CANADIAN SOCIETY AND CULTURE

We can just give you a glimpse of the Canadian way of life. This is no easy task, since one of the defining characteristics of Canadians is that we are always struggling to define our identity.

Values: Canadians are a diverse group of people. But there are some values that we share:

social justice and fairness
human rights
equality of women
protection of children
the right to education, health care and basic social services
fair labour standards and a fair standard of living
honesty and integrity
protection of the environment

The Arts: Canadians enjoy home-grown culture as well as imports from the United States and around the world. You have probably heard of a Canadian artist, writer, actor or singer without knowing it. Céline Dion, Bryan Adams, Margaret Atwood, Michael J. Fox, Michael Ondaatje, William Shatner, Glenn Gould? All Canadian writers, musicians or actors.

Most cities have theatres, museums and art galleries; some of the major ones are in the National Capital Region, including the Canadian Museum of Civilization in Hull, Quebec and the National Gallery of Canada in Ottawa.

Activities: Not all Canadians love the outdoors. But many do, and since we have to learn to live with winter, hockey and skiing are popular. Summer, short as it is, takes most Canadians outside. Gardening and bird watching are among Canada's fastest growing hobbies. Families go camping or spend time at a cottage on a lake or river. Baseball, soccer and football are popular sports, and the latest hot activities for twenty-somethings are in-line skating or roller-blading.

Parks: With vast wilderness areas, Canada enjoys an extensive network of national and provincial parks.