Portal:Canada

Wednesday, April 23, 2025

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Introduction

Flag and Arms of Canada

Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, making it the world's second-largest country by total area, with the world's longest coastline. Its border with the United States is the world's longest international land border. The country is characterized by a wide range of both meteorologic and geological regions. With a population of just over 41 million people, it has widely varying population densities, with the majority residing in urban areas and large areas of the country being sparsely populated. Canada's capital is Ottawa and its three largest metropolitan areas are Toronto, Montreal, and Vancouver.

A developed country, Canada has a high nominal per capita income globally and its advanced economy ranks among the largest in the world by nominal GDP, relying chiefly upon its abundant natural resources and well-developed international trade networks. Recognized as a middle power, Canada's support for multilateralism and internationalism has been closely related to its foreign relations policies of peacekeeping and aid for developing countries. Canada promotes its domestically shared values through participation in multiple international organizations and forums. (Full article...)

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In 1969, the American rock musician Jimi Hendrix, then at the height of his career, was arrested, tried, and acquitted in Canada for drug possession. On May 3, 1969, customs agents at Toronto International Airport detained Hendrix after finding a small amount of what they suspected to be heroin and hashish in his luggage. Four hours later, after a mobile lab confirmed what had been found, he was formally charged with drug possession. Released on $10,000 bail, Hendrix was required to return on May 5 for an arraignment hearing. During a performance at Maple Leaf Gardens later that night, he displayed a jovial attitude, joking with the audience and singing a few lines of mock opera for comedic effect. (Full article...)

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Current events

April 21, 2025 –: ARK Invest becomes the first US-based asset manager to gain exposure to the Solana blockchain through an ETF investment after Canada approves several spot Solana ETFs. (Coin Market Cap)
April 16, 2025 – Tariffs in the second Trump administration: California Governor Gavin Newsom and California Attorney General Rob Bonta file a lawsuit against U.S. President Donald Trump and his administration over the tariffs, making California the first U.S. state to do so. The lawsuit also targets the International Economic Emergency Powers Act, the law used by Trump to impose tariffs against Canada, China, and Mexico. (Politico)
April 15, 2025 –: Four people are injured in a vehicle-ramming attack after a person drives a sedan onto a pedestrian walkway on the Toronto Metropolitan University campus near Yonge Street and Gerrard Street in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. (CBC News)
April 9, 2025 – Tariffs in the second Trump administration, Executive orders in the second presidency of Donald Trump: Canada announces a 25% tariff on certain vehicle imports from the U.S. as retaliation against a previous similar measure from the U.S. (BBC News)
April 3, 2025 – Tariffs in the second Trump administration: Multinational car manufacturer Stellantis announces it will lay off 900 workers across five of its U.S. factories and will pause production at assembly plants in Canada and Mexico in response to the tariffs. (Reuters)
April 3, 2025 – Canada convoy protests: The Ontario Court of Justice in Ontario, Canada, convicts Tamara Lich and Chris Barber, two leaders of the truck driver protest movement against COVID-19 vaccination in Canada, of criminal mischief. (AP)

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Panoramic view of Montreal

Credit: Diliff

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The coat of arms of Canada, also known as the Royal Coat of Arms of Canada or, formally, as the Arms of His Majesty The King in Right of Canada is the arms of dominion of the Canadian monarch and, thus, also the official coat of arms of Canada. In use since 1921, it is closely modelled after the royal coat of arms of the United Kingdom, with French and distinctive Canadian elements replacing or added to those derived from the British version. (Full article...)

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The music of Canada reflects the diverse influences that have shaped the country. Indigenous Peoples, the Irish, British, and the French have all made unique contributions to the musical heritage of Canada. The music has also subsequently been influenced by American culture because of the proximity between the two countries. Since French explorer Samuel de Champlain arrived in 1605 and established the first permanent French settlements at Port Royal and Québec in 1608, the country has produced its own composers, musicians and ensembles. (Full article...)

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Moraine Lake in the Banff National Park in Alberta, Canada.
Credit: Gorgo

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Howard Adelman CM (January 7, 1938 – July 23, 2023) was a Canadian philosopher and university professor. He retired as Professor Emeritus of Philosophy at York University in 2003. Adelman was one of the founders of Rochdale College, as well as the founder and director of York's Centre for Refugee Studies. He was editor of Refuge for ten years, and since his retirement he has received several honorary university and governmental appointments in Canada and abroad. Adelman was the recipient of numerous awards and grants, and presented the inaugural lecture in a series named in his honor at York University in 2008. (Full article...)

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... that Canadian heritage minister Pascale St-Onge was the bassist in an all-lesbian alternative rock quartet?
... that Canadian peacekeepers participated in every UN peacekeeping effort from its inception until 1989?
... that a 23-day CBC strike thrust Don Goodwin into the Canadian national spotlight and into "folk-hero status"?
... that Canadian poets Milton Acorn, Margaret Atwood, and Gwendolyn MacEwen performed at the Bohemian Embassy on the same bill as burlesque dancer Libby Jones?
... that Canadian singer Tate McRae is a trained ballet dancer and started her musical career by accident?
... that the Canada Centre Building has one of the first aquifer thermal energy storage systems?
... that Jennifer Reid at first could not find a Canadian publisher for her book on Canadian identity?

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This list of birds of Ontario includes all the bird species recorded in the Canadian province of Ontario as determined by the Ontario Bird Records Committee (OBRC). As of August 2024 there were 511 species on this list, 291 of which are known to breed in the province. Ontario has a considerable variety of bird species. One of the factors in this diversity is the size and range of environments in Ontario. Another is the Great Lakes; many birds use the shores as a stopping point during migration. (Full article...)

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