Things You Should Never Say to a Canadian
Want to put our reputation for being polite and easygoing to the test? These Canadian insults will make any resident of the Great White North turn as red as a maple leaf.
Anything in a fake Canadian accent
Once of the worst Canadian insults? Putting on a fake Canadian accent. Although the origins of this exaggerated accent are obscure, it must have been invented shortly after the country’s inception in 1867—because it’s really starting to show its rust. As cute and quaint as it might sound, the “Canadian accent” sounds nothing at all like how actual Canadians speak. That’s not to say we don’t have our own unique way of speaking, it’s just that we’re a lot more Wayne Gretzky than Doug Mackenzie.
Disparaging comments about hockey
Be careful before you utter a disparaging remark about a hockey player or team in Canada—a seemingly innocent comment can quickly turn into one of the most offensive Canadian insults. As a general rule, though, Toronto Maple Leafs insults can fly pretty much anywhere across the country, even in Toronto where fans mostly have a sense of humour. Montreal Canadiens insults, on the other hand, can get you in trouble whether you’re in Beaver Creek, Yukon, or Blackhead, Newfoundland. Habs fans are everywhere and there’s nothing funny about the most storied team in NHL history. So when it comes to insulting the sport of hockey, just don’t do it, unless you really want to see the gloves come off.
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“Cheese and gravy? Ew.”
No one can deny the magical relationship between french fries and ketchup. However, if you’re ordering fries and you’re asked if you’d like poutine instead, your answer should always be yes. For the uninitiated, poutine is a common Canadian dish that consists of french fries topped with squeaky cheese curds and gravy. If you’re concerned about that expanding gut of yours, many restaurants offer a healthier, vegetarian gravy substitute. Some diehard poutine fans might call mushroom or vegetable gravy sacrilege, but the only real Canadian insult is opting for boring old french fries when you can indulge in a true Canadian delicacy.
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Anything other than “Sorry” when you bump into someone
Unless you’re actually trying to deliver a Canadian insult, there’s only one thing you say when someone bumps into you, and that’s “Sorry.” The classic apology can mean anything from sincere acknowledgement of a mistake to passive aggressive annoyance. Just be sure you don’t put any stink on the word; as annoyed as you might be, it’s important to say sorry without sounding like you’re trying to start something.
What’s the Great White North like for a newcomer? Here, a recent Canadian immigrant shares what he wishes he’d known before moving to Canada.
“Canada is the 51st U.S. state.”
Canada is not the same country as the United States. Everyone in Canada knows this, which is why it’s so frustrating when people around the world don’t seem to realize that our home isn’t simply the 51st state of the U.S. Their confusion is somewhat understandable: Canada and the U.S. are such strong allies and many Canadian celebrities hop the border to find success in Hollywood. But if you ever want to deliver one of the worst Canadian insults, ask them if they voted for Trump or Biden, or why we drink milk out of bags. You’re bound to get some major eye rolls.
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“Canadian beer is awful.”
It’s not that we can’t take the criticism or that our taste buds are numbed by years of drinking “moose urine,” as the Americans like to call it, it’s simply that we don’t understand why a nation of light beer guzzlers think they have the right to insult Canadian beer (or German, Polish, British or Japanese beer, for that matter). It’s a bit like someone who grew up on cheese-in-a-can screwing up their nose at free-range, organic chèvre. If you don’t know how beer is supposed to taste, please keep your comments to yourself.
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The F-word (in Quebec)
The next time you stub your toe in Quebec, you might also want to bite your tongue. It’s not that Quebecers are prudes or dislike foul language, per se, it’s just that they happen to have their own heavenly style of swearing, which involves cursing sacred items of the Catholic Church. It might seem a bit weird, but tah-bar-nac (the box where the Eucharist is kept) is a common swear word uttered in a fit of agitation. Other popular swear words include os-tee (the communion wafer) and ka-lees (the cup from which you drink the holy wine). Some even combine words for super-swears: os-ti tah-bar-nac or ka-lees tah-bar-nac.
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“A-boot.”
It’s true what they say about accents: everyone has one and you can’t always hear your own, but this whole business about Canadians saying a-boot instead of about is just confusing. If anything, we say a-boat or, more accurately, a-beh-out. So, don’t say a-boot unless you want to get kicked by one.
Now that you know the Canadian insults to avoid, check out the Canadian road trips everyone should take at least once.
