Canadian Fact

IF YOU HADN’T heard, this year is Canada’s 150th anniversary. And while many people are drawing attention to the huge nation-building events that have defined our country, there is something to be said for the smaller cultural phenomenon that tend to escape the notice of most people. In honour of Canada’s sesquicentennial celebration, we’ve gathered a few facts that celebrate the more obscure side of Canada’s history and culture, facts that you’re sure to be able to impress your friends with during the celebrations.

Canadian Origins

Canada’s official motto is “A Mari usque ad Mare” which is Latin for “From Sea to Sea.” The phrase was taken from Psalm 72:8 during the Confederation as an inspirational statement, even though Canada, at that time, had only one coastline—the Atlantic. It wasn’t until British Columbia joined in 1871 that the statement rang true. Today, at the suggestion of the three territories, Canadians are using “From Sea to Sea to Sea” to include the Arctic coast, though it’s not official.

Though Canada is celebrating its 150th birthday this year, Canada’s Indigenous peoples have been living on this land for much longer than that. During the 1980s,

archeologists uncovered a collection of bones and tools in Yukon’s Bluefish Caves. These artifacts are estimated to be between 24,000 and 28,000 years old, meaning that Canada’s first wave of settlement occurred long before recorded history.

DID YOU KNOW?

The Government of Canada is slated to spend a total of half a billion dollars on Canada 150 celebrations. This money is divided among nationwide celebration events, merchandise, and infrastructure improvements. It’s a lot of money, but it doesn’t even include the amount being spent by provincial and municipal governments on their own celebrations.

• Québec means “Where the river narrows” in Algonquin, and refers to the narrow spot along the St. Lawrence River where Québec City was built.

• Manitoba means “The Narrows of the Great Spirit” in Cree, describing the shape of Lake–Manitoba, as well as its cultural significance.

• Saskatchewan is named for the Saskatchewan river system that runs through the prairies and means “Swift-flowing River” in Cree.

• Nunavut means “Our Land” in Inuktitut and was chosen to be the official name of the territory when it was formed in 1999.

Though 150 years may not seem like a long time, wars, colonization, and political instability mean that most of the world’s current nations were formed in the last 100 years, making Canada one of the older countries on the planet.