English and French are the two official languages of Canada. French is spoken by at least 95% of residents in Quebec, and the rest of the regions use English as their first language with only a percentage of 20% of the Canadian population able to speak French. You’ll definitely get along well with Canadians so long as you are able to converse in English.

Language Skills
It was mentioned that one region in Canada speaks French, but that doesn’t mean that they do not speak English. The entire country is entirely an English-speaking nation. If you are trained well in using your English, you’ll definitely have the ease of communicating with the locals anywhere in the country.

Greetings in Canada do not need too much training as it can go as simple as “hi” and “hello.” When greeting Canadians, first names are the ones that are usually being used, and it is commonly accompanied by a brief handshake. Don’t feel it awkward when a local laughs over a handshake because it is just their way of loosening up the formality of shaking hands.

Body Language
French-speaking Canadians are more expressive than the other locals. When they greet someone, it may come with light kisses on both left and right cheeks, however, this is not the case with English-speaking Canadians. Locals in other regions in Canada would usually not share hugs with strangers but would definitely do hugs and black slapping with family and friends.

When talking to a Canadian, they would really appreciate it if you remove your hat and sunglasses, this will help them feel more comfortable talking with you. You may also want to consider refraining from putting your hands in your pockets when conversing with the locals if you want them to feel that you can be trusted.

Canadians are very warm and welcoming people, however, there are some habits you may want to hide from the public scene in the country. Yawning or scratching in public is often frowned at. Also, you may want to go on your own when you are about to sneeze, however, if you can’t help it, make sure you try to make it as quiet as possible. Finally, although Canadians may not reprimand you because of their being indirect, you should know that using toothpicks, nail clippers, and comb also do not belong to the public scene.

Topics for Discussion
Canadians love discussions about leisure and travel. If you want to start a conversation with a local friend, try asking for a most recent trip for vacation. You may also want to try sharing stories about your international travel experience, chances are your Canadian counterpart would love to talk about it more!

The country also offers an amazing shopping experience for visitors and expats. It’s also a topic they want to share with those who just arrived in their country. So if you want to start a discussion with a local, why not ask for the most popular shopping destination or perhaps the go-to place in shopping for souvenirs. The locals will not only guide you through the amazing places but may even offer to bring you there.

Sports can also be a really good ice breaker with any local. Canadians love hockey, soccer, baseball, basketball, golf, and tennis. These sports have been part of their culture and they would love to talk a lot about them. Just avoid comparisons of any sort between them and the US, and you will definitely have a good talk with the locals. Also, it is important for you to avoid questions or topics about the inferiority of the Canadian dollar to the US dollar, they really do not like that. Finally, although Canadians are very tolerant of a variety of religions, it is recommended that you don’t discuss religion in general.