Exerpted from Conde Nast Traveler Etiquette 101, November 2009
Smart Talk
First Do No Harm
"Every country has its subtle taboos and unspoken codes, but when you get down to it, it's what you say, not how you say it, that really gets you in the door (or kicked out). ... It's easy enough to follow such tips as "Use common sense" on your home turf, but it's sometimes the best-intentioned questions ("Where did you go to college?" "Isn't Toronto fabulous?") that can land you in the most trouble abroad. In all likelihood, these and other queries will not get you summarily banned from the conference table or a family's home - and in fact certain cultures encourage forthrightness - but wandering into a minefield might lead to the kind of awkwardness that festers beneath all the cross-culture politeness. Our guide to the most dangerous topics around the world rates them according to our own alert system, from highest to lowest risk, followed by a few safe subjects that might put you back on solid ground."
Degree of Risk: From absolutely verboten to ill-advised
CANADA
* Impugning Canada's national health-care system. Canadians are fiercely proud of it. In a television contest, viewers voted the founder of the system the greatest Canadian hero
* Remarking how similar Canada is to the United States can be tantamount to calling it the fifty-first state.
* Any reliance on a few stereotypes (e.g. making fun of how they say, "Eh?") may unearth the sarcasm beneath their (stereotypical) politeness.
* Be careful in discussing Toronto and how wonderful it is; many regional Canadians, especially out west, don't like it.
* Don't mistake politeness for the casual oversharing so common in the United States. Canadians, like Europeans, will bristle if you get too personal too fast.
Diversionary Topics (i.e. Talk Away!)
* Hockey - the really do love it as much as we think they do. The runner-up in the Canadian-hero contest was a hockey coach turned sportscaster.
Now I realize this is written for the business traveler. But I was so amused by it. I guess that's what I get for having spent many weekends/weeks/months there. I cling to the small percentage of my geographical makeup that is Canada. Even so much as driving through snowstorms on 81 to get there. Anyways, I just wanted to share. :)
xo
