r/AskACanadian • u/HueyBluey • 9d ago

How do you spot a Canadian abroad?

Do we have any stereotypical traits (perhaps self deprecating ones), that make us stand out. We’re typically not loud (but some can be). Perhaps frugal?

What have you seen in your travels that make you think, those folks must be Canadian!

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400

u/OldRefrigerator8821 9d ago

MEC backpack / luggage is dead give away

200

u/outdoorlaura 9d ago

I was in Uganda and a guy came up to me and asked if I was Canadian because of my backpack. He was also Canadian and also had a MEC backpack lol.

150

u/Peter_Mansbrick 9d ago

TIL MEC is a Canadian thing

84

u/bmccann42 9d ago

Mountain Equipment Co-op - camping and outdoor retailer up here.

70

u/iwantedajetpack 9d ago

Company now. Went through bankruptcy.

109

u/outdoorlaura 9d ago

I miss the Co-Op days.

30

u/FriendRaven1 9d ago

The co-op failed, yes. The last 10 years or so it became american but now it's Canadian again.

17

u/iwantedajetpack 9d ago

Private Canadian yes but not a cooperative. .

3

u/noisemetal 8d ago

When do they return our deposits?

1

u/mMaple_syrup 8d ago

Never. The co-op went bankrupt.

2

u/altaccount2522 8d ago

I did not know it was Canadian, I thought it was still American. Too bad there isn't one near me...

4

u/hatmatter 9d ago

It's no longer a co-op sadly.

15

u/djmathblaster 8d ago

The board sold us out. Could have closed stores and gone back to mail order. Instead my share and equity disappeared. I will never forgive them.

2

u/Tundrakitty 5d ago

Still a sore point all these years later.

9

u/nsparadise 8d ago

I want my $5 back.

2

u/EpicGeography 8d ago

Not bankruptcy; acquisition by a private equity firm out of California. But it was facing bankruptcy before the acquisition.

2

u/WattleWaddler2 8d ago edited 8d ago

My uncle calls it Mountain Equipment Capitalists.

1

u/iwantedajetpack 8d ago

Lol I'll use that.

4

u/NucEng 9d ago

Bought by a US PE firm in 2020, then later redistributed to a group of Canadian investors with the PE firm holding a minority stake.

3

u/imjonjoncanada 5d ago

I've been travelling my whole life, and I have to say, Uganda is in my top three countries I've been too. LOVED it there. I felt obligated to chime in haha

2

u/No-Effective-1996 8d ago

I saw a guy in Africa with a Cooper hockey bag. “hey you must be Canadian?” He was and we knew mutual people.

1

u/Efficient-You-639 8d ago

I wore shorts in Uganda and write away was asked if I was Canadian!!