Darkstar45: (hope this doesn't submit twice - glitch on submit the first time!)
You might find
http://www.higherplane.flyer.co.uk/faq.htm (esp. number 25 which confirms the conversion required) and also the abbreviations site off it useful whilst you are still thinking about learning.
Where-ever you learn, it's your choice, just have fun. You should get good tuition in Canada, but for price can anywhere beat S.A. for an ICAO licence? (due to weakness of the Rand). I know the candian $ has not been great in recent years. What price (all in) do you think you'll get a licence for in Canada? I reckon, all in (everything, accomodation, books, test, airfares), it's not far off £2500 at Algoa in S.A. - certainly well under £3000. They are a mutual rather than 'for profit'. I just got back from a great blue sky week's rental session there. Good 172s for a little over £30 an hour.