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Facts and Statistics
Location: Northern North America, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean on the east, North Pacific Ocean on the west, and the Arctic Ocean on the north, north of the conterminous US Capital: Ottawa Climate: varies from temperate in south to subarctic and arctic in north Population: 33,212,696 (July 2008 est.) Ethnic Make-up: British Isles origin 28%, French origin 23%, other European 15%, Amerindian 2%, other, mostly Asian, African, Arab 6%, mixed background 26% Religions: Roman Catholic 42.6%, Protestant 23.3% (including United Church 9.5%, Anglican 6.8%, Baptist 2.4%, Lutheran 2%), other Christian 4.4%, Muslim 1.9%, other and unspecified 11.8%, none 16% (2001 census) Government: constitutional monarchy that is also a parliamentary democracy and a federation |
Language in Canada
A multitude of languages are spoken in Canada. According to the 2006 census, English and French are the preferred language ("home language", or language spoken most often in the home) of 67.1% and 21.5% of the population, respectively. English and French are recognised by the Constitution of Canada as "official languages," which means that all laws of the federal government are enacted in both English and French and that federal government services are required to be available in both languages. The five most widely-spoken non-official languages are Chinese (the home language of 2.6% of Canadians), Punjabi (0.8%), Spanish (0.7%), Italian (0.6%), and Arabic (0.5%). Canadian Society and Culture Cultural Diversity Canada is culturally diverse. This goes back to the 1890s when it began inviting people from all over the world to settle in the country to help it develop and grow. Canadian immigration policy was historically open, welcoming and egalitarian in its philosophy. This has also manifest into the psyche of the nation where people are encouraged and to retain their cultural identities, traditions, languages and customs. Individuals concerned with the group Canadians are generally a tolerant, polite and extremely community-oriented people. Although they are individualistic in terms of their basic cultural traits, they nevertheless place a great deal of emphasis on the individual's responsibility to the community. This is seen as giving balance and a good quality of life. Regionalism Most Canadians have a strong allegiance to their province or region, sometimes more so than to the country. There are some broad differences between regions, which can generally be summed up as follows:
Customs and Etiquette in Canada Meeting and Greeting
Gift Giving
Dining Etiquette
Business Etiquette and Protocol Meeting and Greeting
Canadian Communication Styles It is difficult to specify any national trait in terms of communication in Canada due to its regionalism and cultural diversity. However, there are some basic communication styles that are fairly standard across the country. For example, businesspeople are generally polite, easy-going and somewhat informal. In general, communication is” moderately indirect” perhaps reflecting an amalgamation of both North American and British tendencies. Although most Canadians can disagree openly when necessary, they prefer to do so with tact and diplomacy. Their communication style is essentially pragmatic and relies on common sense. If you come from a culture where communication is very direct, you may wish to soften your demeanour and tone so as not to appear threatening. Communication styles vary most between Anglophone and Francophone parts of the country. Francophones are generally more indirect than Anglophones, although less so than the French. They also tend to be more exuberant than Anglophones. Anglophones do not generally interrupt someone who is speaking. They consider it rude not to let a person complete their thought before entering the discussion. Francophones are more likely to interrupt another speaker. Canadians communicate more by the spoken word rather than non-verbal expressions. Non-verbal expressions are only really used to add emphasis to a message or are part of an individual’s personal communication style. Canadians like their space and prefer to be at an arm’s length when speaking to someone. Canadians are reticent to discuss their personal lives with business associates. They expect people to speak in a straightforward manner and to be able to back up their claims with examples. They do not make exaggerated claims and are suspicious of something that sounds too good to be true. Business Meetings Canadians begin meetings with a minimal amount of small talk although one should expect to spend a few minutes exchanging pleasantries and the like. In Quebec there may be more time spent on relationship-building. Meetings are generally well-organized and adhere to time schedules. They tend to be informal and relaxed in manner even if the subjects being discussed are serious. When meeting with Anglophones, meetings may seem more democratic as all participants will engage and contribute. Meetings with Francophones, due to a greater respect for hierarchy and position, may revolve more around the most senior attendees. Meetings in Canadian companies are used to review proposals, make plans, brain-storm and communicate decisions. Attendees will generally represent a variety of levels and experiences; all are expected to express opinions. When presenting information, it is important to have facts and figures to substantiate claims and promises. Canadians are essentially rational and logical and thus they will not be convinced by emotions, passion or feelings. Being a Manager in Canada The business set up in Canada is egalitarian and to ensure successful cross cultural management it is important to remember to treat each and every person with equal respect and deference. Intercultural adaptability relies on this understanding that in Canada there is a sense that all people in the organization have an important role to play and are valued for their input. Therefore, in this culture, managers won’t lose any respect consulting other employees over decisions. Since Canada is a cultural mosaic where immigrants are encouraged to retain their ethnic heritage, the business behaviour you observe may vary dependent upon the cultural heritage of the person involved and intercultural adaptability is essential. The Role of a Manager Cross cultural communiciation will be more effective when working if you remember that the most productive managers in Canada recognize and value the specialized knowledge that employees at all levels bring. Employees expect to be consulted on decisions that affect them and the greater good of the organization. Successful intercultural management will remember that the role of the leader is to harness the talents of the group assembled, and develop any resulting synergies. The leader will be deferred to as the final authority in any decisions that are made, but they do not dominate the discussion or generation of ideas. Praise should be given to the entire group as well as to individuals. Approach to Change Canada’s intercultural competence and readiness for change is high. Businesses in Canada have a high tolerance for risk and a ready acceptance for change. The underlying mindset is that change, while difficult, usually brings improvements and that hard work and innovation will bring a better tomorrow. Risk-takers who fail are not deprived of future opportunities as failure is often perceived as a necessary step in the learning process. When discussing plan implementations, Canadian managers will look for a proactive, success-oriented perspective with details about how to make the plan succeed. Without losing sight of the risk, managers are expected stay focused on the opportunity and the positive vision. Approach to Time and Priorities Canada is a controlled-time culture, and adherence to schedules is important and expected. In Canada missing a deadline is a sign of poor management and inefficiency, and will shake people’s confidence. Since Canadians respect schedules and deadlines, it is not unusual for managers to expect people to work late and even give up weekends in order to meet target deadlines. Successful intercultural management will depend on the individual’s ability to meet deadlines. Decision Making Canada is an egalitarian society, which means that employees are free to express their opinions to their managers. In general, information flows in all directions and managers often seek the advice of others within the company who are technical experts. Managers often see themselves as facilitators whose job is to assist their subordinates in producing their best work. In Quebec, which is more hierarchical, there is a greater respect for rank and authority and less discussion with employees prior to reaching a decision. However, in high-technology companies or more entrepreneurial companies, Quebec management style is similar to the rest of Canada. Boss or Team Player? In Canada, groups collaborate well together as teams. Members are generally chosen to participate based on tangible skills or the knowledge base they bring, and are equally welcome to contribute to any discussion that may arise. The role of the leader is to harness the talent of the group assembled, and develop any resulting synergies. Communication and Negotiation Styles Although personal relationships are not required to conduct business, expect some small talk before delving into the business discussions. Communication is generally direct and Canadians have no difficulty in saying no. As a rule, French Canadians are proud of their culture and heritage. They take special pride in their language and speaking it well. If you do not speak French, it is a good idea to learn a few key phrases, since it demonstrates an interest in maintaining a long-term relationship. Useful information and links about Canada * Currency - the currency of Canada is known as the Canadian Dollar. Use the free currency converter to compare to dollars, GBP or Euro. * Weather - visit Yahoo!'s up to date Weather for Cananda. * Dialing Code - the international dialing code for Brazil is +1. * Time - Canada is -4 hours GMT. |
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