Montreal Business Manners 10

46. Public Holidays

• New Year’s Day - January 1st.


• Good Friday or Easter Monday - Late March to mid-April.


• Journée nationale des patriotes - the Monday preceding May 25th. (used to be or still is Victoria Day for some)


• National Aboriginal Day - June 21st (unofficial).


• St-Jean-Baptiste Day / Quebec National Day / Fête nationale du Québec June 24th.


• Canada Day - July 1st.


• July 1st is also Moving Day. 


• Montreal has a long-standing tradition of ending residential leases on June 30th. 


• As a result, July 1st is moving day for a significant percentage of tenants in the city.


• Labour Day - First Monday in September.


• Canadian Thanksgiving - Second Monday in October.


• Remembrance Day - November 11th.


• Christmas Day - December 25th.


• Boxing Day - December 26th.

• Employees in the clothing industry are also entitled to extra paid statutory holidays on January 2nd, Good Friday and Easter Monday

47. Punctuality

• We are punctual and associate punctuality with respect.


• We will tolerate a 5 or 10 minute delay.

• Apologize for being late as soon as you arrive.


• If you are more than 20 minutes late, we will most probably not wait for you.

• If you think you will be delayed, simply call before the meeting or the appointment begins. 

48. Quebec Cuisine

• If you do not wish to taste certain foods, simply say "no thank you".


• If you do not like what is served at a formal lunch or dinner, it is polite to at least take a taste. 


• It is okay not to eat everything put before you if you happen to be allergic or if you do not care for it.

• Our culture allows that kind of refusal and, you will most probably be offered a dish more to your liking.  

49. Restaurants

ITHQ Montreal

• For a business encounter at a restaurant, go somewhere you know well, so you can be sure there will be no nasty surprise.

• Men and women invite their male or female customers at the restaurant and pay the bill. 

• If your guest orders a drink (wine or beer) it is considered polite to order one too. 

• If your guest does not order any alcohol, it is considered impolite to do so.

• When you are the host, make sure you take care of the bill, because you will be expected to pay.

• When you are invited, wait until your host starts orienting the conversation on the current business.

• It is the host or hostess who is responsible for the success of the meal and the conversation. Let him or her guide you.

• The meal begins when the host or hostess unfolds his or her napkin. This is your signal to do the same.
  

• The host will signal the end of the meal by placing his or her napkin on the table.

50. Smoking

• The law in Quebec is strict when it comes to cigarettes, tobacco products and electronic cigarettes.


• You are usually allowed to smoke outdoors, but there are more and more exceptions and restrictions.


• Smoking is banned within a 9m radius of the entrance of institutions such as hospitals, community centers, colleges, universities...


• You may smoke at home except if your lease or if your building rules do not allow smoking.