this post was submitted on 18 Apr 2026
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AskACanadian

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A place to ask Canadians questions and get answers. The most obvious questions would be about Canada, but you can ask about pretty much anything; news, current events, society, etc

I don't intend this as an AMA format, but can entertain some. Rules:

  1. Be civil and act in good faith.
  2. No trolling.

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[–] HeroicBillyBishop@lemmy.ca 21 points 4 months ago* (last edited 4 months ago) (1 children)

bilingual road signage, from coast to coast to coast

stop/arret

The Yanks wont know what to do, it will be glorious

[–] Smaile@lemmy.ca 4 points 4 months ago (1 children)

Actually would be a good idea since Donald hates the French language apparently.

[–] HeroicBillyBishop@lemmy.ca 2 points 4 months ago

oh snap, I did not know that

I have been practicing my French, and can get by in conversation

Beautiful French Canadian women are my prime motive I will shameless admit :)

Apres c'est ete, j'espere je suis bilang dans conversation

[–] Sunshine@piefed.zip 21 points 4 months ago* (last edited 4 months ago) (5 children)

Have Manitoba adopt French as an official language and use more indigenous names for places.

Get rid of mm/dd/yyyy

Switch to ISO A4 paper size.

Reduce American words used in Canadian English.

Switch to the UK keyboard layout.

Switch the roads to left side driving.

Establish independent vehicle testing.

Build roundabouts.

Electrify the rails and bring back reliable passenger service.

Bathroom stalls that actually go down the floor.

Install bidets.

Narrow the streets.

Abolish tipping.

Regulate pickup trucks to be the size they were in the 80s.

Use metric for colloquial measurements.

Switch to type c plug outlets.

Include sales tax in the price.

[–] a_gee_dizzle@lemmy.ca 8 points 4 months ago

Have Manitoba adopt French as an official language and use more indigenous names for places.

We can start phasing out English and make French the sole official language of Canada.

(Seriously I would actually be in favour of this but I know I'm in an extreme minority here)

[–] melsaskca@lemmy.ca 5 points 4 months ago

What an amazing list! I would easily vote for you. All the best.

[–] otter@lemmy.ca 5 points 4 months ago

It might be cool to have separate posts to discuss each of these in more detail. Building off of some of these ideas:

Get rid of mm/dd/yyyy

I almost always use yyyy-mm-dd because it's the least confusing, while also sorting digital files nicely. I'd prefer if that became the default.

Switch to ISO A4 paper size.

I'm curious what this process would be like. For most end users, there is little difference between receiving a piece of paper that is letter size vs A4. I would use it myself in my printer for anything I'd need to print out. Is it a matter of advocating for stores and suppliers to carry it?

Switch to the UK keyboard layout.

I'd love to hear some discussion on this one, but I'm also worried that people will have very strong feelings about what layout will be best. There are a lot of alternate layouts out there 😄

Switch the roads to left side driving.

This one I'm not sure about since a lot of other allies drive on the right side too, including a number of vehicle exporters. This would provide little benefit to us other than to spite the US.

Establish independent vehicle testing.

I would expand this to all kinds of certifications and testing, and tie it to a mutual agreement with the EU. We could benefit from the stronger protections established in the EU, while cutting down on repeat work.

Use metric for colloquial measurements.

Maybe we can share some infographics around from time to time to help people learn their heights and weights in metric.

...

I don't have much else to add for the rest :)

[–] ILikeBoobies@lemmy.ca 4 points 4 months ago* (last edited 4 months ago)

Canada uses yyyy/mm/dd btw.

We use A sizes, always have my life but people said that was odd. Can confirm I just went notebook shopping and everything was A/B sizing (Ontario). To get imperial out of construction we have to stop exporting it to the US. Canadians don't tip, American chains just ask for it.

[–] cadekat@pawb.social 2 points 4 months ago (1 children)

Disagree about keyboard layout (should be Dvorak, or a more modern replacement), left handed driving, and switching to French (the US has 1+ million French speakers).

Not a bad list otherwise! I'd probably add mass public transit and carless downtowns.

[–] dlhextall@sh.itjust.works 1 points 4 months ago (1 children)

We do have the CSA, which would also help with the bilingual push 👀

[–] KingOfTheCouch@lemmy.ca 3 points 4 months ago

The keyboards on laptops should be required to be as easy to replace (and swap out) as a USB keyboards so that everyone gets the input that works for them.

[–] minorkeys@lemmy.world 10 points 4 months ago* (last edited 4 months ago)

Redirect trade to Europe and Asia and reduce availability of American cultural products. Give every canadian free multilingual education options and support programs. In order to grow apart, Canadians have to stop sharing experiences with Americans and have experiences Americans don't.

[–] asg101@lemmy.ca 9 points 4 months ago

Support and elect political parties that are not subservient to the corporations.

[–] mrdown@lemmy.world 7 points 4 months ago

Stopping supplrting zionism

[–] SaveTheTuaHawk@lemmy.ca 6 points 4 months ago (1 children)

Each of us lose ten pounds and avoid khaki shorts.

[–] corsicanguppy@lemmy.ca 1 points 4 months ago

I will die in my cargo shorts on this hill.

[–] rabber@lemmy.ca 4 points 4 months ago

Join the EU

[–] theacharnian@lemmy.ca 4 points 4 months ago (1 children)

Actually learn French you silly Anglos.

[–] Sunshine@piefed.zip 3 points 4 months ago

Also stop calling main course meals entrées.

[–] WoodScientist@lemmy.world 2 points 4 months ago (1 children)

The US has a great deal of leverage over Canada due to the US's nuclear arsenal. Canada could one-up the US by building a doomsday device. No need to even build out a bomber or missile fleet. It's so big, it doesn't matter where it's set off!

[–] cecilkorik@piefed.ca 2 points 4 months ago

We should build a massive reservoir on the triple continental divide, fill it with enough maple syrup to flood the entire continent, and make it so sticky it counts as a chemical weapon, and pack the foundations with explosives. No one will mess with us ever again.

[–] Heinous@feddit.online -1 points 4 months ago (1 children)
[–] cadekat@pawb.social 1 points 4 months ago (1 children)

Wouldn't that just make us more similar?

[–] Heinous@feddit.online 5 points 4 months ago

Build a moat