Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island:
population 1.8 million

The Maritimes has a rich history and was one of the first North American settlements. When conducting business “out east”, there are a few things to keep in mind. Here are a few tid-bits to get you started:
- “Maritimers” have strong family values and a rich culture. Although very liberal minded, the outward culture is quite conservative preferring class to sass.
- The residents tend to appreciate politeness and do not like “big city” brashness.
- East coasters tend to be good-natured and love to laugh. It is not unusual for you to pass a stranger on the sidewalk and have them greet you with a smile and a “Hi, how are ya?” or “Great weather we’re havin’, eh?” As an advertiser, if you can make them laugh, it’s a good way to win their business.
- Like many places in Canada, the Maritimes have bitter winters. Because they are on the Atlantic Ocean, humidity is high and fog is a regular occurrence year-round.  Cars tend to rust very quickly on the east coast due to the combination of the sea salt in the air and salt on the roads in the winter.  Materials resistant to rust are favoured in this region.
- The geographic location lends itself to the fishing industry. Although not as prominent as it once was due to over fishing, lobster is still a well-known “export”.
- Acadia was one of the first French settlements in Canada. Many Acadians emigrated to the Southern United States where the name Acadian became Cajun. New Brunswick remains a bilingual province.
 

FOCUS ON NOVA SCOTIA

- Nova Scotia is Latin meaning “New Scotland” so a great deal of the culture revolves around the Scottish and Irish traditions. - Nova Scotia was part of the Underground Railroad and has a large population of African decent. - There are many college age people in Nova Scotia during the school year due to the many renowned universities including:  o Acadia o Dalhousie University (Dal) o University of Kings College (King’s) o Nova Scotia College of Art and Design University (NSCAD) o St. Mary’s University (SMU) o St. Francis Xavier University  (St. FX) http://www.novascotiaeducation.com/AbsPage.aspx?id=1015&siteid=1&lang=1 - The capital of Nova Scotia, Halifax, boasts one of the largest ice-free harbours in the world. This has resulted in several factors including: • A strong Navy and military presence which was solidified during WWI & WWII due to it’s accessibility to enemy ships.  (Halifax was victim of one of the largest man made explosions in the world – please see the Halifax Explosion: http://www.cbc.ca/halifaxexplosion/he1_promise/he1_promise_city_promise.html) • Large Cargo ships regularly deliver through Halifax. • International Cruise Ships come through Halifax frequently, especially during the summer months. • Pier 21 – the site of early immigration to Canada when we all came over on a boat! - Halifax is home to the Alexander Keith’s Brewery. Beer tends to be the beverage of choice in Nova Scotia. - Not everyone in Nova Scotia has a noticeable accent however, in Cape Breton, a small island in northern Nova Scotia, accents can be quite thick and sound similar to Scottish or Irish. Many famous Canadians came from Cape Breton including comedian Rick Mercer.

Nova Scotia is a peninsula on the Atlantic Ocean boasting miles of beaches and many fresh-water lakes.  water sports are very popular. (Sailing, surfing, kayaking, canoeing, water skiing, swimming, etc.).  - Because Nova Scotia is relatively isolated, it has become a popular summer vacation destination for Canadians and Americans. E.g. Chester, Nova Scotia:  http://www.chesterns.com/

 

written by Amy I of MGTC44 in Jan 2010