Resources from Pearl Linguistics

CANADIAN Facts & Figures

Size: 9,984,670 km²

Population: 34,626,00

Capital: Ottawa

Weather / Climate:

The climate in Canada depends on how close to the coast you travel. Many inland cities, especially those in the Prairies, experience extreme changes in weather. Winnipeg, Manitoba (also colloquially known as 'Winterpeg') has hot summers that can easily exceed 35°C (95°F), yet experiences very cold winters where temperatures around -40°C (-40°F) are not uncommon. The hottest temperature in Canadian ever recorded was in southern Saskatchewan, at 45°C (113°F). Conversely, southern coastal cities in British Columbia are generally milder year-round and get little snow. The Atlantic Provinces are usually not as cold as the Prairies and the Territories although they constantly experience temperatures below zero in the winter. The Atlantic Provinces are also well known to experience many blizzards during the winter season. In British Columbia, Vancouver and Victoria are temperate and get very little snow, and seldom experience temperatures below 0°C or above 27°C (32-80°F).

Apart from having usually milder temperatures year-round than the interior areas of Canada, coastal areas can have very high rainfall. Areas such as coastal British Columbia get some of the highest rainfall in Canada, but it can be very dry in the southern BC Interior due to the Coastal Mountains acting as a rain shadow. The wind can be a big factor on the Canadian Prairies because there are wide open areas not unlike those in the Midwest states of the US, and makes for unpleasant windchills during cold weather in the winter. The average temperature is typically colder in Canada than in the US and Western Europe as a whole, so bring your jacket if visiting between October and May, and early and later than this if visiting areas further north. The rest of the year, in most of the country, daytime highs are generally above 15°C (60°F).

Taken from wikipedia

CANADIAN languages

Home language: rates of language use 1971-2006

The percentage of the population speaking English, French or both languages most often at home has declined since 1986, the decline has been greatest for French. The proportion of the population who speak neither English nor French in the home has increased substantially. Geographically, this trend remains constant, as usage of English and French have declined in both English and French speaking regions of the country, but French has declined more rapidly both inside and outside of Quebec. The table below shows the percentage of the total Canadian population who speak Canada's official languages most often at home from 1971-2006.^[9]

Use of English

In 2006, just under 20.6 million Canadians, representing 58% of the population, spoke English at home.^[11] English is the major language everywhere in Canada except Quebec, and most Canadians (85%) can speak English. In Quebec, English is the preferred language of only 13.4% of the population, but 46% of Québécois can speak English.^[12] Nationally, Francophones are five times more likely to speak English than Anglophones are to speak French - 44% and 9% respectively.^[13] Only 3.6% of Canada's English-speaking population resides in Quebec—mostly in Montreal.

More Canadians know how to speak English than speak it at home.^[14] Since 1971, Knowledge of English has increased slightly and usage of English at home has remained relatively constant.^[15]

In 2006, just over 6.6 million Canadians spoke French at home. Of these, 91.2% resided in Quebec. Outside Quebec, the largest French-speaking populations are found in New Brunswick (which is home to 3.5% of Canada’s francophones) and Ontario (4.4%, residing primarily in the eastern and northeastern parts of the province and in Toronto). Overall, 69% of Canadians cannot speak French; outside of Quebec only 11% of Canadians report that they can have a conversation in French. Smaller indigenous French-speaking communities exist in some other provinces.^[16] For example, a vestigial community exists on Newfoundland's Port au Port Peninsula; a remnant of the "French Shore" along the island's west coast.

The percentage of the population who speak French both by Mother tongue and home language has decreased over the past three decades. Whereas the number of those who speak English at home is higher than the number of people whose mother tongue is English, the opposite is true for Francophones. There are fewer people who speak French at home, than learned French after birth.^[17]

Ethnic diversity is growing in French Canada, but still lags behind the English-speaking parts of the country. In 2006, 91.5% of Quebecers considered themselves to be of either "French" or "Canadian" origin. As a result of the growth in immigration, since the 1970s, from countries in which French is a widely-used language, 3.4% of Quebecers indicated that they were of Haitian, Belgian, Swiss, Lebanese or Moroccan origin.^[18] Other groups of non-francophone immigrants (Irish Catholics, Italian, Portuguese, etc.) have also assimilated into French over the generations. The Irish, who started arriving in large numbers in Quebec in the 1830s, were the first such group, which explains why it has been possible for Quebec to have had five premiers of Anglo-Irish ethnic origin: John Jones Ross (1884–87), Edmund James Flynn (1896–97), Daniel Johnson, Sr. (1966–68), Pierre-Marc Johnson (1985) and Daniel Johnson, Jr. (1994).

The assimilation of francophones outside Quebec into the English-Canadian society means that outside Quebec, over one million Canadians who claim English as their mother tongue are of French ethnic origin. (1991 Census, ethnic origin and mother tongue, by province).

According to the 2006 census, 98% of Canadian residents are able to speak at least one of the country’s two official languages,^[20] As well, at least 35% of Canadians speak more than one language. Bilingualism in the two official languages is much less widespread; of these multilingual Canadians, less than half (5,448,850 persons, or 17.4% of all Canadians) are able to speak both the official languages.^[21]

However, in Canada the terms "bilingual" and "unilingual" are normally used to refer to bilingualism in English and French. In this sense, nearly 83% of Canadians are "unilingual".

Since the implementation of the Official Languages Act in 1969, the percentage of bilingual Canadians has risen from about 13% to 17%. However the rate has leveled off since the 1996 census.

Non-official languages that are unique to canada

Aboriginal langauges

Main articles: Canadian Aboriginal syllabics and Indigenous languages of the Americas

Canadais home to a rich variety of indigenous languages that are spoken nowhere else. There are 11 Aboriginal language groups in Canada, made up of more than 65 distinct languages and dialects.^[30] Of these, only Cree, Inuktitut and Ojibway have a large enough population of fluent speakers to be considered viable to survive in the long term.^[31]

Two of Canada's territories give official status to native languages. In Nunavut, Inuktitut and Inuinnaqtun are official languages alongside the national languages of English and French, and Inuktitut is a common vehicular language in territorial government.^[32] In the Northwest Territories, the Official Languages Act declares that there are eleven different languages: Chipewyan, Cree, English, French, Gwich’in, Inuinnaqtun, Inuktitut, Inuvialuktun, North Slavey, South Slavey and T??ch?.^[33] Besides English and French, these languages are not vehicular in government; official status entitles citizens to receive services in them on request and to deal with the government in them.^[31]

According to the 2006 census, less than one percent of Canadians (just over 250,000 individuals) know how to speak an aboriginal language. About half this number (129,865) reported using an aboriginal language on a daily basis.^[31]

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Languages_of_Canada#The_two_official_languages

CANADIAN culture

Few countries in the world offer as many choices to the traveller as Canada. Whether your passion is skiing, sailing, museum-combing or indulging in exceptional cuisine, Canada has it all. Western Canada is renowned for its stunningly beautiful countryside; Eastern Canada mixes the flavour and charm of Europe with the bustle of New York; wildlife viewing is at its best in Northern Canada; and everywhere you will be surprised by how much more there is to this country than just maple syrup and Mounties.

However, Canada also has its fair share of unsavoury history. Indigenous peoples (including the Inuit of the far north and members of Canada's First Nations) maintain that traditional lands were taken from them by force or subterfuge by previous governments. There have been some small measures to tackle their grievances: in 1993, a land claim settlement gave the Inuit control over a 350,000 sq km (135,135 sq miles) area of the Northwest Territories; in 1999, the federal government created the new territory of Nunavut from these and additional lands.

There is certainly room in Canada to accommodate these peoples: despite Canada's gigantic size, the country is sparsely populated. Most people congregate around urban centres; venturing into more remote rural areas, you may well have only the country's stunning scenery as your companion. Indeed, Canada is so beautifully diverse that it's easy to comprehend why so many people fought for possession of it.

During the 18th century, the Anglo-French war over Canada ended with the capitulation of New France to the English. The Americans made a number of efforts to seize control of Britain's Canadian territories after Britain's defeat in the American War of Independence, but failed. Canada now promotes itself as a country of peace, most notably in recent times in its opposition to the USA-led war against Iraq. Canada governs itself independently but still has the British monarch as its head of state, with relatively little dissent. These factors are typical of a country that somehow succeeds in unifying incredible range. After all, it spans six time zones and borders three oceans.

The first Europeans to reach Canada were descendants of Norse seafarers who had settled in Iceland and in Greenland during the 9th and 10th centuries; the second wave of European arrivals, led by the Italian navigator Giovanni Caboto (better known as John Cabot), were seeking a passage to Asia, in 1497.

Over the next 100 years, attracted by rich fishing grounds, English and French commercial interests flocked to Newfoundland.

During the 17th century, the French accelerated trading with the New France Company. The creation of England's Hudson's Bay Company initiated a long period of rivalry, culminating in the Anglo-French war of the early 1760s; this ended with the surrender of the French Canadian capital, Québec, to the English forces.

The Treaty of Paris, in 1763, gave all French territories in north-east America to the British. Within two decades, however, the English had been ousted from their American colonies following defeat in the American War of Independence.

Eastern Canada was then settled by loyalists from the USA holding allegiance to the defeated British Crown.

In 1791, Canada was divided between regions occupied by the English-speaking and the longer-established French-speaking community, but the arrangement did not work and was replaced by a unified system.

In the mid-19th century, Canada was granted the status of a Dominion of the British Empire, with an autonomous government but with the British monarch as Head of State.

Canadais the second largest country in the world after Russia. However, itspopulation is only about one-fifth of Russia's. Nearly 90% of Canadians live within 200km of the border with the United States, which means that Canada contains vast expanses of wilderness to the north.

The relationship to its powerful neighbour is a defining factor for Canada. The US and Canada have the world's largest trading relationship. The North American Free Trade Agreement, involving Canada, the US and Mexico, has brought a trade boom for Canada. American moves, however, which impact on Canadian exports, in the form of tariffs on Canadian timber and increased subsidies for US farmers, have created particular tension. Canada is also worried about pollution from US factories near the border, and about the possible impact on the environment of the exploitation of oil deposits in Alaska.

Canadapursues a foreign policy that is distinct from that of the US. The country has committed troops to the American-led war on terror, but does not back the US trade embargo on Cuba. Canada did not send troops to join the US-led war in Iraq. After the 11 September 2001 attacks in the US, the challenge of securing the 9,000-km Canada-US border from possible terrorist infiltration prompted both countries to look at ways of sharing information.

Separatist aspirations in the predominantly French-speaking province of Quebec are a major domestic issue. A referendum in 1995 saw advocates of an independent Quebec only narrowly defeated. Subsequent opinion polls indicated a fall in support for independence and the pro-independence Parti Quebecois was defeated in 2003's provincial election.

The concept of nationhood for Quebec resurfaced in late 2006, when parliament agreed that the Quebecois should be considered a "nation" within a united Canada. The move was largely symbolic, having no constitutional or legal grounding. Canada has been asserting its sovereignty in the Arctic with growing vigour and has become embroiled in territorial spats with the US and Denmark. At stake is the possible bounty from previously-untapped reserves of oil and gas.

75% of the population belong to the Christian faith, including the Anglican, Roman Catholic and United Church of Canada denominations. There are numerous other active denominations and religions. Handshaking predominates as the normal mode of greeting. Close friends often exchange kisses on the cheeks, particularly in French-speaking areas. Codes of practice for visiting homes are the same as in other Western countries: flowers, chocolates or a bottle of wine are common gifts for hosts, and dress is generally informal and practical according to climate. It is common for black tie and other required dress to be indicated on invitations. Exclusive clubs and restaurants often require more formal dress. Smoking has been banned in most public areas. Most restaurants, theatres and cinemas, if they permit smoking, have large 'no smoking' areas.

Holidays

· 01 January – New Year's Day

· April – Easter

· 21 May – Victoria Day

· 01 July – Canada Day

· 03 September – Labour Day

· 11 October – Thanksgiving Day

· 11 November – Remembrance Day

· 25 December – Christmas Day

Taken from:

www.bbc.co.uk

www.worldtravelguide.net

CANADIAN people

Canadians were able to self-identify one or more ethnic origins in the 2006 census. Percentages may therefore add up to 100%. The most common response was 'Canadian'. As data is completely self-reported, and reporting individuals may have varying definitions of "Ethnic origin" (or may not know their ethnic origin), these figures should not be considered an exact record of the relative prevalence of different ethnocultural ancestries.

Statistics Canada projects that, by 2031, approximately 28% of the population will be foreign-born. The number of people belonging to visible minority groups will double,^[8] and make up the majority of the population in Toronto and Vancouver.

Single responses:18.40% of respondents gave a single response of 'Canadian', while a further 13.82% identified with both 'Canadian', and one or more other ancestries. 4.38% of respondents gave a single response of English, 3.94% gave a single response of French, 3.63% gave a single response of Chinese, 2.50% gave a single response of East Indian, 2.37% gave a single response of Italian, 2.15% gave a single response of German, 1.82% gave a single response of Scottish, 1.64% gave a single response of North American Indian, 1.57% gave a single response of Irish, and 1.03% gave a single response of Filipino.

Multiple responses:Counting both single and multiple responses, the most commonly identified ethnic origins were (2006):

Taken from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Demographics_of_Canada

CANADIAN food

Canadian cuisinevaries widely depending on the regions of the nation. The former Canadian prime minister Joe Clark has been paraphrased to have noted: "Canada has a cuisine of cuisines. Not a stew pot, but a smorgasbord."

The three earliest cuisines of Canada have First Nations, English, and French roots, with the traditional cuisine of English Canada closely related to British and American cuisine, while the traditional cuisine of French Canada has evolved from French cuisine and the winter provisions of fur traders. With subsequent waves of immigration in the 18th and 19th century from Central, Southern, and Eastern Europe, and also from China, the regional cuisines were subsequently augmented. A noteworthy fact is that Canada is the world's largest producer of Maple syrup.

Cultural contributions

Since the beginning, Canadian food has been shaped and impacted by continual waves of immigration, with the types of foods and from different regions and periods of Canada reflecting this immigration.^[3] The traditional cuisine of the Arctic and the Canadian Territories is based on wild game and Inuit and First Nations cooking methods; conversely bannock, which is popular across First Nations and Native American communities throughout the continent, is a method for making pan-fried bread introduced to their culture by Scottish fur traders.

The settlers and traders from the British Isles account for the culinary influences of early English Canada in the Maritimes and Southern Ontario (Upper Canada)^[3], while French settlers account for the cuisine of southern Quebec (Lower Canada), Northern Ontario, and New Brunswick^[3]. Many of the more south western regions of Ontario have strong Dutch and Scandinavian influences, while German, Ukrainian, and Polish cuisines are strong influences to the cuisine of the western Canadian provinces. Also noteworthy is the cuisine of the Doukhobors, Russian-descended vegetarians.

The Waterloo, Ontario, region has a tradition of Mennonite and Germanic cookery.

The Jewish immigrants to Canada during the late 1800's also play a significant role to foods in Canada. The Montreal-style bagel and Montreal-style smoked meat are both food items developed by Jewish communities living in Montreal.

Much of what are considered "Chinese dishes" in Canada are more likely to be Canadian or North American inventions, with the Chinese of each region tailoring their traditional cuisine to local tastes.This Canadian Chinese cuisine is widespread across the country, with great variation from place to place. The Chinese buffet, although found in the U.S. and other parts of Canada, had its origins in early Gastown, Vancouver, c.1870 and came out of the practice of the many Scandinavians' working in the woods and mills around the shantytown getting the Chinese cook to put out a steam table on a sideboard, so they could "load up" and leave room on the dining table (presumably for "drink").^[4][5]Ginger beef is a popular Chinese food purportedly originating in Western Canada.

The cuisines of Newfoundland and the Maritime provinces derive mainly from British and Irish cooking, with a preference for salt-cured fish, beef, and pork. Ontario, Manitoba and British Columbia also maintain strong British cuisine traditions.

National food

Common contenders as the Canadian national food include:

Poutine

Butter tarts

According to an informal survey by the Globe and Mail conducted through Facebook from collected comment, users considered the following to be the Canadian National dish, with Maple syrup likely above all the other foods if it was considered:^[11]

51% Poutine
14% Montreal-style bagels
11% Salmon jerky
10% Pierogis
7% Ketchupchips
4% Donair
1% California roll

Taken from wikipedia

Places to go in CANADA

Fine examples of Canadian crafts are available everywhere. They include art woodcarvings, leather goods, pottery and native artworks. Some countries have restrictions against the import of endangered animal species products, such as products made from polar bear, seal, walrus or whale, so visitors should check entry regulations in their home country before departure; some of these products may also require a Canadian export certificate.

A 5% goods and service tax (GST) is levied on most goods and services in Canada. In addition, most jurisdictions (except Alberta, the Northwest Territories, Nunavut and the Yukon) levy a provincial service tax (PST) of 5 to 10% in shops, restaurants and short-term accommodation. In the provinces of Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia and New Brunswick, a 13% harmonised sales tax (HST) has replaced the GST and PST.

Every major provincial capital in the more populated areas has nightclubs. Montréal, Ottawa, Toronto, Vancouver, Calgary and Winnipeg are centres for ballet, opera and classical music, with visits from leading orchestras and internationally renowned performers. Entertainment in the more remote towns is scarce.

Quebec City- the 'cradle of New France' and a UNESCO World Heritage site - is the most charming city in North America. This is thanks to a centuries-old city wall that encircles a thicket of spires and a web of cobblestoned streets, charming bistros and horse-drawn calèches and a grand copper-roofed hotel that overlooks an historic river.

The walled Upper Town sits atop strategic Cap Diamant, overlooking the spot where the St Lawrence River narrows. Those narrows - known as the kebec to the original Algonquin inhabitants - gave the city its name.

At the foot of Cap Diamant lies Lower Town, where Samuel de Champlain founded the city in 1608. Today, visitors strolling around the restored Place Royale can easily imagine they're back in the 1600s.

Although nearly all of the city's present residents are of French descent, nearly a third are bilingual, offering a friendly, warm welcome to visitors in English, as well as in French. Their joie de vivre is infectious and never more so than during the summer festivals, when the whole town seems to be one continuous stage.

Toronto stands on the northern shore of Lake Ontario and the view of the city across the water is stunning and unmistakable - with the CN Tower, one of the world's tallest towers, thrusting skyward near the water's edge. Framing it is a glimmering collection of skyscrapers, which give way to a dense city centre with pleasant, leafy residential areas and parks, notably along the ravines that cut through the city.

The capital of the Province of Ontario, Toronto is Canada's largest city and the fifth largest in North America. A dominant force in the business and economy of the nation, it is also the cultural centre of English-speaking Canada.

By night, Toronto's people indulge themselves at the city's numerous restaurants, bars and clubs, or at the symphony, opera and theatre. More than anything, however, Toronto is defined by its citizenry - friendly, efficient and one of the most multicultural in the world.

Calgary stands at the point where the vast Canadian prairie meets the jagged, snow-capped peaks of the Rocky Mountains. Its young, glittering skyscrapers rise out of older suburban neighbourhoods and seem oddly superimposed on this breathtakingly diverse western landscape, as though dropped from the sky onto the confluence of the Bow and Elbow Rivers.

Accordingly, the land is never far from the minds of the people of Calgary. The oil that lies beneath it drives the city's vibrant economy; the distant mountains attract legions of skiers and snowboarders during the chilly winters; and, during balmy summers, cattle roam the flat expanse of grassland, marking this out as cowboy country.

As well as being the gateway to the Rocky Mountains, Calgary has grown into a tourist destination in its own right. Its cowboy reputation draws over a million visitors annually to Calgary Stampede, a raucous celebration of Western heritage, where the city transforms into a giant party town and every second person seems to be wearing a cowboy hat; even the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge couldn’t resist during their 2011 visit.

Calgary isn’t shy in putting itself forward and has beaten competing Canadian cities to host both the new National Sports Hall of Fame and the upcoming National Music Centre, which opens in 2014. A snazzy new, hands-on science centre opened in October 2011.

Many have likened the Calgary of today to a Canadian Dallas, a comparison that is not without merit. Like Dallas, Calgary is a confident, often brash cowboy town that grew wealthy on oil, where they play country and western music in noisy taverns and eat thick and juicy steaks in the restaurants. As an image, however, this captures only a small part of what the city and its people are actually like.

Calgary is also a city of diverse and vibrant neighbourhoods, where its citizens relax in cafés, stroll the scenic streets or take in the opera, although they are just as likely to head off to the great outdoors. Beyond the city, the stunning summits and aquamarine lakes of the Rockies, in particular Banff National Park, are unmissable, while visitors can delve into dinosaur history in Alberta’s Badlands.

Today Calgary is known as the New West, a casual, oil-rich, vibrant city growing faster than its infrastructure can keep pace with, expanding its cultural life as new blood follows its prosperity. Technology and production industries have grown immensely as oil and gas production has increased, propelling this one-time, one-horse cowboy town into a radically evolving 21st-century city.

Calgar yis not resting on its laurels however. Ongoing reinvestment in its buildings and services suggests it clearly aims to keep one step ahead of its rivals. A light rail line extension is under construction, with others in the pipeline, and glitzy skyscrapers continue to go up – the latest is a Norman Foster-designed behemoth nicknamed The Bow. This is now the city’s tallest tower and is expected to be completed in 2012, coinciding with Calgary Stampede’s centenary celebrations.

First-time visitors never fail to be surprised by Montreal; French-speaking with grand old buildings and a European vibe, it sits apart from other North American cities. Unlike the modern sprawls sometimes associated with Canadian urban centres, Montreal is anything but samey. It oozes style with fashion-conscious workers, hip nightlife and a thriving restaurant scene.

Originally Canada’s largest city, Montreal is now no longer the country’s financial hub of yesteryear, but it certainly places first in terms of culture and uniqueness. With a relatively small downtown area and squeaky clean public transport system, tourists can explore the city safe in knowledge that they won’t get lost, or indeed hassled. You can take a horse-drawn carriage ride (calèche) along the St Laurence River in the district of Old Montreal, have lunch in a chic downtown bistro and visit Saint Joseph’s Oratory in Mount Royal all in one day, and still have time for a night stroll along the trendy streets of The Plateau.

Ottawa is a vibrant Canadian city, offering a fascinating history, acres of green space and tons of European charm.

After its humble beginning as a small lumber town, Ottawa was designated Canada's capital by Queen Victoria in 1857. It is now a buzzing urban centre nestled between the River Ottawa, Rideau Canal and River Rideau, overlooking the Gatineau Hills of Québec. The impressive Parliament Buildings create an air of European elegance, with neo-gothic spires and turrets stretching skyward on the steep bluffs high above the River Ottawa.

The city's early heritage is evident in the proliferation of Irish pubs in the ByWard Market area, originally known as Lowertown and still the focal point for Ottawa's French and Irish communities. The more conservative Uppertown developed around the seat of government, with its wealthier neighbourhoods, embassies and politicians. In the 1970s the high tech sector drew highly skilled workers to this burgeoning world computer and telecommunications centre, giving birth to Silicon Valley North.

Today the nation's capital is a desirable place to live and work, with green spaces, outdoor activities and an easygoing lifestyle. Ottawa is the nation's cultural and intellectual capital and centre for visual and performing arts, with numerous museums, galleries, two universities and a community college.

In this multicultural community, government and service industry jobs demand bilingual skills in French and English, and restaurants serve cuisine heavily enhanced with French influence.

An invigorating array of outdoor recreational opportunities are available across the seasons, from winter skating on the frozen Rideau Canal to summer cycling on extensive recreational paths, or kayaking and canoeing on the city's waterways.

Surrounded by ocean, with impressive mountains immediately to the north, Vancouver is a shiny, modern North American metropolis infused with a Pacific flavour. It's also the perfect jumping-off point for exploring British Columbia's beautiful wilderness.

Vancouverites live for the outdoors. Year-round, hordes of joggers, in-line skaters and cyclists jostle for space on the seawall while hard-core runners pound up the lung-bustlingly steep Grouse Grind trail. With countless opportunities for rafting, mountain biking, camping and skiing, sports junkies can ski one of three local mountains or sail in English Bay.

Vancouver's West End is chock-a-block full of juice bars and coffee shops, and colourful Davie Village is home to a sizeable gay community. Chinatown is jammed with noodle houses, bakeries, medicine shops and a lively market. Vancouver's cosmopolitan mix is further evident in multicultural Commercial Drive and vibrant Punjabi Market.

Vancouveris aiming to cement its place as a world city after successfully hosting the 2010 Winter Olympic Games. Among the long-term benefits are a new light-rail line, a clutch of new hotels, a stylish Olympic Village (to become apartments) and a state-of-the-art sports centre.

Whistler Blackcomb ski resort is consistently ranked the number one resort in North America and it's easy to see why. Whistler has the largest skiable area and the second-biggest lift-served vertical drop on the continent, topped-off with an enviable snow record.

Skiing here dates back to 1966, when the ski area consisted of just four lifts and a day lodge. These days, 5-star hotels and luxury condos grace the foot of the slopes, and the resort attracts more than two million visitors each winter.

The skiing here is spread over two mountains, Whistler and Blackcomb, and there are three neatly arranged pedestrianised bases - the Upper Village (at Blackcomb), Whistler Village proper, and Creekside.

Along with Vancouver, Whistler was host to the 2010 Winter Olympics, holding the alpine and cross-country skiing, biathlon, ski jumping, bobsleigh, skeleton and luge events.

The resort unveiled a new hydroelectric power plant in the same year, which now generates more than enough green electricity to meet the resort’s entire needs, with any left over being sold back to the grid.

There's an air of unspoilt charm in Jasper ski resort and its local ski area of Marmot Basin, with great skiing and stunning parkland. Many visitors will have arrived via the spectacular Icefields Parkway road through protected national parkland from Calgary, one of the most scenically stunning drives on earth – and this great ski area and the town of Jasper is the icing on the cake.

Marmot Basin itself is an excellent mid-sized ski area that has grown organically over the past 50 years, gradually upgrading lifts and expanding its terrain. The area is famed for its open powder slopes, suited to all ability levels, and for ‘elbow room' – being one of the least busy ski areas on the planet.

Guests stay in or near the atmospheric town of Jasper, 20 minutes away, which has a good range of shopping and dining and the same strong community spirit evident on the slopes. This differentiates the area from many of the more corporate resorts of North America.

Locations don't come much better than Banff, which is set amidst the jaw-dropping scenery of the Canadian Rockies. The town was named after its Scottish counterpart in 1884, and the surrounding national park established a year later. It wasn't long before skiing took off, when Swiss and Austrian mountain guides arrived in 1909.

The local skiing in Banff is split over two areas - Ski Norquay, which lies just beyond the town, and Sunshine Village, 20 minutes' drive away. Most visitors ski at nearby Lake Louise too, which is included in a tri-area lift ticket.

With no shortage of shops, bars and restaurants, even non-skiers can enjoy a winter holiday in Banff. One downside is that you have to drive to reach the ski areas, unless you stay at the only hotel at Sunshine. Another factor to be aware of is that temperatures can plummet; skiers used to sunny European resorts should be prepared for the cold. Watch out for elk too - there are 1,000 of them in the area and you might spot them strolling along the streets!

Other Ski Resorts include: Tremblant, Sun Peaks, Kicking Horse, Big White, Lake Louise and Fernie.

Taken from www.worldtravelguide.net

Doing business in CANADA

Canadahas one of the highest levels of economic freedom in the world. Today Canada closely resembles the U.S. in its market-oriented economic system, and pattern of production.^[9] As of September 2011, Canada's national unemployment rate stood at 7.1%,^[10] as the economy continues its recovery from the effects of the 2007-2010 global financial crisis. In May 2010, provincial unemployment rates varied from a low of 5.0% in Saskatchewan to a high of 13.8% in Newfoundland and Labrador.^[11] According to the Forbes Global 2000 list of the world's largest companies in 2008, Canada had 69 companies in the list, ranking 5th next to France.^[12] As of 2008, Canada’s total government debt burden is the lowest in the G8.

International trade makes up a large part of the Canadian economy, particularly of its natural resources. In 2009, agricultural, energy, forestry and mining exports accounted for about 58% of Canada's total exports.^[13] Machinery, equipment, automotive products and other manufactures accounted for a further 38% of exports in 2009.^[13] In 2009, exports accounted for approximately 30% of Canada's GDP. The United States is by far its largest trading partner, accounting for about 73% of exports and 63% of imports as of 2009.^[14] Canada's combined exports and imports ranked 8th among all nations in 2006.^[15]

Canadahas considerable natural resources spread across its varied regions. As an example, in British Columbia the forestry industry is of great importance, while the oil and gas industry is important in Alberta, Saskatchewan and Newfoundland and Labrador. Northern Ontario is home to a wide array of mines, while the fishing industry has long been central to the character of the Atlantic provinces, though it has recently been in steep decline. Canada has mineral resources of coal, copper, iron ore, and gold.

These primary industries are increasingly becoming less important to the overall economy. Only some 4% of Canadians are employed in these fields, and they account for 6.2% of GDP.^[16] They are still paramount in many parts of the country. Many, if not most, towns in northern Canada, where agriculture is difficult, exist because of a nearby mine or source of timber. Canada is a world leader in the production of many natural resources such as gold, nickel, uranium, diamonds and lead. Several of Canada's largest companies are based in natural resource industries, such as EnCana, Cameco, Goldcorp, and Barrick Gold. The vast majority of these products are exported, mainly to the United States. There are also many secondary and service industries that are directly linked to primary ones. For instance one of Canada's largest manufacturing industries is the pulp and paper sector, which is directly linked to the logging industry.

The large reliance on natural resources has several effects on the Canadian economy and Canadian society. While manufacturing and service industries are easy to standardize, natural resources vary greatly by region. This ensures that differing economic structures developed in each region of Canada, contributing to Canada's strong regionalism. At the same time the vast majority of these resources are exported, integrating Canada closely into the international economy. Howlett and Ramesh argue that the inherent instability of such industries also contributes to greater government intervention in the economy, to reduce the social impact of market changes.^[17]

Such industries also raise important questions of sustainability. Despite many decades as a leading producer, there is little risk of depletion. Large discoveries continue to be made, such as the massive nickel find at Voisey's Bay. Moreover the far north remains largely undeveloped as producers await higher prices or new technologies as many operations in this region are not yet cost effective. In recent decades Canadians have become less willing to accept the environmental destruction associated with exploiting natural resources. High wages and Aboriginal land claims have also curbed expansion. Instead many Canadian companies have focused their exploration and expansion activities overseas where prices are lower and governments more accommodating. Canadian companies are increasingly playing important roles in Latin America, Southeast Asia, and Africa.

The exploitation of renewable resources have raised concerns in recent years. After decades of escalating overexploitation the cod fishery all but collapsed in the 1990s, and the Pacific salmon industry also suffered greatly. The logging industry, after many years of activism, has in recent years moved to a more sustainable model.

Business Etiquette and Protocol

Meeting and Greeting

Canadian businesspeople often begin relationships in a reserved manner; once people get to know one another is becomes friendly and informal.
Canadians appreciate politeness and expect others to adhere to the proper protocol for any given situation.
Shake hands with everyone at the meeting upon arrival and departure.
Maintain eye contact while shaking hands.
Men may offer their hand to a woman without waiting for her to extend hers first.
Honorific titles and surnames are usually not used.
However, academic titles are important in Quebec and are used with the honorific Monsieur or Madame.
Business cards are exchanged after the initial introduction.
In Quebec, have one side of your business card translated into French. Hand the card so the French side faces the recipient.
Examine any card you receive before putting it in your card case.

Canadian Communication Styles

It is difficult to specify any national trait in terms of communication in Canada due to its regionalism and cultural diversity. However, there are some basic communication styles that are fairly standard across the country. For example, businesspeople are generally polite, easy-going and somewhat informal.

In general, communication is” moderately indirect” perhaps reflecting an amalgamation of both North American and British tendencies. Although most Canadians can disagree openly when necessary, they prefer to do so with tact and diplomacy. Their communication style is essentially pragmatic and relies on common sense. If you come from a culture where communication is very direct, you may wish to soften your demeanour and tone so as not to appear threatening.

Communication styles vary most between Anglophone and Francophone parts of the country. Francophones are generally more indirect than Anglophones, although less so than the French. They also tend to be more exuberant than Anglophones. Anglophones do not generally interrupt someone who is speaking. They consider it rude not to let a person complete their thought before entering the discussion. Francophones are more likely to interrupt another speaker.

Canadians communicate more by the spoken word rather than non-verbal expressions. Non-verbal expressions are only really used to add emphasis to a message or are part of an individual’s personal communication style.

Canadians like their space and prefer to be at an arm’s length when speaking to someone.

Canadians are reticent to discuss their personal lives with business associates. They expect people to speak in a straightforward manner and to be able to back up their claims with examples. They do not make exaggerated claims and are suspicious of something that sounds too good to be true.

Business Meetings

Canadians begin meetings with a minimal amount of small talk although one should expect to spend a few minutes exchanging pleasantries and the like. In Quebec there may be more time spent on relationship-building.

Meetings are generally well-organized and adhere to time schedules. They tend to be informal and relaxed in manner even if the subjects being discussed are serious. When meeting with Anglophones, meetings may seem more democratic as all participants will engage and contribute. Meetings with Francophones, due to a greater respect for hierarchy and position, may revolve more around the most senior attendees.

Meetings in Canadian companies are used to review proposals, make plans, brain-storm and communicate decisions. Attendees will generally represent a variety of levels and experiences; all are expected to express opinions.

When presenting information, it is important to have facts and figures to substantiate claims and promises. Canadians are essentially rational and logical and thus they will not be convinced by emotions, passion or feelings.

Taken from:

www.kwintessential.co.uk

www.wikipedia.com