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P:CA

Tuesday, February 11, 2025

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Introduction

Flag and Arms of Canada

Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, making it the world's second-largest country by total area, with the world's longest coastline. Its border with the United States is the world's longest international land border. The country is characterized by a wide range of both meteorologic and geological regions. With a population of just over 41 million people, it has widely varying population densities, with the majority residing in urban areas and large areas of the country being sparsely populated. Canada's capital is Ottawa and its three largest metropolitan areas are Toronto, Montreal, and Vancouver.

Canada is a parliamentary democracy and a constitutional monarchy in the Westminster tradition. The country's head of government is the prime minister, who holds office by virtue of their ability to command the confidence of the elected House of Commons and is appointed by the governor general, representing the monarch of Canada, the ceremonial head of state. The country is a Commonwealth realm and is officially bilingual (English and French) in the federal jurisdiction. It is very highly ranked in international measurements of government transparency, quality of life, economic competitiveness, innovation, education and human rights. It is one of the world's most ethnically diverse and multicultural nations, the product of large-scale immigration. Canada's long and complex relationship with the United States has had a significant impact on its history, economy, and culture.

A developed country, Canada has a high nominal per capita income globally and its advanced economy ranks among the largest in the world by nominal GDP, relying chiefly upon its abundant natural resources and well-developed international trade networks. Recognized as a middle power, Canada's strong support for multilateralism and internationalism has been closely related to its foreign relations policies of peacekeeping and aid for developing countries. Canada is part of multiple international organizations and forums. (Full article...)

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King's Highway 420, commonly referred to as Highway 420, is a 400-series highway in the Canadian province of Ontario that connects the Queen Elizabeth Way (QEW) with downtown Niagara Falls. It continues east as a limited-access expressway named Niagara Regional Road 420 to connect with the Rainbow Bridge international crossing between Canada and the United States over the Niagara River; this was part of Highway 420 until 1998. West of the QEW, the freeway ends at an at-grade intersection with Montrose Road (Niagara Regional Road 98). The highway has a speed limit of 80 kilometres per hour (50 mph), making it the only 400-series highway to have a speed limit less than 100 kilometres per hour (62 mph) for its entirety. (Full article...)

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Newman at the Canadian media delegation to China in 1974

Sydney Cecil Newman OC (né Nudelman; April 1, 1917 – October 30, 1997) was a Canadian producer and screenwriter who played a pioneering role in British television drama from the late 1950s to the late 1960s. After his return to Canada in 1970, he was appointed acting director of the Broadcast Programs Branch for the Canadian Radio and Television Commission (CRTC) and then head of the National Film Board of Canada (NFB). He also occupied senior positions at the Canadian Film Development Corporation and Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, and acted as an advisor to the Secretary of State. (Full article...)

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See also: historically significant biographies

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Quebec City from Lévis at twilight

Credit: S23678 (Martin St-Amant)

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A serving of poutine from Montreal, Quebec

Poutine (Quebec French: [puˈt͡sɪn] ^ⓘ) is a dish of french fries and cheese curds topped with a brown gravy. It emerged in Quebec in the late 1950s in the Centre-du-Québec region, though its exact origins are uncertain, and there are several competing claims regarding its invention. For many years, it was used by some to mock Quebec society. Poutine later became celebrated as a symbol of Québécois culture and the province of Quebec. It has long been associated with Quebec cuisine, and its rise in prominence has led to its growing popularity throughout the rest of Canada. (Full article...)

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The prime minister of Canada (French: premier ministre du Canada) is the head of government of Canada. Under the Westminster system, the prime minister governs with the confidence of a majority of the elected House of Commons; as such, the prime minister typically sits as a member of Parliament (MP) and leads the largest party or a coalition of parties. As first minister, the prime minister selects ministers to form the Cabinet. (Full article...)

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Double-crested Cormorant - Humber Bay Park, Toronto - 2005
Credit: Mdf

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Current events

February 3, 2025 – Second Trump tariffs: 2025 United States trade war with Canada and Mexico; Canada–United States relations; Ontario Premier Doug Ford announces Ontario will end contracts with the Starlink program unless the United States lifts its tariffs on Canada. (BBC News); Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announces that U.S. tariffs would be delayed by at least 30 days, following a call with United States President Donald Trump. (DW)
February 1, 2025 – Second Trump tariffs: Canada–United States relations, Mexico–United States relations, 2025 United States–Canada–Mexico trade war; United States President Donald Trump signs an executive order imposing a 25% tariff on goods from Canada and Mexico. (NBC News)

Past Canadian events

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... that Canadian football player Nicholas Dheilly tied his team's single-game sack record in his debut?
... that during combat, the Canadian-designed SW1C radar failed to find not only its U-boat target, but also an iceberg near the ship?
... that Canadian brothers Graeme and Jacob Saunders learned to sail at the Chester Yacht Club, and campaigned a two-person dinghy in the 2016 Summer Olympics?
... that Bethune: The Making of a Hero, once Canada's most expensive film, had a documentary about its troubled production shown at the 1988 Toronto International Film Festival instead of itself?
... that ethnic broadcasting pioneer Shushma Datt was the first Canadian woman to obtain a CRTC broadcast licence?
... that the relative rarity of the radiodont Titanokorys (video featured) in Marble Canyon suggests that the deposits in which it was found may represent the outermost edge of its distribution in life?
... that a year after becoming the first woman president of the Canadian Political Science Association, Caroline Andrew moderated the first Canadian leaders' debate on women's issues?

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The Parliament of Canada is the legislative body of the government of Canada. The Parliament is composed of the House of Commons (lower house), the Senate (upper house), and the sovereign, represented by the governor general. Most major legislation originates from the House, as it is the only body that is directly elected. A new parliament begins after an election of the House of Commons and can sit for up to five years. The number of seats in parliament has varied as new provinces joined the country and as population distribution between the provinces changed; there are currently 338 House MPs and 105 Senators (when there are no vacancies). (Full article...)