My Canada
iT's for Teachers went to Toronto and Ottawa, where we asked five Canadians what they thought makes Canada different.
Where are you from and what do you do?
Patti Vora: I was born in Gujarat, India, in a small town along
the coast of the Arabian Sea called Bhavnager and came to Canada when
I was three years old. I currently work for an international company
that sells beer.
Whitney Goodfellow: I was born in Canada. My ancestors, mainly from
Ireland, emigrated to Canada more than 150 years ago. I work for an
insurance company.
Andrea Grau: I was born in Canada, but my family is from Chile.
I am a first-generation Canadian. When my parents first arrived they
hardly spoke English and now are fluent in both English and French.
I work for the Toronto International Film Festival Group.
Bernie Chan: I was born in Hong Kong and came to Canada when
I was two years old. Presently, I am a director of IT projects at CIBC,
one of the "big five" Canadian banks.
Marcus Aterman: I was born in London, but my family moved to
Canada when I was about 18 months old. I'm 15 now and I live in Ottawa,
Canada's capital. I go to high school, and have recently finished grade
9.
What do you think makes Canada different from other countries?
Patti
Vora: Canada is a great country to live in or visit. It is big and
beautiful. What makes Canada different is that it is multicultural,
there are plenty of opportunities, the people are friendly and it is
a safe place to live. You meet people from all over the world here.
I think we are very lucky to live in Canada.
Whitney Goodfellow: Canada is "North American" and heavily
influenced by the United States of America, but at the same time it
isn't American. Being Canadian means that you are part of a nation that
values, respects and celebrates all the differences of all Canadians.
It means you think of yourself as "Canadian", but you also
recognise and respect traditions from different ethnic, religious and
cultural groups. I think diversity makes Canada different.
Andrea Grau: Canada really is multicultural. Immigrant people
can keep their culture and their language and even create a community
within the larger cities. There is no overarching "Canadian-type".
We are all from different cultures and races.
Bernie Chan: What makes Canada different is its diversity and
compassion for others. There are many languages, cultures and ethnicities
in Canada. For example, in Toronto, there are more than 100 languages
and dialects spoken. In Canada there are many programs offered by the
government that are designed to help other, less fortunate, citizens
of the country. It is a strong part of our culture to believe that certain
programs and services (medical care is an example) should be available
to everyone.
Marcus Aterman: Canada is different from a lot of other countries
due to its progressive social ideas and tolerance. You can see this
in evidence in Canadian cities, which are very multicultural environments.
In fact, Toronto is considered by many to be the most multicultural
city in the world. Canada is also different from many other countries
due to the population density. It's the secnd largest country in the
world and the population is relatively low (30,000,000). As a result,
the overall population is very spread out, although most people actually
live in cities.
Name
three things that, for you, are typically Canadian.
Patti Vora: Hockey, maple syrup and the Mounties (the Canadian
mounted police).
Whitney Goodfellow: Hockey, beer and maple syrup.
Andrea Grau: Saying "eh" at the end of a sentence,
how we say please and thank you all the time and maple syrup.
Bernie Chan: Politeness, humility and a good sense of humour.
Marcus Aterman: Ice hockey - Canada's national sport and favourite
pastime - maple syrup, and "eh?" - Canadians often use this
"Canadianism" at the end of every statement, as in, "It's
really cold, eh?"
If a student was coming from another country to study in Canada, what
should they visit?
Patti Vora: The following cities: Toronto, Ottawa, Vancouver,
Halifax and Quebec. They should also visit the natural parks of Banff
and Jasper and do the Cabot Trail. That's a lot, I know but it's worth
it!
Whitney Goodfellow: Niagara Falls - our wonder of the world!
Personally, I would also say Moraine Lake, which is near Lake Louise
in the province of Alberta.
Andrea Grau: I guess it depends where they were going to be based.
But if they could travel around, I would suggest: Lake Louise in Calgary,
Kits Beach in Vancouver, eating lobster in PEI (Prince Edward Island),
having a drink on a terrace in Old Montreal and finally, going to Toronto
Island on a beautiful summer night.
Bernie Chan: It depends on the city where they are studying,
but I'd recommend any of the following: the Parliament buildings in
Ottawa, Old Montreal, Banff National Park, skiing in Whistler Park,
Niagara Falls and the CN Tower.
Marcus Aterman: Toronto. It's a big but safe city with lots to
see and do. Toronto always seems so vibrant in comparison to many other
Canadian cities. Atlantic Canada - provinces like Nova Scotia are beautiful,
and have a distinct character and history. Niagara Falls - it's touristy
but still an amazing natural phenomenon.
___________________________________________ _ _ _ _
What
makes your country different?
Imagine you have been asked to answer the same questions about your country. What would you say? Why do you think your country is different? Complete the questions below and then write your answers.
Where are you from and what do you do?
What do you think makes _________ different from other countries?
Name three things that, for you, are typically ____________.
If a student was coming from another country to study in ________,
what should they visit?