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This is a sub-template of {{tl|language}}: it is not meant to stand alone. It helps {{tl|language}} perform the repeated task of presenting multiple [[ISO 639-3]] codes with links to their documentation pages. --[[User:Garzo|Gareth Hughes]] 19:07, 23 November 2005 (UTC)
<!--{{editnote | Before you edit this article to change the name of the country to "Dominion of Canada" or "Canadian Federation" or anything else, please read the Talk Page. This issue has been discussed at great length there, and the evidence provided resulted in the consensus that the country's *official* name is now "Canada", not anything else. If you believe you have arguments or evidence to the contrary, please provide them on the talk page, and wait until the consensus changes before making the edit. Thank you..
{{editnote | Please use Canadian Spellings. :)}}
{{editnote | Notice: This overview article is already too long and should serve only as an introduction for Canada. To keep this overview article concise, please consider adding information instead to one of the many "main" articles about Canada linked from this article, e.g., [[Politics of Canada]], [[Geography of Canada]], etc. Thank you.}}
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{{Infobox Country |
native_name = Canada |
common_name = Canada |
image_flag = Canada flag large.png |
image_coat = Bigcancoat.png |
national_motto = [[Latin language|Latin]]: ''A Mari Usque Ad Mare''<br>(From Sea to Sea) |
national_anthem = [[O Canada]] |
image_map = LocationCanada.png |
capital = [[Ottawa]] |latd=45|latm=24|latNS=N|longd=75|longm=40|longEW=W|
largest_city = [[Toronto]] |
official_languages = [[English language|English]] and [[French language|French]] |
government_type = [[Constitutional monarchy]] and <br> [[Parliamentary democracy]]|
leader_titles = <br>[[Queen of Canada|Queen]]<br>[[Governor General of Canada|Governor General]]<br>[[Prime Minister of Canada|Prime Minister]] |
leader_names = [[Elizabeth II]]<br>[[Adrienne Clarkson]]<br>[[Paul Martin]] |
sovereignty_type = [[History of Canada|Independence]] |
established_events = - [[British North America Act|BNA Act]]<br> - [[Statute of Westminster 1931|Statute of Westminster]]<br> - [[Canada Act 1982|Canada Act]]|
established_dates = From the [[United Kingdom]]<br>[[July 1]], [[1867]]<br>[[December 11]], [[1931]]<br>[[April 17]], [[1982]] |
area = 9,984,670 |
area_rank = 2nd |
area_magnitude = 1 E12 |
percent_water = 8.62 |
population_estimate = 32.2 million |
population_estimate_year = 2005 |
population_estimate_rank = 35th |
population_census = 30,007,094 |
population_census_year = 2001|
population_density = 3.5 |
population_density_rank = 222nd |
GDP_PPP_year = 2005 |
GDP_PPP = $1.318 trillion |
GDP_PPP_rank = 11th |
GDP_PPP_per_capita = $34,444 |
GDP_PPP_per_capita_rank = 8th |
currency = [[Canadian dollar]] ($) |
currency_code = CAD |
time_zone = |
utc_offset = -3.5 to -8 |
time_zone_DST = |
utc_offset_DST = -2.5 to -7 |
cctld = [[.ca]] |
calling_code = 1 |
footnotes = <div style="float:right;"> ''[http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Template:Infobox_Canada&action=edit edit]''</div> |
}}
'''Canada''' is a country in [[North America]] bordered on the south by the [[United States]] and extending through the [[Arctic Ocean]] to the [[North Pole]], making it the northernmost country in the world. It is also the second largest country in area, after [[Russia]].
Canada is a [[federation]] of ten [[Provinces and territories of Canada|provinces]] and three [[Provinces and territories of Canada|territories]]. Initially constituted through the [[British North America Acts|British North America Act of 1867]] and referred to as the [[Canada's name|Dominion of Canada]], it is governed as a [[constitutional monarchy]] with [[Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom|Queen Elizabeth II]] as [[head of state]].
Canada's official languages are [[English language|English]] and [[French language|French]]. As of [[2005]], its [[Statistics Canada|official]] population estimate is approximately 32.2 million <small><sup>[http://www.statcan.ca/english/edu/clock/population.htm]</sup></small>.
==Overview==
The capital city is [[Ottawa]], Ontario, the seat of Canada's [[Parliament of Canada|Parliament]]. Both the [[Governor General of Canada]], who exercises the prerogatives of the head of state (the monarch), and the [[Prime Minister of Canada|Prime Minister]], who is the head of government, have official residences in Ottawa.
Originally a union of former [[French colonial empire|French]] and [[British colony|British colonies]], Canada is a founding member of the [[United Nations]], the [[Commonwealth of Nations]], and [[La Francophonie]]. Canada is officially [[Bilingualism in Canada|bilingual]]:
* [[Canadian English|English]] is the majority language in most parts of Canada.
* [[Canadian French|French]] is the majority language of [[Quebec]], and is widely spoken in [[New Brunswick]] and some areas of [[Ontario]], [[Nova Scotia]], and [[Manitoba]].
[[Inuktitut]] is the majority language in [[Nunavut]] and has official status there.
Canada is a technologically advanced and industrialized nation. It is a net exporter of energy because of its large fossil fuel deposits, [[nuclear energy]] generation, and [[hydroelectric power]] capacity. Its diversified [[Economy of Canada|economy]] relies heavily on an abundance of natural resources and trade, particularly with the [[United States|US]], with which it has had a long and complex relationship (''see'' [[U.S.-Canada relations]]).
Canada has ten provinces and three territories.
{| align=center border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=4 style="border-collapse:collapse; text-align:center; font-size:80%; line-height:normal"
|- bgcolor=#eeeeee
!align=left|[[Provinces and territories of Canada|Province]]
!Capital city
!Standard<br>[[Time Zone]]<br>([[Coordinated Universal Time|UTC]])
![[List of regions of Canada|Region]]
|-
|align=left|[[British Columbia]]||[[Victoria, British Columbia|Victoria]]|| -8 (Pacific),<br>-7 (Mountain)||[[Western Canada|Western]], Pacific
|-
|align=left|[[Alberta]]||[[Edmonton, Alberta|Edmonton]]||-7 (Mountain)
|rowspan=3|Western, [[Canadian prairies|Prairies]]
|-
|align=left|[[Saskatchewan]]||[[Regina, Saskatchewan|Regina]]||-7 (Mountain),<br>-6 (Central)
|-
|align=left|[[Manitoba]]||[[Winnipeg, Manitoba|Winnipeg]]||-6 (Central)
|-
|align=left|[[Ontario]]||[[Toronto, Ontario|Toronto]]||-6 (Central),<br> -5 (Eastern)
|rowspan=2|[[Central Canada|Central]], Eastern
|-
|align=left|[[Quebec]]||[[Quebec City, Quebec|Quebec City]]||-5 (Eastern)
|-
|align=left|[[New Brunswick]]||[[Fredericton, New Brunswick|Fredericton]]
|rowspan=3|-4 (Atlantic)
|rowspan=3|[[Atlantic Canada|Atlantic]], [[Maritimes]]
|-
|align=left|[[Nova Scotia]]||[[Halifax, Nova Scotia|Halifax]]
|-
|align=left|[[Prince Edward Island]]||[[Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island|Charlottetown]]
|-
|align=left|[[Newfoundland and Labrador]]||[[St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador|St. John's]]||-4 (Atlantic),<br>-3.5 (Newfoundland)||[[Atlantic Canada|Atlantic]]
|- bgcolor=#eeeeee
! align=left|[[Provinces and territories of Canada|Territory]]
!Capital city
!Standard<br>Time Zone<br>(UTC)
!Region
|-
|align=left|[[Yukon]]||[[Whitehorse, Yukon|Whitehorse]]||-8
|rowspan=3|Northern or [[Canadian Arctic|Arctic]]
|-
|align=left|[[Northwest Territories]]||[[Yellowknife, Northwest Territories|Yellowknife]]||-7
|-
|align=left|[[Nunavut]]||[[Iqaluit, Nunavut|Iqaluit]]||-7, -6, -5, -4
|}
{{portal}}
Canada's major cities include [[Toronto, Ontario]]; [[Montreal, Quebec]]; [[Vancouver, British Columbia]]; [[Calgary, Alberta]]; [[Ottawa, Ontario]]; [[Quebec City, Quebec]]; [[Winnipeg, Manitoba]]; and [[Edmonton, Alberta]].<br> See [[List of the 100 largest metropolitan areas in Canada]], [[List of the 100 largest cities in Canada by population]], [[Canadian cities|List of Canadian cities by region]].
==Name==
{{seemain|Canada's name}}
The name "Canada" is believed to have originated from the [[Huron]]-[[Iroquoian]] word ''Kanata'', meaning "village", "settlement", or "collection of huts" [http://www.canadianheritage.gc.ca/progs/cpsc-ccsp/sc-cs/o5_e.cfm].
''Canada'' is [[International Phonetic Alphabet|pronounced]] {{IPA|[ˈkʰænədə]}} in English, {{IPA|[kanada]}} in French.
==History==
[[Image:Canada Parliament2.jpg|thumb|270px|The [[Parliament of Canada]], [[Ottawa]], [[Ontario]].]]
{{seemain2|History of Canada|Timeline of Canadian history}}
Aboriginal tradition holds that the [[Aboriginal peoples in Canada|First Peoples]] have inhabited parts of what is now called Canada since the dawn of time. Archaeological records show that these lands have been inhabited for at least 10,000 years. Several [[Viking]] expeditions occurred circa AD [[1000]], with evidence of settlement at [[L'Anse aux Meadows]].
British claims to North America date from [[1497]], when [[John Cabot]] reached what he called Newfoundland; French claims date from explorations by [[Jacques Cartier]] (from [[1534]]) and [[Samuel de Champlain]] (from [[1603]]). In [[1604]], French settlers, who became known as [[Acadian]]s, were the first Europeans to settle permanently in Canada, followed by other [[French colonization of the Americas|French settlements]] along the [[St. Lawrence River]] and in [[Atlantic Canada]]. Champlain named his territorial discovery as [[New France]].
[[British colonization of the Americas|British settlements]] were established along the [[East Coast of the United States|Atlantic seaboard]] and around [[Hudson Bay]]. As these colonies expanded, a struggle for control of North America took place between 1689 and 1763 (see [[French and Indian Wars]]), exacerbated by wars in Europe between France and [[Great Britain]]. France progressively lost territory to [[United Kingdom|Great Britain]], surrendering peninsular [[Nova Scotia]] in the [[Treaty of Utrecht (1713)]] and the remainder of [[New France]] including what was left of [[Acadia]] in the [[Treaty of Paris (1763)]].
During and after the [[American Revolution]], thousands of [[United Empire Loyalists]] left the [[Thirteen Colonies]] to settle in the [[British North America|British North American]] colonies which then consisted of [[Newfoundland]], [[Nova Scotia]], the [[Province of Quebec (1763-1791)|Province of Quebec]], and [[Prince Edward Island]] (created [[1769]]). To accommodate the Loyalists, Britain created the colony of [[New Brunswick]] in [[1784]] from part of Nova Scotia, and divided Quebec into [[Lower Canada]] and [[Upper Canada]] under the [[Constitutional Act of 1791]].
The [[War of 1812]] began when the U.S. attacked British forces in Canada in an attempt to reduce their control of North America and the Atlantic. In April 1813, U.S. forces burned [[Battle of York|York]] (now [[Toronto]]). The British retaliated with the [[burning of Washington]] (DC) in a surprise attack in August 1814. The [[Treaty of Ghent]] was signed in December [[1814]]. It was only after the French and Napoleonic wars ended in Europe that large-scale immigration to Canada resumed.
[[The Canadas]] were merged into a single colony, the [[Province of Canada]], with the [[Act of Union (1840)]] in a doomed attempt to assimilate the French Canadians. Once the U.S. agreed to the [[49th parallel north]] as its border with western British North America, the British government created the colonies of [[British Columbia]] in [[1848]] and Vancouver Island in [[1849]]. By the late [[1850s]], politicians in the Province of Canada had launched a series of western exploratory expeditions with the intention of assuming control of [[Rupert's Land]] (administered by the [[Hudson's Bay Company]]) and the [[Arctic]].
In [[1864]] and [[1866]], British North American politicians, in what became known as the [[Great Coalition]], held three conferences to create a federal union. Spearheaded by [[John A. Macdonald]], on [[July 1]], [[1867]], three colonies—Canada, Nova Scotia, and New Brunswick—were granted a [[constitution]], the [[British North America Act]], by the [[United Kingdom]], creating the [[Canada's name|Dominion]] of Canada. The term "[[Canadian Confederation]]" refers to this [[1867]] unification of the provinces of Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Quebec (formerly Canada East or Lower Canada), and Ontario (formerly Canada West or Upper Canada). The remaining British colonies and territories soon [[Canadian Confederation#Joining Confederation|joined Confederation]]. By [[1880]] Canada included all of its present area except for [[Newfoundland and Labrador]], which joined in [[1949]].
In [[1919]], Canada became a member of the [[League of Nations]] and, in the [[Imperial Conference]] of [[1926]], Canada assumed full control of its own foreign affairs through the [[Balfour Declaration 1926|Balfour Declaration]]. In [[1927]], Canada appointed its first [[ambassador]] to a foreign country, the [[United States]]. In [[1931]], the [[Statute of Westminster 1931|Statute of Westminster]] gave the [[Balfour Declaration 1926|Balfour Declaration]] constitutional force, confirming that no act of the UK's parliament would thereafter extend to Canada without its consent.
Canadian [[citizenship]] was first distinguished from British in [[1947]]; judicial appeals to the British [[Judicial Committee of the Privy Council]] ended in [[1949]]. The power to amend Canada's [[constitution of Canada|constitution]] remained with the British parliament, although subject to the Statute of Westminster, until it was finally "patriated" to Canadian control by the [[Canada Act 1982]].
The [[Quebec sovereignty movement]] has led to two [[referendum|referenda]] held in [[1980]] and [[1995]], with votes of 59.6% and 50.6% respectively against its proposals for [[sovereignty-association]]. In [[1997]], the [[Supreme Court of Canada]] ruled unilateral secession by a province to be [[unconstitutional]].
==Geography==
{{seemain|Geography of Canada}}
[[Image:CanadaMap1.jpg|thumb|left|200px|Map of Canada.]]
Canada occupies the northern half (precisely 41%) of [[North America]]. It is bordered to the south by the [[contiguous United States]] and to the northwest by [[Alaska]]. Off the southern coast of [[Newfoundland]] lies [[Saint-Pierre and Miquelon]], an [[Collectivité d'outre-mer| overseas community]] of [[France]]. The country stretches from the [[Atlantic Ocean]] in the east to the [[Pacific Ocean]] in the west; hence the country's motto. To the north lies the [[Arctic Ocean]]; [[Greenland]] is to the northeast. Since [[1925]], Canada has claimed the portion of the [[Arctic]] between 60°W and 141°W [[longitude]] ([http://atlas.gc.ca/site/english/maps/historical/territorialevolution/1927/1]); this claim is not universally recognized. The northernmost settlement in Canada (and in the world) is Canadian Forces Station (CFS) Alert on the northern tip of [[Ellesmere Island]] – latitude 82.5°N – just 834 kilometres from the North Pole.
Canada is the world's second-largest country in total area, after [[Russia]]. Much of Canada lies in [[Arctic]] regions, however, and thus Canada has only the fourth-most arable land area behind Russia, [[China]], and the U.S. The population density of 3.5 people per square kilometre is among the lowest in the world: Canada has a larger area than the U.S., but only one-ninth of its population.
[[Image:Rockieswater-4.jpg|thumb|200px|The [[Canadian Rockies]]]]
The most densely populated part of the country is the [[Great Lakes]]-[[Saint Lawrence River]] Valley in the east. To the north of this region is the broad [[Canadian Shield]], an area of rock scoured clean by the [[Wisconsin glaciation|last ice age]], thinly soiled, rich in minerals, and dotted with lakes and rivers—over 60% of the world's lakes are in Canada. The Canadian Shield encircles the immense [[Hudson Bay]], extending from [[Great Bear Lake]] in the [[Northwest Territories]] at its westernmost point, to the Atlantic coast in [[Labrador]] in the east.
[[Newfoundland]], North America's easternmost island if Greenland is excluded, is at the mouth of the [[Gulf of Saint Lawrence]], the world's largest estuary. The [[Canadian Maritimes]] protrude eastward from the southern coasts of Quebec. [[New Brunswick]] and [[Nova Scotia]] are divided by the [[Bay of Fundy]], which experiences the world's largest tidal variations. [[Prince Edward Island]] is Canada's smallest province.
West of Ontario, the broad, flat [[Canadian Prairies]] spread towards the [[Rocky Mountains]], which separate them from [[British Columbia]].
Northern Canadian vegetation tapers from [[coniferous]] forests to [[tundra]] and finally to [[Arctic barren]]s in the far north. The northern Canadian mainland is ringed with a vast [[Canadian Arctic islands|archipelago]] containing some of the world's largest islands.
Canada has a reputation for cold temperatures but, throughout, experiences four distinct seasons. Winters can be harsh in many regions of the country, with risks of [[blizzard]]s and [[ice storm]]s. Temperatures often reach lows of -50°C in the far North; the record coldest temperature in North America was -63°C, at Snag, [[Yukon Territory|Yukon]], in 1947. Coastal British Columbia is an exception: it enjoys a temperate climate with much milder winters than the rest of the country. Summers in Canada range from mild on the east and west coasts (low to high 20s C) to hot, particularly in Central Canada (mid to high 30s C).
<br clear=right>
==Politics==
{{seemain|Politics of Canada}}
[[Image:Queen of canada.jpg|thumb|left|[[Queen Elizabeth II]], [[Monarchy in Canada|Queen of Canada]]]]
The duties of the [[head of state]] are exercised, on behalf of the Queen, by the [[Governor General of Canada|Governor General]], who is generally a retired politician or other prominent Canadian appointed by the Queen on the advice of the [[Prime Minister of Canada|Prime Minister]]. The Governor General is a non-partisan figure who fulfils many ceremonial and symbolic roles including providing Royal Assent to [[Bill (proposed law)|bills]], reading the [[Speech from the Throne]], officially welcoming high commissioners and ambassadors of foreign countries, presenting awards such as the [[Order of Canada]], signing state documents, promoting national unity and identity, formally opening and ending sessions of Parliament, and dissolving Parliament for an election. Canada's current [[governor general]] is [[Adrienne Clarkson]], who will be succeded by [[Michaëlle Jean]] when the former's term of office ends on [[September 27]].
[[Constitution of Canada|Canada's constitution]] governs the legal framework of the country and consists of [http://lois.justice.gc.ca/en/const/index.html written text] and unwritten traditions and conventions (see [[Westminster system]]). The federal government and the governments of nine provinces agreed to the [[Constitutional history of Canada|patriation of the constitution]], with procedures for amending it, at a meeting of First Ministers in November 1981. Quebec did not agree to the changes, and Quebec nationalists refer to that night as the [[Night of the Long Knives (1981)|Night of the Long Knives]].
The position of [[Prime Minister of Canada|Prime Minister]], Canada's [[head of government]], in practice belongs to the leader of the political party able to command a majority of the House of Commons. The Prime Minister is formally appointed by the governor general, and confirmed by a [[vote of confidence]] in the Commons.
The prime minister, in turn, appoints the [[Cabinet of Canada|Cabinet]], drawn by convention from members of the prime minister's party in both legislative houses. Executive power is exercised by the prime minister and cabinet, all of whom are sworn into the [[Privy Council of Canada]] and become ministers of the Crown.
[[Image:Aclarkson.jpg|thumb|right|[[Adrienne Clarkson]], [[Governor General of Canada|Governor General]]]]
The legislative branch of government has two houses: the elected [[Canadian House of Commons|House of Commons]] and the appointed [[Canadian Senate|Senate]].
Each member in the Commons is elected by [[plurality electoral system|simple plurality]] in one [[electoral district (Canada)|electoral district]] or "riding"; general elections are called by the governor general when the prime minister so advises, and must occur every five years or less. Members of the Senate, whose seats are apportioned on a regional basis, are chosen by the prime minister and appointed by the governor general, and serve until age 75.
Canada has four main political parties today. The traditionally centrist [[Liberal Party of Canada]] formed the government in Canada for most of the 20th century, and is the party of the current Prime Minister [[Paul Martin]]. The only other party to have formed a government is the now-defunct [[Progressive Conservative Party of Canada|Progressive Conservative (PC) Party]] and its predecessor, the [[Conservative Party of Canada (historical)|Conservative Party]], which was the dominant political party in the 19th century. The PC Party merged with the [[Canadian Alliance]] to form a new [[Conservative Party of Canada]] in December [[2003]]. The [[New Democratic Party]] (NDP) is the party furthest to the "left".
However, the three aforementioned "national" parties have shifted their positions on various socioeconomic issues. The [[Bloc Québécois]] promotes [[Quebec independence]] from Canada and currently holds a majority of Quebec's seats in the Commons. There are many smaller parties and, while none have current representation in Parliament, the list of [[Political_parties_of_Canada#Historical_parties_that_elected_MPs.2C_MPPs_or_MLAs|historical parties with elected representation]] is substantial.
[[Image:Paulmartin1.jpg|thumb|left|[[Paul Martin]], [[Prime Minister of Canada|Prime Minister]]]]
Canada's [[judiciary]] plays an important role in interpreting laws and has the power to strike down laws that violate the constitution. The [[Supreme Court of Canada]] is the highest court and final arbiter. All judges at the superior, appellate, and Supreme Court of Canada levels are selected and appointed by the federal government, after consultation with non-governmental legal bodies. Judicial posts at the provincial and territorial levels are filled by their respective governments (see [[Court system of Canada]] for more detail).
[[Common law]] prevails everywhere except in Quebec, where [[civil law (legal system)|civil law]] predominates. Criminal law is solely a federal responsibility and is uniform throughout Canada. Law enforcement, including criminal courts, is a provincial responsibility, but in most provinces policing is contracted to the [[Royal Canadian Mounted Police]] (RCMP). The RCMP is the only police force in the world to perform three different levels of enforcement: municipal, provincial, and federal.
==Foreign Relations==
{{seemain|Foreign relations of Canada}}
Canada has a close [[U.S.-Canada relations|relationship with the United States]], sharing the world's longest undefended border, co-operating on some military campaigns and exercises, and being each other's largest trading partners. Canada also shares a history and long relationship with Great Britain as its "mother country". In the last century, Canada has made an effort to reach out to the rest of the world and promotes itself as a "middle power" which can work with both large and small nations. This was clearly demonstrated during the [[Suez Crisis]] whereby [[Lester B. Pearson]] mollified the tension by introducing the idea of [[peacekeeping]] and the inception of the [[UN peacekeeping|United Nations Peacekeeping Force]]. In [[1957]], [[Lester B. Pearson]] was the recipient of the [[Nobel Peace Prize]]. In that spirit, Canada developed and has tried to maintain a leading role in the [[UN peacekeeping|United Nations Peacekeeping Force]]. Canada currently serves in 40 different [[peacekeeping]] missions, the most recent mission being the deployment of Canadian troops in [[Afghanistan]].
Canada is a member of the [[United Nations]], [[Commonwealth of Nations]], [[La Francophonie]], the [[Organization of American States]], [[North Atlantic Treaty Organisation]] (NATO), the [[Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development]] (OECD), the [[North American Free Trade Agreement]] (NAFTA), the [[World Trade Organization]], the [[G8]], and [[Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation]] (APEC).
==Provinces and territories of Canada==
{{seemain|Provinces and territories of Canada}}
Canada is composed of ten provinces and three territories. The provinces have a large degree of autonomy from the federal government, the territories somewhat less. Each has its own [[List of Canadian provincial and territorial symbols|provincial or territorial symbols]].
The provinces are responsible for most of Canada's social programs (such as [[Health_care_in_Canada|health care]], education, and welfare) and together collect more revenue than the federal government, an almost unique structure among federations in the world. The federal government can initiate national policies that the provinces can opt out of, but this rarely happens in practice. [[Equalization payments]] are made by the federal government to ensure that reasonably uniform standards of services and taxation are kept between the richer and poorer provinces.
All provinces have unicameral, elected legislatures governments headed by a [[premier (Canada)|premier]] selected in the same way as the Prime Minister of Canada. Each province also has a figurehead [[lieutenant governor]] representing the Queen, analogous to the Governor General of Canada, appointed on the recommendation of the Prime Minister of Canada, though with increasing levels of consultation with provincial governments in recent years.
[[Image:Dawson2.jpg|350px|thumb|left|[[Dawson City, Yukon]], scene of the [[Klondike Gold Rush]].]]
Most provinces have provincial counterparts to the three national federal parties. However, some provincial parties are not formally linked to the federal parties that share the same name. Some provinces have regional political parties, such as the [[Saskatchewan Party]]. The provincial political climate of Quebec is quite different: the main split is between [[Quebec sovereignty movement|separatism]], represented by the [[Parti Québécois]], and [[Quebec federalism|federalism]], represented by the [[Parti Libéral du Québec]].
The three territories have fewer political powers than provinces, having been created by acts of the national Parliament rather than having their status enshrined in the Constitution. There is no lieutenant governor to represent and fulfil the functions of the Queen, but each has a politically neutral commissioner appointed by the federal government to act as its senior representative. Only the [[Yukon]] legislature follows the same political system as the provincial legislatures. The other two territories use a [[consensus government]] system in which each member runs as an independent and the premier is elected by and from the members.
==Economy==
[[Image:Torsky.jpg|thumbnail|300px|right| The skyline of [[Toronto, Ontario]], Canada's most populous city and heart of the Canadian economy.]]
{{main2|Economy of Canada|Economic history of Canada}}
As an affluent, high-tech industrial society, Canada today closely resembles the U.S. in its market-oriented economic system, pattern of production, and high living standards. In the last century, the impressive growth of the manufacturing, mining, and service sectors has transformed the nation from a largely rural economy into one primarily industrial and urban. Canada has vast deposits of natural gas on the east coast and in the west, and a plethora of other natural resources contributing to self-sufficiency in energy. The [[1989]] [[Canada-U.S. Free Trade Agreement]] (FTA) and 1994 [[North American Free Trade Agreement]] (NAFTA) (which included Mexico) touched off a dramatic increase in trade and economic integration with the U.S. Since 2001, Canada has successfully avoided economic recession and has maintained the best overall economic performance in the [[G8]].
Two long-term concerns loom. One is the continuing political differences over the Constitution between Quebec and the rest of Canada, periodically raising the possibility of [[Quebec sovereignty movement|Quebec independence]]. As the economy becomes stronger, notably in Quebec, fears of separation have generally waned. Another concern is the "[[Brain Drain]]", the emigration of professionals to the U.S. in search of higher pay, lower taxes, and high-tech opportunities. However, a largely under-recognized "Brain Gain" is occurring simultaneously, as educated immigrants (particularly from developing countries) continue to enter Canada [http://www.statcan.ca/english/indepth/81-003/feature/eqhi2000006003s1a01.htm].
==Language==
{{seemain|Language in Canada}}
Canada's two official languages are English and French. On [[July 7]], [[1969]], under the [[Official Languages Act]], French was made commensurate to English throughout the federal government. This started a process that led to Canada redefining itself as a [[Bilingualism in Canada|bilingual]] and [[multiculturalism|multicultural]] nation:
*English and French have equal status in Parliament, in federal courts, and in all federal institutions.
*Any defendant in a criminal case has the right to a trial in either English or French.
*The public has the right, where there is sufficient demand, to receive federal government services in either English or French.
*Official language minority groups in most provinces and territories have the right to be educated in their language, in their own schools, with their own elected school boards, where they exist in sufficient numbers.
*While multiculturalism is official policy, to ''become'' a citizen one must be able to speak either English or French.
*More than 98% of Canadians speak English or French or both.
[[Image:Halifaxpic.jpg|300px|left|thumb|[[Halifax, Nova Scotia]] ]]
The official language of Quebec is French, as defined by the province's [[Charter of the French Language]], which was introduced by the [[Parti Quebecois]] in [[1976]]. However, the charter also provides certain rights for speakers of English and aboriginal languages. Quebec provides most government services in both French and English.
French is mostly spoken in [[Quebec]] with pockets in [[New Brunswick]], eastern [[Ontario]], [[Saskatchewan]], and southern [[Manitoba]]. In the 2001 census, 6,864,615 people listed French as a [[first language]], of whom 85% lived in Quebec. 17,694,835 people listed English as a first language.
New Brunswick is the only officially bilingual province, a status specifically guaranteed by the Canadian ''Charter of Rights and Freedoms''. Some provincial governments, notably Manitoba and Ontario, offer many services to their French minority populations.
[[Image:Montreal-mcgillcollege.jpg|250px|thumb|right|A view from downtown [[Montreal]], [[Quebec]]]]
Non-official languages are also important in Canada, with 5,470,820 people listing a non-official language as a first language. (The above three statistics include those who listed more than one first language.) Among the most important non-official first language groups are [[Chinese language|Chinese]] (853,745 first-language speakers), [[Italian language|Italian]] (469,485), and [[German language|German]] (438,080).
===Aboriginal groups===
The [[Constitution of Canada|Constitution Act of 1982]] recognizes three groups of [[aboriginal peoples in Canada]]: the Indians (now often called [[First Nations]]), [[Inuit]], and [[Métis people (Canada)|Métis]]. The aboriginal population is growing almost twice as fast as the rest of the population in Canada. Aboriginal peoples number 790,000 people (or 3% of Canada's population) of whom about 69% are First Nations, 26% are Métis, and 5% are Inuit.
Today, there are more than 50 different languages spoken by Aboriginal peoples, most of which are spoken only in Canada and are in decline. The only aboriginal languages believed to be currently fully sustainable are
[[Ojibwe language|Ojibwe]] and [[Cree language|Cree]], together totalling up to 150,000 speakers, and [[Inuktitut]], with about 29,000 speakers in the [[Northwest Territories]], [[Nunavut]], [[Nunavik]] (Northern Quebec), and [[Nunatsiavut]] (Northern Labrador).
Two of Canada's territories give official status to aboriginal languages. In Nunavut, Inuktitut and [[Inuinnaqtun]] are official languages alongside English and French, and Inuktitut is a common vehicular language in government. In the Northwest Territories, the ''[http://www.canlii.org/nt/laws/sta/o-1/20050211/whole.html Official Languages Act]'' specifies no fewer than eleven official languages: {{ll|Chipewyan}}, {{ll|Cree}}, English, French, {{ll|Gwich'in}}, Inuinnaqtun, Inuktitut, Inuvialuktun, {{ll|North Slavey}}, {{ll|South Slavey}} and {{ll|Tåîchô}}. However, besides English and French, these languages are not vehicular in government; official status entitles citizens to receive services in them on request and to deal with the government in them.
==Demographics==
{{seemain|Demographics of Canada}}
The [[2001]] census recorded 30,007,094 people, and [[as of April 2005]] the population has been estimated by [[Statistics Canada]] as 32.2 million people[http://www.statcan.ca/english/edu/clock/population.htm]. Approximately 80% of Canada's population lives within 200 km of the U.S. border.
In the 2001 census, 39.42% of respondents reported their ethnic origins as "Canadian", most of whom are believed to be of '''British''', '''Irish''', and '''French''' heritage of earlier immigrants. In addition, 20.17% identified their origin as [[English-Canadian|English]], 15.75% as [[French-Canadian|French]], 14.03% as Scottish, and 12.90% as [[Irish Canadian|Irish]]. Numerous other groups were also reported, but only [[German-Canadian|German]] (9.25%) and [[Italian-Canadian|Italian]] (4.29%) were significantly reported.
''See also:'' [[List of Canadians by ethnicity]] for the complete list.
The total "visible minority" [http://www.statcan.ca/english/census2001/dict/pop127.htm] population is 13% of the Canadian population [http://www12.statcan.ca/english/census01/products/highlight/Ethnicity/Page.cfm?Lang=E&Geo=PR&View=1&Code=0&Table=2&StartRec=1&Sort=2&B1=Distribution] (this does not include First Nations, Métis, and Inuit peoples). Non-whites comprise 15% of the population; of these over half are [[Asians]], at 7.6% of the total.
The 2001 census reported that Canada had an immigrant population of 5,448,480. [http://www12.statcan.ca/english/census01/products/highlight/Immigration/Page.cfm?Lang=E&Geo=PR&Code=0&View=1&Table=1&StartRec=1&Sort=2&B1=Counts]
==Culture==
{{main2|Culture of Canada|Canadian identity}}
[[Image:CanCup87.jpg|thumb|left|Ice hockey events like the [[Canada Cup (hockey)|Canada Cup]] are popular in Canada]]
[[Pierre Trudeau]]'s federal government adopted [[multiculturalism]] as an official policy in 1971 in the aftermath of the [[Royal Commission on Bilingualism and Biculturalism]] conducted under the government of Prime Minister [[Lester B. Pearson]].
Due to its colonial past, Canadian culture has been heavily influenced by British and French cultures and traditions. Canadian culture has also been influenced by American culture because of proximity and the migration of people, ideas, and capital. Amidst this, Canadian culture has developed many unique characteristics. In many respects, a more robust and distinct Canadian culture has developed in recent years, partially because of the civic nationalism that pervaded Canada in the years prior to and following the [[Canadian Centennial]] in [[1967]], and also due to a focus by the federal government on programs to support culture and the arts.
There were and are many distinct First Nations peoples across Canada, each with its own culture, language and history. Many weaved baskets, painted pictures, and carved sculptures of animals. Most, but not all, of their culture was verbal and stories were [[oral history|passed down]] through the elders to the younger generations. The emblem of the [[Vancouver]] [[2010 Winter Olympics]] is the [[inukshuk]], a stacked rock in human form engendered by the [[Inuit]] people of Canada. [http://www.vancouver2010.com/Emblem/home.htm]
Early Europeans helped form the basis of Canadian culture. During their colonization of Canada, settlers wrote a great deal of [[folklore]] about the land around them. The tales of [[Paul Bunyan]] are a product of French-Canadian folklore and the style of [[jigs]] from [[Newfoundland]] found their origins in [[Ireland]].
Canada and the United Kingdom share a common history together and continue to work together through many organisations such as the [[Commonwealth of Nations|Commonwealth]], [[G-8]], and [[NATO]]. The two countries share the same head of state, and both have among the oldest parliamentary democracies in the world.
From as early as the 1500s, explorers, traders, and fishermen from the British Isles ventured to Canada in search of a new life and people of British ancestry still form Canada's largest ethnic group. The two countries still share many of the same customs, values, and traditions, which have been reinforced by working side by side in two world wars and over half a century of expanding peace and prosperity. The United Kingdom is Canada’s third largest trading partner and is the second largest source of tourists visiting Canada.
[[Image:Vancouverpic.jpg|right|thumb|300px|Downtown [[Vancouver]], [[British Columbia]]]]
Many American movies, authors, TV shows, and musicians are equally popular in Canada (and vice versa) across the border. In the case of musicians, some, such as [[Avril Lavigne]], [[Celine Dion]], [[Leonard Cohen]], [[Sarah McLachlan]], [[Shania Twain]], [[Bryan Adams]], [[Nickelback]], [[Sum 41]], and most notably [[Rush (band)|Rush]] have experienced tremendous success in the U.S. and around the world. Most cultural products of these types are now increasingly marketed towards a unified "North American" market, and not specifically a Canadian or American one.
The U.S. and Canadian governments share a variety of close working partnerships in trade, economic, legal, security, and military matters.
As Canada and the U.S. have grown closer, many Canadians have developed complex feelings and concerns regarding what makes Canada a "distinct" nation within North America. The large American cultural presence in Canada has prompted some fears of a "cultural takeover," and has led to the establishment of laws and government institutions to protect Canadian culture. Cultural institutions include the [[Canadian Broadcasting Corporation|CBC]], the [[National Film Board of Canada]], and the [[Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission|CRTC]]. Much of Canadian culture remains defined in contrast to American culture (see [[Canadian identity]]).
In recent years, Canada has increasingly distinguished itself from the U.S. as more socially liberal while maintaining balanced fiscal policies. Canadian governments (and to a large extent, the Canadian people) support issues such as [[universal health care]], [[Same-sex marriage in Canada|same-sex marriage]] and decriminalization of marijuana. At the same time, they have supported balanced budgets, tax cuts, and free trade. See [[Canadian and American politics compared]] for more information.
===National symbols===
[[image:RCMP2.jpg|thumb|270px|right|The [[Royal Canadian Mounted Police]] are the federal and national police force in Canada, and an international icon for the country.]]
The use of the [[maple leaf]] as a Canadian symbol dates back to the early 18th century, and is depicted on its [[Flag of Canada|current]] and [[Red Ensign|previous]] flags, the [[penny (Canadian coin)|penny]], and on the [[Coat of Arms of Canada|coat of arms]]. Red (for England) and white (for France) were proclaimed national colours in 1921. Canada is known for its vast forests and mountain ranges (including the [[Rocky Mountains]]) and the animals that reside within them, such as [[moose]], [[caribou]], [[beaver]]s, [[polar bear]]s, [[grizzly bear]]s, and the [[common loon]]. The [[beaver]]'s emblematic status originated from the fact that early Canadian settlers traded [[fur]]. Other symbols include the ship [[Bluenose]], which is featured on the Canadian dime, and the [[Canada goose]]. Canada is also well known for its [[Royal Canadian Mounted Police]], and products made from the country's natural resources, such as [[maple syrup]]. Anything pertaining to [[ice hockey|hockey]], Canada's official winter sport, is also often used
as a national symbol of unity and pride; [[lacrosse]] is the official summer sport.
In recent years, other symbols such as [[beer]] have become a source of pride as well. One example was the former Montreal-based [[Molson Canadian]], which often infused beer with Canadian nationalism in its commercials. See ([[I am Canadian]]).
==National Holidays==
There are currently 10 national holidays in Canada. See [[Holidays in Canada]] for more details.
==International rankings==
*Human Development Index, 2004: 4th (out of 177)
*Environmental Sustainability Index, 2005: 6th (out of 146) [http://www.yale.edu/esi/ESI2005_Main_Report.pdf]
*Reporters Without Borders World-wide Press Freedom Index 2004: 18th (out of 165)[http://www.rsf.org]
*Total value of foreign trade (imports and exports), 2003: 4th (out of 185)
*Transparency International Corruption Perceptions Index 2004 [http://www.transparency.org/cpi/2004/cpi2004.en.html] - 12th (out of 146)
*Heritage Foundation/Wall Street Journal Index of Economic Freedom, 2005 [http://www.heritage.org/research/features/index/] - 16th (out of 155)
==References==
*Bumsted, J. 2004. ''History of the Canadian Peoples'', Oxford: Oxford University Press
==Related topics==
''See also: [[List of Canada-related topics]]''
{{Canadian topics}}
== External links ==
{{commons|Canada}}
{{Wikinews|Canada}}
{{Wikisource}}
* [http://www.gc.ca Official website of the Government of Canada]
* [http://www.cbc.ca/ Canadian Broadcasting Corporation]
* [http://www.mdn.consul.cc/ Consulate for Canada to Italy]
* [http://www.iccs-ciec.ca/blackwell.html Canadian Studies: A Guide to the Sources]
* [http://www.canadamaps.info Maps of Canada] - Maps of Canada and maps of Canadian provinces, territories and cities
* [http://statcan.ca/english/edu/clock/population.htm Statistics Canada with Canada's population clock]
* [http://www.canadiangeographic.ca/atlas/ The Canadian Atlas Online]
{{Template:Canada}}
{{Template:Canada ties}}
{{North_America}}
[[Category:Canada|*]]
[[Category:Monarchies]]
[[Category:North American countries]]
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