Oh Canada - The Good, The Bad and The Ugly

[Guest]

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[Mark CDT]

This thread is aimed at a friendly debate and not mud-slinging - at least I hope so (I already have 2 balls - and 2 strikes against me).

I am Canadian and proud to be so.  We are seen on the world stage as Peace Keepers.  Our currency is one of the stronger ones on the world market. We have the largest quantity of fresh water in the world. We have zillions on acres of land undeveloped - in fact much of it as yet unexplored (the North West Territories and Northern Quebec). And yes, we do have the legendary Sasquatch.

There are about 35 Million of us and lots of space to find some solitude when we wish.

We enjoy freedom of speech. We can dump our leader and it’s governing party at any time through a Non-Confidence vote in Parliament. We have 2 main languages - French and English - yes, from time to time we have some small quarrels but so far nothing serious.  We are a mosaic of languages, races, religions and cultures that has somehow, merged into a friendly working society.

Marijuana is legal here for medicinal purposes.  We are rated # 4 in the most prosperous countries of the world. Iceland is first 

Our beer is stronger and better than our southern neighbours 

But we are not perfect.

Our historical treatment of native Indians is not one to be proud of (Newfoundland no longer has any original natives - they were wiped-out by powers of the past). We interned more than 22,000 Japanese in in various "controlled camps" during World War II, even though the were Canadian citizens, many of whom were bron here.

One of biggest disgraces is the Seal Hunt. Why? The main hunters are Newfoundland fishermen whose fishing industry has collapsed.  Well then - hey - why not find a new industry rather then killing thousands of helpless seal pups. Newfoundland is beautiful - lots of wilderness, pristine water, many quaint fishing villages (where many houses sit precariously on the side of rocky cliffs), a strange accent in many outlying places - over 150,000 moose - what a Tourist Mecca - just don’t visit in February   There should be someway, somehow that we could get a huge tourist industry going there and save the lives of innocent cute seal pups.

That's my soapbox for tonight

[lizhongkai]

First time heard about the prison camp in Canada during Word War 2.  Thank you.

[Canadian Here]

Not one of our proudest moments, for sure.

Lorna

[Mark CDT]

How Canada got its name.

In 1535, two Indian Youths told Jacques Cartier about the route to "kanata." They were referring to the village of Stadacona; "kanata" was simply the Huron-Iroquois word for "village" or "settlement." But for want of another name, Cartier used "Canada" to refer not only to Stadacona (the site of present day Quebec City), but also to the entire area subject to its chief, Donnacona.

So, they is how we become the World's Largest Village 

[Tatiana]

Interesting Mark, please keep posting!

(I could have almost been Canadian. Both my parents lived in Canada and they actually met eachother there. They were very happy there, but my grandmother kept begging my mother to return home wich she eventually did, feeling kind of sorry about ever since....)

[Dagfinn]

Interesting to read Mark, I have learned something today, I go celebrate with an ice cream, on your behalf  

Canada is definitely a country I no little about but as you wrote earlier I find to be among the good guys as countries go . .   I would love to learn more!

- Dagfinn A.

[Mark CDT]

Do you realize that Alexander Graham Bell was an American who also lived here in Canada - in Baddeck, about 240 miles form my home city of Halifax.

And without his invention of the telephone - you would not be on the Internet today. Well, maybe you would be but he is the one that deserves the credit.

I would love to learn more!

- Dagfinn A.

Come to Canada - Jane and I will let you stay with us for 4 weeks at $1,000 per day 

That would be enough time for you to get a feel for Atlantic Canada - but that's only a small part of Kanata 

[Peter S]

How Canada got its name.
. . .

I found this alternative explanation, about it being derived from Spanish...

The Spanish Conquistadores were making a map of their colonies (they owned all of America, South and North). They started drawing in the lines from down south - territory they knew well - and worked their way up.

Everything was going fine until they got to the New York area. "Hey, what's up there?" the map maker asked the governor, pointing to the vast emptiness above the Great Lakes.

The governor answered: "Here? (in Spanish: "Aca?"). Nothing (in Spanish: "Nada").

Hence the great blank emptiness became known as ACA-NADA, or in English, "There ain't nothin' here."

 

[Mark CDT]

I found this alternative explanation, about it being derived from Spanish
.....
The governor answered: "Here? (in Spanish: "Aca?"). Nothing (in Spanish: "Nada").
Hence the great blank emptiness became known as ACA-NADA, or in English, "There ain't nothin' here."

 

That sounds so weird it might be true 

[Dagfinn]

That offer of a 1.000,- a day I assume is PayPal free so I think I accept right away, whatever dollar you quoted 

Do I have speak/eat/meet French?

- Dagfinn A.