This is your weekly update from the Canadian Culture page at BellaOnline. My name is Melanie Hachey and I am the new editor. You can learn a little bit more about me here.
July 1st is Canada Day! Read more about it in the Canadian Fun Fact section below.
The past three weeks, I've shared my wish list of Canadian destinations in Northern and Western Canada, the Prairies and Central Canada and, finally this week, in Atlantic Canada. I had a lot of fun writing and researching these articles. I almost feel as though I've already visited these beautiful natural attractions.
Visit the Canadian Culture Forum to share your favourite attractions and destinations in Canada; or to let everybody know what you're doing to celebrate Canada Day. Any comments, questions, or thoughts you have about Canada, its people, and its culture are always welcome at the forum, so drop by for a chat anytime.
This Week's Canadian Fun Fact
Did you know that July 1st is Canada Day? 141 years ago, on July 1st 1867, the British North America Act proclaimed: "It shall be lawful for the Queen, by and with the Advice of Her Majesty's Most Honourable Privy Council, to declare by Proclamation that, on and after the passing of this Act, the Provinces of Canada, Nova Scotia, and New Brunswick shall form and be One Dominion under the Name of Canada; and on and after that Day those Three Provinces shall form and be One Dominion under that Name accordingly," and Canada was born. July 1st was originally called Dominion Day because Canada was to be "One Dominion." An act of parliament in 1982 changed the name officially to Canada Day.
Today, Canada Day is an all day nation-wide party. Most people have the day off and we gather for barbeques and picnics. Canadians attend their local festivities, usually involving parades, games, music and face painting. And at the end of the day, the celebration is capped with impressive displays of fireworks all over the country. This year's celebration is a bit special because, according to the official Canada Day website, we're also celebrating the "400th anniversary of Québec City, the 250th anniversary of parliamentary democracy in Nova Scotia and the 150th anniversary of the founding of the colony British Columbia."
Happy Canada Day, everyone!
What's Up Canuck? Your Weekly Canadian Trivia Question
Last Week's Question & Answer:
Where did the name "Canada" come from?
The word "Kanata" is a Huron-Iroquois word that means village. Jacques Cartier was first to use the word to apply to a larger area. According to the Canadian Heritage website, "Cartier used "Canada" to refer not only to Stadacona (the site of present day Quebec City), but also to the entire area subject to its chief, Donnacona." The name stuck and was used officially for the first time in "1791 when the Province of Quebec was divided into the colonies of Upper and Lower Canada."
Do you have a question about Canada? Send it to me in reply to this email and I might use it as a What's Up Canuck trivia question.
Do you have feedback or questions for me? I'd love to hear from you. You can either start a topic in the forum or simply respond to this email.
I look forward to exploring Canadian Culture with you.
Melanie Hachey, Canadian Culture EditorCanadian Culture Homepage
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