Guest Author - Melanie Hachey
These websites are a great place to start if you're gathering information about Canada, or simply searching for great Canadian content on the Internet.
1. The Canadian Blog Awards
Canada has a strong presence in the blog world. A blog, according to marketingterms.com, is "a frequent, chronological publication of personal thoughts and Web links." Reading a blog can feel like reading a diary, or similar to reading a magazine or technical publication, or anything in between. Good blogs can be informative and fascinating, or hilarious, or touching; good blogs are really fun to read. The Canadian Blog Awards is a great place to start if you're looking for really great Canadian blog content. They award 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place in various categories that cover everything from political blogs, to family blogs, to humour blogs, to LGBTQ blogs. They also list their runner-ups so the result is a comprehensive listing of the best Canadian blogs.
2. Images Canada
Images Canada brings together images from major Canadian museums, archives and universities in one place and makes them searchable. Searching on this site is a fascinating journey through the history of Canada and Canadian people. They say a picture speaks a thousand words, and if it's true then this site tells some very wordy stories. For example, searching "women" yields 8108 images, all of women from Canada's past. This site is an excellent resource for anyone trying to learn about or gain a greater understanding of Canada.
3. Government of Canada, Canada page
This site is a good place to start if you're looking for general information about Canada. It provides news and links to the different departments of Canadian government. There's also a FAQ area where you can find answers to the governments' most frequently asked questions, including "How do I find information about immigrating to Canada or studying in Canada?" and "How do I find a job?"
4. Canadian Connection - for Canadians living abroad
This site was started by some Canadians who were living in the U.S. They've since connected with Canadians living outside of Canada all over the world. The site offers a collection of articles and links about all things Canadian: History, humour, places and people. It's a fun read and a great resource for anyone interested in Canada.
5. Canada.Travel
The official guide to Canadian tourism. This site is well laid out, with great images that will whet your appetite for travelling in Canada. The site is available in a variety of languages and brings together everything you need to plan and book your next vacation in Canada.
6. Environment Canada
The place to go for all your Canadian weather information, updates and news. Just click on the map for an instant, up to the minute weather report of where you are, or where you want to be. A fun feature of the site is the Historical Weather section, which allows you to (after you've checked your local weather) find out if the temperature is normal, based on what the temperature has been on the same day in past years.
7. CBC.ca
CBC.ca is the website for Canada's beloved public broadcaster. It is the first place to go for Canadian information, entertainment and news. A Canadian perspective can be found on just about any topic at the CBC, simply enter a keyword into the search box and peruse the resulting list of articles. For example, searching "women" yields a list of articles from "New Concert Loos to Woo Women." to "Your View: Have Women Achieved Equality at the Olympic Games?" to "Birth Control Choices Expanding for Women Over 40." The site is also a great place to go for Canadian entertainment. CBC television and radio offer a look at Canadian popular culture: Television, humour, music, and the arts.
8. Histor!ca
Histor!ca is an online encyclopedia for all things Canadian. The site also offers a youth and a music encyclopedia, and a listing of articles on various Canada-related topics. According to Histor!ca, "The Canadian Encyclopedia comprises the complete text and multimedia of the indispensable reference work originally published in 1985. Since the encyclopedia appeared online in 2001, it has been continuously updated and expanded." It is an excellent resource for anyone writing reports, or doing light research on Canada, its history, or people.
9. Operation Dialogue
Operation Dialogue's mission is to "seek to inspire and capture a lively and passionate dialogue among Canadians about what it is to be 'Canadian'." The site offers a great look at Canadian culture. The layout of the site is fun and easy to navigate. You can explore Canada with the early settler who shows you around the site, from the comfort of your desk chair.
10. The Atlas of Canada
I love maps and this site has lots of them. They have maps of Canada and statistical information about Canada and Canadians. This is a wonderful resource for anyone wanting to exploreCanada.
