Quote:
Originally Posted by Allan83
The civil servant types, which make up a significant segment of the working population in Ottawa, are definitely conservative. They make good money but they do not want to look like they make a lot of money, at least not at first glance. If you take a closer look there are some giveaways. These people are paid by the taxpayer after all, and they don’t want to be too showy in front of said taxpayers, who generally make less money. They also work in a huge bureaucracy where it is generally better to fit in and get along than it is to be different and standout. In my experience when they want to let their hair down they go to Montreal or Toronto where they feel anonymous.
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Civil servants make up less than 10% of the total population in Ottawa and no, being a civil servant doesn't make you conservative. There is, however, a trend to underdress in Ottawa or to be more outdoorsy in style then places such as Montreal and Toronto. There's nothing wrong with that and it is a city very well connected to the outdoors. Being in the design and arts community, I tend to dress as I wish and have always done so, and never felt out of place in Ottawa. For one who as has spent an equal amount of time in both Ottawa and Montreal, I always felt the amount of anonymity to be the same. What there is more of in Ottawa are people who think the city is more conservative then the rest of Canada... It is Canada which is conservative in both style and behaviour, not Ottawa. After all, being "nice" is notoriously canadian. Canada, the boring heaven.