This is written in response to the many questions I have been asked about Canada while in chatrooms. The ignorance about this country is apalling. This page will hopefully clear up some myths and weird ideas.

1. Canada is not an American state. I have truthfully found Americans who believe this.
2. Canada is not smaller than Texas. We are tremendously larger than Texas, and much larger than the entire US. In fact, Canada is the largest country in the world.
3. The people of Canada do not live entirely in igloos. There is probably about a 1000000:1 house to igloo ratio.
4. Canada is not really cold all the time. We have summer just like everyone else. It reaches extremely hot temperatures similar to that of the Southern U.S. in the summer months.
5. It does not snow all year round in Canada. Sure, it may still be a bit chilly up north in the Arctic, but that's really far up there.
6. Canada is not full of Mounties. We do have real police officers just like everyone else.
7. Our nation's capital city is Ottawa, not Toronto or Ontario.
8. Not everyone owns a 12 gauge rifle for hunting and has a bearskin rug on the floor. I have yet to see a bearskin rug on anyone's floor.
9. The leader of our country is a Prime Minister not a President.
10. Canada is full of really nice and decent people. The crime rate in our metropolitan centres is about 70% less than that in American metropolitan areas.
11. Canada has real beer, not that watery stuff from south of the border.
12. Canada is where lots of famous people start before they leave. Examples: Jim Carrey, Celine Dion, James Cameron, Michael J. Fox, Neve Campbell...
13. Canada has been ranked the #1 country to live in by an international research study (affiliated with the UN) for 4 years running.

Hope this clears some facts up for all the people who know nothing about my country. I don't mean to bash other countries, because that would be hypocritical. I am just relating actual questions I have been asked. You would be surprised at the stupidity lurching out there in cyber space. For those people who do know the truth about Canada, I am terribly sorry for my underestimation.

If you have a comment about anything I've said here, email me at lela_dax@hotmail.com

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