Dictionary of Meaning

<<Back
Please select a letter:
A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z | 0-9

CANADA

*** Shopping-Tip: CANADA
{{Infobox Country | native_name = Canada | common_name = Canada | image_flag = Flag_of_Canada.svg | image_coat = Bigcancoat.png | national_motto = Latin: ''A Mari Usque Ad Mare''
(English language English: "From Sea to Sea") | national_anthem = O Canada
(Royal anthem: God Save the Queen) | image_map = LocationCanada.png | capital = Ottawa |latd=45|latm=24|latNS=N|longd=75|longm=40|longEW=W| name = Formal Name:Canada
Common Name:Canada | largest_city = Toronto | official_languages = Canadian English English and Canadian French French | largest unofficial_languages = Canadian Chinese Chinese and Canadian Italian Italian {{citation needed}} | government_type = Federation Federal parliamentary democracy
and constitutional monarchy| leader_titles =
Monarchy in Canada Monarch
Governor General of Canada Governor General
Prime Minister of Canada Prime Minister
| leader_names = Elizabeth II of Canada Queen Elizabeth II
Michaëlle Jean
Stephen Harper| sovereignty_type = History of Canada Independence | established_events = - British North America Act BNA Act
- Statute of Westminster 1931 Statute of Westminster
- Canada Act 1982 Canada Act| established_dates = From the United Kingdom
July 1, 1867
December 11, 1931
April 17, 1982 | area = 9,984,670 | areami²= 3,855,103 | area_rank = 2nd | area_magnitude = 1 E12 | percent_water = 8.92 (891,163 km²) | population_estimate = 32,270,500 | population_estimate_year = July 1, 2005 | population_estimate_rank = 37th | population_census = 30,007,094 | population_census_year = 2001| population_density = 3.3 | population_densitymi² = 8.5 | population_density_rank = 185th | GDP_PPP_year = 2006 | GDP_PPP = $1.077 trillion | GDP_PPP_rank = 12th | GDP_PPP_per_capita = $32,800| GDP_PPP_per_capita_rank = 8th | HDI_year = 2003 | HDI = 0.949 | HDI_rank = 5th | HDI_category = high | currency = Canadian dollar ($) | currency_code = CAD | time_zone = | utc_offset = -3.5 to -8 | time_zone_DST = | utc_offset_DST = -2.5 to -7 | cctld = .ca | calling_code = 1 | footnotes = |}}{{otheruses}} '''Canada''' is the country occupying the northern portion of North America, and is the world's List of countries by area second largest country in total area. Originally inhabited exclusively by Aboriginal peoples in Canada aboriginal peoples, Canada was founded as a union of British colony British colonies, some of which had earlier been French colonial empire French colonies. A federation federal dominion of ten Provinces and territories of Canada provinces with three Provinces and territories of Canada#Territories of Canada territories, Canada peacefully obtained sovereignty from its last colonial possessor, the United Kingdom, in a process beginning in 1867 with its formation and ending in 1982 when Canada gained the authority to amend its own constitution. Canada is a parliamentary democracy and constitutional monarchy. Canada's head of state is its Monarchy in Canada monarch, who is represented in Canada by the Governor General of Canada Governor General. The head of government is the Prime Minister of Canada Prime Minister. Canada defines itself as a Bilingualism in Canada bilingual and multiculturalism multicultural nation. Both Canadian English English and Canadian French French are official languages. In the early 1970s, Canada began to adopt policies based on the concepts of cultural diversity and multiculturalism. Many Canadians now view this as one of the country's key attributes, but there are critics of the multiculturalism policy as well. A technologically advanced and industrialized nation, Canada is a net exporter of energy because of its large fossil fuel deposits, nuclear energy generation, and hydroelectric power capacity. Its diversified Economy of Canada economy relies heavily on an abundance of natural resources and trade, particularly with the United States, with which Canada has had a long and complex relationship, one which can be described as the strongest trade partnership in history.

Canada's name
{{main|Canada's name}} The name ''Canada'' is believed to come from the Wyandot Huron-Iroquoian languages Iroquois word ''kanata'', which means "village" or "settlement". In 1535, locals used the word to tell Jacques Cartier the way to Stadacona, site of present-day Quebec City. Cartier used Canada to refer not only to Stadacona, but also to the entire area subject to Donnacona, Chief at Stadacona; by 1547, maps began referring to this and the surrounding area as Canada.

History
{{Canadian History box}} :''Main articles: History of Canada, Timeline of Canadian history''

Prehistory
The ancestors of the Aboriginal peoples in Canada First Peoples have inhabited parts of what is now called Canada since the retreat of glaciers that marked the end of the last ice age. Archaeological records show that these lands have been inhabited for at least 10,000 years. Several Viking expeditions occurred circa AD 1000, with evidence of settlement at L'Anse aux Meadows.

European settlement
During the early part of the 16th century both Kingdom of Great Britain Great Britain and France claimed to portions of land in what is current day Canada. British claims to North America date from 1497, when John Cabot reached what he called ''Newfoundland'', though it is unclear whether Cabot landed in current Newfoundland, Nova Scotia, or Maine. French claims date from explorations by Jacques Cartier in 1534 and Samuel de Champlain in 1603. Neither Cabot's nor Cartier's explorations left any permanent settlers behind. Then on August 5, 1583, Sir Humphrey Gilbert claimed Newfoundland as England's first overseas colony under the Royal Charter of Queen Elizabeth I. In 1604, French settlers were the first Europeans to settle permanently in what is now Canada. After an unsuccessful winter in St. Croix Island (in current-day Maine) the French settlers settled Port-Royal in what is now the Annapolis Valley in Nova Scotia, and later moved to found Quebec City in 1608. New France was generally used as the name given to the French colonies in Canada and Acadia (and later Louisiana). Image:Death-wolfe.jpg The_Death of General Wolfe.html" title="Meaning of thumb thumb|right|300px|''[[The Death of General Wolfe'', painted by Benjamin West, inspired by British James Wolfe General Wolfe's final moments during the Battle of the Plains of Abraham in 1759..html" title="Meaning of right|300px|''[[The Death of General Wolfe">thumb|right|300px|''[[The Death of General Wolfe'', painted by Benjamin West, inspired by British James Wolfe General Wolfe's final moments during the Battle of the Plains of Abraham in 1759.">right|300px|''[[The Death of General Wolfe">thumb|right|300px|''[[The Death of General Wolfe'', painted by Benjamin West, inspired by British James Wolfe General Wolfe's final moments during the Battle of the Plains of Abraham in 1759. During this time English colonization of the Americas British settlements were established along the East Coast of the United States Atlantic seaboard and around Hudson Bay. As these colonies expanded, a struggle for control of North America took place between 1689 and 1763 in the French and Indian War Seven Years' War, which was exacerbated by wars in Europe between France and Great Britain. France progressively lost territory to Great Britain, surrendering peninsular Nova Scotia in the 1713 Treaty of Utrecht and the remainder of New France, including what was left of Acadia, in the Treaty of Paris (1763) Treaty of Paris in 1763.

British control
During and after the American Revolution approximately 70,000 United Empire Loyalists fled the United States. {{ref.html">British North American colonies which then consisted of Newfoundland, Nova Scotia, the Province of Quebec.html" title="Meaning of British North America.html" title="Meaning of Province of Quebec (1763-1791) Province of Quebec">Province of Quebec (1763-1791)|Province of Quebec, and Prince Edward Island (created 1769). {{ref|UEL}} To accommodate the Loyalists, Britain created the colony of New Brunswick in 1784 from part of Nova Scotia, and divided Quebec and Ontario into Lower Canada and Upper Canada under the Constitutional Act in 1791. Canada was a major battlefield of the War of 1812 between the United States and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland United Kingdom. The British forces had the upper hand, until the Americans managed to build warships faster and seized control of the Great lakes, and with the Napoleanic wars raging in Europe the United Kingdom had limited men and resources to commit to the war, which essentially ended in a stalemate. The war was over with the Treaty of Ghent in 1814 with the British returning conquered land and the American objective of annexing Canada failing. Due to slow travel times hostilities continued after the treaty was signed. After the French and Napoleonic wars ended in Europe in November 1815 large-scale immigration to Canada resumed from the United Kingdom and Europe. Following the Rebellions of 1837, The Canadas were merged into a single, quasi-federal colony, the United Province of Canada, with the Act of Union (1840), in an attempt to assuage local resentment at a lack of popular involvement in colonial executive decision-making and perhaps to also integrate French Canadians better into the widening community. Thus the demands of the Upper and Lower Canada Rebels for responsible government was largely accommodated. In 1846 when the U.S. and Britain agreed to the 49th parallel north as the border with western British North America, the British government created the Colony of Vancouver Island in 1849 and the Colony of British Columbia in 1858. The area between the Province of Canada and the colony of British Columbia, Rupert's Land, was administered by the Hudson's Bay Company, but by the late 1850s, politicians in the Province of Canada launched a series of western exploratory expeditions with the intention of assuming control of Rupert's Land and the Arctic region.

Confederation and evolving sovereignty
Image:Johnamacdonald1870.jpg John A. Macdonald.html" title="Meaning of thumb thumb|left|The Right Honourable Sir [[John A. Macdonald, first Prime Minister of Canada Prime Minister..html" title="Meaning of left|The Right Honourable Sir [[John A. Macdonald">thumb|left|The Right Honourable Sir [[John A. Macdonald, first Prime Minister of Canada Prime Minister.">left|The Right Honourable Sir [[John A. Macdonald">thumb|left|The Right Honourable Sir [[John A. Macdonald, first Prime Minister of Canada Prime Minister.In 1864 and 1866, British North American politicians, in what became known as the Great Coalition, held three conferences in Charlottetown, Quebec City and London to discuss the creation of a federal union. Spearheaded by John A. Macdonald, on July 1, 1867, three colonies—Canada (Ontario & Quebec), Nova Scotia, and New Brunswick—were granted a constitution, the Constitution Act, 1867 British North America Act, by the United Kingdom, creating the Dominion of Canada. The term "Canadian Confederation" refers to the initial 1867 act of union and subsequent Canadian Confederation#Joining Confederation incorporation of other British colonies and territories. By 1880, Canada included all of its present area except for Newfoundland and Labrador (which would join in 1949). At that time, the vast area outside of the seven provinces constituted the Northwest Territories, but over the years most of it would be transferred to three existing provinces, two new ones (Alberta and Saskatchewan, 1905), and two additional territories (Yukon, 1898; Nunavut, 1999). In 1919, Canada became a member of the League of Nations and, in the Imperial Conference of 1926, Canada assumed full control of its own affairs through the Balfour Declaration 1926 Balfour Declaration. In 1927, Canada appointed its first ambassador to a foreign country, the United States. In 1931, the Statute of Westminster 1931 Statute of Westminster gave the Balfour Declaration constitutional force, confirming that no act of the UK's parliament would thereafter extend to Canada without its consent. Canadian citizenship was first distinguished from the notion of ''British Subjects'' in 1947; judicial appeals to the British Judicial Committee of the Privy Council (JCPC) had been ended in criminal matters in 1875 with the establishment of the Supreme Court of Canada. This element of local judicial independence was ended by the JCPC in ''Nadan v. The King'' (1925), a major provocation to Canada and cause of the discussions which led to the Balfour Declaration; ultimately, all JCPC appeals were abolished in 1949. The power to amend constitution of Canada Canada's constitution remained with the British parliament, although subject to the Statute of Westminster, until it was "patriated" to Canadian control by the Canada Act 1982 (which includes the 1867 act and Constitution Act, 1982 contemporaneous act).

Quebec sovereignty movement
The Quebec sovereignty movement has led to two referendums held in 1980 and 1995, with votes of 59.6% and 50.6% respectively against its proposals for sovereignty-association. In 1997, the Supreme Court of Canada ruled unilateral secession by a province to be unconstitutional. The cornerstone of the ideology for a sovereign Quebec was a strong impetus for the October Crisis and the need to counter Quebec sovereignty through a "sponsorship program" engendered under the administration of former Prime Minister Jean Chretien. See sponsorship scandal for more details.

Government
{{main|Politics of Canada}} Image:Canada Parliament2.jpg Parliament Hill.html" title="Meaning of thumb thumb|right|200px|Centre Block, [[Parliament Hill, Ottawa, Ontario..html" title="Meaning of right|200px|Centre Block, [[Parliament Hill">thumb|right|200px|Centre Block, [[Parliament Hill, Ottawa, Ontario.">right|200px|Centre Block, [[Parliament Hill">thumb|right|200px|Centre Block, [[Parliament Hill, Ottawa, Ontario. Canada is a constitutional monarchy and a parliamentary democracy with a federation federal system of Parliament parliamentary government, and strong democratic traditions. The political system under which Canada operates is a Westminster system derived from the United Kingdom. Constitution of Canada Canada's constitution governs the legal framework of the country and consists of [http://lois.justice.gc.ca/en/const/index.html written text] and unwritten traditions and conventions. The federal government and the governments of nine provinces agreed to the patriation of the constitution, with Amendments to the Constitution of Canada procedures for amending it, at a meeting of First Ministers in November 1981. The Quebec government did not agree to the changes, and Quebec nationalists refer to that date as the Night of the Long Knives. The patriation of the Constitution included the adoption of the ''Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms'', which guarantees basic rights and freedoms for Canadians that, generally, cannot be overridden by legislation of any level of government in Canada. It contains, however, a "Section Thirty-three of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms notwithstanding clause", which allows the federal parliament and the provincial legislatures the power to override other sections of the Charter temporarily, for a period of five years.

Monarch and Governor General
{{main articles|Monarchy in Canada and Governor General of Canada}} Image:Queen of canada wob.jpg Queen_Elizabeth II.html" title="Meaning of thumb thumb|left|125px|[[Queen Elizabeth II, Monarchy in Canada Queen of Canada..html" title="Meaning of left|125px|[[Queen Elizabeth II">thumb|left|125px|[[Queen Elizabeth II, Monarchy in Canada Queen of Canada.">left|125px|[[Queen Elizabeth II">thumb|left|125px|[[Queen Elizabeth II, Monarchy in Canada Queen of Canada.Image:JeanSmile.jpg Michaëlle_Jean.html" title="Meaning of thumb thumb|left|125px|[[Michaëlle Jean, Governor General of Canada Governor General..html" title="Meaning of left|125px|[[Michaëlle Jean">thumb|left|125px|[[Michaëlle Jean, Governor General of Canada Governor General.">left|125px|[[Michaëlle Jean">thumb|left|125px|[[Michaëlle Jean, Governor General of Canada Governor General. Canada is a constitutional monarchy and a Commonwealth Realm that formally recognizes Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom Elizabeth II as Queen of Canada, {{ref|GG1}} whose duties are performed on a day-to-day basis by the Governor General at the federal level and by the Lieutenant governor#Canada Lieutenant-Governors at the provincial level. While the Governor General has taken on more of the head of state functions, the Monarch is still constitutionally the head of Canada. Thus, formal government business, laws and the calling of elections are done or proclaimed in the Sovereign's name. {{ref|forsey1}} Queen Elizabeth II has reigned as Canada's sovereign since February 6, 1952.{{ref|Her1}} The ''de facto'' head of state is the Governor General of Canada Governor General, who is usually a retired politician, military leader, journalist, or other notable Canadian. The Governor General is formally appointed by the Queen on the advice of the Prime Minister of Canada and is a non-partisan figure who fulfills many constitutional, ceremonial and symbolic roles, including providing Royal Assent to Bill (proposed law) bills, reading the Speech from the Throne, officially welcoming dignitaries of foreign countries, presenting honours, signing state documents, formally opening sessions of Parliament, and dissolution of parliament dissolving Parliament for an election. The current Governor General is Michaëlle Jean.{{ref|GG2}}

Executive
Image:Harpers.jpg Stephen_Harper.html" title="Meaning of thumb thumb|right|200px|[[Stephen Harper, Prime Minister of Canada Prime Minister..html" title="Meaning of right|200px|[[Stephen Harper">thumb|right|200px|[[Stephen Harper, Prime Minister of Canada Prime Minister.">right|200px|[[Stephen Harper">thumb|right|200px|[[Stephen Harper, Prime Minister of Canada Prime Minister. The position of Prime Minister of Canada Prime Minister, Canada's head of government, belongs to the leader of the political party that can obtain the confidence of a majority in the Canadian House of Commons House of Commons. The Prime Minister and his or her cabinet are formally appointed by the Governor General. However, the Prime Minister chooses the cabinet and the Governor General always, by convention, respects the Prime Minister's choices. The Cabinet of Canada Cabinet is traditionally drawn from members of the prime minister's party in both legislative houses, though mostly from the Commons. Executive power is exercised by the prime minister and cabinet, all of whom are sworn into the Privy Council of Canada and become ministers of the Crown. The Prime Minister exercises a great deal of individual political power, especially in the appointment of other officials within the government and civil service. Stephen Harper, leader of the Conservative Party of Canada Conservative Party, has served as Prime Minister since February 6, 2006.

Legislature
The Parliament of Canada federal parliament is made up of the Queen and two houses: the elected House of Commons and the appointed Canadian Senate Senate. Each member in the Commons is elected by plurality electoral system simple plurality in one electoral district (Canada) "riding" or electoral district; general elections are called by the Governor General when the prime minister so advises, and must occur every five years or less. Members of the Senate, whose seats are apportioned on a regional basis, are chosen by the prime minister and formally appointed by the Governor General, and serve until age 75.

=Federal political parties
= Canada has four main political parties today. The Liberal Party of Canada formed the government in Canada for most of the 20th century. The only other parties to have formed a government have been incarnations of the centrist/right-of-centre conservative movement in Canada. The current government is formed by the Conservative Party of Canada, established in 2003 from a merger of the Progressive Conservative Party of Canada Progressive Conservative (PC) Party and the Canadian Alliance. The Progressive Conservative party has formed governments in the past, as did its predecessor, the Conservative Party of Canada (historical) Conservative Party, which was the dominant political party in the 19th century. A single-term Unionist Party (Canada) 'Unionist' Party of Robert Borden was formed as a union of Conservatives and conscription-supporting Liberals during World War I. The New Democratic Party (NDP) is the major party furthest to the political left and espouses social democracy social democratic policies. The Bloc Québécois promotes Quebec independence from Canada and currently holds a majority of Quebec's seats in the House of Commons. There are many smaller parties and, while none have current representation in Parliament, the list of List of political parties in Canada#Historical parties that have won seats in Parliament historical parties with elected representation is substantial.

Judiciary
Image:Supreme Court of Canada.jpg Supreme Court of Canada.html" title="Meaning of thumb thumb|200px|left|The [[Supreme Court of Canada in Ottawa, beside Parliament Hill.html" title="Meaning of 200px|left|The [[Supreme Court of Canada">thumb|200px|left|The [[Supreme Court of Canada in Ottawa, beside Parliament Hill">200px|left|The [[Supreme Court of Canada">thumb|200px|left|The [[Supreme Court of Canada in Ottawa, beside Parliament Hill Canada's judiciary plays an important role in interpreting laws and has the power to strike down laws that violate the Constitution. The Supreme Court of Canada is the highest court and final arbiter. Its nine members are directly appointed by Cabinet. All judges at the superior and appellate levels are selected and appointed by the prime minister, after consultation with non-governmental legal bodies. The federal cabinet also appoints justices to superior courts at the provincial and territorial levels. Judicial posts at the lower provincial and territorial levels are filled by their respective governments (see Court system of Canada for more detail). Common law prevails everywhere except in Quebec, where civil law (legal system) civil law predominates. Criminal law is solely a federal responsibility and is uniform throughout Canada. Law enforcement, including criminal courts, is a provincial responsibility, but in most provinces policing is contracted to the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP).

Foreign relations
{{main|Foreign relations of Canada}} Canada has a close U.S.-Canada relations relationship with the United States, sharing the world's longest undefended border, co-operating on some military campaigns and exercises, and being each other's largest trading partners. Canada also shares history and long relationships with the United Kingdom and France, the two most significant imperial powers in its founding. These relations extend to other former-members of the British and French empires, through Canada's membership in the Commonwealth of Nations and La Francophonie. In the last century, Canada has been an advocate for multilateralism, making efforts to reach out to the rest of the world. This was clearly demonstrated during the Suez Crisis when Lester B. Pearson mollified the tension by proposing peacekeeping efforts and the inception of the UN peacekeeping United Nations Peacekeeping Force. In that spirit, Canada developed and has tried to maintain a leading role in peacekeeping UN peacekeeping efforts. Canada has cumulatively contributed more troops to peacekeeping operations worldwide than all other nations combined and currently serves in over 40 different peacekeeping missions.

Military
Image:Canadian soldiers afghanistan.jpg Afghanistan.html" title="Meaning of thumb thumb|right|200px|Canadian soldiers in [[Afghanistan..html" title="Meaning of right|200px|Canadian soldiers in [[Afghanistan">thumb|right|200px|Canadian soldiers in [[Afghanistan.">right|200px|Canadian soldiers in [[Afghanistan">thumb|right|200px|Canadian soldiers in [[Afghanistan. :''Main articles: Canadian Armed Forces, Military history of Canada'' A founding member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), Canada currently employs about 62,000 regular and 26,000 reserve military personnel{{ref.html">Canadian Armed Forces Canadian Forces (CF) comprise the Canadian Forces Land Force Command army, Canadian Forces Maritime Command navy, and Canadian Forces Air Command air force. Major CF equipment deployed includes 2,400 armoured fighting vehicles, 34 combat vessels, and 140 combat aircraft. Canadian forces have served in various wars including the Second Boer War, World War I, World War II, the Korean War, the First Gulf War and recently, in U.S. invasion of Afghanistan Afghanistan. Since Lester B. Pearson proposed the first United Nations peacekeeping force in 1956, the Canadian Forces have served in 42 peacekeeping missions — more than any other country. Battles significantly contributing to Canada's development and self-identity include the Battle of Vimy Ridge, the Second Battle of Ypres, the Third Battle of Ypres, Dieppe, Juno Beach, and the Battle of the Scheldt. At the end of World War II, Canada was the fourth strongest military power in the world, distantly behind the United States, the United Kingdom, and the Soviet Union. Canada participated in a variety of capacities in NATO operations in the former Yugoslavia, and maintains military personnel in Kosovo as part of KFOR. Since 2001, Canada has had troops deployed in Afghanistan as part of the United States invasion of Afghanistan US invasion force, Operation Enduring Freedom. Canada also participated militarily in the UN-authorized, NATO-commanded International Security Assistance Force, in Kabul, Afghanistan. Canadian troops have participated in a number of UN missions in Haiti, including the ongoing United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH). Canada's Disaster Assistance Response Team (DART) has participated in two major relief operations in the last year: after Hurricane Katrina in September 2005 and the 2005 Kashmir earthquake earthquake that struck Kashmir in South Asia in October 2005. The two-hundred-member team was also deployed to assist with relief efforts in Southeast Asia after the 2004 tsunami December 2004 tsunami.

Provinces and territories
Image:Map_Canada_political-geo.png subnational entity thumb|right|325px|A geopolitical map of Canada, exhibiting its 13 first-order [[subnational entity|subnational divisions..html" title="Meaning of subnational divisions.html" title="Meaning of thumb|right|325px|A geopolitical map of Canada, exhibiting its 13 first-order [[subnational entity|subnational divisions">thumb|right|325px|A geopolitical map of Canada, exhibiting its 13 first-order [[subnational entity|subnational divisions.">subnational divisions.html" title="Meaning of thumb|right|325px|A geopolitical map of Canada, exhibiting its 13 first-order [[subnational entity|subnational divisions">thumb|right|325px|A geopolitical map of Canada, exhibiting its 13 first-order [[subnational entity|subnational divisions. {{main|Provinces and territories of Canada}} Canada is composed of ten provinces and three territories. The provinces have a large degree of autonomy from the federal government, the territories somewhat less. Each has its own List of Canadian provincial and territorial symbols provincial or territorial symbols. The provinces are responsible for most of Canada's social programs (such as Health care in Canada health care, Education in Canada education, and welfare (financial aid) welfare) and together collect more revenue than the federal government, an almost unique structure among federations in the world. The federal government can initiate national policies that the provinces can opt out of, but this rarely happens in practice. Equalization payments are made by the federal government to ensure that reasonably uniform standards of services and taxation are kept between the richer and poorer provinces. All provinces have unicameral, elected Legislative Assemblies of Canada's provinces and territories legislatures headed by a premier (Canada) Premier selected in the same way as the Prime Minister of Canada. Each province also has a Lieutenant-Governor representing the Queen, analogous to the Governor General of Canada, appointed on the recommendation of the Prime Minister of Canada, though with increasing levels of consultation with provincial governments in recent years. The provinces and territories are:

{| border=1 cellpadding=4 style="margin:1em; clear:right; border-collapse:collapse; text-align:center; font-size:80%; line-height:normal;" |- bgcolor=#eeeeee !Flag !Provinces and territories of Canada Province !Capital city !Entered
Confederation !Standard
Time Zone
(Coordinated Universal Time UTC) !colspan=3|List of regions of Canada Region
(senate region - common term - half) |- |align=left|Image:Flag of British Columbia.svg 50px||British Columbia.html">Victoria, British Columbia Victoria||1871|| -8 (Pacific Standard Time Zone Pacific),
-7 (Mountain)||rowspan=4|Western Canada Western||Pacific||rowspan=4|Western Canada Western |- |align=left|Image:Flag of Alberta.svg 50px||Alberta.html">Edmonton, Alberta Edmonton||1905||-7 (Mountain Standard Time Zone Mountain)||rowspan=3|Canadian Prairies Prairies |- |align=left|Image:Flag of Saskatchewan.svg 50px||Saskatchewan.html">Regina, Saskatchewan Regina||1905||-7 (Mountain),
-6 (Central) |- |align=left|Image:Flag of Manitoba.svg 50px||Manitoba.html">Winnipeg, Manitoba Winnipeg||1870||-6 (Central Standard Time Zone Central) |- |align=left|Image:Flag of Ontario.svg 50px||Ontario.html">Toronto |1867||-6_(Central),
-5 (North American Eastern Standard Time Zone|Eastern)||Ontario||rowspan=2|Central Canada Central||rowspan=6|Eastern Canada Eastern |- |align=left|Image:Flag of Quebec.svg 50px||Quebec.html">Quebec City, Quebec Quebec City||1867||-5 (Eastern)
-4 (Atlantic Standard Time Zone Atlantic)||Quebec |- |align=left|Image:Flag of New Brunswick.svg 50px||New Brunswick.html">Fredericton, New Brunswick Fredericton||1867 |rowspan=3|-4 (Atlantic) |rowspan=3|Maritimes.html">Atlantic Canada Atlantic |- |align=left|Image:Flag of Nova Scotia.svg 50px||Nova Scotia.html">Halifax Regional Municipality, Nova Scotia Halifax||1867 |- |align=left|Image:Flag of Prince Edward Island.svg 50px||Prince Edward Island.html">Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island Charlottetown||1873 |- |align=left|Image:Flag of Newfoundland and Labrador.svg 50px||Newfoundland and Labrador.html">St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador St. John's||1949||-4 (Atlantic),
-3.5 (Newfoundland Standard Time Zone Newfoundland)||Newfoundland
and Labrador |- bgcolor=#eeeeee !Flag !Provinces and territories of Canada Territory !Capital city !Entered
Confederation !Standard
Time Zone
(UTC) !colspan=2|List of regions of Canada Region
(senate region - common term) |- |align=left|Image:Flag of Yukon.svg 50px||Yukon.html">Whitehorse, Yukon Whitehorse||1898||-8 |rowspan=3|Northern Canada Northern||rowspan=3|Arctic |- |align=left|Image:Flag of the Northwest Territories.svg 50px||Northwest Territories.html">Yellowknife, Northwest Territories Yellowknife||1870||-7 |- |align=left|Image:Flag of Nunavut.svg 50px||Nunavut.html">Iqaluit, Nunavut Iqaluit||1999||-7, -6, -5, |}

Geography and climate
Image:Canada-satellite.jpg Boreal forest.html" title="Meaning of thumb thumb|right|335px|A satellite composite image of Canada. [[Boreal forests prevail throughout the country, ice is prominent in the Arctic and through the Rocky Mountains Rockies, and the relatively flat Prairies facilitate agriculture. The Great Lakes feed the St. Lawrence River (in the southeast) where lowlands host much of Canada's population..html" title="Meaning of right|335px|A satellite composite image of Canada. [[Boreal forest">thumb|right|335px|A satellite composite image of Canada. [[Boreal forests prevail throughout the country, ice is prominent in the Arctic and through the Rocky Mountains Rockies, and the relatively flat Prairies facilitate agriculture. The Great Lakes feed the St. Lawrence River (in the southeast) where lowlands host much of Canada's population.">right|335px|A satellite composite image of Canada. [[Boreal forest">thumb|right|335px|A satellite composite image of Canada. [[Boreal forests prevail throughout the country, ice is prominent in the Arctic and through the Rocky Mountains Rockies, and the relatively flat Prairies facilitate agriculture. The Great Lakes feed the St. Lawrence River (in the southeast) where lowlands host much of Canada's population. {{main|Geography of Canada}} Canada occupies the northern portion of North America. It shares land borders with the contiguous United States to the south and with Alaska to the northwest, stretching from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west; to the north lies the Arctic Ocean. Since 1925, Canada has claimed the portion of the Arctic between 60°W and 141°W longitude{{ref.html">CFS Alert Canadian Forces Station (CFS) Alert on the northern tip of Ellesmere Island • latitude 82.5°N • just 834 kilometres (450 nautical miles) from the North Pole. Canada is the world's second-largest country in total area, after Russia. The population density of 3.5 people per square kilometre (9.1/square mile mi²) is among the lowest in the world. The most densely populated part of the country is the Quebec City-Windsor Corridor in the southeast. To the north of this region is the broad Canadian Shield, an area of rock scoured clean by the Wisconsin glaciation last ice age, thinly soiled, rich in minerals, and dotted with lakes and rivers — more than 60% of the world's lakes are in Canada. Newfoundland is at the mouth of the Gulf of Saint Lawrence, the world's largest estuary. The Canadian Maritimes protrude eastward from the southern coasts of Quebec. New Brunswick and Nova Scotia are divided by the Bay of Fundy, which experiences the world's largest tidal variations. West of Ontario, the broad, flat Canadian Prairies spread toward the Rocky Mountains, which separate them from British Columbia. Image:MountLogan.jpg Mount_Logan.html" title="Meaning of thumb thumb|left|250px|[[Mount Logan in Yukon; at 5,959 metres (19,551 foot (unit of length) ft), Canada's highest point and second highest in North America..html" title="Meaning of left|250px|[[Mount Logan">thumb|left|250px|[[Mount Logan in Yukon; at 5,959 metres (19,551 foot (unit of length) ft), Canada's highest point and second highest in North America.">left|250px|[[Mount Logan">thumb|left|250px|[[Mount Logan in Yukon; at 5,959 metres (19,551 foot (unit of length) ft), Canada's highest point and second highest in North America.Northern Canadian vegetation tapers from coniferous forests to tundra and finally to Arctic barrens in the far north. The northern Canadian mainland is ringed with a vast Canadian Arctic islands archipelago containing some of the world's largest islands. Average winter and summer high temperatures across Canada range depending on the location. Winters can be harsh in many regions of the country, particularly in the Prairie provinces where daily average temperatures are near −15 °Celsius C (5 °Fahrenheit F) Coastal British Columbia is an exception and it enjoys a temperate climate with a mild and rainy winter. Average summer high temperatures across Canada range depending on the location. On the east and west coast average high temperatures are in the low 20s °C (68 to 74 °F), while in between the coasts the average summer high temperature range between 25 °C to 30 °C (78 to 86 °F). For a more complete description of climate across Canada see [http://www.climate.weatheroffice.ec.gc.ca/climate_normals/index_e.html| Environment Canada's Website].

Economy
Image:Canadian_bills.jpg Canadian dollar right|thumb|160px|Five denominations of [[Canadian dollar|Canadian banknotes, depicting (from top to bottom) Wilfrid Laurier, John A. Macdonald, Queen Elizabeth II, William Lyon Mackenzie King, and Robert Borden..html" title="Meaning of Canadian.html" title="Meaning of right|thumb|160px|Five denominations of [[Canadian dollar|Canadian">right|thumb|160px|Five denominations of [[Canadian dollar|Canadian banknotes, depicting (from top to bottom) Wilfrid Laurier, John A. Macdonald, Queen Elizabeth II, William Lyon Mackenzie King, and Robert Borden.">Canadian.html" title="Meaning of right|thumb|160px|Five denominations of [[Canadian dollar|Canadian">right|thumb|160px|Five denominations of [[Canadian dollar|Canadian banknotes, depicting (from top to bottom) Wilfrid Laurier, John A. Macdonald, Queen Elizabeth II, William Lyon Mackenzie King, and Robert Borden. :''Main articles: Economy of Canada, Economic history of Canada An affluent, high-tech industrial society, Canada today closely resembles the U.S. in its market-oriented economic system, pattern of production, and high living standards. In the last century, 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. Canada has vast deposits of natural gas on the east coast and in the west, and a plethora of other natural resources contributing to self-sufficiency in energy. The 1989 Canada-U.S. 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 U.S. Since 2001, Canada has successfully avoided economic recession and has maintained the best overall economic performance in the G8.

Demographics
:''Main articles: Demographics of Canada, List of Canadians by ethnicity'' The Canada 2001 Census 2001 national census recorded 30,007,094 people; the population is currently estimated by Statistics Canada to be 32.5 million people {{ref.html">immigration and, to a lesser extent, natural growth. About three-quarters of Canada's population live within 160 kilometres (100 mi.html" title="Meaning of immigration.html" title="Meaning of mile mi">mile.html">Toronto.html"_title="Meaning of thumb urban areas concentrated in the Quebec City-Windsor Corridor (notably the Toronto-Hamilton, Ontario Hamilton, Montréal, and National Capital Region (Canada) Ottawa metropolitan areas), the BC Lower Mainland (Vancouver and environs), and the Calgary-Edmonton Corridor in Alberta.Image:Cntower3.jpg thumb|right|200px|[[Toronto, Ontario is one of the world's most multicultural cities..html" title="Meaning of mi)_of the U.S. border. A similar proportion live in urban areas concentrated in the Quebec City-Windsor Corridor (notably the Toronto-Hamilton, Ontario Hamilton, Montréal, and National Capital Region (Canada) Ottawa metropolitan areas), the BC Lower Mainland (Vancouver and environs), and the Calgary-Edmonton Corridor in Alberta.Image:Cntower3.jpg thumb|right|200px|[[Toronto, Ontario is one of the world's most multicultural cities.">right|200px|[[Toronto">thumb|right|200px|[[Toronto, Ontario is one of the world's most multicultural cities. Canada is a very ethnically diverse nation. According to the 2001 census, it has 34 ethnic groups with at least one hundred thousand members each. Ancestries with more than 1 million people claiming them are English-Canadian English (19.2%), French Canadian French (15.7%), Scottish-Canadian Scottish (14%), Irish-Canadian Irish (12.9%), German-Canadian German (9.0%), Italian Canadian Italian (4.3%), Chinese Canadian Chinese (3.5%), Ukrainian Canadian Ukrainian (3.6%), and First Nations aboriginal (North American Indian) (3.4%){{ref|SC2}}. Canada's Aboriginal peoples in Canada aboriginal population is growing almost twice as fast as the rest of the Canadian population. In 2001, 13.4% of the population belonged to visible minorities. Canadians adhere to a Religion in Canada wide variety of religions. According to the last census {{ref|SC3}}, 77.1% of Canadians identified as being Christianity Christians; of this, Catholicism Catholics make up the largest group (43.6% of Canadians). The largest protestant denomination is the United Church of Canada; about 17% of Canadians declared no religious affiliation, and the remaining 6.3% were affiliated with religions other than Christianity;

Language
Image:Montreal-Place Vauquelin, Note.jpg Quebec.html" title="Meaning of 250px 250px|thumb|right|A bilingual sign in [[Quebec. Bilingualism is a defining feature of Canada's culture..html" title="Meaning of thumb|right|A bilingual sign in [[Quebec">250px|thumb|right|A bilingual sign in [[Quebec. Bilingualism is a defining feature of Canada's culture.">thumb|right|A bilingual sign in [[Quebec">250px|thumb|right|A bilingual sign in [[Quebec. Bilingualism is a defining feature of Canada's culture. :''Main articles: Language in Canada, Bilingualism in Canada'' Canada's two official languages, English language English and French language French, are the mother tongues of 56.3% and 28.7% of the population respectively. On July 7, 1969, under the Official Languages Act (Canada) Official Languages Act, French was made commensurate to English throughout the federal government. This started a process that led to Canada redefining itself as a "bilingual" nation. English and French have equal status in federal courts, Parliament, and in all federal institutions. The public has the right, where there is sufficient demand, to receive federal government services in either English or French. While multiculturalism is official policy, to ''become'' a citizen one must be able to speak either English or French and more than 98% of Canadians speak English or French or both. While the nation remains officially bilingual, the majority of Canadians are fluent only in English. French is mostly spoken in Quebec with parts of New Brunswick, eastern and northern Ontario, Saskatchewan, the south shore of Nova Scotia and southern Manitoba. Of those who speak French as a first language, 85% live in Quebec. French is the provincially designated official language in Quebec and the use of English in this province is not promoted. New Brunswick is the only officially bilingual province in the country. English is the provincially-designated official language in all other provinces. Several Canada#Aboriginal peoples aboriginal languages have official status in Northwest Territories. Inuktitut is the majority language in Nunavut and has official status there. Non-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 language Chinese (853,745 first-language speakers), Italian language Italian (469,485), German language German (438,080), and Punjabi (271,220).

Culture
Image:RCMP officer Expo 67.jpg Royal Canadian Mounted Police.html" title="Meaning of thumb thumb|200px|right|The [[Royal Canadian Mounted Police are the federal and national police force of Canada and an international icon..html" title="Meaning of 200px|right|The [[Royal Canadian Mounted Police">thumb|200px|right|The [[Royal Canadian Mounted Police are the federal and national police force of Canada and an international icon.">200px|right|The [[Royal Canadian Mounted Police">thumb|200px|right|The [[Royal Canadian Mounted Police are the federal and national police force of Canada and an international icon. :''Main articles: Culture of Canada, Canadian identity'' Due to its colonial past, Canadian culture has historically been heavily influenced by English, French, Irish and Scottish cultures and traditions. In more modern times, Canadian culture is now greatly influenced by American culture, due to the proximity and the migration of people, ideas, and capital. Many American movies, authors, TV shows and musicians are equally popular in Canada (and vice versa), many have been successful worldwide. Most cultural products of these types are now increasingly marketed toward a unified "North American" market, and not specifically a Canadian or American one. Amidst this large American cultural presence, which has prompted some fears of a "cultural takeover," a more robust and distinct Canadian culture with unique characteristics has developed in recent years due to a focus by the federal government on programs, laws and institutions to support culture and the arts, including the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC), the National Film Board of Canada, and the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC). Many Canadian citizens see Canadian culture as based on the policy of multiculturalism, while others see it as based on a predominantly British culture British and French culture French core, with American culture American and new immigrant influences and modifications.

Sports
Image:Ice_hockey_1901.jpg Rideau Canal.html" title="Meaning of thumb thumb|right|200px|Ice hockey on the [[Rideau Canal in 1901. Ice hockey events are popular in Canada. Ice hockey originated in Canada when residents began playing Shinty on ice. .html" title="Meaning of right|200px|Ice hockey on the [[Rideau Canal">thumb|right|200px|Ice hockey on the [[Rideau Canal in 1901. Ice hockey events are popular in Canada. Ice hockey originated in Canada when residents began playing Shinty on ice. ">right|200px|Ice hockey on the [[Rideau Canal">thumb|right|200px|Ice hockey on the [[Rideau Canal in 1901. Ice hockey events are popular in Canada. Ice hockey originated in Canada when residents began playing Shinty on ice. {{main|Sport in Canada}} Canada's official national sports are ice hockey (winter) and lacrosse (summer), however, hockey is considerably more a part of Canadian culture, and is by far the most popular spectator sport in the country. Canada's six largest metropolitan areas have franchises in the National Hockey League (NHL), and there are more Canadian players in the league than from all other countries combined. The three major junior leagues that together comprise the Canadian Hockey League have a combined total of 49 teams in Canadian towns or cities, from all 10 provinces. There are also strong women's leagues across the country. Curling is another extremely popular winter sport in Canada, with the strongest support in the prairie provinces. At the international level, Canada has dominated the sport of curling, with 29 out of 46 Men's List of World Curling Men's Champions World Curling Championships won by Canada. Additionally, 13 out of 27 Women's World Curling Championships have gone to the Canadian side. Canadian football, like American football, is a descendant from rugby football but evolved differently and has unique rules. The nine team Canadian Football League is the top league of the sport, and the annual Grey Cup championship game is viewed by a large television audience. Traditional association football football (soccer) is widely popular in youth, interscholastic, and senior leagues but not at the professional level as it is in Europe or Latin America. As the vast majority of Canadians live in very close proximity to the United States, Canadians can also watch sporting events from the professional leagues in that country, such as NASCAR{{ref|NASCAR}} and the National Football League. The NHL and the National Lacrosse League are composed of teams from both Canada and the United States. Toronto currently has franchises in Major League Baseball and the National Basketball Association. Other notable participatory sports which are enjoyed throughout Canada include ice skating, skiing, golf, soccer, swimming, baseball and softball. Canada will be the host country of the 2010 Winter Olympics, to be held in Greater Vancouver and Whistler, British Columbia.

National symbols
Image:Maple leaf.jpg maple tree.html" title="Meaning of thumb thumb|200px|right|The maple leaf is the characteristic leaf of the [[maple tree, and is an important national symbol of Canada..html" title="Meaning of 200px|right|The maple leaf is the characteristic leaf of the [[maple tree">thumb|200px|right|The maple leaf is the characteristic leaf of the [[maple tree, and is an important national symbol of Canada.">200px|right|The maple leaf is the characteristic leaf of the [[maple tree">thumb|200px|right|The maple leaf is the characteristic leaf of the [[maple tree, and is an important national symbol of Canada. The use of the maple leaf as a Canadian symbol dates back to the early 18th century, and is depicted on its Flag of Canada current and Red Ensign previous flags, the penny (Canadian coin) penny, and on the Coat of Arms of Canada coat of arms. The Crown appears on the Coat of arms of Canada Royal Arms of Canada, the Flag of the Governor General of Canada, the Coat of Arms of many provinces and territories; the badges of the Canadian Armed Forces, many regiments, and police forces; on many buildings, as well as some highway signs. Also, the Queen's image appears in Canadian government buildings, military installations and schools; and on Canadian stamps, $20 bank notes, and all coins. Canada is known for its vast forests and mountain ranges, and the animals that reside within them, such as moose, beavers, caribou, polar bears, grizzly bears, Canada goose and the common loon. The beaver's emblematic status originated from the fact much of Canada's early economic history was tied to the fur trade. Other products made from the country's natural resources, such as maple syrup, are also strongly associated with Canadian identity. Additional national symbols include the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, and anything pertaining to hockey, Canada's official winter sport, which is often used as a national symbol of unity and pride. In recent years, other symbols have become a source of pride: notably, the ''I am Canadian'' campaign by Molson, most notably the commercial featuring Joe Canada, infused Canadian beer home-grown beer with nationalism. The Canadian fashion retailer Roots Canada Ltd. Roots also sells a variety of merchandise designed to evoke nationalistic sentiment.

Holidays
{{main|Holidays in Canada}} Statutory and major holidays in Canada include New Year's Day, Good Friday, Easter Easter Monday Monday, Victoria Day, Canada Day, Labour Day, Thanksgiving, Remembrance Day, Christmas, and Boxing Day. Canada's provinces and territories generally adopt statutory holidays similar to federal ones with some variations (including civic holidays), and many Canadians celebrate numerous unofficial and religious holidays as well.

International rankings
* A.T. Kearney/Foreign Policy Foreign Policy Magazine: [http://www.atkearney.com/main.taf?p=5,4,1,116 Globalization Index 2005], ranked 6 out of 62 countries * IMD International: [http://www01.imd.ch/wcy/ World Competitiveness Yearbook 2005], ranked 5 out of 60 economies (countries and regions) * The Economist: [http://www.economist.com/theworldin/international/displayStory.cfm?story_id=3372495&d=2005 The World in 2005 - Worldwide quality-of-life index, 2005], ranked 14 out of 111 countries *Environmental Sustainability Index, 2005: 6th (out of 146); Yale University Center for Environmental Law and Policy & Columbia University Center for International Earth Science Information Network (pdf) [http://www.yale.edu/esi/ESI2005_Main_Report.pdf] *Press Freedom Index 2005: 21st (out of 167); Reporters Without Borders World-wide [http://www.rsf.org] *Total value of foreign trade (imports and exports), 2003: 4th (out of 185) *Corruption Perceptions Index 2005: 14th (out of 159); Transparency International [http://www.transparency.org/cpi/2005/2005.10.18.cpi.en.html] *Index of Economic Freedom, 2005: 16th (out of 155); Heritage Foundation/Wall Street Journal [http://www.heritage.org/research/features/index/]

See also
{{Canadian topics}}

References
Detailed references available in a subpage Canada/References.

Notes
{{portal}} #{{note|UEL1}} [http://www.uelac.org/whatis.html United Empire Loyalists' Association of Canada] #{{note|UEL}} [http://www.infoplease.com/ce6/history/A0850061.html United Empire Loyalists] #{{note|GG1}} [http://www.gg.ca/gg/rr/index_e.asp Role and Responsibilities of the Governor General] #{{note|forsey1}} [http://www.parl.gc.ca/information/library/idb/forsey/institutions_02-e.asp How Canadians Govern Themselves] #{{note|Her1}} [http://www.pch.gc.ca/royalvisit2005/53_e.cfm The Queen and Canada: 53 Years of Growing Together] #{{note|GG2}} [http://news.gc.ca/cfmx/view/en/index.jsp?articleid=162519 Appointment of New Governor General] #{{note|DND}} [http://www.forces.gc.ca/site/about/family_e.asp The National Defence family] #{{note|NRC}} [http://atlas.gc.ca/site/english/maps/historical/territorialevolution/1927/1 Territorial Evolution, 1927] #{{note|SC1}} [http://www.statcan.ca/english/edu/clock/population.htm Canada's population clock] #{{note|SC2}} [http://www40.statcan.ca/l01/cst01/demo26a.htm Population by selected ethnic origins, by provinces and territories] #{{note|WSM}} [http://www.worldstatesmen.org/Canada.html Canada from WorldStatesmen] #{{note|SC3}} [http://www40.statcan.ca/l01/cst01/demo30a.htm Population by religion, by provinces and territories] #{{note|WWT}} [http://people-press.org/reports/display.php3?ReportID=165 What the World Thinks] #{{note|NASCAR}}{{cite web | year = 2004 | url = http://www.nascar.com/2004/news/business/06/14/nascar_canada/index.html | title = NASCAR Canada formed to partner with TSN | format = HTML | author = NASCAR | accessdate = 2006-02-28 }}

External links
{{Sisterlinks|Canada}}
- Official website of the Government of Canada
- Official Government of Canada online Atlas of Canada
- Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
- A Guide to living in Canada - Justlanded
- Canadian Studies: A Guide to the Sources
- Statistics Canada with Canada's population clock
- The Canadian Atlas Online
- Canada at ''The World Factbook''
- Permanent Mission of Canada to the United Nations * UN Human Development Programme: [http://hdr.undp.org/statistics/data/country_fact_sheets/cty_fs_CAN.html Country Fact Sheet: Canada], [http://hdr.undp.org/statistics/data/countries.cfm?c=CAN Statistics - Country Sheet: Canada] {{Canada ties}} {{North_America}} {{G8}} Category:Canada Category:Former British colonies Category:Members of the Commonwealth of Nations Category:Monarchies Category:1867 establishments {{Link FA|hu}} {{Link FA|vi}} af:Kanada als:Kanada an:Canadá ang:Canada ar:كندا ast:Canadá bg:Канада bn:দmiddot;ানাডা bs:Kanada ca:Ca