Episode 9: Canada

Rozhovor s Kanaďankou Leahou. Hokej, javorový sirup, Ryan Goslin, Ryan Reynolds, Justin Bieber, Drake, angličtina&francouzština, -25°C venku nebo tzv. "bobří ocasy". Probraly jsme vše a ještě mnohem víc.

Chapters

• 0:07 Exploring Canada
• 11:33 Canada's Relationship With the British Crown

Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:07

Welcome to the English-speaking group with Kudrunat Holko. My name is Pavlina and every week I will talk to my parents from all over the English-speaking world about various interesting topics. I would also like to mention one thing. If you really want to practice your English and improve it, go to patreoncom or wwwlomonokudrunataholkocom. You will find a complete list of the following conversations, with meanings of the word, phrases and everything else that is worth knowing.

Speaker 2: 0:56

Hi everyone and welcome to today's episode. I'm super happy to tell you that my guest for today is Leah Lavlois.

Speaker 3: 1:05

Oh good, did I say right? I'm really happy to join you today. Thanks for having me. Thank you so much. How are you today Doing? Well, yes, excited to get outside later on today and take on the day, but maybe go skiing.

Speaker 2: 1:19

Yes, because we have to say you are from Canada, which is also our topic, and today you just told me that it's minus 25 degrees outside.

Speaker 3: 1:28

Really cold, cold January day.

Speaker 2: 1:32

Wow. So I have so many questions prepared for you because there's just so many things that we want to know about Canada. For sure I'm happy to answer your questions. Wonderful. So first thing that you know, there's a little rumor going around about Canadian people that you are a bunch of the loveliest, nicest people on planet Earth. Do you think?

Speaker 3: 1:55

that's true, I think it's. So, yes, I think it's a nice rumor. I think it's relatively true as a stereotype, especially maybe when we compare to our neighbors to the south, just in terms of our tendency to say apologize or say sorry, things like that maybe. So yeah, I think it's. I could see that it's true.

Speaker 2: 2:22

Of course. And where do you think that this constant you know good mood comes from?

Speaker 3: 2:28

Yeah, I think maybe just the fact that we are able to take on or go outside a lot to embrace nature, I think that helps with our morale. We yeah, we're just like maybe happy, go lucky people in general, but it depends, of course, where we are. But yeah, I think, I think it's a combination of things like yeah, yeah, and well, you just said it.

Speaker 2: 2:54

but you know they're not that many Canadians living in the huge country of Canada.

Speaker 3: 2:59

Exactly, there's like 40 million people for such a huge land mass, so per capita it's quite sparse, I guess.

Speaker 2: 3:07

Yeah, that's mad, because Czech Republic has 10 million people and then Canada is the second largest country in the world.

Speaker 3: 3:14

I think that makes sense.

Speaker 2: 3:15

Oh, that's crazy yeah wow, and so who is your favorite Canadian?

Speaker 3: 3:21

So I have a few I really like. Similar to you, ryan Gosling is my favorite. Yeah, I do like Ryan Reynolds as well, and speaking of Ryan Gosling, actually Rachel McAdams, the girl who is in the book with Ryan Gosling. She's also Canadian.

Speaker 2: 3:41

Oh, I didn't know that.

Speaker 3: 3:42

Yeah, so I like those two actors and Drake. I have to say Drake.

Speaker 2: 3:48

He is from? Where is he from?

Speaker 3: 3:52

Toronto Pretty sure yes.

Speaker 2: 3:54

How do you like Justin Bieber?

Speaker 3: 3:56

I think Justin Bieber has grown on me like before, when he was kind of a teenager. You know, made his mistakes, but I definitely appreciate who he is now and he's married and he seems more calm. So I like his music too.

Speaker 2: 4:10

Well, they're definitely my Canadian guilty pleasures. My husband is going to be rolling his eyes.

Speaker 1: 4:16

I do love them.

Speaker 2: 4:19

So yeah, who else do you think that maybe we should know about? From Canada?

Speaker 3: 4:25

So have you ever seen the show Jeopardy?

Speaker 2: 4:28

No.

Speaker 3: 4:29

So it's a game show and the host Alex Trebek. So it's a pretty big in North America. It's kind of like a trivia type of show and Alex Trebek was the Canadian game show host. He just passed away last year. He was about 80 years old and he was on the air Like he was the lead host of the show for like 35 or 40 years, so quite a while.

Speaker 2: 4:55

So trivia, that's like a quiz show, right?

Speaker 3: 4:58

Yeah, kind of like a quiz show exactly. And who else? Maybe not fully Canadian, but Vice President Kamala Harris. She did go to school in Montreal and Quebec and so that's just a fun fact. Oh, she has a Canadian tie, yeah.

Speaker 2: 5:14

Oh, wow. And so you have two official languages. And so I'm wondering so is every Canadian fluent in both English and French?

Speaker 3: 5:27

So no, I wish, I wish we were. I'm not the best in French myself, like I've grown up on the Quebec, in Quebec most of my life but I didn't go to French school, so constantly going to English school, it's hard to pick it up as a kid but I do understand it. But across Canada I would say it depends. Like in Ottawa, the capital, because it's a government town, most people speak both languages. But if you go to like Nova Scotia or Prince Edward Island in the east, it's not as common for people to speak French, and similarly in British Columbia it's not as common. So I think closer to Quebec it's more yeah, the more people speak French, for sure.

Speaker 2: 6:11

And are there people who speak just French and no English?

Speaker 3: 6:15

There are, in some remote places in Quebec or Quebec City, I think, there's a lot more French people who are mostly just French. It's more rare, I would say, but it does happen.

Speaker 2: 6:28

I do remember when I was in Montreal with my mom. We went to McDonald's over there and the lady she insisted on speaking French to us. We didn't mind, but we just didn't understand what she was saying.

Speaker 3: 6:40

Yeah, that happens here too. If I go to McDonald's or Tim Hortons, which is a coffee shop, I'll order in English, but they'll talk to me in French. But we'll just continue like that and we understand each other, but we just speak the language we want to, which is really funny.

Speaker 2: 6:57

And you just mentioned Tim Hortons. That's a proper Canadian coffee show, isn't it?

Speaker 3: 7:03

Exactly, it's bagels and donuts and coffee and sandwiches. Yeah, it's pretty popular, I would say, like Canadian.

Speaker 2: 7:10

Starbucks.

Speaker 3: 7:12

Kind of or like a Dunkin' Donuts probably. Yeah, exactly.

Speaker 2: 7:16

Okay, and can you think of, maybe, now that we talk about languages, maybe any funny Canadian slang that you can share with us, something that you do?

Speaker 3: 7:26

So of course we do say A sometimes.

Speaker 1: 7:30

It happens.

Speaker 2: 7:32

Is it like? In what situation would you say it?

Speaker 3: 7:35

Like at the end of a they could be asking a question, or if you didn't hear what somebody said, you might say sorry or A or yeah, things like that. We do say cheers or bon appetit at the end of a if we're just about to eat a meal or something like that. So we do say French terms as well.

Speaker 2: 7:57

Even if you speak in English, then you would ah interesting.

Speaker 3: 8:00

Yeah, exactly If I'm with some girlfriends who are all English, we still might say bon appetit. Another thing we say I say it a lot anyways is like no worries or fair enough. Those are another couple of terms that we say a lot and I think in England I find to be fair that's Tbf. Yeah, it's very common.

Speaker 2: 8:23

Uh-huh. And well, another thing that I do have to ask, because I'm from the Czech Republic and you know, we're absolutely obsessed with isokie. So I'm wondering like, and every time we play Canada, uh, it's a big deal. So I'm wondering so it seems like you guys are as well. Is that so?

Speaker 3: 8:44

Yeah, it's pretty popular for sure. Like I'm not the biggest fan I actually prefer basketball but I think it's a very accurate stereotype that Canadians in general do enjoy hockey and watching it or playing it. So, yeah, playing it as well, I would say so, like I live really close to a lot of like frozen lakes and everything right now they're frozen, so I see a lot of people outside playing hockey in the wintertime and there's a lot of leagues as well, so some friends of mine go and play hockey, like after work, for example. So it's pretty popular.

Speaker 2: 9:20

Yeah, oh, that's very interesting because in the Czech Republic we always make fun of ourselves because, you know, during the world championship we suddenly all turn into isokie professionals. We all sit in front of the screen and we like give advice to our national players and you can't make the commentators while you're watching. Absolutely yeah, and not that many people even play it. So oh, okay, okay. And so what city is your favorite in Canada? And we have to say that you live in the capital, right.

Speaker 3: 9:52

So it's hard because I used to live in Montreal. I loved it. That's one of my definitely think Montreal is for sure, one of my favorite cities. It's just so multicultural and there's just a lot to do in the summer especially. There's like constant festivals, like music festivals or like a jazz festival, different things. But I also do like Toronto a lot. It's just so much to do and like going to see a Raptors game, for example, prior to the pandemic. I used to love like driving to Toronto and then seeing a Raptors game and Raptors.

Speaker 2: 10:25

You have to Sorry.

Speaker 3: 10:26

That's the. That's the Toronto Raptors. So they're the National Basketball Association in the NBA. That's Canada's one major basketball team, so they play in the NBA. It's mostly like an American league for basketball. But yeah, they're the team in Toronto. And how's your city? So we actually don't have a team because it's too small here. So Toronto is the only city in Canada with the national basketball team. Oh, interesting.

Speaker 2: 11:00

And what do you like about Ottawa?

Speaker 3: 11:03

I like Ottawa actually because it is smaller, so I find the bigger cities can be a bit overwhelming with traffic and just there's a lot to do. And so I kind of do like the size of Ottawa and the fact that we're so close to the Gatineau Park so I can go hiking and snowshoeing in the winter time and, yeah, really close to nature, so it's nice.

Speaker 2: 11:25

Is that a big thing? Snowshoeing yes.

Speaker 3: 11:29

It sounds like so typically Canadian, but yeah.

Speaker 2: 11:33

And so we have to say that the British Queen is the Canadian head of state. So I'm wondering how would you say that Canadians feel about the British honarchy? Do you guys care? Because obviously then you have your own prime minister.

Speaker 3: 11:47

I think it's interesting, like it's obviously part of the colonial history of Canada. It's a big part of how Canada came to be its own country. So I think historically it's an important relationship that we have and continue to maintain. But today I don't know how people feel if it's relevant to their lives in Canada. I don't know that it's probably different from the past. So, and especially also, I don't know if you've seen the show the Crown on Netflix. So I really enjoyed that show, I loved watching it. But after this past season I kind of look at the Crown a little bit differently, just because of the episodes about Diana and everything. So I'm not sure if that's a general thing or if that's just me, but I respect the Crown and everything and I like the historical aspect, but I'm not sure how relevant it is to people's lives today.

Speaker 2: 12:48

Yeah, and how did you? Because I don't know. I have to say that another one of my guilty pleasures is the. British royal family. And so I know that Megan and Harry, they moved from the UK, they went to Canada and then from Canada they went to LA. So I'm wondering where people? Did people care that you know they was in the news a bit.

Speaker 3: 13:11

Yeah, like people were like oh, it's interesting that they went to Vancouver, British Columbia, but it wasn't like a huge deal.

Speaker 1: 13:19

Like a big deal. Yeah, exactly.

Speaker 3: 13:20

Like I thought it was cool that they came there first. They went to BC but and I thought it was really like good for them. But they chose that you know, being a part of the monarchy wasn't for them anymore, so they decided to kind of step away. So I think that's like takes a lot of courage. From sure that was really hard to do so, but I do love, like Kate Milton, I love Prince William, so I feel you on that guilty pleasure. Yeah.

Speaker 2: 13:48

And so you just said BC, that's for British, stands for British Columbia, exactly, yeah, oh, interesting, yeah. And so obviously I do also have to ask about the maple syrup, because the maple leaf is also on your flag, so do you?

Speaker 3: 14:03

love it. I definitely love it, so good.

Speaker 2: 14:06

So how often do you eat it?

Speaker 3: 14:08

Maybe like if I'm having a breakfast like a big brunch, for example, with pancakes, once a month, maybe Not too often, but yeah, once a month, I'd say. And actually a fun fact about maple syrup in Canada is that we have maple syrup reserves like hidden, secret vaults of maple syrup in Quebec. It's like yeah, it's just in case, whatever there's a shortage eventually, if ever that happens, we'd have like secret stashes.

Speaker 2: 14:40

But you wouldn't know where, like who knows the location.

Speaker 3: 14:43

So I think I looked it up online. There's like a couple spots, it's like three different places in Quebec. So I think it says like the city it's in, but I don't know the exact location.

Speaker 2: 14:53

Is it, like I don't know, buried under the ground or?

Speaker 3: 14:57

I think so, or in the warehouse.

Speaker 2: 14:59

Yeah, that's so funny. And you have to set one thing straight for me, because when I was in England, people would eat it with my colleague. Actually, she ate it with fried bacon.

Speaker 3: 15:11

I love it. I actually love dipping bacon in maple syrup. It's so good.

Speaker 2: 15:17

Oh, my God, yeah, so it was just like a British girl being.

Speaker 3: 15:21

No, it's like a combination of sweet and salty, so it's just so delicious. Okay, maybe I should give it a go. I think so. We also have maple bacon donuts, so people make. Well, there's companies that make donuts with like a maple kind of topping or a glaze and then pieces of bacon on it. So good it's a thing. Once you try it, you'd be addicted.

Speaker 2: 15:45

Maybe you say it, so I probably do have to try it. So how would you describe the relationship between the US and Canada?

Speaker 3: 15:54

So I think it's a lot better now, thankfully, like over the past four years I think it was a bit more strained, like I think it was a bit more difficult, especially with like I work for the government, so I don't necessarily work with the US or anything but just hearing like renegotiating the North American free trade agreement. That was difficult. So I think the past four years have been challenging, just with that previous administration. But I think there's a lot of hope and relief for this next, for Joe Biden and Kamala Harris, and then their administration and working with them on, like climate change and, yeah, just different progressive issues that they're more supportive of.

Speaker 3: 16:39

So that's great.

Speaker 2: 16:40

And in general, like would you say that do you make fun of Americans but you're too nice to anyone?

Speaker 3: 16:49

No, like we definitely do. Sometimes You're in the area.

Speaker 2: 16:54

And so is there maybe any Canadian fun fact that we have not heard of.

Speaker 3: 17:00

One thing that it's kind of like a tradition, which is kind of a, I guess, a fun fact as well, is like going skating in the wintertime on the Rideau Canal, so it's like this huge manmade canal in Ottawa, it's in the capital, and we also eat beaver tails. So that sounds really weird, but it's actually like a pastry, so it's like fried dough with. So you eat ghost skating and then you get a beaver tail while you're skating and you have oh, so it's not a real beaver tail.

Speaker 3: 17:29

No, so the name is kind of off putting, but it's like a pastry, so it's kind of like yeah, just like dough that's deep fried, and then you can get different toppings on it. You could put Nutella, you could put like brown sugar or like lemon juice, and it was really good.

Speaker 2: 17:47

Oh, sounds lovely, so, but you don't actually eat beavers in Canada.

Speaker 3: 17:52

No, not I don't, I don't think I haven't heard of that.

Speaker 2: 17:56

Okay, okay, good. So the next question that I have to ask about is is the bear, because I guess, like we all feel, that you know there's so many bears in Canada. Have you ever seen a bear?

Speaker 3: 18:08

I've seen one from like far away. So I've seen it like crossing a road, but like maybe a kilometer away, so I wasn't very close. But actually this is a funny. It's funny you asked that because we I had a team meeting with my work on Friday and somebody asked, like it was kind of just a casual meeting. They somebody asked you know if people have seen bears?

Speaker 2: 18:27

and about five out of eight people have seen a bear like on a hike, or like on a hike or on a walk, or exactly. Oh god, what are you supposed to do?

Speaker 3: 18:38

So there's a saying. It's like it depends what color the bear is like. If it's black, fight back, and if it's brown, like lie down and pretend you're dead.

Speaker 2: 18:49

I don't think I would fight back if I was black Same.

Speaker 3: 18:52

I know I definitely would not. I would run.

Speaker 2: 18:57

Well, I'm thinking of any other Canadian thing that I could ask you about. Can you think of anything else that could be interesting to mention?

Speaker 3: 19:05

Sure, so we do have a pretty large Indigenous population in Canada and you actually work in this governmental section, right? Exactly. I work at Crown Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada and basically there's three different distinctions of Indigenous peoples in Canada. There's First Nations, métis and Inuit people, and Inuit people are mostly in the north. And there's also about 70 Indigenous languages in Canada spoken by different groups Probably a lot, even more like dialects than that.

Speaker 2: 19:41

so yeah, that's pretty interesting. How do the Indigenous people live in, you know, current Canada? Do they live separated or do they live integrated?

Speaker 3: 19:53

So a little bit of both. There are still reserves. There's about 650 First Nation reserves across Canada, so they're a little bit apart, like a little separate. But there's also Indigenous people that live like in urban centers, in cities, but there are quite a few reserves as well. So they have, like, their own communities, and there's also some Indigenous communities have their own governments, so they have self-government agreements with Canada, which is interesting. Oh, that's really interesting. So they run their own affairs, they kind of like manage their own.

Speaker 2: 20:30

Oh, wow and yeah, thank you so much. I'm super happy that you could tell us everything.

Speaker 3: 20:35

I'm so happy to be here and share some of what I know and, yeah, happy to talk to you again anytime.

Speaker 2: 20:42

Absolutely. Thank you so much, and thank you to everyone who's listened to this episode as well, and I hope to see you next week.

Speaker 1: 20:49

Bye.