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* [http://www.lonelyplanet.com/destinations/north_america/canada Lonely Planet - Canada]
* [http://www.lonelyplanet.com/destinations/north_america/canada Lonely Planet - Canada]


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Revision as of 21:01, 21 May 2004

Canada, the northernmost country in North America, is a federation governed as a constitutional monarchy. It is bordered by the United States to the south as well as in the northwest. The Canada-U.S. border is the world's longest undefended border. The country stretches from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west. Canada also reaches the Arctic Ocean in the north where Canada's territorial claim extends to the North Pole.

The capital of Canada is the city of Ottawa, where the nation's parliament is located, as is the residence of the Governor General, who represents the country's head of state, Queen Elizabeth II. A former British colony, Canada is geographically the largest member of the Commonwealth of Nations.

Canada is the world's second-largest country in total area after Russia. However, it has a low population density, there being just 32 million Canadians. While Canada covers a larger geographic area than the neighbouring United States it has only one-ninth of the population. Canada is a modern and technologically advanced country and is energy self-sufficient. Its economy relies heavily on its abundance of natural resources.

Canada
Flag of Canada Canada Coat of Arms
(In Detail) (In Detail)
National motto: A Mari Usque Ad Mare (From Sea to Sea)
Official languages Federally: English and French. See Official languages below.
Capital Ottawa, Ontario
Largest City Toronto, Ontario
QueenElizabeth II
Governor GeneralAdrienne Clarkson
Prime Minister Paul Martin
Area
 - Total
 - % water		Ranked 2nd
9,984,670 km²
8.62%
Population


 - Total (2004)


 - Density 		Ranked 35th


31 752 842


3/km²
Independence
-BNA Act
-St. of Westminster
-Canada Act 		From the UK:
July 1, 1867
December 11, 1931
April 17, 1982
GDP (PPP)


 - Total (2002)


 - GDP/head 		Ranked 12th


$ 923 billion


$ 29.40
Currency Canadian dollar ($)
Time zone UTC -3.5 to -8
National anthem O Canada
Royal anthem God Save the Queen
Internet TLD.CA
Calling Code1

Origin of the name

The name Canada originated from a Huron-Iroquoian word, Kanata meaning "village" [1], referring to Stadacona, a settlement on the site of present-day Quebec City. Maps made by early European explorers show that the name River Canada was given to the Ottawa River, and the Saint Lawrence River below Montreal. A plausible hypothesis is that the river was named for the village on its banks, and the surrounding country for the river used to explore it.

The country's official name is simply Canada. In the country's early history, the term Dominion of Canada was used as the nation's formal political name. Some have argued that this term is still the country's "full" name, as the British North America Act, section 3, created "one Dominion under the name of Canada;" and while the 1982 Canadian Constitution does not use the term, neither does it amend the earlier usage. (The term "Dominion" was chosen to indicate Canada's autonomy from Britain while still acknowledging political ties. Dominion was considered preferable to "Kingdom" to avoid antagonizing the United States.)

Starting in the 1950s (when Canada had almost complete political autonomy from Britain) the federal government began to phase out the use of the full title of "Dominion of Canada." Official texts simply refer to the nation as "Canada." The last major change was renaming the national holiday from Dominion Day to Canada Day in 1982. The title 'Dominion' remains in older official documents, and is still used (though rarely) to distinguish the federal government from the provinces.

History

Main article: History of Canada

Canada, which has been inhabited by aboriginal peoples including the First Nations and the Inuit for about 10,000 years, was first visited by Europeans around 1000, when the Vikings briefly settled at L'Anse aux Meadows in Newfoundland. More permanent European visits came in the 16th and 17th century, as the French settled there.

In 1763, at the end of the Seven Years' War, France decided to keep its Caribbean Islands and leave its North American colony, New France, to Britain. After the American Revolution, many British Loyalists settled in Canada. On July 1, 1867 with the passing of the British North America Act, the British government granted local self-government to a confederation of four of its North American colonies, Ontario (Formerly Upper Canada), Québec (Formerly Lower Canada), New Brunswick, and Nova Scotia, as the Dominion of Canada. In later years, other British colonies and territories joined Confederation. Full control over its affairs came in 1931 with the Statute of Westminster, and in 1982 with the patriation of Canada's constitution.

In the second half of the 20th century, some citizens of the French-speaking province of Quebec have sought independence in two referendums held in 1980 and 1995. In both referendums, the separatist cause was defeated with 60% and 50.6% opposed to independence, respectively.

Politics

Main article: Politics of Canada

Canada is a constitutional monarchy, the head of state being a monarch, currently Queen Elizabeth II. The monarch's representative in Canada is the Governor General, who fills the role of approving bills, and other state functions. For the most part, the monarch and the Governor General are figureheads, and what little real power they have is reserved for times of crisis.

The text of Canada's constitution can be found at this page. However, much of Canada's constitution is unwritten and the text has to be interpreted in light of various traditions and conventions. It should be noted that the Constitution Act, which contained procedures for amending the Constitution, was agreed to during one night (known to Quebec nationalists as "Nuit des longs couteaux": night of long knives - 1982), without the province of Quebec which refused last-minute amendments that the provincial government believed diminished the province's francophone characteristics into some multicultural environment. Notably, the 1982 Constitution Act contained a Charter of Rights and Freedoms that countered Quebec's laws (Bill 101) regarding the protection of the French language, which Quebec had declared to be the official language of the province.

The Governor General formally appoints the Prime Minister, who is usually the leader of the political party that holds the most seats in the House of Commons. The Prime Minister in turn appoints the Cabinet, drawn by convention from members of the Prime Minister's party in the House of Commons and the Senate(though not necessarily). The legislative branch of government consists of the Parliament, including the elected House of Commons and the Senate which consists of Senators appointed until age 75 by the Prime Minister. Canada has very strict party discipline which gives the Prime Minister very high levels of control over almost all legislation passed by Parliament.

The 10 provinces have elected, unicameral provincial parliaments headed by a premier and a figurehead lieutenant governor representing the Queen, appointed by the Prime Minister.

Canada has three main national parties, the centrist Liberal Party of Canada, the right-of-centre Conservative Party of Canada, and the democratic socialist New Democratic Party (NDP). The Liberals are the party of current Prime Minister Paul Martin, and his predecessor Jean Chrétien who ruled for the last 10 years. The only other party to form a government is the now-defunct Progressive Conservative Party, which in December 2003 merged with the Canadian Alliance to form the Conservative Party of Canada.

The political climate of Quebec is quite different, and includes two prominent separatist parties, as well as the above three. The Bloc Québécois is the federal-level party representing most Quebec ridings in the federal parliament, while the Parti Québécois is the provincial equivalent.

Canada is a member of the United Nations, Commonwealth of Nations, La Francophonie, NATO, the G8, and APEC.

See also: List of political parties in Canada, Monarchy in Canada

Provinces and territories

Main article: Canadian provinces and territories

Canada is divided into 10 provinces and 3 territories. The provinces have a reasonably large amount of autonomy from the federal government, while the territories have somewhat less.

It is the provinces that are responsible for most of Canada's social programs (such as healthcare, education, and welfare) and together collect more revenue than the federal government, a fairly unique structure among federations in the world. The federal government can initiate national policies that the provinces can opt out of, but at a risk of losing federal money. Transfer payments are made to ensure that reasonably uniform standards of services are kept between the richer and poorer provinces. Criminal law is one of the few areas that is strictly the responsibility of the federal government, and crime and punishment is uniform throughout most of Canada.

The provinces and territories each have their own unicameral legislatures.

 Canada

See also: List of Canadian provincial and territorial symbols

Geography

Main article: Geography of Canada

Map of Canada

Eastern Canada is divided between boreal forest and the barren Canadian Shield in the north and the highly fertile Saint Lawrence River Valley in the south, where most of the country's population is concentrated. Large parts of south central Canada are covered by plains and prairies. The west of Canada mostly consists of rolling terrain on either side of the Rocky Mountains. The Hudson Bay sea arm cuts deep into the country.

A number of large lakes are located throughout Canada, including the Great Lakes, which form part of the border with the United States. And due to its highly-fractured nature featuring numerous inlets, Canada's coastline is the longest in the world.

The vast north of the country is mainly arctic lowlands with a polar climate, and is therefore extremely sparsely populated; for example, fewer than 30,000 people live in the territory of Nunavut, which is the size of Western Europe. Most of the major cities are located in the more temperate south, with largest concentration in the east. The largest cities are (in descending order by population): Toronto, Ontario; Montreal, Quebec; Vancouver, British Columbia; the Capital Region of Ottawa-Gatineau; Calgary, Alberta.

There are also points that extend far in one direction in Canada, just like any other country. Each point extends farther than any other area of land in the Canada in a certain direction. (See Extreme Points of Canada for more information).

See also: List of Canadian Cities, Towns & Villages

Economy

Main article: Economy of Canada

As an affluent, high-tech industrial society, Canada today closely resembles the United States in its market-oriented economic system, pattern of production, and high living standards. Since World War II, the impressive growth of the manufacturing, mining, and service sectors has transformed the nation from a largely rural economy into one primarily industrial and urban. Energy self-sufficient, Canada has vast deposits of natural gas on the East Coast and in the three western provinces, and a plethora of other natural resources. The 1989 Canada-US Free Trade Agreement (FTA) and 1994 North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) (which included Mexico) touched off a dramatic increase in trade and economic integration with the US. As a result of the close cross-border relationship, the economic downturn in the United States in 2001 had an a negative impact on the Canadian economy, but less than expected. Real growth averaged nearly 3% from 1993 to 2000, but declined in 2001. As of 2003, unemployment was up, with contraction in the manufacturing and natural resource sectors. Yet, Canada has successfully avoided economic recession after 2001 and has maintained the best economic growth rates in the G7 group of nations. With its great natural resources, skilled labour force, and modern capital plant, Canada enjoys solid economic prospects.

Two shadows loom, the first being the continuing constitutional impasse between English- and French-speaking areas, (see article: Politics of Canada) which has been raising the possibility of a split in the federation. The ongoing uncertainty creates confusion about who will be responsible for the Canadian debt, what trading relationships will look like, and a host other issues. However, as fears of separation have waned, the economy has become stronger, notably in Quebec.

Another long-term concern is fears of a flow south to the US of professionals, referred to as the Brain Drain, lured by higher pay, lower taxes, and high-tech opportunities. A largely unrecognized "Brain Gain", is progressing simultaneously, cancelling out "Brain Drain" or even exceeding it, as educated immigrants enter Canada in the late 20th century and early 21st century [2]. As in many western countries, however, the benefits of this phenomenon are limited by problems with acceptance of foreign qualifications; many educated and highly skilled immigrants work in unskilled positions in Canada, because their credentials are not recognised by government or by employers.

Transparency International ranks Canada as the perceived 11th least corrupt country in the world.

Demographics

Main article: Demographics of Canada

As of 2001, 66% of Canadians are of European descent (mostly British and French origins), 26% are of mixed backgrounds, and 6% are of solely non-European descent, mostly from Asia. Only 2% of the population is formed by the aboriginal population.

Canada has a low total fertility rate similar to countries in western Europe. It relies on immigration to sustain and increase its population. Canada has developed a sophisticated and successful mechanism for finding appropriate immigrants and integrating them into its society without conflict. Fully one-sixth of Canadians are foreign-born, a percentage second only to Australia.

Most Canadians are Christian, with about 42% being Roman Catholic, and 38% Protestant. The largest Protestant denomination is the United Church of Canada.

Canada was ranked first for nine straight years on the United Nations Human Development Index from 1992 to 2000.

Languages

Canada's two official languages are French and English.

Linguistic demographics

French is mostly spoken in Quebec, Ontario, New Brunswick and Southern Manitoba. In the 2001 census, 6,864,615 people listed French as a first language, and 17,694,835 people listed English as a first language.

Languages other than the official languages are also important in Canada, with 5,470,820 people listing a non-official language as a first language. (The above three statistics include those who listed more than one first language.) Among the most important non-official first language groups are Chinese (853,745 first-language speakers), especially Cantonese (322,315); Italian (469,485); and German (438,080).

Speakers of a great many aboriginal languages live in Canada; however, all but a few of the aboriginal languages are in decline. The only aboriginal languages that are believed to be sustainable at present are Cree (72,885 first-language speakers), Inuktitut (29,010 speakers), and Ojibwa.

Source: Statistics Canada

Official languages

On July 7, 1969, French was made equal to English throughout the Canadian federal government. This started a process that led to Canada redefining itself as a bilingual and multicultural nation at the federal level.

The Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms lays down that:

  • French and English are equal to each other as official languages;
  • debate in Parliament may take place in either official language;
  • laws shall be printed in both official languages, with equal authority;
  • anyone may deal with any court established by Parliament, in either official language;
  • everyone has the right to receive services from the federal government in his or her choice of official language;
  • members of a minority language group of one of the official languages (i.e. French speakers in a majority English-speaking province, or vice versa) have the right to have their children receive a public education in their language, where numbers warrant.

At the provincial level, New Brunswick is the only officially bilingual province, a status specifically guaranteed by the Charter of Rights, with its citizens having the same language rights at the provincial level as all citizens of Canada have at the federal level.

The official language of Quebec is French, as defined by the province's Charter of the French Language; this law lays out various protections for the use of French as a vehicular language, but also provides certain rights for English speakers and speakers of aboriginal languages. Quebec provides most government services in both English and French.

In other provinces, the situation varies; although the general language of government is English, most provide some government services in French, depending on the size of the francophone population, particularly Ontario and Manitoba.

The Northwest Territories, in addition to English and French, has a number of aboriginal languages as official languages, to wit, Chipewyan, Cree, Dogrib or Tli Cho, Gwich'in, Inuktitut (including Inuktitut proper, Inuvialuktun, and Inuinnaqtun), Slavey, (including North Slavey and South Slavey).

Nunavut, which was estalished through an Inuit land claim and whose population is 85% aboriginal, has Inuktitut and Inuinnaqtun as official languages in addition to English and French. These languages are widely used in government.

Culture

Main article: Culture of Canada

While Canadian culture is heavily influenced by British and American culture, it retains many unique characteristics. In the past few decades, a more robust and distinct Canadian culture has developed, partially because of the nationalism that pervaded Canada in the years leading up to and following the Canadian Centennial in 1967.

The province of Quebec has maintained a distinct French-language culture, which is protected by special laws and constitutional agreements. For example, Quebec uses civil law based on the Coutume de Paris (a pre-revolutionary French legal code), with subsequent amendments inspired by the Napoleonic code. The rest of the country uses common law derived from the British parliamentary tradition.

The large American cultural presence in Canada has prompted some fears of a "cultural takeover," and has initiated the establishment of many laws and government institutions to protect Canadian culture. Much of Canadian culture remains defined in contrast to American culture (See Canadian identity). For example, Canadians see their country as a mosaic of unique immigrant cultures, a large picture made up of many distinct pieces, rather than an American-style melting-pot.

Canadian culture was a topic of international discussion in 2003, when Canada refused to join the US-led war in Iraq, moved toward legalizing same-sex marriage, and took steps towards decriminalizing the possession of small amounts of marijuana. Many international observers saw these developments as distinguishing Canada as more socially liberal than its southern neighbour.

Holidays

Date English Name Local Name Remarks
January 1 New Year's Day New Year's Day, jour de l'an Statutory.
(varies) Good Friday Good Friday, vendredi saint Statutory. Typically celebrated in April; see Easter article for details.
(varies) Easter Monday Easter Monday, Pâques Typically celebrated in April; see Easter article for details.
Monday preceding May 25 Victoria Day Victoria Day; fête de la Reine Celebration of the Queen's birthday. Statutory. In Quebec, Victoria Day and fête des patriotes (Commemoration of the Patriotes Rebellion) are celebrated on the same day.
July 1 Canada Day Canada Day, fête du Canada Statutory. Commemoration of Canada's 1867 Confederation.
First Monday in September Labour Day Labour Day, fête du travail Statutory.
Second Monday in October Thanksgiving Thanksgiving, action de grâce Statutory. Thanksgiving is not celebrated on the same day as it is in the U.S.
November 11 Remembrance Day Remembrance Day, jour du souvenir Commemoration of Canada's war dead.
December 25 Christmas Christmas, Noël Statutory.
December 26 Boxing Day Boxing Day, lendemain de Noël Statutory. Day when shops sell off excess Christmas inventory.

Note: Each province also has its own provincial holiday or holidays. See Canadian Heritage

In recent years there has been a call for the Canadian government to recognize St. Patrick's Day as a National Holiday. Most Canadians believe that the country does not have enough holidays (in comparison to the United States, and the United Kingdom, and although these nations have about the same number of nationally recognized holidays, they generally receive more days off of work/school). This proposal has been promoted by the Guinness corporation. Another proposal calls for a holiday in February to celebrate Canada's flag.

See also:

Miscellaneous topics

References

  • Much of the material in these articles comes from the CIA World Factbook 2000 and the 2003 U.S. Department of State website.
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