One of the most common misconceptions about our neighbors to the north: There is absolutely no difference between Canadians and Americans.

US-Americans need to understand that Canada is a sovereign country in its own right, and not just another English-speaking market for US goods. And while Canadians know an awful lot about their powerful neighbor to the south, Americans are often fairly ignorant about their steady ally to the north.

Evolution or Revolution?

There is a stereotype that Americans are noisy, over-the-top and expansive compared to Canadians, who are often seen as more restrained, cautious and deliberative. These depictions do have an element of truth to them, which can be traced to the countries’ very different histories.

America was born through a noisy, clamorous revolution against Britain, whereas Canada evolved into its own nation many years later. While Americans rejected most things continental, Canadians treasured their association with Europe and broke slowly and carefully from Mother England.

These traditions reveal themselves in the day-to-day behavior and organization of both societies. Americans are typically more comfortable challenging government’s role in the individual’s life. Canadians, however, expect government to play an important role in providing for society, and they have a social welfare consciousness that Americans often find cumbersome and obstructionist.

The Frontier vs. the Canadian Shield

These ideological differences extend to Canadians’ way of life and approach to work. The reverence Americans feel for achieving and taking risks is not generally met with thunderous applause in Canada. Canadians have developed a slower pace and more cautious approach to life and work, as well as a greater emphasis on organization and detail. Working within the given parameters, as opposed to outside the box, is more the Canadian style. American enthusiasm for taking risks is often perceived as excessive, unnecessary and sometimes even a little dangerous.

North Americans All

Despite these historic differences, the shared experience of building a uniquely North American society with roots in Europe makes Canadians and Americans members of the same family; it’s just that we often disagree on the rules by which we expect to live within this family.

When dining, Americans -- unlike Canadians -- usually switch hands with their knife and fork. Most Canadian executives might wear a sport jacket at the office and put a tie on for dinner, while American executives might wear that business suit during the day and remove the tie for the restaurant.

The good old victory sign with the index and middle fingers outstretched is fine in both countries, but in Canada be sure never to hold your palm inward, as the gesture suddenly becomes obscene.

At work, Canadians may withdraw from what is perceived at times as American self-congratulatory success, while Americans can be frustrated with the quietly achieving Canadian.

Attitudes toward patriotism and cultural diversity also differ in Canada. While Americans tend to fly Old Glory at the drop of the patriotic hat, Canadians don’t have quite the same knee-jerk reaction to the Maple Leaf.

There is an acknowledged dual language status in Canada -- English and French -- while there is an unacknowledged and problematic ambivalence to multilingual issues in the US.

It’s All English, Right?

Not quite, and certainly not in Quebec. Whether it’s the Canadian “Eh,” or the American “You don’t say,” the intent may be the same, but the meaning is sometimes significantly different. In Anglophone Canada, English is more British than American. In Francophone Canada, learning and speaking some French is imperative. Francophone Quebecois take pains to preserve French culture in a challenging Anglo environment. But for those Americans who do speak French, recognize that the French spoken in Canada is not the same as the French you heard during your last vacation in France.

Americans and Canadians share one of the world’s longest friendly borders and some very significant historical experiences. Nevertheless, the differences that exist must be understood and respected in order to succeed across the border.