Originally posted by Tako Kichi Even though Canada is metric in many cases (fuel in litres, speed in KPH etc.) they adopted the North American standard for paper sizing so we use letter size, legal size and all the rest.
That is a darn shame.It is likely because Canada was a late comer to adopting the metric standard and America is its biggest trading partner and vice versa.
As a citizen of one of only three countries in the world not using the metric standard, I am frankly ashamed that my previous generation and many of my generation (I'm a baby-boomer) refused to make the change when we could better afford to do so. At one point our interstate highway system began replacing signs with dual KM/miles and that stopped, going back to strictly miles. Car speedometers show both, but only for the convenience of folks who drive across the border into Canada or Mexico. Many of our food products still show both weights/volumes IF the product is traded outside the U.S.
It is no surprise to most of the world that the metric system makes a lot more sense than the American system based on fractional amounts. Even folks here in the U.S. that rally against the metric system have trouble with some of the more specialized measurements like knots, fathoms, leagues, rods, and chains. Although for you folks in the U.K., the U.S. never officially adopted stones.
For what it is worth Tako Kichi - when we visited the Soo a couple years ago and took the Algoma railway up to Agawa Canyon (beautiful ride in the fall!), I was surprised to see the trackage is still maintained in miles.
Ah well, at least time, f/stops and light sensitivity is measured consistently worldwide for photography or we would all be in trouble!