What is Canada?

Power point by Ben Ely

Basic Geography

• Historically speaking, North/South America were the last continents in the world to be inhabited by humans– The north American climate stabilized for human life around 10,000

years ago, consisting mainly of hunter/gatherer types.• Canada’s geography represent it as the 2nd largest country in

the world• Consists of the major northern portion of North America,

sharing borders with the contiguous United States to the south and the U.S. state of Alaska to the northwest

Atlantic ocean to the east Pacific ocean to the west Arctic ocean to the north

Advanced Geography• Much of the Canadian arctic is covered in ice• the vastness of its geography has resulted in a wide variety of climates

resulting in a multitude of vegetation and ecology• From it’s vast size, Canada holds more lakes than any other country in the

world• Very geologically active, having a multitude of earthquakes per year running

through a variety of inhabiting volcanoes such as Mount Meager Mount Geribaldi Mount Cayley Mount Adziza

(an eruption of Tseax Cone in 1775 caused a catastrophic disaster killing 2,000 inhabitants)

Winters are also incredibly harsh in most regions of the country as they reach as low as -40 degrees with blistering winds

People

• The original inhabitants of Canada are the Inuit and the Aboriginals– the Inuit are often called Eskimo and the Aboriginals are called American Indians

or Native Americans

• Another group is called the Metis. They are descendants of the Aboriginals and people of European descent, especially French

• The Aboriginals had been treated harshly by later settlers and the government, including attempts to eliminate native cultures. The government of Canada recognized that it had mistreated the original inhabitants and in 1998 issued an official apology, called the Statement of Reconciliation.

• The Europeans first “arrived” between 1498 and 1521 when Italian named Giovanni Cabato explored Canada’s Atlantic coast.– In those years Basque and Portuguese mariners established seasonal whaling and

fishing outposts along Canada’s eastern coast

• This led finally to colonization by Samuel De Champlain in 1603 forming Port Royal and Quebec City

People• Steve Harper is currently the prime minister of Canada, in

charge of the ministers of the crown and the political cabinet• There are actually two primary languages spoken in Canada

making it a uniquely Bilingual country– People speak English, as well as French

• The people of Canada's primary religion equates to about 43.6 percent of a catholic belief and 29.2 percent of a protestant belief

• Canada is home to currently thirty three million people– Ontario being the most populated province

with 5 million people, and Quebec in 2nd with roughly 3.5 million people

Culture

• Canada has a diverse makeup of nationalities and cultures and constitutional protection for policies that promote multiculturalism rather than a single myth

• The strongest cultural identity exists in Quebec [many French speakers actually commentate that Quebec culture can be completely separated from English Canadian culture]

• Canada’s naturally promote multiculturalism however, the reality is that a lot of their modern culture is being influenced by American culture, such as words, inventions, and games have become a part of Canadian daily life

• American media and entertainment is basically dominant in Canadian culture, so many cultural products are actually marketed toward a unified “Northern American” market

Culture• Canada’s national anthem is labeled “O Canada was originally

commissioned by Lieutenant governor of Quebec in 1980– Yet was wrote by Calixa Lavallée, and based off of a patriotic poem composed by

Sir Adolphe-Basile Routhie (even that was still in French until translated to English in 1906)

• Canada’s culture can most easily be recognized by it’s most famous national pastime, Hockey

• Canada does not take Hockey lightly as Canada has more players in the NHL (National Hockey League) than any other country COMBINED

• Canada's National symbols are influenced by natural, historical, and Aboriginal sources. The use of the maple leaf as a Canadian symbol dates to the early 18th century. Other prominent symbols include the beaver, Canada Goose, Common Loon, the Crown, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, and more recently, the totem pole and Inukshuk

History• The eastern woodland areas of what was to become Canada,

was originally home to the Algonquian and Iroquoian peoples.• Quebec was the first place to become its own individual

province, gaining freedom through the Royal Proclamation of 1763– Made by King George the 3rd to organize Great Britain's new North

American empire and stabilize relations with native North Americans

• The Quebec act of 1774 actually spread this territory to the great lakes and Ohio valley (which helped fuel the American Revolution)

• There was a Large scale immigration to Canada from Britain and Ireland resulting from Canada being a main front in the war of 1812 between America and the British Empire.

• The “Act Of Union” of 1840 finally was able to merge the Canada’s into the United province of Canada

History

• The Canadian Confederation of 1867, known as the constitution act created one dominion under the name of Canada on July 1st

1867• This was a remarkable milestone for the history of Canada as it created

the four provinces of• Ontario• Quebec• Nova Scotia• New Brunswick• Canada was also able to assume control of “Rupert’s Land” before the

American’s had the chance– This gave rise to The Northwest Territories which sparked the creation of the province of Manitoba

in 1870• The Yukon territory was not even created until 1898, after the Klondike Gold Rush brought

many European immigrants to later form the provinces of Alberta and Saskatchewan as well.

Sources• Kallmann, Helmut. "The Canadian Encyclopedia". In Marsh, James Harley. Encyclopedia of Music in

Canada > Musical Genres > National and royal anthems. Toronto: Historica Foundation of Canada. Retrieved 25 June 2010

• "Origin of the Name, Canada". Canadian Heritage (Government of Canada). 2008. Retrieved 2010-06-27.

• "Canada: History". Country Profiles. Commonwealth Secretariat. Retrieved 2007-10-09.• "Canada: Geography". Country Profiles. Commonwealth Secretariat. Retrieved 2010-10-26.• "Significant Canadian Facts". Natural Resources Canada. 2004-04-05. Retrieved 2006-05-16.• Wilson, Donna M; Northcott, Herbert C (2008). Dying and Death in Canada. Toronto: University of

Toronto Press. pp. 25–27. ISBN 978-1-55111-873-4. Retrieved 2010-06-20.• "Official Languages in Canada: Federal Policy". Library of Parliament. 2009-06-30. Retrieved 2010-03-26.• Magocsi, Paul R (2002). Aboriginal peoples of Canada: a short introduction. University of Toronto Press.

pp. 3–6. ISBN 0-8020-3630-9. Retrieved 2011-01-14.• Conference Board of Canada (December 2004). "Survey: Most Popular Sports, by Type of Participation,

Adult Population". Strengthening Canada: The Socio-economic Benefits of Sport Participation in Canada—Report August 2005. Sport Canada. Retrieved 2006-07-01.

• "Survey: Most Popular Sports, by Type of Participation, Adult Population". Strengthening Canada: The Socio-economic Benefits of Sport Participation in Canada—Report August 2005. Sport Canada. Retrieved 2006-07-01.