Montreal Culture KitCross Cultural Solution
In terms of cross cultural solutions, francophones and anglophones have always been quite resourceful and did manage to find effective answers that enabled our "two solitudes" to breathe, not always in harmony, but definitely in peace. Our society is said to be "distinct". André Bernard in his book entitled What Does Quebec Want! clearly explains one of the reasons why: No political leader in Quebec would dare voice a doubt about the sacrosant objective of "la survivance française en Amérique". Survival of the French Canadian people is an obligation, an article of faith. Yet, outside Quebec, many people find it hard to understand how it can be a worthwhile objective to pursue. If your are interested in reading the fifty (50) Cross Cultural Solutions suggested when dealing with French and English Montrealers, please use the Contact Form provided on our Contact Us page. Our fifty (50) Cross Cultural Solutions come from various sources, some governmental, some public, some private and depict our peculiarities. They have been gathered in a small 30 page e-book and we will gladly e-mail you a free copy. Send off your request and please make sure your e-mail address is properly written.
10. Construction Holidays
In 1970, by governmental decree, Construction Holidays became part of the working conditions employers and workers agreed upon. For more than 35 years now, construction workers have been taking their holiday during the two last complete civil weeks – from Sunday to Saturday – of July. It is estimated that, during this period, one quarter of the active workforce in the province – approximately 128,000 workers - is on holiday. The construction sites are also closed two weeks during the Christmas and New Year’s holiday. Cross cultural solution in this case means having to put up with more than 100,000 people taking their holiday at the same time and blocking all the main roads.
20. Frankness
Montrealers are known to make direct or straightforward remarks. We also learned to say "no" when necessary. If you feel hurt or if you don’t understand, simply ask for an explanation. It’s never as bad as it sounds. We know we still have to gain a better awareness of how good communication skills facilitate communication and how well we should manage this particular cross cultural solution.
30. Meetings
Time is a very important factor to Montrealers. Many see long business meetings Montreal like a waste of time, whereas people of other cultures regard them as time rightly invested in learning and in trusting each other. Long and/or short meetings require a good amount of understanding and cooperation from everyone. Furthermore, during meetings, men and women express their opinions freely. Three (3) elements and three (3) cross cultural solutions to take into consideration here.
40. Smoking
May 31, 2006 marked the start of a new era in Québec – an era of better air quality in public spaces. Since this day on which new provisions of the Quebec Tobacco Act governing smoking in public places such as Montreal bars, pubs, taverns, restaurants Montreal, bingo halls and shopping malls came into effect. The Tobacco Act has the double effect of reducing smoking and protecting the public against the dangers of exposure to second-hand smoke, a cross cultural solution a majority agreed upon but a minority rejected.
50. Working Hours
Montreal is an island surrounded by many bridges and traffic is always slow. Working days start between 7:00 and 9:00 AM, with a peek between 8:00 and 8:30 AM. Business people often have an appointment or attend a breakfast meeting at 7:00 or 7:30 AM. The figures may indicate an improvement, but a significant proportion of people are working long hours, worrying about job insecurity and suffering from stress. Thank you for visiting our Cultural Solutions. Definition of Cultural Diversity
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