Canada Information
Our friendly neighbor to the north, Canada is a wellspring of natural beauty, tranquility and hospitality. A fusion of French, British and immigrant influences, modern Canada is both a bilingual and multicultural society. The landscapes here are as diverse as the people—from the craggy shores and picturesque isles of the East Coast to the azure mountain lakes of the Canadian Rockies and the cosmopolitan cities of Toronto and Victoria. What remains constant as you travel here, however, is the ability of the country’s pristine surroundings to inspire.
History
Canada’s prehistory dates back thousands of years, with indigenous tribes having developed a prosperous way of life centuries before the arrival of European explorers. French explorers Jacques Cartier and Samuel de Champlain are credited with staking the first claim on Canadian land in the late sixteenth and early seventeenth centuries. Just as the French began to thrive by investing in the Canadian fur trade, Britain joined the game by establishing the Hudson Bay Company in 1670. For a while, the two European countries coexisted in the new territory peacefully.
In short order, however, the hostilities of Europe’s Seven Years’ War spilled over into North America, and after several years of fighting, the British defeated the French at Quebec City. The Treaty of Paris in 1763 transferred power over Canada into British hands. In 1867, Britain was fearful of losing Canada, as it had the American colonies, and proclaimed the British North America Act, which became the equivalent of Canada’s constitution. By 1912, all provinces had become part of the central government—save Newfoundland, which held out until 1949.
Throughout the twentieth century, Canada grew in stature and prosperity, becoming a voluntary member of the British Commonwealth in 1931 and fighting alongside the U.S. and Britain in WWI and WWII. In the years following WWII, an influx of immigrants flooded the country, and Canada became a markedly diverse and multicultural nation. The social upheaval of the 1960s brought resentment to the surface between Frenchspeaking Quebec and the rest of Canada. The resulting quest for a separate, independent Quebec continues to this day, with popular opinion on the matter constantly changing. Canada Fast Facts
Capital: Ottawa Population: 33 million Language: English, French Currency: Canadian dollar (CAD) Time Zone: EST minus 0-4 hours Electricity: 110/120V, 60Hz
Holidays & Festivals
January 1 Polar Bear Swim in English Bay (Vancouver)
February Quebec City Winter Carnival
May 24 Victoria Day
June Montreal Jazz Festival
June 24 St. Jean-Baptiste Day
July Calgary Stampede
July 1 Canada Day August Caribana (Toronto)
August First Peoples Festival (Victoria)
September Toronto Film Festival
October Vancouver International Film Festival
November 11 Remembrance Day
December 26 Boxing Day
Books
• A Good House, by Bonnie Burnard • How to Be a Canadian, by Will and Ian Ferguson • The Journals of Alexander MacKenzie: Exploring Across Canada in 1789 and 1793, by Alexander MacKenzie • The Pelican History of Canada, by Kenneth McNaught • Souvenir of Canada, by Douglas Coupland
Videos • Anne of Green Gables (1985) • Jesus of Montreal (1990) • The Quarrel (1993) • The Fast Runner (2000) • The Shipping News (2002)
Weather
Canada enjoys four distinct seasons with very long winters. The North is colder, the South is warmer and more populated, and the East and West coasts are very wet. Most of the rain falls in the winter months. Pack warm clothing, a heavy coat and boots in winter. Bring lightweight clothing in summer. Rain gear is recommended on the Coasts year-round.
Average Temperatures
January April July October
High Low High Low High Low High Low
Calgary 24° 3° 51° 27° 75° 48° 54° 30°
Montreal 22° 6° 51° 33° 79° 60° 56° 39°
Regina 11° -9° 50° 27° 79° 52° 53° 28°
Toronto 30° 17° 51° 35° 79° 60° 57° 42°
Vancouver 42° 32° 55° 41° 71° 55° 57° 44°
Temperatures are in °F. For specific weather information, visit www.accuweather.com.
Tips for Tipping
Tips and service charges are not usually added to a bill in Canada. In general, tip 15 percent of the total bill. Porters and doormen should get about $1 CAD a bag; for maid service, $1 CAD a day is sufficient.
Canadian Lingo, Eh?
Chinook - Winter storm system that causes warm weather.
CFA (Comes From Away) - Used on the East Coast to describe visitors.
Molson - Muscle A beer belly named after the popular Canadian brew.
Tuque - Pronounced “Took”—a knit winter hat that covers the head and ears. Did you know?
• The Capilano Suspension Bridge in Vancouver is the world’s longest suspended footbridge. • Explorers along the St. Lawrence Valley in Canada discovered natives playing a form of what we now call lacrosse in 1740. They called the game “baggataway”, and each time a player was clobbered he would yell, “Ho-ee!”—a sound that many think led to the name of the Canadian national pastime of hockey. • The Royal Canadian Mounted Police, or “Mounties” as they are known, is a unique organization in the world since it is a national, federal, provincial and municipal policing body. • Here is a list of just a few famous Canadians who have definitely made a name for themselves: Bryan Adams, Pamela Anderson, Margaret Atwood, James Cameron, Celine Dion, Robert Goulet, Gordie Howe, Avril Lavigne, Sarah McLachlan, Mike Myers, Keanu Reeves, Paul Shaffer, William Shatner, Martin Short, Alex Trebek, Shania Twain and Neil Young. • Although it’s the name of a Canadian hockey team, a visiting American should avoid referring to the local citizenry as “Canucks”—a term that may be considered offensive when used by outsiders.