CANADIAN, EH ?

One of the challenges of learning English is that the language changes depending on the English-speaking country in which you are in. Whether you are in Canada, the United States, England, Australia, or any of the many other countries in which English is the primary language, you will find the language changes. Not only are there distinctions in vocabulary, grammar, and pronunciation, but there are also many cultural differences which affect how we use the language.

In Canada, the leader of our country is called the Prime Minister. The Governor General is the Queen’s representative in Canada, being that Canada is a Commonwealth country. Yesterday, our current Prime Minister Paul Martin met with our Governor General Michaëlle Jean, to dissolve Parliament. This was due to a no-confidence vote Monday evening.

This means that there will now be a federal election on January 23rd. Over the next few months, you will see and hear the campaigns of the various political parties. Try to read the newspaper, listen to the news or look on the Internet for information about the different parties. There may be unfamiliar vocabulary terms, so please email Doctor English with any queries.

If you would like more information on CANADIAN, EH?, please email Doctor English with your questions at drenglish@vec.ca.