The French and English may have been the first wave of immigrants to arrive on Canada’s shores but they certainly weren’t the last. Throughout its history, immigrants have come from the four corners of the world to live in North America's vast north, weaving a rich cultural and linguistic tapestry that cannot be described as merely bilingual. When you think about your customers north of the 49th parallel, you may want to consider that other languages in addition to the official ones, English and French.
Although small, the vibrant and vocal market for film and television in Quebec has made the studios stand up and take notice. After years of screening entertainment dubbed in France, the film industry in Quebec began to call for market-appropriate products.
Today, more and more studios are double-dubbing films and TV series, creating one version for France and the international francophone market, and another for the Quebec market. If the trend continues, the dubbing and subtitling industry in La Belle Province may well become a serious contender against competition from France and Belgium.
The meeting's over. You've got a little time to explore. It's your chance to get out of that hotel room, get off the beaten path, and experience the culture, the flavor, and the people.
Toronto is one of our favorite cities — cosmopolitan, friendly, and with the special beauty of a city on a lake. So we\ve pulled together fascinating activities and places in Toronto that most travelers never experience. Next time you're in town and find yourself with a few free hours, check out the list and go home with your best stories ever.
1. Get out in nature at the lyrical Toronto Music Garden, inspired by J.S. Bach's First Suite for Unaccompanied Cello. Stroll through the garden’s six 'rooms,' on curving pathways, past a 'stream" of boulders, a birch forest, a wildflower meadow, a flower parterre, and more. If you're lucky, you'll catch a concert in this lovely, relaxing spot.
2. Step into the Bata Shoe Museum's shoebox-shaped building to check out more than 10,000 'pedi-artifacts.' You'll see everything from 19th-century French chestnut-crushing clogs to Chinese bound-foot shoes to the glamorous platforms of Elton John and the simple sandals of Indira Ghandi. More than 4,500 years of history and a collection of 20th-century celebrity shoes are on display. No wonder the museum's tagline is “For the curious.”
Have the past two years made an indelible impression on the American consumer? Absolutely. The retail market took a big hit, and we're only now seeing shades of recovery. 
The good news is that the "new" American retail consumer is not necessarily too conservative, but is taking a more holistic approach, to balance what they need with
what they want. They're going through a careful, complicated decision-making process for every purchase, according to analysts in a recent report on the country's changing demographics.
What does this mean for brands? More than ever, brands "need to communicate who they are in a way that’s authentic, real and accessible so people can find their way to them," they noted.
U.S. retailers are heading to Canada for growth, the Wall Street Journal
reported today. Among those planning to open more stores and outlets north of the border are J. Crew, Limited Brands (Victoria's Secret, Bath & Body Works), and Gap.
The move is described as a cautious “baby-step” towards broader international plans — Canada being both literally and figuratively close to home. (Many Americans think of Canada as the same as the U.S., but colder. Most Canadians I know can reel off a longer list of differences…).
Regardless, most would agree that Canada is the most similar market to the U.S., sharing many demographic and cultural traits. Thus it’s a natural first step for American companies, who might be scared off by the idea of different labor laws, shopping habits, body sizes, and fashion tastes in markets like Europe and Asia.
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