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On
Canada
5. Coastline:
202,080 km
6. Discovery:
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
faces the political challenges of meeting public demands for quality improvements in health care
and education services, as well as responding to separatist concerns in predominantly
francophone Quebec. Canada also aims to develop its diverse energy resources while
maintaining its commitment to the environment.
7. International borders:
The Canada – United States border is the international border between Canada and the United
States. Officially known as the International Boundary, it is the longest common border in the
world and is unmilitarized. The terrestrial boundary (including small portions of maritime
boundaries on the Atlantic, Pacific, and Arctic coasts, as well as the Great Lakes) is 8,891
kilometres (5,525 mi) long, including 2,475 kilometres (1,538 mi) shared with Alaska. It is
Canada's only land border, and Canada is by far the largest country with this distinction.
8. History of Canada:
Inhabited for millennia by First Nations (aboriginals), the history of Canada has evolved from a
group of European colonies into a bilingual, multicultural federation, having peacefully obtained
sovereignty from its last colonial possessor, the United Kingdom. France sent the first large
group of settlers in the 17th century, but the collection of territories and colonies now comprising
the Dominion of Canada came to be ruled by the British until attaining full independence in the
20th century.
II. Prime Minister of Canada:
The Prime Minister of Canada (French: Premier ministre du Canada) is the primary Minister
of the Crown, chairman of the Cabinet, and thus head of government of Canada. The office is not
outlined in any of the documents that constitute the written portion of the constitution of Canada;
executive authority is formally vested in the Canadian sovereign and exercised on his or her
behalf by the Governor General. The office was initially modelled after the job as it existed in
Britain at time of Confederation in 1867. The British prime ministership, although fully
developed by 1867, was not formally integrated into the British constitution until 1905—hence,
its absence from Constitution Act, 1867.
The Prime Minister is not elected directly, but is almost invariably the leader of the political
party that holds the largest number of seats in the House of Commons. According to protocol, all
prime ministers are styled Right Honourable (in French: Très Honorable) for life.Stephen Harper
is the current Prime Minister, appointed by Governor General Michaëlle Jean as the 22nd Prime
Minister of Canada, on February 6, 2006. He is the leader of the Conservative Party.
The National Flag of Canada, also known as the Maple Leaf, and l'Unifolié (French for "the
one-leafed"), is a red flag with a white square in its centre, featuring a stylized 11-pointed red
maple leaf. Its adoption in 1965 marked the first time a national flag had been officially adopted
in Canada to replace the Union Flag. The Canadian Red Ensign had been unofficially used since
the 1890s and was approved by a 1945 Order-in-Council for use "wherever place or occasion
may make it desirable to fly a distinctive Canadian flag". In 1964, Prime Minister Lester B.
Pearson appointed a committee to resolve the issue, sparking a serious debate about a flag
change. Out of three choices, the maple leaf design by George F. G. Stanley and John Matheson
based on the flag of the Royal Military College of Canada was selected. The flag made its first
appearance on February 15, 1965; the date is now celebrated annually as National Flag of
Canada Day.
Many different flags have been created for use by Canadian officials, government bodies, and
military forces. Most of these flags contain the maple leaf motif in some fashion, either by
having the Canadian flag charged in the canton, or by including maple leaves in the design. The
Royal Union Flag is also an official flag in Canada, used as a symbol of Canada's membership in
the Commonwealth of Nations, and of its allegiance to the Crown. The Union Flag makes a
component of other Canadian flags, including the provincial flags of British Columbia, Manitoba
and Ontario.
The trillium is Canada's national flower. This flower grows freely in the forests and
woodlands. The White Trillium can be recognized by the three white waxy petals that protrude
from each flower. This flower blooms in April and in May. The Trillium is very sensitive to
sunlight. The blossoms are usually facing in the direction of the sun. The Trillium is a protected
species of flower, and should not be picked.
The Common Loon is the national bird of Canada. Common loons are migratory birds which
breed in forested lakes and large ponds in northern North America and parts of Greenland and
Iceland. They winter all along North America’s Pacific and Atlantic coasts as well as in Europe
and Iceland.
V. National Capital
The National Capital Region is an official federal designation for the Canadian capital of
Ottawa, Ontario, the neighbouring city of Gatineau, Quebec, and the surrounding area. Also
known as Ottawa-Gatineau (or previously Ottawa-Hull), the National Capital Region has a
total population of 1,130,761 (2006), and consists of an area of 5,319 square kilometres that
straddles the boundary between the provinces of Ontario and Quebec.
VI. People and their breed
1. Culture:
Canadian culture is a term that encompasses the artistic, musical, literary, culinary, political
and social elements that are representative of Canada, not only to its own population, but to
people all over the world. Canada's culture has historically been influenced by European culture
and traditions, especially British and French. Over time, elements of the cultures of Canada's
Aboriginal peoples and immigrant populations have become incorporated into mainstream
Canadian culture. It has also been strongly influenced by that of its linguistic, economic, and
cultural neighbour the United States. These four influences have combined over centuries to
form the modern culture of Canada.
2. Languages:
English (official) 59.3%, French (official) 23.2%, other 17.5%
3. 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)
4. Cuisine:
Canadian cuisine varies widely from region to region. Generally, the traditional cuisine of
English Canada is closely related to British and American cuisine, while the traditional cuisine of
French Canada has evolved from French cuisine and the winter provisions of fur traders.
The basis of both groups is traditionally on seasonal, fresh ingredients, and preserves. The
cuisine includes a lot of baked foods, wild game, and gathered foods. Prepared foods were still a
novelty for recent rural generations, so there are some that are well-loved to the point of
obsession and which have come to dominate suburban diets. However, home-made, warming,
and wholesome remain key adjectives in what Canadians consider their cuisine. The Chinese
smorgasbord, although found in the U.S. and other parts of Canada, had its origins in early
Gastown, Vancouver.
The largest fireworks competition in the world is held over several nights every summer in
Vancouver
Don your cowboy hat and spurs and head on over to “The Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth.”
Each year, more than one million people visit Calgary to partake in this 10-day party held every
July.The city of Calgary featrues good old fashioned hospitality combined with cultural
diversity. Drive an hour out of town, and you’re in the heart of the Canadian Rockies where a
world of outdoor adventure awaits
From its humble beginning in 1980, the Edmonton Festival has grown to be one of the world's
premier folk festivals. Held each August, the festival's lineup is always outstanding and ticket
prices reasonable
The Toronto International Film Festivals is one of the leading film festivals in the world, ranking
closely with Cannes and Sundance. Films such as Hotel Rwanda, American Beauty, and The Big
Chill made their premieres at this prominent star-studded event held each September.
e) Winterlude, Ottawa
Canadians celebrate sub-zero temperatures and waist-high snowdrifts by staging great winter
festivals, such as Ottawa's Winterlude. For the first three weekend's every February, the nation's
capital puts on a winter festival that features ice-skating on the world's longest rink, ice
sculptures, a snow playground, concerts and more.
July 1st celebrations in Canada are akin to the July 4th festivities in the US. Marking Canada's
birth as a country, July 1st sees Canadians donning their red and white attire and whooping it up
with fireworks and lots of that good Canadian beer. The celebration is nationwide, but Ottawa
will show you a particularly good time
Since 1983, the Montreal Comedy Festival, or, Just for Laughs as it is more commonly known,
has been inviting people to get together just for fun, just for entertainment -- just for laughs. The
festival, held every July, has grown in popularity and reputation and today features some of the
world's greatest comedians and spawned a television show that is broadcast internationally
The habitants of New France, now Quebec, had a rowdy tradition of getting together just before
Lent to eat, drink and be merry.
Today, the Quebec Winter Carnival is the biggest winter carnival in the world and is celebrated
annually at the end of January until mid-February. No sense in fighting the cold -- embrace and
celebrate it.
Celtic Colours is held for nine days every October. This unique Cape Breton Island-wide
celebration of Celtic culture is the largest of its kind in North America.
7. Population:
33,212,696 (July 2008 est.)
8. Population - Density:
3.2 /KM (219th)
Like most industrialized economies in the world, Ontario's economy has changed dramatically
over the past 100 years. The economy has evolved from one based on primary industries to one
dominated by manufacturing after World War II to one that today is driven by high technology
manufacturing and services. Over the decades, the kinds of jobs available have undergone
similar changes - away from occupations related to agriculture, forestry or mining to a wide
variety of professional, technical and service occupations. Goods are produced by agriculture and
other primary industries, manufacturing, construction and utilities. Together these industries
constitute the so called goods-producing sector. The service-producing sector provides the many
different services demanded by today's consumers and businesses, including financial,
educational, government and recreation. Figure 1 shows the percent share of employment in
Ontario by industry sector for 2004. Since the number and the kinds of jobs available to workers
depend on the goods and services produced in the economy, a closer look at manufacturing and
service-producing industries - the two largest sources of jobs - follows.
Manufacturing industries have the largest share of employment in the goods-producing sector in
Ontario, producing a variety of consumer and industrial products that are key to Ontario's wealth.
The sector accounts for one-fifth of all economic activity in the province, and about 70 percent
of the sector's products are exported to other provinces and countries. In 2004, manufacturing
employed over one million people in the province.
The service-producing sector has been growing rapidly in recent years and employs nearly three
quarters of Ontario workers. Service-producing industries cover a wide range of economic
activity. Figure 3 shows each service industry's share of the 4.7 million service sector jobs in
2004.
The four largest industries in this sector are wholesale and retail trade, health care and all kinds
of social assistance, professional, scientific and technical services, and finance, insurance and
real estate. Together, they provide 53 percent, or a little over half, of all jobs in the service-
producing sector. Some service industries also tend to be more regionalized than others. For
example, employment in finance, insurance, real estate and leasing is largely concentrated in
Toronto. The same holds true for professional, scientific and technical services, although this
industry is also prevalent in the Ottawa area. Employment in public administration is
concentrated in Ottawa. Employment in industries such as retail trade, however, is more evenly
distributed around the province in proportion to population.
Since the numbers and kinds of jobs available to workers depend on the goods and services
produced by Ontario industries, each industry has a unique occupational profile. Figure
illustrates this occupational uniqueness for 2004. The largest share of employment in the
manufacturing industry is in occupations that are unique to processing, manufacturing and
utilities. In the construction industry, trades, transport and equipment operators represent 73
percent of that industry's employment. In the primary industry, 79 percent of employment is
unique to that industry. To a lesser degree, these goods-producing industries also employ
management, business, finance and administrative (including clerical), natural and applied
science and sales and service occupations.
Figure
Occupational Employment by Industry*
Ontario, 2004
Service-
Manufacturing Construction Primary
producing
Occupational Grouping Industry Industry Industry
Industry
% % %
%
All Occupations 100 100 100 100
Management 8 10 14 2
Business, Finance and Administration 13 22 9 5
Natural and Applied Sciences 8 7 2 3
Health -- 7 -- --
Social Science, Education, Government Service
-- 10 -- --
and Religion
Art, Culture, Recreation and Sport 1 4 -- --
Sales and Service 4 30 1 --
Trades, Transport and Equipment Operators 18 9 73 9
Primary Industry** -- 1 -- 79
Processing, Manufacturing and Utilities 49 1 -- --
Note: May not add to 100% due to rounding. -- indicates employment less than 1,500.
* Grouped according to North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) and excluded Utilities
** Primary Industry includes Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing, Mining, Oil and Gas.
Source: Statisitcs Canada, Labour Force Survey.
The service-producing industries have a diverse collection of occupations: 10 percent of their
employment is in management occupations, 22 percent in business, finance and administrative
occupations, and 30 percent in sales and service occupations. At the same time, all other
occupational groups are represented to some degree in their employment ranks.
2. Independence day:
Canada celebrates the establishment of its federal government on July 1st. Now known as
Canada Day, this holiday, previously was known as Dominion Day and Confederation Day. This
day commemorates the British North America Act of July 1, 1867, that gave Canadians Home
Rule. The national celebration is always observed on the 1st, unless it falls on a Sunday, in which
case it is observed on the following Monday. Fireworks, parades, picnics and other events mark
the occasion and, are often combined with the July 4th events in the states that border Canada.
3. Head of State:
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 Stephen HARPER (since 6 February 2006)
cabinet: Federal Ministry chosen by the prime minister usually from among the members of his
own party sitting in Parliament
Stéphane Dion
Leader of the Liberal Party
Gilles Duceppe
Leader of the Bloc Quebecois
Jack Layton
Leader of the New Democratic Party of Canada
1. Economy - overview:
As an affluent, high-tech industrial society in the trillion-dollar class, Canada 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. Top-notch fiscal management has
produced consecutive balanced budgets since 1997, although public debate continues over the
equitable distribution of federal funds to the Canadian provinces. Exports account for roughly a
third of GDP. Canada enjoys a substantial trade surplus with its principal trading partner, the US,
which absorbs 80% of Canadian exports each year. Canada is the US's largest foreign supplier of
energy, including oil, gas, uranium, and electric power. During 2007, Canada enjoyed good
economic growth, moderate inflation, and the lowest unemployment rate in more than three
decades.
Monetary Policy
The goal of monetary policy is to contribute to solid economic performance and rising living
standards for Canadians by keeping inflation low, stable, and predictable. Learn more.
Currency
The Bank of Canada designs and issues bank notes that Canadians can use with the highest
confidence. Learn more.
Financial System
The Bank of Canada actively promotes safe, sound, and efficient financial systems, both within
Canada and internationally, and conducts transactions in financial markets in support of these
objectives. Learn more.
Funds Management
The Bank of Canada provides high-quality, effective, and efficient funds-management and
central banking services for the federal government, the Bank, and other clients. Learn more.
Corporate Administration
Canada ranks 8th in terms of GDP, the United States being at 1st position.
4. GNP:
Canda’s GNP is 1051.9 billion dollars
In market economies such as Canada's, the measures of national income include (with some
exceptions) only those economic activities in which goods or services are sold in markets; the
few exceptions ("imputed values") are illustrated by the inclusion in the estimates of a rental
income for owner-occupied homes, and by the inclusion in the income of farmers of an
estimate of the value of the produce from their own farms consumed by the farm families
themselves. At the same time, official and nearly all private estimates do not include
anything for the value of all of the services performed in the household by the unpaid
homemaker .This large omission is serious if national income is being used to measure the
well-being of a country's people.
Exports Imports
Rank Country ($ billions) Rank Country ($ billions)
1 U.S. 365.7 1 U.S. 215.1
2 European Union 24.7 2 European Union 45.6
3 Japan 9.2 3 China 29.5
4 China 7.1 4 Mexico 14.6
5 Mexico 3.3 5 Japan 14.8
Other countries 25.9 Other countries 61.1
All countries 435.9 All countries
One quarter of all Canadian jobs are linked in part to international trade. In 2005, total world
trade for Canada was $982.3 billion, with trade in goods contributing $840.2 billion and trade in
services contributing $142.1 billion. Each day, Canada trades more than $2.5 billion worth of
goods and services with the rest of the world. (Statistics Canada, 2006)
The Government of Canada works to ensure that Canada's position in the global economy with
respect to trade and investment is enhanced. Despite the lack of progress in the current Doha
round of negotiations, the World Trade Organization (WTO) continues to provide the
multilateral trade rules that underpin Canada's commercial relations with the 147 other members.
Through Budget 2006, the government announced significant tax measures to help Canadian
companies become more productive and competitive and to make Canada a magnet for foreign
investment. Commercialization of new knowledge has become, in fact, a main source of
competitive advantage, and Canada will continue to invest in all facets of innovation and to
provide services to business in order to gain or maintain the competitive advantage.
Expanding Canada's market share of current trading partners and exploring new ones is one way
of ensuring Canadians benefit from global prosperity. Canada therefore has free trade
agreements in place with Chile, Costa Rica, and Israel and is currently negotiating free trade
arrangements with the Central American Four (El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and
Nicaragua), the European Free Trade Association, Singapore, the Republic of Korea, the Andean
Community Countries (Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Venezuela), the CARICOM
countries (Caribbean Community and Common Market), and the Dominican Republic. (Foreign
Affairs and International Trade Canada, 2006.
The Philippines is rich in mineral resources. The Mining Act of 1995 liberalized the industry,
paving the way for the entry of foreign mining firms with a package of incentives, including net
operating loss carry-over and accelerated depreciation.
The construction industry, which took off in 1994, is expected to sustain its growth. The private
sector is seen as the major mover.Private investors are taking greater interest in infrastructure
projects under the expanded build-operate and transfer (BOT) programs. The demand for office
and residential buildings, as well as shopping malls, subdivision projects and industrial estates
remains strong.
Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX) - As Canada's senior equities market, TSX provides an efficient,
liquid market for a broad cross-section of Canadian issuers. TSX assists about 1,500 issuers
through services designed to increase retail and institutional investors.
TSX Venture Exchange - Serving the public venture equity market, TSX Venture Exchange
provides access to capital for companies at the early stages of their growth while offering
investors a well-regulated market for making venture investments.
TSX Markets - TSX Markets facilitates trading on TSX and TSX Venture and provides
innovative trading products to increase investor participation, particularly across North America.
Natural Gas Exchange (NGX) - As a leading North American energy exchange, Natural Gas
Exchange connects the buyers and sellers of natural gas and electricity contracts, enabling them
to manage the risks inherent in energy trading, and provides the associated clearing and
settlement services.
TSX Datalinx - To meet growing global demand for financial and capital markets information,
data is packaged and sold with more than 118,000 subscriptions worldwide via TSX Datalinx,
connecting the Canadian capital markets to investors at home and abroad.
TSX Technologies - Fundamental to these operations is TSX Technologies, which powers the
operations of TSX Group through state-of-the-art trading technology.
Listing, trading and market data - supported by trading technology. These are the key elements
of TSX Group.
IX. Agriculture
1. Size of land under agriculture:
Contemporary Canadian farmers have shared the expansionist
spirit of our early settlers. The amount of Canada's cultivated Field, St. Jacobs near Waterloo,
land expanded 392% during the 20th century. By 2001, Ont.
Photo: C.A. Clarke
Canadians farmed 67.5 million hectares of land. Though this
area amounts to only 7% of Canada's land mass, it is still three times the size of Great Britain.
These farms dot two main regions of the country: an arc that sweeps across the grasslands of
Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba, and a band of forested lowland, nowhere more than
320 kilometres wide, that stretches from the Maritimes, along the St. Lawrence River and into
southern Ontario.
The size of the typical Canadian farm has increased dramatically over the last 100 years. In 1901,
the number of census farms dotting the landscape totalled 511,100, peaking at 732,800 some 40
years later. As machines made it possible to do more work with fewer people, census farms
decreased in number. By 2001, there were 246,923 census farms, down almost 11% since 1996.
Total farm area, land tenure and land in crops, by province (Census
of Agriculture, 1986 to 2006)
(Canada)
1986 1991 1996 2001 2006
Number
Canada
Total number of farms 293,089 280,043 276,548 246,923 229,373
Canada
Total number of farms 293,089 280,043 276,548 246,923 229,373
Total vegetables
(excluding greenhouse
vegetables)
Area in hectares1 116,573 122,594 127,697 133,851 125,181
Sod
Area in hectares1 20,074 26,797 21,964 22,467 27,960
Total greenhouse
products
Area in square metres2 7,188,571 8,438,666 12,740,665 17,933,961 21,963,257
At $73.6 billion in 2004, U.S.-Canada trade in energy is the largest U.S. energy
trading relationship, with the overwhelming majority ($66.7 billion) being exports
from Canada. The primary components of U.S. energy trade with Canada are
petroleum, natural gas, and electricity. Canada is the United States' largest oil
supplier and the fifth-largest energy producing country in the world. Canada
provides about 16% of U.S. oil imports and 14% of total U.S. consumption of natural
gas. The United States and Canada's national electricity grids are linked and both
countries share hydro power facilities on the Western borders.
Kilolitres
Canada
Quantity 7,522,676 7,674,713 7,579,128 7,435,149 7,593,300
$ thousands
Value 4,480,779 4,601,909 4,852,249 4,843,231 5,206,643
Note: Comprises the volume of milk and cream sold off farm.
Source: Statistics Canada, CANSIM, tables (for fee) 003-0008 and 003-0011, and Catalogue no. 23-001-
XIB.
Last modified: 2008-11-14.
As a proportion of
farms
reporting certified
organic
products
number % change %
Canada
All farms 246,923 229,373 -7.1 … …
1. The total number of farms reporting certified organic products does not equal the sum of the parts
because a farm could report more than one category.
Source: Statistics Canada, Census of Agriculture.
Last modified: 2008-10-02.
thousand birds
Canada
Chickens 615,939 613,527 626,251 622,261 640,342
$ thousands
Chickens 1,526,484 1,579,768 1,615,208 1,547,270 1,748,663
Agricultural activity is found throughout virtually all of the settled Canadian landscape, from Windsor,
Ontario to Hay River, Northwest Territories and from the Queen Charlotte Islands in British Columbia to
St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador. Despite this wide spread of coverage little more than 7% of
Canada’s land area is used for farming (and almost 40% of the farmland total is found in Saskatchewan).
The Prairie provinces of Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba dominate Canada’s agricultural landscape.
They contain 80% of Canada’s farmland and 50% of the total number of farms. The average Prairie farm
is at least three times larger than that found anywhere else in Canada. Alberta has the most land in
pasture, and the most cattle of any province, while between them Saskatchewan and Manitoba have more
land in crops than the rest of Canada combined.
Agricultural activity is more scattered in other parts of Canada. British Columbia has less than 8% of the
farms and under 4% of the farm land. Over half of British Columbia's farmland is used for pasture.
Ontario and Quebec account for nearly 40% of farms but only 13% of the farmland. Both provinces use
more farmland for crops than pasture. The Atlantic Provinces account for less than 2% of the farmland
and under 4% of the farms.
By sea
Canada is a maritime nation with access to three oceans, the Pacific, the Atlantic and the Arctic,
and to the world’s longest inland waterway open to ocean shipping, the Great Lakes/St.
Lawrence Seaway System. In addition, 300 commercial ports and harbours handle many goods
shipped in and through Canada. The St. Lawrence Seaway, a marine highway as long as the
Atlantic Ocean is wide, handles some 200 million tonnes of cargo each year, with over 100
million tonnes passing through ports along the St. Lawrence River. Vital to Canada’s
international competitiveness, the Seaway provides a direct route to the industrial heart of North
America.
By air
Canada has a highly developed air transportation system that includes 10 major international
airports over 300 smaller airports. Canada’s two main airline carriers, Air Canada and Canadian
Airlines International, have comprehensive domestic and international route networks and
affiliation with smaller regional carriers that link all parts of the country to transcontinental and
international route systems. In addition, both airlines have strategic alliances with the world’s
major carriers allowing easy connection to the rest of the world.
By road
Canada has more than 900,000 kilometres of public roads. The 7,300-kilometre Trans Canada
Highway is the country’s major east-west route, linking all 10 provinces. The road network
includes a large number of crossing points with the US, 18 of which are major trade gateways.In
recent years, the increase in truck traffic generated by the growth in Canada-US trade and just-in-
time manufacturing have placed added demands on the road system and have focused greater
attention on road safety, including the quality of infrastructure. As a result, Canada invests a
large amount of money on road maintenance and upgrades.
By rail
Railways are the backbone of Canada’s transportation system, providing the most economical
method of moving containers and bulk commodities over great distances. Canadian railways
move some 270 million tonnes of freight annually.
Like the air industry, Canada’s rail industry is dominated by two major players: Canadian
National Railways (CN) and Canadian Pacific Railways (CP). CN and CP have strong domestic
networks, significant links into the US, including ownership of several US rail lines, and a
growing number of regional railway affiliates from which to serve North American markets.
They also have easy access to Canada’s major ports and to interior communities, either directly
or indirectly, through truck-rail intermodal service
Superior integration
With a billion dollars in trade crossing the Canada-US border everyday by sea, air, road and rail,
the integration of north-south transportation linkages has always been important to Canadians.
It’s become even more so with the advent of the North American Free Trade Agreement
(NAFTA) and the Open Skies bilateral air agreement, and with their corresponding increases in
cross-border traffic. With the Open Skies agreement, direct flights to the US from the 8 major
canadian airports have increase significantly: Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton, Winnipeg,
Toronto, Ottawa, Montreal (Dorval & Mirabel) and Halifax.
Containerized shipping is not the only transportation industry to benefit from innovation and
advanced technology. Canada is making the most of recent research into intelligent
transportation systems (ITS), which incorporate advanced navigation, route guidance,
communication, sensor and computer technologies. Canada is applying ITS to a broad range of
transportation systems to improve accessibility, sustainability, productivity and safety.
Automatic Vehicle Identification (AVI) technology, which speeds the movement of truck traffic
across borders, is one example of how ITS is being applied.Potentially, this same technology
could also be used to monitor traffic or weight violations.
The Canadian educational system is famous for its high standards. Each province has
its own system which is very much like the state system in Germany. After kindergarten
and elementary school students attend secondary school and then High School.
More than 90% of all students attend the Public High Schools The rest either opt for
private schools or decide on home schooling.
High Schools offer a wide range of educational courses, programs and extra
curricular activities.
All high schools are day schools with an identical structure
Schools in Canada follow the standard educational system set by the provincial
government. The guidelines are determined by the ministry of education in each single
province. These schools can only select school books and teaching material from a set list
approved by the provincial authorities.
After 12 years of successful schooling the students get a graduation certificate. For this,
the students have to pass special graduation programs in the 11th and 12th standards and
pass the examination set by the provincial educational board. This examination is a
prerequisite for further studies in an affiliated college or university in Canada.
Some schools offer Advanced Placement Courses (AP) and International
Baccalaureate Program (IB)
Canada has two official languages: English and French. In Alberta, British Columbia
and Newfoundland English is the language of instruction (except for French). But in
every school French is offered as the first foreign language.
The schools also offer ‘French Immersion’. This means, French could also be chosen as
the language of instruction for some or all the subjects.
A school year starts in September and ends in June of the following year. It is comprised
of two semesters of five months each.
Most of the schools offer classes in a so called ‘Semester-System’. The students take
classes in 8 different subjects in one school year. Each student has to select two main
subjects and two elective subjects per semester. The main subjects comprise English,
Mathematics, natural sciences and social sciences, and the elective could be from a wide
range of other courses. In the afternoon there are various sports and extra curricular
activities .
4. Medical facilities
Canada’s medical care is of a high standard but is government controlled and rationed. The level
of public health and sanitation in Canada is high. Quick and easy access to ongoing medical care
is difficult for temporary visitors who are not members of each province’s government run health
care plans. Many physicians will not take new patients. Access to a specialist is by referral from
a general practitioner only and even with a referral it may take months to obtain an appointment
with a specialist. Emergency room waits are very long. No Canadian health care provider
accepts U.S. domestic health insurance. Visitors who seek any medical attention in Canada
should be prepared to pay in cash in full at the time the service is rendered. Traveler’s medical
insurance is highly recommended even for visits to Canada. Some health care professionals in
the province of Quebec might only speak French.
District of Delta, British Columbia - population: 100,576 - number of police officers: 141
- police to population ratio is 1:713
City of Victoria, British Columbia - population: 93,097 - number of police officers: 211 -
police to population ratio is 1:441 (includes Township of Esquimalt, British Columbia)
City of Port Moody, British Columbia - population: 26,690 - number of police officers:
34 - police to population ratio is 1:785
District of Oak Bay, British Columbia - population: 18,207 - number of police officers:
22 - police to population ratio is 1:828
Canadian Benefits
Old Age Security:If you have lived in Canada for ten years after reaching age 18, you
may qualify for the Old Age Security pension or Allowance.If you have lived in Canada
for at least 20 years after reaching age 18, you may collect the Old Age Security pension
outside Canada.
Canada Pension Plan:If you have contributed to the Canada Pension Plan for a certain
number of years (between 3 and 10, depending on the type of benefit and age of the
contributor), you may qualify for a disability pension, and the members of your family
may qualify for survivor or child benefits.You do not need an agreement to qualify for
the Canada Pension Plan retirement pension. This is because you can receive a monthly
retirement pension at any time after your 60th birthday if you have made at least one
valid contribution to the Plan. The amount of the benefit depends on how long and how
much you have contributed to the Plan.
Minimum Requirements:Perhaps you have not lived and worked in Canada long enough
to qualify for a Canadian pension. If so, Canada counts your pension credits from the
other country to help you qualify for a pension.
Pension Amount:Once you qualify, your pension will be based on your residence or your
contributions in Canada. This applies to both the Old Age Security Program and the
Canada Pension Plan.
PERSONNEL
Total Population: 33,212,696 [2008]
Population Available: 15,885,472 [2008]
Fit for Military Service: 13,064,205 [2008]
Reaching Military Age Annually: 442,991 [2008]
ARMY
NAVY
Merchant Marine Strength: 175 [2008]
AIR FORCE
Serviceable Airports: 1,343 [2007]
FINANCES (USD)
Foreign Exch. & Gold: $41,080,000,000 [2007]
Purchasing Power: $1,271,000,000,000 [2007]
OIL
Oil Production: 3,310,000 bbl/day [2007]
Oil Consumption: 2,290,000 bbl/day [2005]
Proven Oil Reserves: 178,800,000,000 bbl [2006]
LOGISTICAL
Labor Force: 17,950,000 [2007]
Roadways: 1,042,300 km
Railways: 48,068 km
GEOGRAPHICAL
Waterways: 636 km
Coastline: 202,080 km
Square Land Area: 9,984,670 km
Water Pollution - Dredging and Ocean Disposal, Marine Debris, Oil and Chemical Spills,
Shellfish, Water Quality.
Toxic Chemicals - Air and Toxics Issues Section, Newsletter of the Toxic Chemicals Section,
Toxic Chemicals in Atlantic Canada, Ecological Risk Assessment of Textile Mill Effluents,
Pollution Data, Strategic Options for the Management of Toxic Substances - Electric Power
Generation Sector (Fossil Fuel), Toxic Chemicals in Atlantic Canada
Tougher laws are needed to reduce pollution in Canada, as the voluntary approach does not
appear to be working. Three environmental groups say the pollution of Canada's air, water and
land has increased by more than 20% since 1995. Total releases of chemicals of concern
increased by more than 36 million kilograms (kg) from 177,009,091 kg in 1995 to 213,414,272
kg in 2001. This increase was recorded for a group of 163 "core chemicals" that have been
monitored by Environment Canada each year since 1995 through the National Pollutant Release
Inventory.
A new study of consumer habits and how they affect the environment has given Canadians a
dismal ranking of second-last in a list of 14 countries. The study by The National Geographic
Society and polling firm GlobeScan was released Wednesday.Environment Minister John Baird
called the study a "wake-up call," but said Canadians have to use more energy simply because
they live in a colder climate.The top two nations were Brazil and India, while the U.S. was dead
last, just behind Canada.
Here are the results, ranked from best to worst in terms of environmental impact:
• Brazil: 60 points
• India: 60 points
• China: 56.1
• Mexico: 54.3
• Hungary: 53.2
• Russia: 52.4
• United Kingdom: 50.2
• Germany: 50.2
• Australia: 50.2
• Spain: 50.0
• Japan: 49.1
• France: 48.7
• Canada: 48.5
• U.S.: 44.9
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