I understand that the midfield crosswind entry is standard in Canada.
It's also one of the standard entries at my (controlled) home
field[1]. From that experience, I find I like it because it gives me
good situational awareness of what's going on with closed traffic,
45-degree entries, and base-leg entries. Any Canadians want to chime
in on what they teach you north of the 49th?

Don

You are correct it is normal to join the pattern from over the feild
in Canada. At uncontrolled aerodromes straight in approaches are not
standard. I was also taught to never be more than gliding distance
from the runway while in the pattern. It drives me nuts when I see
cessna 150s flying 3 mile finals or are so wide on downwind I think
they've left the pattern. Oh ya another difference is we don't use 45
degree entries to the pattern.