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Canadian style paddling is similar to, if not identical to, what is called northwoods style paddling.
It is a very short stroke, so that the paddle is vertical during almost all of the stroke; other strokes, such as the usual J-stroke, are generally longer, with the result that the paddle is closer to horizontal at the beginning and, especially, at the end of the stroke -- where the paddle delivers forward power much less efficiently. Someone paddling northwoods style will usually take nearly 2 strokes to a single stroke by someone J-stroking.
In addition to being a bit more efficient, with the recovery portion of the stroke being in/under the water, it can be a quieter stroke.
There is little in print about the stroke; here is what I am aware of:
Bill Mason’s Path of the Paddle has two pages with demonstration photos on what he calls the Canadian stroke, which seems quite similar to the Northwoods stroke. The video tape of the same title also shows, briefly, the stroke.
Lynn Franklin’s “Paddling Like an Ancient” in WoodenBoat magazine no. 55 (November/December 1983) shows Alexandra Conover teaching Franklin the Northwoods stroke.
Garrett Conover’s article “Traveling With Ease and Grace” which appeared in Canoe Magazine’s "Canoeing and Kayaking," September 1984 gives an excellent description of the Northwoods stroke.
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Greg