CANADA: A Brief History How did we get here? Where are we now? What happened?

What is a Canadian? A Canadian is a fellow wearing English tweeds, a Hong Kong shirt and Spanish shoes, who sips Brazilian coffee sweetened with Philippine sugar from a Bavarian cup while nibbling Swiss cheese, sitting at a Danish desk over a Persian rug, after coming home in a German car from an Italian movie... and then writes his Member of Parliament with a Japanese ballpoint pen on French paper, demanding that he do something about foreigners taking away our Canadian jobs. » Anonymous

The Federal Government of Canada

Who is the Boss? (a) The Primeminister? (b) The President of the United States? (c) Simon (d) The Queen of England?

D Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II

That was a trick question. Who is the next most powerful? (a) The Primeminster of Canada (b) The Primeminster’s oldest son (c) The Governor General of Canada (d) The Premier of Alberta

C The Governor General of Canada, Michaëlle Jean.

Finally, here he is: Prime Minister, The Right Honourable Stephen Harper.

Next:

The Cabinet Minister of Foreign Affairs Minister for the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency, the Honourable Peter Mackay The Cabinet is made up of the members of the Prime Minister’s party who are most trusted. They are the Prime Minister’s advisors. Most of the time, the Cabinet is made up of some of the Ministers of the Government.

The Minister of the Environment The Honourable John Baird

The Minister of Finance The Honourable Jim Flaherty

The Federal Government There are two parts: The House of Commons, and The Senate

Some Important Dates In Canadian History

October 7, 1763 The Royal Proclamation. Signed by King George the Third, it defined British territory (ceded as the Dominion of Canada) and American territory.

The Quebec Act of 1774 The provincial boundaries were defined. The province was officially subject to British criminal law. The province was subject to French Civil law.

The Constitutional Act of 1791 Divided Quebec into Upper and Lower Canada (Haute- Canada et Bas- Canada) Upper Canada was under English laws; Lower Canada was under French laws. Signed on December 26, 1791.

Act of Union 1840 Merged the English-speaking Upper Canada with the French- speaking Lower Canada. Made it illegal for French to be spoken in the Legislation of the Province of Canada Merged Upper and Lower Canada as an attempt to use the riches of Lower Canada to support the insolvent Upper Canada.

And, of course, the big one:

July 1 st, 1867 The British North American Act Canada becomes a country! We have four provinces –Ontario –Quebec –New Brunswick –Nova Scotia

Other Important Dates: 1870 – Manitoba is admitted to Canada May 16, 1871 – British Columbia is admitted to Canada June 26, 1873 – Prince Edward Island is admitted to Canada Sept. 1, 1880 – all British possessions not including Newfoundland are admitted to Canada

1898 – The Yukon Territory is admitted Sept. 1, 1905 – Alberta and Saskatchewan join Canada 1931 – The Statute of Westminister is passed –This means that the British Parliament can no longer pass most laws affecting Canada without the permission of the Government of Canada

March 3, 1949 – The British North America Act (from 1867) is amended Newfoundland joins Canada July 1, 1982 – The Canada Act is passed

July 1 st, 1982 We are free! –Britain may no longer pass any law which affects Canada

July 1993 – formal agreements are reached in principle to form a territory for the Dené people of the North July 1993 – formal land claims agreements with the Dené people are signed April 1, 1999 – the Territory of Nunavut is officially formed