Overall, Canada has a sparkling reputation. It is known for being full of the world’s most polite people, as well as some absolutely stunning nature. But it’s a quirky country too. Where else in the world would you find a moose swimming in a pool or cops allowing a dog to pose in their helmet on top of their police motorcycle? Canada is a gem, and we hope you enjoy this list of some of the most adorable and hilarious photos ever captured in that beautiful country.

When it comes to how Canada is perceived around the world, many people had rave reviews of the nation. A few years ago, for Canada Day, journalist Daniel Schwartz published a piece in CBC where he chatted with 15 influential people from around the globe about their thoughts on the maple-loving nation. Irene Salverda, president of the Associations for Canada Studies in the Netherlands, said that many of her Dutch friends refer to Canada as “the European version of America”. “The Dutch are attracted to the down-to-earth Canadian spirit,” Irene shared. “In Amsterdam, many locals will play dumb if an American asks for the way. But state you're Canadian, and doors will open instantly.”

Lucia Otrisalova from Slovakia echoed Irene’s sentiments that Canada is often compared to the United States but seen in a more positive light. “Canada is still viewed as ‘a better United States’, as a country which enjoys a level of prosperity similar to its neighbor to the south, but doesn't interfere in matters that don't concern it,” she shared.

And when it comes to how Americans view Canada, they are no exception to the rule of loving the cold yet kind nation. “Periodic surveys continue to show that Americans like Canadians more than anyone else in the world,” American political scientist Earl Fry shared. “Americans can learn so much from Canada, especially in terms of public schools, health care, federalism, livable cities, relatively low violent crime, and other important areas.”

Danny Ben-Natan, the president of the Israel Association for Canadian Studies, also had kind words to say about Canada. “From a ‘country to the North of the USA’, Canada developed its own identity in the academic world and hundreds of scholars and many thousands of students began to study and research Canadian society, geography, law, literature and language,” Ben-Natan shared. “Thanks to what was probably the most cost-effective program of the Canadian government through its Understanding Canada program, Canada became of prime interest and importance in the scholarly and academic world.”

Ewa Urbaniak-Rybicka, a professor of Canadian, American and English literature at State University of Applied Sciences in Konin, Poland, also shared her students’ thoughts on Canada. “The image of Canada that my students draw from is that of a postmodern country which, although quite young, has an interesting, as well as rich, history, and which has influenced major historical events in the 20th century,” she shared. “Canada appears to my students also as a gothic entity which has bravely faced its national ghosts that have been haunting it and which has been transforming its national identity accordingly. Still, first and foremost, my students envision Canada as a country of immigrants cherishing its multiethnic, multicultural and multi-religious heritage.”

When it comes to what makes the beautiful nation of Canada unique, the photos on this list speak for themselves. But we’ll still delve into a few of the most special aspects of the country, including how Canadians consider healthcare to be a fundamental human right. Free healthcare is an extremely appealing part of living in Canada, as the quality of their care is among the best in the world. And aside from visits to doctors offices and hospitals, Canadians are passionate about taking care of their physical and mental health as well. In fact, in 2021, according to the Global Wellness Index, Canada was deemed the best nation on the planet to live in based on indicators that measure global health, wealth and happiness. 

If you live in Canada, you also know that excellent education is extremely accessible to citizens. Canada spends more money on education than any other country, and it certainly pays off. The nation has many prestigious universities that are famous worldwide, and the population is the most educated in the world, with 51% of adults having a college degree. Canadians are too humble to brag about themselves, so I’ll do it for them: Canada knows how to invest in things that go a long way in improving the quality of its citizens’ lives, like healthcare and education, and there are plenty of other countries that could take note of their successes.