98 Fun Facts About Canadian

What is the capital city of Canada?

Ottawa, located in Ontario, has been the capital of Canada since 1857, chosen by Queen Victoria. It serves as the political and administrative center of the country.

Which two languages share equal official status in Canada's Parliament and government?

English and French have 'equality of status and equal rights and privileges' in every institution of Parliament and the Government of Canada under the constitution.

What animal is an official national symbol of Canada and appears on its five-cent coin?

The beaver became an official symbol of Canada in 1975, chosen for its place in the fur trade and its industrious nature; it is on the nickel.

Which river forms Canada's longest river system?

The Mackenzie's main stem runs 1,738 km from Great Slave Lake to the Beaufort Sea; with the Slave, Peace and Finlay the system stretches 4,241 km.

In what year did Canadian Confederation unite several British North American colonies into one dominion?

On July 1, 1867 the British North America Act united the Province of Canada (now Ontario and Quebec), Nova Scotia and New Brunswick into the Dominion of Canada.

Who was Canada's first Prime Minister?

John A. Macdonald became Canada's first Prime Minister at Confederation in 1867, serving until 1873 and again from 1878 until his death in office in 1891.

What is the official national summer sport of Canada?

While ice hockey is the national winter sport, lacrosse holds the distinction of being Canada's national summer sport. It is a traditional Indigenous game that has been played for centuries.

What prominent symbol is featured at the center of the Canadian national flag?

The 11-pointed red maple leaf sits on a white square between two red bars; the flag was adopted in 1965, and the leaf has symbolised Canada since the 19th century.

Which province covers more of Canada's land than any other?

It spans more than 1.5 million square kilometres and is the only province where French speakers are the majority.

What is the capital city of Alberta?

Edmonton has been Alberta's capital since the province was created in 1905; Calgary, the larger city, lies about 300 km to the south.

How many provinces does Canada have?

Canada is a federation composed of ten provinces and three territories, each with its own capital and government.

What is the capital city of Nova Scotia?

Halifax, founded by the British in 1749, is Nova Scotia's capital and largest city, built around one of the world's largest natural harbours.

Which sport is widely considered Canada's national winter sport?

Ice hockey is officially recognized as Canada's national winter sport by the National Sports of Canada Act, while lacrosse is the national summer sport.

What is the capital city of British Columbia?

Victoria, at the southern tip of Vancouver Island, is British Columbia's capital; the far larger Vancouver lies across the Strait of Georgia on the mainland.

Which popular Canadian dish consists of french fries, cheese curds, and gravy?

Originating in French Canada, poutine has become a quintessential Canadian comfort food enjoyed across the country.

Which Canadian actor is known for roles in films like 'The Matrix' series and 'John Wick'?

Born in Beirut, Lebanon, Keanu Reeves grew up in Toronto, Canada, and is celebrated for his iconic roles in action and drama films.

In what year did the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms come into force?

The Charter of Rights and Freedoms is Part I of the Constitution Act, 1982, proclaimed by Queen Elizabeth II in Ottawa on April 17, 1982 when Canada patriated its constitution.

What is the highest mountain in Canada?

Mount Logan, located in Yukon, is the highest mountain in Canada and the second-highest peak in North America after Denali.

Which Canadian invented the sport of basketball?

Dr. James Naismith, a physical education instructor from Almonte, Ontario, invented basketball in 1891 in Springfield, Massachusetts.

What is the capital city of New Brunswick?

Fredericton, on the Saint John River, has been New Brunswick's capital since 1785, chosen over the larger port of Saint John for its inland, more defensible position.

What is the most populous city in Canada?

Toronto, the capital of Ontario, is Canada's largest city by population and a major international center for finance, arts, and culture.

Which Canadian city hosted the 1976 Summer Olympics?

Montreal hosted the 1976 Summer Olympics, the first Games held in Canada; the city only finished paying off its Olympic Stadium debt in 2006.

Which Canadian singer recorded 'My Heart Will Go On', the theme to 1997's Titanic?

Celine Dion, born in Charlemagne, Quebec, recorded 'My Heart Will Go On', which won the Academy Award for Best Original Song in 1998.

Which Canadian capital, founded by Champlain in 1608, is the only walled city north of Mexico?

Quebec City was founded by Samuel de Champlain in 1608; its name comes from an Algonquin word for 'where the river narrows', describing the St. Lawrence at Cap Diamant.

What type of tree is Canada's official national tree?

The maple tree, with its iconic leaf, has been a prominent symbol of Canada for centuries and was officially recognized as the national arboreal emblem in 1996.

The world's highest tides can be found in which Canadian bay?

The Bay of Fundy, located between Nova Scotia and New Brunswick, experiences the highest tides in the world, with water levels rising and falling up to 16 meters.

Which Canadian city is home to the Canadian Museum for Human Rights?

The Canadian Museum for Human Rights opened in Winnipeg in 2014 at The Forks, the first national museum built outside the National Capital Region.

Which Canadian province is officially bilingual at the provincial level?

While English and French are both official languages federally, New Brunswick is the only Canadian province that is officially bilingual, granting equal status to both languages in all provincial institutions.

What is the capital city of the Yukon?

Whitehorse became the Yukon's capital in 1953, taking over from Dawson City, the Klondike gold-rush town, after the Alaska Highway made it the territory's hub.

Who was the first female Prime Minister of Canada?

Kim Campbell became Canada's 19th Prime Minister in June 1993, the first woman to hold the office; she lost the October 1993 election after four months in power.

Which force serves as Canada's national police service?

The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP), formed in 1920 by merging the North-West Mounted Police and the Dominion Police, is Canada's federal police force; its French name is Gendarmerie royale du Canada.

Which Canadian province has the highest population density?

Despite being Canada's smallest province by land area, Prince Edward Island has the highest population density due to its relatively large population for its size.

Which highway system's main route links Victoria, British Columbia with St. John's, Newfoundland?

The Trans-Canada Highway, officially opened in 1962 and completed in 1971, links all ten provinces from Victoria, British Columbia to St. John's, Newfoundland, with ferry crossings at both ends.

Which Canadian actor famously portrayed Captain Kirk in the original 'Star Trek' series?

William Shatner, born in Montreal, Quebec, found international fame as Captain James T. Kirk.

Which Canadian scientist won the 1923 Nobel Prize for insulin and shared the money with assistant Charles Best?

Frederick Banting shared the 1923 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine with John Macleod for the discovery of insulin; at 32 he became the youngest laureate in that category.

What large island forms part of Canada's easternmost province?

The island of Newfoundland holds about 29% of Newfoundland and Labrador's land but over 90% of its people, most of them on the Avalon Peninsula around St. John's.

Which inventor, who emigrated to Canada in 1870, built an estate at Baddeck on Cape Breton Island?

Alexander Graham Bell, the telephone pioneer, returned in 1886 to build at Baddeck overlooking Bras d'Or Lake, where his hydrofoil HD-4 set a world marine speed record in 1919.

Which song was proclaimed Canada's official national anthem in 1980?

'O Canada' was proclaimed the official national anthem on July 1, 1980, a century after it was first performed.

What is the largest body of fresh water located entirely within Canada?

Great Bear Lake in the Northwest Territories is the largest lake entirely within Canada and the fourth-largest in North America.

Who was the first Canadian in space?

Marc Garneau became the first Canadian in space in October 1984, flying aboard the Space Shuttle Challenger.

Which US state shares a border with Canada's Yukon territory?

Alaska is the Yukon's only American neighbour; the Alaska–Canada boundary runs about 2,475 km along the Yukon and British Columbia.

Which acclaimed Canadian film director is known for blockbuster movies like 'Titanic' and 'Avatar'?

James Cameron, born in Kapuskasing, Ontario, is one of the most successful film directors in history, known for pushing the boundaries of cinematic technology.

Which university, established in 1789, is Canada's oldest chartered degree-granting institution?

The University of King's College in Halifax, Nova Scotia, founded in 1789, is Canada's oldest chartered university.

Who is Canada's head of state?

Canada is a constitutional monarchy: the Monarch is head of state, represented in Canada by the Governor General, while the Prime Minister is only head of government.

Which province has a saltwater coastline on Hudson Bay?

Manitoba is the only prairie province with a coastline: its northeast corner fronts Hudson Bay, and it holds more than 100,000 lakes, the largest being Lake Winnipeg at about 24,500 square kilometres.

What is Canada's official motto?

Canada's official motto is 'A Mari Usque Ad Mare', which is Latin for 'From Sea to Sea'. It is derived from Psalm 72:8 and reflects the country's vast geography.

Which Canadian author wrote the 1908 novel 'Anne of Green Gables'?

Lucy Maud Montgomery published Anne of Green Gables in 1908, setting it in fictional Avonlea on Prince Edward Island, where she grew up in Cavendish.

Which European explorer mapped much of the St. Lawrence River and named Canada?

Jacques Cartier made three voyages to North America, exploring the St. Lawrence River and is credited with naming the territory 'Canada' after hearing the Huron-Iroquois word 'kanata' for 'village'.

Which Canadian singer-songwriter is famous for writing the song 'Hallelujah'?

Leonard Cohen, a poet, novelist, and singer-songwriter from Montreal, wrote 'Hallelujah', which has become one of the most covered songs in music history.

What is the largest island in Canada?

Baffin Island, at about 507,000 square kilometres, is Canada's largest island and the fifth-largest in the world; Iqaluit, Nunavut's capital, sits on its southern coast.

Which territory was carved out of the Northwest Territories on 1 April 1999?

Nunavut was created on April 1, 1999 from the eastern Northwest Territories as a largely Inuit homeland; at 2.09 million square kilometres it is Canada's largest and most northerly territory.

In which year did Newfoundland join Confederation as Canada's tenth province?

Newfoundland became Canada's tenth province on March 31, 1949, after narrowly voting for Confederation in a 1948 referendum campaign led by Joey Smallwood.

Which Canadian, having lost a leg to cancer, began a 1980 cross-country run for cancer research?

Terry Fox's Marathon of Hope began in St. John's in April 1980 and ended after 143 days and 5,373 km near Thunder Bay when his cancer returned.

Which 1867 song by Alexander Muir served as an unofficial anthem of English Canada?

'The Maple Leaf Forever', written by Toronto schoolteacher Alexander Muir in 1867, the year of Confederation, served as English Canada's unofficial anthem for decades.

Canada's official 'maple leaf tartan' uses four colours to show the leaf through the seasons: green, gold, red and what?

Green is spring, gold early autumn, red the first frost and brown the fallen leaf.

Which national symbol appears on Canada's 50-cent coin?

The 50-cent coin has carried the Canadian coat of arms on its reverse since 1937, while the caribou is on the quarter and the Bluenose schooner on the dime.

What are the annual prizes presented by the Canadian Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences called?

The Canadian Music Hall of Fame separately honours musicians for lifetime achievement.

Which Canadian physicist shared the 2018 Nobel Prize for chirped pulse amplification of lasers?

Donna Strickland of the University of Waterloo shared the 2018 Nobel Prize in Physics with Gérard Mourou for chirped pulse amplification, becoming the third woman to win the physics prize.

The Canadarm was first tested in orbit in 1981 aboard which Space Shuttle?

The Canadarm first flew on STS-2 aboard Columbia in November 1981, only the second shuttle mission; Spar Aerospace built the robotic arm for Canada's National Research Council.

The no-bake Nanaimo bar is named after a city in which province?

Nanaimo is a city on Vancouver Island in British Columbia; the no-bake bar (crumb base, custard-flavoured butter icing, chocolate top) was popularised there in the 1950s.

Tim Hortons opened its first donut store in 1964 in which Ontario city?

The first Tim Hortons opened on Ottawa Street North in Hamilton in May 1964; NHL defenceman Tim Horton launched the chain with Jim Charade, and Ron Joyce later became co-owner.

Which structure ended the CN Tower's 32-year reign as the tallest free-standing structure?

The Burj Khalifa in Dubai passed the CN Tower's 553 metres in September 2007, ending a record the Toronto tower had held since 1975; Canton Tower later took the 'tallest tower' title in 2009.

Which earlier dollar-coin design did the loon replace when the loonie was approved?

The voyageur design, showing a fur trader and an Indigenous paddler in a canoe, had been on the dollar since 1935; after its master dies went missing in transit in 1986, the Mint switched to Carmichael's loon.

Which munitions ship blew up in the 1917 Halifax Explosion after colliding with SS Imo?

SS Mont-Blanc, a French freighter carrying about 2,900 tonnes of explosives bound for Bordeaux, caught fire after the collision and exploded on December 6, 1917, flattening Halifax's Richmond district.

The 1896 Klondike gold strike was made on which tributary, then known as Rabbit Creek?

Rabbit Creek was renamed Bonanza Creek after George Carmack, Skookum Jim and Dawson Charlie found gold there on August 16, 1896, setting off the Klondike Gold Rush.

The Dionne quintuplets, born in 1934, came from just outside which Ontario community?

The Dionne quintuplets were born on May 28, 1934 at the family farm near Callander, Ontario, the first quintuplets known to survive infancy; the province made them wards in 1935.

Tommy Douglas, voted 'The Greatest Canadian' in 2004, was premier of which province?

Tommy Douglas, a Scottish-born Baptist minister, led Saskatchewan's CCF government from 1944 to 1961 and brought in North America's first universal hospital insurance before becoming the first federal NDP leader.

Short story writer Alice Munro won the Nobel Prize in Literature in which year?

Alice Munro received the 2013 Nobel Prize in Literature as a 'master of the contemporary short story'; she had announced her retirement from writing shortly before, and died in 2024.

Lester Pearson's 1957 Nobel Peace Prize honoured his UN peacekeeping plan for which conflict?

Lester Pearson proposed the United Nations Emergency Force to end the 1956 Suez Crisis, earning the 1957 Nobel Peace Prize; he became prime minister in 1963.

The Robertson screw, a Canadian invention from 1908, has a socket of what shape?

P.L. Robertson patented the square-socket screw in 1908 in Milton, Ontario; its tapered square recess could be cold-formed cheaply and holds the driver without slipping.

Tiger Child, the first IMAX film, was demonstrated at which world's fair?

Tiger Child premiered at the Fuji Group Pavilion at Expo '70 in Osaka, the first IMAX film; the first permanent IMAX theatre, the Cinesphere at Toronto's Ontario Place, opened in 1971.

How long is the Confederation Bridge linking PEI to the mainland?

The Confederation Bridge spans 12.9 km across the Northumberland Strait from Borden-Carleton, PEI to Cape Jourimain, New Brunswick; opened May 31, 1997, it is the world's longest bridge over ice-covered water.

The racing schooner Bluenose was built in 1921 in which Nova Scotia town?

Bluenose was built by Smith and Rhuland in Lunenburg and launched on March 26, 1921; she won the International Fishermen's Trophy that year and has appeared on the dime since 1937.

Alert, the world's northernmost continuously inhabited place, is on which island?

Alert sits at the northeastern tip of Ellesmere Island, Nunavut, about 817 km from the North Pole; it is a military signals and weather station rather than a civilian town.

Who in 1952 became the first Canadian-born Governor General?

Every predecessor had been born elsewhere in the Empire. Traditionalists were suspicious of a Governor General who was neither British nor a peer.

Which Hudson Bay town is nicknamed the 'Polar Bear Capital of the World'?

The bears gather near the shore each autumn waiting for sea ice to form, feeding a tourism trade in a town with no road link to the outside.

Canadian-born artist Joe Shuster co-created which comic book superhero with Jerry Siegel?

Superman debuted in Action Comics #1 in June 1938; Joe Shuster, born in Toronto in 1914, drew the character Jerry Siegel wrote, and later left comics as his eyesight failed.

Laura Secord's famous 32 km walk to warn British forces took place during which conflict?

Laura Secord's walk came during the War of 1812: in June 1813 she slipped out of American-occupied Queenston to warn Lieutenant James FitzGibbon of a planned attack, helping the British win at Beaver Dams.

Métis leader Louis Riel was hanged for treason in 1885 in which city?

Louis Riel was hanged at the North-West Mounted Police barracks in Regina on November 16, 1885, six months after the Métis defeat at Batoche ended the North-West Rebellion.

Which prime minister abruptly cancelled the Avro Arrow interceptor on 20 February 1959?

John Diefenbaker's government cancelled the CF-105 Avro Arrow on February 20, 1959, 'Black Friday' in Canadian aviation; the prototypes and Iroquois engines were scrapped and dozens of Avro engineers joined NASA.

Chris Hadfield was the first Canadian to do what in space?

He went on to command the International Space Station during Expedition 35, ending his stay with a rendition of David Bowie's 'Space Oddity'.

The Caesar cocktail, made with Clamato, was invented in 1969 in which city?

Walter Chell, a bartender at the Calgary Inn, created the Caesar in 1969 for the opening of the hotel's Italian restaurant, mixing vodka, Clamato, Worcestershire and hot sauce.

In which year did Snag, Yukon record −63 °C, North America's coldest official temperature?

Snag, a tiny airstrip settlement in the Yukon, recorded −63 °C on February 3, 1947, the lowest official temperature ever measured in North America.

What share of the vote did the 'No' side win in the 1995 sovereignty referendum?

The No side took 50.58% to Yes's 49.42% in the October 30, 1995 Quebec referendum, a margin of 54,288 votes on a turnout above 93%.

Iqaluit was known by what name from 1942 until 1987?

The settlement grew from a 1942 US air base and was called Frobisher Bay until January 1, 1987, when its Inuktitut name Iqaluit ('place of many fish') was restored; it became Nunavut's capital in 1999.

Canada's national capital was founded in 1826 under what name?

Bytown was founded in 1826 and named for Colonel John By, who built the Rideau Canal; it was renamed Ottawa in 1855 and chosen as capital by Queen Victoria in 1857.

Wayne Gretzky was born and raised in which Ontario city?

Wayne Gretzky was born in Brantford, Ontario in 1961 and learned the game on a backyard rink his father built; he retired in 1999 holding 61 NHL records.

How many Stanley Cups had the Montreal Canadiens won by the year 2000?

24 Stanley Cups, the last of them in 1993; the Canadiens are the only NHL club older than the league itself.

Which 1985 dystopian novel by Margaret Atwood is set in the Republic of Gilead?

The Handmaid's Tale (1985) won the first Arthur C. Clarke Award and a Governor General's Award; its 2019 sequel The Testaments brought Atwood a second Booker Prize.

Before being renamed in 1982, Canada Day was officially known as what?

Canada Day was called Dominion Day from 1879 until October 1982, when Parliament renamed it in the same year the constitution was patriated.

Which April 1917 battle was the first where all four Canadian divisions fought together?

At Vimy Ridge, April 9–12, 1917, all four divisions of the Canadian Corps attacked together for the first time and took a ridge the Germans had held since 1914.

Which D-Day beach was assaulted by the 3rd Canadian Infantry Division on 6 June 1944?

Juno Beach, between the British beaches Gold and Sword, ran from Courseulles to Saint-Aubin-sur-Mer; the 3rd Canadian Infantry Division landed there on June 6, 1944, suffering about 1,000 casualties.

The earliest published Canadian butter tart recipe (1900) came from which Ontario city?

The earliest known butter tart recipe appeared in 1900 in a cookbook of the Royal Victoria Hospital women's auxiliary in Barrie, Ontario; the runny-versus-firm filling debate has never been settled.

The exposed rock of the Canadian Shield dates mostly from which geologic era?

The Canadian Shield's exposed rock is Precambrian, mostly more than 540 million years old; the Acasta Gneiss in the Northwest Territories, about 4 billion years old, is among the oldest rock on Earth.

Painter Emily Carr's first book, a 1941 Governor General's Award winner, was titled what?

Klee Wyck, meaning 'Laughing One', was the name Nuu-chah-nulth people gave Emily Carr at Ucluelet; her 1941 collection of sketches under that title won the Governor General's Award for non-fiction.

In their first NBA Finals in 2019, which defending champions did the Raptors face?

Kawhi Leonard, acquired the previous summer for DeMar DeRozan, led the Raptors past a Warriors side making its fifth straight Finals.

Where was the CPR's ceremonial last spike driven on November 7, 1885?

The last spike was driven at Craigellachie in British Columbia's Eagle Pass on November 7, 1885; Donald Smith bent the first spike he tried and the iron was cut up for souvenirs.

In which Ontario city was the Hawaiian pizza invented in 1962?

Greek-born Sam Panopoulos first put canned pineapple and ham on a pizza at his Satellite Restaurant in Chatham, Ontario, in 1962, naming it after the pineapple brand.