25 years ago Canada went to war. It was a war that changed everything. - CTV News

When I moved to Canada from Ukraine four years ago, I knew there would be some big cultural differences to get used to. But what I didn't expect was how many little things about everyday life in Canada would still surprise me years later. From Canada's obsession with camping and Tim Hortons coffee to the way Canadians use credit cards, pay sales tax and even treat Canada geese, there are plenty of things that still feel completely foreign to me. Don't get me wrong — there's so much I love about living in Canada. The stunning landscapes, welcoming people and sense of community have made this country feel like home. But after growing up in Ukraine, I've realized that some Canadian habits take a lot longer to get used to than others. Here are seven things about living in Canada that I still can't quite wrap my head around, even after four years. Nothing says "Canadian summer" quite like grilling outdoors. Alona Vasylieva | NarcityIt didn't take me long to realize just how much Canadians love camping. But here, camping often means towing a massive trailer into the forest — basically bringing your entire house along for the ride.

When I first moved to Canada from Ukraine with my family, one of my most confusing experiences as a newcomer happened somewhere I never expected — Canadian Tire. It all started when I needed to buy a thermos for my son's school lunch. A friend suggested heading to Canadian Tire, but I couldn't understand why. I knew what "Canadian" meant, and I definitely knew what a "tire" was. So why was I being sent to an auto shop for lunch supplies? Did Canadians really buy soup containers at gas stations? Trusting my friend, I drove over expecting to find a garage. Instead, I pulled up to a massive department store selling everything from kitchen appliances and home essentials to sporting goods and car parts. Safe to say, none of my English classes had prepared me for what Canadian Tire actually sells. And as I explored the aisles, I quickly realized there was a lot more to this iconic Canadian store than its name suggested. The iconic storefront and auto centre entrance at Canadian Tire. Alona Vasylieva | NarcityTo be fair, Canadian Tire isn't lying about its name — it really does sell car parts and even has a full-service auto centre.

For a year and a half, event planner Ethan Gill has regularly donated plasma at a commercial donation centre near his home in Whitby, Ont., that was run by an international pharmaceutical company called Grifols. Plasma, a golden-coloured, protein-rich fluid found in blood, is used to produce life-saving medicines for patients with conditions such as a compromised immune system. Mr. Gill often went twice a week as one of the ways he gives back to his community, he said – and getting paid up to $70 each time, which he would not be at a Canadian Blood Services centre, was a perk, too. Open this photo in gallery:Open this photo in gallery:The Grifols plasma centre in Whitby, Ont., was open when The Globe visited this spring to learn about its screening and donation process. Shay Conroy/The Globe and MailOn a recent afternoon in August, he was hooked up to a plasmapheresis machine as normal, and donated nearly a litre of plasma. It would be the last donation he would make for the foreseeable future. Mr. Gill had no way to know it at the time, but behind the scenes, Grifols’s head office was dealing with an extraordinary situation.

The 20th annual Cape to Cabot road race is taking place tomorrow. The grueling 20 km trek sees participants running from one historic landmark to another: From Cape Spear to Cabot Tower on top of Signal Hill. The race starts at 8 a.m., and because of that there are a few related road closures in St. John’s. Between 7:45 and 11a.m. there will be numerous road closures along the route. A full list can be found online at VOCM dot com. Expect traffic impacts from 7:45 a.m. to 11 a.m. on routes including Blackhead Road, Southside Road, Water Street, Harbour Drive, Duckworth Street, Temperance Street and Signal Hill Road.

On Monday, Albertans vote on whether to stay in Canada or hold another binding referendum on quitting Canada. If the vote goes as polls suggest, a majority of Albertans will mark an X to stay in Confederation, and Premier Danielle Smith has said if that’s so, she expects everyone to accept it and move on. Leaders of the independence movement contest that. And political watchers are divided about whether separation — previously a fringe sentiment — will now be a prominent, permanent feature of Alberta’s political landscape, as in Quebec. Julian Castro-Rea, a political-science professor at the University of Alberta who studies the separation debates in Quebec and Alberta, believes as long as Alberta feels alienated from the Canadian capital — feeling that Ottawa benefits from Alberta’s resource economy without giving back — the movement will have fuel. “Even if the referendum is lost, the westernization will still be around, because it’s kind of a way which, traditionally, Albertans have related to the rest of Canada,” says Castro-Rea, who believes western alienation may remain indefinitely. Story continues below advertisement