What % Canadian Are Your Manners?

By: Ashley Linkletter
Estimated Completion Time
6 min
What % Canadian Are Your Manners?
Image: msderrick / E+ / Getty Images

About This Quiz

Walking down any street in Canada will reveal dozens of people saying they're sorry (usually for something they weren't responsible for in the first place, such as someone bumping into them), doors being held open for any person who even looks in the direction of an entrance and directions being given to anyone who seems evenly mildly confused about their whereabouts. Being polite isn't just a stereotype when it comes to Canadian culture; it's an important part of how our society functions, from neighbourhoods to suburbs and all the way up to Parliament Hill in Ottawa. 

So how polite are you on a day-to-day basis? Are you more likely to solve problems using kindness and empathy, or do you get grumpy when the going gets tough? These questions will determine the extent to which your manners fall within Canadian norms — is politeness a regular part of your life, or do you have to make an effort to put the needs of others first?

If etiquette isn't a huge part of your life, don't worry! The best part about Canadian politeness is that it isn't good manners to leave someone in the dark. We're always happy to offer helpful lessons on developing the manners of a Canadian! 

Q1 - grocery
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How do you respond when someone bumps into you at the grocery store?
I yell at them.
I mutter something under my breath.
I say, "sorry."
I call them an aisle hog.

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Q2 - Host
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When you walk into a restaurant with a "Please wait to be seated" sign, what's the first thing you do?
Stroll up to a table full of people and kick them out
Yell for a server
Walk over to an empty table and sit down
Quietly wait for a host to seat me

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Q3 - Elderly
Geber86 / E+ / Getty Images
You and a friend are on a crowded bus when an elderly couple gets on. What would you do in this scenario?
Get up and offer them both of our seats
Only one of us stands up to offer a seat
Refuse to move and put my bags on the crowded floor
Make fun of them in front of the whole bus

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Q4 - Rude
RichLegg / E+ / Getty ImagesI
When you're at the movie theatre and someone won't stop talking, how do you react?
Do nothing and just hope they stop
Yell at them for being inconsiderate
Periodically glare at them
Turn around and throw hot popcorn in their face

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Q5 - Hear
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Someone says something you can't hear — you respond by saying what?
"Pardon me?"
"What?"
"Excuse me?"
"Huh?"

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Q6 - Sneeze
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Achoo! What would a Canadian be most likely to say after they sneeze?
"Impressive!"
"My bad"
"Excuse me."
"So sorry"

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Q7 - barista
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How much do you tip at a coffee shop?
Nothing
A loonie
75 cents
30 cents

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Q8 - Yelling
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What do you consider the height of rudeness?
Yelling out of a car window at a pedestrian
Not saying that you're sorry, even if it isn't your fault
Being super direct about something you need
Not saying "excuse me" when you're trying to navigate a busy store aisle

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Q9 - Date
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First date protocol states that what kind of behaviour is socially acceptable?
Being on your phone the whole time
Listening intently to your date as they talk about their interests
Taking your date to your favourite restaurant
Talking about yourself nonstop

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Q10 - Handshake
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What do you do when you meet someone for the first time?
Frown and shake my head
Say hello
Shake their hand and introduce myself
Nod and smile

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Q11 - Bill
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How much do you tip at a restaurant?
10% or lower
20% or more
18%
15%

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Q12 - Injured
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You have a next door neighbour who recently broke their leg. What do you do to help?
Run their errands and cook their meals
Bring them chicken noodle soup and a good book
Pretend I don't notice
Send a balloon delivery

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Q13 - Birthday
Pixabay by ingaklas
It's someone's birthday at the office. How do you help celebrate?
Sign the birthday card my coworker picked
Get everyone to sign a birthday card
Throw an office-wide birthday party
Bring a birthday cake to the office

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Q14 - Waiting
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You're supposed to meet someone for brunch at a specific time — when do you arrive?
On time
I don't go.
20 minutes late
Five minutes early

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Q15 - Quiet
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When you live in an apartment building, it's important to be considerate about noise levels. At what time do you turn down the music?
Turn down the music?
Midnight
10:00 p.m.
9:00 p.m.

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Q16 - Cook
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Whoever makes dinner does what after the meal is over?
Relaxes!
Takes out the garbage
Clears the table and rinses the dishes
Clears the table and does all the dishes

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Q17 - Split
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How do you split the bill at a restaurant with a group of friends?
We split the bill evenly and everyone pays the same amount of money.
I itemize the bill and pay for my part only (but not the tip).
The food is split evenly, but the cost of dessert is only shared among those who ate it.
I ask the server to reprint all the receipts by individual order.

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Q18 - Meet
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You've been introduced to someone and you immediately forget their name. How do you get them to repeat their name?
Tell the person I forgot their name
Ask them to enter their contact info into my phone
Ask a friend to give me a reminder when the person is out of earshot
Avoid using their name until I hear someone else use it

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Q19 - Coffee
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You grab the wrong coffee at the coffee shop by accident. How do you react?
Take the drink for myself and leave
Return the drink to the counter and let the barista know
Set it back down on the counter and wait for my own drink
Take several sips and return the coffee without telling them I sampled it first

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Q20 - Glass
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You're about to enjoy a meal at a nice restaurant when you notice your water glass is dirty. What do you do?
I throw the glass on the ground and make a scene as I leave.
I don't say anything, but I leave a harsh review online.
I let my server know and ask to have my meal comped.
I politely ask for a new glass.

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Q21 - StressedShopper
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You're shopping for holiday presents and the store is seriously understaffed — to the point where your fellow shoppers are getting restless. How do you react?
I start shouting at the staff and threatening to call the manager.
I wait to pay without complaint and tip the worker $10 for their help with gift wrapping.
I wait patiently and tell the other customers the staff is trying their best.
I pay but vow to never come back.

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Q22 - Grocery
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You're at the grocery store in a long line, and you have a shopping cart full of groceries. The person behind you has one item to pay for. Do you let them go ahead?
No, absolutely not
Yes, but I have to wrestle the pros and cons first
Of course! And the person behind them, too
Yes, I make an exception this one time.

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Q23 - Plane
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Your flight lands 30 minutes late. Do you let the people who have connecting flights go ahead of you?
Yes, but I follow them on their way out
I push them back into their seat so I can get off the plane first.
I give them 30 seconds to get going, or I leave ahead of them.
Yes, obviously

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Q24 - Hockey
SimplyCreativePhotography / E+ / Getty Images
It's the Winter Olympic Games, and the Canadian women's hockey team is up by one point. How are you cheering them on?
I'm not even watching the game.
By clapping
With unexpected fervour and passion
With a polite "Go Canada!"

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Q25 - Queue
vm / E+ / Getty Images
Someone butts in line at the bank. How do you respond?
Tap the person on the shoulder and politely ask them to move
Yell at the person to get to the back of the line
Share glances with others in the line, but do nothing
Do nothing, but cough and mutter under my breath

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Q26 - Lunch
Isabel Pavia / Moment / Getty Images
When you go to work, what do you bring for lunch?
Gourmet sandwiches for the entire office
Hardboiled eggs and pickled radishes
Spaghetti and meatballs
Hot tuna melt

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Q27 - Chocolate
Yulia Naumenko / Moment / Getty Images
You're attending a dinner party at someone's house for the first time — what do you bring your host?
A $10 Starbucks gift card
Nothing
A dozen homemade cookies
A bouquet of flowers and a box of chocolates

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Q28 - Text
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When is it a bad idea to say you're sorry?
I never apologize.
When I need to get out of a bad situation
When I'm feeling sorry
Literally never

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Q29 - Traffic
buzbuzzer / E+ / Getty Images
When someone is trying to merge into traffic, what do you do?
Make them think I'm going to let them in (and then do the opposite)
Impatiently wave them through
Stop, smile and wave when I let them merge
Tell myself someone else will let them in

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Q30 - Seat
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How do you let someone know the seat next to you is taken?
Put my coat and bag on the seat
Bark at anyone who looks at the spot
Politely let people know when they try to sit down
Lie across all the seats I want to save

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