Urban Myths and Legends about Canada

It's always strange to hear people's misconceptions about Canada...

I have written about a few that my immigrant students told me: About Canadians losing noses in cold winter weather... And Canadian streets being paved with gold!

But there are other myths out there... much closer to home. When friends from Georgia visited, they were surprised to hear that my 92-year-old mother received exactly the same medical care that a much younger person would. They had heard that the elderly in Canada were ignored by the Canadian medicare system.

She has always received prompt care, my husband told them, adding that she has had cancer surgery twice in the past ten years and innumerable tests and treatments for other aches and pains.

They were amazed...

And when a friend and I, in Washington for a conference, decided to attend a local church one Sunday - on hearing that we were from Canada, the minister commented that we must be happy to be in a country where the Bible could be read in its entirety - not just parts of it.

We looked at each other in surprise and then back at the minister... No, we assured him, in both the Baptist church my friend attends and in my Anglican/Episcopal church we use unabridged, uncensored Bibles. There are no forbidden passages that we can't read out loud...

The minister was puzzled... He had heard that Canadians were prohibited from reading certain parts of the Bible...

Nothing further from the truth, we tried to assure him, but I'm not sure he was convinced.

Urban legends! Once they get out there, they take on a life of their own - no matter how untrue they are!

(Hmmm... It makes me wonder what other urban legends define Canada in different parts of the world!)