Not the 51st state: myths and misconceptions aboot Canada, eh

Truth: That would be insane - Poutine is delicious, but it's a little tough to have it even more than once a week. And as for beaver tails—not real tails of beavers, but delicious warm deep-fried bread coated in cinnamon and sugar—well, Canadians do need to pack on more pounds to keep warm in the winter.

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Myth: Canada is always cold - And everyone wears Canada Goose parkas year-round.

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Truth: Canada actually does have summer - It's common for temperatures to reach the mid-30s in July and August.

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Myth: Everyone is obsessed with hockey - The sport was invented in Canada, and Canadians are really good at it, but...

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Truth: Statistics Canada has reported a significant decline in people’s interest in hockey -

Golf has surpassed hockey as the most popular sporting activity among adults, and there's also baseball, soccer, football, rugby, lacrosse, curling, and basketball to account for (plus, basketball was also invented by a Canadian).

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Myth: Canadians live in igloos and ride polar bears - Does anyone ride polar bears?

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Truth: Does that one really need to be debunked? - Most Canadians prefer houses and cars.

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Myth: There are no famous Canadians - The Kardashians are still on our news feeds, but Canadians are hiding in plain sight.

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Truth: There's more than Drake and Celine Dion -

Neil Young, Justin Bieber, The Weeknd, Seth Rogen, Rush, Jim Carrey, Barenaked Ladies, Avril Lavigne, Shania Twain, Nelly Furtado, Bryan Adams, Sarah McLachlan, Leonard Cohen, etc.

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Myth: The British Crown still runs the country - The late Queen Elizabeth's face is still seen on Canadian currency.

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Truth: Canada has its own thing going on - King Charles might be the head of state, but Canada has a Prime Minister and parliament and, more importantly, independence.

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Myth: Canadians say "oot" and "aboot" - Instead of out and about...

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Truth: Television is to blame for that accent - No one's ever heard someone do the accent in real life, yet somehow everyone knows about it.

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Myth: The money smells like maple syrup - After bills went from paper to plastic, a rumour went around about how the CAD$100 bills had the scent of maple syrup infused into the material.

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Truth: The bills are not scratch-and-sniff - The Bank of Canada denies any intentional maple syrup smell.

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Myth: Canada is so safe that no one ever locks the doors - Car doors, house doors, any door to anything valuable—leave them wide open.

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Truth: Canadians are polite, but not perfect - There is still crime in Canada, and though people try to respect each other, that doesn't mean everyone trusts each other.

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Myth: Canadians speak French - Est-ce que vous le parlez?

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Truth: Most of Canada speaks English - Over two-thirds of the country speaks English, and though French is mandatory in elementary school, it's not often used outside of Quebec.

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Myth: There are wild moose and beavers everywhere - Just walking aboot, minding their own business.

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Truth: It's more like squirrels and pigeons - You have to trek out into the wilderness for the bears, beavers, moose, loons, and other iconic Canadian animals.

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Myth: Canada is the 51st State - Because it's attached?

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Truth: Nope! - Canada's entertainment and culture sometimes piggybacks on the United States, but the northern neighbor uses a different second language, a different currency, and a different political system.

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Myth: Mounties on horses police the country - In their red coats, tall hats, and high boots.

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Truth: The Royal Canadian Mounted Police do not provide provincial and municipal police service in Ontario or Quebec - And in the rest of the provinces they only wear the whole get-up for official or ceremonial purposes.

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Myth: Canadians don't own guns - Because they're too polite to own firearms, probably.

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Truth: Millions of Canadians have guns, mostly for sport and recreation - Canadians just seem less obsessed with the right to bear arms.

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Myth: Healthcare is free and amazing - A utopia of regular check-ups, dental cleanings, and surgical operations.

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Truth: Canadians pay high taxes, and not everything is covered - Not complaining though—Canada still has it easy in comparison to some other countries.

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Myth: Canada is a small country - The population is just over 36 million (as compared to the United States' population of 323 million), but don't let the numbers fool you.

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Truth: It's huge -

Canada is the second largest country in the world, covering 9,984,670 square km.

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Myth: Toronto is the capital of Canada - It's the financial center and the biggest, most internationally recognized Canadian city, so it's no wonder people get this one wrong.

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Truth: Ottawa is the nation's capital - That's where you'll find Justin Trudeau.

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Myth: All Canadians say "Eh" -

Let's just get this one out of the way.

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Myth: Milk only comes in bags - Why is that weird?

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Truth: We’re versatile - Okay, so bagged milk is a little weird to some people, but there are cartons and jugs to cater to everyone's milk needs.

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Myth: Canadians only eat poutine and beaver tails - In an ideal world.

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