To Be Canadian

by Andrea Chomiczuk

There are stereotypes out there for each and every country. I'm sure some are true, while others are just crazy! Here are a few of those common Canadian stereotypes we hear about.

To be Canadian - Igloos, maple syrup, and a beaver

Maybe not so true…

There are some Canadian stereotypes out there that have definitely gained some ground, but we’re just not too sure how or why… so we want to set them straight.

We have pet beavers
Although noble animals, they are definitely not meant to be in our homes. Imagine trying to have wooden furniture. Oh, the horror! I hope you didn't like wooden dining table because it's now a beaver dam.

We live in igloos and use dog sleds as the primary mode of transportation
As cold as it can be in Canada, we definitely have houses with walls and cars that don’t need a pack of dogs to run. Our heating bills may be through the roof on the super cold days, and our cars need to be plugged in overnight sometimes, but we’re just like you! Having sled dogs instead of cars would be super cool though.

We all know each other
With a population of over 35 million, the odds of us knowing that Canadian guy named John you met that one time is pretty slim.

Seeing a polar bear in the wild is a common occurrence
That would be absolutely terrifying. Luckily that’s only a thing in a few VERY northern communities.

We have 4 professions to pick from: lumberjack, fur trader, Mountie or hockey player
That would definitely make choosing a career way easier, but we have a wealth of educational programs and professions to choose from! PS. Not all Canadians even know how to skate, let alone play hockey!

Tim Horton is our President
Well. Although he was a wonderful man who brought us great coffee, delicious doughnuts, and very affordable prices, he has not been our leader. Also, we have Prime Ministers, not Presidents.

We bathe in maple syrup
We tried it once. But it got a little sticky. We as a country decided it would be best if we stuck to just eating the maple syrup.

To be canadian - Tim Horton's, Winters, Poutine

Alright, maybe a little true…

But then there are some stereotypes that are very true – and we’re okay with it. Aside from being incredibly friendly people, there’s so much more!Canadian tire money is a very common type of currencyThey’ve adapted to the times and now have a rewards card instead of the paper money, but guaranteed there’s crumpled up Canadian Tire money in random junk drawers and winter coat pockets across the nation.You can mow the lawn one day and shovel the driveway the nextThis isn’t even an exaggeration. Those memes you see on the internet about our erratic weather is no joke.-10 is considered mild weatherAfter barricading yourself in your home with cozy sweaters, thick blankets, and big wool socks trying to avoid the -45 weather outside, -10 feels like the perfect weather for shorts and flip flops.Poutine is absolutely deliciousFries? Good. Cheese? Good. Gravy? Good. Why not mix these 3 delicious items together to create an incredible dish brought to us from what can only be superheroes? Tim HortonsWhen we say, we’re going to Tim’s, people know we’re not going to our buddy Tim’s house.

Canadian Made

Some really incredible things come from our country. Everything from talented actors and singers, great sports, delicious foods, and life-altering inventions.
  • Ketchup and all dressed chips
  • Coffee Crisp & Crispy Crunch
  • Tim Horton’s
  • Velcro
  • Zippers
  • Basketball & Hockey
  • Butter tarts
  • Alkaline battery
  • Garbage bags
  • 5 pin bowling
  • Dufresne
We, at Dufresne, are proud of our roots. That’s why we strive to offer a large assortment of Canadian Made products, supporting local employment, our economy, and the community in which we live. Check out the – it’s one of our favourite Canadian Made collections.
To be Canadian - Dufresne Furniture