Canadian Values

Before moving to other countries, a lot of immigrants assume that people in these countries are happier because they have better standard of living, better political, educational, healthcare, or social systems. And in a way that is true and in a way it’s not. As I wrote before, you can’t really have a perfect system or perfect government, perfect everything. When I came to Canada, I started to ask myself: “Well is it the people or is it the government? What makes this country great?” It’s like a dilemma about chicken and an egg. Well, I came to conclusion that good synergy between both, leads to best outcomes for a country. However, for me, Canada is mostly great for the people I got to know and learn from.

People create a culture. Culture is based on common beliefs and values people practice together. After living in Canada for 6 years, I would like to share some values I observed in Canadians who live there for generations:

1.       Love for Peace and Harmony

Canadians value peacefulness. They don’t like confrontations. Treating everybody with respect and being nice is extremely important in Canadian society. Canadian culture places strong emphasis on fostering empathy and understanding in the society. Majority of Canadians I met though my life in Alberta were positive, friendly, polite, and kind.

In Canada for the first time in my life I saw an environment where everybody lives in harmony. People of different ages communicate as they are equals. Children are comfortable around adults. Adults are very chill and patient with children. A lot of families have pets as well. And all seem to live in harmony.

Day at the like. Canada

2.       Independence

Canadian parenting encourages independence in children. Children are encouraged to express their opinions and make decisions for themselves, while still respecting others. Individualism is valued, and parents prioritize their child's unique needs and aspirations. Children can explore their own interests and make choices that align with their individuality.

Horses. Alberta

3.       Authenticity

Being authentic means being true to yourself. You don’t need to impress anybody by pretending to be somebody you are not. A lot of Canadian people I met are very down to earth people and love authenticity. There is no need for formalities or pretentiousness around Canadians. You can give yourself permission to be yourself and live free from others' ideas and expectations. Although this is not commonly acknowledged value in a society, it is something I observed that exists. As Canadian culture is very diverse, everybody can find their people, a community to belong to and stay true to their beliefs.

Playground in Athabasca, Alberta

4.       Responsibility in the Community

One of the amazing values I observed in Canadians is that although they have quite an individualistic culture, it is also a community-oriented culture. Canadians like volunteering, fundraising, being active in the community. They also teach their kids social responsibility, engage them in doing community work or lead by example. It has been very refreshing to see how much Canadians do for their communities. This is when you realize it’s not just the government. It is also the people.

5.       Love for Nature

Canadian’s love for nature is something that really impressed me. I grew up as city girl and honestly most of my life spent in the city jungle. Canadians’ love for outdoors made me realize why city people can seem so unhappy sometimes. Life in a city can really get you depressed sometimes. Constant rushing and hustle culture eventually can suck life out of anybody.  Canadians recharge through connecting to nature. They know a lot about wildlife and plants. They love camping and hiking. Canadian nature can make anybody become a nature lover.

Canada day Celebration in Athabasca