Happy Canada Day! An Ode To Canada
Full disclosure: I am a dual citizen of both Canada and the United States, which gives me two opportunities to celebrate in the same week, but today, July 1st, make me especially proud to be Canadian.
Some quick history review: Canada Day (French: Fête du Canada) is the national day of Canada. A federal statutory holiday, it celebrates the anniversary of the July 1, 1867, coming into force of the Constitution Act, 1867 (then called the British North America Act, 1867), which united the three separate colonies of Canada, Nova Scotia and New Brunswick into a single Dominion within the British Empire called Canada. Originally called Dominion Day (French: Le Jour de la Confédération), the holiday was renamed in 1982, the year the Canada Act was passed. Canada Day celebrations take place throughout the country, as well as in various locations around the world, attended by Canadians living abroad.
Canada is a beacon of light in the world for democracy, from its “mosaic” approach to multiculturalism, to is universal healthcare, emphasis on education, international friendliness, and most recently, legalizing recreational marijuana. Here are some more fun facts about Canada:
Canada is the second largest country in the world, right after Russia.
Canada is the World’s Most Educated Country: over half its residents have college degrees.
3. Canada has more lakes than the rest of the world’s lakes combined.
4. Canada has the largest coastline in the world.
5. With 1,896 km (1,178 mi), the Yonge Street in Canada, is the longest street in the world.
6. The U.S. / Canada Border is the longest international border in the world and it lacks military defense.
7. Canada has no weapons of mass destruction since 1984 and has signed treaties repudiating their possession.
8. “Canada” is an Iroquoian language word meaning “Village.”
9. Americans have invaded Canada twice, in 1775 and 1812. They lost both times.
10. Canada has the third largest oil reserves of any country in the world after Saudi Arabia and Venezuela.
11. The third country in space, after The U.S. and the USSR, was Canada, which was considered to have the most advanced space program in 1962.
12. Canada has fewer people than Tokyo’s metropolitan area (*population $36.29 million)
13. The North American Beaver is the national animal of Canada.
14. Ontario, Canada, has more than 250,000 lakes. They contain about 1/5 of the world’s fresh water.
15. People from Canada can order a portrait of Queen Elizabeth II and have it shipped to them for free.
16. Canada has a strategic maple syrup reserve to ensure global supply in case of emergency.
17. Canada’s national parks are free for kids.