Canada? Isn't it a mere copy of our powerful neighbor, the USA? Not at all! Certainly: There are huge shopping centers, fast food chains and dead straight highways in both states. But you can already see the differences when you look into your wallet. Instead of a crumpled, fluttering dollar bill, Queen Elizabeth II, the country's official head of state, smiles at you on the so-called loonie in Canada. The road signs are also different from the USA: in English and French, the two official languages, they show the way in large parts of the country. There are also parallels with Europe in other areas, such as moderate foreign policy or the health system. In this respect, Canada is exactly what many are looking for: a successful mixture of cowboy country on the one hand and a liberal, social society on the other.
And there is one more difference that tourists from the euro countries are pleased about: one euro costs just under 1.50 Canadian dollars. This makes shopping here even cheaper than in the USA, at least at the moment.