People and Society of Canada

Nationality

noun: Canadian(s) adjective: Canadian

Ethnic Groups

Canadian 15.6%, English 14.7%, Scottish 12.1%, French 11%, Irish 12.1%, German 8.1%, Chinese 4.7%, Italian 4.3%, First Nations 1.7%, Indian 3.7%, Ukrainian 3.5%, Metis 1.5%

Population

33,759,742

Population (Male / Female)

male: 19,234,729 female: 19,560,084

Population Distribution

vast majority of Canadians are positioned in a discontinuous band within approximately 300 km of the southern border with the United States; the most populated province is Ontario, followed by Quebec and British Columbia

Urban Population

urban population: 81.9% of total population rate of urbanization: 0.95% annual rate of change

Population in Major Urban Areas

6.372 million Toronto, 4.308 million Montreal, 2.657 million Vancouver, 1.640 million Calgary, 1.544 million Edmonton, 1.437 million OTTAWA (capital)

Age Structure

0-14 years: 15.5% (male 3,098,478/female 2,929,148) 15-64 years: 63.4% (male 12,382,422/female 12,227,512) 65 years and over: 21% (male 3,753,829/female 4,403,424)

Median Age

total: 42.6 years male: 41.4 years female: 43.8 years

Sex Ratio at Birth

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.85 male(s)/female total population: 0.98 male(s)/female

The level of public health and sanitation in Canada is high. Canada’s medical care is of a high standard but is government-controlled. Quick and easy access to ongoing medical care is difficult for temporary visitors who are not members of each province’s government-run health care plans. Many physicians will not take new patients. Access to a specialist is only by referral and may take months to obtain. Emergency room waits can be very long. Some health care professionals in the province of Quebec may speak only French. Traveler’s medical insurance is highly recommended even for brief visits. No Canadian health care provider accepts U.S. domestic health insurance, and Medicare coverage does not extend outside the United States. Visitors who seek any medical attention in Canada should be prepared to pay cash in full at the time the service is rendered.

Life Expectancy at Birth

total population: 84.2 years male: 81.9 years female: 86.6 years

Infant Mortality Rate

total: 4.3 deaths/1,000 live births male: 4.5 deaths/1,000 live births female: 4 deaths/1,000 live births

Drinking Water Source

improved: urban: 99.3% of population rural: 99.1% of population total: 99.2% of population unimproved: urban: 0.7% of population rural: 0.9% of population total: 0.8% of population

Sanitation Facility Access

improved: urban: 99.1% of population rural: 98.9% of population total: 99% of population unimproved: urban: 0.9% of population rural: 1.1% of population total: 1% of population

Tobacco Use

total: 13% male: 15.3% female: 10.7%

Alcohol Consumption

total: 8 liters of pure alcohol beer: 3.5 liters of pure alcohol wine: 2 liters of pure alcohol spirits: 2.1 liters of pure alcohol other alcohols: 0.4 liters of pure alcohol

Literacy Definition

Age 15 and over can read and write

Total School Life Expectancy

total: 17 years male: 16 years female: 17 years

Classroom

Because Canadian schools are funded and overseen at the federal, provincial, and local government levels, the quality of the structures and classroom resources can vary somewhat. In general, schools are in good shape and are run well. Perhaps of more interest, schools can vary their curriculum significantly. For example, at Vimy Ridge Academy in Edmonton School District in Alberta, students learn hockey skills for half of the school day. Some schools are taught in French, others in English. Some have Christian agendas, others are Islamic, and at least one concentrates on both. Most schools require their students to bring their own lunches from home, and those who live close enough to the school sometimes will walk home for lunch and come back to school for the afternoon session. A few schools do have a cafeteria, mostly at the high school level. There is no national school lunch or breakfast program for Canadian schools.

Education Culture

Canada does not have a national school system; however, all children have the right to receive at least a public-funded education between the ages of six and sixteen. These public schools are funded by local and state taxes and are under those jurisdictions. Each province is divided into districts. A school board directs each district, and the board is made of people who are elected from within the district to establish policies for how the schools are administered. In addition to public schools, families also have available a number of charter and private schools. For example, certain areas of Canada offer many faith-based private schools, but private schools require a fee from parents who send their children to attend there. Parents must also pay for certain expenses in a public school as well, but the basic books, teachers’ salaries, building maintenance, and the like are paid for from public funds. Kindergarten is usually available at age four or five for one year prior to entrance into elementary school, which begins at age six. School systems usually include grades one through six or eight in elementary school, and some provinces include grades seven through eight or nine in middle school. Grades nine or ten through twelve attend high school, often also called secondary school. In smaller, rural communities, it is not uncommon for elementary school to include grades one through eight, with high school covering the remaining grades through twelve.

Learning

Children are in school for an average of six or seven hours per day (depending on provincial and local regulations), Monday through Friday, for approximately 190 days per year. School usually begins on the first Monday in September and finishes in early June. There is a two-week break toward the end of December, and most also have a spring break in February or March of one week. Each school has its own dress code. A few require particular school uniforms, and some religious-based schools may require a particular dress code based on the sponsoring religion of that school. For example, a particular school may prohibit clothes that expose too much skin or undergarments, are gang-related, or are otherwise just not safe. Furthermore, given the cold temperatures in many parts of the country during the winter, students should dress appropriately to the weather conditions. There is no national board of education in Canada, so each province and territory establishes its own curriculum. However, nearly all elementary schools will teach mathematics, language arts (such as reading and writing), science, social studies (including history and geography), and physical education. Secondary schools will teach increasingly focused aspects of these general subject areas and often include additional elective courses such as drama, choral and instrumental music, life skills (such as cooking or personal finances), foreign languages, athletics, and technical skills. Schools provide their students (and parents) a report card either three or four times a year, depending on the province.  What the school actually teaches can vary widely between provinces.

To School

Most children ride buses provided by the school, some ride bikes to school or walk, and yet others will ride in a carpool or with a parent. The method of transportation often depends on whether the school is in an urban or rural setting, the time of year, and the economic status of the parents.

• Roman Catholic46.0%
• Protestant36.0%
• other18.0%

English (official) 58.8%, French (official) 21.6%, other 19.6%

English (official) 87.1%, French (official) 29.1%, Chinese languages 4.2%, Spanish 3.2%, Punjabi 2.6%, Arabic 2.4%, Tagalog 2.3%, Italian 1.5%

• English
• French

• John McIntosh

  Started apple-growing on a large scale Cultivated the original McIntosh apple tree. It bore fruit for more than 90 years

• Daniel Massey

  In 1849, started a small factory in Newcastle to produce plows and farm tools Massey and his sons made it the most successful farm machinery company in the British Empire

• Frederick Banting

  Physician, physiologist and Nobel Prize winner Co-discovered the hormone insulin used in treating diabetes Born in Alliston, educated at the University of Toronto and made a Knight of the British Empire in 1934

• John Tuzo Wilson

  Refined and championed the theory of tectonic plates, which formed mountains and still cause earthquakes Introduced the idea of "hot spots" which produced chains of islands like Hawaii and Japan In 1974, became the director of the Ontario Science Centre Born in Ottawa

• Bertram N. Brockhouse

  Physicist Won the Nobel Prize in 1994 Designed the triple-axis neutron spectroscope, which helps look inside solid things like rocks and gems to see how they are held together

• Harold Scott Macdonald Coxeter

  Greatest classical geometer of the 20th century Major contribution to geometry was in dimensional analogy -- the process of stretching geometrical shapes into higher dimensions Was a professor at the University of Toronto

• Pauline Johnson

  Known as the "Mohawk Princess," she was one of Canada’s best known poets in the 1890s and early 1900s First native poet to have her work published in Canada Born on the Six Nations reserve near Brantford

• Joe Shuster

  Toronto cartoonist Co-created Superman, the comic book hero, in 1938 Sold rights to DC Comics in 1940 for next to nothing Also worked as newspaper boy for the Toronto Star

• John Graves Simcoe

  First Lieutenant-Governor of the Province of Upper Canada Introduced British institutions such as courts and trial by jury Ended slavery, built roads and gave land to American settlers

• Roberta Lynn Bondar

  First Canadian woman in space Travelled on the space shuttle Discovery in 1992 Born in Sault Ste. Marie

• Sir John Alexander Macdonald

  Government Leader · 1815

  Sir John Alexander Macdonald - first prime minister of Canada, was born on Jan. 11, 1815.

Crime Information

Although Canada generally has a lower crime rate than the United States, violent crimes do occur throughout the country, especially in urban areas. Visitors to large cities should be aware that parked cars are regularly targeted for opportunistic smash-and-grab thefts, and they are cautioned to avoid leaving any possessions unattended in a vehicle, even in the trunk. Due to the high incidence of such crimes, motorists in Montreal, Toronto, Vancouver, and some other jurisdictions can be fined for leaving their car doors unlocked or for leaving valuables in view. Auto theft in Montreal and Vancouver, including theft of motor homes and recreational vehicles, may even occur in patrolled and apparently secure parking lots and decks. SUVs appear to be particular targets of organized theft. While Canadian gun control laws are much stricter than those in the United States, such laws have not prevented gun-related violence in certain areas. Be aware of your surroundings. As in the United States, travelers in popular tourist areas may be targeted by pickpockets and other petty criminals. In many countries around the world, counterfeit and pirated goods are widely available. Do not buy counterfeit and pirated goods, even if they are widely available. Not only are the bootlegs illegal in the United States, but if you purchase them you may also be breaking local law.

Criminal Penalties

While in a foreign country, a U.S. citizen is subject to that country's laws and regulations, which sometimes differ significantly from those in the United States, and may not afford the protections available to the individual under U.S. law. Penalties for breaking the law can be more severe than in the United States for similar offenses. Persons violating Canada’s laws, even unknowingly, may be expelled, arrested, or imprisoned. Penalties for possession, use, or trafficking of illegal drugs in Canada are severe, and convicted offenders can expect long jail sentences and heavy fines. Engaging in sexual conduct with children or using or disseminating child pornography in a foreign country is a crime, prosecutable in the United States. Canadian law prohibits the unlawful importation or trafficking of controlled substances and narcotics. Smugglers risk substantial fines, a permanent bar from Canada, and imprisonment. Based on the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations, bilateral agreements with certain countries, and customary international law, if you are arrested in Canada, you have the option to request that the police, prison officials, or other authorities alert the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate of your arrest, and to have communications from you forwarded to the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate. Importation of Firearms: Firearms are much more strictly controlled in Canada than in the United States. Violation of firearms restrictions may result in prosecution and imprisonment. Visitors bringing any firearms into Canada, or planning to borrow and use firearms while in Canada, must declare the firearms in writing using a Non-Resident Firearm Declaration form. Visitors planning to borrow a firearm in Canada must obtain a Temporary Firearms Borrowing License in advance. These forms must be presented in triplicate and signed in front of a CBSA officer at the border (it is not possible to make photocopies at the border). Full details and downloadable forms are available at the Canadian Firearms Centre website, under the heading "Visitors / Non Residents." Canadian law requires that officials confiscate any firearms and weapons from persons crossing the border who deny having the items in their possession. Confiscated firearms and weapons are never returned. Possession of an undeclared firearm may result in arrest and imprisonment. Travelers are strongly advised to inspect all belongings thoroughly prior to travel to Canada to avoid the accidental import of ammunition or firearms. Canada has three classes of firearms: non-restricted, restricted, and prohibited. Non-restricted firearms include most ordinary hunting rifles and shotguns. These may be brought temporarily into Canada for sporting or hunting use during hunting season, use in competitions, in-transit movement through Canada, or personal protection against wildlife in remote areas of Canada. Anyone wishing to bring hunting rifles into Canada must: Be at least 18 years old; Properly store the firearm for transport; and Follow the declaration requirements described above. Restricted firearms are primarily handguns; while they are not firearms, pepper spray, mace, and some knives also are included in this category. A restricted firearm may be brought into Canada, but an Authorization to Transport permit must be obtained in advance from a Provincial or Territorial Chief Firearms Officer. Prohibited firearms include fully automatic, converted automatics, and certain military-style weapons, including weapons designed for civilian use. A full list of prohibited weapons is available on the Canadian Firearms Centre website. Prohibited firearms are not allowed into Canada. Pornography: Canada has strict laws concerning child pornography, and in recent years there has been an increase in random checks of electronic media of travelers entering Canada. Computers and cell phones are subject to searches without a warrant at the border and illegal content can result in the seizure of the computer as well as detention, arrest, and prosecution of the bearer. Possession of child pornography is punishable by up to 10 years in prison. Production and distribution of child pornography are punishable by up to 20 years in prison. Browsing for child pornography on the internet is punishable by up to 5 years in prison. Prohibitions cover visual representations of sexual activity by persons (real or imaginary) under the age of 18 and include comic book imagery such as anime and manga. Alcohol-related driving offenses, such as driving while intoxicated (DWI), driving while ability-impaired, and driving under the influence (DUI) of alcohol, are criminal offenses in Canada. Penalties are heavy, and any prior conviction (no matter how old or how minor the infraction) is grounds for exclusion from Canada. U.S. citizens with a DWI record must seek approval for rehabilitation from Canadian authorities before traveling to Canada, which requires several weeks or months to process.