I only have a regular US credit card without a chip (used for Chip and Pin). My bank offers Chip and Signature cards and there's another US bank that offers true Chip and Pin cards. As I plan to eventually visit Europe/Asia/Latin America I plan in the future to get a card with 0 foreign transaction fees and a Chip (My bank Chase offers them but charges a yearly $75 annual fee, other US banks don't).

Based on what I'm reading since Canada is relatively close to the US, merchants still have the mag-stripe reader active and can take US mag-stripe only cards. This is not like the EU where some countries require the use of a Chiped card in automated systems. Am I correct?

Correct, but you may have to remind the cashier when s/he says 'insert your card' you'll need to reply 'no chip.' S/he'll then know to ask for your signature.

Not every card issued in Canada has a chip - I have one from a large bank that does not and there is no problem using it. I didn't know that there are places in the world that won't accept such a card. Are there warnings somewhere?

The article by Rick Steeves discusses the requirements elsewhere. He states "The chip-and-PIN system is most commonly found in the British Isles, Scandinavia, France, Switzerland, Belgium, and the Netherlands. Most of Western Europe has started using chip-and-PIN cards (and Canada will complete its conversion in 2015)."

Almost all the chip readers, including the hand-held ones have a slide area on the side which will read magnetic strip cards. You may have to remind someone how to use it though.

I found this true in Europe as well as Canada. In Europe, the problem is where there is no human interaction with the attendant - petrol pumps at automated filling stations and some automated ticket machines at train stations, although at larger stations, there is always someone who can sell you a ticket.

I think Rick Steves does travelers a disservice in his article by suggesting that they will take away this feature at some point in the future. I doubt very much that this will happen, especially in businesses which cater to tourists - why would you want to discourage a big chunk of your clientele from forking over their money? He ends up being a shill for banks which provide chip and pin cards, and the expensive travelex reloadable cards.

In France, I was taking the SNCF and found out first hand that the CC machines with the conductors/ticket checkers only take chip CCs.

But, in Canada, having a non-chipped CC is not a problem. Anywhere.

Almost all the machines in Canada say 'SWIPE OR INSERT CARD (or ENTER ACCOUNT NUMBER)'
You will be fine.

Not all European cards have chips. I received a new DC card this year, no chip.

And even with a chipped Visa card I usually sign. (Unless I buy something at a vending machine.)

Really? He actually gives work-arounds and calming advice: "One attractive no-fee card is the GlobeTrek Visa offered by Andrews Federal Credit Union in Maryland (open to all US residents, see www.andrewsfcu.org). If you don't want to open a new credit-card account, Travelex is offering US travelers a chip-and-PIN "cash card" preloaded with euros or British pounds (www.travelex.com). While handy, this service comes with exorbitant exchange rates; it's probably not worth it unless you are staying for several weeks in a country that's converted to chip-and-PIN cards, and you're willing to pay for the convenience. Don't panic if your card is rejected. There's usually a solution. Just like at home, cash works. It's easy to withdraw cash from a nearby ATM (there's no problem using magnetic-strip debit cards in European ATMs), or simply carry sufficient cash with you (in your money belt for safekeeping)."

Which country is this guy talking about where you MUST have chip&PIN to pay in the average restaurant (or other store)?

One can just insert the card repeatedly and force the machine to use the stripe.
No reminder needed.

On top of that, most gas station loyalty cards are swiped on the same unit that the credit/debit cards are. I doubt that is going to change any time soon.

Air miles is scanned inside the store.

All Shell self serve pumps read the airmiles card. The only time to go in is special bonus promotions. The newer ones you can enter the airmiles number on the keypad; the same one you use for your PIN.

I don't think there's any country where you MUST have a card with an emv chip by government decree. We do know the Netherlands is a place where people have reported a great deal of difficulty in using the antiquated US magnetic strip cards but then again, Holland has never been a credit card paradise that's for sure. In many countries, an increasing number of merchants but by no means a majority of merchants, are refusing to take magnetic strip cards and some don't even want to deal with chip and signature cards. See the over 100 page thread on emv cards in the USA for particulars.