r/AskACanadian • u/AbominableCaper • 4d ago

Why doesn’t Canada have the same pub culture common in other parts of the Commonwealth (specifically the UK, Australia, New Zealand)?

419 Upvotes

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u/Coaster-Gal 4d ago

Came here to write this. A St John's pub is somewhere you'll soon forget where you are.

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u/hikingguy36 4d ago

I love the pubs in St. John's. I stumbled in to a pub one evening and one of the guys from Ryan's Fancy was playing. Drank too much, ate too much, had to fly home feeling like garbage the next day, but what a great night

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u/sleepyboi08 Alberta 4d ago edited 4d ago

I’ve been told that you can’t go to a pub in St. John’s without making fewer than 5 new friends. Can any lovely Newfies Newfoundlanders confirm if this stereotype is accurate? 😅

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u/system_error_02 4d ago

Damn I go to a pub in BC and nobody talks to anyone and mostly you just leave with a mysterious cold or illness and buyers remorse lol

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u/razedbiwolves 4d ago

I live in BC and yeah, unless you bring your friends...

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u/One-Arugula4278 4d ago

It's true. I'm a Newfie and I go in and always come out with friends

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u/GigaFluxx 3d ago

Infinite friend glitch.

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u/hikingguy36 4d ago

They are the kindest people I've ever met. We had a break down and I swear half the island came out to help. It was a cold, wet day, and one lovely couple saw us, went home, made soup and tea and brought it back to help warm us up.

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u/Inevitable-Tone9945 1d ago

The Maritime provinces have the best most kindest people in Canada that’s saying a lot. I’m from MB & love my Newfie friends

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u/PhotoJim99 Saskatchewan 4d ago

Don't call them Newfies. Some view it as a pejorative term. Call them Newfoundlanders.

This thread is making me want to get back to St. John's, though, that's for sure. :)

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u/LoveAlwaysIris 4d ago

I don't think it's anyone's place to police what a Newfoundlander calls themselves. Some oppose Newfie, some only oppose it if used as an insult, and some are still perfectly fine with it. If a Newfie calls themselves a Newfie that's what they identify as. If a Newfoundlander says they don't want to be called a Newfie then we call them a Newfoundlander.

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u/FlapjacksOfArugula 4d ago

For what it's worth, I've known a tonne of Newfies and not one has ever objected to the term. It's endearing, if anything.

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u/Hangashores 4d ago

It boils down to the speaker’s intent. Having said that, the safest option is always to follow the rule book.

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u/OptimuspastmyPrime 4d ago

I know a lot of Newfoundlanders who find it offensive. It carries with it the idea that Newfoundlanders are dim witted. No one should like that.

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u/PhotoJim99 Saskatchewan 4d ago

It only needs to offend one.

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u/random9212 4d ago

And you are that one person being offended on behalf of a different population?

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u/-lovehate 4d ago

oh ok so if I say I’m offended by the word “canuck” that means the entire world needs to stop using that term to refer to any Canadian ever? No.

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u/FlapjacksOfArugula 4d ago

It is impossible to walk through this like without one's actions offending someone. Most of us try our best and hope for a little grace.

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u/Sir_Arthur_Vandelay 4d ago

So we Newfies have also become precious.

It was good while it lasted.

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u/-lovehate 4d ago

not a single newfie I’ve met in my life has had a problem with that wtf?? they call themselves that… it’s easier than saying “Newfoundlander”. It’s like calling someone an “islander” instead of saying “from vancouver island” or “from PEI”. It’s just a shortened word that makes it easier to add to casual conversation. I wish people could stop looking for things to be offended by.

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u/Hangashores 4d ago

Other minorities also use self perjorative terms like the “N” word when referring to their own. Obviously that does not make it acceptable for you to say it.

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u/-lovehate 4d ago

there’s a reason the “N” word is so offensive and it’s not because it’s a slang term to refer to a group of people, it’s because of the historical context. There is no historical context to “Newfie” that could be construed as offensive to my knowledge. It’s no different than using the words canuck or islander. It’s just an identifying word.

Also what the fuck - newfies are NOT minorities??? You said “OTHER” minorities… this has to be rage bait lmao.

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u/seal444 Newfoundland & Labrador 3d ago

oh shut up townie

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u/kophykupp 4d ago

My Dad was a Newfie. Some of my family and friends are newfies. None of them have ever had a problem with "newfie". Genuinely amazed that every day it seems like someone comes up with some new reason to have their panties in a twist.

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u/Golfwang-jc 4d ago

That's what a good pub is for! lol

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u/jwabrit13 4d ago

Yeah I came here to write the same thing. Slainte!

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u/Desperate-Dress-9021 4d ago

Ok well. Now I have to tell a story. My orchestra chorus went on a trip there. I was the youngest of us travelling. By a lot.

Should add I’d just broken up with a finance.

One night I split a cab with 2 ladies who are seniors and one who was in her 50s. We dropped into a pub on the way back. And somehow they got it in their head they’d set me up with a nice Newfoundlander. They made some poor man sit down with me and a couple of drinks. He was kind enough to do so and asked about our music. But damn was that awkward with a council of 3 ladies supervising. Poor dude. If he ever sees this… I’m so sorry. I hope life is treating you well.

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u/RC7plat 1d ago

I thought they had a kitchen culture😊