Haha I didn't know Québécois didn't tip (I'm a Québec decent French Canadian who has spend most of my life in not-Québec provinces. I speak the language but am not familiar with the Québécois culture). I live in Vancouver, and people tip here as a matter of course, regardless of service. I don't know where 'Blow and Dry LLC' got their information from, but I have a lot of friends here who are servers. Also from personal experience, everytime I've ever eaten out, I, or someone in my group, gives a standard gratuity. Perhaps people of different and relatively recent immigrant backgrounds don't. But if you are in sync with the local culture, tipping between 10 and 15% is the norm in British Columbia, Alberta, and the Maritime provinces (including the Acadian French parts of the Maritimes. Acadiens are a culturally and historically distinct group of French speakers connected to the Louisianna Cajun).
I do have a story from my friends who went to Australia several years ago. The waitress saw her tip and said to my friends "You must be Canadian" And they said yes how did you know? And the waitress told them that Canadians tip 15%, Americans tip 10%, and Australians tip nothing. When I was in the EU part of Europe, we weren't expected to tip. We even tried to tip a friendly and helpful cab driver in Salzburg, and he refused it! But when we were in non-EU European countries it was the norm to tip. We ate at a restaurant in Split, Croatia where we left the tip on the table rather than in the cheque book. Since he didn't realize we tipped him yet gave us the most withering look of hatred.
I don't think it is fair to enforce a tip (in situations where is isn't expected. I feel differently if it is a large group. Usually you are informed of it from the start. Ex: "Since you are a group of over 10, there is an automatic gratuity of 18% calulated to your bill"). Obviously in Québec they have a different tipping culture. Maybe they generally tip less. Maybe they use it as a reflection of the quality of service. I think they can offer a printed suggestion on the bill in English and French that tipping X percentage is customary in Vermont. In English so they don't feel singled out. And in French since they appreciate their language being used and are prone to be less hostile when it is offered willingly, and for clarity if their English isn't strong. (<-- sounds like a typical resolution coming from a Canadian lol. My Trudeau-esque multicultural brainwashing is obviously showing.) If they still don't tip, that is their prerogative. It's their money.
I do have a story from my friends who went to Australia several years ago. The waitress saw her tip and said to my friends "You must be Canadian" And they said yes how did you know? And the waitress told them that Canadians tip 15%, Americans tip 10%, and Australians tip nothing.
When I was in the EU part of Europe, we weren't expected to tip. We even tried to tip a friendly and helpful cab driver in Salzburg, and he refused it! But when we were in non-EU European countries it was the norm to tip. We ate at a restaurant in Split, Croatia where we left the tip on the table rather than in the cheque book. Since he didn't realize we tipped him yet gave us the most withering look of hatred.
I don't think it is fair to enforce a tip (in situations where is isn't expected. I feel differently if it is a large group. Usually you are informed of it from the start. Ex: "Since you are a group of over 10, there is an automatic gratuity of 18% calulated to your bill"). Obviously in Québec they have a different tipping culture. Maybe they generally tip less. Maybe they use it as a reflection of the quality of service. I think they can offer a printed suggestion on the bill in English and French that tipping X percentage is customary in Vermont. In English so they don't feel singled out. And in French since they appreciate their language being used and are prone to be less hostile when it is offered willingly, and for clarity if their English isn't strong. (<-- sounds like a typical resolution coming from a Canadian lol. My Trudeau-esque multicultural brainwashing is obviously showing.) If they still don't tip, that is their prerogative. It's their money.