Sunday, November 29, 2009

525)SECTION 15: ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS AND PHOTO CREDITS; The Stephen Harper Government's Citizenship Guide; Quotes Of Minister Jason Kenney

Among the tens of thousands of people from six continents who visit my Blog there must be a significant number who may show an interest in becoming Canadian citizens now or in the future. Consequently I am showcasing on my Blog the Stephen Harper Conservative Government's magnificent new Citizenship Guide for prospective Canadian citizens unveiled on November 12th 2009, the day after Rememberance Day. When I read the online version of this booklet I came away feeling a deep sense of awe and admiration for the country I have lived in for the past 36 years, 5 as a landed immigrant and 31 as a citizen. Indeed this booklet should not just be required reading for prospective Canadians but also for established Canadian citizens of all ages. It's always refreshing to remind ourselves about our secular democracy-its evolution, history, system of government, regions, rights and responsibilities, justice system, economy, symbols, achievements and much, much more. The text of the booklet has been carefully researched and well written and the many photographs wisely chosen. While I have reproduced all the text from the Guide in the following Blogposts one cannot fully appreciate the material without also looking at the photographs and their captions. For that reason each Blogpost has two links to the original page on the Citizenship And Immigration Canada(CIC) website, one at the beginning and one at the end of the post.

On another forum I made the following comment to commemorate Rememberance Day on November 11th 2009: Canada is a stable secular democratic state with a solid, longstanding and admirable history. It is not a disparate bunch of autonomous multicultural fiefdoms as some political parties would have you beleive. Canada is the Magna Carta(1215), War of 1812, British North America Act(1867), Boer War(1899-1902), Vimy Ridge, Ypres and Paschendale(1914-1918), Dieppe, Monte Cassino, D-Day, Juno Beach, Belgium and Holland(1939-1945), Korean War(1950-1953), Cold War(1917-1989), Vietnam War(1960's) and Afghanistan(post 2001).


http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/resources/publications/discover/section-15.asp

Study Guide – Discover Canada
The Rights and Responsibilities of Citizenship

SECTION 15: ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS AND PHOTO CREDITS


Government of Canada Departments and Agencies

Canadian Heritage
Canadian Human Rights Commission
Citizenship and Immigration Canada
Office of the Commissioner of Official Languages
Elections Canada
Environment Canada
Indian and Northern Affairs Canada
Industry Canada
Justice Canada
Library and Archives Canada
Library of Parliament
Natural Resources Canada
Parks Canada
Veterans Affairs Canada



Organizations

Canada’s National History Society
Fédération des communautés francophones et acadienne du Canada (FCFA)
Historica — Dominion
Institute for Canadian Citizenship



Individuals

Dr. Janet Ajzenstat
Mr. Curtis Barlow
Dr. Randy Boyagoda
Mr. Marc Chalifoux
General John de Chastelain
The Rt. Hon. Adrienne Clarkson
Mr. Andrew Cohen
Mr. Alex Colville
Ms. Ann Dadson
Dr. Xavier Gélinas
Dr. Jack Granatstein
Mr. Rudyard Griffiths
Dr. Lynda Haverstock
Dr. Peter Henshaw
Dr. D. Michael Jackson
Senator Serge Joyal
Dr. Margaret MacMillan
Dr. Christopher McCreery
Mr. James Marsh
Fr. Jacques Monet, SJ
Dr. Jim Miller
Ms. Deborah Morrison
Dr. Desmond Morton
Mr. Bernard Pothier
Mr. Colin Robertson
Dr. John Ralston Saul



Photo credits

Section 1:
Queen Elizabeth II, Queen of Canada: Canadian Heritage
Taking the oath of citizenship: Citizenship and Immigration Canada

Section 2:
Family: Stock image
Parliament Hill: Canadian Tourism Commission
Boy holding Canadian flags: Stock image

Section 3:
Taking the oath of citizenship: Citizenship and Immigration Canada
Taking the oath of citizenship: Citizenship and Immigration Canada
Taking the oath of citizenship: MaRS Discovery District
Canadian Passport: Passport Canada
Boy at Citizenship Ceremony: Citizenship and Immigration Canada
Citizenship Judge and Mountie: Citizenship and Immigration Canada
Family at Citizenship Ceremony: Citizenship and Immigration Canada

Section 4:
Queen Elizabeth II, Queen of Canada: Library and Archives Canada PA-141503
Woman donating blood: Stock image
Children’s program: Debbie Farnand
Man and woman: Stock image
Canadian Army General and Navy sailor shaking hands: National Defence
Canadian Air Force Pilot: National Defence, Master Corporal John Bradley
Canadian Forces participating in the annual Nijmegen Marches in the Netherlands: Canadian Forces Combat Camera, Master Corporal Robert Bottrill

Section 5:
Métis from Alberta: Fred Carroll
Cree dancer: Fred Cattroll
Inuit children in Iqaluit, Nunavut: Fred Cattroll
Haida artist Bill Reid carves a totem pole: Chris Hopkins
Lord Tweedsmuir, Governor General of Canada (novelist John Buchan), in Native attire: (Year of the Portrait), Yousuf Karsh, Library and Archives Canada
St. Patrick’s Day Parade, Montreal, Quebec: Jimmy James
Highland dancer at Glengarry Highland Games, Maxville, Ontario: Mario Groleau
Celebrating Fête Nationale, Gatineau, Quebec: Patrick Guillot
Acadian fiddler, Village of Grande-Anse, New Brunswick: Canadian Tourism Commission
Celebration of cultures, Edmonton, Alberta: Canadian Tourism Commission
Ismaili Muslims in the Calgary Stampede, Alberta: Ismaili Council
Caribbean cultural festival, Toronto, Ontario: Ontario Tourism
Ukrainian Pysanka Festival, Vegreville, Alberta: Vegreville and District Chamber of Commerce
Young Polish dancers in Oliver, British Columbia: Stock image
Pipes and drums in Ottawa: National Defence – Corporal Bern LeBlanc
Winter fun in Whistler, British Columbia: Canadian Tourism Commission
Kids playing hockey in the street: Paul Chambers
Sailing, Toronto harbour: Canadian Tourism Commission
Cadets white-water rafting: Cadets Canada
Christmas in Gatineau, Quebec: Rob Wiebe
Chinese-Canadian war veterans: Chinese Canadian Military Museum Society
Notre-Dame des Victoires, Quebec City: Stock image
Chinese New Year celebration, Vancouver, British Columbia: Paul Clarke
Olympian Marjorie Turner-Bailey of Nova Scotia: The Black Loyalist Heritage Society

Section 6:
Indian encampment, fur trade era: Library and Archives Canada C-040293
John Cabot: Oil on canvas by Ernest Board, Bristol’s City Museum and Art Gallery
Jacques Cartier: Library and Archives Canada C-011226
Count Frontenac: Library and Archives Canada C-073710
Pierre Le Moyne: Louisiana State Museum
Sir Guy Carleton: Library and Archives Canada C-002833
The first elected Assembly of Lower Canada, in Quebec City: Collection of the National Assembly of Quebec
Lieutenant Colonel John Graves Simcoe, Upper Canada’s first Lieutenant Governor: Library and Archives Canada C-008111
Mary Ann (Shadd) Carey: Library and Archives Canada C-029977
HMS Shannon, a Royal Navy frigate, leads the captured USS Chesapeake into Halifax harbour, 1813: Nova Scotia Archives and Records Management N-2301 & CN-1139
Major General Sir Isaac Brock and Chief Tecumseh: Library and Archives Canada C‑011052
Militiaman, Lower Canada Sedentary Militia, 1813: G.A. Embleton, © Parks Canada
The Fathers of Confederation: House of Commons Collection, Ottawa (Artist – Rex Woods)
Sir Louis-Hippolyte La Fontaine: Library and Archives Canada C-005961
Dominion of Canada one dollar note, 1923: National Currency Collection, Currency Museum, Bank of Canada
Sir John A. Macdonald, the first Prime Minister of the Dominion of Canada: Library and Archives Canada C‑006536
Sir Sam Steele: Library and Archives Canada PA-028147
Gabriel Dumont: Library and Archives Canada PA-117943
Members of the train crew pose with a westbound Pacific Express: Canadian Pacific Archives A17566
Chinese workers’ camp on the CPR, Kamloops, 1886: Library and Archives Canada C-021990
Sergeant, Fort Garry Horse, Canadian Expeditionary Force, 1916: Department of National Defence and Canadian Forces
Lieutenant General Sir Arthur Currie 1919: Sir William Newenham Montague Orpen, CWM19710261-0539. Beaverbrook Collection of War Art © Canadian War Museum
Maple Leaf cap badge from the First World War: Maple Leaf cap badge CWM 19820048-001 © Canadian War Museum
The Vimy Memorial in France: Canadian Forces Combat Camera, Sergeant Jerry Kean
Canadian nurses nicknamed the“Bluebirds” served in the Royal Canadian Army Medical Corps: Richard Mathews
Nursing Sister: Richard Mathews, CWM 19710261-6070, Beaverbrook Collection of War Art © Canadian War Museum
Canadian soldiers observe Remembrance Day: Canadian Forces Combat Camera, Master Corporal Robert Bottrill
Remembrance Day poppy: Stock image
Canadian war veteran: Canadian Forces Combat Camera, Master Corporal Frank Hudec
Scouts with Remembrance Day wreath: Patrick Tam
Phil Edwards: Library and Archives Canada PA-150992
The 1st Battalion, The Regina Rifle Regiment, Assault Landing at Courseulles, France, June 1944: Royal Regina Rifles Trust Fund, Painting by O.N. Fisher, 1950
Give – The Canadian Red Cross, CWM 19720114-023, © Canadian War Museum

Section 7:
Toronto business district: Stock image
Vietnamese-Canadians: Alex Pylyshyn
F-86 Sabre, Royal Canadian Air Force: National Defence
Cirque du Soleil: Photo: OSA Images, Costume: Marie-Chantale Vaillancourt, @ 2007 Cirque du Soleil
The Jack Pine, Tom Thomson: Tom Thomson, Tom Thomson, The Jack Pine, 1916-1917, photo © National Gallery of Canada, National Gallery of Canada, Ottawa
Donovan Bailey: COC/The Canadian Press/Claus Andersen
Chantal Petitclerc: Canadian Paralympic Committee/Benoit Pelosse
Terry Fox: Ed Linkewich
Wayne Gretzky: The Canadian Press, Mike Ridewood
Mark Tewksbury: The Canadian Press, Ted Grant
Canadian Football: The Saskatchewan Roughriders
The Canadarm2: Canadian Space Agency
Sir Frederick Banting: Library and Archives Canada PA-123481

Section 8:
Queen Elizabeth II opening the 23rd Parliament (1957): Photograph by Malak, Ottawa
Parliament Hill: Stock image
Michaëlle Jean, the 27th Governor General since Confederation: Rideau Hall, Sgt Serge Gouin, GG2009-0282-033

Section 9:
House of Commons chamber: Stock image
House of Commons in session: House of Commons
Election photos: Elections Canada
Provincial Assembly of Charlottetown, PEI: Government of Prince Edward Island

Section 10:
Scales of Justice, Vancouver Law Courts: Citizenship and Immigration Canada
Jury benches: Dan Carr
Ottawa police constable helping a young boy at the Aboriginal Day Flotilla: Ottawa Police Service, Constable Steve Lewis, Jacob Brown
Handcuffs: Correctional Services Canada
Border guard with sniffer dog: Canada Border Services Agency

Section 11:
Mace of the House of Commons: Ottawa House of Commons Collection, Ottawa, Goldsmiths & Silversmiths Company (Great Britain)
Canadian Flag of 1965: Stock image
The Royal Arms of Canada: Bank of Canada
Parliament at dusk: Stock image
The Snowbirds: National Defence
Montreal Canadiens Stanley Cup champions, 1978: CHC – Denis Brodeur
RCMP Musical Ride, Ottawa, Ontario: Patrick Guillot
A beaver, Algonquin Park, Ontario: Steve Urszenyi
Oscar Peterson, Norah Willis Michener and Governor General Roland Michener, 1973: John Evans / Library and Archives Canada / e002107535-v6
Alexander Roberts Dunn, V.C: Sharif Tarabay
Able Seaman William Hall, V.C.: Library and Archives Canada NLC-8759
Brig. Paul Triquet, V.C: Mr. Adam Sherriff Scott, CWM 19710261-5841, Beaverbrook Collection of War Art, © Canadian War Museum
Sgt. Filip Konowal, V.C. : Arthur Ambrose McEvoy, CWM 19710261-6070, Beaverbrook Collection of War Art © Canadian War Museum
Honorary Air Marshal William Avery Bishop, VC, DSO and Bar, MC, DFC: Alphonse Jongers, VC, DSO and Bar, MC, DFC CWM 19680068-001, Beaverbrook Collection of War Art, © Canadian War Museum
Robert Hampton Gray, V.C.: Sharif Tarabay

Section 12:
Oil pumpjacks in southern Alberta: Stock image
Atlantic lobster: Stock image
Hydro-electric dam on the Saguenay River, Quebec: Stock image
Lumber truck: Stock image
Toronto’s financial district: Citizenship and Immigration Canada
Car assembly plant in Oakville, Ontario: Ford of Canada
Port of Vancouver: Stock image
Research laboratory: The Canadian Press, Darryl Dyck
RIM’s BlackBerry: Stock image
Ice wine grapes, Niagara Region, Ontario: Stock image

Section 13:
Ottawa’s Rideau Canal: Stock image
Banff National Park: Stock image
Peggy’s Cove Harbour: Stock image
“The Edge” Newfoundland and Labrador: Canadian Tourism Commission
Moose: Ontario Tourism
Point Prim, Prince Edward Island: Canadian Tourism Commission
Anne of Green Gables, Prince Edward Island: Smudge 9000
Destroyer HMCS Athabasca (DD282), in the foreground, and HMCS Toronto (FF333) sail through Halifax Harbour on February 17, 2009, for an annual sailpast: Canadian Forces Combat Camera, Private Martin Roy
Cabot Trail, Nova Scotia: Stock image
Hopewell Rocks, Bay of Fundy, New Brunswick: Canadian Tourism Commission
Whale: Canadian Tourism Commission
Percé Rock: Stock image
Petit Champlain, Quebec City: Stock image
Muskoka Skeleton Lake, Ontario: Ontario Tourism
Toronto Skyline: Stock image
Pisew Falls, Manitoba: Stock image
Golden Boy statue: Government of Manitoba
Wheat fields in Saskatchewan: Stock image
Coronach, Saskatchewan: Canadian Tourism Commission
Alberta rancher: Stock image
Alberta oil pump jack: Stock image
Vancouver skyline: Stock image
Orca: Stock image
Family searching for gold, Dawson City, Yukon: Canadian Tourism Commission
Takhini Hot Springs Road, Yukon: Canadian Tourism Commission
Northern lights, Northwest Territories: Canadian Tourism Commission
Polar bear: Stock image
Pangnirtung, Nunavut: Lindsay Terry
Inukshuk, Nunavut: Stock image
The Canadian Rangers: National Defence
An Inuit boy in Sanikiluaq, Nunavut: Clarkework Orange Photography
The caribou (reindeer): Stock image



http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/resources/publications/discover/section-15.asp


Quotes Of Canadian Minister Of Citizenship, Immigration And Multiculturalism Hon. Jason Kenney(2009):

1)When you become a citizen, you're not just getting a travel document into Hotel Canada.
2)I think it's scandalous that someone could become a Canadian not knowing what the poppy represents, or never having heard of Vimy Ridge, Passchendaele, Dieppe or Juno Beach.
3)We mention freedom of conscience and freedom of religion as important rights but we also make it very clear that our laws prohibit barbaric cultural practices, they will not be tolerated, whether or not someone claims that such practices are protected by reference to religion.
4)I think we need to reclaim a deeper sense of citizenship, a sense of shared obligations to one another, to our past, as well as to the future, a kind of civic nationalism where people understand the institutions, values and symbols that are rooted in our history.


Easy Nash

524)SECTION 14: FOR MORE INFORMATION; The Stephen Harper Government's Citizenship Guide; Quotes Of Minister Jason Kenney

Among the tens of thousands of people from six continents who visit my Blog there must be a significant number who may show an interest in becoming Canadian citizens now or in the future. Consequently I am showcasing on my Blog the Stephen Harper Conservative Government's magnificent new Citizenship Guide for prospective Canadian citizens unveiled on November 12th 2009, the day after Rememberance Day. When I read the online version of this booklet I came away feeling a deep sense of awe and admiration for the country I have lived in for the past 36 years, 5 as a landed immigrant and 31 as a citizen. Indeed this booklet should not just be required reading for prospective Canadians but also for established Canadian citizens of all ages. It's always refreshing to remind ourselves about our secular democracy-its evolution, history, system of government, regions, rights and responsibilities, justice system, economy, symbols, achievements and much, much more. The text of the booklet has been carefully researched and well written and the many photographs wisely chosen. While I have reproduced all the text from the Guide in the following Blogposts one cannot fully appreciate the material without also looking at the photographs and their captions. For that reason each Blogpost has two links to the original page on the Citizenship And Immigration Canada(CIC) website, one at the beginning and one at the end of the post.

On another forum I made the following comment to commemorate Rememberance Day on November 11th 2009: Canada is a stable secular democratic state with a solid, longstanding and admirable history. It is not a disparate bunch of autonomous multicultural fiefdoms as some political parties would have you beleive. Canada is the Magna Carta(1215), War of 1812, British North America Act(1867), Boer War(1899-1902), Vimy Ridge, Ypres and Paschendale(1914-1918), Dieppe, Monte Cassino, D-Day, Juno Beach, Belgium and Holland(1939-1945), Korean War(1950-1953), Cold War(1917-1989), Vietnam War(1960's) and Afghanistan(post 2001).


http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/resources/publications/discover/section-14.asp

Study Guide – Discover
CanadaThe Rights and Responsibilities of Citizenship

SECTION 14: FOR MORE INFORMATION


Canadian citizenship

Obtain citizenship application information and take advantage of the many resources that are available.

By telephone
Call Centre NumberFor all areas within Canada, call 1 888 242-2100 (toll-free).

Online
Visit the Citizenship and Immigration website at www.cic.gc.ca. Discover Canada can be downloaded from this website.

Citizenship classes
Contact schools and colleges in your area
Go to your local library or community centre
Contact local settlement agencies or ethnocultural associations


Canada

Ask a librarian to help you find books and videos about Canada. You could begin by asking for these books:
The Canada Yearbook (published by Statistics Canada)

Canada: A Portrait (published by Statistics Canada)

How Canadians Govern Themselves (written by Eugene Forsey. It can be found online at the Library of Parliament at http://www.parl.gc.ca/)

The Canadian Encyclopedia (including The Youth Encyclopedia of Canada) http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.com/

The Story of Canada (written by Janet Lunn and Christopher Moore, published by Lester Publishing Ltd.)

Symbols of Canada (published by Canadian Heritage)

A Crown of Maples (published by Canadian Heritage)

Canada: A People’s History (Canadian Broadcasting Corporation)

The Beaver: Canada’s History Magazine

Kayak: Canada’s History Magazine for Kids (Published by Canada’s National History Society)




Federal programs and services

You can obtain information about Canada by telephone or on the Internet:

Telephone:
1 800 0-Canada
1 800 622-6232 (toll-free)
1 800 465-7735 — TTY (toll-free)

Internet:
The Government of Canada website contains information about many government programs and services. It can be found at http://www.canada.gc.ca/.



Other websites of interest that provide information on topics found in this guide:



About Canada

The Crown and the Governor General
http://www.gg.ca/

Canadian Heritage
http://www.pch.gc.ca/

Atlas of Canada
http://atlas.nrcan.gc.ca/site/index.html

Parks Canada
http://www.parkscanada.gc.ca/

Institute for Canadian Citizenship
http://www.icc-icc.ca/

Historica — Dominion
http://www.historica-dominion.ca/



Canadian History

Canadian Confederation
www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/confederation/index-e.html

Confederation for Kids
www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/confederation/kids/index-e.html



Military History and Remembrance

A Day of Remembrance
www.vac-acc.gc.ca/remembers/sub.cfm?source=history/other/remember

Heroes and Poppies –An Introduction to RemembranceAvailable in hard copy version only. Order at:
https://crorders-commandescss.vac-acc.gc.ca/order.php?m=item_list&c=EducationKits



Heroes and Poppies —An Introduction to Remembrance

Available in hard copy version only. Order at:
https://crorders-commandescss.vac-acc.gc.ca/order.php?m=item_list&c=EducationKits

Canada Remembers
www.vac-acc.gc.ca/remembers/sub.cfm?source=history/infosheets

Historical booklets
www.vac-acc.gc.ca/remembers/sub.cfm?source=history/series

Canada Remembers
www.vac-acc.gc.ca/remembers/sub.cfm?source=history/infosheets

Historical booklets
www.vac-acc.gc.ca/remembers/sub.cfm?source=history/series



Government

Parliament of Canada
http://www.parl.gc.ca/

I Can Vote!
http://www.elections.ca/content_youth.asp?section=yth&dir=res/gen/

Canada’s System of Justice
www.justice.gc.ca/eng/dept-min/pub/just/



Geography

Geography Quizzes
http://atlas.nrcan.gc.ca/site/english/learningresources/quizzes/index.html



For a “Greener” Canada

Sustainable Development
www.pc.gc.ca/docs/pc/strat/sdd-sds-2007/index_e.asp

Being Energy Efficient
www.nrcan.gc.ca/eneene/effeff/index-eng.php



Getting Involved

Volunteer Canada
volunteer.ca/

Volunteer opportunities related to the environment
www.ec.gc.ca/education/default.asp?lang=En&n=AE4E595B-1



Travel in Canada

Newfoundland and Labrador
http://www.newfoundlandlabrador.com/

Prince Edward Island
http://www.gentleisland.com/

Nova Scotia
http://www.novascotia.com/

New Brunswick
http://www.tourismnewbrunswick.ca/

Quebec
http://www.bonjourquebec.com/

Ontario
http://www.ontariotravel.net/

Manitoba
http://www.travelmanitoba.com/

Saskatchewan
http://www.sasktourism.com/

Alberta
http://www.travelalberta.com/

British Columbia
http://www.hellobc.com/

Nunavut
http://www.nunavuttourism.com/

Northwest Territories
http://www.spectacularnwt.com/

Yukon Territory
http://www.travelyukon.com/




http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/resources/publications/discover/section-14.asp


Quotes Of Canadian Minister Of Citizenship, Immigration And Multiculturalism Hon. Jason Kenney(2009):

1)When you become a citizen, you're not just getting a travel document into Hotel Canada.
2)I think it's scandalous that someone could become a Canadian not knowing what the poppy represents, or never having heard of Vimy Ridge, Passchendaele, Dieppe or Juno Beach.
3)We mention freedom of conscience and freedom of religion as important rights but we also make it very clear that our laws prohibit barbaric cultural practices, they will not be tolerated, whether or not someone claims that such practices are protected by reference to religion.
4)I think we need to reclaim a deeper sense of citizenship, a sense of shared obligations to one another, to our past, as well as to the future, a kind of civic nationalism where people understand the institutions, values and symbols that are rooted in our history.


Easy Nash

523)SECTION 13: CANADA'S REGIONS; The Stephen Harper Government's Citizenship Guide; Quotes Of Minister Jason Kenney

Among the tens of thousands of people from six continents who visit my Blog there must be a significant number who may show an interest in becoming Canadian citizens now or in the future. Consequently I am showcasing on my Blog the Stephen Harper Conservative Government's magnificent new Citizenship Guide for prospective Canadian citizens unveiled on November 12th 2009, the day after Rememberance Day. When I read the online version of this booklet I came away feeling a deep sense of awe and admiration for the country I have lived in for the past 36 years, 5 as a landed immigrant and 31 as a citizen. Indeed this booklet should not just be required reading for prospective Canadians but also for established Canadian citizens of all ages. It's always refreshing to remind ourselves about our secular democracy-its evolution, history, system of government, regions, rights and responsibilities, justice system, economy, symbols, achievements and much, much more. The text of the booklet has been carefully researched and well written and the many photographs wisely chosen. While I have reproduced all the text from the Guide in the following Blogposts one cannot fully appreciate the material without also looking at the photographs and their captions. For that reason each Blogpost has two links to the original page on the Citizenship And Immigration Canada(CIC) website, one at the beginning and one at the end of the post.

On another forum I made the following comment to commemorate Rememberance Day on November 11th 2009: Canada is a stable secular democratic state with a solid, longstanding and admirable history. It is not a disparate bunch of autonomous multicultural fiefdoms as some political parties would have you beleive. Canada is the Magna Carta(1215), War of 1812, British North America Act(1867), Boer War(1899-1902), Vimy Ridge, Ypres and Paschendale(1914-1918), Dieppe, Monte Cassino, D-Day, Juno Beach, Belgium and Holland(1939-1945), Korean War(1950-1953), Cold War(1917-1989), Vietnam War(1960's) and Afghanistan(post 2001).


http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/resources/publications/discover/section-13.asp

Study Guide – Discover Canada
The Rights and Responsibilities of Citizenship

SECTION 13: CANADA'S REGIONS

Canada is the second largest country on earth—10 million square kilometres. Three oceans line Canada’s frontiers—the Pacific Ocean in the west, the Atlantic Ocean in the east, and the Arctic Ocean to the north. Along the southern edge of Canada lies the Canada-United States boundary. Both Canada and the USA are committed to a safe, secure and efficient frontier.

(Pictures)
Ottawa’s Rideau Canal, once a military waterway, is now a tourist attraction and winter skateway
Banff National Park, Alberta



The Regions of Canada

Canada includes many different geographical areas and five distinct regions:

The Atlantic Provinces
Ontario and Quebec
The Prairie Provinces
The West Coast
The Northern Territories



The National Capital

Ottawa, located on the Ottawa River, was chosen as the capital in 1857 by Queen Victoria, the great-great- grandmother of Queen Elizabeth II. Today it is Canada’s fourth largest metropolitan area. The National Capital Region, 4,700 square kilometres surrounding Ottawa, preserves and enhances the area’s built heritage and natural environment.



Provinces and Territories

Canada has 10 provinces and three territories. Each province and territory has its own capital city. You should know the capital of your province or territory as well as that of Canada.



Population

Canada has a population of about 33 million. While the majority live in cities, Canadians also live in small towns, rural areas and everywhere in between.

(Picture): Peggy’s Cove harbour, Nova Scotia




Region:
Atlantic region

Province/Territory:
Newfoundland and Labrador
Prince Edward Island
Nova Scotia
New Brunswick

Capital City:
St. John’s
Charlottetown
Halifax
Fredericton




Region:
Central Canada

Province/Territory
Quebec
Ontario

Capital City:
Quebec City
Toronto



Region:
Prairie Provinces

Province/Territoy
Manitoba
Saskatchewan
Alberta

Capital City:
Winnipeg
Regina
Edmonton



Region:
West Coast

Province/Territory:
British Columbia

Capital City:
Victoria



Region:
North

Province/Territory:
Nunavut
Northwest Territories
Yukon Territory

Capital City:
Iqaluit
Yellowknife
Whitehorse



The Atlantic provinces

Atlantic Canada’s coasts and natural resources, including fishing, farming, forestry, and mining, have made these provinces an important part of Canada’s history and development.


Newfoundland and Labrador

Newfoundland and Labrador is the most easterly point in North America and has its own time zone. In addition to its natural beauty, the province has a unique heritage linked to the sea. The oldest colony of the British Empire and a strategic prize in Canada’s early history, the province has long been known for its fisheries, coastal fishing villages, and distinct culture. Today off-shore oil and gas extraction contributes a substantial part of the economy. Labrador also has immense hydro-electric resources.



Prince Edward Island

Prince Edward Island (P.E.I.) is the smallest province, known for its beaches, red soil, and agriculture, especially potatoes. P.E.I. is the birthplace of Confederation, connected to mainland Canada by one of the longest continuous multi-span bridges in the world, the 13-kilometre Confederation Bridge. Anne of Green Gables, set in P.E.I. by Lucy Maud Montgomery, is a much-loved story about the adventures of a little red-headed orphan girl.



Nova Scotia

Nova Scotia is the most populous Atlantic Province, with a rich history as the gateway to Canada. Known for the world’s highest tides in the Bay of Fundy, the province’s identity is linked to shipbuilding, fisheries and shipping. As Canada’s largest east coast port, deep-water and ice-free, the capital, Halifax, has played an important role in Atlantic trade and defence and is home to Canada’s largest naval base. Nova Scotia has a long history of coal mining, forestry, and agriculture. Today there is also off-shore oil and gas exploration. The province’s Celtic and Gaelic traditions sustain a vibrant culture. Nova Scotia is home to over 700 annual festivals, including the spectacular military tattoo in Halifax.



New Brunswick

Situated in the Appalachian Range, the province was founded by the United Empire Loyalists and has the second largest river system on North America’s Atlantic coastline, the St. John River system. Forestry, agriculture, fisheries, mining, food processing and tourism are the principal industries. Saint John is the largest city, port and manufacturing centre; Moncton is the principal Francophone Acadian centre; and Fredericton the historic capital. New Brunswick is the only officially bilingual province, and about one-third of the population lives and works in French. The province’s pioneer Loyalist and French cultural heritage and history come alive in street festivals and traditional music.



Ontario and Quebec

More than half the people in Canada live in cities and towns near the Great Lakes and the St. Lawrence River in southern Quebec and Ontario, known as Central Canada and the industrial and manufacturing heartland. Together, Ontario and Quebec produce more than three-quarters of all Canadian manufactured goods.



Quebec

Nearly eight million people live in Quebec, the vast majority along or near the St. Lawrence River. More than three-quarters speak French as their first language. The resources of the Canadian Shield have helped Quebec to develop important industries, including forestry, energy, and mining. Quebec is Canada’s main producer of pulp and paper. The province’s huge supply of fresh water has made it Canada’s largest producer of hydroelectricity. Quebecers are leaders in cutting-edge industries such as pharmaceuticals and aeronautics. Quebec films, music, literary works, and food have international stature, especially in La Francophonie, an association of French-speaking nations. Montreal, Canada’s second largest city and the second largest mainly French-speaking city in the world after Paris, is famous for its cultural diversity.



Ontario

At more than 12 million, the people of Ontario make up one-third of Canadians. The large and culturally diverse population, natural resources, and strategic location contribute to a vital economy. Toronto is the largest city in Canada and the country’s main financial centre. Many people work in the service or manufacturing industries, which produce a large percentage of Canada’s exports. The Niagara region is known for its vineyards, wines, and fruit crops. Ontario farmers raise dairy and beef cattle, poultry, and vegetable and grain crops. Founded by United Empire Loyalists, Ontario also has the largest French-speaking population outside of Quebec, with a proud history of preserving their language and culture. There are five Great Lakes located between Ontario and the United States: Lake Ontario, Lake Erie, Lake Huron, Lake Michigan (in the USA) and Lake Superior, the largest freshwater lake in the world.



The Prairie Provinces

Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Alberta are the Prairie Provinces, rich in energy resources and some of the most fertile farmland in the world.



Manitoba

Manitoba’s economy is based on agriculture, mining and hydro-electric power generation. The province’s most populous city is Winnipeg, whose Exchange District includes the most famous street intersection in Canada, Portage and Main. Winnipeg’s French Quarter, St. Boniface, has Western Canada’s largest Francophone community at 45,000. Manitoba is also an important centre of Ukrainian culture, with 14% reporting Ukrainian origins , and the largest Aboriginal population of any province, at over 15%.



Saskatchewan

Saskatchewan, once known as the “breadbasket of the world” and the “wheat province,” has 40% of the arable land in Canada and is the country’s largest producer of grains and oilseeds. It also boasts the world’s richest deposits of uranium and potash, used in fertilizer, and produces oil and natural gas. Regina, the capital, is home to the training academy of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. Saskatoon, the largest city, is headquarters of the mining industry and an important educational, research and technology centre.



Alberta

Alberta is the most populous Prairie province. The province, and the world-famous Lake Louise in the Rocky Mountains, were both named after Princess Louise Caroline Alberta, fourth daughter of Queen Victoria. Alberta has five national parks, including Banff National Park, established in 1885. The rugged Badlands house some of the world’s richest deposits of prehistoric fossils and dinosaur finds. Alberta is the largest producer of oil and gas, and the oil sands in the north are being developed as a major energy source. Alberta is also renowned for agriculture, especially for the vast cattle ranches that make Canada one of the world’s major beef producers.



The West Coast

British Columbia is known for its majestic mountains and as Canada’s Pacific gateway. The Port of Vancouver, Canada’s largest and busiest, handles billions of dollars in goods traded around the world.


British Columbia

British Columbia, on the Pacific coast, is Canada’s westernmost province, with a population of 4 million. The Port of Vancouver is our gateway to the Asia-Pacific. About one-half of all the goods produced in B.C. are forestry products, including lumber, newsprint, and pulp and paper products — the most valuable forestry industry in Canada. B.C. is also known for mining, fishing, and the fruit orchards and wine industry of the Okanagan Valley. B.C. has the most extensive parks system in Canada, with approximately 600 provincial parks. The province’s large Asian communities have made Chinese and Punjabi the most spoken languages in the cities after English. The capital, Victoria, is a tourist centre and headquarters of the navy’s Pacific fleet.



The Northern Territories

The Northwest Territories, Nunavut, and Yukon contain one-third of Canada’s land mass but have a population of only 100,000. There are gold, lead, copper, diamond and zinc mines. Oil and gas deposits are being developed. The North is sometimes called the “Land of the Midnight Sun,” because at the height of summer, daylight can last up to 24 hours. In winter, the sun disappears, and darkness sets in for three months. Much of the North is made up of tundra, the vast rocky Arctic plain. Because of the cold Arctic climate, there are no trees on the tundra and the soil is permanently frozen. Some continue to earn a living by hunting, fishing, and trapping. Inuit art is sold throughout Canada and around the world.



Yukon

Thousands of miners came to the Yukon during the Gold Rush of the 1890s, celebrated in the poetry of Robert W. Service. Mining remains a significant part of the economy. The White Pass and Yukon Railway, opened from Skagway in neighbouring Alaska to the territorial capital, Whitehorse, in 1900, provides a spectacular tourist excursion across precipitous passes and bridges. Yukon holds the record for the coldest temperature ever recorded in Canada (-63°C).



Northwest Territories

The Northwest Territories (NWT) were originally made up in 1870 from Rupert’s Land and the North-Western Territory. The capital, Yellowknife (population 20,000), is called the “diamond capital of North America.” More than half the population is Aboriginal (Dene, Inuit and Métis). The Mackenzie River, at 4,200 kilometres, is the second-longest river system in North America after the Mississippi and drains an area of 1.8 million square kilometres.



Nunavut

Nunavut, meaning “our land” in Inuktitut, was established in 1999 from the eastern part of the Northwest Territories, including all of the former District of Keewatin. The capital is Iqaluit, formerly Frobisher Bay, named after the English explorer Martin Frobisher, who penetrated the uncharted Arctic for Queen Elizabeth I in 1576. The 19-member Legislative Assembly chooses a premier and ministers by consensus. The population is about 85% Inuit, and Inuktitut is an official language and the first language in schools.



The Canadian Rangers

Canada’s vast north brings security and sovereignty challenges. Dealing with harsh weather conditions in an isolated region, the Canadian Rangers, part of the Canadian Forces Reserves (militia), play a key role. Drawing on indigenous knowledge and experience, the Rangers travel by snowmobile in the winter and allterrain vehicles in the summer from Resolute to the Magnetic North Pole, and keep the flag flying in Canada’s Arctic.

(Pictures)
From left to right:
An Inuit boy in Sanikiluaq, Nunavut, uses a pellet gun to hunt for birds
The caribou (reindeer) is popular game for hunters and a symbol of Canada’s North


http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/resources/publications/discover/section-13.asp


Quotes Of Canadian Minister Of Citizenship, Immigration And Multiculturalism Hon. Jason Kenney(2009):

1)When you become a citizen, you're not just getting a travel document into Hotel Canada.
2)I think it's scandalous that someone could become a Canadian not knowing what the poppy represents, or never having heard of Vimy Ridge, Passchendaele, Dieppe or Juno Beach.
3)We mention freedom of conscience and freedom of religion as important rights but we also make it very clear that our laws prohibit barbaric cultural practices, they will not be tolerated, whether or not someone claims that such practices are protected by reference to religion.
4)I think we need to reclaim a deeper sense of citizenship, a sense of shared obligations to one another, to our past, as well as to the future, a kind of civic nationalism where people understand the institutions, values and symbols that are rooted in our history.


Easy Nash

522)SECTION 12: CANADA'S ECONOMY; The Stephen Harper Government's Citizenship Guide; Quotes Of Minister Jason Kenney

Among the tens of thousands of people from six continents who visit my Blog there must be a significant number who may show an interest in becoming Canadian citizens now or in the future. Consequently I am showcasing on my Blog the Stephen Harper Conservative Government's magnificent new Citizenship Guide for prospective Canadian citizens unveiled on November 12th 2009, the day after Rememberance Day. When I read the online version of this booklet I came away feeling a deep sense of awe and admiration for the country I have lived in for the past 36 years, 5 as a landed immigrant and 31 as a citizen. Indeed this booklet should not just be required reading for prospective Canadians but also for established Canadian citizens of all ages. It's always refreshing to remind ourselves about our secular democracy-its evolution, history, system of government, regions, rights and responsibilities, justice system, economy, symbols, achievements and much, much more. The text of the booklet has been carefully researched and well written and the many photographs wisely chosen. While I have reproduced all the text from the Guide in the following Blogposts one cannot fully appreciate the material without also looking at the photographs and their captions. For that reason each Blogpost has two links to the original page on the Citizenship And Immigration Canada(CIC) website, one at the beginning and one at the end of the post.

On another forum I made the following comment to commemorate Rememberance Day on November 11th 2009: Canada is a stable secular democratic state with a solid, longstanding and admirable history. It is not a disparate bunch of autonomous multicultural fiefdoms as some political parties would have you beleive. Canada is the Magna Carta(1215), War of 1812, British North America Act(1867), Boer War(1899-1902), Vimy Ridge, Ypres and Paschendale(1914-1918), Dieppe, Monte Cassino, D-Day, Juno Beach, Belgium and Holland(1939-1945), Korean War(1950-1953), Cold War(1917-1989), Vietnam War(1960's) and Afghanistan(post 2001).

http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/resources/publications/discover/section-12.asp

Study Guide – Discover Canada
The Rights and Responsibilities of Citizenship

SECTION 12: CANADA'S ECONOMY

A trading nation

Canada has always been a trading nation and commerce remains the engine of economic growth. As Canadians, we could not maintain our standard of living without engaging in trade with other nations.

In 1988, Canada enacted free trade with the United States. Mexico became a partner in 1994 in the broader North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), with 360 million people and nearly $500 billion in yearly trade and investment.

Today, Canada has one of the ten largest economies in the world and is part of the G8 group of leading industrialized countries with the United States, Germany, the United Kingdom, Italy, France, Japan and Russia.

(Pictures)
From left to right:
Oil pumpjacks in southern Alberta,
Atlantic lobster
Hydro-electric dam on the Saguenay River, Quebec



Canada’s economy includes three main types of industries:

(Picture): Lumber truck

Service industries provide thousands of different jobs in areas like transportation, education, health care, construction, banking, communications, retail services, tourism and government. More than 75 % of working Canadians now have jobs in service industries.

Manufacturing industries make products to sell in Canada and around the world. Manufactured products include paper, high technology equipment, aerospace technology, automobiles, machinery, food, clothing and many other goods. Our largest international trading partner is the United States.

Natural resource industries include forestry, fishing, agriculture, mining and energy. These industries have played an important part in the country’s history and development. Today, the economy of many areas of the country still depends on developing natural resources, and a large percentage of Canada’s exports are natural resource commodities.

(Pictures)
From Left to Right:
Car assembly plant in Oakville, Ontario
Port of Vancouver

Canada enjoys close relations with the United States and each is the other’s largest trading partner. Over three-quarters of Canadian exports are destined for the U.S.A. In fact we have the biggest bilateral trading relationship in the world. Integrated Canada-U.S. supply chains compete with the rest of the world. Canada exports billions of dollars worth of energy products, industrial goods, machinery, equipment, automotive, agriculture, fishing and forestry products, and consumer goods every year. Millions of Canadians and Americans cross every year and in safety what is traditionally known as “the world’s longest undefended border.”

(Pictures)
From Left to Right:
Research laboratory,
RIM’s BlackBerry
Ice wine grapes, Niagara Region, Ontario


(Picture): The Peace ArchBlaine, Washington

At Blaine in the State of Washington, the Peace Arch, inscribed with the words “children of a common mother” and “brethren dwelling together in unity,” symbolizes our close ties and common interests.


http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/resources/publications/discover/section-12.asp


Quotes Of Canadian Minister Of Citizenship, Immigration And Multiculturalism Hon. Jason Kenney(2009):

1)When you become a citizen, you're not just getting a travel document into Hotel Canada.
2)I think it's scandalous that someone could become a Canadian not knowing what the poppy represents, or never having heard of Vimy Ridge, Passchendaele, Dieppe or Juno Beach.
3)We mention freedom of conscience and freedom of religion as important rights but we also make it very clear that our laws prohibit barbaric cultural practices, they will not be tolerated, whether or not someone claims that such practices are protected by reference to religion.
4)I think we need to reclaim a deeper sense of citizenship, a sense of shared obligations to one another, to our past, as well as to the future, a kind of civic nationalism where people understand the institutions, values and symbols that are rooted in our history.


Easy Nash

522)SECTION 11: CANADIAN SYMBOLS; The Stephen Harper Government's Citizenship Guide; Quotes Of Minister Jason Kenney

Among the tens of thousands of people from six continents who visit my Blog there must be a significant number who may show an interest in becoming Canadian citizens now or in the future. Consequently I am showcasing on my Blog the Stephen Harper Conservative Government's magnificent new Citizenship Guide for prospective Canadian citizens unveiled on November 12th 2009, the day after Rememberance Day. When I read the online version of this booklet I came away feeling a deep sense of awe and admiration for the country I have lived in for the past 36 years, 5 as a landed immigrant and 31 as a citizen. Indeed this booklet should not just be required reading for prospective Canadians but also for established Canadian citizens of all ages. It's always refreshing to remind ourselves about our secular democracy-its evolution, history, system of government, regions, rights and responsibilities, justice system, economy, symbols, achievements and much, much more. The text of the booklet has been carefully researched and well written and the many photographs wisely chosen. While I have reproduced all the text from the Guide in the following Blogposts one cannot fully appreciate the material without also looking at the photographs and their captions. For that reason each Blogpost has two links to the original page on the Citizenship And Immigration Canada(CIC) website, one at the beginning and one at the end of the post.

On another forum I made the following comment to commemorate Rememberance Day on November 11th 2009: Canada is a stable secular democratic state with a solid, longstanding and admirable history. It is not a disparate bunch of autonomous multicultural fiefdoms as some political parties would have you beleive. Canada is the Magna Carta(1215), War of 1812, British North America Act(1867), Boer War(1899-1902), Vimy Ridge, Ypres and Paschendale(1914-1918), Dieppe, Monte Cassino, D-Day, Juno Beach, Belgium and Holland(1939-1945), Korean War(1950-1953), Cold War(1917-1989), Vietnam War(1960's) and Afghanistan(post 2001).


http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/resources/publications/discover/section-11.asp

Study Guide – Discover Canada
The Rights and Responsibilities of Citizenship

SECTION 11: CANADIAN SYMBOLS

Canada has many important symbols — objects, events, and people that have special meaning. Together they help explain what it means to be Canadian and express our national identity. Important Canadian symbols appear throughout this booklet.

(Pictures)
From left to right:
Mace of the House of Commons, OttawaCanadian Flag of 1965
The Royal Arms of Canada
Parliament at dusk


The Canadian Crown

The Crown has been a symbol of the state in Canada for 400 years. Canada has been a constitutional monarchy in its own right since Confederation in 1867 during Queen Victoria’s reign. Queen Elizabeth II has been Queen of Canada since 1952, marked her Golden Jubilee in 2002, and celebrates her Diamond Jubilee (60 years as Sovereign) in 2012. The Crown is a symbol of government including Parliament, the legislatures, courts, police services, and the armed forces.

(Picture): The Snowbirds(431 Air Demonstration Squadron) are a Canadian icon



The National Flag

The National Flag was first raised on February 15, 1965. The red-white-red pattern comes from the flag of the Royal Military College, Kingston, founded in 1876. National Flag of Canada Day is February 15. The provinces and territories also have flags that embody their distinct traditions.



The maple leaf

The maple leaf is Canada’s most known and respected symbol. Maple leaves were adopted as a symbol by French-Canadians in the 1700s, have appeared on Canadian uniforms and insignia since the 1850s, and are carved into the headstones of our fallen soldiers buried overseas and in Canada.



Coat of arms and motto

As an expression of national pride after the First World War, Canada adopted an official coat of arms and a national motto, A Mari Usque Ad Mare, which in Latin means “from sea to sea.” The arms contain symbols of England, France, Scotland, and Ireland as well as red maple leaves. Today the arms can be seen on dollar bills, government documents, and public buildings.



Parliament buildings

The towers, arches, sculptures, and stained glass of the Parliament Buildings embody the French, English, and Aboriginal traditions and the Gothic Revival architecture popular in the time of Queen Victoria. The buildings were completed in the 1860s. The Centre Block was destroyed by an accidental fire in 1916 and rebuilt in 1922. The Library is the only part of the original building remaining. The Peace Tower was completed in 1927 in memory of the First World War. The Memorial Chamber within the Tower contains the Books of Remembrance, in which are written the names of soldiers, sailors and airmen who died serving Canada in wars or while on duty.

The provincial legislatures are architectural treasures. The Quebec National Assembly is built in the French Second Empire style, while the legislatures of the other provinces are Baroque, Romanesque, and neoclassical, reflecting the Greco-Roman heritage of Western civilization in which democracy originated.



Popular sports

(Picture): Montreal Canadiens Stanley Cup Champions, 1978

Hockey is Canada’s most popular spectator sport and is considered to be the national winter sport. Ice hockey was developed in Canada in the 1800s. The National Hockey League plays for the championship Stanley Cup, donated by Lord Stanley, the Governor General, in 1892. The Clarkson Cup, established in 2005 by Adrienne Clarkson, the first Governor General of Asian origin, is awarded for women’s hockey. Many young Canadians play hockey at school, in a hockey league, or on quiet streets — road hockey or street hockey — and are taken to the hockey rink by their parents. Canadian children have collected hockey cards for generations.

Canadian football is the second most popular sport. Curling, an ice game introduced by Scottish pioneers, is popular. Lacrosse, an ancient sport first played by Aboriginals, is the official summer sport. Soccer has the most registered players of any game in Canada.

(Pictures)
From top to bottom:
RCMP Musical Ride,Ottawa, Ontario
A Beaver, AlgonquinPark, Ontario



The beaver

The beaver was adopted centuries ago as a symbol of the Hudson’s Bay Company. It became an emblem of the St. Jean Baptiste Society, a French Canadian patriotic association, in 1834, as well as other groups. This industrious rodent can be seen on the five-cent coin, on the coats of arms of Saskatchewan and Alberta, and of cities such as Montreal and Toronto.



Canada’s official languages

English and French are the two official languages, and are important symbols of identity. English speakers (Anglophones) and French speakers (Francophones) have lived together in partnership and creative tension for more than 300 years. You must have adequate knowledge of English or French to become a Canadian citizen. (People under the age of 18, and over the age of 54 are exempted from this requirement.)

Parliament passed the Official Languages Act in 1969. It has three main objectives:

1)Establish equality between French and English in Parliament, the Government of Canada and institutions subject to the Act;
2)Maintain and develop official language communities in Canada; and
3)Promote equality of French and English in Canadian society.



National Anthem

O Canada was proclaimed as the National Anthem in 1980. It was first sung in Quebec City in 1880. French and English Canadians sing different words to the National Anthem.

O Canada
O Canada! Our home and native land!
True patriot love in all thy sons command
With glowing hearts we see thee rise
The true North strong and free!
From far and wide, O Canada we stand on guard for thee
God keep our land glorious and free!
O Canada, we stand on guard for thee
O Canada, we stand on guard for thee


Ô Canada!
O Canada! Terre de nos aïeux,
Ton front est ceint de fleurons glorieux!
Car ton bras sait porter l’épée,
Il sait porter la croix!
Ton histoire est une épopée
Des plus brillants exploits.
Et ta valeur, de foi trempée,
Protégera nos foyers et nos droits.
Protégera nos foyers et nos droits.


Royal Anthem

The Royal Anthem of Canada, “God Save the Queen (or King),” can be played or sung on any occasion when Canadians wish to honour the Sovereign.

God Save the Queen
God Save our gracious Queen!
Long live our noble Queen!
God save The Queen!
Send her victorious,
Happy and glorious,
Long to reign over us,
God save The Queen!



Dieu protège la reine
Dieu protège la Reine!
De sa main souveraine!
Vive la Reine!
Qu’un règne glorieux,
Long et victorieux,
Rende son peuple heureux,
Vive la Reine!



(Picture): Jazz pianist Oscar Peterson(left) receives the Order ofCanada from Roland Michener(right), the 20th GovernorGeneral, in 1973. In the centre are Norah Michener and a portrait of Vincent Massey, the 18th Governor General.


The Order of Canada and other honours

All countries have ways to recognize outstanding citizens. Official awards are called honours, consisting of orders, decorations, and medals. After using British honours for many years, Canada started its own honours system with the Order of Canada in 1967, the centennial of Confederation.

If you know of fellow citizens who you think are worthy of recognition, you are welcome to nominate them. Information on nominations for many of these honours can be found at www.gg.ca/honours/index_e.asp.

(Pictures)
From left to right:
Col. Alexander Roberts Dunn, V.C.
Able Seaman William Hall, V.C.
Brig. Paul Triquet, V.C.
Filip Konowal, V.C., was promoted Sergeant

From top to bottom:
Air Marshal William A. Bishop,better known as flyingace Billy Bishop, V.C.
Lieut. Robert Hampton Gray, V.C.



The Victoria Cross

The Victoria Cross (V.C.) is the highest honour available to Canadians and is awarded for the most conspicuous bravery, a daring or pre-eminent act of valour or self-sacrifice, or extreme devotion to duty in the presence of the enemy. The V.C. has been awarded to 96 Canadians since 1854, including:

Lieutenant Alexander Roberts Dunn, born in present-day Toronto, served in the British Army in the Charge of the Light Brigade at Balaclava (1854) in the Crimean War, and was the first Canadian to be awarded the Victoria Cross.

Able Seaman William Hall of Horton, Nova Scotia, whose parents were American slaves, was the first black man to be awarded the V.C., for his role in the Siege of Lucknow during the Indian Rebellion of 1857.

Corporal Filip Konowal, born in Ukraine, showed exceptional courage in the Battle of Hill 70 in 1917, and became the first member of the Canadian Corps not born in the British Empire to be awarded the V.C.

Flying ace Captain Billy Bishop, born in Owen Sound, Ontario, earned the V.C. in the Royal Flying Corps during the First World War, and was later an honorary Air Marshal of the Royal Canadian Air Force.

Captain Paul Triquet of Cabano, Quebec earned the V.C. leading his men and a handful of tanks in the attack on Casa Berardi in Italy in 1943, during the Second World War, and was later a Brigadier.

Lieutenant Robert Hampton Gray, a navy pilot born in Trail, B.C., was killed while bombing and sinking a Japanese warship in August 1945, a few days before the end of the Second World War, and was the last Canadian to receive the V.C. to date.



National public holidays and other important dates

New Year’s Day — January 1
Sir John A. Macdonald Day — January 11
Good Friday — Friday immediately preceding Easter Sunday
Easter Monday — Monday immediately following Easter Sunday
Vimy Day — April 9
Victoria Day — Monday preceding May 25 (Sovereign’s Birthday)
Fête Nationale (Quebec) — June 24 (Feast of St. John the Baptist)
Canada Day — July 1
Labour Day — First Monday of September
Thanksgiving Day — Second Monday of October
Remembrance Day — November 11
Sir Wilfrid Laurier Day — November 20
Christmas — December 25
Boxing Day — December 26



http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/resources/publications/discover/section-11.asp


Quotes Of Canadian Minister Of Citizenship, Immigration And Multiculturalism Hon. Jason Kenney(2009):

1)When you become a citizen, you're not just getting a travel document into Hotel Canada.
2)I think it's scandalous that someone could become a Canadian not knowing what the poppy represents, or never having heard of Vimy Ridge, Passchendaele, Dieppe or Juno Beach.
3)We mention freedom of conscience and freedom of religion as important rights but we also make it very clear that our laws prohibit barbaric cultural practices, they will not be tolerated, whether or not someone claims that such practices are protected by reference to religion.
4)I think we need to reclaim a deeper sense of citizenship, a sense of shared obligations to one another, to our past, as well as to the future, a kind of civic nationalism where people understand the institutions, values and symbols that are rooted in our history.


Easy Nash

521)SECTION 10: THE JUSTICE SYSTEM; The Stephen Harper Government's Citizenship Guide; Quotes Of Minister Jason Kenney

Among the tens of thousands of people from six continents who visit my Blog there must be a significant number who may show an interest in becoming Canadian citizens now or in the future. Consequently I am showcasing on my Blog the Stephen Harper Conservative Government's magnificent new Citizenship Guide for prospective Canadian citizens unveiled on November 12th 2009, the day after Rememberance Day. When I read the online version of this booklet I came away feeling a deep sense of awe and admiration for the country I have lived in for the past 36 years, 5 as a landed immigrant and 31 as a citizen. Indeed this booklet should not just be required reading for prospective Canadians but also for established Canadian citizens of all ages. It's always refreshing to remind ourselves about our secular democracy-its evolution, history, system of government, regions, rights and responsibilities, justice system, economy, symbols, achievements and much, much more. The text of the booklet has been carefully researched and well written and the many photographs wisely chosen. While I have reproduced all the text from the Guide in the following Blogposts one cannot fully appreciate the material without also looking at the photographs and their captions. For that reason each Blogpost has two links to the original page on the Citizenship And Immigration Canada(CIC) website, one at the beginning and one at the end of the post.

On another forum I made the following comment to commemorate Rememberance Day on November 11th 2009: Canada is a stable secular democratic state with a solid, longstanding and admirable history. It is not a disparate bunch of autonomous multicultural fiefdoms as some political parties would have you beleive. Canada is the Magna Carta(1215), War of 1812, British North America Act(1867), Boer War(1899-1902), Vimy Ridge, Ypres and Paschendale(1914-1918), Dieppe, Monte Cassino, D-Day, Juno Beach, Belgium and Holland(1939-1945), Korean War(1950-1953), Cold War(1917-1989), Vietnam War(1960's) and Afghanistan(post 2001).


http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/resources/publications/discover/section-10.asp

Discover Canada
The Rights and Responsibilities of Citizenship

SECTION 10: THE JUSTICE SYSTEM

The Canadian justice system guarantees everyone due process under the law. Our judicial system is founded on the presumption of innocence in criminal matters, meaning everyone is innocent until proven guilty. Canada’s legal system is based on a heritage that includes the rule of law, freedom under the law, democratic principles, and due process. Due process is the principle that the government must respect all of the legal rights a person is entitled to under the law.

(Picture): Scales of Justice, Vancouver Law Courts. The blindfolded Lady Justice symbolizes the impartial manner in which our laws are administered: blind to all considerations but the facts

Canada is governed by an organized system of laws. These laws are the written rules intended to guide people in our society. They are made by elected representatives. The courts settle disputes and the police enforce the laws. The law in Canada applies to everyone, including judges, politicians, and the police. Our laws are intended to provide order in society, to provide a peaceful way to settle disputes, and to express the values and beliefs of Canadians.


Courts

The Supreme Court of Canada is our country’s highest court. The Federal Court of Canada deals with matters concerning the federal government. In most provinces there is an appeal court and a trial court, sometimes called the Court of Queen’s Bench or the Supreme Court. There are also provincial courts for lesser offences, family courts, traffic courts, and small claims courts for civil cases involving small sums of money.

(Pictures)
From left to right:
Jury benches Ottawa police constable helping a young boy at the Aboriginal Day Flotilla
Prisons have an essential role in punishing criminals and deterring crime


Police

(Picture): Border guard with sniffer dog inspects the trunk of a car at the Canada-US border

The police are there to keep people safe and to enforce the law. You can ask the police for help in all kinds of situations — if there’s been an accident, if someone has stolen something from you, if you are a victim of assault, if you see a crime taking place, or if someone you know has gone missing.

There are different types of police in Canada. There are provincial police forces in Ontario and Quebec and municipal police departments in all provinces. The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) enforce federal laws and serve as the provincial police in all provinces and territories except Ontario and Quebec, as well as in some municipalities. Remember, the police are there to help you.

You can also question the police about their service or conduct if you feel you need to. Almost all police forces in Canada have a process by which you can bring your concerns to the police and seek action.


Getting legal help

Lawyers can help you with legal problems and act for you in court. If you cannot pay for a lawyer, in most communities there are legal aid services available free of charge or at a low cost.


http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/resources/publications/discover/section-10.asp


Quotes Of Canadian Minister Of Citizenship, Immigration And Multiculturalism Hon. Jason Kenney(2009):

1)When you become a citizen, you're not just getting a travel document into Hotel Canada.
2)I think it's scandalous that someone could become a Canadian not knowing what the poppy represents, or never having heard of Vimy Ridge, Passchendaele, Dieppe or Juno Beach.
3)We mention freedom of conscience and freedom of religion as important rights but we also make it very clear that our laws prohibit barbaric cultural practices, they will not be tolerated, whether or not someone claims that such practices are protected by reference to religion.
4)I think we need to reclaim a deeper sense of citizenship, a sense of shared obligations to one another, to our past, as well as to the future, a kind of civic nationalism where people understand the institutions, values and symbols that are rooted in our history.


Easy Nash

520)SECTION 9: FEDERAL ELECTIONS; The Stephen Harper Government's Citizenship Guide; Quotes Of Minister Jason Kenney

Among the tens of thousands of people from six continents who visit my Blog there must be a significant number who may show an interest in becoming Canadian citizens now or in the future. Consequently I am showcasing on my Blog the Stephen Harper Conservative Government's magnificent new Citizenship Guide for prospective Canadian citizens unveiled on November 12th 2009, the day after Rememberance Day. When I read the online version of this booklet I came away feeling a deep sense of awe and admiration for the country I have lived in for the past 36 years, 5 as a landed immigrant and 31 as a citizen. Indeed this booklet should not just be required reading for prospective Canadians but also for established Canadian citizens of all ages. It's always refreshing to remind ourselves about our secular democracy-its evolution, history, system of government, regions, rights and responsibilities, justice system, economy, symbols, achievements and much, much more. The text of the booklet has been carefully researched and well written and the many photographs wisely chosen. While I have reproduced all the text from the Guide in the following Blogposts one cannot fully appreciate the material without also looking at the photographs and their captions. For that reason each Blogpost has two links to the original page on the Citizenship And Immigration Canada(CIC) website, one at the beginning and one at the end of the post.

On another forum I made the following comment to commemorate Rememberance Day on November 11th 2009: Canada is a stable secular democratic state with a solid, longstanding and admirable history. It is not a disparate bunch of autonomous multicultural fiefdoms as some political parties would have you beleive. Canada is the Magna Carta(1215), War of 1812, British North America Act(1867), Boer War(1899-1902), Vimy Ridge, Ypres and Paschendale(1914-1918), Dieppe, Monte Cassino, D-Day, Juno Beach, Belgium and Holland(1939-1945), Korean War(1950-1953), Cold War(1917-1989), Vietnam War(1960's) and Afghanistan(post 2001).


http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/resources/publications/discover/section-09.asp

Discover Canada
The Rights and Responsibilities of Citizenship

SECTION 8: FEDERAL ELECTIONS

Canadians vote in elections for the people they want to represent them in the House of Commons. In each election, voters may re-elect the same members of the House of Commons or choose new ones. Members of the House of Commons are also known as Members of Parliament or MPs.

(Picture): House of Commons chamber

Under legislation passed by Parliament, federal elections must be held on the third Monday in October every four years following the most recent general election. The Prime Minister may ask the Governor General to call an earlier election.

Canada is divided into 308 electoral districts, also known as ridings or constituencies. An electoral district is a geographical area represented by a Member of Parliament (MP). The citizens in each electoral district elect one MP who sits in the House of Commons to represent them, as well as all Canadians.

Canadian citizens who are 18 years or older may run in a federal election. The people who run for office are called candidates. There can be many candidates in an electoral district.

The people in each electoral district vote for the candidate and political party of their choice. The candidate who receives the most votes becomes the MP for that electoral district.



Voting

One of the privileges of Canadian citizenship is the right to vote. You are eligible to vote in a federal election or cast a ballot in a federal referendum if you are:

1)a Canadian citizen; and
2)at least 18 years old on voting day; and
3)on the voters’ list.

The voters’ lists used during federal elections and referendums are produced from the National Register of Electors by a neutral agency of Parliament called Elections Canada. This is a permanent database of Canadian citizens 18 years of age and older who are qualified to vote in federal elections and referendums.

When you apply for citizenship, you can check a box on the application form to show you consent to the transfer of your name, address, sex, and date of birth to Elections Canada.

Eligible Canadians are also able to indicate their consent to being added to the National Register of Electors on their federal income tax form.

Once an election has been called, Elections Canada mails a voter information card to each elector whose name is in the National Register of Electors. The card lists when and where you vote and the number to call if you require an interpreter or other special services.

Even if you choose not to be listed in the National Register of Electors or do not receive a voter information card, you can still be added to the voters’ list until election day.

To vote either on election day or at advance polls, go to the polling station listed on your voter information card. (See voting procedures)

(Picture): House of Commons in session


Secret ballot

Canadian law secures the right to a secret ballot. This means that no one can watch you vote and no one should look at how you voted. You may choose to discuss how you voted with others, but no one, including family members, your employer, or union representative, has the right to insist that you tell them how you voted. Immediately after the polling stations close, election officers count the ballots, and the results are announced on radio and television, and in the newspapers.



After an election

After an election, the leader of the political party with the most seats in the House of Commons is invited by the Governor General to form the government. After being appointed by the Governor General, the leader of this party becomes the Prime Minister. If the party in power holds at least half of the seats in the House of Commons, this is called a majority government. If the party in power holds less than half of the seats in the House of Commons, this is called a minority government.

The Prime Minister and the party in power run the government as long as they have the support or confidence of the majority of the MPs. When the House of Commons votes on a major issue such as the Budget, this is considered a matter of confidence. If a majority of the members of the House of Commons votes against a major government decision, the party in power is defeated — this usually results in the Prime Minister asking the Governor General, on behalf of the Sovereign, to call an election.

The Prime Minister chooses the ministers of the Crown, most of them from among members of the House of Commons. Cabinet ministers are responsible for running the federal government departments. The Prime Minister and the Cabinet ministers are called the Cabinet and they make important decisions about how the country is governed. They prepare the budget and propose most new laws. Their decisions can be questioned by all members of the House of Commons.

The opposition party with the most members of the House of Commons is the Official Opposition or Her Majesty’s Loyal Opposition. The role of opposition parties is to peacefully oppose or try to improve government proposals. The other parties that are not in power are known as opposition parties. There are four major political parties currently represented in the House of Commons: the Bloc Québécois, Conservative Party, Liberal Party and New Democratic Party.



Voting procedures during an election period(See 8 pictures)

1. Voter information card
Electors whose information is in the National Register of Electors will receive a voter information card. This confirms that your name is on the voters’ list and states when and where you vote.

2. I did not get a card
If you do not receive a voter information card, call your local elections office to ensure that you are on the voters’ list. If you do not have the number, call Elections Canada, in Ottawa, at 1 800 463-6868.

3. Advance poll and special ballot
If you cannot or do not wish to vote on election day, you can vote at the advance polls or by special ballot. The dates and location are on your voter information card.

4. On election day
Go to your polling station. The location is on your voter information card. Bring this card and proof of your identity and address to the polling station.

5. Marking the ballot
Mark an “X” in the circle next to the name of the candidate of your choice.

6. Voting is secret
Your vote is secret. You will be invited to go behind the screen to mark your ballot. Once marked, fold it and present it to the poll officials.

7. The ballot box
The poll official will tear off the ballot number and give your ballot back to you to deposit in the ballot box.

8. The election results
When the polls close, every ballot is counted and the results are made public. You can see the results on television or on the Elections Canada website (http://www.elections.ca/).

(Picture)Provincial Assembly at Charlottetown, PEI



Other levels of government in Canada

Local or municipal government plays an important role in the lives of our citizens. Municipal governments usually have a council that passes laws called “by-laws” that affect only the local community. The council usually includes a mayor (or a reeve) and councillors or aldermen. Municipalities are normally responsible for urban or regional planning, streets and roads, sanitation (such as garbage removal), snow removal, firefighting, ambulance and other emergency services, recreation facilities, urban transit and some local health and social services. Most major urban centres have municipal police forces.

Provincial, territorial and municipal elections are held by secret ballot, but the rules are not the same as those for federal elections. It is important to find out the rules for voting in provincial, territorial and local elections so that you can exercise your right to vote.



(A)Government
(B)Elected Officials
(C)Some Responsibilities


(A)Federal
(B)Members of Parliament (MPs)
(C)National Defence
(C)Foreign Policy
(C)Citizenship
(C)Policing
(C)Criminal Justice
(C)International Trade
(C)Aboriginal Affairs
(C)Immigration (shared)
(C)Agriculture (shared)
(C)Environment (shared)



(A)Provincial and Territorial
(B)Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) or
(B)Members of the National Assembly (MNA) or
(B)Members of the Provincial Parliament (MPP) or
(B)Members of the House of Assembly (MHA)
(C)Education
(C)Health Care
(C)Natural Resources
(C)Highways
(C)Policing
(C)Property and Civil Rights
(C)Immigration (shared)
(C)Agriculture (shared)
(C)Environment (shared)



(A)Municipal (local)
(B)Mayor or Reeve
(B)Councillors or Aldermen
(C)Social and Community Health
(C)Recycling Programs
(C)Transportation and Utilities
(C)Snow Removal
(C)Policing
(C)Firefighting
(C)Emergency Services



The First Nations have band chiefs and councillors who have major responsibilities on First Nations reserves, including housing, schools and other services. There are a number of provincial, regional and national Aboriginal organizations which are a voice for First Nations, Métis and Inuit people in their relationships with the federal, provincial and territorial governments.



How much do you know about your government?

Use this page to take notes and to study important information.



Federal Government

Head of State: __________________________________________________

The name of the representative of the Queen of Canada, the Governor General, is__________________________________________________

The Head of Government, the Prime Minister, is __________________________________________________

The name of the political party in power is __________________________________________________

The name of the Leader of the Opposition is __________________________________________________

The name of the party representing Her Majesty’s Loyal Opposition is
__________________________________________________

The names of the other opposition parties and leaders are __________________________________________________

My Member of Parliament (MP) in Ottawa is
__________________________________________________

My federal electoral district is called ________________________________________________________




Provincial Government

The name of the representative of the Queen for my province, the
The representative of the Queen in my province, the Lieutenant Governor, is __________________________________________________

The Head of Government (the Premier) is __________________________________________________

The name of the provincial party in power is __________________________________________________

The names of the provincial opposition parties and leaders are __________________________________________________

My provincial representative is
__________________________________________________




Territorial Government

The name of the Commissioner, who represents the federal government in my territory, is__________________________________________________

The name of the Premier is __________________________________________________

The name of my territorial representative is __________________________________________________




Municipal Government

The name of the municipality where I live is __________________________________________________

The name of the head of the municipal government (mayor or reeve) is __________________________________________________



http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/resources/publications/discover/section-09.asp


Quotes Of Canadian Minister Of Citizenship, Immigration And Multiculturalism Hon. Jason Kenney(2009):

1)When you become a citizen, you're not just getting a travel document into Hotel Canada.
2)I think it's scandalous that someone could become a Canadian not knowing what the poppy represents, or never having heard of Vimy Ridge, Passchendaele, Dieppe or Juno Beach.
3)We mention freedom of conscience and freedom of religion as important rights but we also make it very clear that our laws prohibit barbaric cultural practices, they will not be tolerated, whether or not someone claims that such practices are protected by reference to religion.
4)I think we need to reclaim a deeper sense of citizenship, a sense of shared obligations to one another, to our past, as well as to the future, a kind of civic nationalism where people understand the institutions, values and symbols that are rooted in our history.


Easy Nash

519)SECTION 8: HOW CANADIANS GOVERN THEMSELVES; The Stephen Harper Government's Citizenship Guide; Quotes of Minister Jason Kenney

Among the tens of thousands of people from six continents who visit my Blog there must be a significant number who may show an interest in becoming Canadian citizens now or in the future. Consequently I am showcasing on my Blog the Stephen Harper Conservative Government's magnificent new Citizenship Guide for prospective Canadian citizens unveiled on November 12th 2009, the day after Rememberance Day. When I read the online version of this booklet I came away feeling a deep sense of awe and admiration for the country I have lived in for the past 36 years, 5 as a landed immigrant and 31 as a citizen. Indeed this booklet should not just be required reading for prospective Canadians but also for established Canadian citizens of all ages. It's always refreshing to remind ourselves about our secular democracy-its evolution, history, system of government, regions, rights and responsibilities, justice system, economy, symbols, achievements and much, much more. The text of the booklet has been carefully researched and well written and the many photographs wisely chosen. While I have reproduced all the text from the Guide in the following Blogposts one cannot fully appreciate the material without also looking at the photographs and their captions. For that reason each Blogpost has two links to the original page on the Citizenship And Immigration Canada(CIC) website, one at the beginning and one at the end of the post.

On another forum I made the following comment to commemorate Rememberance Day on November 11th 2009: Canada is a stable secular democratic state with a solid, longstanding and admirable history. It is not a disparate bunch of autonomous multicultural fiefdoms as some political parties would have you beleive. Canada is the Magna Carta(1215), War of 1812, British North America Act(1867), Boer War(1899-1902), Vimy Ridge, Ypres and Paschendale(1914-1918), Dieppe, Monte Cassino, D-Day, Juno Beach, Belgium and Holland(1939-1945), Korean War(1950-1953), Cold War(1917-1989), Vietnam War(1960's) and Afghanistan(post 2001).


http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/resources/publications/discover/section-08.asp

Discover Canada
The Rights and Responsibilities of Citizenship

SECTION 8: HOW CANADIANS GOVERN THEMSELVES


There are three key facts about Canada’s system of government:

1)Our country is a federal state,
2)A parliamentary democracy and
3)A constitutional monarchy.

(Pictures)
From left to right:
Queen Elizabeth II opening the 23rd Parliament (1957),
Parliament Hill, Ottawa


Federal state

There are federal, provincial, territorial and municipal governments in Canada. The responsibilities of the federal and provincial governments were defined in 1867 in the British North America Act, now known as the Constitution Act, 1867.

In our federal state, the federal government takes responsibility for matters of national and international concern. These include defence, foreign policy, interprovincial trade and communications, currency, navigation, criminal law, and citizenship. The provinces are responsible for municipal government, education, health, natural resources, property and civil rights, and highways. The federal government and the provinces share jurisdiction over agriculture and immigration. Federalism allows different provinces to adopt policies tailored to their own populations, and gives provinces the flexibility to experiment with new ideas and policies.

Every province has its own elected Legislative Assembly, like the House of Commons in Ottawa. The three northern territories, which have small populations, do not have the status of provinces, but their governments and assemblies carry out many of the same functions.


Parliamentary democracy

In Canada’s parliamentary democracy, the people elect members to the House of Commons in Ottawa and to the provincial and territorial legislatures. These representatives are responsible for passing laws, approving and monitoring expenditures, and keeping the government accountable. Cabinet ministers are responsible to the elected representatives, which means they must retain the “confidence of the House” and have to resign if they are defeated in a non-confidence vote.

Parliament has three parts: the Sovereign (Queen or King), the Senate and the House of Commons. Provincial legislatures comprise the Lieutenant Governor and the elected Assembly.

In the federal government, the Prime Minister selects the Cabinet ministers and is responsible for the operations and policy of the government. The House of Commons is the representative chamber, made up of Members of Parliament elected by the people, traditionally every four years. Senators are appointed on the advice of the Prime Minister and serve until age 75. Both the House of Commons and Senate consider and review bills (proposals for new laws). No bill can become law in Canada until it has been passed by both chambers and has received royal assent, granted by the Governor General on behalf of the Sovereign.


Making laws

How a bill becomes law — The Legislative Process

STEP 1 First Reading — The bill is considered read for the first time and is printed.
STEP 2 Second Reading — Members debate the bill’s principle.
STEP 3 Committee Stage — Committee members study the bill clause by clause.
STEP 4 Report Stage — Members can make other amendments.
STEP 5 Third Reading — Members debate and vote on the bill.
STEP 6 Senate — The bill follows a similar process in the Senate.
STEP 7 Royal Assent — The bill receives royal assent after being passed by both Houses.

Living in a democracy, Canadian citizens have the right and the responsibility to participate in making decisions that affect them. It is important for Canadians aged 18 or more to participate in their democracy by voting in federal, provincial or territorial and municipal elections.


Constitutional monarchy

As a constitutional monarchy, Canada’s Head of State is a hereditary Sovereign (Queen or King), who reigns in accordance with the Constitution: the rule of law. The Sovereign is a part of Parliament, playing an important, non-partisan role as the focus of citizenship and allegiance, symbol of Canadian sovereignty, guardian of constitutional freedoms, reflection of our history and an encouragement for Canadians to give their best to their country, most visibly during royal visits to Canada. As Head of the Commonwealth, the Sovereign links Canada to 52 other nations which cooperate to advance social, economic and cultural progress. Other constitutional monarchies include Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Australia, New Zealand, The Netherlands, Spain, Thailand, Japan, Jordan, and Morocco.

There is a clear distinction in Canada between the head of state — the Sovereign — and the head of government — the Prime Minister, who actually directs the governing of the country.

(Picture): Michaëlle Jean, the 27th Governor General since Confederation

The Sovereign is represented in Canada by the Governor General, who is appointed by the Sovereign on the advice of the Prime Minister, usually for five years. In each of the ten provinces the Sovereign is represented by the Lieutenant Governor, who is appointed by the Governor General on the advice of the Prime Minister, also normally for five years.

The interplay between the three branches of government — the Executive, Legislative and Judicial — which work together but also sometimes in creative tension, helps to secure the rights and freedoms of Canadians.

Each provincial and territorial government has an elected legislature where provincial and territorial laws are passed. The members of the legislature are called members of the Legislative Assembly (MLAs), members of the National Assembly (MNAs), members of the Provincial Parliament (MPPs), or members of the House of Assembly (MHAs), depending on the province or territory.

In each province, the Premier has a role similar to that of the Prime Minister in the federal government, just as the Lieutenant Governor has a role similar to that of the Governor General. In the three territories, the Commissioner represents the federal government and plays a ceremonial role.

Canada’s System of Government(See Picture and Diagram)


http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/resources/publications/discover/section-08.asp


Quotes Of Canadian Minister Of Citizenship, Immigration And Multiculturalism Hon. Jason Kenney(2009):

1)When you become a citizen, you're not just getting a travel document into Hotel Canada.
2)I think it's scandalous that someone could become a Canadian not knowing what the poppy represents, or never having heard of Vimy Ridge, Passchendaele, Dieppe or Juno Beach.
3)We mention freedom of conscience and freedom of religion as important rights but we also make it very clear that our laws prohibit barbaric cultural practices, they will not be tolerated, whether or not someone claims that such practices are protected by reference to religion.
4)I think we need to reclaim a deeper sense of citizenship, a sense of shared obligations to one another, to our past, as well as to the future, a kind of civic nationalism where people understand the institutions, values and symbols that are rooted in our history.


Easy Nash