By the time you read this review it will be July 1st. Every year on this date we celebrate Canada's Birthday.
Today is CANADA'S 135th Birthday. So I though I would tell you about the Country I am proud to be a Citizen.
I live in the second largest Country in the World. At the time of our last censes, (2001), our population was a little over 30 million people. Our flag is white with a red maple leaf on it. Our National Anthem is ''Oh Canada''.
We are a Democratic Country that is based on the British style of Government. The only difference is we have a Senate and not a House of Lords.
Canada is over 7,000 kms from east to west, (from St. John's, Newfoundland to Victoria, British Columbia).
We only have to boarders and both are with the United States of America, (Alaska and the longest border in
the World is across both our Coutries).
The Capital City of CANADA is Ottawa in the Province of Ontario. Our Prime Minister's name is Jean Chrétien.
He is the 25th Man to serve as Prime Minister, (John Alexander MacDonald, Robert Borden, William Lyon Mackenzie King and Pierre Elliott Trudeau each serviced as Prime Minister at two different times).
The Queen is our Monarch and her representative in Canada is called the Governor General, (Adrian Clarkson who is the first Woman to hold this position). In the Provinces her representative is the called the Lieutenant Governor).
We have 10 PROVINCES:
Newfoundland/Labrador has a population of about half a million people. St. John's is the Capital City.
Prince Edward Island's population is about 139,000 people. Charlottetown is the Capital City.
Nova Scotia has a population of about a million people. Halifax is the Capital City.
New Brunswick’s population is about 760,000 people. Fredericton is the Capital City.
Quebec had once the highest population in Canada but it has shrunk to 7 1/2 million people. Quebec City is the Capital City.
Ontario has the largest population that is about 11 million people. Toronto is the Capital City.
Manitoba's population is always about 1 1/2 half million people. Winnipeg is the Capital City.
Saskatchewan has a population of just over 1 million people. Regina is the Capital City.
Alberta has fast growing population of over 3 million people. Edmonton is the Capital City.
British Columbia's population is over 5 million and growing fast. Victoria is the Capital City.
We also have 3 TERRITORIES:
Yukon has about 30,000 people living there. Whitehorse is the Capital City.
Northwest Territory's population is about 40,000 people. Yellowknife is the Capital City.
Nunavut population is about 28,000 people and Iqaluit is the Capital City.
OUR MONEY:
Our money is called ''funny money'' because each bill of a different value is a different color.
We don't have a $1.00 bill we have a multi-sided coin called a ''loonie''. Not because it is crazy but it has the picture of a Loon Bird on it.
We also do not have a $2.00 bill we have a coin with two circles that are made of different colors and it is called a ''toonie'' to rhyme with ''loonie''.
On our $10.00 bill is the poem 'In Flanders Fields' to honor the Canadian who wrote it in WWI. The first printing had he original poem. The poem had been change and a lot of People wrote the Mint and told them they had made a mistake. In order to ''please the People' and new bill was made with the ''second poem'' on it. The first issue of this bill is now a collector's item.
Currency changes but for about $1.00 USD we have to pay about $1.62 CAD/over 2.50 UK pounds.
I feel this in not fair is because we are rich in minerals, electricity, wood and water.
WE ARE A BI-LINGUAL COUNTRY:
English and French are the two official Languages. Please don't think that Quebec is the only place that French is spoken. My three Children all speak French.
In many area’s other Languages are taught such as Chinese, German, Japanese and Ukrainian.
OUR PEOPLE:
We have 2 School Systems the Catholic and the Public, (everyone else). Our Government does help fund other Religious Schools.
Our Citizens come from every Country in the World. We honor them and our First Nations Peoples on September 1st when we celebrate “Heritage Days'' from coast to coast to coast, (we are next to 3 Oceans: the Atlantic, Artic and the Pacific). During this Celebration we also honor the Religions of each of our Citizens.
MAGAZINES, NEWSPAPERS AND TV:
1) There are 2 National Newspapers ''The National Post'' and ''The Globe & Mail''. Each City and Town as their own paper.
2) We have 3 National Networks and the larger Cities have at least one of their own.
3) We have 5 National Magazines: ''Chatelaine'', ''Canadian Living'', ''Canadian Decorating'' and MacLean’s'', (a news magazine).
SOME FAMOUS CANADIANS:
1) ACTORS AND SINGERS:
Dan Aykroyd was born in Ottawa, Ontario.
Raymond Burr who was in New Westminster, British Columbia.
Tommy Chong Born was born in Edmonton, Alberta.
Michael J. Fox Born was born in Edmonton, Alberta.
Matthew Perry was born in Williamstown, Mass but grew up in Ottawa, Ontario.
Jason Priestley Born was born in Vancouver, British Columbia.
Keanu Reeves Born was born in Beirut,Lebanon but grew up in Toronto, Ontario.
William Shatner was in Montréal,Québec
Donald Sutherland was born in Saint John, New Brunswick.
Alan Thicke was born in Kirkland Lake,Ontario
Paul Anka was born in in Ottawa, Ontario.
Celine Dion was born in Quebec.
k.d.lang was born in Alberta.
Joni Mitchell was born in Saskatchewan.
Alanis Morissette
Anne Murray was born in Nova Scotia.
Shania Twain was born in Windsor, Ontario.
Nelly Furtado was born in Victoria, British Columbia.
John Candy.
Jim Carrey.
Howie Mandel was born in Ontario.
Leslie Nielsen.
Jason Priestley.
Keanu Reeves.
William Shatner.
Martin Short.
Donald Sutherland.
Kiefer Sutherland.
Alan Thicke.
Pamila Anderson was born in Victoria, British Columbia.
Neve Campbell was born in Ontario.
Jillian Hennessy.
Margot Kidder.
Meg Tilly.
2) AUTHORS:
Margret Atwood.
Saul Bellow.
Leonard Cohen, (who is both an Author and Musician).
Steven Leacock.
John McCrae was Poet and Physician who wrote ''In Flanders Fields''.
Lucy M. Montgomery who was the Author of''Anne of Green Gables''.
Michael Ondaatje.
Robert Service wrote ''The Shooting of Dan McGrew''.
THE OTHERS;
Monty Hall was born in Winnipeg, Manitoba and was the Host of ''Let's Make A Deal''.
Doug Henning is Magician.
Le Cirque du Soleil home base in is Quebec.
Art Linkletter.
Rich Little is an Impressionist.
Alex Trebek is the Host of ''Jeopardy''.
I am sorry I had to leave out at least 100 other people who were ''Canadian Treasures''.
MY FINAL THOUGHTS:
I love my Country and I hope you enjoyed learning about it.
©LL2002
