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Culture and society

Canadians are overall a polite people, and slightly more reserved than their southern neighbors. The values of the country are largely respect, peace, and good government.

Canada is culturally diverse. In other words, Canada is populated by people who have come from every part of the world. This goes back to the 1890s when it began inviting people from all over the world to settle in the country to help it develop and grow. The heritage of Canada was French and English; however, significant immigration from Asia and Europe's non-French and English countries has broadened Canada's cultural richness.

History

The era in Canada's past, known as Pre-history, describes a period where traditional used European and Western methods of recording and relating history were not present. The story of the aboriginal people of Canada are told through stories, legends, songs and dance. They were passed from generation to generation in a verbal manner much as Homer's Iliad was and sometimes recorded in art forms such as wampum or Totem poles. Archeological digs and projects have done much to undercover the story of pre-European contact and this process has done much to expand the knowledge base and lives of those native people who had arrived 10s of thousands of years ago and 1000 years ago. Additional insight into that world is provided by the first impressions of the explorers and settlers from Europe but as soon as contact was made, the native populations world began to change. Some bands such as the Beothuk did not survive contact and as a race they died out completely with very little knowledge obtained about them. Pre-history ends with the arrival of the Vikings and then more generally with the explorers in the 1490's. Never would the Canadian landscape be the same once the new comers arrived.

European exploration of Australia began in 1606 when a Spanish navigator sailed through the Torres Strait, which separates Australia from Papua New Guinea. Dutch, French and English explorers followed and began to map the continent. The European settlement of Australia began in 1788 when the British established a penal colony at Botany Bay, which is now Sydney, the largest city in Australia. The colony grew as free settlers and migrants arrived in Australia hoping to make a better life.

Climate

Canada Weather. Climate: ... The Canadian winters are cold and long, and in the northern reaches of the country they can be brutal. In the central interior and prairie provinces, the daily average temps (in winter) are near 5°F, with daily lows near -20°F; significantly lower on occasion.

Government

Type of government: Federal Parliamentary Democracy and Constitutional Monarchy. Canada is a federation, which means powers are shared between federal and provincial governments. Head of Government: Prime Minister.

The leader of the Liberal Party of Australia — and Australia’s Prime Minister — is the Hon. Tony Abbott, who was elected in September 2013. The federal government governs the whole of Australia, and the Australian Constitution defines its responsibilities. Responsibilities include matters of quarantine, defence, telecommunications, taxes and welfare. You can find more information at the Australian Government website. Each state and territory government works in cooperation with the Australian Government and is responsible for matters such as police, public schools, roads and transport.

The official Australian flag was designed in 1901 when Australia’s six colonies became a federation. The Union Jack represents Australia’s links to England. The large seven-pointed star represents the states and territories. The five stars on the right represent the Southern Cross constellation, which you can see in the Australian night sky. The Indigenous Australian flag and the Torres Strait Islander flag are also officially recognised as flags of Australia.

Public holidays

There are a number of public holidays celebrated in Australia. During public holidays, workplaces and education providers typically close, but retail stores, entertainment facilities and restaurants may remain open, as well as essential services such as public transport, supermarkets and petrol stations. National public holidays in Australia include the following:

Canada Day — 2nd july: Canada day in 2018 is on July 2 because July 1 falls on a Sunday so the statutory holiday is moved to Monday. This is more straightforward than last year, when Canada day was on a Saturday, as businesses must give Monday off as a day off. But what about people who normally work on Sundays? What if you don't normally work on Mondays? Let us know in the comment section below how it works at your workplace. Canada Day celebrates the birthday of Canada. 150 years ago, On July 1, 1867 Canada became a new federation with its own constitution by signing the Constitution Act - formerly known as the British North America Act. Canada Day is a national statutory holiday celebrated in all provinces and territories and it is a day off for most businesses. There is, of course, a lot more to Canada Day but the purpose of this page is only to give you a date and a brief history. Back to the list of national holidays in Canada.
Victoria Day— 20th May: May 20. Victoria Day is a Canadian statutory holiday celebrated on the Monday preceding May 25 in every province and territory. It honours Queen Victoria's birthday. In Quebec this holiday is called "National Patriotes Day" (Journée nationale des patriotes).
New Year's Day — 1st January: This is certainly easier to remember than holidays that are celebrated on, for example, " the 1st Monday preceding May 25" or the "2nd Monday of February". For those hard to remember holidays we need calendars but for New Year's Eve and Day we only need some ideas to make the year end and beginning memorable and fun!
Easter: Good Friday is the Friday before Easter Sunday and it is a federal statutory holiday across Canada. It's a complicated but precise formula that determines the day Easter Sunday is celebrated: It is the first Sunday after the first full moon in spring (after March 21st) which can occur as early March 22 and as late as April 25.
Christmas Day — December 25th: Christmas Day is a traditional Christian celebration that marks the birth of Jesus Christ. It is celebrated by both Christians and non-Christians alike. Common ways to celebrate Christmas include decorating the home with Christmas lights and Christmas trees, giving gifts, attending religious ceremonies, holding a family feast consisting of roast meat and Christmas pudding (or sometimes a more informal canadians barbeque) and spending time with family. Because Christmas falls during the canadians summer, many Australians like to hold their celebrations outdoors.
Family Day February 18:Family Day is not a national statutory holiday, it is only observed in New Brunswick, Alberta, Manitoba, Ontario, Saskatchewan and in British Columbia. Two other provinces have holidays in February: In PEI Islander Day is celebrated on the 3rd Monday in February and in Manitoba the 3rd Monday in February is the Louis Riel Day holiday.

Individual states and cities also celebrate their own public holidays, which may include celebrations such as Labour Day, Queen's Birthday, agricultural shows and sporting events such as the Melbourne Cup.