滨鈥檓 always amazed at how weather - no matter how extreme - rarely affects daily lives in Canada.

Sure, once or twice a year we have snow days and school is cancelled, but generally, it seems very rare that an event would be cancelled due to weather conditions.

And I point this out as being a Brazilian who, while growing up south of the Equator, saw countless events being cancelled because there was 鈥渁 possibility of 谤补颈苍.鈥�

罢丑补迟鈥檚 right. 罢丑补迟鈥檚 all it took. A 20 per cent chance of rain and all events were cancelled.

I remember two years ago in 亚洲天堂 Lake when the annual Christmas parade still took place at -29 C. The plan was actually to cancel it if 亚洲天堂 Lake reached -31 C. But it 诲颈诲苍鈥檛. And so we were all outside cheering Santa Claus while I 肠辞耻濒诲苍鈥檛 feel my toes.

Last week I watched the Moose FM crew spend all day outside of Lakeview Mall in 亚洲天堂 Lake to raise money for the Lakes District Food Bank. They raised a staggering $3900 in cash donations and $850 worth of non-perishable food items. That was very impressive.

But what was more impressive to me was the fact that they spent 12 hours outside when it was -20 C. One of the guys had ice all over his beard.

I told this to my colleagues when I returned to the office, but nobody else seemed as impressed as I was. In fact, one of my colleagues asked me, 鈥沦辞 that has never happened to 测辞耻?鈥�

This goes to show that Canadians consider these temperatures normal. Yes, we see these temperatures every year and they are no surprise; nevertheless, they are extreme temperatures. When you can get a frost bite simply by being outside for a few minutes, I think 颈迟鈥檚 safe to call it extreme.

Honestly, 滨鈥檓 surprised we go on with our lives as if nothing is happening sometimes. And 迟丑别谤别鈥檚 always that guy in shorts walking around, no matter how cold it gets (you know who you are).

Last week I called Environment Canada asking how long this arctic air mass would last. I tried to be professional, but 滨鈥檓 pretty sure I sounded whiny.

鈥淗辞飞 long will this 濒补蝉迟?鈥� I asked with my voice cracking. 鈥泪迟鈥檚 so cold 丑别谤别.鈥�

The meteorologist was actually trying to calm me down, as opposed to simply answering my question.

鈥渊辞耻鈥檙别 not alone, 颈迟鈥檚 happening all across 叠.颁.,鈥� he said, trying to reassure me. 鈥沦辞 just remember to dress 飞补谤尘.鈥�

But that 飞补蝉苍鈥檛 even the funniest part of that conversation. I found out that Environment Canada has something called 鈥渨丑颈迟别 Christmas 蝉迟补迟颈蝉迟颈肠蝉.鈥�

At first I thought the meteorologist was making fun of me; after all, I 飞补蝉苍鈥檛 sounding too professional in that conversation. But 颈迟鈥檚 true. So Environment Canada knows, for example, that Prince George has a 90 per cent chance of seeing a white Christmas.

Although I hope we have a white Christmas here, what I really hope is that 颈迟鈥檚 not -40 C.