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Canada

Page history last edited by Anonymous 2 yrs ago

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                                        Land

A land of vast distances and rich natural resources, Canada became a self-governing dominion in 1867 while retaining ties to the British crown. Economically and technologically the nation has developed in parallel with the US, its neighbor to the south across an unfortified border. Canada's paramount political problem is meeting public demands for quality improvements in health care and education services after a decade of budget cuts. The issue of reconciling Quebec's francophone heritage with the majority anglophone Canadian population has moved to the back burner in recent years; support for separatism abated after the Quebec government's referendum on independence failed to pass in October of 1995.

 

 

[Country map of Canada]

                                People

 
Age structure:
 0-14 years: 17.9% (male 3,016,032/female 2,869,244)
15-64 years: 68.9% (male 11,357,425/female 11,244,356)
65 years and over: 13.2% (male 1,842,496/female 2,475,488) (2005 est.)
Median age:
 total: 38.54 years
male: 37.54 years
female: 39.56 years (2005 est.)
Population growth rate:
 0.9% (2005 est.)
Birth rate:
 10.84 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Death rate:
 7.73 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Net migration rate:
 5.9 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Sex ratio:
 at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.74 male(s)/female
total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2005 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
 total: 4.75 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 5.21 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 4.27 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
 total population: 80.1 years
male: 76.73 years
female: 83.63 years (2005 est.)
Total fertility rate:
 1.61 children born/woman (2005 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
 0.3% (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
 56,000 (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
 1,500 (2003 est.)
Nationality:
 noun: Canadian(s)
adjective: Canadian
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 42.6%, Protestant 23.3% (including United Church 9.5%, Anglican 6.8%, Baptist 2.4%, Lutheran 2%), other Christian 4.4%, Muslim 1.9%, other and unspecified 11.8%, none 16% (2001 census)
Languages:
 English (official) 59.3%, French (official) 23.2%, other 17.5%
Literacy:
 definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 97% (1986 est.)
male: NA%
female: NA%

                                 Goverment

Population:
 32,805,041 (July 2005 est.)
Age structure:
 0-14 years: 17.9% (male 3,016,032/female 2,869,244)
15-64 years: 68.9% (male 11,357,425/female 11,244,356)
65 years and over: 13.2% (male 1,842,496/female 2,475,488) (2005 est.)
Median age:
 total: 38.54 years
male: 37.54 years
female: 39.56 years (2005 est.)
Population growth rate:
 0.9% (2005 est.)
Birth rate:
 10.84 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Death rate:
 7.73 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Net migration rate:
 5.9 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Sex ratio:
 at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.74 male(s)/female
total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2005 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
 total: 4.75 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 5.21 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 4.27 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
 total population: 80.1 years
male: 76.73 years
female: 83.63 years (2005 est.)
Total fertility rate:
 1.61 children born/woman (2005 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
 0.3% (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
 56,000 (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
 1,500 (2003 est.)
Nationality:
 noun: Canadian(s)
adjective: Canadian
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 42.6%, Protestant 23.3% (including United Church 9.5%, Anglican 6.8%, Baptist 2.4%, Lutheran 2%), other Christian 4.4%, Muslim 1.9%, other and unspecified 11.8%, none 16% (2001 census)
Languages:
 English (official) 59.3%, French (official) 23.2%, other 17.5%
Literacy:
 definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 97% (1986 est.)
male: NA%
female: NA%
Government Canada
Country name:
 conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Canada
Government type:
 a constitutional monarchy that is also a parliamentary democracy and a federation
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*
Independence:
 1 July 1867 (union of British North American colonies); 11 December 1931 (independence recognized)
National holiday:
 Canada Day, 1 July (1867)
Constitution:
 made up of unwritten and written acts, customs, judicial decisions, and traditions; the written part of the constitution consists of the Constitution Act of 29 March 1867, which created a federation of four provinces, and the Constitution Act of 17 April 1982, which transferred formal control over the constitution from Britain to Canada, and added a Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms as well as procedures for constitutional amendments
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 (since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor General Michaelle Jean (since 27 September 2005)
head of government: Prime Minister Paul MARTIN (since 12 December 2003); Deputy Prime Minister Anne MCLELLAN (since 12 December 2003)
cabinet: Federal Ministry chosen by the prime minister usually from among the members of his own party sitting in Parliament
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 or Parlement consists of the Senate or Senat (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 or Chambre des Communes (308 seats; members elected by direct, popular vote to serve for up to five-year terms)
elections: House of Commons - last held 28 June 2004 (next to be held by NA 2009)
election results: House of Commons - percent of vote by party - Liberal Party 36.7%, Conservative Party 29.6%, New Democratic Party 15.7%, Bloc Quebecois 12.4%, Greens 4.3%, independents 0.4%, other 0.9%; seats by party - Liberal Party 134, Conservative Party 99, Bloc Quebecois 54, New Democratic Party 19, independent 2
Judicial branch:
 Supreme Court of Canada (judges are appointed by the prime minister through the governor general); Federal Court of Canada; Federal Court of Appeal; Provincial Courts (these are named variously Court of Appeal, Court of Queens Bench, Superior Court, Supreme Court, and Court of Justice)
Political parties and leaders:
 Bloc Quebecois [Gilles DUCEPPE]; Conservative Party of Canada (a merger of the Canadian Alliance and the Progressive Conservative Party) [Stephen HARPER]; Green Party [Jim HARRIS]; Liberal Party [Paul MARTIN]; New Democratic Party [Jack LAYTON]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
 NA
International organization participation:
 ACCT, AfDB, APEC, ARF, AsDB, ASEAN (dialogue partner), Australia Group, BIS, C, CDB, CE (observer), EAPC, EBRD, ESA (cooperating state), FAO, G-7, G-8, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MIGA, MINUSTAH, MONUC, NAM (guest), NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS, OECD, OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA, UN, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNDOF, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNHCR, UNMOVIC, UNTSO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO, ZC
Diplomatic representation in the US:
 chief of mission: Ambassador Francis Joseph MCKENNA
chancery: 501 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20001
telephone: [1] (202) 682-1740
FAX: [1] (202) 682-7726
consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Boston, Buffalo, Chicago, Dallas, Denver, Detroit, Los Angeles, Miami, Minneapolis, New York, Phoenix, San Diego, and Seattle
consulate(s): Anchorage, Houston, Philadelphia, Princeton, Raleigh, San Francisco, and San Jose
Diplomatic representation from the US:
 chief of mission: Ambassador David H. WILKINS
embassy: 490 Sussex Drive, Ottawa, Ontario K1N 1G8
mailing address: P. O. Box 5000, Ogdensburgh, NY 13669-0430
telephone: [1] (613) 238-5335, 4470
FAX: [1] (613) 688-3082
consulate(s) general: Calgary, Halifax, Montreal, Quebec, Toronto, Vancouver, Winnipeg
Flag description:
 two vertical bands of red (hoist and fly side, half width), with white square between them; an 11-pointed red maple leaf is centered in the white square; the official colors of Canada are red and white

                                                                                           Economy

Economy - overview:
 As an affluent, high-tech industrial society, newly entered in the trillion dollar class, Canada closely resembles the US in its market-oriented economic system, pattern of production, and affluent 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. The 1989 US-Canada Free Trade Agreement (FTA) and the 1994 North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) (which includes Mexico) touched off a dramatic increase in trade and economic integration with the US. Given its great natural resources, skilled labor force, and modern capital plant Canada enjoys solid economic prospects. Solid fiscal management has produced a long-term budget surplus which is substantially reducing the national debt, although public debate continues over how to manage the rising cost of the publicly funded healthcare system. Exports account for roughly a third of GDP. Canada enjoys a substantial trade surplus with its principal trading partner, the United States, which absorbs more than 85% of Canadian exports.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
 $1.023 trillion (2004 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
 2.4% (2004 est.)
GDP - per capita:
 purchasing power parity - $31,500 (2004 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
 agriculture: 2.3%
industry: 26.4%
services: 71.3% (2004 est.)
Labor force:
 17.37 million (2004)
Labor force - by occupation:
 agriculture 3%, manufacturing 15%, construction 5%, services 74%, other 3% (2000)
Unemployment rate:
 7% (2004)
Population below poverty line:
 15.9% (2003)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
 lowest 10%: 2.8%
highest 10%: 23.8% (1994)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:
 31.5 (1994)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
 1.9% (2004 est.)
Investment (gross fixed):
 19.4% of GDP (2004 est.)
Budget:
 revenues: $151 billion
expenditures: $144 billion, including capital expenditures of NA (2004 est.)
Public debt:
 NA (2004 est.)
Agriculture - products:
 wheat, barley, oilseed, tobacco, fruits, vegetables; dairy products; forest products; fish
Industries:
 transportation equipment, chemicals, processed and unprocessed minerals, food products; wood and paper products; fish products, petroleum and natural gas
Industrial production growth rate:
 2% (2004 est.)
Electricity - production:
 548.9 billion kWh (2002)
Electricity - production by source:
 fossil fuel: 28%
hydro: 57.9%
nuclear: 12.9%
other: 1.3% (2001)
Electricity - consumption:
 487.3 billion kWh (2002)
Electricity - exports:
 36.13 billion kWh (2002)
Electricity - imports:
 13 billion kWh (2002)
Oil - production:
 3.11 million bbl/day (2004 est.)
Oil - consumption:
 2.2 million bbl/day (2003 est.)
Oil - exports:
 1.37 million bbl/day (2004)
Oil - imports:
 987,000 bbl/day (2004)
Oil - proved reserves:
 178.9 billion bbl including shale oil (2004 est.)
Natural gas - production:
 165.8 billion cu m (2003 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:
 55.8 billion cu m (2003 est.)
Natural gas - exports:
 91.52 billion cu m (2003 est.)
Natural gas - imports:
 8.73 billion cu m (2003 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves:
 1.691 trillion cu m (2004)
Current account balance:
 $28.2 billion (2004 est.)
Exports:
 $315.6 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)
Exports - commodities:
 motor vehicles and parts, industrial machinery, aircraft, telecommunications equipment; chemicals, plastics, fertilizers; wood pulp, timber, crude petroleum, natural gas, electricity, aluminum
Exports - partners:
 US 85.2%, Japan 2.1%, UK 1.6% (2004)
Imports:
 $256.1 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)
Imports - commodities:
 machinery and equipment, motor vehicles and parts, crude oil, chemicals, electricity, durable consumer goods
Imports - partners:
 US 58.9%, China 6.8%, Mexico 3.8% (2004)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
 $36.27 billion (2003)
Debt - external:
 $570 billion (2004)
Economic aid - donor:
 ODA, $2 billion (2004)
Currency (code):
 Canadian dollar (CAD)
Currency code:
 CAD
Exchange rates:
 Canadian dollars per US dollar - 1.301 (2004), 1.4011 (2003), 1.5693 (2002), 1.5488 (2001), 1.4851 (2000)
Fiscal year:
 1 April - 31 March
    

                     History

The earliest people to reach North America were vikings from Iceland and Greenland Before arrivals of Europeans, and estimated 250,000 Indians and Inuit decendent of prehistoric Asians, occupied what is now Canada.At the time of "European discovery of North America,small groups of native people were Iiving in western and central Canada The first explorers to come into contact with th native people of Canada were from England and France.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Official Lyrics of O Canada!

O Canada!

Our home and native land!

True patriot love in all thy sons command.

With glowing hearts we see thee rise,

The True North strong and free!

From far and wide,

O Canada, we stand on guard for thee.

God keep our land glorious and free!

O Canada, we stand on guard for thee.

O Canada, we stand on guard for thee.

 

                                                                      Canada's National Bird

 

 

For most Canadians, the haunting cry of the birdie is a familiar sound, heard at lakefronts and on our television sets. The unmistakable sound is often compared to a yodel or a laugh.

 

The loon is equally striking in appearance: an elongated black bill, red eyes, shiny black head, white throat band, black and white checkered back and wings (the latter are white underneath), and white underbelly. They may also be distinguished by the way they ride low in the water and by their hunchbacked profiles while in flight.

 

Loons generally live 15-30 years in the wild. They nest across most of Canada and migrate to coastal regions throughout North America during the winter. One pair will dominate a small- or medium-sized lake and share a large lake with few others, each pair maintaining dominion in a distinct area such as a bay.

 

Contrary to popular belief, loons do not always mate for life. New pairings occur when the original pair cannot breed successfully.

 

Beginning in the 1960s, Hinterland Who's Who broadcast 60-second Public Service Announcements featuring a fascinating variety of Canadian wildlife--including such classics as Beaver, Moose, and Woodchuck--but none stuck in my mind more than the PSA on Loons. Today, the PSAs are back in abbreviated form (30 seconds each) but the originals are still available for viewing in the Vintage section of the organization's Video and more video clips. If you want to take a trip down memory lane--or simply learn more about the loon--why not take a few minutes and pay them a visit?

 

 

In 1987, the Royal Canadian Mint introduced the new one-dollar coin, the back of which featured a finely rendered image of the Common Loon. The image, combined with initial public resistance to the idea of replacing the paper dollar, led to the coin being called a "loonie." The public soon embraced the coin, however, and the "loonie" became a lasting tribute to a national symbol.

 

 

                                                  Canada's Crest

Arms of Canada

The shield

The shieldThe 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.

The three royal lions of England

The first quarter consists of the three gold lions of England walking and shown full face, on a red background. The lion is the oldest device known in heraldry and, as "king of beasts", was adopted by kings of Leon, Norway and Denmark as their emblem. However, the origin of the three royal lions of England still remains a mystery.

In the 11th century, Henry I, known as "the lion of justice", may have been the first English king to use a lion. It is uncertain as to why a second lion suddenly appeared. When Henry II married Eleanor of Aquitaine, whose family emblem was also a lion, it is believed that he added the third lion. There is no question that, when he led his English troops in the Crusades, Richard I, "the Lion-Hearted" carried a shield emblazoned with three golden lions on a red background. To this day they have been the royal symbol of England.

The royal lion of Scotland

The second quarter consists of a red lion rearing on the left hind foot, within a red double border with fleurs-de-lis, on a gold background. The royal lion of Scotland was probably first used by King William, who was known as "the lion". However it was certainly used by his son, Alexander III, who made Scotland an independent nation.

The royal Irish harp of Tara

The third quarter is a gold harp with silver strings, on a blue background. North of the present city of Dublin, there is a hill called Tara which for centuries was the religious and cultural capital of ancient Ireland. If you visit the site, you will see a 750 foot earthen work that is said to have been the site of the banqueting hall of Irish kings. Thomas Moore recalls the history of this site in one of the most famous of all Irish lyrics that begins: "The harp that once through Tara's hall the soul of music shed..." There is a legend, recorded in C.W. Scott-Giles monumental work The Romance of Heraldry, that this harp was found and came into the possession of the pope. In the 16th century, Henry VIII suppressed the Irish people in his attempt to become the lawful successor to the kings of ancient Ireland. The pope sent the harp of Tara to England whereupon Henry added its likeness to his royal shield. From this time it has remained a symbol of Ireland.

The royal fleurs-de-Lis of France

The fourth quarter depicts three gold fleurs-de-lis, on a blue background. The fleurs-de-lis was the first heraldic emblem raised in Canada. On July 24, 1534, Jacques Cartier landed at Gaspé and erected a cross, affixed with the symbol of his sovereign and the royal house of France.

The three maple leaves

To complete the design of the shield, a Canadian symbol was required. Three red maple leaves conjoined on one stem, on a silver or white background, were then added. Throughout the 19th century, the maple leaf had gradually become closely identified with Canada. The maple leaf had been worn as a symbol of Canada during the visit of the Prince of Wales in 1860. The song "The Maple Leaf Forever", written by the Toronto school teacher Alexander Muir in 1868 had become Canada's national song. During World War I, the maple leaf was incorporated into the badge of many Canadian regiments. It was most appropriate that three maple leaves were given a commanding position within the shield, which made it unmistakably "Canadian".

The ribbon

The RibbonOn the advice of the Prime Minister of Canada, Her Majesty The Queen approved, on July 12, 1994 that the arms of Canada be augmented with a ribbon with the motto of the Order of Canada: "Desiderantes Meliorem Patriam". (They desire a better country).

The helm and the mantling

The helm and the mantlingThe helm (heaume or helmet), which in heraldry is usually placed above the shield of arms, not only serves as a means of displaying the crest, but also has a significance of its own, since its type denotes the rank of the person bearing the arms. On the helm lies a mantling or lambrequin. The mantle, originally, was to protect the head and shoulders of the wearer from the sun's heat. It has become a decorative accessory to the crest and shield.

The arms of Canada show a royal helmet, which is a barred helm of gold looking outward and draped in a mantle of white and red which are the official colours of Canada.

The crest

The crestOn the royal helmet is the crest. This symbol consists of a wreath or ring of twisted white and red silk on which stands a crowned gold lion holding in its right paw a red maple leaf. The lion is a symbol of valour and courage.

The crest is used to mark the sovereignty of Canada. It is now the symbol used on the Governor General's Standard.

The supporters

Supporter - UnicornSupporter - LionThe figures that stand on either side of the shield are known in heraldry as "supporters" and are often depicted in a ferocious manner. The King of England chose two lions while Scotland chose two unicorns.

When James VI of Scotland became James I of England in 1603, he chose one lion and one unicorn as the supporters of his royal shield. Canada adopted the same pattern and used a lion on the shield's right holding a gold pointed silver lance from which flies the Royal Union flag, and a unicorn with gold horn, mane and hoofs, on the shield's left. Around its neck is a gold and chained coronet of crosses and fleurs-de-lis. The unicorn holds a lance flying a banner of royalist France, namely three gold fleurs-de-lis, on a blue background. The two banners represent the two principal founding nations that had established Canada's most enduring laws and customs.

The motto

The MottoCanada'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)". The first official use of this motto came in 1906 when it was engraved on the head of the mace of the Legislative Assembly of the new Province of Saskatchewan. The wording of the motto came to the attention of Sir Joseph Pope, then Under Secretary of State, who was impressed with its meaning. He later proposed it as 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 four floral emblems

The four floral emblemsAt the base of the arms are the floral emblems associated with the Canadian Monarchy: the English rose, the Scottish thistle, the French fleur-de-lis and the Irish shamrock.

  • English rose

    The rose first became the symbol of England when Henry III married Eleanor of Provence and the golden rose of Provence became England's new floral symbol. From this golden rose eventually came the red rose of the House of Lancaster and the white rose of the House of York.

  • Scottish thistle

    There is a legend that, in 1010 when they attempted to capture Scotland, the Danes landed secretly at night. As they approached Stains Castle they removed their shoes to avoid making any noise. When they reached the castle's moat, they jumped in not realizing that the moat was dry and overgrown with thistles. The screams of the bare-footed Danes roused the garrison. The castle and Scotland were both saved and, according to legend, it is in memory of that night that the thistle became the floral emblem of Scotland.

  • Irish shamrock

    In Irish legends, it is said that when he brought Christianity to Ireland, Saint Patrick used the three petals of the shamrock to illustrate the Holy Trinity. As a result, the shamrock became the floral emblem of Christian Ireland.

  • The French fleurs-de-Lis

    Following its adoption as the symbol of France's king, the fleurs-de-lis also became the symbol of Christian France. By the 13th and 14th centuries, the three petals of the lily of France were being described by writers as symbols of faith, wisdom and chivalry. As in Ireland, they also came to be seen as symbols of the Holy Trinity.

The imperial crown

CrownOn top of the "achievement of the arms of Canada" is the imperial crown which is indicative of the presence of a monarch as Canada's Head of State.

The shapes of symbols in a coat of arms can be altered by an artist since heraldry is an art as well as a science. However the symbols themselves can never be changed without formal approval. In 1957, when Canada's arms were slightly modified to produce a cleaner more contemporary design, the Government replaced the original Tudor crown of the 1921 design by a crown that would represent not just one of the royal families of English monarchs, but centuries of kings and queens of England. In accordance with the expressed wishes of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, the Saint Edward's crown is now used for the arms of Canada. It is this crown that has been used for the coronation of kings and queens in Westminster Abbey for centuries.

 

 

 

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