Portal:Canada

Sunday, July 20, 2025

Introduction

Flag 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 longest international land border. The country is characterized by a wide range of both meteorologic and geological regions. With a population of over 41 million, 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.

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 support for multilateralism and internationalism has been closely related to its foreign relations policies of peacekeeping and aid for developing countries. Canada promotes its domestically shared values through participation in multiple international organizations and forums. (Full article...)

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The history of post-confederation Canada began on July 1, 1867, when the British North American colonies of Canada, New Brunswick, and Nova Scotia were united to form a single Dominion within the British Empire. Upon Confederation, the United Province of Canada was immediately split into the provinces of Ontario and Quebec. The colonies of Prince Edward Island and British Columbia joined shortly after, and Canada acquired the vast expanse of the continent controlled by the Hudson's Bay Company, which was eventually divided into new territories and provinces. Canada evolved into a fully sovereign state by 1982. (Full article...)

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Current events

June 30, 2025 – 2025 United States trade war with Canada and Mexico: National Economic Council director Kevin Hassett announces that the United States will restart trade talks with Canada after they cancel their digital services tax on American technology firms. (CBC)
June 27, 2025 – 2025 United States trade war with Canada and Mexico: U.S. president Donald Trump announces the suspension of the trade talks with Canada, also announcing new tariffs on goods crossing the Canada–United States border. (BBC News)
June 26, 2025 –: The bodies of three missing people are recovered after the June 20 crash of an Airmedic MBB/Kawasaki BK 117 in a lake shortly after takeoff from Havre Saint-Pierre Airport in Quebec, Canada. (CTV News)
June 23, 2025 – Russian invasion of Ukraine: NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte announces that European countries and Canada will send Ukraine a combined aid package of €35 billion (US$40.3 billion). (RBC)
June 20, 2025 –: Four people are missing after a Kawasaki medical helicopter on a rescue operation crashes north of Baie-Johan-Beetz near Natashquan on the Côte-Nord in Quebec, Canada. The pilot is found and taken to hospital. (CBC)
June 19, 2025 –: A rockslide at Bow Glacier Falls near Banff, Alberta, Canada, kills at least two people. Three other hikers sustained injuries. (CFCN-DT)

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Panoramic view of Vancouver

Credit: Mfield (Matthew Field)

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Canada Day is the national day of Canada. A federal statutory holiday, it celebrates the anniversary of Canadian Confederation which occurred on July 1, 1867, when the three separate colonies of the United Canadas (Ontario and Quebec), Nova Scotia, and New Brunswick were united into a single dominion within the British Empire called Canada. (Full article...)

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Religion in Canada encompasses a wide range of beliefs and customs that historically has been dominated by Christianity. The constitution of Canada refers to 'God', however Canada has no official church and the government is officially committed to religious pluralism. Freedom of religion in Canada is a constitutionally protected right, allowing individuals to assemble and worship without limitation or interference. Rates of religious adherence have steadily decreased since the 1960s. After having once been central and integral to Canadian culture and daily life, Canada has become a post-Christian state. Although the majority of Canadians consider religion to be unimportant in their daily lives, they still believe in God. The practice of religion is generally considered a private matter throughout society and the state. (Full article...)

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House built by Mungo Martin in 1953, displaying a heraldic pole
Credit: Ryan Bushby

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Charles Stewart PC (August 26, 1868 – December 6, 1946) was a Canadian politician who served as the third premier of Alberta from 1917 until 1921. Born in Strabane, Ontario, in then Wentworth County (now part of Hamilton), Stewart was a farmer who moved west to Alberta after his farm was destroyed by a storm. There he became active in politics and was elected to the Legislative Assembly of Alberta in the 1909 election. He served as Minister of Public Works and Minister of Municipal Affairs—the first person to hold the latter position in Alberta—in the government of Arthur Sifton. When Sifton left provincial politics in 1917 to join the federal cabinet, Stewart was named his replacement. (Full article...)

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... that the Canadian rock band Rainbow Butt Monkeys changed their name to "Finger Eleven" before releasing their second album Tip?
... that Canadian punk rock musician Talli Osborne had only briefly spoken to the frontman of NOFX before the band wrote a song about her?
... that Banner in the Sky inspired a Canadian dentist to climb the Matterhorn?
... that after years of development, the British thin-wing Javelin interceptor aircraft was cancelled in favour of purchasing the Canadian Avro Arrow?
... that the inaugural Canadian Premier League match led to the suspension of both team captains?
... that the former Essex County Courthouse was designed by an American and built by Canada's future prime minister?
... that Eagle-Dogtooth Provincial Park in Ontario, Canada, contains part of the Experimental Lakes Area, a controlled area for conducting scientific experiments in lakes?

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The Vanier Cup (French: Coupe Vanier) is the trophy awarded annually to the champion Canadian football team in U Sports, the governing body for university sports in Canada. The U Sports football champion is determined in a one-game playoff (the Vanier Cup game), played by the winners of the Uteck Bowl and the Mitchell Bowl. In turn, the participating teams are determined by the winners of four bowl games: the Loney Bowl (AUS), Hardy Cup (Canada West), Dunsmore Cup (RSEQ), and Yates Cup (OUA). The Vanier Cup game is played at a neutral site that changes every year; the hosting university is determined months or years in advance. (Full article...)