Why is Canada on the Metric System?

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loony

A+++++ for Garth!! I agree. Why doesnt the U.S. use the metric system?? I guess we ALWAYS have to be different from the rest of the world. What a F'ed up country we are anyway.

Garth

Because Canada is smart enough to use the system that the entire world other than the USA uses. A better question is why isn't the USA on the Metric System.

quintessence19

The metric system was not adapted until around the 1950's (give or take a decade) Really didn't have much to do with being part of the commonwealth, just more to do with that's what the rest of the world was turning to.

Buzz s

The governmentt put us there almost 1975

BTB

becasue they want to be like the rest of the world AND its easier

Marina S

I dont know!:( I'v never been in Canada:(

Fsnartz

Because Britain used the Metric system and every country they colonized was taught to use this system, so it became universal. America during their independence from Britain devised a separate system and refused to accept the British system, much like their refusal to accept the British signage of words (removing the u from certain words - color instead of colour).

angelhimm

Because we are alot smarter than most countries. Like Garth said.........you should ask why doesn't the Americans use the Metric System. Time for them to get with the rest of the world.

Because the rest of the world uses it but USA

The name is Apple!

Because the rest of the world does. The metric system is actually alot easier to understand and use than our weight and measure system.

old lady

Canada converted to the metric system because that is the system of measurement used by most of the world. US is one of the few exceptions to adopting metric, but it probably will in time because metric is so much easier. If you want to convert from inches to feet, you have to divide by 12. From feet to miles, divide by 5,280 (or is it 5,260?)
If you want to convert from ounces to pounds, you have to divide by 16, etc. Can you do all that in your head? I can't.
With metric, if you want to convert from millimeters to centimeters, you just move the decimal point over 1 space. To convert from centimeters to meters, you just divide by 100. And that's easy! A meter is close to a yard in length. The weights work the same way, except it's in grams, not meters. So the standard mark is the kilo, which is the equivalent to 2.2 lbs.

earthen_gnome

Honestly Canada may be using the metric system in everyday life, like the weight of food at the grocery store is printed in Kilograms. My son was weighed in Kilograms when he was born. I have lived in Canada all my life and don't understand half of it. for measurements of distance I know Kilometers not Miles but for everything else I use Imperial still. My parents grew up using Imperial as did the generations before them, I just don't understand it and really only used it in school as in the grocery stores for fresh fruits, vegs and meat, it is also listed in pounds as well. I didn't know how much of the rest of the world was using the Meteric system, it is kind of interesting.

klygen

Canada chose to join the International system a long time ago. The United States is the last country to use the old Imperial system which used such trusty measures as the length of a kings foot, and the span of one of his steps. I don't know if anyonw still remembers which kings foot and step were used. maybe it's another question for Yahoo! Answers...

laurennn

Everyone else in the world uses it except the United States & I think Indonesia

happywhereIam

Today, only the United States, Liberia and Myanmar have not switched officially to the metric system, though all of these to a large degree have assimilated, particularly in areas of science and engineering. The United Kingdom and St. Lucia are currently in the process of official conversion, and other countries within the former British Empire completed metrication during the second half of the 20th century, the most recent being the Republic of Ireland, which finalised conversion in early 2005. Only France, the United States, the United Kingdom and Japan have seen significant popular opposition to metrication, the main objections being based in localism, tradition, cultural aesthetics, economic impact, or distaste for measures viewed as "foreign".

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