Canada is a Northern American country and the second largest country in the world by areanote . Compared to other countries its population (40 million people) is rather modest at best, with a population density of only 4.0 people per square kilometre (for reference, the United Kingdom squeezes 276 people into the same space). The ten provinces and three Northern territories maintain a friendly rivalry, usually resorting to snide jokes and CFL (Canadian football) playoffs. Why is it like this? Mainly because of the country's confusing origins as a former British and French colony and exacerbated regional differences between the west, center, and east. That said, Canada is still a unified country, and the regional rivalry that goes on is similar to that of any other country.
Three of the most memorable moments to most Canadians in their history include: the War of 1812 in which a fledgling colony was defended from the invading southern forces from the United States; the 1917 Battle of Vimy Ridge in which the outstanding logistician and professional engineer General Arthur William Currie (equal only to the Australian General and Civil Engineer John Monash) captured a godforsaken ridge from the Germans and successfully held it against counter-attack; and finally, Game 8, 1972, Canada v. Soviet Union, a championship hockey game that older Canadians still remember to this day.note
Insisting that Canada is still a Dominion of the United Kingdom or is in any way in some sort of union with the United States is bound to stir up some backdraft amongst Canadians, as will suggesting that the French-speaking province of Quebec should be independent (outside of Quebec, minus certain parts of Montreal). There is still a relationship between UK and Canada, as Canada is a constitutional monarchy, so the British monarch has a few roles, such as appointing the Governor-General of Canada.
Culturally, Canadians are perceived as being modest, quiet, shy, always apologizing, and a bit like a backwards rustic neighbour of the US (kind of like Minnesota writ large). Cultural similarities to America are profound, but those similarities are heatedly protested by Canadians. If one is asked to think of "Canada", generally the idea of plaid-wearing lumberjacks in a snow-filled pine forest where moose and beavers frolic about and bears savagely roam is imagined. Somewhere, ice hockey is filled in. Maple syrup (as well as the maple leaf, which is on Canada's flag) is commonly associated with Canada, and it's hard to imagine it not covered in snow and freezing.
Tropes associated with Canada include:
- Canada Does Not Exist
- Canadian Equals Hockey Fan
- Courteous Canadian
- Crass Canuck
- Girlfriend in Canada
- Moose and Maple Syrup
- Only So Many Canadian Actors, like six degrees of Canadian Bacon
- Quirky Neighbour Country: Canada is the standard one for the United States.
- Singing Mountie
Indexes associated with Canada include:
- Canadian Actors, Comedians, and Other Artists
- Canadian Authors
- Canadian Media
- Native American and First Nations Media
- U.S./Canadian Comics
Useful Notes:
Geography
- Canadian Provinces and Territories
- Quebec, the largest and only fully Francophone province; its culture and penchant to be different from the rest of Canada, not to mention the separatist issue, now warrants its own page.
- Cities:
- Toronto, the biggest city and the financial hub of Canada, but is not the national capital (that's Ottawa, also in Ontario but a bit to the Northeast; Toronto is the provincial capital — one of the surprisingly few in Canada whose largest city serves that functionnote ).
- Montreal, the fourth largest French speaking city in the world after Kinshasa, Abidjan, and Paris (as of 2016). However, English is commonly (though not universally) spoken, and you can easily get around the city with only a smattering of French. Not the provincial capital of Quebec (that would be Quebec City).
- Vancouver, the financial centre for Western Canada, with a massive Pacific port. It is the city that is not Seattle no matter how much Hollywood wants to convince you otherwise. Largest city in British Columbia, but not the provincial capital (that would be Victoria).
- Niagara Falls; although shared with the United States, it is the Canadian Falls which generally feature in media
- North American Numbering Plan (telephone numbering system shared with the US and several other regions)
Law & Government
- Canadian Politics
- Canucks with Chinooks, the Canadian military
- The Mounties, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.
- The Common Law
- The British Empire/The Commonwealth of Nations: Canada is part of this.
- British Honours: List of creators that have received national awards from British royal families through the Commonwealth.
Culture, History, & Misc.
- Canadian Accents
- Canadian Education System
- Canadian Football League Remember: There are three downs, not four, and the field is larger (and there are more players on it).
- Canadian History
- Ice Hockey, the national winter sport. Note that calling it "Ice Hockey" within Canadian borders will instantly identify you as a laughably clueless foreigner; it's just "hockey".
- National Hockey League the sports league in Canada, containing 7 teamsnote that call the country home.
- NHL Names to Know
- Major League Baseball Despite Canada only having the Toronto Blue Jays as their only teamnote , they do have a notable presence within Canadian sports culture.
- National Basketball Association much like with the Blue Jays, the NBA also has a presence in Canadian sports, despite the Toronto Raptors being the country's only team.note
- Major League Soccer Even if it's the My Friends... and Zoidberg of the major sports leagues, they do have three Canadian Teams: Toronto FC, CF Montreal, and the Vancouver Whitecaps.
- Maple Syrup: One of the most emblematic products of Canada, up to the point where the maple leaf is on the flag of Canada.
The Canadian flag
Arms of Canada
The Canadian national anthem
Government
- Federal parliamentary constitutional monarchy. The British monarch appoints the Governor-General. Canada has a Westminster-style parliamentary system, like the UK.
- Monarch: Charles III (from the UK)
- Governor General: Mary Simon
- Prime Minister: Justin Trudeau.
- Canadians do not directly elect the Prime Minister; rather, Canadians vote for a Member of Parliament (MP) in their area (called a "riding"). The political party that elects the most MPs is then asked by the Governor-General to form the government. The leader of this political party then becomes the Prime Minister.
Miscellaneous
- Capital: Ottawa
- Largest city: Toronto
- Population: 40,528,396
- Area: 9,984,670 km
- Currency: Canadian dollar ($) (CAD)
- ISO-3166-1 Code: CA
- Country calling code: 1
- Highest point: Mount Logan (5959 m/19,551 ft) (15th)
- Lowest points: Arctic Ocean (1,038 m/3,406 ft) (-), Atlantic Ocean (3,646 m/11,962 ft) (-) and Pacific Ocean (10,911 m/35,797 ft) (-)
Waldorf: It's white and in the north, but it's anything but great!
Both: Do-ho-ho-ho-hoh!
