Portal:Canada

Portal topics: Activities; Culture; Geography; Health; History; Mathematics; Nature; People; Philosophy; Religion; Society; Technology; Random portal

Shortcut

P:CA

Friday, February 7, 2025

Showcase

Contents

Contributing

Introduction

Flag and Arms of Canada

Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, making it the world's second-largest country by total area, with the world's longest coastline. Its border with the United States is the world's longest international land border. The country is characterized by a wide range of both meteorologic and geological regions. With a population of just over 41 million people, it has widely varying population densities, with the majority residing in urban areas and large areas of the country being sparsely populated. Canada's capital is Ottawa and its three largest metropolitan areas are Toronto, Montreal, and Vancouver.

Canada is a parliamentary democracy and a constitutional monarchy in the Westminster tradition. The country's head of government is the prime minister, who holds office by virtue of their ability to command the confidence of the elected House of Commons and is appointed by the governor general, representing the monarch of Canada, the ceremonial head of state. The country is a Commonwealth realm and is officially bilingual (English and French) in the federal jurisdiction. It is very highly ranked in international measurements of government transparency, quality of life, economic competitiveness, innovation, education and human rights. It is one of the world's most ethnically diverse and multicultural nations, the product of large-scale immigration. Canada's long and complex relationship with the United States has had a significant impact on its history, economy, and culture.

A developed country, Canada has a high nominal per capita income globally and its advanced economy ranks among the largest in the world by nominal GDP, relying chiefly upon its abundant natural resources and well-developed international trade networks. Recognized as a middle power, Canada's strong support for multilateralism and internationalism has been closely related to its foreign relations policies of peacekeeping and aid for developing countries. Canada is part of multiple international organizations and forums. (Full article...)

Refresh with new selections below (purge)

Featured article - show another

A line of stars along Simcoe Street

Canada's Walk of Fame (French: Allée des célébrités canadiennes) in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, is a walk of fame that acknowledges the achievements and accomplishments of Canadians who have excelled in their respective fields. It is a series of maple leaf-like stars embedded in 13 designated blocks' worth of sidewalks in Toronto in front of Roy Thomson Hall, The Princess of Wales Theatre, and The Royal Alexandra Theatre on King Street as well as Simcoe Street. (Full article...)

More featured Canadian content

See also: historic events and sites

Featured biography - show another

Carr in 1930

Emily Carr (December 13, 1871 – March 2, 1945) was a Canadian artist who was inspired by the monumental art and villages of the First Nations and the landscapes of British Columbia. She also was a vivid writer and chronicler of life in her surroundings, praised for her "complete candour" and "strong prose". Klee Wyck, her first book, published in 1941, won the Governor General's Literary Award for non-fiction and this book and others written by her or compiled from her writings later are still much in demand today. (Full article...)

More featured Canadian biographies

See also: historically significant biographies

Selected panorama - show another

Panoramic view of New Glasgow, Prince Edward Island

Credit: Chensiyuan

More Canadian panoramas

National symbol - show another

Parliament Hill, 2009

Parliament Hill (French: Colline du Parlement), colloquially known as The Hill, is an area of Crown land on the southern bank of the Ottawa River that houses the Parliament of Canada in downtown Ottawa, Ontario. It accommodates a suite of Gothic revival buildings whose architectural elements were chosen to evoke the history of parliamentary democracy. Parliament Hill attracts approximately three million visitors each year. The Parliamentary Protective Service is responsible for law enforcement on Parliament Hill and in the parliamentary precinct, while the National Capital Commission is responsible for maintaining the nine-hectare (22-acre) area of the grounds. (Full article...)

More symbols of Canada

Selected vital article - show another

The monarchy of Canada is Canada's form of government embodied by the Canadian sovereign and head of state. It is one of the key components of Canadian sovereignty and sits at the core of Canada's constitutional federal structure and Westminster-style parliamentary democracy. The monarchy is the foundation of the executive (King-in-Council), legislative (King-in-Parliament), and judicial (King-on-the-Bench) branches of both federal and provincial jurisdictions. The current monarch is King Charles III, who has reigned since 8 September 2022. (Full article...)

More Canadian vital articles

Selected picture - show another

The Peace Bridge in Calgary, Alberta
Credit: Ryan Quan

More information

Featured Canadian picture

More Canadian pictures

Current events

February 3, 2025 – Second Trump tariffs: 2025 United States trade war with Canada and Mexico; Canada–United States relations; Ontario Premier Doug Ford announces Ontario will end contracts with the Starlink program unless the United States lifts its tariffs on Canada. (BBC News); Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announces that U.S. tariffs would be delayed by at least 30 days, following a call with United States President Donald Trump. (DW)
February 1, 2025 – Second Trump tariffs: Canada–United States relations, Mexico–United States relations, 2025 United States–Canada–Mexico trade war; United States President Donald Trump signs an executive order imposing a 25% tariff on goods from Canada and Mexico. (NBC News)

Past Canadian events

Did you know - show another

... that Oakwood Cemetery contains the graves of Confederate soldiers and officers, English, Canadian, and French World War II pilots, and Hank Williams?
... that Angéline de Montbrun by Laure Conan is the first psychological novel written by a French Canadian?
... that Chickaboom!, by country musician Tami Neilson, was nominated for both Canadian and New Zealand music awards?
... that the now-destroyed statue of Alexander Wood was the first LGBT monument in Canada?
... that Pituamkek National Park Reserve, Canada's newest national park, protects a chain of barrier islands that have been used for fishing and hunting by the Mi'kmaq for 4,000 years?
... that journalist Maurice Smith helped establish a national curling championship for high school students in Canada?
... that Brian Fawcett, who would have turned 78 today, taught English to inmates before becoming a full-time writer?

More Did you know facts

Featured list - show another

The leader of the Official Opposition (French: chef de l'Opposition officielle), formally known as the leader of His Majesty's Loyal Opposition (French: chef de la loyale opposition de Sa Majesté), is the politician who leads the Official Opposition in Canada, typically the leader of the party possessing the most seats in the House of Commons that is not the governing party or part of the governing coalition. (Full article...)