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History of Canada
As Canadians, our history plays a large part in who we are. The waves of immigration from other parts of the world happened at different times and under different circumstances, hence Canadians of today can trace their lineage back to other parts of the world. This historical timeline is by no means a complete record of Canadian history, but it includes many of the events, people and places that created the Canada of today.
Canada encompasses an area of almost 4 million square miles (10 million square kilometers). It is the largest country in North America but its entire population of approximately 30 million is equivalent to that of California. Most people reside close to the US border and the vast expanse of remaining land forms one of the most extensive wilderness areas in the world.
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First Nations
Written history of Canada was recorded by early European travelers and settlers to North America, but there also exists a wealth of oral history passed from generation to generation by the first peoples of Canada.
These first people migrated across long stretches of frozen ocean during the last ice age. Once settled, their culture thrived within North America until the arrival of Europeans.
In addition to exploiting the natives labour for commercial gain, the deadlier sin of the Europeans was introducing diseases never before seen in North America. Europeans also saw theirs as the dominant culture, so rather than trying to understand native culture, often imposed their own on the native people. The combination of these and other disruptions were devastating, leading to tremendous social problems within First Nations communities.
Although there still remain unresolved issues resulting from ignorance and misunderstanding, there has also been progress toward reconciliation by the descendants of both groups.
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Land
Canada has a very long and irregular coastline; Hudson Bay and the Gulf of St. Lawrence indent the east coast and the Inside Passage extends along the west coast. During the Ice Age all of Canada was covered by a continental ice sheet that scoured and depressed the land surface, leaving a covering of glacial drift, depositional landforms, and innumerable lakes and rivers.
Canada has a bowl-shaped geologic structure rimmed by highlands, with Hudson Bay at the lowest point. The country has eight major physiographic regions-the Canadian Shield, the Hudson Bay Lowlands, the Western Cordillera, the Interior Lowlands, the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence Lowlands, the Appalachians, the Arctic Lowlands, and the Innuitians.
People
About 28% of the Canadian population are of British descent, while 23% are of French origin. Another 15% are of other European background, about 26% are of mixed background, 6% are of Asian, African, or Arab descent, and some 2% are of aboriginal or Métis (mixed aboriginal and European) background. Over 75% of the total population live in cities. Canada has complete religious liberty, though its growing multiculturalism has at times caused tensions among ethnic and religious groups. About 43% of the people are Roman Catholics, while some 23% are Protestant.
Economy
Tourism and financial services represent some of Canada's most important industries within the service sector. Manufacturing, however, is Canada's single most important economic activity. The leading products are transportation equipment, chemicals, processed and unprocessed minerals, processed foods, wood and paper products, fish, petroleum, natural gas, electrical and electronic products, printed materials, machinery, and clothing.
Industries are centered in Ontario, Quebec, and, to a lesser extent, British Columbia and Alberta. Canada's industries depend on the country's rich energy resources, which include hydroelectric power, petroleum, natural gas, coal, and uranium.
Agriculture employs some 2% of the population and contributes a similar percentage of the GDP. The sources of the greatest farm income are livestock and dairy products. Fishing is an important economic activity in Canada.
Canada is one of the world's leading agricultural exporters, especially of wheat. Manitoba, Saskatchewan, and Alberta are the great grain-growing provinces, and, with Ontario, are also the leading sources of beef cattle. The main fruit-growing regions are found in Ontario, British Columbia, Quebec, and Nova Scotia. Apples and peaches are the principal fruits grown in Canada. More than half of the total land area is forest, and Canadian timber production ranks among the highest in the world.
Machinery and equipment, chemicals, and consumer goods comprise the bulk of imports; crude petroleum and motor vehicles and parts rank high among both the nation's largest imports and exports. Other important exports are industrial machinery, aircraft, telecommunications equipment, chemicals, plastics, fertilizers, forest products, natural gas, hydroelectric power, and aluminum.
Government
Canada is an independent constitutional monarchy and a member of the Commonwealth of Nations. The basic constitutional document is the Canada Act of 1982, which replaced the British North America Act of 1867 and gave Canada the right to amend its own constitution. The Canada Act, passed by Great Britain, made possible the Constitution Act, 1982, which was passed in Canada.
Power on the federal level is exercised by the Canadian Parliament and the cabinet of ministers, headed by the prime minister.
Canada has an independent judiciary; the highest court is the Supreme Court, with nine members. The Parliament has two houses: the Senate and the House of Commons. There are generally 105 senators, apportioned among the provinces and appointed by the governor-general upon the advice of the prime minister. Elections must be held every four years, but the Commons may be dissolved and new elections held earlier if the government loses a confidence vote.
11th-16th Centuries
1000
Around this time, the Norse built the settlement at L'Anse-aux-Meadows (northern tip of Newfoundland).
1497
Giovanni Caboto (John Cabot) claims Cape Breton Island (or Newfoundland) for England.
1534
Jacques Cartier explores Gulf of St. Lawrence.
1541
Cartier and Sieur de Roberval found a settlement on St. Lawrence River, but it fails.
1583
Sir Humphrey Gilbert, brother-in-law of Sir Walter Raleigh, sails for Newfoundland from England.
1588
English fishing fleet delays sailing to Newfoundland to participate in the defeat of Spanish Armada.
1598
The Marquis de la Roche lands 40 convicts on Sable Island.
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Living & Education in Canada
