Canada Day: Canada Day is the national day of Canada and a statutory holiday for all. This Day is celebrated to mark the anniversary of Canada on 1st July.
Canada is a country in North America.
On July 1, 1867, it became a self-governing dominion of Great Britain and a federation of four provinces: Nova Scotia; New Brunswick; Ontario; and Quebec. The anniversary of this date was called Dominion Day until 1982. Since 1983, July 1 has been officially known as Canada Day. The celebrations take place throughout the country, as well as in various locations around the world attended by Canadians living abroad.
Canada Day
Under the federal Holidays Act, Canada Day is observed on July 1, unless that date falls on a Sunday, in which case July 2 is the statutory holiday.
Most communities across the country host organized celebrations for Canada Day, typically outdoor public events, such as parades, carnivals, festivals, barbecues, air and maritime shows, fireworks, and free musical concerts, as well as citizenship ceremonies.
In many towns and cities, municipal governments organize a range of events, often outdoors. These include pancake breakfasts, parades, concerts, carnivals, festivals, firework displays and citizenship ceremonies for new Canadian citizens. The celebrations often have a patriotic mood. Canada’s national flag is widely displayed and a lot of people paint their faces red and white, which are Canada’s national colors. The celebrations in Ottawa, which is Canada’s capital city, are particularly exuberant.
In the province of Quebec, many home leases start on July 1 and last for exactly one year. Hence, many people in Quebec spend this Day moving their possessions from one house to another. In this province, this Day is also known as Moving Day.
In the province of Newfoundland and Labrador, July 1 is also Memorial Day. This commemorates the heavy loss of life in the Newfoundland Regiment on the first day of the Battle of the Somme during World War I. In Newfoundland and Labrador, the morning of July 1 is usually somber. Flags are flown at half-mast and memorial services are held at cenotaphs (war memorials). In the afternoon, Canada Day celebrations in the province are similar to those in the rest of the country.
The national flag is seen on Canada Day. This consists of two vertical red rectangles separated by a white square. The white square contains a red image of a maple leaf. The national colors are red and white and are used in many ways on this Day. Some people wear red and white clothing and others paint their faces in these colors.
Important facts about Canada
1 – The country extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean.
2 – It is the world’s second-largest country by total area, with the world’s longest coastline.
3 – Its border with the United States is the world’s longest international land border ( 8,891 km (5,525 mi ).
4 – The capital is Ottawa and its three largest metropolitan areas are Toronto, Montreal, and Vancouver.
5 – The country’s head of government is the prime minister.
6 – It is very highly ranked in international measurements of government transparency, quality of life, economic competitiveness, innovation and education.
7 – The name Canada has been derived from a word kanata, meaning “village” or “settlement”.
8 – By total area (including its waters), it is the second-largest country in the world ( 9,984,670 km2 (3,855,100 sq mi) of territory, after Russia.
9 – By land area alone, it ranks fourth, due to having the world’s largest area of fresh water lakes.
10 – It has the world’s longest coastline of 243,042 kilometres (151,019 mi).
11 – It has over 2,000,000 lakes—563 of which are larger than 100 km2 (39 sq mi)—containing much of the world’s fresh water.
12 – It has a parliamentary system within the context of a constitutional monarchy—the monarchy of Canada being the foundation of the executive, legislative, and judicial branches. The reigning monarch is also monarch of 14 other Commonwealth countries (though, all are sovereign of one another ) and each of Canada’s 10 provinces. To carry out most of their federal royal duties, the monarch appoints a representative, the governor general, on the advice of the prime minister.
13 – The constitution of Canada is the supreme law of the country and consists of written text and unwritten conventions.
14 – The Supreme Court is the highest court, final arbiter, and has been led since December 18, 2017, by Richard Wagner, the Chief Justice of Canada.
15 – The governor general appoints the court’s nine members on the advice of the prime minister and minister of justice.
16 – It was a founding member of the United Nations and has membership in the World Trade Organization, the G20, and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).
17 – Canada and the United States share the world’s longest undefended border, co-operate on military campaigns and exercises, and are each other’s largest trading partner.
18 – It is a federation composed of 10 federated states, called provinces, and three federal territories. In turn, these may be grouped into four main regions: Western, Central, Atlantic, and Northern (Eastern Canada refers to Central Canada and Atlantic Canada together).
19 – The major difference between a Canadian province and a territory is that provinces receive their sovereignty from the Crown and power and authority from the Constitution Act, 1867, whereas territorial governments have powers delegated to them by the Parliament of Canada and the commissioners represent the King in his federal Council, rather than the monarch directly.
20 – It is the world’s eighth-largest economy as of 2022, and a nominal GDP of approximately US$2.221 trillion.
21 – The Toronto Stock Exchange is the ninth-largest stock exchange in the world by market capitalization, listing over 1,500 companies with a combined market capitalization of over US$2 trillion.
22 – It ranks low in the Corruption Perceptions Index (14th in 2023) and “is widely regarded as among the least corrupt countries of the world”.
23 – A multitude of languages are used by Canadians, with English and French (the official languages) being the mother tongues of approximately 54 percent and 19 percent of Canadians, respectively.
24 – Motto: A mari usque ad mare (Latin) “From Sea to Sea”
25 – National Anthem – “O Canada”
26 – Royal Anthem – “God Save the King”
27 – The present monarch is Charles III and the current Prime Minister is Justin Trudeau. Justin Trudeau is the 23rd and present Prime minister since 2015.
28 – As per 2023, quarter 1 estimate, the population of Canada is approx 39,566,248.
29 – The currency used in Canada is Canadian Dollar ( CAD in $ ). 1 CAD is approx 0..75 USD. Use the calculator to know more.
30 – The date format used is yyyy–mm–dd
31 – Sugar maple is the national tree.
32 – North American beaver and Canadian horse are the national animals.
33 – Lacrosse (summer), Ice hockey (winter) are the national games.
34 – John Cabot was the first explorer to reach Canada in 1497.
35 – Canada is bigger than the entire European Union. It is also more than 30 percent larger than Australia!
36 – The longest highway in the world is the Trans-Canada Highway. This incredible highway goes from coast to coast, spanning over 7,604 kilometres (4,725 miles).
37 – Canada is the third-largest oil reserve holder in the world after Saudi Arabia and Venezuela.
38 – The US buys more oil from Canada than any other country. On average, they import 3.8 million barrels per day!
39 – Canada is the world’s largest source of the rare element Cesium. Cesium is found at Bernic Lake, Manitoba. Cesium is used to help drill oil, make vacuum tubes, is needed to make the GPS on your cell phone work, and helps to make atomic clocks work.
40 – Some of the world’s largest wheat fields are found in Saskatchewan. Known as the “land of the living skies,” Saskatchewan is one of Canada’s prairie provinces. Saskatchewan is home to over 34,000 farms, 47% of which are wheat!
41 – Three of the largest islands in the world are located within Canada. Baffin Island, Victoria Island, and Ellesmere Island are all located in northern Canada.
42 – Wasaga beach is the longest freshwater beach in the world. Located in Ontario, this popular beach stretches out for an incredible 14 kilometres (8.7 miles).
43 – Home to one of the largest waterfalls in the world, Niagara Falls is in the top 5 largest waterfalls in the world, with Victoria Falls in Africa occupying the top spot. Angel Falls in Venezuela is considered the tallest.
44 – Ontario is home to the “Waterfall Capital of the World”. The city of Hamilton is home to over 100 waterfalls. As a result, it has become known as the “Waterfall Capital of the World.”
45 – Canada’s longest river is the McKenzie River. Located in North-Western Canada, the river is 4,241 km/ 2,635 miles long.
46 – Yonge Street, which is located in Toronto, holds the record for being the longest street in the world. It is about 1896 km or 1,178 miles long. The road starts at LakeShore and extends to Rainy River at the Ontario/Minnesota border.
47 – Old Québec is the only walled city north of Mexico. Built in the 17th and the 19th centuries, Quebec City was also the first city in North America to be placed on UNESCO’s World Heritage Sites list.
48 – Montreal is the world’s second-largest French-speaking city after Paris.
49 – Known as the greatest outdoor show on Earth, the Calgary Stampede features one of the world’s largest rodeos as well as a mid-way, concerts, food trucks, and incredible family-friendly entertainment.
50 – At 553.33 metres high (1,815 ft 5 in), the CN Tower used to be the tallest freestanding structure in the world. It was surpassed by Burj Khalifa, another skyscraper located in Dubai, in 2007.
51 – British Columbia has an average of 330 days of rain per year.
52 – Located in Southern Ontario, the city of Windsor has the most lightning strikes per year. The city averages approximately 33 days of thunderstorms a year.
53 – The Grand Banks off Newfoundland is considered the foggiest place in the world. This area off the east coast experiences on average, 40 percent fog cover in the winter and up to 84 percent fog cover in the summer.
54 – Wood Buffalo National Park is the second-largest national park on earth.
55 – The highest waterfall is Della Falls. Located in British Columbia, Delta Falls is an incredible 440 metres (1,444 feet) high.
56 – Nunavut has 50% of the world’s polar bear population. Northern Ontario and Churchill, Manitoba are other parts of the country where you will find these majestic bears.
57 – Toronto Pearson International Airport in Mississauga is the busiest airport.
58 – The largest skating rink in the world is in Ontario. Every winter, Ottawa’s Rideau Canal officially becomes the world’s largest and second longest skating rink. The cleared length is 7.8 kilometres (4.8 mi) and has the equivalent surface area of 90 Olympic ice hockey rinks. This incredible attraction draws in an average of 19,000 visitors PER DAY!
59 – The Confederation Bridge in PEI that links New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island is 12.9 km in length. This two-lane bridge is the longest in the world to cross over ice-covered water. The Confederation Bridge also extends 40 m above the water.
60 – The largest urban car-free community in North America. The Toronto Islands are the largest car-free community in North America. They are home to around 650 inhabitants living in roughly 262 homes. There are no cars, public transportation, or stores on the island. All inhabitants rely on ferries or water taxis to allow them to access the mainland and the necessities of life.
61 – With over 16,000 species of animals, The Toronto Zoo is the largest zoo in and the third-largest in the world.
62 – National Drink is the Ceasar. A Ceasar is like a Bloody Mary. But instead of tomato juice, a Ceasar uses Clamato Juice, which is a mix of Clam Juice and Tomato Juice.
63 – The country consumes more mac and cheese than any other nation in the world. On average Canadians consume 23.4 pounds of cheese per person annually. Cheddar is the most popular cheese.
64 – This country has hosted the Olympic Games three times. The games were hosted in Montreal in 1976, Calgary in 1988, and Vancouver in 2010.
65 – Basketball was invented by a Canadian. Dr. James Naismith defined 13 rules of the game in 1891 while teaching at a local YMCA in Springfield, Massachusetts.
66 – The baseball glove was invented in Canada in 1883. Arthur Irwin was playing shortstop in 1883 when he broke two fingers during a game. Instead of bowing out of the game due to his injury, Irwin found a large leather glove and stretched the fingers with padding, thus, inventing the first baseball glove.
67 – Nunavut has the best licence plates! The license plates for cars, motorbikes and snowmobiles in Nunavut are in the shape of a polar bear.
68 – The country has the world’s smallest jail. Located in Rodney, Ontario, the jail is only 24.3 square metres (270 square feet) in size.
69 – The largest nuclear power plant in the world can be found in Ontario.
70 – Canada’s Money is Vision Impaired Friendly. Canadian Bank Notes are actually quite special. The currency is one of few in the world that has brail on the bills for the blind.
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