ALL Things Canadian – An Open Column For Writers of Storytime Tapestry to Write about Canada

July 4, 2008

The newsletter devoted to spreading love and cultural awareness around the world.

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Oh Canada

July 1^st was Canada day the day that Canada became a nation in 1867. There were only four provinces that entered confederation at the time. The provinces were Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick, and Nova Scotia.  Today Canada has 10 provinces and three territories.  The first Prime Minister of Canada was Sir John A. MacDonald.

Canada is a sovereign country, we are self governing, but we still has traditional ties to the British Commonwealth. The governing system of Canada is based on the British Westminster system of government. The British North America Act was enacted in 1867, where Canada still remained within the British Commonwealth.    The Statue of Westminster in 1931 removed the power of Britain to rule over Canada. The Constitution of Canada was modified again in 1982 with the Canada Act or Constitution Act.  We are a sovereign nation ruling over our own affairs, not subject to British rule as some people think.

We do have a modified British system meaning - style of government, and we have the Governor General. The present Governor General is Michelle Jean, and she is the traditional (not a position of power) Queen’s representative in Canada.

The two official languages in Canada are English and French

Most Canadians speak English.

Quebec is a French-speaking province, there are also pockets of French communities in other parts of Canada.

Canadian Legal System: 

English Canada follows the English civil law system in which cases are tried according to precedent (how similar cases in the past have been tried) and the French Napoleonic Code in Quebec, where cases are tried by codes or statuettes fashioned by the French (France) legal system.

In other words Quebec’s system of government is different from the rest of Canada, the highest court of Quebec is the supreme court of Quebec, however the highest Court in the land is The Supreme Court of Canada.

Today Canada has:

Four Maritime Provinces:  (Atlantic Provinces)

Newfoundland

Prince Edward Island

Nova Scotia

New Brunswick

Central Provinces:

Quebec

Ontario

Prairie Provinces:

Manitoba

Saskatchewan

Alberta

Pacific or West Coast

British Columbia

Three Territories:

North West Territories

Yukon

Nunavut

Canada is the second geographically largest country in the world; only Russia is larger.  Canada is a total area of 9.9 million square kilometers (3.8 million square miles).

Canada occupies most of North America, and touches three oceans, stretching from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and from the Artic circle to Canada/United States Border.

The Canada/United States border is the longest land border in the world.  Canada also has the third most freshwater supply in the world, Brazil has the most and Russia comes after that.

The majestic Canada Rockies are the northern most part of a chain of mountains that comprise all of North American and descend into South America where they are known as the Andes Mountains.

Canada is 141 years old, and we love our country, we also celebrate in style.

There is the celebration of course, fireworks, parades, skits, concerts, and all kinds of festivities going on.

I once went and had a piece of Canada's birthday cake made here in Montreal, a cake that was made to serve 2,000 people,

Now that I am disabled, I do very little outdoor activities,
 

Sources:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canada_Act_1982

http://www.nationsencyclopedia.com/economies/Americas/Canada.html

http://www.ec.gc.ca/Water/en/info/facts/e_contnt.htm

http://atlas.nrcan.gc.ca/site/english/maps/freshwater/1

http://www.ec.gc.ca/Water/en/info/facts/e_contnt.htm

http://www.pch.gc.ca/PROGS/CPSC-CCSP/JFA-HA/canada_e.cfm