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20 uniquely Canadian insults

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Canadians have a reputation for being the politest people on the planet — that is until someone butts in line at Tim’s. Then we can throw it down with the best of ‘em with a repertoire of insults that are uniquely our own.

  1. Angishore. A Newfoundland insult meaning someone who’s too lazy to go fishing. The word is thought to be a variation of “hang-ashore,” hence its pejorative use, although some dictionaries define it as meaning someone who’s simply weak and sickly.  
  2. Beau cave. French Quebecois slang meaning “total idiot.” If you get called this, you’ve really irked somebody.
  3. Bender. A bad hockey player — one whose skates are so badly tied that his ankles bend.
  4. Bushed. A west coast description of someone who’s been in the bush too long and has become somewhat uncivilized.
  5. Chiseler. A hockey player who falsely claims he got an assist when he didn’t, thus “chiseling” points from his teammate.
  6. Christer. This slang term from the Maritimes is often heard as “little christer” and equivalent in meaning to “little devil.” Most often used to refer to a mischievous child.
  7. Chucklehead. A word from Newfoundland meaning — pretty obviously — someone who’s stupid.
  8. Doughhead. Popular in southern Ontario, an insult that’s synonymous with “stupid” and “thick in the head.”
  9. Dusty/duster. A (bad) hockey player who spends all her time on the bench, gathering dust.
  10. Gorby. A loud, obnoxious, ignorant tourist. Popular in Ontario’s Muskoka area (where, it must be admitted, gorbies abound).
  11. Hoser. The classic Canadian insult. Originally refers to the losers of a hockey game, who, in pre-Zamboni times, would have to hose the rink down once the game was done. Now it’s a synonym for “loser” — but with a particularly Canadian flavour.
  12. Keener. Someone who tries just a little too hard, sucking up to an authority figure and showing off how much they know. Think Hermione Granger from Harry Potter, only Canadian.
  13. Newfie. A perjorative term for a Newfoundlander. Some consider it a term of endearment, others can’t stand it and some have decided to reclaim it and use it proudly.
  14. Pas fort. The French version of “fail.” Said in response to hearing that someone did something dumb. “I dropped my car keys into the slush.” “Pas fort.”
  15. Pigeon. A hockey player who isn’t good enough to score goals on his own, so he picks up the trash shots made his other teammates.
  16. A Rink Rat. A somewhat affectionate term for a kid who hangs around a skating rink, sometimes to meet players, sometimes to try and get free ice time in exchange for chores.
  17. Scivey. Pronounced “sky-vee,” this east coast word refers to someone untrustworthy or sneaky.
  18. Sieve. A really terrible goalie (i.e. one that lets through lots of shots, like a holey sieve).
  19. Skeet. This Newfoundland insult is similar to “white trash,” and generally refers to young miscreants who loiter and commit petty crimes.
  20. Squatch. A shortening of “sasquatch” that, in western Canada, refers to someone big and unkempt.

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