Canada
Canadian Values
Canada is a distinctive country. Its values and way of life influence
every person who comes to live there. At the same time, newcomers influence Canada and its
collective identity. Canadians may have differences, but they share many important
qualities that strengthen the society.
Optimism. Canada is a dynamic and democratic country.
Canadians work to improve their lives and society. Some people face greater hardship than
others, but most Canadians have faith and hope for the future.
Compromise and Cooperation. Most Canadians understand the
value of compromise. In a country as large and diverse as Canada, people must be able to
ignore small conflicts in order to live happily and peacefully.
Acceptance, Tolerance and Respect. Most people in Canada
want fairness and justice for themselves and their families. And most are fair and just to
others, no matter who they are or where they come from.
Some people may tell you that there is no racism in Canada. Others may say that racism is
a very serious problem. The truth lies somewhere between. Some Canadians may make you feel
unwelcome. However, the majority of Canadians are fair-minded. They will accept and
respect anyone who accepts and respects them.
Ambition and Perseverance. Canadians understand that
effort and discipline are usually rewarded. Canada is an economically stable country.
However, unemployment and poverty exist and can affect anyone. People who were born in
Canada – as well as newcomers – compete for jobs and work hard to succeed.
Individualism. Canadians believe that each person is
responsible for his or her own success or failure. Canadians let people live as they wish,
as long as they do not limit how others live.
Civil Responsibility. Canadians appreciate their rights
and freedoms. Most also want to contribute to our society. As a newcomer you should be
aware of your rights and your responsibilities. The right to participate in Canadian
society implies an obligation to help it succeed.
GEOGRAPHY
Location: Northern North America, bordering the North Atlantic
Ocean on the east, North Pacific Ocean on the west, and the Arctic Ocean on the north,
north of the US.
Area: total: 9,984,670 sq km
land: 9,093,507 sq km
water: 891,163 sq km
Climate: varies from temperate in south to subarctic and arctic
in north
Terrain: mostly plains with mountains in west and lowlands in
southeast
Natural resources: iron ore, nickel, zinc, copper, gold, lead,
molybdenum, potash, diamonds, silver, fish, timber, wildlife, coal, petroleum, natural
gas, hydropower
NATIOAL PARKS AND HISTORIC SITES
The Canadian government has set aside more than 100 national parks and
historic sites in honour of the people, places and events that have marked the country’s
history. Similarly, the provincial governments may form provincial parks.
Canada’s 37 national parks are spread throughout the country. Banff,
located on the eastern slopes of Alberta’s Rocky Mountains, is the oldest, having opened
in 1885, while Vuntut in the northern Yukon was established as recently as 1993.
MOUNTAIN RANGES
As one might expect, Canada’s terrain incorporates a number of
mountain ranges: the Torngats, Appalachians and Laurentians in the east; the Rocky,
Coastal and Mackenzie ranges in the west; and Mount St. Elias and the Pelly Mountains in
the north. At 6050 m, Mount Logan in the Yukon is Canada’s tallest peak.
LAKES
The main lakes located in Canada, (many large lakes are traversed by
the Canada-U.S. border) are (in order of the surface area) Huron, Great Bear, Superior,
Great Slave, Winnipeg, Erie and Ontario. Great Bear Lake in the Northwest Territories is
the largest lake situated entirely in Canada; its area is 31,326 square kilometres.
RIVERS
The St. Lawrence River, which is 3,058 kilometres long, provides a
seaway for ships from the Great Lakes to the Atlantic Ocean. The Mackenzie is the longest
river, flowing 4,241 kilometres through the Northwest Territories. The Yukon and the
Columbia, parts of which flow through United States territory, the Nelson, the
Saskatchewan, the Peace, and the Churchill are also major watercourses.
TIME ZONES
Canada has six time zones. The easternmost, in Newfoundland, is three
hours and 30 minutes behind Greenwich Mean Time (GMT). The other time zones are the
Atlantic, the Eastern, the Central, the Rocky Mountain and, farthest west, the Pacific,
which is eight hours behind GMT.
POPULATION
Population: 32,507,874 (2004 est.)
Age Structure:
0–14 years: 18.2%
(male 3,038,800; female 2,890,579)
15–64 years: 68.7%
(male 11,225,686; female 11,111,941)
65 years and over: 13%
(male 1,807,472; female 2,433,396) (2004 est.)
Net Migration Rate: 5.96 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Life Expectancy at Birth: total population: 79.96 years
male: 76.59 years
female: 83.5 years (2004 est.)
Ethnic Groups: British Isles origin 28%, French origin 23%,
other European 15%, Amerindian 2%, other, mostly Asian, African, Arab 6%, mixed background
26%
Religions: Roman Catholic 46%, Protestant 36%, other 18%
Languages: English 59.3%, French 23.2% , other 17.5%
Urban and Rural Population
The majority of Canadians, 77%, live in cities and towns, while 23%
live in rural areas. According to the 1991 census, 31% of the population (8.61 million
people) live in the three largest cities of Toronto, Montreal, and Vancouver.
Family Size
At the time of the 1996 national census, the average family size was
3.1 persons, including 1.3 children. Family size has remained unchanged since the 1991
census.
Living Standard
Only five countries have a higher standard of living than does Canada.
These are the United States, Switzerland, Luxembourg, Germany and Japan. Canada ranks
higher than the United States in terms of life expectancy, and higher than Japan in terms
of education. Consequently, the United Nations has ranked Canada as the highest on its
“Human Development Index.” More than 65% of Canadians own their own homes. An even
higher percentage of Canadians own durable goods such as automobiles, refrigerators,
washing machines, televisions, telephones and radios. Telephone service is virtually
universal in Canada. Sixteen million access lines bring service to 99% of Canadian homes.
GOVERNMENT
Government Type: confederation with parliamentary democracy
Capital: Ottawa
Administrative Divisions: 10 provinces and 3 territories:
Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Northwest
Territories, Nova Scotia, Nunavut, Ontario, Prince Edward Island, Quebec, Saskatchewan,
Yukon Territory
 Provinces and Territories
The constitution indicates what provinces are a part of Canada and what
the powers of those provinces are. For example, provinces have jurisdiction over education
and the environment.
Territories on the other hand are created by Federal Law. That means the territories have
a bit less power than the provinces. They still have representation in the federal
government, but don’t have provincial governments.
The biggest difference is that the provinces get to vote on changes to the constitution
but the territories do not.
Independence: 1 July 1867 (union of British North American
colonies); 11 December 1931 (independence recognized)
National Holiday: Canada Day, 1 July
Constitution: 17 April 1982 (Constitution Act); originally, the
machinery of the government was set up in the British North America Act of 1867; charter
of rights and unwritten customs
Legal System: based on English common law, except in Quebec,
where civil law system based on French law prevails; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction,
with reservations
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive Branch:
Chief of State: Queen Elizabeth II, represented by Governor General
Adrienne Clarkson
Head of Government: Prime Minister Paul Martin (since 12
December 2003); Deputy Prime Minister Anne McLellan (since 12 December 2003)
Elections: none; the monarchy is hereditary; Governor General
appointed by the monarch on the advice of the prime minister for a five-year term;
following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of the
majority coalition in the House of Commons is automatically designated prime minister by
the governor general
Legislative Branch: bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate
(members appointed by the governor general with the advice of the prime minister and serve
until reaching 75 years of age; its normal limit is 105 senators) and the House of Commons
(308 seats; members elected by direct, popular vote to serve for up to five-year terms)
Making Laws
Prime ministers have had a very important role in writing and changing
the Constitution. Sir John A. Macdonald was one of the men who wrote Canada’s
Constitution, and then became Canada’s first prime minister. The power to change it
stayed in England until Pierre Trudeau brought the Constitution home to Canada.
Canada has changed a lot since the country first came into being. It
has grown from four provinces to ten, with three territories. When Macdonald was prime
minister, Canada was mainly farms and forests. Now Canada has big cities and factories as
well, and is one of the most advanced countries in the world.
ECONOMY
Exports – Commodities: motor vehicles and parts, industrial
machinery, aircraft, telecommunications equipment; chemicals, plastics, fertilizers; wood
pulp, timber, crude petroleum, natural gas, electricity, aluminum
Imports – Commodities: machinery and equipment, motor vehicles
and parts, crude oil, chemicals, electricity, durable consumer goods
Currency: Canadian dollar
Origin of the Name – Canada
In 1535, two Indian youths told Jacques Cartier about the route to
“kanata.” They were referring to the village of Stadacona; “kanata” was simply the
Huron-Iroquois word for “village” or “settlement.” But for want of another name,
Cartier used “Canada” to refer not only to Stadacona (the site of present day Quebec
City), but also to the entire area subject to its chief, Donnacona. The name was soon
applied to a much larger area: maps in 1547 designated everything north of the St.
Lawrence River as “Canada.”
 Cartier
also called the St. Lawrence River the “riviиre de Canada”, a name used until the
early 1600s. By 1616, although the entire region was known as New France, the area along
the great river of Canada and the Gulf of St. Lawrence was still called Canada. Soon
explorers and fur traders opened up territory to the west and to the south and the area
depicted as “Canada” grew. In the early 1700s, the name referred to all lands in what
is now the American Midwest and as far south as the present day Louisiana.
The first use of “Canada” as an official name came in 1791 when the Province of
Quebec was divided into the colonies of Upper and Lower Canada. In 1841, the two Canadas
were again united under one name, the Province of Canada. At the time of Confederation,
the new country assumed the name of Canada.
Symbols of Canada
The Canadian Flag
 The official ceremony inaugurating the new Canadian flag was held on
Parliament Hill in Ottawa on February 15, 1965, with Governor General Georges Vanier,
Prime Minister Lester B. Pearson, the members of the Cabinet and thousands of Canadians in
attendance.
The Canadian Red Ensign, bearing the Union Jack and the shield of the royal arms of
Canada, was lowered and then, on the stroke of noon, the new maple leaf flag was raised.
The Arms of Canada
The design of the arms of Canada reflects the royal symbols of Great
Britain and France (the three royal lions of England, the royal lion of Scotland, the
royal fleurs-de-lis of France and the royal Irish harp of Tara. On the bottom portion of
the shield is a sprig of three Canadian maple leaves representative of Canadians of all
origins.
Canada’s Motto
“A Mari usque ad Mare” (From sea to sea) is based on biblical
scripture: “He shall have dominion from sea to sea and from the river unto the ends of
the earth (Psalm 72:8)”. It was proposed as the motto for the new design of the coat of
arms, which was approved by Order in Council on April 21, 1921 and by Royal Proclamation
on November 21, 1921.
The Maple Tree
Trees have played a meaningful role in the historical development of
Canada and continue to be of commercial, environmental and aesthetic importance to all
Canadians. Maples contribute valuable wood products, sustain the maple sugar industry and
help to beautify the landscape. Maple wood, which varies in hardness, toughness and other
properties, is in demand for flooring, furniture, interior woodwork, veneer, small
woodenware, and supports several flourishing industries in eastern Canada. Maple is also
highly prized in furniture building and cabinet-making.
Since 1965, the maple leaf has been the centrepiece of the National Flag of Canada and the
maple tree bears the leaves that have become the most prominent Canadian symbol,
nationally and internationally. Maple leaf pins and badges are proudly worn by Canadians
abroad, and are recognized around the world.
The Maple Leaf
The maple leaf today appears on the penny. However, between 1876 and
1901, it appeared on all Canadian coins. The modern one-cent piece has two maple leaves on
a common twig, a design that has gone almost unchanged since 1937.
During the First World War, the maple leaf was included in the badge of the Canadian
Expeditionary Force. Since 1921, the Royal Arms of Canada have included three maple leafs
as a distinctive Canadian emblem. With the proclamation of Canada’s new flag in 1965,
the maple leaf has become the most-prominent Canadian symbol.
The Beaver
The beaver attained official status as an emblem of Canada when an
“act to provide for the recognition of the beaver (castor canadensis) as a symbol of the
sovereignty of Canada” received royal assent on March 24,1975.
After the early Europeans explorer had realized that Canada was not the spice-rich Orient,
the main mercantile attraction was the beaver population numbering in the millions. In the
late 1600s and early 1700s, the fashion of the day demanded fur hats, which needed beaver
pelts. As these hats became more popular, the demand for the pelts grew.
Despite all this recognition, the beaver was close to extinction by the mid-19th century.
There were an estimated six million beavers in Canada before the start of the fur trade.
During its peak, 100,000 pelts were being shipped to Europe each year; the Canadian beaver
was in danger of being wiped out. Luckily, about that time, Europeans took a liking to
silk hats and the demand for beaver pelts all but disappeared.
Today, thanks to conservation and silk hats, the beaver – the largest rodent in Canada
– is alive and well all over the country.
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