KNOW ABOUT CANADA

Geography and climate:

Canada is the second largest country on earth, covering an area of 10 million square kilometres 

(3.9 million square miles). Three oceans border Canada: the Pacific Ocean in the west, the Atlantic 

Ocean in the east, and the Arctic Ocean to the north. Altogether, Canada has over 200,000 kilometres 

(125,000 miles) of coastline. Canada shares two borders with the United States: a very long border in 

the south and another long frontier in the northwest.

          Due to its large size, Canada has many different types of landscape. There are areas with high mountains, different types of forests, prairie grasslands and arctic tundra where the ground is permanently frozen. 

         Canada is also home to many rivers and lakes.Like Canada’s landscapes, the climate varies across the country. In the areas where most of the population lives, there are generally four distinct seasons – summer, fall, winter and spring

.

Summer lasts from around June to September and the weather varies from warm to hot, with 

daytime temperatures between 20 and 30 degrees Celsius or Centigrade (68 and 86 degrees 

Fahrenheit) or higher. In southern Ontario and Quebec it can often be very humid.

Fall and spring are transition seasons during which the weather becomes progressively 

colder or warmer and much of the annual rainfall occurs.

Winter is very cold in most places, with temperatures often well below zero degrees 

Celsius or Centigrade (32 degrees Fahrenheit)

. 

          Snow covers the ground from around December to March or April. 

       An exception is southwest British Columbia (including the 

cities of Victoria and Vancouver) where winter temperatures generally remain above zero 

degrees and rain is more common than snow.

Depending on where you are immigrating from,

you may be quite surprised by the cold and snow during your first Canadian winter. Be sure to

buy a winter coat, boots, gloves and hat to keep you warm. With the right clothing, you will be prepared to enjoy the unique beauty of a

Canadian winter

   Cities, provinces and regions:

Ottawa, the capital city of Canada, is located on the Ottawa River on the border between Ontario and Quebec. It is Canada’s fourth largest city.

      Canada has 10 provinces and three territories,each with its own capital city. These provinces

and territories are commonly grouped into five regions.

    The three largest cities in Canada are

•  Toronto(Ontario),
  
  
  
  
•  Montréal (Quebec)
  
  
  
  
•   Vancouver(British Columbia).
  
  
  The total population of these cities is over 10 million people (almost one-third of the Canadian population).The population of Canada has a very uneven distribution. Due to factors related to historicalsettlement, climate and the economy, the majority of people live in southern Ontario and Quebec,southwest British Columbia and Alberta. Much of the north has a very low population density, mostly  due to the cold climate.

Carrying on the tradition:

     Most Canadians today were born in Canada and are the descendants of the original founding peoples.          However, over the past 200

years, many  newcomers have helped to build and defend this

country’s way of life. Today, various ethnic and religious groups live and work in peace as proud

Canadians.

 

       Until the 1970s, most immigrants came from European countries. Since then,the majority have come from Asian countries.

Today, approximately 20 percent of Canadians were born outside Canada. In Toronto, Canada’s

largest city, this number is over 45 percent.Immigrants like you are a valued part of Canada’s multicultural society.

Language:

English and French are the two official languages of Canada. Today, there are approximately 18 million Anglophones – people who speak

English as a first language – and 7 million

      Francophones – people who speak French as a first language.         Most Francophones live in

Quebec. However, one million Francophones. live in Ontario, New Brunswick and Manitoba, with a smaller presence in other provinces.

     At the same time, approximately one million Anglophones live in Quebec. A large number

of non-official languages are also spoken in Canada. These include 

a variety of languages spoken within immigrant communities.

     By law, the federal government must provide services throughout Canada in both English and French.

Economy:

Canada’s free market economy includes three main types of industries.Service industries provide thousands of different

jobs in areas like transportation, education, health care, construction, banking, communications,retail services, tourism and government.

  More than 75 percent of working Canadians now have jobs in service industries

.

    Manufacturing industries make products to sell

in Canada and around the world.         Manufactured products include paper, high technology equipment,

aerospace technology, automobiles, machinery,food, clothing and many other goods. 

    Our largest international trading partner is the United States.

Natural resource industries include forestry,fishing, agriculture, mining and energy. These industries have played an important part in the country’s history and development.   

     Today,the economy of many areas of the country still

depends on developing natural resources, and a large percentage of Canada’s exports are natural

resource commodities like oil, gas and mine

Government

  There are three key facts about Canada’s system of government: it is a constitutional monarchy,a parliamentary democracy and a federal state

   Your rights and freedoms in Canada:

In Canada, both federal and provincial or territorial laws protect the rights and freedoms of individuals.

     Canada’s tradition of freedom and rights can be traced back to the time of Magna Carta, a document

signed by King John of England in the year 1215.

   Canada’s first Bill of Rights was approved by Parliament in 1960. The Constitution Act of 1982 incorporates the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. The Canadian Constitution includes the rights and freedoms to which Canadians are entitled. in a free and democratic society.

      The Constitution guarantees certain political rights to Canadian

citizens. It also guarantees civil rights to everybody in Canada.

    Affirming rights that Canadians have enjoyed for centuries and a number of additional rights, the

Canadian Constitution protects:

• The freedom to express your beliefs and opinions freely (including through free press);

• The freedom to associate with anyone you wish and gather peacefully with other

people;

• The freedom to practice religion;

• The right to live anywhere in Canada;

• The right to protection from unlawful or unjust arrest or detention by the government because in Canada every

individual is equal before and under the law. You also have the right to due legal process under Canadian law. This means

that the government must respect all your rights under the law

• The right to the equal protection and equal benefit of the law without discrimination and, in particular, without discrimination

based on race, national or ethnic origin, colour, religion, sex, age, mental or

physical disability;

• The same rights whether you are a woman or a man; and

• The right to receive services from the federal government in either English or French.

Family law:

Marriage:

Marriage is a fundamental institution in Canada, the foundation of family life for many Canadians,and one of the basic constituents of a strong and prosperous society. 

    In Canada, there are laws against being married to more than one person at a time. You cannot come to Canada with more than one

spouse even if you were married to more than one person in the past.

    The laws also prohibit you from marrying someone in Canada if one of you is already married. It does

not matter where or when that marriage took place. In Canada, you can only remarry if you are legally divorced or if your spouse has died. 

     According to longstanding moral principles, which are codified in Canadian law, it is illegal to force

anyone into marriage in Canada. A father or brother cannot force his daughter or sister to marry

against her will. Women who are pressured into marriage should contact public authorities such as the police, who will protect them.

It is a crime to marry Canadian citizens or permanent residents only to gain entry into Canada. Some sponsors and foreign applicants arrange a “marriage of convenience”: a marriage or common-law relationship where the sole purpose is for the sponsored spouse to immigrate to Canada. 

      Canadian citizens or permanent residents found to be part of a marriage of convenience for immigration purposes may be charged with a crime.

Employment and income:

Finding work is a main priority for many newcomers. Getting a job that matches your qualifications

and interests is one of the biggest challenges of settling in Canada. For many people, the first job

in Canada may not be the most satisfying. It may take time to build your qualifications and gain

Canadian experience before finding the job you really want.

To work in Canada, you will need a Social Insurance Number (SIN) issued by Service Canada on

behalf of the federal government. You should apply for a SIN immediately after you arrive in Canada.

For more information on the SIN and instructions on how to apply, see the section on Important

documents.

Education:

Parents have the primary responsibility for educating their children. To assist parents, in Canada,provincial and territorial governments administer and regulate educational systems.                 There is no federal department of education and no national system of education. Instead, each province and territory has its own system of education. The educational systems are generally similar across Canada, with some

variations between provinces and territories.

   In some provinces and territories, there is only one ministry or department of education and in others,there are two: one responsible for elementary and secondary education and another responsible for post-secondary education

Health care in Canada:

Canada’s universal health-care system

 Canada’s health insurance system is designed to ensure that all residents of Canada have access to

health care.

  All Canadian citizens and permanent residents may apply for public health insurance. When you have public health insurance, you do not pay directly for most health-care services. Instead, all Canadians share in paying for them through taxes. When you use public health-care services, you must show your health insurance card to the hospital or medical clinic

.

   Instead of having a single national plan, Canada’s health-care program is made up of provincial and territorial health insurance plans. All of these plans share certain common features and standards.However, there are differences, so it is important to know what medical services and procedures your province or territory covers because it may not be the same in other areas.

Money (Currency) :

Canada’s official currency is the Canadian dollar ($).

  There are 100 cents (¢) in a dollar. Coins,which are minted by the Royal Canadian Mint,are different in size, shape and colour. This

allows you to quickly tell them apart. Coins all feature an effigy of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, Queen of Canada. Coins also have

nicknames which are used by Canadians in everyday life. These include:

1. • 1¢ – penny, with an image of maple leaveson the back (the penny was removed from circulation in 2012)
2. • 5¢ – nickel, with the image of a beaver on the back
3. • 10¢ – dime, with the image of the famous sailing schooner Bluenose on the back
4. • 25¢ – quarter, with the image of a caribou or elk on the back;
5. • $1 – dollar or “loonie,” with the image of a common loon on the back
6. • $2 – two dollars or “toonie,” with the image of a polar bear on the back.
7. All paper money is printed by the Bank of Canada in the same size, but each bill is a different colour.
8. The most common paper bills are:• $5 – blue, with a portrait of Sir Wilfrid Laurier, prime minister 1896–1911
9. • $10 – purple, with a portrait of Sir John A.Macdonald, prime minister 1867–74 and 1878–91;
10. • $20 – green, with a portrait of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, Queen of Canada;
11. • $50 – red, with a portrait of W. L.Mackenzie King, prime minister from1921–30 and 1935–48
12. • $100 – brown, with a portrait of Sir RobertL. Borden, prime minister 1911–20

Transportation:

Travelling around Canada

Airplane:

Due to Canada’s large size, travel between regions and major cities is often done by airplane. All main cities have airports with regularly scheduled flights to and from many

destinations. Two airlines, Air Canada and West Jet, have the largest network of routes. Smaller

airlines offer flights between airports within more limited regions of the country. If you

are travelling to a location that does not have a main airport (for example, a town or rural

area), then you will need to fly to the nearest main airport and either rent a car or take a bus to your final destination. To fly in Canada, you need a piece of photo identification issued by the federal, provincial or territorial government in Canada, or a foreign passport.

    You can get more information and buy tickets by consulting airline websites or at most travel

agencies (consult the Yellow Pages or search the Internet for listings) and at airports.

Train:

Depending on where you are in Canada,taking the train might be the best way to travel. Canada’s rail network extends across the country, from Halifax, Nova Scotia, in the east to Vancouver and Prince Rupert,British Columbia, in the west. The train is a particularly good option when travelling in

Ontario and Quebec along the tracks that link Windsor-Toronto-Ottawa-Montréal-Québec City because there are many trains each day and distances are short. Trains in Canada are safe and comfortable. 

   A variety of essential services

are available on trains and at train stations. It is often cheaper to buy train tickets in advance.

Bus:

Catching a bus is generally the cheapest way of travelling between cities and is often the only way

of getting to smaller towns if you are not driving a car. Remember that bus travel can be very long

due to the great distances involved. Most buses have air conditioning and a washroom on board. On

longer trips, stops are made from time to time so that passengers can buy food and other necessities.

The largest network of bus routes is run by a company called Greyhound and its affiliates. Other bus companies offer service between destinations in particular regions.

Ferry:

In coastal areas of Canada such as British Columbia and the Atlantic Region, ferry boats are a common mode of transportation. Many ferries transport both passengers and vehicles.