Canada and the United States the Differences
Canada and the USA
I've had the pleasure of living in both Canada and the U.S.A. Many times people have asked me what are the differences between the two countries.
Holiday and Recognized Days
Many of the public and recognized holiday days are the same in the U.S.A. as they are in Canada, but there are exceptions, so I've included all of them in both countries in the table below.
Holidays and recognized days in the U.S.A. & Canada
Holidays
| USA
| Canada
|
|---|---|---|
New Years Day
| Yes
| Yes
|
Martin Luther King Day
| Yes
| No
|
Groundhog Day
| Yes
| Yes
|
Super Bowl
| Yes
| No
|
Lincoln's Birthday
| Yes
| No
|
Valentine's Day
| Yes
| Yes
|
Family Day
| No
| Alberta, Ontario & Saskatchewan
|
Louis Riel Day
| No
| Manitoba
|
Islander Day
| No
| Prince Edward Island
|
President's Day
| Yes
| No
|
Washington's Birthday Day
| Yes
| No
|
Daylight Savings Time Begins
| Yes
| Yes
|
St. Patrick's Day
| Yes
| Yes
|
Cesar Chavez Day
| California, Colorado & Texas
| No
|
April Fool's Day
| Yes
| Yes
|
Good Friday
| Yes
| Yes
|
Easter Sunday
| Yes
| Yes
|
Easter Monday
| Yes
| Yes
|
Tax Day
| Yes
| No
|
Earth Day
| Yes
| Yes
|
Arbor Day
| Yes
| No
|
Mother's Day
| Yes
| Yes
|
Victoria Day
| No
| Yes
|
Memorial Day
| Yes
| No
|
John F. Kennedy's Birthday
| Yes
| No
|
Flag Day
| Yes
| No
|
Father's Day
| Yes
| Yes
|
National Holiday of Quebec
| No
| Only in Quebec
|
Canada Day
| No
| Yes
|
Independence Day
| Yes
| No
|
Nunavut Day
| No
| Only in Nunavut
|
Civic Holiday
| No
| Yes
|
Discovery Day
| No
| Only in the Yukon
|
Women's Equality Day
| Yes
| No
|
Labour/Labor Day
| Yes
| Yes
|
Patriot Day
| Yes
| No
|
Constitution/Citizenship Day
| Yes
| No
|
Thanksgiving (October)
| No
| Yes
|
Columbus Day
| Yes
| No
|
Leif Erikson Day
| Yes
| No
|
Halloween
| Yes
| Yes
|
Daylight Savings Time Ends
| Yes
| Yes
|
Election Day
| Yes
| No
|
Rememberance Day
| No
| Yes
|
Veteran's Day
| Yes
| No
|
Thanksgiving (November)
| Yes
| No
|
Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day
| Yes
| No
|
Christmas
| Yes
| Yes
|
Boxing Day
| Yes
| Yes
|
A Funny Look at both Countries
Size Comparison, not a big difference
Canada
9.9 million square kilometers or 3.8 million square miles
U.S.A.
9.83 million kilometers or 3.79 million square miles
Population of Canada and the U.S.A. as of 2012
Other Differences
United States of America
- Uses the Imperial System
- Healthcare is primarily operated by the private sector
- Legal drinking age: 21
- Currency: Currently the U.S.Dollar is printed in denominations of $1, $5, $10, $20, $50 & $100
- Head of Government: President
- Government is a two party system: Republicans and Democrats (but there are more than 2 parties)
- Military Branches: U.S. Army, U.S, Marine Corps, U.S. Navy, U.S. Air Force, U.S. Coast Guard
- National Anthem: Star Spangled Banner
- Main Languages: English & Spanish
- Is divided into fifty states and one district
- NFL National Football League, U.S.A. plays to win The Vince Lombardi Trophy
Canada
- Uses mainly the Metric System
- Publicly funded healthcare system
- Legal drinking age: 18 or 19 depending on the province
- Currency: Currently the Canadian dollar is printed in denominations of $5, $10, $20, $50, & $100. Canadians also have one and two dollar coins called loonies and toonies.
- Head of Government: Prime Minister
- Government is a parliamentary system
- Military Branches: The Canadian Army, The Royal Canadian Navy, Royal Canadian Air Force
- National Anthem: Oh Canada
- Main Languages: English & French
- Is divided into ten provinces and three territories
- CFL Canadian Football League Canada plays to win the Grey Cup
Football in Canada Versus the U.S.A.
Listed below are some, but not all of the differences between how football is played in the USA compared to Canada.
National Football League NFL
- Field size is 100 yards x 53 1/2 yards
- 2 teams with 12 players per team on the field
- 4 downs
- In the NFL there are 32 teams in total
- Super Bowl Sunday is played at the end of January or the beginning of February
Canadian Football League CFL
- Field size is 110 yards x 65 yards
- 2 teams with 11 players per team on the field
- 3 downs
- In the CFL there are 8 teams in total
- Grey Cup Sunday is at the end of November or the beginning of December
On A Personal Note
I lived in the U.S.A. for approximately eight years from the time I was 14 - 22. In that time I never really saw any difference as far as people go. I truly believe people everywhere can be nice, friendly, loving, honest or the opposite of all of those.
Great Hubs on Canada
- Political and Cultural Satire Canadian Style, a short history
Here's a short history of Canadian satire and parody seldom seen in outside of that country, complete with videos. Canadians love to laugh at themselves. - Canada: Random and Cool Canadian Facts About This Country
The topic of Canada is as broad as is the country is vast and diverse. Canada is world renowned for its friendliness, cultural diversity, peaceful nature, sprawling lands, fresh air and natural beauty. There is much to discover about this great count
Great Hubs on the U.S.A.
- Read the Signs - Decode The Hidden Meanings
In the United States street signs include hidden meanings. Can you read the signs? Get the 411! - 10 Must Visit Cities In The United States
When Visiting either Canada or the U.S.A.
- Visiting the USA
- Helpful Information When Visiting Canada
Traveling to Canada sometime soon. Here are charts on kilometers per hour, Celsius to Fahrenheit, how to easily convert gallons to litres and pounds to kilograms.
