Berkley Center

Before I even left for Montreal, I was beginning to understand two prevailing American perspectives on Canadian culture, especially the unique culture of Quebec. To one group of my friends, study in the North Country conjured up general images of a bitterly cold ice land with a few friendly people—who always say “eh?"—scattered among remote arctic outposts. These friends gave me a hard time about wanting to go to Canada, saying that it would be the same as America and was certainly not a study abroad location. Another group of friends thought more specifically about Quebec, and they warned me that I was definitely going someplace foreign, someplace so foreign that other Francophones struggle to understand the Québécois French.

So far I am finding that neither perception of studying in Canada is entirely correct, and either leaves much room for disappointment. Someone who comes to Canada expecting a mirror image of America will be disappointed to find a subtly different culture and way of life. Likewise, those who fear such a drastic cultural and linguistic change will be surprised to hear the same English and mostly similar French spoken.

While no school quite compares to Georgetown, I am enjoying studying history at McGill. Canadians have a genuine appreciation and respect for their history, dating back to the original First Nations tribes that settled the continent, and more recently, to the original English, French, and Loyalist settlers. History serves as much of the basis for how Canadians see themselves now and project themselves into the future. Scholars constantly debate and rewrite this history out of concern for fairness and appropriateness to all the Canadians and their groups. This delicate and unresolved process often places one group against another, whether English against French, European against non-European, or newcomer against established dweller. Religion plays a key role in these debates. Often religious connotations and implications mean more than the core beliefs. So the opposition of Protestantism and Catholicism has more to do with the tense relations between the English and French cultures they represent than with any substantial theological differences. Since World War II, the discussions about Christianity and non-Western religions highlight the concern about increased immigration from outside of Europe and Commonwealth areas.

Religion wove itself into the Canadian consciousness from the beginning. Jesuit missionaries were the first to bring Christianity to Canada. This can be especially appreciated in Quebec, with countless Church schools and hospitals. Protestant beliefs guided society and kept strict order for English settlers. Canada today reflects its religious heritage, but now mostly in secular ways.

Consider the traditional conservatism or reserve of Canadians (George Grant describes this in his book Lament for a Nation). I encountered this firsthand riding the Metro on the way to school. The first time I saw a large group of police officers with visible body armor running in the station, I figured they must have been first responders to some serious incident. I was surprised to learn that all this reaction was simply to a few teenagers trying to jump over the turnstiles without paying a fare. This demonstrates exactly what deference to authority and following the rules mean in Canada. Another time, there was a man on the metro who really wanted to high-five or pound fists with everyone next to him. While certainly out of the ordinary, he was not threatening or out of control. What surprised me was that no one had the courage to give him a high five or otherwise tell him to sit down. I was the only one to pound fists with him, which did prompt him to sit down. The McGill International Student Handbook makes some obvious suggestions, like attending classes regularly. But it also focuses on good manners and personal protocol in Canada, like not asking people about their families, and not showing up at someone’s home without a prior arrangement.

People constantly tell me how much influence religion had on the daily lives of Canadians in the past. Today the churches and impressive cathedrals remain but lack the constant societal influence of the past. Part of this can be attributed to the growth of government. Provincial and federal governments now seem to permeate the lives of Canadians, in everything from high taxes to complex rules regulating education, work, housing, and other everyday matters.

It’s fall in Montreal with cooler temperatures and talk of snow, leaves turning bright red, and hockey and midterms in full swing. I’m enjoying meeting everyone here and all the different adventures. Best regards from Canada! À bientôt, Max