12.3 Canada Today

Canada’s Government Canada is a democracy that is run by a prime minister (similar to a president – the head of a country’s government). The prime minister oversees the country’s parliament, Canada’s governing body. Parliament consists of the House of Commons and the Senate. Canadians elect members of the House of Commons while the prime minister picks the senators.

Canada’s 10 provincial governments are each led by a premier. These provincial governments are much like our state governments.

Canada’s Regions The physical geography and culture of Canada separates the country into distinct regions.

Regionalism The cultural differences between French and English-speaking Canadians have led to problems. English is the main language of most of Canada. In Quebec, however, French is the main language. When Canadians from different regions discuss important issues, they are often influenced by regionalism (the strong connection that people feel toward the region in which they live).

The Eastern Provinces Region on the Atlantic coast of Canada. Includes the maritime (on or near the sea) provinces of New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and Prince Edward Island as well as Newfoundland and Labrador. This region has a short growing season which limits farming. Most of the economy in the region is based on forestry and fishing.

Many people are descendants of immigrants from the British Isles. Most people live in coastal cities. The largest city in the region is Halifax, Nova Scotia.

The Heartland Made up of the provinces of Quebec and Ontario. More than half of all Canadians live in these two provinces.

Quebec: The city of Montreal - located in Quebec – is the 2nd largest city in Canada and one of the largest French-speaking cities in the world. Some people who live in Quebec think that Quebec should become its’ own independent country because of the unique culture they share.

Ontario: Canada’s leading manufacturing province. Toronto is Ontario’s capital city and is a center for industry, finance, education and culture. Canada’s national capital, Ottawa, is also located here.

The Western Provinces Made up of the Canadian Provinces of Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta and British Colombia. The southern grasslands of this region are part of a rich wheat belt. Oil and natural gas production is very important in Alberta.

British Colombia has about 4 million people and is Canada’s westernmost province. This province is rich in natural resources such as forests, salmon, and valuable minerals. Nearly half of the population here lives in and around the coastal city of Vancouver.

The Canadian North The Yukon Territory, the Northwest Territories and Nunavut are located in this region. This region is very large but is only home to about 100,000 people. Nunavut is a new territory created for the native Inuit people who live there. Even though Nunavut is a part of Canada, the people there have their own distinct culture and government.

Canada’s Economy Industries Canada is one of the world’s leading mineral producers as they mine titanium, zinc, iron, gold, and coal. Canada’s iron and steel industry uses iron ore to manufacture products like planes, automobiles, and household appliances. Most Canadians, however, work in the service industry (tourism).

Canada’s leading trading partner is the United States. Trade Canada’s leading trading partner is the United States. These two countries rely heavily on each other because Canada supplies natural resources the U.S. needs for manufacturing. Major Exports Major Imports ● Timber and wood pulp ● Machinery and equipment ● Automobiles and parts ● Chemicals ● Aircraft ● Consumer goods