How to Pick Up a Canadian Man

There are loads of quirky mementos you can take home from a trip to Canada: chocolate beaver poop, caps topped with moose antlers and absolutely anything made with maple syrup; but why not set your sights a little higher? Here's a guide to taking home the ultimate souvenir: a Canuck man to call your own.

First impressions: Know your Canadians
If you want to make a fabulous first impression you have to know your Canadian celebrities from their US counterparts. Nothing irks a Canuck more than the response "Oh, is he Canadian?" when Mike Myers, Jim Carrey or Michael J. Fox pop up in conversation. Swotting up on Canadian actors (Dan Aykroyd), hotties (Pamela Anderson), fashion gurus (Jay Manuel) and knowing that there's more to Canadian music than Avril Lavigne, Bryan Adams and Celine Dion will certainly help to break the ice.

Keep him interested: Learn the rules to curling
It might come as a surprise that young Canadians do actually curl and some even follow it on TV. Of course it's not the biggest sport in the country, but knowing your rocks, brooms, hog lines and hammers will undoubtedly impress. Other sports to swot up on are Canadian Football (their balls are bigger), lacrosse (officially the national sport, though few people really follow it) and of course, hockey (see below).

The first date: Treat him to all-you-can-eat wings
If the way to a man's heart is through his stomach, then the best way to win a Canadian man's affection is with chicken. It's not tough to seek out a cool bar offering all-you-can-eat wings and huge team pitchers and though sucking sauce covered chicken off the bone is not the ideal first date food, he'll look past the barbecue sauce smeared down your chin and might just think you're the perfect woman!

Win his heart: Prove you can take the cold
Canadians take winter very seriously and are fiercely proud of their ability to withstand arctic temperatures. When overseas visitors are wrapped up in skiing gear to take a walk through downtown, true Canadians wander in light sweaters, saying "Minus 15? This is nothing; just wait until it gets really cold!" So if you want to score a Canadian guy, be ready to brave the cold, or at least suffer it in silence; complaining about snow and ice or implying that you're not a fan of the apparently endless Canadian winter will not score you any points.

The Clincher: Learn to love hockey
Rule number one: don't ever call it ice hockey; to Canadians there is no other kind. Rule number two: don't ever complain that Canada's favourite sport is too violent. If asked, say that the fights are undoubtedly your favourite part. Rule number three: if you don't know anything about hockey, pretend you do. Drop a few names, feign interest, try to keep your eye on the puck and never, ever say anything against the national passion. Dissing hockey is tantamount to treason and will have you searching for a new beau quicker than a beaver can gnaw through a maple tree!

So there you have it: five budget-friendly and easy to follow rules that have been author tried and tested. Of course, keeping hold of your Canuck is up to you, though purchasing ultra-thin thermals, the idiot's guide to hockey and the occasional two-four (crate of 24 beers) should certainly help...