Kayak Special Citizenship Issue

2009

Special Double-Sized Issue!

2009

2009

#33 vol 3/2010 $4.50 CDN

all about

C a n a da !

A Kid’s Guide to What Every

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Canadian Citizen Should Know

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Here’s Canada

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A Mini Tour

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A quick trip through Canada’s past

History Highlights

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Getting to Know Your Government

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The (Really) Great Law of Peace

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What’s it all about, anyway?

Fast facts at your fingertips

A closer look at our provinces and territories

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Psst! These symbols spell "Kayak" in Inuktitut.

Cover Illustration: Remie Geoffroi

Canadian Citizenship

Who’s who on Parliament Hill

The story behind North America’s oldest constitution

ONE HISTORY: And That’s Not All

MANY STORIES

The fight for women’s suffrage

Vote!

Choosing who runs our country

Model Citizens

Meet six young Canadians who are making a difference

6 Becoming a Canadian 23 Crossword Puzzle

42 48 50

26 Canadian Symbols 28 History Mystery 36 Government Games 55 Gabe & Allie’s Race Through Time 60 Jokes 61 Bubbleology

Do you have a history or heritage project that will spark interest in Canada’s exciting past?

Canada’s National History Society is pleased to announce

Hello Kayak readers, Welcome to our jam-packed, super-special, double-sized Canadian Citizenship Issue! Throughout this edition of Kayak you’ll find all kinds of useful information about Canada — stuff that every responsible Canadian should know.

You’ll also find cool stories and games, a puzzling History Mystery, and the latest installment of Gabe and Allie’s Race Through Time.

Enjoy!

The Hbc Local History Grant Program $1,000

A grant of up to could be yours, to assist in starting up your project or program!

Application deadline: April 27, 2007.

For an application, or more details, visit: www.hbchistoryfoundation.ca or 1-800-816-6777

jill

Canadian

citizenship What’s it all about?

Citizenship is a powerful bond that unites all Canadians. But have you ever wondered what it actually means to be a citizen of Canada?

Keep reading to find out!

Citizens by Birth

...Or Citizens by Choice

Citizenship is the legal status of being a citizen of a country. If you were born in Canada, you are automatically a Canadian citizen. You’re also probably a Canadian citizen if you were born outside of Canada but have a Canadian parent. Canadians by birth are known as natural-born citizens.

People who are not Canadian by birth can also become Canadian citizens. Those from other countries who chose to become Canadians are known as naturalized citizens. They have taken the oath of Canadian citizenship in front of a special citizenship judge.

Rights and Responsibilities Canadian citizenship comes with a variety of rights and responsibilities. These are granted to all Canadian citizens, whether they are citizens by birth or by naturalization.

Canadian citizens have a right to:

Canadian citizens share the responsibility to:

• Vote in elections in Canada • Be a candidate for elections in Canada • Enter and leave Canada freely • Live in any Canadian province or territory • Learn in English or French • Apply for a Canadian passport

• Vote in elections in Canada • Obey the country’s laws • Help others in the community • Respect the rights of others • Discourage discrimination and injustice • Protect and care for Canada’s heritage

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Fast fact: d The Charter of Rights an da's Freedoms is one of Cana nts. most important docume s It describes and guarantee s and the specific human right . freedoms of all Canadians

Taking Action!

Some of the rights and responsibilities of Canadian citizenship don’t apply directly to Canadian kids. For example, kids can’t vote in government elections or run for office — you have to be at least 18 years old to do those things.

But kids can still be active citizens. Actually, participation is at the heart of Canadian citizenship! Canadians of all ages are expected to contribute to their communities and help build a stronger Canada. Responsible Canadian citizens must work to make sure that the nation’s values, systems, and traditions are respected and upheld. That’s citizenship at its best!

Getting to Know Your Country In order to contribute to Canadian life as a responsible citizen, it’s important to learn as much as you can about Canada itself. This special issue of Kayak is meant to help you do just that!

It’ll give you essential details about the country’s history, government, geography, and society — everything you need to know to be an informed Canadian.

Unity Through Diversity Canada is a multicultural nation.

Our population is made up of a huge variety of cultures and ethnic groups.

Canadians are proud of this diversity, and we strive to protect it. Our country’s multicultural policies ensure that Canadians of every culture can maintain their unique identities while enjoying all the rights and freedoms of Canadian citizenship!

Mountie: Parks Canada; Inuit woman: Nunavut Tourism. All other photos courtesy of iStockphoto.com.

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a

Meet Bela…

Becoming

n a i d a n a C

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ave you ever wondered how people from other countries actually become Canadian citizens?

In order to become a Canadian citizen a person must:

E Michaëlle Jean, Canada's 27th governor general, presents a certificate of citizenship to a new Canadian.

Why did you move to Canada?

Well, we had war in Angola for 30 years, and there was a lot of pain and suffering. I had to leave.

I spent time in a refugee camp.

At the camp, people were helping refugees by bringing them here to Canada. I came to Canada with my baby daughter.

• Possess permanent resident status in Canada • Have lived in Canada for three of the previous four years • Understand either English or French • Take a citizenship test, if he or she is between the ages of 18 and 54.

(The test asks questions about Canadian history, geography, politics, and more.)

How did you feel when you arrived in Canada?

Confused. Surprised. I came here in February, and there was lots and lots of snow. And I thought to myself, “How can people live here, in the snow? How can they stay warm and get around?”

Once a person has passed the test, he or she takes part in a citizenship ceremony. This is the final step to becoming a Canadian citizen. At the ceremony, participants take the oath of citizenship and receive their citizenship certificates. And then, presto, they are officially Canadian citizens!

Oath of Citizenship

New Canadians take the oath of citizenship.

I swear (or affirm) that I will be faithful and bear true allegiance to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth the Second, Queen of Canada, Her Heirs and Successors, and that I will faithfully observe the laws of Canada and fulfil my duties as a Canadian citizen.

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very year, about 170,000 people become new citizens of Canada. Bela Bonifacio is one of these new citizens. She is originally from Angola, a country in southern Africa. She became a Canadian citizen on May 16, 2010.

We asked Bela a few questions about her journey to Canadian citizenship…

Top: CP PHOTO/Jonathan Hayward. Bottom: Courtesy of the National Capital Commission.

When did you decide you wanted to become a Canadian citizen?

I discovered very quickly how great a country Canada is. But it took me almost 10 years to apply to become a citizen. I had no English or French when I first arrived here. It took time, but I worked hard and I went to school to learn English.

Were you nervous about taking the citizenship test?

Yes! I did practice tests almost every day.

I studied very hard. But I’m glad I did, because I learned a lot of things about Canada that I didn’t know before.

What was the citizenship ceremony like?

Oh, it was amazing. It was held at a school.

The feeling in the air was so happy. There were about 60 people becoming Canadian.

The best part was that my daughter took part in the ceremony, too. She is 12 years old now.

She became a Canadian on the same day that I did. She took the oath. It was so nice, and we had a beautiful reception afterward.

What do you see as your responsibilities as a new Canadian citizen?

Helping in the community. Respecting the law. When I came to Canada I had a lot of help from other immigrants, and from Canadians.

Now it is my turn to help other newcomers.

I encourage them and share what I know about living here. It’s good to feel that I can do something for someone.

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Here's Canada Fast Facts At Your Fingertips!

There’s a lot to know about our country. Check out these facts and figures to get the lowdown on some of the basics…

Area Canada is huge. It takes up nearly 10 million square kilometers, making it the second largest country in the world (after Russia).

Borders Canada has oceans on three sides — the Pacific Ocean to west, the Atlantic Ocean to the east, and the Arctic Ocean to the north. The country shares its southern border with the United States.

Nation’s Capital Ottawa is the national capital of Canada. It is located in the province of Ontario.

Central Canada Prairie Provinces West Coast North

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What’s in a Name?

The word Canada comes from the Huron-Iroquois word kanata, which means “village.”

Canadian Coastline Canada has the longest coastline in the world. The total length is 243,042 kilometres!

i ct r a

Yukon Territories

CAPITAL CITY St. John’s

Whitehorse

Northwest Territories

Canada's Highest, Longest, Largest...

Map of Canada

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Nunavut

Halifax Fredericton Quebec City Toronto Winnipeg Regina Edmonton Victoria Iqaluit Yellowknife Whitehorse

highest mountain : longest river : largest lake : deepest lake : highest waterfall : largest island : largest city :

Mount Logan, Yukon Mackenzie River Great Bear Lake, NWT Great Slave Lake, NWT Della Falls, BC Baffin Island, Nunavut Toronto, ON

Iqaluit

Yellowknife

Atlantic Ocean

Charlottetown

pacific ocean

Atlantic Region

PROVINCE/ TERRITORY Newfoundland and Labrador Prince Edward Island Nova Scotia New Brunswick Quebec Ontario Manitoba Saskatchewan Alberta British Columbia Nunavut Northwest Territories Yukon Territory

Time Zones Canada spans six time zones. From east to west they are Newfoundland, Atlantic, Eastern, Central, Mountain, and Pacific Standard.

Population Approximately 34 million people live in Canada. About 90 percent of Canadians live within 160 kilometres of the Canada–United States border.

Regions Canada has five distinct regions. Within these regions are 10 provinces and three territories. Each province and territory has its own capital city.

REGIon

Official Languages English and French are Canada’s two official languages. The federal government provides services in both languages throughout the country.

British Columbia

Newfoundland and labrador

Alberta Saskatchewan

manitoba St. John’s

Edmonton Victoria

quebec Regina

United S t of Amerates ica

ontario Winnipeg

Prince Edward Island Charlottetown Montreal Fredericton Nova Scotia Ottawa Halifax New Brunswick Toronto Kayak #33 Vol3 2010

A Mini Tour Across the Country

Each of Canada’s provinces and territories has its own distinct characteristics. Have a look at these brief profiles to find out what we’re talking about!

atlantic canada New Brunswick

atlantic canada Newfoundland and Labrador

Prince Edward Island

Nova Scotia

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Newfoundland and Labrador is Canada’s easternmost province.

It is made up of two parts: the island of Newfoundland, and the mainland area of Labrador. The province is known for its distinct culture, its rugged coasts, and its strong ties to the sea. Fishing has always played a central role in the growth and development of Newfoundland and Labrador. Today, oil and gas are also important industries for the province.

Prince Edward Island (PEI) is the country’s smallest province. But it played a big role in the creation of Canada! In 1864, the Fathers of Confederation held a conference in Charlottetown, PEI, which eventually led to the formation of the country. PEI is famous for its red soil and sandy beaches, and for its potatoes! The 13-kilometre Confederation Bridge connects PEI to the rest of the country.

Nova Scotia has the largest population of the four Atlantic Provinces. Almost an island, the province is connected to the rest of mainland Canada by nothing but a small isthmus, or land bridge. Nova Scotia has a rich history of shipbuilding and defence, and it is home to Canada’s largest naval base. Celtic culture is strong in many parts of the province.

Among Nova Scotia’s major industries are agriculture, fishing, mining, and forestry.

Top to bottom: Newfoundland and Labrador Tourism / Barrett and MacKay, Tourism PEI / John Sylvester, New Brunswick Department of Tourism and Parks

New Brunswick is Canada’s only officially bilingual province.

About one-third of the people there speak French as their first language.

More than 80 percent of New Brunswick is covered in forests. The province is also home to the second largest river system on North America’s Atlantic coastline (the St. John River System). Among New Brunswick’s main industries are forestry, agriculture, fishing, mining, and food processing.

central canada Quebec

Quebec is by far the largest province in size in Canada. It is distinct in that three quarters of the people there speak French as their first language. Montreal, Quebec’s largest city, is one of the world’s most important centres of French culture. The province’s landscape boasts vast forests and many lakes, and the majority of the population lives in areas near the St. Lawrence River.

Mining, forestry, energy, and manufacturing are major industries in the province.

Ontario

Ontario is Canada’s second largest province in area, and its largest in population. More than 13 million people live there. Ontario means “beautiful water” in Iroquoian. It’s a good name, because the province has roughly 250,000 lakes!

Ontario’s main industries include manufacturing, agriculture, and mining.

About 60 percent of all new immigrants to Canada choose to live in this province.

Top to bottom: iStockphoto © onepony, Peter Helm, Ottawa Tourism

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prairie provinces Manitoba

Saskatchewan

Alberta

Manitoba is situated right in the centre of Canada!

It boasts a variety of landscapes, including woodlands, grasslands, and many large lakes. Winnipeg is Manitoba’s largest city, home to over 60 percent of the province’s population. Agriculture, mining, and manufacturing are three of the province’s most important industries.

Saskatchewan is sometimes nicknamed “Canada’s breadbasket.”

That’s because it is the country’s number one producer of wheat and other grains.

Saskatchewan has more arable land than any other province. It also holds the world’s richest deposits of uranium and potash (which is used in fertilizer). Major industries in Saskatchewan include agriculture, mining, and manufacturing.

Alberta is the most populated of the three Prairie Provinces. It is home to Canada’s largest deposits of oil and natural gas. It also happens to have some of the world’s richest deposits of dinosaur bones!

Major industries in Alberta include oil and gas, agriculture, and forestry. Canada’s very first National Park — Banff National Park — is located in the province’s Rocky Mountains.

West Coast British Columbia

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British Columbia (BC) is Canada’s westernmost province. It is known for its majestic mountains, vast forests, and abundant wildlife — BC has more varieties of plants and animals than any other Canadian province. Valuable industries in BC include forestry, mining, agriculture, and fishing. The city of Vancouver, BC, is home to Canada’s largest and busiest port.

North Nunavut

Nunavut is Canada’s newest and largest territory.

Established in 1999, it was formed out of the eastern part of the Northwest Territories. The name Nunavut means “Our Land” in Inuktitut (the language of the Eastern Arctic Inuit). More than 85 percent of the territory’s population is Inuit. Nunavut’s landscape includes muskeg, tundra, mountains, arctic islands, and more. Mining, hunting, and oil and gas are the territory’s main industries.

Northwest Territories

The Northwest Territories (NWT) is a vast land of forests, mountains, ancient rocks, and tundra. The mighty Mackenzie River flows through the territory. NWT is also home to thousands of lakes, as well as arctic islands of different sizes. Dene, Inuit, and Métis peoples make up more than half of the population of NWT, and mining is the territory’s most important industry.

Yukon

The Yukon Territory occupies the northwest corner of Canada. It is named for the Yukon River, which flows through the region. In the late 1890s, the Yukon was the site of the famous Klondike Gold Rush, which brought thousands of miners to the territory. Today, mining and tourism are the territory’s largest industries.

Opposite page (top to bottom): iStockphoto © lyndon froese, Tourism Saskatchewan / Greg Huszar, iStockphoto © Andrew Penner, Tourism BC / Albert Normandin. This page (top to bottom): Nunavut Tourism, NWTT / Terry Parker, Government of Yukon.

Kayak #33 Vol3 2010

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n this whirlwind tour of Canadian history, we look at some highlights of the past that help us understand who we are as a country today.

In the Beginning…

Long before Europeans arrived, Aboriginal societies thrived throughout Canada. For thousands of years they lived off the land by hunting, trapping, fishing, and gathering wild plants. Some also farmed. Each group learned to use whatever natural resources were available in the region they occupied.

In the East The peoples of the Eastern Woodlands made shelters and canoes from birchbark. 1 In southern Ontario, the Huron and Iroquois lived in large villages. Their clusters of longhouses were protected by wooden palisades. As well as hunting and gathering, they cut down the forest and cleared fields to grow corn, beans, and squash.

1

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Library and Archives Canada C-040293

In the Arctic, the Inuit hunted seals and polar bears with weapons made of stone and bone. During the summer they lived in tents made from sealskin or caribou hides.

In winter they travelled the icefields on dogsleds and built shelters called igloos from blocks of snow.

People of the Plains On the Plains, groups such as the Cree and Blackfoot depended on the buffalo (or bison) to supply all their needs. In the yearly hunt, they killed hundreds of buffalo, 2 then used every part of the animals for food, clothing, and shelter.

Buffalo meat was dried to make pemmican, bones became weapons, and hides were made into clothing and tepees.

Visitors from Away

On the Pacific Coast On the West Coast, tribes such as the Haida, Nootka, and Salish fished for salmon and hunted seals. From the forests of gigantic cedar they built plank houses, which were home to as many as 60 family members.

They carved sea-going canoes from large logs and recorded their family stories on totem poles. 3

Life began to change for the Aboriginal peoples when European visitors arrived.

The earliest Europeans to visit Canada were Vikings from Scandinavia. Around the year 1000, Leif Ericsson and his crew sailed west hoping to find a new land. They eventually reached the island of Newfoundland, where they spent a winter before returning home.

After hearing Leif’s tales of a land rich in fish and forests, a shipload of Vikings set sail to build a settlement at what is now L’Anse aux Meadows, in northern Newfoundland. 4 They traded with Aboriginals in the region, but they also fought with them. After a few years, the Vikings left.

Searching for Riches About 400 years later, Europeans began to wonder if by sailing west they could reach the wealthy lands of China and India. In 1497, an explorer named John Cabot set out from England looking for the Far East.

Instead he found a new land (Newfoundland). 5 Although Cabot returned to England without silks, spices, or gold, his stories of rich fishing grounds brought countless European fishing ships to Canada’s east coast.

iStockphoto / Kenneth Cheung

Way Up North

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Gerald Lazare

Chad Pelley

© McCord Museum M976.179.1

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B

y the early 1500s, many European countries were financing expeditions to explore the east coast of North America.

From 1534 to 1542, the king of France sent explorer Jacques Cartier 1 on three separate voyages across the Atlantic Ocean. Cartier was supposed to find two things: gold and a passage through North America to Asia. He found neither. But he did travel deeper into Canada’s interior than any European before him, claiming the land for France.

1

Champlain Arrives As time passed, Europeans continued to search for a shortcut to the riches of Asia, and they forged relationships with Aboriginals to help them. But the European visitors were also interested in the natural riches that Canada had to offer — particularly beaver furs. In 1605, French explorers Samuel de Champlain and Pierre de Monts set up a furtrading colony called Port Royal, in Acadia (present-day Nova Scotia). Three years later, in 1608, Champlain built another fur-trading colony, at what is today Quebec City. 2 This fortified post became the first permanent settlement in New France.

New France Champlain was determined that his furtrading post at Quebec would be more than a fort. He pictured a true colony, with farms and villages throughout the St. Lawrence Valley.

Slowly, New France grew. Skilled workers,

farmers, and missionaries arrived from France. They planted fields and built houses, churches, and warehouses to store furs.

Later, soldiers were sent to protect the colony from hostile Iroquois. More settlers arrived each summer, and the colony began to thrive.

competed with the French by building fur trading forts on the coast, and later along northern rivers. As they pushed into the west trading for furs, both the French and the British explored the continent all the way to the Pacific Ocean.

The Fur Trade

Conquering a Continent

The merchants of New France were eager to trade with the Aboriginal people. Beaver hats had become very popular in Europe, and fortunes could be made in the fur trade. To collect even more furs than the local Aboriginals could provide, teams of men in large canoes paddled out into the wilderness. 3 These voyageurs, as they were called, brought thousands of furs back to posts throughout the St. Lawrence Valley each year.

Britain also wanted riches from the fur trade.

A group of merchants created the Hudson’s Bay Company in 1670. They

To the south of New France, British colonies had been growing. Britain and France had been enemies for many years. By the 1750s, the two nations were locked in battle for control of North America. In 1759, British forces defeated the French on the Plains of Abraham at Quebec City. 4 The next year, Montreal surrendered. Britain had won.

In 1763, New France officially became part of British North America. The British named the colony the “Province of Quebec.”

The tens of thousands of French people who found themselves under British rule would struggle hard to preserve their way of life.

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Courtesy John Ross Robertson Coll / Metropolitan Toronto Library

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LAC C-011226

LAC C-002771

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LAC C-146340

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From Sea to Sea

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y the early 1770s, Great Britain had many colonies around the world. But the 13 colonies to the south of Quebec had grown tired of being ruled and taxed from Britain. In 1776, these colonies declared their independence and, with a revolution, succeeded in forming the United States.

Colonists who remained loyal to Britain moved north. More than 40,000 United Empire Loyalists (as they were later called) settled in Canada. 1

Rebellion!

The 1800s saw the arrival of many more settlers, particularly immigrants from Britain. They settled mostly in the colonies of Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, and Upper Canada (Ontario).

As the colonies grew, settlers in Upper Canada and Lower Canada (Quebec) became increasingly unhappy with British government.

In 1837, rebellions against the government broke out among both English and French

1

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Rogers Communications Inc.

Canadians. The rebels were defeated, and many were hanged, deported, or put in prison.

In 1840, Upper and Lower Canada were united into the Province of Canada.

Confederation Each of the British colonies in North America had their own government. But by the early 1860s, politicians began to see the benefits of uniting the colonies into one large country.

Not only would it improve business and trade, it would also help protect against possible aggression from the United States.

After many negotiations, 2 the colonies of Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, and the Province of Canada (later Ontario and Quebec) came together to draw up a constitution for what became the Dominion of Canada.

The agreement was called the British North America Act, and it was passed by the British Parliament in early 1867. That same year, on July 1, Canada officially became a country.

The nation’s first prime minister, Sir John A. Macdonald, was determined that Canada would one day stretch from sea to sea. In time, his vision came true.

In 1870, the Canadian government bought the vast North-West Territory from the Hudson’s Bay Company. That same year, they created a fifth province, Manitoba. The Pacific Coast colony of British Columbia joined Confederation in 1871, when Macdonald agreed to build a railway that would join it to the east. Prince Edward Island joined Canada in 1873, and Alberta and Saskatchewan were created in 1905. Newfoundland became the tenth province in 1949. The Yukon became a federal territory in 1898, and in 1999, the Inuit-run territory of Nunavut was formed.

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Trouble in the West As Prime Minister Macdonald and his government worked to expand Canada, they opened up the west for European settlement. Soon, newcomers were claiming land occupied by tribes of First Nations and the Métis, people of

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The Fathers of Confederation in London by J.D. Kelly 1935 (LAC C-149461).

Reproduced with the permission of Rogers Communications Inc.

mixed Native and European blood. Afraid of losing their land and their French language, the Métis rebelled. But they were defeated by troops sent out by the federal government, and their leader, Louis Riel, 3 was hanged.

At the same time, government officials signed treaties with Cree, Assiniboine, Blackfoot, and other groups, looking for ways to divide the land between First Nations and new settlers.

To help keep peace in the west, Macdonald also created the North-West Mounted Police, later called the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. 4

Glenbow Archives NA-1039-1

Robert Marrion, The North West Mounted Police © Canadian War Museum

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Hard Times

B

y the beginning of the 20th century, Canada stretched from sea to sea.

The Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR) had been completed in 1885, after years of hard work that had cost the lives of many European and Chinese labourers. Over the next few decades, the railway helped settle the west, carrying immigrant farmers to the prairies 1 and grain to eastern ports. Meanwhile, many immigrants from central, eastern, and southern Europe settled in Canadian cities.

With the prairie farmers producing wheat, and factories in Ontario and Quebec producing manufactured goods, Canada was becoming a prosperous nation.

1

In 1914, Great Britain declared war on Germany. As part of the British Empire, Canada was automatically at war, too.

Not everyone in Canada agreed on the necessity of fighting a war in Europe.

Nevertheless, more than 600,000 Canadians served in World War I (1914–18). They fought bravely overseas, winning many battles. 2 Sadly, over 60,000 Canadian soldiers were killed and 170,000 wounded.

Canada’s vital contributions to the war effort were a source of great national pride.

World War II Peace would not last long. When World War II began in 1939, Canada joined Britain and France in fighting Germany. Again, not everyone agreed with this decision.

More than one million Canadians served in WWII, and 44,000 were killed. 4 When the war ended in 1945, Canada had proven by its bravery and leadership that it had become an independent power.

had the strength to protect its citizens.

Government programs such as unemployment insurance, family allowance payments, old age pensions, and national Medicare gradually helped to create a “safety net” for Canadians.

The Economy Grows Following World War II, Canadians enjoyed good economic times. Industries such as mining, forestry, and construction boomed.

Jobs were abundant, immigrants came in great numbers, and the country developed closer trade relationships with the United States and other nations. In 1959, the creation of the St. Lawrence Seaway 5 made trade and transportation even easier. Now oceangoing ships could carry trade goods right into the heart of the continent.

5

Helping Canadians The two World Wars and the Great Depression had shown that government

Glenbow Archives NA-789-104a

2

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The First World War

Adjusting to life after the war was not easy.

There was a major flu epidemic, strikes by workers demanding better wages and working conditions, and, in the 1930s, the Great Depression. 3 But Canadians also began to participate in a mass culture that brought us together as a nation — we listened to the radio and cheered on our local teams in the newly created National Hockey League.

LAC C-000148

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LAC C-029397

4

Conseil Régional de Basse-Normandie / Archives Nationales du CANADA

LAC PA-206919

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In the 1960s, many people in Quebec were unhappy with English Canada. They felt that the Anglophone majority did not recognize their province’s distinct culture and language.

As a result, there was a growing desire among Quebeckers to separate from the country.

As the years passed, the movement for Quebec independence gained strength.

But the majority of Quebeckers have twice voted against the idea of making Quebec a sovereign country. 6 (This kind of vote, where everybody gets to decide on a topic, is called a referendum.)

The debate about Quebec’s place in or outside of Canada continues today.

A New Beginning By the 1980s Canada was officially bilingual (French and English). Thanks to many new immigrants, it was also multicultural. Our nation was changing rapidly.

But even with all this change, one thing had stayed the same. Our constitution, the British North America Act, had been written in 1867 and could only be amended by the

Robert Cooper / LAC e008300499

A Call for Independence

7

British Parliament. It was time for a new beginning. On April 17, 1982, Queen Elizabeth signed the agreement that created Canada’s new Constitution Act, including a Charter of Rights and Freedoms. 7 Canada had brought the constitution home.

Into the Future Canada has been shaped by people of many different cultures and backgrounds. Today, it’s up to Canadians to build on what we’ve achieved in the past, and to help our country thrive in the future.

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anadian wor s d s o r

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ACROSS Jacques Cartier came from this country The Canadian Charter of Rights and _________ came into existence in 1982 Last name of the explorer who reached Newfoundland in 1497 The Canadian ______ Railway was completed in 1885 An Inuit shelter made from blocks of snow This made trade and transportation easier when it opened in 1959 Animal whose fur was highly valued in Europe

DOWN 1. One of Canada’s two official languages Kayak #33 Vol3 2010

CP Images / Jacques Boissinot

Now that you've taken our Canadian history tour, see if you can finish our Canadian crossword puzzle! Just fill in the word that fits each clue!

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14

1

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12

2

13

8

3

15

4 5

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8. The fifth province to join Confederation 9. The Hudson’s _____ Company was formed in 1670 10. Last name of a powerful Métis leader in the late 1800s 11. On July 1, 1867, Canada officially became a _______

Answers on page 62

12. The _____ Depression lasted throughout the 1930s 13. The last name of Canada’s first prime minister 14. The earliest Europeans to visit Canada 15. Early Aboriginal groups on the Plains depended on this animal Kayak #33 Vol3 2010

This October, Manitoba Theatre for Young People is proud to present an award-winning Canadian play that pays tribute to our country’s war veterans and honours their sacrifices.

jake’s gift Written and performed by Julia Mackey 2 years 8 issues = $29.98 Additional subscriptions are only $24.98 1-888-816-0997 kayakmag.ca *based on additional subscription pricing of $24.98

Visit

Julia Mackey, playwright and actor

magazine

online! ¥ ¥ ¥ ¥

“From the story, to the performance, to the incredible Canadian history and humanity, Jake's Gift is a masterpiece.

Our hearts are touched by Ms. Mackey's amazing performance, bringing to vivid life Jake, a cantankerous 80-year-old World War II veteran, and Isabelle, the precocious 10-year-old he befriends in France when he revisits Juno Beach.”

play games enter contests enjoy jokes and comics solve the History Mystery . . . plus much more!

KayakMag.ca

“In June 2004, I travelled to Normandy, France, for the 60th anniversary of D-Day. It was a life-changing journey for me. I understood for the first time the magnitude of the sacrifices that were made by one generation for our country.

I wrote Jake’s Gift to honour and pay homage to those brave men and women who sacrificed much for the greater good.”

Take our Canadian Citizenship Quiz!

Derek Aasland, Associate Artistic Director, Manitoba Theatre for Young People

For more information on showtimes, visit mtyp.ca And be sure to check out jakesgift.com for reviews, history, and more tour dates!

5

Canadian Symbols

(And the Stories Behind Them!)

by Chelsea Donaldson

Every country has a set of symbols that help to represent and express its national identity.

Here are a few of Canada’s symbols — some are familiar, while others may be new to you. Each says something about who we are and where we’ve come from.

The national flag

›

A Quebec composer, Calixa Lavallée, wrote the music for O Canada back in 1880, but it took 100 years before the song was adopted as our official anthem! While the French lyrics, written by Sir AdolpheBasile Routhier, have stayed the same, the English lyrics have changed many times.

The current English lyrics are based on a version written by Justice Robert Stanley Weir in 1908.

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Although its style has changed, the Crown has been one of Canada’s symbols for over 400 years, ever since the colony of New France was established. It is a firm reminder of Canada’s ties to the monarchy.

Keep your eyes open and you’ll see the Crown in many places. It’s on our national coat of arms, as well as on some provincial and territorial crests.

You may also notice it on police badges, medals, military uniforms — and even on highways signs.

The Maple Leaf is one of the world’s most recognizable national flags. It was first raised on February 15, 1965. The flag itself is not quite 50 years old, but the maple leaf symbol has been associated with Canada for much longer. French Canadians adopted it as a symbol back in the 1700s. And starting in World War I, it also appeared on Canada’s military uniforms.

The flag’s colours pay tribute to two of our founding nations. Historically, both France and England have made use of red and white to represent their countries.

Red and white have been Canada’s official colours since 1921.

The National Anthem

O Canada!

Our home and native land!

True patriot love in all thy sons command.

With glowing hearts we see thee rise, The True North strong and free!

From far and wide, O Canada, we stand on guard for thee.

God keep our land glorious and free!

O Canada, we stand on guard for thee.

O Canada, we stand on guard for thee.

The Crown

O Canada!

Terre de nos aïeux, Ton front est ceint de fleurons glorieux!

Car ton bras sait porter l’épée, Il sait porter la croix!

Ton histoire est une épopée Des plus brillants exploits.

Et ta valeur, de foi trempée, Protégera nos foyers et nos droits.

Protégera nos foyers et nos droits.

The Coat of Arms Canada’s coat of arms is bursting with images that reflect our historic ties to Great Britain and France. The shield in the middle includes the royal symbols of England (three lions), Scotland (one lion), Ireland (the harp), and France (the fleurs-de-lis), along with three maple leaves representing Canadians of all origins. The English lion and Scottish unicorn standing on either side of the shield are holding British and French flags.

The Royal Crown sits at the top of the arms, and the floral emblems of Great Britain and France can be seen at the base. Just above the flowers is a banner that shows Canada’s national motto: A mari usque ad mare (“from sea to sea”).

The Beaver Beavers are tough, hard working, and clever.

For that reason alone, they are a fitting symbol for Canadians! But beavers also played an important role in Canada’s history.

Early European visitors traded with First Nations for beaver pelts, which they sold in Europe to make ultra-fashionable hats.

Today, we still trade beavers — the ones found on our five-cent coins!

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Ring The Bells One autumn afternoon in 1964, a very unpleasant sound blared out from Parliament Hill. The 53 bells of the Peace Tower were clanging and pealing together, making terrible, grating noises. People on the streets of Ottawa were confused. Usually when the carillon bells chimed, they sounded so pretty. What on earth was happening? Who was behind the horrible racket?

It was soon revealed that a couple of school kids were to blame. The students were visiting the Parliament Buildings with their class. On a dare, they snuck into a restricted part of the Peace Tower and played the carillon bells for nearly five minutes before guards rushed in to stop them.

There’s no doubt about it: the Parliament Buildings in Ottawa are full of cool history.

How could they NOT be? They have been home to Canada’s federal government since our country was formed!

Below are four unusual stories about the Parliament Buildings and their surroundings. Only three of the stories are true. Guess which one we made up.

Cramped Quarters

When construction of the Parliament Buildings began in 1859, everyone involved was pretty excited. After all, this was the biggest construction project ever attempted in North America. The scale of the buildings was huge.

But not huge enough! Just a few decades after the buildings were completed, they were too small to house all the people working for Canada’s growing government.

As space ran out, staff members had to cram into offices like sardines. Some were even forced to work in the dark basements and stuffy attics of the East and West Blocks! Luckily, additions to the buildings eventually provided some relief.

Up in Flames

On the evening of February 3, 1916, shouts of panic rang out through Ottawa. The Centre Block of the Parliament Buildings was on fire!

The blaze, which started in the Reading Room, spread through the building at a furious pace.

People inside rushed to escape the thick, choking smoke. Some barreled through doors. Others jumped from windows. The prime minister crawled to safety on his hands and knees.

The fire raged through the night. By the time it was over, seven people had died and the Centre Block was almost entirely destroyed. But, amazingly, one part of the building survived. The Library of Parliament was perfectly intact. How could this be?

It turned out that the library had fireproof doors that a clerk managed to shut just moments before the flames could enter the area. Phew.

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Illustrations: Thadeus Maximus Artworks – thadeusmaximus.com

Parliament Puzzlers

Cats On Patrol Parliament Hill once had a major rodent problem. Mice, rats, and other pests scurried throughout the Parliament Buildings, causing quite the distraction. To solve the issue, staff members brought in an all-natural form of pest control: cats!

The cats did their job well. For years they shared the buildings with government workers, roaming the rooms and keeping rodents in check.

In the 1950s, other methods of pest control were adopted. The cats were out of work. But by that time, a whole colony of them had developed on Parliament Hill. Today, descendents of this colony live in a special Cat Sanctuary that is tucked away among the nearby trees.

Answer on page 62

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C

anada is a big country, home to many distinct communities, traditions, institutions, and industries. It takes t a special system of government to mee e, larg a the challenges of running such diverse place.

Parliament Hill, Ottawa.

Check out the next few pages for a closer look at the structure and roles of Canada’s m. federal government.

Canada follows a system called federalis In this system, Canada’s provinces and ents, territories each have their own governm — or but they are also united under one central federal — government. ents Canada’s federal and provincial governm erally divide powers and responsibilities. Gen There are three key facts oversees ent ernm gov ral speaking, Canada’s fede to remember about our le. Provincial who a matters that affect the country as country’s system of ible for and territorial governments are respons government. Canada is: ions. matters that affect their specific populat in ent ernm gov There’s also a third level of icipal Mun l.

Canada — the municipal (or local) leve villages, governments are based in cities, towns, of the care take y and districts across Canada. The everyday needs of a community.

3

thingS to RemembeR

1.

A FedeRal State

the constitution of canada

Canada’s Constitution is the set of rules that tell how our country’s s written government should be run. It include n collected laws and documents that have bee n traditions. ritte over time, as well as some unw stitution Act, The main written parts are the Con 2.

1867 and the Constitution Act, 198 Kayak #33 Vol3 2010

2.

A RepReSentative DemocRacy

Canada is a representative democracy.

Psst: The word In a representative democracy, citizens democracy comes from t esen repr to ities mun com r thei choose people from the Greek words demos r thei on s law e mak to them in government and (people) and kratos politicians t elec ntry cou the ss acro ns adia Can behalf. (rule). The people rule! this In s. rest inte r thei ect prot and to speak for them express their way, Canadians have an opportunity to r country is run! thei how political views and have a say in

3.

Opposite, top: iStockphoto; bottom: Library and Archives Canada R1002-6-6-E. This page: Canadian Press/John Stillwell.

w o n k o t g gettin t n e m n R e v o g youR

A ConStitutional monaRchy

Canada is a constitutional monarchy. This means tha t a monarch (king or queen) is the forma l head of our country. But the country is actually run by the prime minister and his or he r government, in accordanc e with Canada’s constitutio n.

Queen Elizabeth II of Great Britain is Canada’s current monarch, and she was cro wned in 1953. In Canada, she has a special representative to act on her behalf. This representative is called the governor general. The quee n appoints the governor gene ral on the advice of Canada ’s prime minister.

The queen also has repres entatives in each of Canada ’s provinces. They are known as lieutenant governors.

division of poweRs Here are just some of the responsibilities of Canada’s three levels of government: Municipal: Provincial/ Federal: Snow Removal, Territorial: National Defence, Garbag e Collection, Education, Foreign Affairs, Firefig hting, Health Care, Banking, Aboriginal Recycling, Natural Resources, Lands and Rights, Recrea tion, Property and Civil International Trade, Community Health, Rights, Tourism, Criminal Law, Emerg ency Services Environment Environment Kayak #33 Vol3 2010

Kayak #33 Vol3 2010 Kayak #33 Vol3 2010

Cabinet The Cabinet is made up of a special group of members of Parliament (and at least one senator). Together with the prime minister, this group sets the government’s policies and plans. They prepare the national budget and propose most new laws.

The prime minister selects all cabinet members, or ministers, and most of them are in charge of government departments, or ministries (such as National Defence, Environment, and Labour).

feDeRal couRt of canada

pRovincial couRtS

SupReme couRt of canada

judicial branch

commonS

houSe of

Senate

legislative branch

represented by the governor general

monaRch

parliament

canada’S SyStem of goveRnment

The House o f Commons The House of Commons is the major law-ma king body in th e federal govern ment. It is ma de up of members o f Parliament, or MPs, elected in rid ings. These M Ps debate and vote on b ills. They also discuss national issue s.

MPs are elect ed by the peo ple of Canada. One of the most im portant roles of MPs is to represen t the concerns of th e people who elected them .

The Senate called Members of the Senate are bate de d senators. They review an proposed laws and suggest o propose improvements. They can als s are laws of their own. Senator general, on appointed by the governor nister. the advice of the prime mi

Governor General The governor general is Ca nada’s head of state. Among his or her jobs is opening a new sessio n of Parliament, giving officia l approval to new laws, makin g sure that Canada always ha s a prime minister, and servin g as commander-in-chief of the Canadian Armed Forces.

Most members of Parliament belong to political parties (such as the Liberal Party or the Conservative Party). A political party is made up of people who share the same beliefs about how a country should be governed. In Canada, the political party with the most members elected to the House of Commons forms the government. And the leader of that party is the prime minister. Elected members of Parliament from other parties sit in what is called the opposition.

PaRty On!

Canadian Courts Canada’s judicial branch interprets and applies the laws of the nation.

The Supreme Court of Canada is the high est court in the country. It is made up of nine judges who decide on questions of law that have been sent to them by lower courts.

Prime Minister The prime minister is the head of the federal governm ent. He or she is the most powerfu l person in Canadian politics. Th e prime minister provides leadership and direction to the government and has final say in every major governm ent decision.

pRime miniSteR + cabinet

anch executive br

who

who'S g overning the whole country is a big job. So it’s not surprising that Canada’s federal government is big, too. It’s divided into three branches that work together for all Canadians: The executive branch makes decisions on governing the country. The legislative branch makes new laws and fixes old laws. And the judicial branch interprets the laws.

Here’s the breakdown on the basic structure of Canada’s federal government system… and some of its most important roles:

E

very day, all kinds of important decisions about governing Canada are made on Parliament Hill. Here’s a peek at how MPs and senators work together to run the country and make the laws we live by.

two ChambeRS

The Centre Block of the Parliament Buildings contains two very important chambers, or rooms. One chamber has a red carpet. The other has a green carpet. The chamber with the red carpet is the Senate (or Upper House). The chamber with the green carpet is the House of Commons (or Lower House).

When MPs and senators meet in their specific chambers, it means that Parliament is in session, or sitting.

A Day in the GR ee n Room…

A regular day lots in the House of Commons involves of ers of talking! During a session, memb ents on Parliament take turns making statem ortance. subjects of national or regional imp orts. But rep They also present petitions and and most of their time is spent reviewing . debating proposed laws The liveliest part of the day in the iod.

House of Commons is Question Per is This 45-minute period when MPs can ask the prime minister and cabinet ministers questions about the government’s activities.

(You can watch this on TV!) Kayak #33 Vol3 2010

In the Red Room...

Senators meet in the Senate Chamber to review, debate, and vote on proposed laws.

Outside the Senate, senators sit on com mittees that investigate important issues surrounding proposed laws.

They often meet with groups and individuals who will be affected by these laws.

Like MPs, senators have the responsibility of ensuring that proposed laws are the best they can be.

Opposite, top: Library of Parliament/Roy Grogan; bottom: Canadian Press/Tom Hanson.

This page: Library of Parliament/Marc Fowler.

paRliament in action

The Senate

making a Law – Step by Step Laws are the most important tools for governing a country. But making a law is hard work.

It all starts with a bill, which is a proposed law. New bills are usually introduced by a member of the government. Once a bill is introduced, it goes through a series of steps:

The House of Commons

Beyond the houSe MPs keep very busy outside the House of Commons, too. For example, they work on committees to closely examine proposed laws and other issues. They also spend time in their own ridings, attending events and meeting with people.

Prime Minister Stephen Harper speaks in the House of Commons during Question Period.

Step 1 – First Reading The bill is printed and read for the first time in the House of Commons.

Step 2 – Second Reading The bill is read a second time and members debate the idea behind it.

Step 3 – Committee Stage Committee members study the bill very closely.

Step 4 – Report Stage The committee reports back to the House with advice about the bill.

Changes are considered and voted on.

Step 5 – Third Reading Members debate and vote on the bill.

Step 6 – Senate The bill follows steps 1 through 5 in the Senate, where it must also be approved.

Step 7 – Royal Assent Once both the Senate and the House of Commons have voted yes on the bill, it is given to the governor general for final approval. Once the governor general gives royal assent, the bill officially becomes a law!

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GoveRnoR GeneRal match-Up

Do you recognize this man? It’s His Excellency the Right Honourable David Johnston! Earlier this fall, he was sworn in as the 28th Governor General of Canada.

Below are photos of five earlier governors general.

See if you can match the correct governor general to the correct statement.

he served as Canada’s 27th 1. SGov ernor General from

Vincent Massey

September 2005 until September 2010.

e took office as Canada's 2. Hvery first governor general

Jeanne Sauvé

on November 28, 1867. n 1893, this governor general 3. Idonated a trophy that is now the biggest prize in the National Hockey League.

In 1952, he became the very 4. first Canadia

n citizen to hold the post of governor general.

d in 1984, she was 5. Atheppointe first woman to serve as Canada’s governor general.

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Michaëlle Jean

Lord Stanley

Viscount Monck

Word List Authority Commons Enter General Hansard Mace Parliament Record Rules Talk Senate Speaker

1.

The word ________________ comes from the Latin word parliamentum, which means “to ________________.”

2.

The House of ________________ and the Senate each has a ________________. This person makes sure the ________________ of order are followed while the chamber is in session.

3.

In each chamber, a ceremonial ________________ serves as a symbol of the ________________ of Parliament.

4. The governor ________________ and members of the ________________ are not permitted to ________________ the House of Commons.

5.

This page, top to bottom: © Library of Parliament / Gordon King; Agnes Macdonald, Baroness of Earnscliffe / LAC C-006512.

Try out these games to learn a bit more about Canada’s government and some of the people who have served in it!

Use the words from the word list to fill in these Canadian Parliament fun facts.

This page, top to bottom: © Queen's University; Library and Archives Canada PA-027584; Harry Palmer / LAC PA-182418; Sgt. Éric Jolin (2006); © Brown, Barnes & Bell; William Notman / LAC PA-186538.

goveRnment gameS

PaRliament PRoceduReS

The Senate mace

The daily printed ________________ of debates in the Senate and the House of Commons is called the ________________.

PRime miniSteRS of the PaSt

Sir John A. Macdonald, Canada’s first prime minister

Since Canada was formed in 1867, 22 people have served as the nation’s prime minister (so far). Can you pick the right answers to these questions about Canadian prime ministers of the past?

1.

2.

William Lyon Mackenzie King was Canada’s longest serving prime minister. What was his total length of service? a. 10 years, 10 months, 10 days b. 15 years, 3 months, 2 days c. 21 years, 5 months, 5 days In 1993, who became the first woman ever to serve as Canada’s prime minister? a. Agnes McPhail b. Thérèse Casgrain c. Kim Campbell

3.

4.

Which prime minister, nicknamed Mike, won a Nobel Peace Prize in 1957? a. Arthur Meighen b. Lester B. Pearson c. Jean Chrétien In 1896, Sir Wilfrid Laurier became the first Francophone prime minister. Today, his face is depicted on Canada’s a. $5 bill Answers on b. $10 bill page 62 c. $20 bill

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Iroquois chiefs: Library and Archives Canada C-085137. Five feathers and wampum: ©Marilyn Angel Wynn/Nativestock.com.

The

(Really )

great Law of Peace

Five feathers are a symbol of unity for the people of the Iroquois Confederacy.

Wampum belts, made of shell beads, were often created to mark important historical events. This belt represents the Great Law of Peace, and it is a symbol of unity among the Five Nations.

by cynthia 0’brien

M

any centuries ago, a Huron woman dreamed that her son would become a great man. According to legend, her dream came true.

The woman’s son, Dekanawideh, founded the Great Law of Peace — the oldest constitution in North America. Over 800 years later, the Iroquois peoples of Canada and the United States still follow its rules!

Nations at War Dekanawideh grew up on the north side of Lake Ontario. He learned about the Iroquois nations that lived across the lake, including the Mohawk, Oneida, Onondaga, Cayuga, and Seneca peoples. These five nations shared many traditions, including their style of home, called a longhouse.

But they were bitter rivals, and they fought each other over many issues.

Miracle Maker Dekanawideh believed he could put a stop to the fighting. He crossed Lake Ontario in a canoe made of stone, then set about bringing peace to the warring nations.

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Early in his journey, Dekanawideh visited the Mohawk peoples. He preached his message of peace to them, but they were very suspicious. To win their trust, Dekanawideh climbed to the top of a tall tree overlooking the Mohawk River. He told the people to chop down the tree so that it would crash into the rushing rapids. If Dekanawideh survived, it would be proof that his message was true.

When the tree crashed, Dekanawideh vanished into the water. But early the next morning, he was found sitting calmly in the forest, enjoying his breakfast by a fire. This so impressed the Mohawk chief that his nation was the first to agree to peace.

The Iroquois Grand Council of Chiefs at the Six Nations Reservation in Ontario, 1871.

People of the Longhouse

The Great Law of Peace

While on his travels, Dekanawideh met a man called Hiawatha, a brilliant speaker who also wanted to help bring peace.

Hiawatha joined Dekanawideh on his visits to the other nations. Together, they told the people of their peace plan.

Dekanawideh used arrows to explain his message: a single arrow can break easily, he explained. But five arrows, tied together, are strong and cannot break. The arrows symbolized the strength of the five nations together.

After long talks, the leaders of all five nations agreed to peace. They called themselves the Haudenosaunee, meaning “people of the longhouse.” Their new government became known as the Iroquois Confederacy.

Dekanawideh created a set of rules (or constitution) for the Confederacy, called the Great Law of Peace. The laws focused on respect and equality among nations.

In celebration, Dekanawideh planted a white pine. He buried arrows beneath it to represent the end of war.

This Tree of Peace became the symbol of the Confederacy, and Dekanawideh became known as the Great Peacemaker.

Peace For All Time In 1702, the Tuscarora nation joined the Iroquois Confederacy, and the group became known as the League of Six Nations. Today, the Haudenosaunee continue to follow the Great Law of Peace and to honour the Peacemaker who made it all possible.

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C itizenship Week C elebrate C anada's

E

very year in the third week of October, Canada celebrates Citizenship Week. This important week is a time to think about what it means to be Canadian. It’s also a time to recognize the rights, responsibilities, and privileges of citizenship.

All across the country, schools and community groups hold special events and celebrations during Citizenship Week.

These events include citizenship ceremonies and reaffirmation ceremonies. (At reaffirmation ceremonies, people who are already Canadian reassert their citizenship by reciting the Oath of Citizenship.)

Study these two images of students celebrating Citizenship Week. Can you spot eight differences between the illustrations?

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Do you know more about Canadian history than they do?

Take the Bring Back the Act Trivia Challenge and find out!

Go to

HINT: visit

www.BringBackTheAct.ca

www.CdnExperience.ca

and click on the “How Smart Are You” button… face off against your parents, friends or teachers to claim historic bragging rights

and “Read the Series” to check out articles on Canada’s past, how Canada works, and what makes Canadians who we are today.

Join us on

Illustration: Remie Geoffroi

www.Facebook.com/BringBackTheAct www.Facebook.com/TheCanadianExperience

Answers on page 62

BringBackTheAct and The Canadian Experience are projects of Multimedia Nova Corporation as part of its commitment to Canada, its history and its citizenry.

www.multimedianova.com

And That’s Not All written by Heather Wright illustrated by Dwight Francis

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“Let’s sit here,” said Rosie,

stopping in the playground and sitting on the grass.

“What’s so special about here?” asked Helen, looking around. “Oh, I get it,” she sighed. “You want to watch the boys play baseball.”

“I don’t want to watch,” said Rosie. “I want to play.”

“I don’t know why you bother,” said Helen. “It’s just baseball.”

“I played all the time on the farm with my friends before we moved to Winnipeg. Here it’s boys only and…” Rosie jumped to her feet and dashed to pick up the baseball that was rolling toward them.

“What do you think you’re doing?” yelled Jamie McAllister as he ran up to Rosie.

“I’m picking up a baseball.

Is that a problem?”

“Give it to me.”

“Why?” “So I can throw it to the pitcher, that’s why. You don’t know anything about baseball.”

Rosie felt her face turning pink. “I know lots about baseball.”

“Girls don’t know anything

about baseball. They can’t even throw a ball properly.”

“Can too,” said Rosie. Her grip tightened on the ball.

“Cannot,” said Jamie. “Now give me the ball so we can get back to our game.”

Helen said behind her, “Just give him the stupid ball, Rosie.

It’s not worth it.”

Rosie dropped the ball on the ground and walked quickly toward the school. Helen ran to catch up. “Don’t be mad,” she said. “It’s just the way things are.”

“That doesn’t mean I have to like it,” replied Rosie.

Helen sighed. “Forget it. You can’t change people like Jamie.”

“I should have stood up to him. I should have shown him.”

“Girls aren’t supposed to do that kind of thing,” said Helen.

“Miss Wilson would be really angry if you started a fight with a boy.”

Miss Wilson, their English teacher, was always instructing the students to behave like nice ladies and gentlemen.

At times like this, being a lady is hard, thought Rosie, frowning.

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Gloomy Faces

Rosie was still frowning when she got home from school.

Her mother was in the kitchen stirring a pot of stew and reading the newspaper. She was frowning, too.

Rosie’s father walked in.

“Good heavens,” he said.

“What happened today to cause such gloomy faces?”

“Jamie McAllister,” said Rosie, sinking into a kitchen chair.

“Sir Rodmond Roblin,” said Rosie’s mother.

“I’m afraid Jamie McAllister will have to wait his turn, Rosie. The premier of Manitoba has upset your mother.”

“Oh George, he’s been so mean to Nellie McClung and the ladies. He told her his government wasn’t going to give women the vote, and now look at this!”

Rosie’s mother pointed to a cartoon in the paper. Nellie McClung was drawn as an ugly mosquito circling around Premier Roblin’s head.

“The newspapers lie and say Mrs. McClung’s children are

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unfed and wear dirty clothes while she travels making speeches. Last month they printed a cartoon of her and the other suffragettes and made them look like grumpy old women just because they want to vote.”

“I guess that’s the end of that,” said Rosie with a sigh.

“What do you mean?” asked Rosie’s mom.

“Well,” explained Rosie, “the government and the newspapers are all against her. She’ll never get them to change.”

“She’s changed a lot of people already, Rosie. In fact, we’re going to join a few hundred of them tonight.”

“We are?”

“Yes,” said Rosie’s father. “We’re going to see Mrs. McClung make a speech tonight. Now go and get some homework done before supper.”

loudly. “Did you notice that some of the cabinet ministers are here? I hope they don’t cause any trouble.”

Her companion chuckled.

“I heard that one time a man stood up and interrupted Mrs. McClung when she was delivering a speech. He yelled, ‘Don’t you wish you were a man?’ And she said back, ‘Don’t you wish you were?’ I don’t think anyone would dare interrupt her after that.”

Rosie giggled. She snuck a look at her parents to see if they’d heard, but they were staring at the stage, waiting quietly.

The loud lady started talking again. “Mrs. McClung and the other suffragettes are asking everyone in Manitoba to sign

a petition supporting women’s right to vote. They’re going to present it to the premier in the new year.”

“I’m ready to sign,” said her friend.

Just then, three women walked onto the stage and sat at some chairs. So these are suffragettes, Rosie thought.

How unfair of the newspaper to make them look like old witches! They look friendly to me.

One of the women walked up to the lectern and welcomed the crowd. Then she introduced the guest of honour. Rosie could feel the excitement in the room.

A Special Evening

The hall was buzzing with chatter when Rosie took her seat between her mom and dad. The lady behind her spoke

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Nellie McClung stood confidently at the lectern and smiled. “Good evening,” she said. “I’d like you all to pay special attention to my speech tonight. So, in order to clear your mind of any distractions,” she paused and there was a twinkle in her eye, “I want to assure you that my children are fed, bathed, and in bed for the night.”

The audience laughed and applauded. Rosie applauded, too. Mrs. McClung had taken the mean things that had been said about her and turned them into a joke. She knew that

many people didn’t like her for wanting the vote. “Disturbers are never popular,” she noted, leaning on the lectern.

“Nobody ever really loved an alarm clock in action — no matter how grateful they may have been afterwards for its kind services.”

But Mrs. McClung wasn’t going to let her critics stop her.

“I have been told that women are too weak to vote,” she said.

She stood tall with her hands on her hips. “But if women can cook for their families… and clean their houses and work on the farm and raise children,

then they can certainly manage to put an ‘x’ on a ballot every four years without straining themselves too much.” The audience applauded again.

Pacing slowly up and down the stage, Nellie McClung told the crowd that she believed women voters would use their ballots to “protect the weak and innocent and make the world a safer place.” She smiled a determined smile. “I look forward to the day when women will receive equal pay for equal work, and have all avenues of activity open to them.”

All avenues of activity, thought Rosie, and then went back to listening to the speech.

Right to Vote

Throughout Canada’s history, other groups of people have been prevented from voting in elections. Visit Kayakmag.ca to find out more.

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Making a Change Library and Archives Canada PA-030212

Nellie McClung was one of Canada’s most outspoken campaigners for women’s suffrage. (Suffrage means the right to vote.)

For many years, women in Canada were not permitted to vote in provincial and federal elections. But, starting in the late 1800s, women in many parts of the country began to battle for their rights. “Suffragettes” like Nellie McClung used arguments, petitions, and demonstrations to fight for their fellow women.

In 1916, Manitoba became the first province to grant voting rights to women. The federal government, as well as most provincial governments, soon followed suit. In 1940, Quebec became the last province to grant women the vote.

The next day in the playground, an excited Rosie told Helen all about Nellie McClung.

“Look out!” a voice yelled.

A baseball flew straight for Rosie. Without thinking, she stepped forward and caught it.

A second later, Jamie, who had been running to catch the ball, was standing in front of her.

“What did you to do that for?” he demanded. “I could’ve caught it.”

“Could’ve but didn’t,” Rosie replied calmly. “Eric always fouls past first base on his first hit. You should have someone there next time.”

“How do you know that?” asked Jamie.

“Because I know about baseball,” said Rosie. “Peter is up next and he usually hits to right field.”

Jamie rolled his eyes and put his hand out for the ball. “Okay.

I get it, Rosie. You’re smart.”

“And a lot more,” said Rosie with a small smile. She looked over at the boys and picked a player standing far away in left field. “Roy!” she yelled.

Roy turned and she threw the ball to him as hard as she could. She heard a satisfying thwack as it hit his glove.

“Well, what do you think of girls now, Jamie McAllister?”

Jamie looked at Roy and then back at Rosie. “I guess you can throw, too,” he said quietly.

“And that’s not all,” said Rosie, smiling. “And that’s not all!” K

Kayak #33 Vol3 2010

Vote! How We Choose Who Runs Our Country by Mary Vincent Every day, we are faced with all kinds of choices. Pizza or hamburgers?

Chocolate or strawberry? Riding bikes or playing soccer?

One of the most important choices Canadians face is deciding who will represent them in government.

In Canada, we have elections to choose who will be in government and run the country. Voting in elections is all about having your say and speaking out about what’s important to you.

But how do federal elections work? From the start of a campaign until Election Day, it’s a race to the finish!

Calling an Election: On Your Marks, Get Set, Go! By law, a federal election must be called if five years have passed since the last election. But the prime minister can call an election sooner than that if he or she thinks the government’s party needs a renewed vote of confidence from the people.

An election may also be called early if there is a “vote of non-confidence” in the House of Commons. This happens when the government no longer has the support of the majority of the members of Parliament.

Before calling an election, the prime minister asks the governor general to end (or dissolve) Parliament. Soon after, an election date is announced.

Crossing the Finish Line Finally, the big moment arrives — Election Day! Citizens go to polling stations in their communities to vote. They are given a ballot that lists all of the candidates in alphabetical order. Next, voters go behind a voting screen to fill out their ballot in private. Voters mark an X beside the name of the person they are voting for. Then they put the ballot in a box.

And just like that, voters have had their say.

Who can vote in Canad a?

Today, all C Time to Run! anadian citiz ens who are 18 years of Once an election is age or olde r can vote... as long as th called, there are at ey are regis tered least 36 days until the day to do so! when everyone votes. During this time, Canadians start to think about who they want to represent their electoral district in Parliament. (Canada is divided up into 308 electoral districts, or ridings, and each gets one member of Parliament.)

Throughout the election race, candidates meet with people in their ridings and use speeches, ads, websites, and blogs to share their ideas and explain why Canadians should vote for them and their party. Many Canadians get involved as volunteers. They work for individual candidates or organize forums and debates on issues that concern them.

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The Big Count After the polling stations close, the ballots are counted and the winners are announced. The winners will represent their ridings in the House of Commons and speak up for what matters to their communities.

So, just by marking an X on a ballot, Canadian citizens participate in democracy and help decide how Canada will be run. Now that’s a powerful X!

Illustrations: Dave Whamond Kayak #33 Vol3 2010

Model Citizens

by Jean Mills

Responsible, active citizens are interested in improving the lives of people in their community, their country, and the world. Meet some young Canadians who have each made a difference in their own special way!

Tria Donaldson As a teenager, Tria Donaldson was struck by issues such as poverty and the environment, issues that affected her own community. She decided to take action and speak up. “A few great teachers supported me as I found my voice,” she says.

Today, Tria raises her voice as part of the Wilderness Committee, based in Victoria, BC. As a Pacific Coast campaigner, she writes letters to government, takes part in presentations to educate the public, and goes door-to-door to educate Canadians about endangered animals and ecosystems.

“My work helps to ensure that future generations can experience the natural splendor of Canada — our wild rivers and lakes, bountiful oceans, unique animals and ancient forests. If we do not work together to protect these now, they may be gone.”

Nikolas Gobeil Zac Andrus

Visiting the playground is easy for most kids, but not for Zac Andrus, who has cerebral palsy.

When he was in Grade 7, Zac decided to take action. He organized a fundraiser to earn money for building a playground that all kids could enjoy — including those with disabilities. With the help and support of his teacher, family, and friends, Zac raised $30,000 for the project! He also inspired local charities and organizations to pitch in with donations.

The new playground, located in Zac’s hometown of Port Hope, ON, opened in 2009. It has an accessible swing, play panels in Braille, and safety bars. “If you have a good idea for change,” says Zac, “make it public. There are a lot of caring and generous people who understand and will help make it come true.”

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Nikolas Gobeil believes in the importance of lending a helping hand. At his high school in La Prairie, Quebec, Nikolas is part of “the group of natural helpers.”

As a member of this group, he offers his support to fellow classmates who are experiencing personal problems and need someone to talk to.

For the last two years, Nikolas has also served as vice-president of his school’s solidarité-tiers-monde committee. In this role, he helps to plan and carry out activities that raise money for development projects in the countries of Uganda and Rwanda. On top of these activities, Nikolas is part of his school’s tutoring program, and he regularly volunteers to go out and help people in his community.

In May 2010, a Quebec organization called Forces Avenir awarded Nikolas with a special prize for his dedication to helping others. “Always try to volunteer for causes that interest you,” Nikolas advises. “It’s easier to give your time to a cause that’s close to your heart, and to work with people who share similar values.”

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Léonie Matteau

Ryan Hreljac

When Léonie Matteau has an idea for making a difference, she acts on it! In 2008, she set up a special committee at her Quebec City high school to organize events for social justice and the environment. She also took charge of the breakfast club, making sure that students in need of a healthy meal could get a good breakfast at school.

Léonie works hard for the causes she believes in.

Thanks to a campaign that she led, her high school is now committed to using and selling fair-trade products in all of its fundraising activities. (Fair-trade products are items that have been obtained fairly from farmers and workers in the developing world.)

According to Léonie, it’s important to remember that in helping others, we are also helping ourselves.

“Providing aid helps you learn and grow,” she says.

When Ryan Hreljac was six years old, he learned that people in Africa were dying because they didn’t have access to clean water.

Ryan felt he had to help. For four months, he did extra chores around his house to earn $70 — the amount he thought it cost to build a well in Africa. When he found out that a well actually cost $2000, he just worked harder. He did more chores, and he also began to collect donations from his community.

Ryan raised the money for that first well — and more.

Today, the Ryan's Well Foundation has completed more than 600 water and sanitation projects in 16 countries all over the world. “Get involved in something you are passionate about,” Ryan advises. “Get informed. Then talk to others about how you might work together to make a difference.”

An Insider’s Tips on How to Make a Difference When Olivia McGuire was in Grade 6, she convinced her family to use recycling bins to reduce the amount of waste they sent to the landfill. Today, at the age of 22, she continues to work for social change through the Canadian organization Engineers Without Borders. Here are some of Olivia's suggestions for becoming a more active, responsible citizen: • Make your voice heard. Write to your local MP about an issue you care about.

• Create change locally. Volunteer for an organization that fights poverty or other problems in your neighborhood.

• Start or join a club. Work with others and develop your leadership skills.

• Influence your parents. Ask them to switch to fair-trade coffee.

On the Net Check out these websites to learn more about some of the organizations connected to our Model Citizens.

Ryan's Well Foundation: www.ryanswell.ca Wilderness Committee: www.wildernesscommittee.org Engineers Without Borders: www.ewb.ca Forces Avenir: www.forcesavenir.qc.ca Kayak #33 Vol3 2010

Kayak #33 Vol3 2010

T

he famous painting above depicts the most prominent leaders involved in the creation of Canada. Together, these men are known as the “Fathers of Confederation.”

We’ve hidden the last names of 15 Fathers of Confederation in this word grid. Find the names by looking up, down, across, backwards, and diagonally.

Answers on page 62

Adams G. Archibald George Brown Alexander Campbell George-Étienne Cartier Edward B. Chandler

t TesYour

Memory

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l l p a r j c l n p a

b l c n e o g d r p u

p e a p p h y l s e c

h o m g p n u a m e a

t t p r u s r b r e r

d l b e t o g i y g t

r l e m g n d h i c i

e d l a n o d c a m e

t i l l e y b r m d r

i t r e l d n a h c c

b r o w n l h e n r y

Alexander Galt John Hamilton Gray William Alexander Henry John Mercer Johnson John A. Macdonald

William McDougall Thomas D’Arcy McGee William Henry Pope Samuel L. Tilley Charles Tupper

Are you up for another challenge? Study the painting for one full minute, then turn to the list of questions on page 60. Without peeking, try to answer as many of the questions as possible.

The Fathers of Confederation by Rex Woods, 1969.

Library and Archives Canada C-148218 . Reproduced with the permission of Rogers Communications Inc.

Find That Father

?

#33

Q. What do you

call a penguin in the Canadian Arctic?

Mail in your entry TO WIN! OR, enter online at

A. Lost! (Penguins

KayakMag.ca

live in Antarctica).

Q. What did the

Pacific Ocean say to British Columbia?

A. Nothing, it just waved!

Q. What are two

things the prime minister can’t eat for breakfast?

A. Lunch

What was this boy thinking?

Glenbow Archives NA-5600-6732f

and dinner!

Want to post your own jokes on our website?

Visit KayakMag.ca to find out how!

This is NOT my good side.

#32

Memory Challenge Questions

WINNER! Maddie, Age 9, Jemseg, New Brunswick

Remember the Fathers of Confederation painting you studied on page 54?

Without flipping back to it, try to answer these questions: 1. How many windows are shown?

2. Is water visible through the windows?

3. What colour is the carpet?

4. Is anyone in the room wearing a hat?

Kayak #33 Vol3 2010

5. What article of clothing is draped over the stool?

6. Are there any paintings hanging in the room?

You’ve seen the best, now see the rest – online!

7. How many people are wearing glasses?

8. How many people are standing up?

Glenbow Archives NA-5093-134

Kayak #33 Vol3 2010

ENTER KAYAK’S NEW CONTEST! You could WIN a $1000 RESP & a trip for 2 to Ottawa, plus get your story published by Kayak: Canada’s History Magazine for Kids!

Canadian Crossword p. 23 9

14

B V 11 I F R A N C E K R O Y I E U 12 N N N G G C T R 2 13 H F R E E D O MS A Y A 8 3 15 C A B OT M T 4 D U P A C I F I C 5 F N I G L OO N F I 6 10 S T L A WR E N C E S E A WA Y L L O I 7 D O B E A V E R L A

Parliament Puzzlers p. 28 “Ring the Bells” is the made-up story.

1

CELEBRATE CANADIAN CITIZENSHIP WEEK p. 40

Tell us your stories about Canada’s past!

GOVERNMENT GAMES Governor General Match-Up p. 36 1. Michaëlle Jean 2. Viscount Monck 3. Lord Stanley 4. Vincent Massey 5. Jeanne Sauvé

Visit kayakmag.ca for more details!

2011

Parliament Procedures p. 37 1. parliament, talk 2. Commons, Speaker, rules 3. Mace, authority 4. general, Senate, enter 5. record, Hansard Prime Ministers of the Past p. 37 1. c 2. c 3. b 4. a

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Editor Jill Foran Art Director Bryan Pezzi Web Administrator Tanja Hütter Website Assistant Pat Hanney Manager Education and Outreach Programs

Joel Ralph

Education and Outreach Program Officer

Jean-Phillippe Proulx

FIND THAT FATHER p. 54

l l p a r j c l n p a

b l c n e o g d r p u

p e a p p h y l s e c

h o m g p n u a m e a

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