That excruciating moment when your friends try to mimic your British accent ... This makes you proud of the variety there is back home. Given Toronto's huge sprawling suburbs and the vastness of its country, in Canadian terms Liverpool and Manchester are practically the same place; so to have such differing accents within such a proximity is unique. Stretch the distance a little further and people from the same country could struggle to decipher what the other is saying. So there's an apt excuse for a poor attempt at the British accent - there are so many different accents. If you master a Glaswegian where do you start with a Bristolian? However, despite the obvious stumbling blocks in these impersonations, you'd think they'd leave it alone. If only. When I first meet a Torontonian and they are interested in my accent, they often feel the need to echo some of what I say back to me. As something we learn from an early age, copying what someone has said can be rather painful for the copied. This, coupled with a horrible impression, makes it excruciating at times. Whether you're from South Shields or Southampton, Aberdeen or Aberystwyth, the odds are their take on your accent will sound like Harry or Hermione in their first year at Hogwarts, an extra from Lock Stock and Two Smoking Barrels or have tones of Michael Caine. Accents above the Watford Gap are not catered for. There is a slight identity crisis in Canada. With the wealth of immigration, people seem indecisive as to whether they're Canadian or, in fact, where their mother or father is originally from. Either that, or they're desperate not to be confused with those from the States. Maybe, as part of this crisis, they are not confident in how they speak. Robertson Davies, one of Canada's all-time favourite writers, quipped that for his English-speaking compatriots "if there was a way to mispronounce or misuse a word, Canada will surely find it." So do they like to hear us speak and try to replicate out of admiration? Do they hear dulcet tones in our vowels? Do they literally find our use of adverbs absolutely endearing? If this insistence on mimicking the British accent is due to admiration for the United Kingdom I feel embarrassed. Yes, we have a rich history and some proud traditions, but are they not aware that we are responsible for The X Factor, Katie Price and the ruin of many a Spanish holiday destination? If it is simply out of admiration for the sounds we Brits make then I am delighted. It's a compliment, so I will try to cope with the odd impersonation. Not all the time though. So just chill, Winston. Shropshire-born Daniel Rouse is a blogger who has lived in Toronto since 2011. Follow him on Twitter @danieljrouse. Read the rest of our expat guest columns here