CANADA
Canada is an immense land, the second largest country in the world ! It is very diverse in it’s people, it’s landscape and it’s climate. Therefore , ways of life are also different . It’s essential human values are shared by all Canadians, which makes it a friendly , open and secure country to live in . Canada is a peace -loving country as well.
Groups of different aboriginal people have lived in Canada for thousands of years. They are called as Aboriginals or Native people and in the north , as Inuits .
Migration to Canada took place in waves . After the war of Independence in the United States, thousands of loyal British subjects , called the Loyalists , fled to Canada. In the early part of 19th century there was a major migration from England , Scotland and Ireland . Immigration was actively promoted to settle the land .
In the late 1800s , thousands of Japanese were diverted to Vancouver on their way to Hawaii from Japan , because of an outbreak of bubonic plague in Honolulu . Chinese workers were brought to work on the railway.
There is a religious group called Mennonites. They came , fleeing persecution in Germany. At the turn of the century , many Ukrainians came from Eastern Europe to farm in the Prairies.
Europeans continued to migrate to Canada as a result of the two World Wars. Later , refugees and Immigrants came to Canada to escape from civil Unrest . They were from countries like Hungary , Uganda , Chile , Vietnam , Somalia , Poland and the former Yugoslavia . People came also from Sri Lanka , Bangladesh , Pakistan and India .
Most recently , political uncertainty in Hong Kong brought more Chinese to Canada. In recent years , the largest groups of immigrants have come from Asia.
Today , Canada is a multi - racial and multi - cultural mosaic. It is a home to people from more than two hundred countries . Immigrants who meet residency requirements are granted the full rights and responsibilities of citizenship. Ofcourse , they need to pass a knowledge based test too !
Canada is a multi -party democracy , whose government is based on the British Parliamentary system. Elections are held every four years to choose members of the House of Commons , who represent the area of the place they live . The leader of the political party which has a majority in Parliament becomes Prime Minister . Every adult Canadian has the right to vote in all elections .
Canada’s Constitution : This is the system of laws and conventions by which our country governs itself . We celebrate ‘Canada Day’ on July 1st of every year , to mark the anniversary of Confederation. Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II is the Queen of Canada , and Canada’s Head of State .
There are three levels of government : federal, provincial and municipal . Each level has distinct responsibilities .
Canada is made up of ten provinces and two thinly populated ‘territories’ In the north called Yukon and the Northwest Territories . The names of provinces , with their capital cities are ,
1) British Columbia , Victoria
2) Alberta , Edmonton
3) Saskachewan , Regina
4) Manitoba , Winnipeg
5) Ontario , Toronto
6) Quebec , Quebec
7) New Brunswick , Fredericton
8) Nova Scotia , Halifax
9) Prince Edward Island , Charlottetown
10) Newfoundland , St.John’s
Newfoundland is very special to me , as I am living in this province in St.John’s .
Language : Canada has two official languages , English and French. English is spoken by majority of people here , except for the people of province Quebec. French is the first language there .
Largest cities are Toronto , Montreal and Vancouver . You can reach those places in less than a two - hour drive from the Canada - U.S border .
Canada is a beautiful place . It has many prominent physical features. There are Rocky mountains in the west and the central plains called the Prairies . There are lots of national parks with flora and fauna which have special archeological interest . They are also given special protection.
Climate : Climate is very unique in Canada. It varies across the country . There are four seasons . They are , Spring , Summer , Autumn ( Fall and Winter .
Canada’s temperatures vary with the seasons . Daytime temperatures range from a very comfortable 20 degrees Celsius in spring and summer , to a very cold minus 30 degrees in winter .
Education: Education is a provincial responsibility and varies from one province to another .However, every child between 6 and 16 Years of age are required to attend school by law . Canada has some excellent colleges and universities . They provide scholarship too ! Students can also arrange loans .
Health Care : Canada’s health care is one of the best in the world ! Most health care services are provided by the government, free of charge to all Canadian residents. Nursing homes provide care for the elderly .
Family Life : The traditional Canadian family consists of two married parents and their children. There are other family situations .They are , common law relationships , single parents and permanent relationships among the same - sex partners. Married people are considered equal partners.
Spirituality : There is no official religion in Canada . You have freedom of worship , and many of the world’s religions are practised freely . 80% of Canadians are Christians . You will find lots of churches and mosques . There are some temples too in Toronto , where the Asian population is high . The other religions practised are Judaism , Islam , Hinduism , Sikhism and Buddhism.
Eating Style : Traditional Canadian meal consist of meat , potatoes , a vegetable , a soup or a salad , bread and dessert . I think this is slowly getting changed as immigrants have introduced their foods and Canadians do have a liking for them. Italian pizza has become a common meal like the pasta. Chinese food has also become a favourite . They like Indian food too, but find it a bit spicy .
One tradition has not altered with time ! Canadians celebrate ‘Thanksgiving’ , which is a harvest -time feast . They prepare roast turkey garnished with potatoes and cranberries . They also make pumpkin pie for dessert .
Arts and Culture : In major cities , there are professional theatres , opera , ballet and other dance performances . There are museums and galleries . There are theatre , music , film and dance festivals across the country , especially in the summer time . Many immigrant groups have introduced their cultures to Canada through their theatrical performances , music and dance.
Sports : There are organizations for team sports like hockey , baseball, basketball , football , soccer , curling etc. People with mental and physical disabilities are encouraged to take part in organized sports. People also enjoy individual sports like skiing , tennis , golf , skating , snow- boarding , canoeing and swimming . These sports are all very popular here .
Hope you enjoyed reading my account of Canada in general. I would like to close my review with Canada’s National Anthem which I like very much .
Canada’s National Anthem :
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 .
Priya Thangasamy (pete)