GCIOSGF Newsletter 會訊：
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1.The capital of Canada is Ottawa. It is bounded by the Atlantic Ocean to the east, the Pacific Ocean to the west, the Arctic Ocean to the north, the continental United States to the south, and the U.S. state of Alaska to the northwest. Canada has a land area of 9.98 million square kilometers, ranking second in the world, but its population is slightly larger than that of China's Heilongjiang Province. Canada's population density is very low. It can be said to be a country with vast land, abundant resources, and sparsely populated areas.
2. Canada is rich in natural resources. In addition, it is rich in natural gas and electricity resources and has a developed logging industry. There are more than 60 kinds of minerals in the country, of which potassium reserves are as high as 4.4 billion tons, ranking first in the world, and uranium and tungsten reserves are also ranked second in the world.
3. In terms of agriculture, Canada is one of the largest food exporters in the world and the fifth largest aquatic product exporter. The high-tech industry is also developed in Canada, and the number of employees in the biotechnology field ranks second in the world, second only to the United States. Local companies such as Obetek, Cangene, Angicochem, etc. have made remarkable achievements in the field of biotechnology, and the government has also invested hugely in this field. Canada's aviation industry cannot be underestimated. It is the third largest producer in the world, and Bombardier is the third largest commercial aircraft manufacturer in the world. In addition, areas such as space technology and satellite communications are also actively developing.
4. English and French are the official languages of Canada. In Alberta, English is more common, while in places such as Calgary and Edmonton, Chinese is also more common due to their larger Chinese communities.
5. Canada’s natural scenery is amazing. In the suburbs, you can see a variety of wild animals everywhere, from small squirrels and raccoons to huge deer, porcupines, etc.
In sunny weather, under the blue sky, white clouds are floating, green grass is green, and the breath of nature blows against your face, bringing a fresh and gentle breeze. The leaves of the trees in the distance are colorful, forming a picturesque scene. This kind of scenery may be something that local people are accustomed to. For foreign tourists, it is still a little shocking, but that’s it after seeing too much.
6. Canada’s urban planning uses the city center as the core of work and entertainment, while residential areas are distributed in small towns within 50 kilometers of the surrounding area. These small towns called "cities" look more like small towns to me because they lack high-rise buildings and busy traffic, and the population density is relatively small.
In Canada, if you don’t live near a large shopping mall or supermarket, you may need to bring water with you when you go out, because you may not be able to find a place selling water for several kilometers. Shopping places are usually within 5 kilometers, so walking is almost impossible. Everyone is used to driving. Therefore, it is very inconvenient to be here without a car.
Canada's light rail looks old and run-down compared to our subways! The environment inside the station is not bright enough and there is no safety door. The exposed cement and steel plates inside the tunnel make people feel very unsafe. It is recommended not to stand too close to the side. What if you are pushed in? Not to mention, compared to the dazzling array of delicious food in subway stations in mainland China or Taiwan, the choices here are very limited! Moreover, there is no high-speed rail, even an international airport is as big as a train station in a fifth-tier city in mainland China, and taxis are so expensive that people doubt their life!
There are relatively few entertainment activities in Canada, and there are not many choices for life at night. Karaoke, Internet cafes, restaurants, etc. are closed early. Just go home when it gets dark! Online shopping is very difficult. It usually takes Amazon three days to deliver. If you want to buy fresh food and other items, you have to drive there by yourself. Forget about takeaways, just cook for yourself!
One can’t help but wonder what kind of state the so-called “development” here is?
However, Canada's toilet facilities are pretty good. Whether in cities or suburbs, toilets always have toilet paper and hot water, unless they are in remote areas.
7. In terms of work, the minimum wage standards in various Canadian provinces are different, generally starting from 11 Canadian dollars and going up to 15 Canadian dollars. Based on working hours 5 days a week and 8 hours a day, the monthly income is about 1,760 Canadian dollars. Although the basic salary is not high, waiters can earn considerable income through tips, usually between 3,500 and 4,000 Canadian dollars per month. The monthly salary of general white-collar workers is generally between 3,000 and 5,000 Canadian dollars, while the monthly salaries of skilled workers, software engineers, accountants and other professionals are higher.
8. In the Canadian rhythm of life, time after get off work belongs to the individual. There is no need to socialize and you can arrange it freely. I have a Canadian friend who works in sales and he told me that he hasn’t gone out to eat or drink with clients for an entire year. He explained that no one wants to socialize after get off work, and neither party wants to talk about work outside of work. Everything should be transparent and avoided in private. In addition, Canadians do not like to work overtime, and bosses do not encourage overtime work because overtime fees are higher.
9. Canada also has quite a lot of holiday arrangements. Pregnant women can enjoy maternity leave for up to one and a half years, during which their salary will be paid. The husband can also take paternity leave, which usually lasts for one month. Now, many provinces in Canada are experimenting with a four-day work week. After one year of employment, employees can have two weeks of paid vacation, increasing to three weeks after five years of employment.
10. In Canada, if a couple divorces, regardless of gender, as long as one party is not working, they can receive part of the income from the working ex-spouse as living expenses until the ex-spouse remarries. The unemployment rate in Canada is relatively low, especially in the IT industry. As long as you are willing and healthy, you can work until you are in your fifties or sixties.
11. At dinner parties in Canada, it is acceptable not to drink alcohol, and no one will persuade you to drink. In any situation, even if everyone is drinking, you will not attract anyone's attention if you only drink Coke or water. Canadian society is very tolerant of personal life choices, regardless of your career, marital status, or physical condition. Even if girls like boxing, playing games, basketball, smoking, etc., men like to stay at home, clean, be a baby daddy, etc. , no one cares, and no one will talk about it.
12. In terms of prices, the cost of living in Canada is relatively high. For example, 12 eggs cost CAD 4.1, 1 liter of milk is CAD 2.3, and a pound of sliced bread is CAD 3.4. The cost of dining out is about 10 Canadian dollars for fast food, 9 Canadian dollars for a McDonald's meal, 25 Canadian dollars per person in a Chinese restaurant, and about 60 Canadian dollars for Western food.
13. Canada is a high-tax country, and you need to pay taxes on both your salary and purchases. For example, a person with an annual salary of 120,000 will have an after-tax annual salary of approximately 78,062 Canadian dollars. When making purchases, such as dining, buying clothes, etc., additional consumption tax is required.
14. In terms of housing, housing prices in Canada vary in different regions. For example, apartment prices in Toronto and Vancouver range from CAD 600,000 to CAD 800,000, while apartment prices in other cities range from CAD 200,000 to CAD 400,000. Although it is a permanent property, property tax is also a large expense, especially in good school districts, where the annual property tax can reach 3,000 to 5,000 Canadian dollars. In addition, the cost of house maintenance is also quite high, so you have to do everything yourself! For example, if the roof is broken, annual foundation, water seepage in the basement, pest control, etc., you need to hire labor, which is so expensive that many people cannot imagine, and the work is also extremely slow!
15. I personally feel that the way Canadians dress is more regular, and they don’t pay as much attention to sophistication and fashion as the Chinese do. In this land, most people, regardless of gender, old or young, prefer casual and loose clothing. Women, in particular, dress more casually and feel less well-dressed and less good-looking than women from Taiwan or Mainland China. Almost all homes here are equipped with dryers, because drying clothes, especially underwear, outdoors is not only frowned upon, but may even trigger complaints from neighbors.
16. In terms of consumption habits, Canadians tend to adopt the AA system. Even for special occasions such as celebrating birthdays, in addition to the birthday party, others will share the expenses. When a couple goes out to eat, it's basically AA.
17. Canada does a good job of treating the elderly with respect and care. Many supermarkets offer discounts to seniors over 60 every week, and based on trust in them, will not excessively check their identity. Large supermarkets have even set up exclusive shopping hours for the elderly to ensure their safety and convenience.
For low-income people and the elderly, Canadian fitness facilities (swimming pools, gyms, etc.) also provide discounts, allowing them to have more leisure and entertainment activities. There are also zoos that offer a 15% discount to the elderly or low-income people, so that the poor and elderly can take care of their children and go to the zoo often. Canadians are very strict about pets in public places. When walking your dog, everyone will hold their dog on a leash and carry a plastic bag with them to clean up dog poop.
18. Winters in Canada are extremely cold, especially in some areas. The winter is far colder than many people imagine. Therefore, clothing and shoes suitable for Canadian winters have become a necessity. In Vancouver, although the winter is not particularly cold, the long period of rainy weather also affects the mood.
19. In terms of social welfare, Canada provides a variety of social assistance and subsidies. I once met an immigrant couple from Angola, Africa. After losing their jobs, they received a monthly relief fund of about 450 Canadian dollars per person. Plus child subsidies, the annual milk subsidy for each child was 9,000 Canadian dollars, as well as low income. Extra benefits for families, being able to live a good life in a small city. Therefore, many people say that Canada is a country for “lazy people”.
20. Canada, with 98 universities and more than 150 polytechnics, implements compulsory education, which means that students studying in public schools do not need to pay any tuition fees. Students enroll according to their place of residence, and the number of students in each class is controlled within 35 students. At the primary school level, the school does not implement a ranking system, and there is no class cadre position in the class. Examination scores are evaluated on a scale from A to F.
University admission is mainly based on the comprehensive grades and rankings of high schools, as well as provincial examination scores. In contrast, the tuition fees of private schools are relatively high, and the annual tuition fees of universities are as high as tens of thousands of Canadian dollars. In the Canadian educational environment, respect is an important prerequisite. Teachers do not pay too much attention to grades. The initiative of learning depends entirely on the students themselves, and teachers will not be overly involved. So no one cares about you. Some people say that teachers in Canada completely ignore the turning point of children's fate.
21. When it comes to medical care, Canada lags behind the United States. What is implemented here is a universal free health care system with no regional restrictions (except for dental and ophthalmology). People only need to pay a small fee to receive various medical services. At the same time, Canada has also established illness benefits to ensure that people will not suffer financial hardship when they are sick. Of course, free medical care also means that in some big cities, such as Toronto, there are long waits to see a doctor.
22. When it comes to food, tap water in Canada can be drank directly, which is especially common in public places such as shopping malls, squares, and parks. Canadians have a special love for donuts, and the Donut Festival every June is a major event. Many stores will offer free donuts on this day and hold various promotions to celebrate this holiday.
23. In terms of transportation, parking lots in Canada always have disabled parking spaces, which are not used by non-disabled people. The parking spaces in supermarkets are divided into car parking spaces and family parking spaces, with the latter being relatively more spacious. There are special seats for disabled people on buses and light rails. Most people will not occupy these seats and would rather stand even if they are empty.
Canada's traffic light system also has its own characteristics. When crossing the road, you need to press the button under the traffic light pole, otherwise the red light will remain on and pedestrians will be unable to pass.
Road traffic in Canada is relatively simple, and few people suddenly change lanes or cut into traffic jams. If there are special circumstances that require a lane change, the vehicle behind you will usually give way very politely.
1.加拿大的首都是渥太華。東臨大西洋，西瀕太平洋，北靠北冰洋，南接美國本土，西北部與美國阿拉斯加州毗鄰。加拿大的國土面積高達998萬平方千米，居世界第二，但人口略多於中國的黑龍江省，加拿大人口密度很低，可以說是一個地大物博、地廣人稀的國家。
2.加拿大的自然資源豐富，此外，天然氣資源、電力資源豐富，伐木工業發達。國內擁有60多種礦產，其中鉀的儲量高達44億噸，居世界第一，鈾和鎢的儲量也位居世界第二。
3.在農業方面，加拿大是世界上最大的糧食出口國之一，同時也是第五大水產出口國。高科技產業在加拿大同樣發達，生物技術領域的從業人員數量全球排名第二，僅次於美國。本土企業如奧貝泰克、Cangene、Angicochem等在生物技術領域均有顯著成就，政府對該領域的投入也十分巨大。加拿大的航空工業也不容小覷，是世界第三大生產國，龐巴迪公司更是世界第三大商用飛機製造商。此外，太空技術、衛星通訊等領域也積極發展。
4.英語和法語是加拿大的官方語言。在阿爾伯塔省，英語更為普遍，而在卡爾加里和埃德蒙頓等地，由於有較大規模的華人社區，中文也較為通用。
5.加拿大的自然風光令人讚嘆。在郊區，可以隨處見到各種野生動物，從小巧的松鼠、浣熊到龐大的鹿、豪豬等。
在晴朗的天氣下，蔚藍的天空下，白雲飄飄，綠草如茵，大自然的氣息撲面而來，帶來清新溫柔的微風。遠處的樹木葉子色彩斑斕，構成了一幅如詩如畫的美景。這樣的景色，對當地人來說，或許已是習以為常。對於外國遊客而言還是有小小的震撼感，不過看多了也就那樣吧。
6.加拿大的城市規劃以市中心作為工作娛樂的核心，而居住區則分佈在周邊50公里以內的小鎮。這些被稱為「城市」的小鎮，在我看來更像是小鎮，因為缺乏高樓大廈和車水馬龍的景象，人口密度也相對較小。
在加拿大，如果你不住在大商場或超市附近，出門可能需要帶水，因為可能走幾公里都找不到賣水的地方。購物的地方通常在5公里以內，走路幾乎不可能，大家都習慣開車。所以，沒有車在這裡非常不方便。
加拿大的輕軌與我們的地鐵相比，顯得很舊又破敗！站內環境不夠明亮，沒有安全門，隧道內部顯而易見暴露的水泥、鋼板，給人感覺很不安全，建議不能站的太靠邊了，萬一被推進去呢？更別提，與大陸或台灣等地地鐵站內琳瑯滿目的美食相比，這裡的選擇非常有限！而且高鐵也沒有，連一個國際機場也跟大陸的五線城市的火車站一樣大，計程車也貴到讓人懷疑人生！
加拿大的娛樂活動相對較少，晚上的生活選擇不多，什麼唱K、網咖、餐廳等早早就關門了，天黑了就乖乖回家吧！網購很費勁，亞馬遜基本上三天才送到，買生鮮等物品，還得自個開車去拿，外賣就別想了，自己安心做飯吧！
讓人不禁懷疑這裡所謂的「發達」究竟是何種狀態？
不過，加拿大的廁所設施卻做得不錯，無論是在城市或郊區，廁所內總有手紙和熱水，除非在偏遠地區。
7.在工作方面，加拿大各省份的最低工資標準不盡相同，一般從11加元起，最高可達15加元。以每週5天、每天8小時的工作時間計算，月收入約在1760加幣左右。儘管基本工資不高，但服務生透過小費可以獲得相當可觀的收入，每月收入通常在3500至4000加元之間。一般白領的月薪一般在3000至5000加元，而技術工人、軟體工程師、會計等專業人士的月薪則較高。
8.在加拿大的生活節奏中，下班後的時間屬於個人，無需應酬，可以自由安排。我有一位加拿大朋友，從事銷售工作，他告訴我，他一整年都沒有與客戶外出吃飯喝酒。他解釋說，下班後誰都不想去應酬，雙方都不願在工作以外的時間談論工作，一切都應該透明，避免私下進行。此外，加拿大人不喜歡加班，老闆也不鼓勵加班，因為加班費用較高。
9.加拿大的假期安排也是蠻多的。孕婦可以享有長達一年半的產假，期間薪資照發，丈夫也可以請父親假，一般為期一個月。現在，加拿大許多省份正在試行每週四天工作制，工作一年後，員工可以有兩週的帶薪休假，工作五年後則增至三週。
10.在加拿大，如果夫妻離婚，無論男女，只要一方沒有工作，都可以從有工作的前配偶那裡領取部分收入作為生活費，直到前配偶再婚為止。加拿大的失業率相對較低，特別是在IT行業，只要你願意並且身體健康，可以工作到五、六十歲。
11.在加拿大的聚餐中，不喝酒是可以接受的，沒有人會勸酒。在任何場合，即使全場都在喝酒，你只喝可樂或清水也不會引起別人的注意。加拿大社會對個人的生活選擇很包容，無論你的職業、婚姻狀況向或身體狀況如何，就算女孩子喜歡拳擊，打遊戲、打球、抽煙等，男的喜歡待在家裡做飯打掃衛生，當奶爸什麼的，也沒有人在乎，也不會被議論。
12.物價方面，加拿大的生活成本相對較高。例如，12個雞蛋的價格為4.1加元，1公升牛奶為2.3加元，一斤切片麵包為3.4加元。在外用餐的費用，快餐約10加元，麥當勞套餐9加元，中餐館人均25加元，西餐則在60加元左右。
13.加拿大是高稅收國家，無論是薪水或購物都需要繳稅。例如，年薪12萬的稅後年薪約為78062加幣。消費時，如用餐、購買衣服等，還需支付額外的消費稅。
14.居住方面，加拿大的房價在不同地區有所差異。例如，多倫多、溫哥華的公寓價格在60至80萬加元之間，而其他城市的公寓價格則在20至40萬加元之間。雖然是永久產權，但房產稅也是一筆不小的開支，特別是在好學區，每年房產稅可達3000至5000加元。此外，房屋維護費用也相當高昂，什麼都是自己做！例如屋頂壞了、每年的地基、地下室滲水、除蟲害等等，要數請人工，那是貴得讓很多人想像不到，而且還幹活賊慢！
15.加拿大人的穿著打扮，給我個人的感覺是比較規矩，不像華人那樣注重服飾的精緻和時尚。在這片土地上，無論男女老少，大多數人偏好休閒寬鬆的衣著。特別是女人，穿著打扮更隨性，感覺沒有台灣或大陸的女人穿著講究以及好看。這裡的家庭幾乎都配備了烘乾機，因為室外晾曬衣物，尤其是內衣，不僅不被接受，甚至可能引發鄰裡間的投訴。
16.在消費習慣上，加拿大人傾向AA制，即便是慶祝生日這樣的特殊場合，除了壽星外，其他人也會共同分擔費用。情侶出去外面吃飯，基本上也是AA制。
17.在對待老年人方面，加拿大做的可以，有尊重也有關懷。許多超市每週都會為60歲以上的老年人提供折扣，而且基於對他們的信任，不會過度查核身分。大型超市更是專門為老年人設置了專屬的購物時段，確保其安全和便利。
對於低收入者和老年人，加拿大的健身設施（游泳池、健身房等）也提供了優惠，讓其能夠有更多的休閒和娛樂活動。還有動物園對老人或低收入者打1.5折，這樣可以讓窮人和老人可以帶小孩，常常去動物園遊玩。在公共場合，加拿大人對寵物的管理非常嚴格。遛狗時，每個人都會牽著狗繩，並隨身攜帶塑膠袋以清理狗糞。
18.加拿大的冬季異常寒冷，尤其是在某些地區，冬天的嚴寒遠超過許多人的想像。因此，適合加拿大冬季的衣物和鞋子成為了生活的必需品。而在溫哥華，儘管冬天不算特別寒冷，但長時間的陰雨天氣也為心情帶來了影響。
19.在社會福利方面，加拿大提供了多種的社會救濟和補貼。我曾經遇見一對來自非洲安哥拉的移民夫婦，失業後，依靠每月可以領取救濟金大概每人450加元，加上對孩子的補貼，每年每個小孩牛奶金9千加元，以及低收入家庭的額外福利，能夠在小城市過上不錯的生活。所以，很多人說加拿大是個養「懶人」的國家
20、加拿大，擁有98所大學和150餘所理工學院， 實行的是義務教育，這意味著在公立學校就讀的學生無需支付任何學費。學生們根據居住地就近入學，每個班級的人數控制在35人以內。在小學階段，學校不實施排名制度，班級中也不存在班幹部的職位，考試成績則以A至F等級來評定。
大學入學主要依據高中的綜合成績和排名，同時參考省考成績。與此相對的是，私立學校的學費相對較高，大學每年的學費更是高達數萬加幣。在加拿大的教育環境中，尊重是重要的前提。老師們不過度重視成績，學習的主動性完全取決於學生自己，老師不會過度介入。所以沒人管你，有的人說加拿大的老師完全不顧孩子在命運的轉捩點。
21、在醫療方面，加拿大讓美國望塵莫及。這裡實行的是全民免費、無區域限制的醫療保健體系（牙科和眼科除外）。民眾只需支付少量費用，便有各種醫療服務。同時，加拿大也設立了患病津貼，確保民眾在生病時不會因經濟困難而受苦。當然，免費的醫療也意味著在一些大城市，如多倫多，看病需要很長時間的等待。
22.談到飲食，加拿大的自來水可以直接飲用，這在商場、廣場、公園等公共場所尤其常見。加拿大人對甜甜圈有著特別的喜愛，每年六月的甜甜圈節慶更是一大盛事。許多店家會在這一天免費提供甜甜圈，並舉辦各種優惠活動，慶祝這個節日。
23.在交通方面，加拿大的停車場內總是設有殘障人士專用停車位，這些位子不會被非殘障人士使用。超市的停車位分為小車停車位和家庭停車位，後者相對更為寬敞。公車和輕軌上都設有殘障人士專用座椅，一般人不會佔用這些座位，即使空著也寧願站立。
加拿大的紅綠燈系統也有其特點，過馬路時需要按下紅綠燈桿下的按鈕，否則紅燈將持續亮起，行人無法通行。
加拿大的道路交通相對簡單，很少人會突然變換車道或加塞。如果確有特殊情況需要變換車道，後面的車輛通常會非常有禮貌地讓行。
