• Location : Bordering British Columbia to the west, Saskatchewan to the east, the Northwest Territories to the north, and the United States (Montana) to the South.
• Area : 255,000 sq. mi. (660,000 sq. km.)
• Highest Point : Mount Columbia, 12,294 ft. (3,747 m)
• Lowest Point : Interior plains 565 ft. (170 m)
•••
Alberta is a vast province, almost the size of Texas. The topography of Alberta varies from the open plains of the east and north, to the lofty peaks of the Rocky Mountains that form part of Alberta’s border with British Columbia in the west. Alberta has large petroleum and coal deposits that have produced a booming economy in spite of the sometimes harsh weather. Several large lakes and thousands of smaller lakes and rivers are populated with a profusion of gamefish and waterfowl. Wide unspoiled areas abound with game of all sorts, and the scenery is as beautiful as any unspoiled area on Earth.
Most inhabitants of Alberta are Canadian-born from European stock. Most of the people of Alberta can trace their ancestry to England, Ireland or Scotland, although there is a large French-Canadian population as well. The original Indian inhabitants now make up less than three percent of the current population.
Before the European settlers came to Alberta, nomadic Indian tribes followed the vast herds of buffalo across the Great Plains in migratory patterns that ranged south into what are now parts of Montana and North Dakota. The Blackfeet and the Cree Indians were among the more recognizable tribes that lived in this area. Hudson’s Bay Company, the oldest chartered trading company in the world, first ventured into Alberta when Anthony Henday began negotiating fur trade with the Indians in 1754. This led to eventual colonization of the area by European settlers throughout the nineteenth century, culminating with the purchase of Alberta, along with other vast areas of the interior, from Hudson’s Bay Company by the Canadian government in 1869. In 1882 the first formal governing body was established for Alberta. After the turn of the century settlers began pouring into Alberta, lured by the rich agricultural lands, rugged beauty, and free land. In 1905 Alberta declared itself a province of Canada (distinguishing itself from the other “Territories”) and held its first legislative assembly in 1906. Discovery of oil and gas in 1947 led to a massive economic boom that continues to this day.
¶British Columbia
Y
Victoria
Ø
Ø
1
• Languages : English, Indian Dialects
• Population : 2,890,000 (est. 1989)
• Flag : The lower half of the flag has three horizontal blue bars on a white background, with a setting sun superimposed over both. The top half of the flag is a scaled down version of the Union Jack (four crossing red bars over a blue field), with a gold crown centered in the intersection of the red bars.
• Location : Bordered on the west by the Pacific Ocean and Alaska, the North by the Yukon and Northwest Territories, the east by Alberta, and the South by the United States (Montana, Idaho, and Washington).
• Area : 360,000 sq. mi. (950,000 sq. km)
• Highest Point : Mt. Fairweather 15,300 ft. (4,663 m)
•••
British Columbia is immense by any standard, although it is only the third largest of the Canadian provinces or territories. One third again as large as Texas, British Columbia includes a diversity of topography, ranging from the Great Plains in the northeast, through two complete mountain range systems (the Rockies in the east, and the Coast Mountains in the west) to the islands and fjörds of the Pacific coast. Much of the interior and even some of the islands and coastline are difficult or impossible to traverse, so the population has congregated along the seashore and some of the fertile valleys inland.
The highest point in British Columbia is located in the Coast Mountains, not the Rockies. This mountain range extends down from Alaska and defines the coastline of southern Alaska and western British Columbia. The intersection of mountain range and seashore produces a beautiful landscape of islands, deep inlets and bays, mighty rivers, majestic waterfalls and crashing glaciers. The scenery along the coast at times resembles the fjörds of Norway and Sweden. Among other benefits, such topography produces a fishing bonanza, and anglers travel thousands of miles to sample the sea run trout (otherwise known as Steelhead) and salmon. Salmon fishing in British Columbia provides the bulk of Canada’s salmon catch. Sea fishing for deep-water species is also common.
British Columbia is a booming area, and provides the bulk of lumber and wood products for Canada. Manufacturing concerns have been well developed so British Columbia produces not only raw materials, such as lumber, but also refined products ready for market, such as paper. Metal fabrication plants and mineral processing have added strength to the already diverse economy, and recently tourism has become important as well. Because of the inhospitable terrain, travel in B.C. can be a problem. Railways provide valuable transportation capability in areas with few trustworthy roads. Air travel, however, is highly developed, and air taxis can carry the adventurous traveler to virtually any location.
¶Greenland
Y
Copenhagen
Ø
Ø
1
• Official Name : Kalâtdlit-Nunât
• Languages : Greenlandic, Danish
• Population : 54,000 (est. 1987)
• Government : Parliamentary, with foreign and defense matters controlled by Denmark.
• Flag : (The flag of Denmark) A horizontal white bar centered, and a vertical white bar offset to the left of center, crossing over a field of red.
• Location : Northeast of Canada, and west of Iceland, in the extreme North Atlantic.
• Area : 840,000 sq. mi. (2,175,000 sq. km)
• Highest Point : Gunnbjörn Fjeld 12,139 ft. (3,700 m)
• Lowest Point : Sea level.
•••
Greenland is the world’s largest island. (There is a possibility that Greenland is actually a grouping of smaller islands covered by an ice pack, giving the illusion of a single land mass.) Gunnbjörn Fjeld is the highest “known” peak in Greenland. Much of the interior has never been surveyed accurately enough to determine if there are higher peaks inland. Portions of the icy interior are covered with packs of ice more than two miles deep. Glaciers dominate the shoreline and many of the north Atlantic’s treacherous icebergs originate here.
The economy of Greenland is almost totally based on fishing, although tourism has increased recently. Some mining is done in Greenland, but the inaccessibility of the interior has kept such industrial concerns to a minimum. Apart from Antarctica, Greenland may contain the largest land area yet untrod by human feet. A colonial system of economics has prevailed on Greenland since its early discovery by Viking explorers over a thousand years ago. Even today Denmark supports Greenland with significant financial aid, and the Danes are the chief beneficiaries of Greenlandic exports. The United States maintains an Air Force base at Thule, on the Northwest coast, near the large Canadian island of Ellesmere.
Although physically closer to North America, Greenland has had closer political and cultural ties to Europe for centuries. Colonies of Vikings or their descendents have been maintained on Greenland for a thousand years, and its ties with Norway became official in 1261 when Greenlanders, desperate for financial aid and supplies, swore allegiance to Norway. Norway’s influence in world affairs soon waned, however, and most of the colonies were evacuated or forgotten. The great age of discovery in the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries reopened Greenland to European colonization. Norway no longer retained official claim to the island (although it continued to be used as a base for Norwegian hunters), and Danish immigrants began to resettle the island in the eighteenth century.
Governing councils were unofficially established by some of these colonies around 1860, although they were not recognized by the world at large. Norwegian ties to Greenland continued until 1933 when the World Court finally ruled against Norway’s territorial claims to the island. Greenland voluntarily became a part of the Danish kingdom in 1953. Since that time Denmark has offered financial, technical, and political aid to strengthen the economy. Greenland was ruled this way until 1979 when the Danish parliament and Greenlandic citizens voted to allow Greenland self-governing powers.
¶Manitoba
Y
Winnipeg
Ø
Ø
1
• Languages : English, French
• Population : 1,071,000 (est. 1989)
• Flag : The flag of Manitoba has a small version of the Union Jack (a blue field crossed by four red bars) in the upper left corner, and the Coat of Arms of Manitoba positioned close to the right edge of the flag, both over a field of red.
• Location : A “Prairie Province” bordered on the north by the Northwest Territories and the Hudson Bay, the east by Ontario, the west by Alberta, and the South by the United States (North Dakota and Minnesota).
• Area : 251,000 sq. mi. (650,000 sq. km)
• Highest Point : Baldy Mountain, 2,729 ft. (832 m)
• Lowest Point : Sea Level (Hudson Bay)
•••
Manitoba is a heavily forested area of plains, lakes and rivers. Lake Winnipeg is one of the largest lakes in the world, larger than Lake Ontario, and slightly smaller than Lake Erie. As with the Great Lakes that border the United States and Canada, commercial fishing is very heavy on lakes Winnipeg, Winnipegosa and Manitoba. Agriculture is very successful in the southern parts of the Province, and trapping and fishing are the primary sources of income in the north. Southern Manitoba is very similar to regions of the American Midwest, although the growing season is shorter. Grain crops do well in these regions, and Manitoba is one of the primary agricultural sources (with Saskatchewan and Alberta) for Canada. Northern areas are primarily tundra or low-lying wetlands.
Some mining is done in Manitoba, and the fur industry is highly developed. Beaver, muskrat, fox and some mink are trapped for their fur. Commercial fur farms provide only a third of the furs produced. Manitoba has long been a food packaging and preparing province. Metals mined in the north are now processed in the south providing much needed diversity for the Manitoban economy. Industrial concerns are expanding rapidly in Manitoba and the economy is likely to be booming soon.
Northern Manitoba is a haven for North American migratory waterfowl. Ducks and geese in the millions inhabit the wetlands, lakes and rivers during the spring and summer. Lakes in Manitoba are so common and interconnected that it is frequently difficult to tell them apart. Canoe trips with short portages can go on for weeks or months. The fishing is fantastic with trout, grayling, arctic char, whitefish, pickerel, sauger, walleye, and the fish of a thousand casts: the magnificent northern pike.
The bulk of the people of Manitoba are of English, Irish, or Scottish descent. French-Canadians, Germans and Indians make up most of the rest. Originally Manitoba was inhabited by the nomadic tribes of Indians common throughout the interior of the North American Great Plains. Hudson’s Bay Company received a charter for all of the lands drained by the Hudson Bay in the seventeenth century. Commercial fur trading soon became the primary industry of the area. European settlers first established a community in Manitoba on the banks of Lake Winnipeg in 1812. Land was granted to start the settlement by the Hudson’s Bay Company. The Red River Settlement, as it was called, was led by a Scottish gentleman, Lord Selkirk, and was intended as an agricultural community. This angered fur trappers of the North West Company. Fierce competition between the two fur trading concerns led to battle and bloodshed until 1821 when the two primary fur trading companies, Hudson’s Bay Company and North West Company, merged.
In 1869 Hudson’s Bay Company sold the area which now encompasses most of Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Alberta, and the Northwest Territories to the newly formed Dominion of Canada. In 1870 Manitoba officially became a province of Canada.
¶New Brunswick
Y
Fredericton
Ø
Ø
1
• Languages : English, French
• Population : 710,000 (est. 1989)
• Flag : Top: a stylized yellow lion on a field of red. Bottom: a stylized ship on a field of yellow floating on two horizontal blue bars and one white bar.
• Location : Bordered on the east by the Gulf of St. Lawrence, the south by the Atlantic ocean, the north by Quebec, and the west by The United States (Maine).
• Area : 28,350 sq. mi. (74,000 sq. km)
• Highest Point : Mt. Carleton, 2,690 ft. (820 m)
• Lowest Point : Sea Level
•••
New Brunswick joined with three other provinces (Quebec, Ontario, and Nova Scotia) to form the Dominion of Canada in 1867. Nestled between the Gulf of St. Lawrence (a gulf of the North Atlantic Ocean) and the State of Maine, New Brunswick is one of the most industrialized provinces of Canada. In spite of the presence of industry, New Brunswick has remained heavily forested because of a generally poor soil and a climate that is not beneficial for agriculture. (However, certain locations in the St. John’s River valley provide excellent farming.)
Fishing is among the most economically important enterprises of New Brunswick. Seafood resources include atlantic salmon, lobster and crabs. Mining for coal is a significant industry, as is the production of wood pulp into paper and other wood products. Large steam-powered electric plants provide energy for the province and export into the national power grid for use elsewhere.
New Brunswick was originally populated by Indian tribes that either hunted and fished the bountiful game and seafood resources, or planted corn and other crops. Unlike the interior provinces and the territories, New Brunswick was not explored and settled by the Hudson’s Bay Company. Exploration of New Brunswick was initiated by French and English explorers in the early seventeenth century. St. Croix was settled by the French in 1604. Soon after, thriving fur trading settlements were established in many locations in what is now New Brunswick.
By the late seventeenth century successful British colonies expanded into the area. British and French wars in Europe spread to the new continent and Britain conquered French settlements in New Brunswick many times. Eventually France ceded New Brunswick to the British in 1713. British colonists then began arriving in droves, forcing out the long-time French settlers known as “Acadians.” Some of the French Acadians fled the area, eventually resettling in the southern regions of what is now Louisiana (then owned by the French) and their descendents formed the “Cajun” (a derivative of the word Acadian) culture.
After the war of American Independence Britain and the newly formed United States agreed upon the St. Croix River as the northern boundary of the new nation. Lands to the north and west of the headwaters of the St. Croix soon became the source of bitter dispute and military clashes between the militia of Maine (then a part of Massachusetts) and that of New Brunswick. The dispute came closest to open warfare in 1839. Tensions remained high until 1842 when President Martin Van Buren arranged a truce with New Brunswick officials establishing a new boundary. This confrontation came to be known as the Aroostook War, and marked the last time armed conflict has occurred between Canadians and Americans.
In 1864 New Brunswick attempted to form a coalition with the other Atlantic provinces in order to build a rail system for their mutual benefit. The talks led to the eventual formation (in 1867) of the Dominion of Canada.
¶Newfoundland
Y
St. John’s
Ø
Ø
1
• Languages : English, French
• Population : 568,000 (est. 1989)
• Flag : The Union Jack, A blue field crossed with four white and red bars, one vertical, one horizontal, and two diagonals, all meeting in the center of the flag.
• Exports : Coffee, chemical products, meat, sugar
• Imports : Machinery, transport equipment, clothing, fuels, manufactured goods.
• Location : The easternmost of Canada’s provinces, bordered on the east by the Atlantic ocean and the north, south and west by Quebec.
• Area : 156,190 sq. mi. (400,000 sq. km)
• Highest Point : locations in Northern Labrador 5,200 ft. (1,500 m)
• Lowest Point : Sea level.
•••
Newfoundland was the last province to join Canada. Newfoundland is made up of a large island off the shore of Quebec, and the mainland between Quebec and the Atlantic ocean. Newfoundland has a long and interesting history, with European contacts as much as a thousand years old. Like Greenland, Newfoundland was explored and settled by the great Viking explorers of the tenth century. British fishermen sailed the North Atlantic and may have reached the coasts of Newfoundland decades before the much heralded voyages of Columbus.
The rich fishing off the coast of Newfoundland has been exploited by fishermen since the fisheries were discovered in the fifteenth century. Fishing settlements that were established in the spring and vacated in the fall were set up in several coastal locations. The Island of Newfoundland was visited by ships from France, England, Holland, Portugal, Spain, and even pirates based in the Mediterranean Sea. France and England dominated settlement in Newfoundland and the colonists tolerated each other with minor friction until France and England declared war in 1689. Newfoundland, which was heavily settled at the time, became a focus of the war in the new world. Britain was given control of the island of Newfoundland after the war. France and Britain again went to war in 1756, and at that time British colonists defeated and sent packing the remaining French colonists.
The Treaty of Paris in 1763 gave Britain control of all of what is now Canada, in return for fishing and harbor rights for French ships along the east coast of Newfoundland (including the coast of Labrador). The coastline of Labrador retained close ties with Newfoundland throughout this period. Early claims to Labrador by Quebec were hotly contested until finally settled by the Labrador Boundary Decision of 1927.
Newfoundland prospered during the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, but a lack of diversity led to economic collapse as fish prices dropped worldwide after World War I. The government of Newfoundland was unable to recover and the Great Depression of the 1930s further complicated the territory’s financial problems. In 1934 Great Britain acted by effectively disbanding the government of Newfoundland and assuming their debts. Recovery was long in coming, however, and Newfoundland did not regain economic power until World War II provided a desperate world market for their food exports. In 1949 Canada approved an appeal for admission as a province by Newfoundland, making Newfoundland the tenth province of Canada.
Fishing remains the top economic producer for Newfoundland to this day. Mining for copper and iron ore is very productive, and a thriving timber industry exists both on the island and on the mainland. Newfoundland has further diversified its economy with the construction of major electric producing power plants.
¶Northwest Territories
Y
Yellowknife
Ø
Ø
1
• Languages : English, Eskimo
• Population : 52,250 (est. 1989)
• Government : Territorial Public Service appointed by the parliament of Canada.
• Flag : Divided horizontally into three equal parts, both edges blue, the center white. The Coat of Arms of the Northwest Territories is centered in the white section of the flag.
• Location : South of the Arctic Ocean, east of the Yukon Territory, west of Greenland and the Hudson Bay, and north of British Columbia, Alberta, Manitoba and Saskatchewan.
• Area : 1,305,000 sq. mi. (3,380,000 sq. km)
• Highest Point : Mt. Sir James MacBrien, 9,062 ft. (2,762 m)
•••
The Northwest Territories includes three districts: The Districts of Mackenzie, Franklin and Keewatin.
One of our latest sources of information on Canada listed five “administrative regions” instead of the three districts listed above. These regions are:
• Baffin - inluding most of the northeastern Arctic islands, including Baffin and Ellesmere islands.
• Inuvik - including the extreme northwest corner of the Northwest Territories, including a part of Victoria Island.
• Kitikmeot - including the rest of Victoria Island, several other islands close to the northern mainland, and the upper portion of the mainland.
• Fort Smith - Including Great Bear Lake and Great Slave Lake, and most of the southwestern portion of the territory.
• Keewatin - Which is virtually identical to the District of Keewatin as described below.
Unfortunately there was no further information about the five regions, so we have described the three districts below.
The District of Mackenzie: (527,500 sq mi. or 1,370,000 sq km.) - This is the farthest west of the districts and contains the Mackenzie Mountains, which forms the boundary with the Yukon Territory. Two lakes dominate the district of Mackenzie: the Great Bear Lake and the Great Slave Lake. The Great Bear Lake has an area of 12,275 sq. mi. (31,800 sq. km.) an area significantly larger than Vermont. The Great Slave Lake has an area of 11,000 sq. mi. (28,500 sq. km.) slightly smaller than the Great Bear Lake, but still larger than Vermont. Each of these lakes is larger than Lake Erie, but not as large as Lakes Huron, Michigan, or Superior. As with the more southern Great Lakes, these lakes support a strong fishing industry, and help to transport goods such as timber, and mineral ores.
The District of Keewatin: (230,000 sq. mi. or 590,000 sq. km.) - The lands east of the District of Mackenzie, west of the Hudson Bay, and south of the islands of the district of Franklin make up this district. Dominated by flat prairie, tundra and wetlands, this area is commonly called the “Barrens.” Keewatin also includes all islands in the Hudson Bay and the James Bay, including Akimiski Island, a large island off the shore of Ontario in the James Bay. A harsh and imposing land, Keewatin is sparsely populated and largely unspoiled.
The District of Franklin: (550,000 sq. mi. or 1,400,000 sq. km.) - The Canadian Arctic islands (not those in the Hudson Bay, which are part of Keewatin) and the Boothia and Melville peninsulas make up the Franklin District. There are several large Arctic islands and thousands of smaller islands, most of which are connected by ice packs for most of the year. For the most part this district is uninhabited. Because of the harsh climate and light precipitation, trees are virtually unknown in this area. However, the wetlands and tundra provide a bonanza for migratory waterfowl during the short summer months.
Canada acquired control of the Northwest Territories in 1869 when it purchased the lands held by the Hudson’s Bay Company. Since then the area has been largely undeveloped. Mining is very important in the Northwest territories. The Mackenzie district provides a valuable source of pitchblende, the primary source of uranium and also a source of radium. Fishing and timber production are also important. Most of the Canadian population of Eskimos lives in the Northwest Territories.
¶Nova Scotia
Y
Halifax
Ø
Ø
1
• Languages : English, French.
• Population : 875,000 (est. 1989)
• Flag : Two blue bars diagonally crossing a white field. The center of the flag has the Coat of arms of Nova Scotia.
• Location : A peninsula bordered almost entirely by the Atlantic Ocean, and connected to New Brunswick in the northwest.
• Area : 21,500 sq. mi. (55,000 sq. km)
• Highest Point : Cape Breton Highlands National Park 1,747ft.(532 m)
• Lowest Point : Sea Level.
•••
One of the four original provinces (along with Ontario, Quebec and New Brunswick) Nova Scotia includes the island of Cape Breton. A maritime climate tempers the harsh northern winters as well as the blistering summers, giving Nova Scotia a moderate climate for most of the year. The seaside resorts and beaches are popular with Canadian and American tourists during the summer.
The land of Nova Scotia is heavily forested and provides excellent farming areas. Fishing is excellent both inland and in the oceanic bays and inlets. Nova Scotia leads all other provinces and territories in seafood production. Mineral deposits are also extensive, including coal, gypsum and lead. Nova Scotia is also the most aggressive industrial province, with a strong national and international presence in paper production, foodstuffs, gravel, and fish products.
The early history of Nova Scotia is similar to New Brunswick. French settlers who originally formed a community in St. Croix moved their settlement across the Bay of Fundy to form a new community at what is now Port Royal. The French called Nova Scotia (and parts of New Brunswick) Acadia. British and French colonists originally tolerated each other until the European wars between France and England, at which time the colonists chose sides and bore arms against each other. Port Royal changed hands between the British and the French several times in the seventeenth century as treaties were signed and broken by both sides. Finally, in 1713 the French gave up all claims to “Acadia” and French settlers became naturalized British subjects. In exchange France retained control of Cape Breton Island and Prince Edward Island.
Some of the Acadians did not agree to the terms of the peace agreement and migrated to the French owned Louisiana Territory. Their descendants now form the “Cajun” (a derivative of the word “Acadian”) communities of southern Louisiana. However, conflict between the settlers of Nova Scotia and the soldiers of Fort Louisbourg (on Prince Edward Island) was inevitable, and in 1745 British troops took the fort. France regained control for a short time, but by 1763 Britain held complete control of Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island and Cape Breton Island.
After the successful American Revolution, many Colonial “Loyalists” (citizens who remained loyal to Britain) migrated to the British colonies in and around Nova Scotia. As settlements grew, more and more European immigrants settled in Nova Scotia. The area developed booming fisheries, fur trading, and agricultural businesses. Ship building and merchant trading became the most important segments of the economy throughout the nineteenth century. Nova Scotia’s merchant fleet at one time rivaled that of the young United States.
In 1867 Nova Scotia (including Cape Breton Island) joined with three other provinces to form the Dominion of Canada. Since that time Nova Scotia has provided much needed economic diversity to the young country.
¶Ontario
Y
Toronto
Ø
Ø
1
• Languages : English
• Population : 9,115,000 (est. 1989)
• Flag : Almost identical to the flag of Manitoba, a red field with a scaled down Union Jack in the upper left corner, and the Coat of Arms of Ontario close to the right edge of the flag.
• Location : Bordering Manitoba to the west, Quebec to the east, the Hudson Bay to the north and the United States (Minnesota, Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and New York) to the south.
• Area : 412,600 sq. mi. (1,000,000 sq. km)
• Highest Point : Numerous locations 2,250 ft. (700 m)
• Lowest Point : Sea level (Hudson Bay).
•••
Ontario is huge, but it still ranks second in size of provinces (to Quebec). Ontario does have the largest population of any province or territory, with almost a third of the entire population of Canada. Ontario has perhaps the richest collection of natural resources of any province. Mining for gold, copper, zinc, lead, silver, uranium, radium, platinum, iron, and many other minerals is well developed. As with other provinces, fishing, timber, fur, and agriculture are strong economic resources as well.
Ontario has highly developed industrial and manufacturing concerns. Factories dot the shores of Lakes Superior and Huron and commerce between Canada and the United States is heaviest in Ontario. Ontario is in some ways comparable to the industrial areas of the United States. Almost all Canadian automobiles are produced in Ontario. (Most of the auto companies are located surprisingly close to Detroit Michigan, which is the primary source of automobiles produced in the United States.) Meat packing, shipping and produce packaging is very important to the economy.
Ontario was originally occupied by the Chippewa Indians, along with other tribes such as the Huron (for which Lake Huron is named). There is some evidence that Viking explorers ventured into Lakes Huron and Superior over a thousand years ago. The first organized exploration of the area now known as Ontario was done by France in the early seventeenth century. As with many other provinces, fur trading with the Indians led to settlements along the Great Lakes. Ontario was claimed by the French originally, but was ceded to Great Britain in 1763 (at the end of the French and Indian War). Ontario, like Nova Scotia, received a number of British loyalists as immigrants from the newly formed United States after the American Revolutionary War. Settlers poured into the area as westward expansion increased throughout the eighteenth century.
The nineteenth century was a period of rapid economic and industrial growth. Immigration increased as Europeans fled persecution, plague, and political upheaval in Europe. As their economic and political muscle increased, the citizens of Ontario became less tolerant of the domination of Ontario by Great Britain. In 1837 a rebellion (led by William MacKenzie) was attempted but was quickly overcome by British troops. In response to this rebellion, Great Britain relaxed its control and allowed Ontario (then known as Upper Canada) limited self-government. Ontario joined with Nova Scotia, Quebec and New Brunswick to form the Dominion of Canada in 1867.
Ontario, by virtue of its location on the Great Lakes and proximity to the industrial and transportation centers of the United States, quickly developed into the industrial and manufacturing powerhouse of Canada. The discovery of abundant mineral wealth added to the economic diversity of the province. Gas and oil pipelines bring the materials needed to fuel the large industrial complexes, and steam and nuclear power plants provide electricity for manufacturing and homes.
¶Prince Edward Island
Y
Charlottetown
Ø
Ø
1
• Languages : English, French
• Population : 125,000 (est. 1989)
• Flag : An unusal flag, a white field with a dashed red outline around the perimeter. A red bar across the top of the flag contains a yellow stylized lion, and the center of the flag has a representation of an island with a large tree and three small trees.
• Location : Island located north of New Brunswick and Nova Scotia in the Gulf of St. Lawrence.
• Area : 2,200 sq. mi. (5,650 sq. km)
• Highest Point : 465 ft. (142 m)
• Lowest Point : Sea level.
•••
Prince Edward Island has perhaps the mildest climate of any Canadian province. Agricultural and fishing products make up the bulk of the economy of Prince Edward. The island shoreline is laced with beautiful beaches. Seaside resorts attract thousands of visitors from the mainland (both Canada and the United States). Resort activities such as golfing, sailing, fishing and other outdoor activities are well supported.
The French first explored and colonized Prince Edward Island (which they named “Isle St. John”) in the eighteenth century. As with New Brunswick and Nova Scotia, French and British conflicts led to several exchanges of ownership between the empires. (For more about these conflicts read about Nova Scotia or New Brunswick.) Eventually the British seized control of the island and renamed it Prince Edward Island (in 1799).
When the four provinces of Quebec, Ontario, Nova Scotia and New Brunswick formed the Dominion of Canada, Prince Edward Island decided not to join. After years of domination by Great Britain, the Islanders feared that the larger and more powerful provinces would control their destiny. As the Dominion of Canada increased in power and economic diversity, the inhabitants of the island decided they had more to gain than to lose, and the Island was accepted into the Dominion in 1873.
The twentieth century has been a time of economic hardship for Prince Edward Island. As the Canadian economy has moved into a more industrial and manufacturing arena, the Island has retained its agricultural focus. Many residents of the Island have moved to other provinces to seek better jobs, and as a whole the province has suffered through a period of slow economic growth. The growing tourism trade is a bright spot in an otherwise gloomy economy. Eventually the Islanders hope to become a sort of Canadian “Florida,” providing popular vacation areas for residents of other provinces.
¶Quebec
Y
Quebec
Ø
Ø
1
• Languages : English, French
• Population : 6,500,000 (est. 1989)
• Flag : A blue field crossed by two white bars, one vertical and one horizontal, intersecting in the center. The blue areas in each corner sport a Fleur-de-lis, marking a historic connection with France.
• Imports : Capital goods, industrial raw materials, petroleum, foodstuffs
• Location : Bordered on the east by Labrador (part of Newfoundland), the south by the United States (New York, Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine), the west by Ontario and the Hudson and James Bays, and the north by the Atlantic Ocean.
• Area : 595,000 sq. mi. (1,540,000 sq. km)
• Highest Point : Mount D’Iberville, 5,420 ft. (1,652 m)
• Lowest Point : Sea level.
•••
Quebec is the largest of the Canadian provinces, with a land area more than twice the size of Texas, and almost exactly equivalent to that of Alaska. Quebec is a land of rivers and lakes, with the majority of the province stretching across the vast plain of the Canadian Shield (a geographic name for the plateau which encompasses most of Quebec and parts of Manitoba, Ontario and Saskatchewan). The Canadian Shield region is most notable for its flatness and harsh winters. Eons of glaciation have scoured the land and exposed great mineral deposits, resources that the inhabitants of Quebec have been quick to exploit.
The capital city of Quebec (also called Quebec) is situated on the banks of the Saint Lawrence River, one of the busiest shipping lanes in the world. This shipping has helped Quebec become an important center of commerce for the entire province, as well as other parts of Canada. Quebec also encompasses the island of Anticosti located in the Gulf of Saint Lawrence.
Quebec was visited and perhaps settled for a short time by Viking explorers in the twelfth century. French explorers arrived in Quebec in the sixteenth century, promptly claimed the land for France, and returned to start colonization efforts which began with the founding of the city, Quebec, in 1608. French traders roamed the area in search of furs, either trapped or traded from the Indians. As with most of Southeastern Canada, French and English colonies collided and European wars were reflected in the politics of the New World. The British first captured the city of Quebec in 1629, and finally established firm control in 1763 after decades of conflict between Britain and France in North America and Europe.
Britain established Quebec as a province in 1763, although not in its present size and shape. The American Revolution reduced British claims for Quebec to areas north of the Saint Lawrence river and the Great Lakes. Britain extended the territory to the Atlantic Ocean to the North in 1912. The eastern border originally stretched into what is now the Labrador section of Newfoundland to the east. Border disputes with Newfoundland continued until finally settled by the Labrador Boundary Decision of 1927. Quebec, along with other provinces, received “Loyalist” immigrants from the newly formed United States after the Revolutionary war. Other settlers from Europe added to a growing population as Quebec began to expand its economic and political presence in North America.
Great Britain continued to wield a strong influence on all political and economic decisions well into the nineteenth century. Provincial resentment over British control grew until a rebellion was attempted in 1837. The rebels were quickly defeated, but their message made an impact on the British parliament. Changes were instituted and Quebec, along with other provinces, was given limited powers of self-government. In 1867 Quebec, along with Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, and Ontario formed the Dominion of Canada. Previous to this act Ontario had been a part of Quebec, but with the decision to form a confederation, Quebec split into what is now Quebec and Ontario.
¶Saskatchewan
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Regina
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• Languages : English and French.
• Population : 1,000,000 (est. 1989)
• Flag : Divided vertically into two equal fields, the top a rich green, and the bottom gold. The Coat of Arms of Saskatchewan is reproduced in the upper left corner, and a wildflower is positioned near the right side of the flag, crossing both fields.
• Exports : Grain, lumber, metal ores, fertilizer.
• Imports : Machinery and equipment, manufactured goods, fuels.
• Location : Bordered to the west by Alberta, the north by the Northwest Territories, the east by Manitoba, and the South by the United States (Montana and North Dakota).
• Area : 252,000 sq. mi. (650,000 sq. km.)
•••
Saskatchewan is a Prairie Province, like Alberta to the west. The Prairie Provinces are so named because they encompass areas of the North American Great Plains, a natural grain growing landscape. Saskatchewan resembles areas in the American Midwest, with great mechanized farms that produce vast quantities of wheat and other grains. Wheat grown in Saskatchewan is exported to such diverse places as Japan and East Germany. Other important crops are grown and exported to other provinces and/or countries.
Although Saskatchewan has valuable mineral reserves, exploitation of these reserves has begun only recently. Oil and gas deposits have been located that show great promise, and coal is also abundant. The potash deposits present beneath areas of the Great Plains are extensive and are now providing valuable fertilizer for Saskatchewan and other provinces. Metal producing mines are also found in Saskatchewan, although not in abundance.
As in Manitoba and Alberta, the Great Plains of Saskatchewan were roamed by the nomadic Plains Indian tribes, some of which ranged south into the United States. Saskatchewan was included in the vast land area granted to the Hudson’s Bay Company in 1670, and later sold to the Dominion of Canada in 1869. The first European explorers and settlers were fur traders and farmers. Fur traders from the eastern provinces and French settlements along the Great Lakes contested with the Hudson’s Bay Company until France abandoned all claims on the land after the French and Indian War in 1763.
For years the settlements and trading posts of Saskatchewan were built and maintained by the Hudson’s Bay Company. Throughout the nineteenth century, as eastern provinces became more industrialized, Saskatchewan remained virtually unchanged. Fur trading dominated the area until 1869 when the Dominion of Canada began encouraging homesteading in the area. Friction with the Indians was inevitable, and the North West Mounted Police were formed to protect the settlers from infrequent but sometimes bloody Indian raids.
Saskatchewan was the home of individuals of mixed French and Indian blood (called the métis), since a failed rebellion in Manitoba. When settlements threatened their predominantly fur trading lifestyle, the métis rebelled again, in the short-lived Saskatchewan rebellion. To avoid such incidents in the future, as well as to organize the burgeoning settlements, Saskatchewan organized a territorial legislature. In 1905 Saskatchewan became a province and joined the rest of the Dominion of Canada. A population explosion soon followed as adventurous settlers from the eastern provinces, and some states and territories of the United States, rushed to the fertile soil and promise of free land.
The Great Depression hit Saskatchewan hard, and recovery was slow. World War II provided a ready market for Saskatchewan wheat and other grains, but industrial expansion was still very slow, although mining and agricultural concerns have expanded and mechanized their operations considerably.
¶Yukon Territory
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Whitehorse
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• Languages : English, Indian dialects, Eskimo
• Population : 25,000 (est. 1989)
• Flag : Divided horizontally into three equal areas, the left green, the middle white, and the right blue. The middle white area has the Coat of Arms of the Yukon Territory centered in the field.
• Location : Bordered on the west by Alaska, the south by Alaska and British Columbia, the east by the Northwest Territories, and the North by the Beaufort Sea (part of the Arctic Ocean).
• Area : 186,300 sq. mi. (480,000 sq. km)
• Highest Point : Mount Logan, 19,524 ft. (5,951 m) [Mount Logan is the highest peak in all of Canada]
•••
The Yukon Territory has two major mountain ranges, the Rocky Mountains and the larger and higher Coastal Mountains. The land of the Yukon is virtually all mountainous or high inland plateaus. Harsh and forbidding, the land is subject to bitterly cold winters with arctic winds and blizzards dominating the weather. Summers are short and cool and are well known for the vicious stinging insects that abound. The northern area of the Yukon is made up of Arctic tundra. Further south the land is a nearly impassible terrain of mountains, glaciers, rapidly flowing rivers and deep valleys.
The Yukon was first explored by representatives of the Hudson’s Bay Company, who considered the land to be part of “Rupert’s Land” or the land that was ceded to the Company as “all lands that are drained by the Hudson’s Bay.” The Yukon Territory does not drain into the Hudson Bay, and in 1870 the Dominion of Canada refused to recognize the Company’s claims. It was annexed as part of the Northwest territories in that year.
Gold was discovered in the Klondike region of the Yukon (and Alaska) near the end of the nineteenth century. The Klondike Gold Rush was the last of the great gold rushes, but the harsh and brutal lands defeated all but the most determined miners. The Canadian Parliament felt that the sudden influx of miners warranted a separate territorial representation from the rest of the Northwest Territories, so the Yukon Territory was split into a new territory with its own capital city.
The Yukon Territory has remained unspoiled since the bust of the Klondike Gold Rush, and in 1978 the Canadian government prohibited new industrial exploration and developement to protect the unique and beautiful wildlife indigenous to the area.
¶Canada
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Ottawa
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Canada
• Population : 25,000,000 (est 1989)
• Area : 3,850,000 sq. mi.
• Government : See below.
• Flag : Divided horizontally into three equal areas, the left and right red and the middle white. A maple leaf is centered on the white field.
• Highest Point : Mount Logan, 19,524 ft. (5,951 m)
• Lowest Point : Sea level
The 10 provinces which are part of Canada are:
• Alberta
• British Columbia
• Manitoba
• New Brunswick
• Newfoundland
• Nova Scotia
• Ontario
• Prince Edward Island
• Quebec
• Saskatchewan
The two territories of Canada are:
• Northwest Territories
• Yukon Territory
•••
Canada is a confederated union of ten provinces and two territories. The country is a member of the British Commonwealth, and Queen Elizabeth II is the country’s constitutional monarch, although Canada does not recognize any political authority of the Queen. A “Governor General” is appointed by the crown, but decisions of the Governor General are usually of the “rubber stamp” variety and are purely formal. The actual government of Canada is made up of the Prime Minister and the Parliament. The Parliament is split between the House of Commons and the Senate.
After a general election, the leader of the majority party of the House of Commons (the party with the most representatives elected to the House) becomes the Prime Minister. He then chooses a “cabinet” of senior officials that, with the Prime Minister, becomes the Executive branch of the government, in much the same manner that the President of the United States chooses a cabinet after winning the election. The members of the House of Commons are selected from all provinces and territories based on electoral districts. There are a total (as of 1989) of 282 districts throughout the whole of Canada, so the House of Commons contains 282 voting members.
Senators are appointed by the Governor General (although this is also usually a “rubber stamp” decision based on the recommendations of the current Prime Minister) and serve until they retire or reach the age of 75. Quebec is divided into regions (mostly due to political and historical reasons, not necessarily based on population figures) and Senators are selected for each region. Other provinces and territories are represented as a whole by the Senators selected. Unlike the United States Senate, the number of Senators for a province is based on population figures. Territories have only one Senator. Also unlike the United States system, the Senate has less power than the House of Commons.
Canada’s early history is marked by a fierce competition between French and British settlers. The French settlers at times joined forces with the native Indians and armed encounters were frequent and bloody. The southeast provinces (New Brunswick, Newfoundland, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island and Quebec) were particularly fond of warfare, and several major cities and forts changed hands many times in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. Most of these conflicts were instigated by the devastating European wars of that period. Britain eventually gained the upper hand and claimed all of what is now Canada, and a good portion of what is now the United States. Virtually all of the rest of the Canadian territory was explored by a unique corporation called the “Hudson’s Bay Company.” Clicking on the Hudson Bay will bring up a text file with more information on this company.
With the successful revolution of the American colonies, and the formation of an aggressive and expansive United States, friction between Canada and the U.S. was inevitable. An abortive attempt to invade Canada was undertaken during the Revolutionary War, but the colonial troops were soundly defeated. The worst outbreak of violence occurred during the War of 1812, when Canada sided with Britain against the fledgling United States. The United States again tried to invade Canada, but the resourceful Canadians defeated the U.S. contingent once again. The final confrontation between Canada and the U.S. occured in a dispute over the boundary between New Brunswick and Maine, but the matter was settled peacefully, although tensions remained high for decades thereafter. On several occasions in the past, including during the twentieth century, expansionist politicians proposed invading Canada and annexing their territory. Cooler heads prevailed in all cases and the United States and Canada now share the longest peaceful border in the world.
Canada is a proud nation with a rich heritage of growth and development. Canada fought with distinction in both World Wars, and in the Korean conflict. Canadian troops are now stationed in West Germany as part of the NATO contingent, and Canadian resolve has withstood many tests. Canada has a key role in NATO strategy, and early warning detection systems have been installed in remote regions above the Arctic Circle to enable Western defenses to spot missiles that may be launched over the North Pole.
Canadians share many traits with Americans, but there are profound differences in our cultures, our political systems, and, in some cases, our languages. Canada’s vast resources and beautiful scenery are enough to give us pause. Canada is significantly larger than the United States, but has only a tenth of the population. Current friction between the U.S and Canada centers around the rising dangers of “acid rain” which is thought to be the result of industrial pollutants poured into the atmosphere by manufacturing and power plants. Because of the prevailing winds of North America, pollutants from the American “Steel Belt” of the Midwest commonly rain down in the Appalachian Mountains of New England and the southeastern provinces of Canada. This is an issue that is being addressed by both sides in recent meetings between the U.S. and Canadian governments.
¶Hudson Bay
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The Hudson Bay was discovered by Henry Hudson in 1610. In 1670 a group of English gentlemen decided to form a company to exploit the enormous economic possibilities of the vast unexplored lands of the New World. The company petitioned the King and received a charter to explore, administer and settle “all lands drained by the Hudson Bay.” The vastness of this area was unknown at the time. Called “Rupert’s Land,” this area was unexplored and the economic potential unknown. Rupert’s Land included territory that has since been divided into the provinces of Manitoba, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Ontario and Quebec. The Northwest Territories were also included in this sprawling area. The Hudson’s Bay Company pursued their goal with an adventurous spirit and determination more commonly associated with religious zeal than with business acumen.
The result of this pursuit of profit was the eventual settling of millions of square miles of wilderness. Fur trading was the original source of income, and served as the basis of the company for the first hundred and fifty years. Settlements and farming communities were then bankrolled by the Company and the Hudson’s Bay Company is now a financial empire that controls supermarkets, department stores and manufacturing concerns, as well as the traditional fur markets. In business terms, the Hudson’s Bay Company was successful beyond the wildest dreams of the original founders.
