the few I will say in this letter, I do have more though. I know The Canada Health Act was violated as well as my Human Rights as a Canadian Citizen. I just want a chance at having my life back. Somehow to provide for my children, to be educated again, to go back to work at a safe job that enables me to live. And to feel like my Country cares about me and stands by it’s word that if we pay our taxes and work hard that the Government will not allow us to fall so far that we will never get back up.
Sincerely,
Mr.Troy Johnston
mr.johnston73@yahoo.ca

]]> By: Mr. Cheap http://www.four-pillars.ca/2009/10/09/working-with-canadians/comment-page-1/#comment-38609 Mr. Cheap Thu, 22 Oct 2009 00:03:40 +0000 http://www.four-pillars.ca/?p=4451#comment-38609 db: The trying to force their way on when boarding drives me INSANE too. I've also seen the passing on the on ramp, and always found it quite obnoxious. I actually have a post about "Canadian Experience" in our queue... db: The trying to force their way on when boarding drives me INSANE too. I’ve also seen the passing on the on ramp, and always found it quite obnoxious.

I actually have a post about “Canadian Experience” in our queue…

]]> By: db http://www.four-pillars.ca/2009/10/09/working-with-canadians/comment-page-1/#comment-38540 db Wed, 21 Oct 2009 21:41:51 +0000 http://www.four-pillars.ca/?p=4451#comment-38540 *Some* Canadians are polite. On the roads they are not polite. I've seen various times people on the sidewalk being shouted at. Ripoffs are rife too. Always count your change in a variety store. When you land at Toronto airport, make sure you keep an eye on your luggage cart or else it will be grabbed by the kids who work the area to get your 25cents. Any possibility of using the "rules" to squeeze more money out of you will be utilized to the full. Canada is the only part of the English speaking world where it's assumed "Canadian Experience" is better than any other kind of experience when applying for a job. Canadians don't know how to board a train or a bus. They try to force their way on before everybody has gotten off. That drives me nuts. You absolutely cannot tease or mock a Canadian either. They don't seem to make fun of each other and the facial expression is akin to a deer in the headlights. You *better* not say to a Canadian that something about their system sucks either, or else... And the queuing thing? I can't say I've noticed that. The Scots are the worst queuers I've seen, not the Canadians. The Scots will line up on a two lane motorway in a single lane when it's merging into one lane, rather than use the other lane. That too drove me nuts when I was there. Canadians will remind you if you've cut in line in front of THEM, but if you're in the supermarket and a new line opens up, they will race from behind you to try to get ahead of you. Similary, on the highways on the on ramp the guy behind you will try to pass you before you've got a chance to merge, thus forcing you on to the hard shoulder. I've only seen that in Canada. Canadian women are peculiar too. If you talk to them ever, it's assumed (by them) you are trying to pick them up, even if not in a bar. Thus just pleasant conversations and a little friendly chat are often sadly ruled out because the assumption is you're really saying "heh baby you wanna do me". Ironically witty conversation doesn't work if you ARE trying to pick them up and "heh baby you wanna do me" does. Go figure. Also: all Canadians believe the urban legend about Americans coming up to the border to go skiing in July. *Some* Canadians are polite. On the roads they are not polite. I’ve seen various times people on the sidewalk being shouted at.

Ripoffs are rife too. Always count your change in a variety store.
When you land at Toronto airport, make sure you keep an eye on your luggage cart or else it will be grabbed by the kids who work the area to get your 25cents.
Any possibility of using the “rules” to squeeze more money out of you will be utilized to the full.

Canada is the only part of the English speaking world where it’s assumed “Canadian Experience” is better than any other kind of experience when applying for a job.

Canadians don’t know how to board a train or a bus.
They try to force their way on before everybody has gotten off. That drives me nuts.

You absolutely cannot tease or mock a Canadian either. They don’t seem to make fun of each other and the facial expression is akin to a deer in the headlights. You *better* not say to a Canadian that something about their system sucks either, or else…

And the queuing thing? I can’t say I’ve noticed that. The Scots are the worst queuers I’ve seen, not the Canadians. The Scots will line up on a two lane motorway in a single lane when it’s merging into one lane, rather than use the other lane. That too drove me nuts when I was there.

Canadians will remind you if you’ve cut in line in front of THEM, but if you’re in the supermarket and a new line opens up, they will race from behind you to try to get ahead of you.

Similary, on the highways on the on ramp the guy behind you will try to pass you before you’ve got a chance to merge, thus forcing you on to the hard shoulder. I’ve only seen that in Canada.

Canadian women are peculiar too. If you talk to them ever, it’s assumed (by them) you are trying to pick them up, even if not in a bar.
Thus just pleasant conversations and a little friendly chat are often sadly ruled out because the assumption is you’re really saying “heh baby you wanna do me”. Ironically witty conversation doesn’t work if you ARE trying to pick them up and “heh baby you wanna do me” does. Go figure.

Also: all Canadians believe the urban legend about Americans coming up to the border to go skiing in July.

]]> By: Michael - The Fat Loss Authority http://www.four-pillars.ca/2009/10/09/working-with-canadians/comment-page-1/#comment-37681 Michael - The Fat Loss Authority Mon, 19 Oct 2009 00:08:51 +0000 http://www.four-pillars.ca/?p=4451#comment-37681 haha... love that commercial. Unintentionally funny and absolutely agree with your point about Northern states being more similar to Canadians then anybody in the South. Mike haha… love that commercial. Unintentionally funny and absolutely agree with your point about Northern states being more similar to Canadians then anybody in the South.

Mike

]]> By: Book Winners and Weekend Reading – Oct 17, 2009 | Million Dollar Journey http://www.four-pillars.ca/2009/10/09/working-with-canadians/comment-page-1/#comment-37455 Book Winners and Weekend Reading – Oct 17, 2009 | Million Dollar Journey Sat, 17 Oct 2009 14:05:25 +0000 http://www.four-pillars.ca/?p=4451#comment-37455 [...] Working with Canadians @ Four Pillars [...] [...] Working with Canadians @ Four Pillars [...]

]]> By: FlookiiDuke http://www.four-pillars.ca/2009/10/09/working-with-canadians/comment-page-1/#comment-36288 FlookiiDuke Tue, 13 Oct 2009 19:38:39 +0000 http://www.four-pillars.ca/?p=4451#comment-36288 Jeff: If you've taken the time to notice the dirt on the platform you must take your queuing very, very seriously. Personally I wait until all the sheep have boarded and stroll on at my leisure, I've always found a seat. The fact that I was almost physically assaulted the first time I got on a train at Union station (before I knew the system) has obviously put me off the whole Canadian queuing thing as the penalties for stepping outside the rules can be a detriment to ones health. I still find it weird. It's still the only place in the world I've seen people queue for the train and I'm quite well traveled. I'm not saying it doesn't happen elsewhere but it happens in a Stepford wives manner here. Jeff: If you’ve taken the time to notice the dirt on the platform you must take your queuing very, very seriously.

Personally I wait until all the sheep have boarded and stroll on at my leisure, I’ve always found a seat.

The fact that I was almost physically assaulted the first time I got on a train at Union station (before I knew the system) has obviously put me off the whole Canadian queuing thing as the penalties for stepping outside the rules can be a detriment to ones health.

I still find it weird. It’s still the only place in the world I’ve seen people queue for the train and I’m quite well traveled. I’m not saying it doesn’t happen elsewhere but it happens in a Stepford wives manner here.

]]> By: Jeff http://www.four-pillars.ca/2009/10/09/working-with-canadians/comment-page-1/#comment-36275 Jeff Tue, 13 Oct 2009 19:16:18 +0000 http://www.four-pillars.ca/?p=4451#comment-36275 Mr. Cheap is right, the double-double is a source of national pride, for me anyway, I just got back home to Toronto from NYC, and the new Times Square Timmies (hurray is exists) made my double-double with milk and not cream. Anybody read about the Fort Knox Timmies opening recently? and to El Cid, I don't see many litterers in Toronto, except when people throw glowing cigarette butts out of their car window in the car in front of me, I want to make them eat the damned thing. oh, and to Flookiiduke, the yellow warning strip on the train platform is dirtier where the doors end up, if I can't get a seat or have to give it up, I want dibs on one of the better leaning spaces rather than having to hang from the handles. Oh, and from How I Met Your Mother, and the New York City M&M Store.. If you bump into someone and they apologize to you.. they're a Canadian. Mr. Cheap is right, the double-double is a source of national pride, for me anyway, I just got back home to Toronto from NYC, and the new Times Square Timmies (hurray is exists) made my double-double with milk and not cream. Anybody read about the Fort Knox Timmies opening recently?

and to El Cid, I don’t see many litterers in Toronto, except when people throw glowing cigarette butts out of their car window in the car in front of me, I want to make them eat the damned thing.

oh, and to Flookiiduke, the yellow warning strip on the train platform is dirtier where the doors end up, if I can’t get a seat or have to give it up, I want dibs on one of the better leaning spaces rather than having to hang from the handles.

Oh, and from How I Met Your Mother, and the New York City M&M Store.. If you bump into someone and they apologize to you.. they’re a Canadian.

]]> By: El Cid http://www.four-pillars.ca/2009/10/09/working-with-canadians/comment-page-1/#comment-36019 El Cid Mon, 12 Oct 2009 03:45:09 +0000 http://www.four-pillars.ca/?p=4451#comment-36019 Canadians hate littering? Was this written by someone who has lived in a Canadian city? Canadians polite? When, the 1950s? Really, these nationalistic generalities are really tiresome. Canadians hate littering? Was this written by someone who has lived in a Canadian city? Canadians polite? When, the 1950s?

Really, these nationalistic generalities are really tiresome.

]]> By: FlookiiDuke http://www.four-pillars.ca/2009/10/09/working-with-canadians/comment-page-1/#comment-35963 FlookiiDuke Sun, 11 Oct 2009 19:11:34 +0000 http://www.four-pillars.ca/?p=4451#comment-35963 I have to agree with a few of the other posts here on: 1. Tim Hortons I am amazed this company is still in business. I love coffee and as such have only visited this place twice. I had to give them second chance, right? The other amazing thing about their business model is they only accept cash and Mastercard, no Visa, no Interac. Oh but they do accept the internationally recognised Timmie Card. 2. Queuing Canadians are indeed anal about their queuing more so than the British which is an achievement (of sorts). I have never seen people queue for a train anywhere else in the world, these people know instinctively where the train door will stop on the platform and start the line up way before the train arrives. I have seen an almost empty platform two people dutifully in line...WTF? I could understand the queue if there where limited seats but as far as I have seen there has always been ample room. I find the whole thing quite fascinating and ....weird. That's probably enough from me.....except to say that Canada gave me my perfect woman (my wife in case you are wondering) and that's what brought me here, so I guess I'm just going to have to 'suck it up' and find out what this 'hockey' thing is that everyone is talking about. I have to agree with a few of the other posts here on:

1. Tim Hortons
I am amazed this company is still in business. I love coffee and as such have only visited this place twice. I had to give them second chance, right? The other amazing thing about their business model is they only accept cash and Mastercard, no Visa, no Interac. Oh but they do accept the internationally recognised Timmie Card.

2. Queuing
Canadians are indeed anal about their queuing more so than the British which is an achievement (of sorts). I have never seen people queue for a train anywhere else in the world, these people know instinctively where the train door will stop on the platform and start the line up way before the train arrives. I have seen an almost empty platform two people dutifully in line…WTF? I could understand the queue if there where limited seats but as far as I have seen there has always been ample room. I find the whole thing quite fascinating and ….weird.

That’s probably enough from me…..except to say that Canada gave me my perfect woman (my wife in case you are wondering) and that’s what brought me here, so I guess I’m just going to have to ’suck it up’ and find out what this ‘hockey’ thing is that everyone is talking about.

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