CANADA

INTRODUCTION

A land of vast distances and rich natural resources, Canada became a self-governing dominion in 1867 while retaining ties to the British crown. Economically and technologically the nation has developed in parallel with the US , its neighbour to the south across an unfortified border. Its paramount political problem continues to be the relationship of the province of Quebec , with its French-speaking residents and unique culture, to the remainder of the country.

Languages:

Bilingual: French and English. The use of the two languages reflects the mixed colonial history – Canada has been under both British and French rule.

Religion:

46.2 per cent Roman Catholic, 17.5 per cent United Church of Canada, 11.8 per cent Anglican, 24.5 per cent other Christian denominations and other religions.

Currency:

Canadian Dollar.

WEATHER

The climate ranges from humid continental in the south to subarctic in the north. Temperatures are given officially in degrees Celsius with the Fahrenheit equivalent often added. For an exact conversion of Fahrenheit to Celsius: subtract 32 from number of degrees F, then multiply by 5/9. Conversely, multiply degrees Celsius by 9/5, then add 32 to get degrees Fahrenheit. As a general guide, 20C is room temperature, 30C is a hot day and -20 is a cold winter day.

Due to Canada ‘s vast size, temperatures vary tremendously from region to region and even within the different regions. Generally, the lowest temperatures are recorded in January and the highest in July.

ACTIVITIES

Canada has a unique natural environment that offers many activities especially those of a physical manner. Families, in groups or by you, can enjoy activities in Canada . Self-guided or organised are equally enjoyable and you usually have the choice of either.

Canoeing and kayaking

Canada is famous for its canoeing which can be enjoyed almost anywhere. Anything from a gentle paddle in the afternoon to a weeklong white water challenge is on offer.

National parks offer guided trips and information if you wish to direct yourself.

Hiking

Wide ranges of hikes are available both in and out of parks. The best quality trails are found within the parks or those maintained by the Trans Canada Trail and provincial trail organisations.

Trails and paths can be found of varying lengths and quality, winding through the Rocky Mountains , across the Prairies, along coastal cliffs and just about anywhere you can imagine.

Climbing

Climbing has become more and more popular over the past few years with options available to all levels of experience. Climbing for groups and with instructors and equipment is also becoming more popular and easy to find.

Fishing

Fishing has become one of Canada ‘s most popular activities amongst residents and visitors. Fishing licences must be purchased and range in price and duration from each province. Check with tourist offices about licences and also on consumption guidelines. Some areas where fishing is permitted contain pollutants and guidelines must be adhered to.

Skiing, snowboarding and skidoos

Snow sports can be enjoyed in most places across Canada and snow on the ground can last for quite some time. It is worth checking on the ski conditions at each location you are thinking of visiting.

Skidoo trails are available in nearly every province and territory. You can rent a skidoo for quite cheap in most places. Make sure you wrap up warm when going on a skidoo. The added wind from the speed of travel increases the chance of frostbite. A balaclava under your helmet to cover your chin and neck is recommended to avoid windburn.

Ice skating and swimming

Ice skating during the winter months is available just about anywhere. Rinks when hockey is not being played are generally open to the public during set hours. Outside rinks in ponds, lakes and town squares are often maintained and provide excellent free skating.

Swimming can be found at most recreation centres, gyms and in some hotels.

FOOD AND DRINK

Canada does not have a particular dish that is typically Canadian. Like most of the Canadian culture the food is ethnic. Due to this the selection of places to eat is plentiful and the quality of food is high.

You should not have any problem in finding something to suit your taste buds and you can often find a place to eat no matter how late it may be.

In the Atlantic Provinces seafood is the most popular and unlike the rest of Canada where large multinational chain restaurants are plentiful, most of the places to eat are privately owned or are operated by small, local chains.

Breakfasts can be found in diners with a good selection and large serving starting at $1 up to about $8. Lunch usually costs around about $10 and dinner about $15.

French food such as the poutine can be found across Canada . Quebec has the best selection of French food, mostly with a Canadian slant on it giving it a different appearance and taste to the same dish when found in Europe .

Native Indian food is usually based on deer, buffalo and pheasant. These are all very healthy meats and worth trying when the opportunity arises.

Beer in Canada is something the Canadians are proud of. The stronger flavour and alcohol content are always served cold. Beer is served in most eateries but each province has a different licensing system for alcohol retail.

Most provinces restrict the sale of alcohol to government-operated outlets which keep normal business hours.

Spirits available in Canada are much the same to the rest of the western world with the same brands and a few Canadian own brands.

Wines are produced in areas of southern Quebec and southern Ontario and are of very good quality. The fruity flavours and popular amongst Canadians and a bottle of Canadian wine can be picked up for quite cheap.

NIGHTLIFE

Canadian entertainment is excellent. Everything imaginable is on offer and can be enjoyed across the country at almost all times of the year.

Theatre is particularly strong in Toronto and Vancouver . Montreal is the capital of French Theatre and other performing arts.

Pubs, bars and nightclubs can be found in almost all towns and cities across Canada . Comedy clubs and pool halls are growing in popularity and can be found in most cities. Sports bars are everywhere with large television sets and music. Casinos are springing up in different places.

SHOPPING

Fine examples of Canadian craftware are available, such as art wood carvings, pottery, cottons and native artefacts. Some countries have restrictions against the import of endangered animal species products, such as polar bear, seal, walrus, etc, so visitors should check entry regulations in their home country before departure. A 7 per cent goods and service tax (GST) is levied on most goods and services in Canada . In addition, most provinces (except Alberta , Northwest Territories and Yukon ) levy a provincial service tax (PST) of 5 to 7 per cent in shops, restaurants and short-term accommodation. In the provinces of Newfoundland , Nova Scotia and New Brunswick , a 15 per cent harmonised sales tax (HST) has replaced the GST and PST. Visitors to Canada are entitled to claim a rebate of GST and HST (except on food, drink, tobacco and transport). The province of Quebec also allows visitors to apply for a rebate of its provincial sales tax (TVQ). For further information see the special note under Duty Free section or contact Canada Customs and Revenue Agency (website:www.ccra-adrc.gc.ca ). Shopping hours: Mon-Sat 0900-1800, with late-night shopping in some stores Thurs-Fri up to 2100. Some shops and stores are also open on Sunday, and some are open 24 hours a day.

ATTRACTIONS

Ottawa

Canada ‘s capital sprawls along the southern bank of the Ottawa River , on the eastern tip of Ontario . As you’d expect, it’s a government town, dominated physically and spiritually by the neo-Gothic Parliament Buildings. You’ll hear a fair amount of French spoken here, as many federal government workers are required to be bilingual. There’s not a heap of exciting things to do in Ottawa – other than marvel at being in a national capital – but the air’s clean, the streets are wide, there are lots of public parks and the people seem happy and healthy as they jog or cycle their way to work. The city has the usual plethora of impressive buildings common to capital cities: the War Museum (with a life-sized replica of a WWI trench), the Royal Mint, various grand old homes inhabited by ministers of state and a swag of museums to do justice to the country’s icons: nature, aviation, science and technology, skiing and agriculture. Ottawa is also home to Canada ‘s premier art collection, the National Gallery, displaying an enormous array of North American and European works. In summer the city is dotted with the familiar red coats of the Royal Canadian Mounties.

Ottawa ‘s downtown district is divided into eastern and western portions by the Rideau Canal . The eastern section has a very useful pocket of central guesthouses, most of them with heritage details of some sort. Motels are clustered along Rideau St in the east, and along Carling Ave on the western side of town. Byward Market, east of the canal, has a stack of cheap eateries, and western downtown is the place to go for more upmarket eating.

Charlottetown

As the capital of Canada ‘s smallest province (the delectable Prince Edward Island ), it’s only fitting that Charlottetown comes across as an old, quiet country town. The issue of Canada ‘s unity was first officially discussed here in 1864, and nowadays the tiny capital is known as the birthplace of Canadian confederation. The pace is slow, the atmosphere still colonial, and the tree-lined Victorian streets are very easy on the eye. The oldest part of town is clustered around the waterfront area, with the usual renovated buildings and recreation dollar-chasing facilities. A strident note is sounded by the 1960s modern structure that houses the Confederation Centre of the Arts, which highlights the work of Canadian artists. Prince Edward Island ‘s main claim to fame, however, is the town of Cavendish , the setting for Lucy Maud Montgomery’s Anne of Green Gables , followed by the island’s tradition of whopping big lobster suppers.

Edmonton

Edmonton is the capital of Alberta , the most westerly of the prairie provinces . While Calgary milks the wild west image, Edmonton prefers to hit the headlines for housing the world’s largest shopping and entertainment mall. The city enjoys an attractively wooded riverside setting, with parklands following the snaking rhythm of the Saskatchewan River . The province’s famed mineral legacy is explored in the Provincial Museum , and there’s also Canada ‘s largest planetarium, unsurprisingly accompanied by an IMAX theatre. The gem south of the river is Old Strathcona, a residential area of gorgeous old buildings dating from 1891, interspersed with cafes, bookshops and buskers. Which it appears you won’t find in all 48 hectares (118 acres) of the West Edmonton Mall, aka the mall that ate Edmonton ‘s retail life. The 800 shops are tacky and repetitive, the chains are too-well represented, and the ‘entertainment’ includes an artificial beach and skating rink – but the climate is controlled, and for the frost-bitten denizens of the Canadian Plains that’s probably reason enough for the mall’s success.

Halifax

Perched on one of the world’s largest natural harbours, fog-bound Halifax has gone from old-salt port to deluxe destination, with its historic areas gussied up into sleek tourist precincts. More and more travellers are setting course for Nova Scotia ‘s capital.

Most of Halifax ‘s attractions centre, unsurprisingly, around a maritime theme. The city was the base of rescue operations for the Titanic tragedy and so nabbed much of the highly sought-after flotsam. Its museums, historic warehouses and downtown area, and landmark fort all have a salty flavour.

Montreal

Montreal’s charm lies in its relaxed atmosphere rather than its star attractions. Nonetheless, this city of immigrants has managed to carve out a place for itself as Quebec Province ‘s economic and cultural centre. That it’s friendly and easy to get around helps.

The old town of Montreal is a wonderful feast for the senses. The streets are filled with musicians, restaurants, groovy shops and squares. Grab an outside table, shut your eyes and take in the smells, sounds and general atmosphere of bonhomie.

Nunavut

The immense Northwest Territories were subdivided in 1999 to create Canada ‘s newest territory, the eastern Arctic Inuit region of Nunavut . It’s a wild and isolated place, stretching north above the tree line from Hudson Bay up to Ellesmere Island National Park, within spitting distance of the North Pole. The provincial capital is Iqaluit, formerly called Frobisher Bay , on the east coast of Baffin Island . It’s more a stopping-off and supply spot than an attraction in itself, though there are hiking trails in the vicinity. Most visitors pass through en route to Auyuittuq National Park, Canada’s third largest national park, and one of only a few in the world north of the Arctic Circle. The pristine wilderness of mountains, valleys, fjords and meadows is a spectacular must for experienced hikers, and climbers flock to Mount Thor (1500m/4920ft), the tallest uninterrupted cliff face on earth.

Quebec City

Quebec City , the bilingual and utterly European capital of Quebec province, borrows some of its grandeur from a lofty cape and some from a broad river, and has a foundation that’s older than that of any other city in North America (north of Mexico ).

The city divides its time between an Old Town bristling with historic ramparts, churches, narrow lanes and former battlefields, and districts revamped with museums, cafes, bars, restaurants and all the other mod-cons of international tourism.

St John’s

Newfoundland & Labrador’s rugged island capital is St John’s , North America ‘s oldest city (1528). The hilly town is splendidly located on a series of terraces rising up from the waterfront – there are stairs, stairs everywhere, leading to narrow, winding streets lined with multicoloured clapboard houses. St John’s has a quaint, homey feel, and reminders of its fishing village origins are never far away. Not coincidentally, the number of drinking establishments in town is huge. The legacy of the extinct Beothuk tribe who once lived here is explored at the Newfoundland Museum , as are the exploits of the Vikings who used to visit. Many of St John’s old buildings were destroyed in the Great Fire of 1892, but those that remain include the Murray Premises, a renovated warehouse from the 1840s. Signal Hill, overlooking the town to the east, is the site where Marconi received the first transatlantic wireless message back in 1901. On the other side of the hill is the picturesque fishing port of Quidi Vidi , complete with microbrewery and historic fort.

Toronto

Although the famous Niagara Falls are nearby, Toronto isn’t a city with a checklist full of attractions. It’s a city that grows on you slowly. Its summer festivals, the spicy corners of its markets, the beachfront boardwalks and the music pouring out of its neighborhood eateries seduce you.

Canada ‘s business capital and largest city is a clean, safe and vibrant metropolis, where real estate prices are high and blood pressure levels are low. A centre for Anglo-Canadian culture, it’s also one of the great ethnic melting pots of the world.

Vancouver

There aren’t many cities in the world that offer Vancouver ‘s combination of big-city lifestyle and outdoor fun in such cheek-by-jowl proximity. Ski in the morning, sail in the afternoon and still make it back to town in time for a cocktail or three.

Taking in some First Nations art and culture is a good way to begin a tour through Vancouver . Continue through its many green spaces, its countercultural and cosmopolitan neighbourhoods, and Gastown, the city’s original settlement, now transformed into a gussied-up historical quarter.

Winnipeg

Canada ‘s wild west begins in the prairie province of Manitoba , and Winnipeg is its capital. But this culturally alive city is anything but provincial: with its US ambience and architecture, it’s often compared to its grain-handling, transportation counterpart, Chicago. The similarities don’t end there, as Winnipeg is said to have the windiest downtown corner on the continent (steer clear of the Portage Ave and Main St intersection). Downtown is the place to head for the historic sites and museums. The Museum of Man & Nature is a sight, sound and smell-fest of dioramas that bring the lives of Plains Indians and 1920s Winnipeggers alive. The meeting place of the Red and Assiniboine Rivers has been a people magnet for 600 years and these days it’s known as The Forks, a riverside recreation area of redeveloped warehouses and factories. The Exchange District is one of the city’s most interesting areas, crammed with Victorian commercial buildings and featuring distinctive old advertising signs. Across the Red River , the residential district of St Boniface is one of Canada ‘s oldest French communities, and is well worth an atmospheric wander.