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| Canada is the
second largest country in the world, next to Russia. It is
located in North America and shares an extensive border with the
United states. To see a large version of a map of Canada,
click on the image to the right. |
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Canada has a population of 32,507,874. Almost 90% of the population is
concentrated along the southern border of the country. |
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Between 1991 and 2001 1,830,630 people immigrated
to Canada from around the world. On average 200,000 people immigrate
to Canada each year. A far greater number seek to migrate to Canada
but are unsuccessful. Restrictive immigration laws are designed to
limit the number of people permitted to immigrate to Canada.
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It is often said
that everyone in Canada is an immigrant. With the indigenous
population comprising 1.5% of the population this statement is not far
from the truth. The cultural breakdown is as follows:
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28% |
British Isles |
| 23% |
French |
| 15% |
Other European |
| 2% |
Amerindian |
| 6% |
Asian, African, Arab (and other) |
| 26% |
Mixed Background |
(see
http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/pub/immigration2004.html for the
World Fact Book on Canada)
Canada prides itself
with cultural diversity. Where the United States is considered a
cultural "melting pot", Canada has been described as a
"cultural mosaic".
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Canada covers a total area of 9,984,670 square kilometers. Canada is
the second-largest country in the world. Canada’s land area is
9,093,507 square kilometers. Our freshwater area is 891,163 square
kilometers. Canada borders 3 Oceans, the North Atlantic Ocean, the
North Pacific Ocean, and the Arctic Ocean |
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There are six time zones in Canada. Daylight Savings Time has been in
use in almost all Canadian Provinces since 1988. Clocks are turned
forward by one hour on the first Sunday in April and turned back on
the last Sunday of October. Check the following link to search for
time zones in various parts of the country:
http://inms-ienm.nrc-cnrc.gc.ca/time_services/daylight_savings_e.html
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The climate in Canada ranges from temperate in the south to arctic in
the north. Canada experiences each of the four seasons: spring,
summer, fall and winter. Check the following link to search for
weather information for regions across Canada:
http://www.climate.weatheroffice.ec.gc.ca/climate_normals/index_e.html
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Government responsibilities are shared between the federal government
and the 10 provincial governments. There are also three territorial
governments that get their power from the federal government. Canada
has a parliamentary system of government. The chief of state is
Queen ELIZABETH II who is represented by the Governor General of
Canada. The head of government is the Prime Minister of Canada. |
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Canada’s highest Court is the Supreme Court of Canada. Many
immigration matters will be determined by Federal Court. Appeals
from Federal Court are to the Federal Court of Appeal. Each Province
also has a Provincial Court, a Superior Court, and a Court of
Appeal. Tribunals such as the Immigration Appeal Division and the
Immigration and Refugee Board are also responsible for specific
immigration matters. |
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The Immigration and Refugee Protection Act, which came into force on
June 28, 2002 is the key piece of federal legislation that governs
immigration to Canada. Another important piece of federal
legislation is the Citizenship Act. The Canadian Charter of Rights
and Freedoms is part of the Constitution of Canada and it specifies
that certain rights are guaranteed to citizens, to permanent
residents, and to every person within Canada. In addition, the
International Hague Convention, the United Nations 1951 Convention
and the 1967 Protocol relating to the Status of Refugees, NAFTA and
GATTS are international agreements that shape immigration policy in
Canada. |
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Canada’s two official languages are English and French. English is
spoken by 59.3% of the population, French is spoken by 23.2% of the
population, and 17.5% of people speak various other languages. |
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Every year Canada is
rated as one of the top ten countries in the world to live. This is
due to its natural and economic resources and due to its social safety
net.
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With its great
natural resources, skilled labour force and modern capital plant
Canada is an economic power and likely to remain one for the
foreseeable future. It is one of the G-7 nations. With this status and
as a party to the North American Free Trade Treaty it has favorable
access to the markets of the United States. This access has allowed
Canada to enjoy a healthy trade surplus as an exporter of resources
and technology.
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