Canada: Public Behaviour
From ExecutivePlanet.com
Acceptable Public Conduct
Canadians drive on the right and pass on the left, and that also goes for walking up escalators, roads and streets.
In business contexts, men do not wink or whistle at women. Most large companies have sexual harassment policies that govern acceptable conduct.
It is polite to wait for a third party to introduce you to others, but if it doesn’t happen for a few moments feel free to introduce yourself. At formal gatherings, wait to be seated, but if the host is not directing you, and other people are taking seats, follow them. It is quite okay to ask your host if you should sit at a particular spot.
“Hey” or "How are you?" are common forms of address that do not require an answer. It is just another way Canadians say "Hi". It has often been observed by Americans that while Canadians are generally a polite people—even to a fault—they aren’t necessarily friendly.
When speaking to a Canadian, keep an arm's length distance from the person. Maintaining personal space is important to Canadians.
Unlike Australians and Americans, Canadians do not give a lot of eye contact to people who are speaking with them. Why? It probably has something to do with our mania for politeness.
No backslapping, shouting or calling attention to oneself is acceptable. Canadians tend to embarrass easily, so while Canadians are generally casual, they are not loud. On that note, Canadians do not generally express themselves with their hands. Moreover, touching, patting or hugging other men in public is considered socially unacceptable. Your best approach to get along with Canadians is to remain exceedingly polite, modest, and unpretentious.
