Saturday, July 01, 2006

Oh Canada! Yep, it's our National Holiday.

Merci à mon ami Forrest, en l'honneur du jour du Canada, je peux vous dire si vous ne le voyiez pas ici la première fois, pour aller montrebest beer commercial ever. Celui qui apporte une larme à l'oeil de chaque Canadien...

Right, I cheated and used Babelfish. If you think it's important, you can reverse translate it.

At least I'm not putting the quiz answers up in French!

Thanks to Tom Brodbeck’s column I can share this Canada quiz.
1. Where did the first European settlers in Canada come from?
Aboriginal people were the first ones here, but the first European settlers came from France. There were many Europeans who came before that, including Italian explorer John Cabot in 1497. But it was the French who settled permanently in Canada in the 1600s. (I could be really naughty and say I’d want to leave France too…)
Vive le Canada!
2. Who were the United Empire Loyalists?
Those were the folks who didn't want to live in the United States anymore during and after the American Revolution (1775-1783). So they came to the Great White North. Many settled in the Atlantic region. They went on to form the Liberal Party of Canada (kidding).
(I’m really made about that Liberal Party crack. Because the Ruttan’s were UEL. And by the way, when you have lineage from a Loyalist, you can apply to have the designation UEL put behind your name. Just that most Canadians don’t know what it means. But technically, I could be Sandra M. Ruttan, UEL. Wouldn’t want Kevin to feel inferior, though.)
3. When did the British North America Act come into effect?
I guess it's tough to answer this one when you DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT THE BNA IS. It's the act that officially created Canada, which came into effect July 1, 1867. Canada Day. Right. Now it's all coming together.
4. Which four provinces first formed Confederation?
A lot of people got this one right. It was Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick and a very reluctant Nova Scotia.
5. What part of the Constitution legally protects the basic rights and freedoms of all Canadians?
That would be the Charter of Rights and Freedoms, the one that got Maggie Trudeau off her drunk driving charge. (Bet it wouldn’t work for me. Not being a Trudeau.)
6. Which province is the only officially bilingual province?
No, it's not Manitoba. The Government of Manitoba is obliged to provide a number of services in both official languages. But it's not an officially bilingual province. And it's not Quebec. It's definitely not Quebec.
It's New Brunswick -- that charming little province where about a third of people live and work in French.
(Love New Brunswick. The photo on Spinetingler? I took that on Belle Isle Bay in New Brunswick. Doesn’t look like that in colour, though.)
7. What are the three main groups of aboriginal peoples?
Very few people got this one right. The three main groups are First Nations, the Metis and the Inuit. Need a little more work in the public school system on that one.
8. What is the tower in the centre of the Parliament Buildings called?
It's called the Peace Tower. You really should know that.
9. What is the population of Canada?
It's about 31 million people. One sharp cookie said six billion. That would be closer to the global population, Einstein.
10. Where does the name "Canada" come from?
It comes from the Huron-Iroquois word "Kanata," which means "village" or "settlement." Jacques Cartier popularized the word among Europeans. Please don't ask who Jacques Cartier is.
11. Who is Canada's head of state?
No, it's not Prime Minister Stephen Harper. It's Liz. Queen Elizabeth II. She's the formal head of state in Canada. Fortunately, she has no power whatsoever.
12. Why is the Constitution Act 1982 important in Canadian history?
That's the year we severed our last ties with the British Parliament. Until 1982, changes to Canada's constitution had to be approved by the British Parliament. Canada also got the Charter of Rights and Freedoms in 1982.

So, there you have it, blogging friends. A bit more knowledge of Canada. But ONE QUESTION for you guys:
Who was Canada’s first Prime Minister>

If James and Stuart don’t know, they should be ashamed of themselves. Call themselves Scots…
And in honour of the day, some of my favourite Canada pictures.

There’s supposed to be a new post up at Killer Year, live from Thrillerfest but it isn’t there yet. Though some were emailing at 3 am, so they’re probably still asleep. I’m really tempted to call Brett’s cell right about now…
















Bank of British North America in the Yukon, Igloo Church in Inuvik
Flying to Tuktoyaktuk (you can see a Pingo)
The official marker of the Arctic Circle on the Dempster Highway
The Midnight Sun in Inuvik
Along the Dempster Highway
The unaltered picture on Belle Isle Bay

Managed to get a photo of Stuart after all

23 comments:

Mindy Tarquini said...

Happy Canada Day!

And thanks for the beautiful picture. And for the pictures of the flowers and buildings, also.

Sandra Ruttan said...

To the beautiful picture would be the black and white one?

Bill Cameron said...

That image will be burned into my mind all day. But the other photos are wonderful.

Some of my favorite vacations have been to Victoria for Canada Day. Canadians really know how to throw a national birthday party.

JamesO said...

That's a very disturbing picture. I only ever wore those socks once, you know.

And it was Old MacDonald, wasn't it?

Happy Canada Day.

s.w. vaughn said...

Happy Canada Day to you! I happen to adore the Barenaked Ladies' "Canadian Anthem" (and they're Canadian so they can say what they want). Personally, I love Canada.

You're going to Thrillerfest? Or are you there? Anyhoo, have a blast! :-)

Sandra Ruttan said...

Sorry Bill. Victoria is beautiful - I used to live up island.

James, good for you. Now, about those socks... we'll talk in a few weeks.

SW, no, not me. I should stop writing posts just after I wake up. The rest of the gang that's there - maybe next year I'll go!

Bill, the Wildcat said...

Ewwwwwww...

Love the nature shots, though. Some very beautiful landscapes. Interesting to see the diversity of Canada's lands.

Stuart MacBride said...

As an interesting aside, John A. Macdonald married his cousin, which isn't normal for Scottish folks. But I understand that their twelve toed progeny still roam the mountains of Canada as we speak. Marrying each other and eating tourists...

But while we’re here – how the hell did you get hold of that photograph? That whelky bastard Rickards swore blind he’d destroyed the negatives!

DesLily said...

Happy Canada Day!.. beautiful pics!!

and if my feeble memory works.. nice kilt too! heh

Sandra Ruttan said...

The US has a lot of diversity too. That's one of the great things about it - our countries, you can always have new-to-you places to explore.

Stuart, you believed him? Have a fall recently and hit your head?

Thanks DesLily - I've decided to leave my kilt at home this trip to Scotland. It's safer.

anne frasier said...

i love the canadian national anthem.

i also love mr. bigs.


that's a CANDY BAR!


beautiful photos, sandra.


i heard the ITW rooms were supposed to have wireless (for an extra 20 bucks a day) but they don't have it yet. they do have LAN (?), but if writers didn't bring a connector they might have some trouble communicating from the fest. apparently the lobby does have a weak wireless signal.

Sandra Ruttan said...

Well, I knew it was a candy bar, but I'm sure it was necessary to clarify!

Thanks - and it's okay. I filled in. Since someone emailed me at 3 am, obviously they could connect. But I've only just now handled the missing KY post!

Anonymous said...

Happy Canada Day right back. You know I've never met Stuart- yet he looks so nice in the photo.

Sandra Ruttan said...

Doesn't he, though, Eileen?!

Boy Kim, you drop by and that's all you've got to say? I'm hurt.

anne frasier said...

:D thanks, boy kim. i felt that was something i should know, but i couldn't figure it out.

sandra, i'm going to have to steal your ass if you don't mind. i know some women who will love that.

Sandra Ruttan said...

Well Anne, it's not mine, technically, so go right ahead!

Sandra Ruttan said...

You know, I think I'll just email Anne and see if she can help with the drool.

anne frasier said...

LOL!

the (?) was because i wasn't quite sure it was called LAN. and because i didn't know what LAN meant.


thanks, boy kim.

for everything. ;) :D

Anonymous said...

Grat photos. Love the bum shot. This is exactly how I imagine men to look under a kilt. Although let's face reality, most would have a much hairer bum.

J.B. Thompson said...

Happy Canada Day, little sister. The pictures are marvelous. That last one I'm leaving alone, though.

Lisa Hunter said...

Happy Canada Day to you too. An interesting tidbit for those of you out west: In Montreal, all of the official maps refer to Quebec as a "nation," not a province Same with most of the official buildings: the National Library of Quebec, etc. Maybe the separatists just don't want to have to change the plaques and letterhead later? :-)

Sela Carsen said...

That's why I write romance. In romance, men don't have hairy bums. But thanks for the mental image there, Amra. ;)

Gorgeous photos, Sandra.

Sandra Ruttan said...

Thanks JB! Stuart's starting to feel unappreciated, you know!

Lisa, and what an uproar over Stephen's refusal to use the word! I was going to type something, but I'm not afraid of the federal government or the American government or the British government - at least, not as afraid of any of them as I am of the Quebec government. So I shall bite my tongue...

Boy Kim, I appreciate you. And the fact that you failed to acknowledge this is hurtful. Sniff.

Sela, LOL! So that's why there's all that romance in those books - no hairy men. It's like discovering the Cadbury's secret.