Canada 2

Cultural InterviewIn the country of Canada people greet each other with a firm handshake, or if greeting relatives or close friends a kiss on the cheek may be given. Education starts promptly at the age or 5 or 6 and continues until graduation. Males are not prioritized over females regarding education, all children are required to attend school. There has been a trend of higher education amongst Canadians in the past fifty years due to enforcement of education, which has positively affected the country. The literacy level is 98% in Canada, with female literacy at 75%. (Franklin University Library) The Canadian school year runs from approximately the end of august to the end of June.The normal attire for men and women of Canada is casual dress, with the upper class dressing more elegantly then the lower class. Canada is a constitutional monarchy with a parliamentary democracy in which Queen Elizabeth II is the head of the country. Canada is also considered a federation due to the fact that the governments and the federal government have separate jurisdictions of political authority. The major religion practiced in Canada is Christianity with a large percent of Canadians belonging to the Catholic Church. Catholics profess their beliefs as Jesus Christ as the son of God, and refer to the articles of the Apostles Creed as our outline for describing Catholicism. Canadians have access to readily available technological products of all types. Canada does not differ much from the United States in terms of being able to walk into an electronic store and purchase merchandise. Although prices may be higher in Canada then the US.Canadians may get married by civil or religious ceremonies, same sex marriage is legal in Canada. The average age for marriage in Canada is early to late twenties. It is acceptable to not get married in Canada, however a large percent of the population due choose to marry. Divorces are frowned upon in Canada, but are obviously necessary in some cases. Canada has a high rate of divorces that have increased over the last 50 years; creating more blended family structures. French and English are both considered the national language of Canada; in the bigger cities such as Toronto English is used more than French. It depends on the area of Canada but usually Canadians are able to speak English and French. An important figure to Jason from Canadas past history is Henrietta Muir Edwards, who was a womens right activist and reformer in the late 1800s and early 1900s. A more recent important figure who originated from Canada is the music artist Aubrey Drake Graham known as Drake.Canadians spend leisure time much like an average American; shopping, going to the movies, spending time with family. The opportunities for Canadians and Americans are very similar; Western culture has no doubt influenced Canadian culture especially among the youth.A key challenge that Canada faces today is doing more to help those who live in poverty. A large number of single mothers with one income live in poverty. Jason feels more should be done by the Canadian Government to assist those in need. One important fact Canada practices is free healthcare. Preventative care and medical treatments are provided to the people of Canada by the government. One question that I asked Jason was if he preferred to live in the United States or Canada, in which he replied he enjoys living in the United States but feels safer living in Canada because the crime rate is not as high. Jason claims you can sleep with your front door unlocked in Canada and not worry about burglaries. Another question I asked Jason was how he felt about the legalization of same sex marriages in Canada; he replied he doesnt condone same sex marriages but respects the rights of others to do so if they choose.I appreciated the opportunity to learn interesting facts about Canada. I was surprised to learn that Canada is very similar to the United States. Given more time I would have asked more questions about the history of crime in Canada, and the fun attractions offered there. Going into the interview I did not think the answers were going to be so expected, but I guess that is because of Canada and the United States being so closely related. I did not feel any biased answers from the interviewee, I felt he was completely neutral. I believe the most significance I took from the interview was the view on free healthcare in Canada, as opposed to the affordable care act of the United States. I cannot say I agree with the affordable care act, and believe repercussions of this decision will come to light in the distant future. In my opinion the Government should assist with the cost of Healthcare for United States Citizens as Canada does.

ReferencesFranklin University Library. RetrievedDecember2014, from http://0-www.countrywatch.com.olinkserver.franklin.edu/cw_topic.aspx?type=text&vcountry=32&topic=INCOM&GLOBAL=true