WASHINGTON, D.C. — Around the world, Canadians are often described as “nice” or “polite.”
Canada’s international reputation for kindness resonates domestically, too. A Pew Research Center survey this year found that Canadians held among the world’s most positive views of their fellow citizens’ morality, with 92 per cent of respondents saying their fellow Canadians were morally good. But could all that politeness be hurting Canada?
Kumaran Nadesan, the cofounder of 369 Global, a Canadian conglomerate specializing in skills training, media and global market facilitation, says yes. In his 2026 book, The Impolite Canadian: Why Playing Nice Is Costing Us the Future, Nadesan argues that Canada’s greatest weakness is its inclination to be too polite.
National Post reached out to Nadesan to discuss how Canada’s cultural commitment to politeness has become a passive liability that is holding the country back. The good news? He says some less polite Canadian moves in recent months have given him reason to hope.
