Canada: We Don't Live in Igloos!Canadians often chuckle at how little Americans know about their country. Are you outraged by the seal hunt in Saskatchewan? Amazed that a hockey puck adorns Canada's flag? Happy that Canadians are finally allowed to have dogs as house pets? If you answered "yes" to any of these questions, be glad that Canadian comedian Rick Mercer Richard Vincent "Rick" Mercer (born October 17, 1969 in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador), is a Canadian comedian, television personality, political satirist and occasionally, a blogger. has not found you. Mercer poses as a reporter in "Talking to Americans Talking To Americans was a regular feature presented by Rick Mercer on the Canadian political satire show This Hour Has 22 Minutes. It was later spun off into a one-hour special that aired on April 1, 2001 on CBC Television. ," a segment of a hit TV show in Canada. He asks passersby in U.S. cities questions about Canada. More often than not, Americans are happy to respond with their answers or opinions. So why do Mercer's interviews get guffaws from his fellow Canadians? His questions are all bogus! A seal hunt in Saskatchewan? Not likely in that land-locked province. (See map, p. 19.) Canadians love to joke about how little Americans know about their country. Like a kid who must put up with a bossy bossy 1. in dog conformation, used to describe overdevelopment of the shoulder muscles. 2. vernacular pet name for a cow. brother, many Canadians enjoy seeing Americans make mistakes, says John Thompson John Thompson is the name of: Academics
Business figuresArea, 52,586 sq mi (136,198 sq km). Pop. . "The U.S. population is nearly 10 times larger than Canada's, and Canadians get a constant flow of American television," he says. "So it makes sense that they know more about the U.S. than Americans know about Canada." But, Thompson adds, "Americans really do need to learn more about their neighbors." Here's your chance to upgrade your knowledge so Canadians can't fool you. Read the following, then test your Canada IQ by answering questions from Canadian kids on p. 18. Varied Landscapes Canada is the second-largest country in the world, after Russia. It stretches from the continental U.S. almost to the North Pole North Pole, northern end of the earth's axis, lat. 90°N. It is distinguished from the north magnetic pole. U.S. explorer Robert E. Peary is traditionally credited as being the first to reach (1909) the North Pole. In 1926, Richard E. . But don't let anyone tell you that some Canadians live in igloos. "We don't!" says Vanessa Stofer, 13, from British Columbia British Columbia, province (2001 pop. 3,907,738), 366,255 sq mi (948,600 sq km), including 6,976 sq mi (18,068 sq km) of water surface, W Canada. Geography .. "It's not an endless field of snow up here." However, 75 percent of Canadians do live within 100 miles of the U.S. border. If you visit Canada, you'll discover a wide range of landscapes. In the east, the Atlantic Ocean Atlantic Ocean [Lat.,=of Atlas], second largest ocean (c.31,800,000 sq mi/82,362,000 sq km; c.36,000,000 sq mi/93,240,000 sq km with marginal seas). Physical Geography Extent and Seas batters the rocky coastlines and fishing villages of the Maritime Provinces Maritime Provinces or Maritimes, Canada, term applied to Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, and Prince Edward Island, which before the formation of the Canadian confederation (1867) were politically distinct from Canada proper. . These include Newfoundland, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, and Prince Edward Island Prince Edward Island, province (2001 pop. 135,294), 2,184 sq mi (5,657 sq km), E Canada, off N.B. and N.S. Geography One of the Maritime Provinces, Prince Edward Island lies in the Gulf of St. . The St. Lawrence River was the first highway into Canada, used by the French fur trappers who settled Quebec. In 1959, the St. Lawrence Seaway Noun 1. St. Lawrence Seaway - a seaway involving the Saint Lawrence River and the Great Lakes that was developed jointly by Canada and the United States; oceangoing ships can travel as far west as Lake Superior Saint Lawrence Seaway opened its canals and locks making it possible for oceangoing o·cean·go·ing adj. Made or used for ocean voyages. Adj. 1. oceangoing - used on the high seas; "seafaring vessels" seafaring, seagoing marine - relating to or characteristic of or occurring on or in the sea vessels to reach the Great Lakes. Four of the five Great Lakes wash onto the southern shores of Ontario, Canada's most populated province. Head further west and you'll find Canada's "breadbasket" -- the provinces of Manitoba, Saskatchewan, and Alberta. The rich soils of these provinces make them one of the great wheat-growing regions in the world. The Rocky Mountains form a natural wall between parts of Alberta and British Columbia. "We're the most beautiful of all the provinces' says Vanessa about B.C. In addition to mountains and forests, its western coast is dotted with islands and lined with inlets. And the sparkling city of Vancouver glitters in the Pacific Ocean's tidewaters. Besides these 10 provinces, Canada has three huge northern territories. The newest is Nunavut, peopled mostly by native Inuit. It became a separate territory just two years ago. A Mosaic of People Canada's 31 million people are even more diverse (varied) than its landscape. Canadians, or their ancestors, immigrated from almost every corner of the world. A third of all Canadians trace their family history to Great Britain, and a quarter to France. But nearly 10 percent track their ancestors to Asia. Only about two percent are indigenous (native) peoples. Most Canadians are proud of how well everyone in this ethnic mosaic (mixed pattern) gets along. Differences between regions and ethnic groups, though, are the source of Canada's most difficult problems. The western provinces, for example, often complain that the national government back east in Ottawa, Ontario, does not pay enough attention to their needs. The province of Quebec, with its large French-speaking population, presents unique problems to national unity. English and French are Canada's official languages and appear on most signs. Canadian school-children are required to study both languages. But many French-Canadians worry that their language and culture will be overwhelmed by English speakers. For decades, Quebec's citizens have debated forming a separate country. In 1995, the province voted by a narrow margin to remain part of Canada. "If Quebec leaves it will cut the country in half," says Vanessa, who is bilingual in English and French. "They've been part of Canada all this time, and I think it should stay that way." Despite these problems, Canada is one of the most livable countries in the world. The U.S. could learn something, says Professor Thompson, from Canada's beautiful and clean cities, public transportation, effective gun control, health care, and diversity. On the flip side Flip side In the context of general equities, opposite side to a proposition or position (buy, if sell is the proposition and vice versa). , says Thompson, Canada could learn from the U.S. how to create more business opportunities and jobs for its people. Like best buddies, Canada and the U.S. enjoy friendly competition. Luckily, it is a strong friendship. The U.S. could not wish for a better neighbor than the one to the north. "And we don't live in igloos!" reminds Vanessa. Fur trappers were the first Europeans to explore much of Canada. Following France's defeat in the French and Indian wars French and Indian Wars, 1689–1763, the name given by American historians to the North American colonial wars between Great Britain and France in the late 17th and the 18th cent. (see play, pp. 20-23), the region was united into a British colony. Canada's independence from Britain became final in 1931. But Queen Elizabeth II fills a symbolic role as Canada's Head of State. FACTS TO KNOW AREA: 3,849,670 square miles, slightly larger than the U.S. POPULATION: 31,000,000. GOVERNMENT: Parliamentary democracy, led by Prime Minister Jean Chretien. OFFICIAL LANGUAGES: English, French. ECONOMY: Canadians enjoy one of the world's highest standards of living. Canada was the first country to sign the North American Free Trade Agreement North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), accord establishing a free-trade zone in North America; it was signed in 1992 by Canada, Mexico, and the United States and took effect on Jan. 1, 1994. (NAFTA NAFTA in full North American Free Trade Agreement Trade pact signed by Canada, the U.S., and Mexico in 1992, which took effect in 1994. Inspired by the success of the European Community in reducing trade barriers among its members, NAFTA created the world's ) with the U.S. and Mexico, and is the largest trading partner of the U.S. Industries: mining, wood and food products, transportation equipment. Minerals: oil, gas, nickel, copper, gold, others. Major crops: grains, fruits, vegetables, and livestock. PER CAPITA [Latin, By the heads or polls.] A term used in the Descent and Distribution of the estate of one who dies without a will. It means to share and share alike according to the number of individuals. GDP GDP (guanosine diphosphate): see guanine. : $24,800. CURRENCY: Canadian dollar, worth about 65 U.S. cents. World: Canada--What You Don't Know Don't know (DK, DKed) "Don't know the trade." A Street expression used whenever one party lacks knowledge of a trade or receives conflicting instructions from the other party. OBJECTIVES Students should understand * American misconceptions of Canada; * the ties of friendship and cooperation between the two countries; * how Canadian teens view Americans. TEACHING STRATEGY Ask students who have been to Canada to share their impressions of the land and people. Discuss the ways Canada and the U.S. are similar and how they are different. SOCIAL STUDIES STANDARDS Grades 5-8: * Canada past and present * connections with the U.S. * teen views THINKING SKILLS MAKING COMPARISONS: Why do Canadians know more about the U.S. than Americans know about Canada? (About three quarters of Canada's 31 million people live within 100 miles of the southern border with the U.S. Canadians are exposed to American radio, TV, books, and advertising. Many Canadians cross the border to work.) MAKING INFERENCES: Why do most people in Canada live within 100 miles of the southern border with the U.S.? (Unlike most of Canada, which is extremely cold, the southern strip has milder weather. U.S. jobs and shopping are accessible. Therefore, that is where most Canadians live and work.) NOTING REACTIONS: Why do some Canadians view Quebec province as a threat to Canada's unity? (One fourth of Canada's population is of French ancestry. Most French Canadians live in Quebec. There have been recent efforts to have Quebec secede and become an independent country. See the map on p. 19 and discuss how Quebec's independence would affect Canada's Atlantic provinces.) TO DISCUSS: Why is Rick Mercer's "Talking to Americans" such a hit in Canada? (It pokes good-natured fun at how little most Americans know about Canada.) ACTIVITY Have students follow news about Canada. Devote a bulletin board to newspaper clips. RESOURCES * Barlas, Robert, and Noonan Tompsett, Canada (Gareth Stevens, 1998). Grades 5-8. * Grabowski, John, Canada (Lucent 1998). Grades 5-8. Video * Canada: Portrait of a Nation Society of Visual Education 6677 W. Northwest Highway Chicago, IL 60631-1304 1-800-829-1900 Web Sites * Canada's School Net www.schoolnet.ca * Toronto Globe and Mail www.globeandmail.ca |
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