"We're polite but not friendly": Canadians share spicy hot takes about Canada

From Tim Hortons to politics, the internet has a lot of hot takes about Canada to share.An online discussion was prompted on Reddit by one user who asked the following question:“A friend of mine called it a hot take when I told our visiting American friend to not waste time with any brands’ all-dressed chips other than Ruffles... They truly are a god-tier chip. So this has me curious as to any other Canadian hot takes that YOU may have?” they wrote in the Ask a Canadian subreddit.Many Canadians wanted to share their perspectives on food, particularly Canadian snacks.One person had a lot to say about the best chip flavours that Americans don’t get to indulge in.“I’ve lived out of Canada since 2018. Man, Sunchips were goated. I miss them. Sweet Chili Heat Doritos, and Ketchup chips, too,” they said.Another person pitched in on the topic of candy.“Coffee Crisp is just Canadian tiramisu,” they said.One person took a strong stance against the much-loved chocolate bar.“Coffee Crisp are mid,” they said.A different commenter shared high praise for one of the most legendary Canadian snacks.“Hawkins Cheezies are the superior cheesy corn snack. That ‘cool cat’ brand just isn’t as good,” they said.There were also some hot takes about Canadian coffee chain Tim Hortons.A Redditor noted that the brand has gone downhill and has been “trash for years.”However, that might not be an original hot take, as many have shared their disappointment with the brand for quite some time.A 2018 poll from the Angus Reid Institute found that one in three Canadians said their opinion of the company was worsening.One person said that while Timmies is “crap” in Canada, its international chains are “pretty good.”As it turns out, some Tim Hortons locations abroad have beautifully designed cafes that are much different from the ones we have at home.In addition to the food hot takes, Redditors also expressed their views on social and political issues and how Canadians are perceived.Many agree that there is a misconception that Canadians are some of the friendliest people in the world.“Canadians’ reputation for being very friendly is dramatically exaggerated. We tend to be more orderly and polite, but I’m not sure that exactly equates to friendliness,” wrote a Redditor.Another person agreed, stating that Canadians are “polite [but] not nice.”“I always say we aren’t friendlier; we just act friendlier,” added another.Here’s what some other comments on the topic looked like:> “We’re polite but not friendly. Americans lack politeness, but they’re much friendlier.”> > “Passive aggression passing off as politeness.”> > “I find it rather frustrating to deal with. Give me American directness (especially northeast) over our polite passive aggressive bs any day of the week.”> > “It’s a veneer of niceness, as thicc as the maple frosting on a tim hortons feature donut and just as dry.”One commenter noted that Canadians don’t have a strong sense of “national identity.”“The average Canadian knows shockingly little about their country’s history,” they said.Another took shots at Canadians who “complain about Americans not knowing anything about Canada” because they would “absolutely fail a Canadian citizenship test.”The top comment on the post says Canadians “care too much about American politics rather than addressing our own issues at home.”Last year, a poll from Leger found that less than a quarter of Canadians would pass the Canadian citizenship test. You can try your hand at a test here.What are your hot takes about Canada? Let us know in the comments.This article was originally published on July 8, 2024. It has since been updated. You might also like:- Loblaw president Galen Weston Jr. is now the third richest Canadian- Canadians reveal the oldest items they've successfully returned to Costco- "Destroying hundreds of well-paying local jobs": TikTok to challenge Canada ban in court- Trying to move to Canada? These are the best places to live in the country- What's the best country for retirement? Not Canada by far, says report