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Canada 101. Presented by Don Alper, Program Director and Tina Storer, Program Coordinator STUDY CANADA Summer Institute for K-12 Educators Ottawa, ON - July 3, 2011. What do students know about Canada?. North Hockey Polar bears/igloos Long cold winters Maple Leaf
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Canada 101 Presented by Don Alper, Program Director and Tina Storer, Program Coordinator STUDY CANADA Summer Institute for K-12 Educators Ottawa, ON - July 3, 2011
What do students know about Canada? • North • Hockey • Polar bears/igloos • Long cold winters • Maple Leaf • Anne of Green Gables • Totems What does it mean to be Canadian? “I am Canadian” Commercial
The Basics: National Symbols • National Animal? • National Anthem? • National Sport? • National Flag? • National Crest? • National Language(s)? Oh Canada! Hello! / Bonjour!
The Basics: Geography • 2nd largest country (after Russia) • Canada is larger than the US by the size of Texas • Total population approx. 33 million • Canada has 1/10th the US population–approx. 300 million) • 10 Provinces, 3 Territories • National Capital: Ottawa • Like US states, each province/territory has its own capital as well.
The Basics: Our Shared Past • First Peoples • European Exploration and Settlement • Colonial Past • Modern Nations of Immigrants • Long-standing and Strong Economic Ties • Social Connections – Similar Values and Cultures • Nations shaped by War (American Revolution, War of 1812 and American Civil War) • Defense Partners (NORAD, NATO, WW I & II, Korea, Afghanistan) • Unique border security cooperation & joint law enforcement
The Basics: Government Both Canada and the US… • are democracies; • have a written Constitution; • have a Senate; and… US Congress Canadian Parliament
have a Head of Government who • appoints members to his Cabinet • (Secretary of Defense / Minister of Defense) President Prime Minister Barack Obama Stephen Harper BUT…
Canada is also very different because it... • is a Constitutional Monarchy; • Is a member of the British Commonwealth; • has a Parliamentary form of government; • has the Queen as Head of State (not Prime Minister); • has a Governor General who represents the Queen. Her Majesty, the Queen, Elizabeth II
Also, Canadians vote for political parties in elections, not for the Prime Minister (“P.M.”).
Support for Teaching/Learning More • Two US Department of Education-designated • National Resource Centers on Canada in the US • offer K-12 education outreach support: • 1) Pacific Northwest NRC (WWU and U Washington) • 2) Northeast NRC (U Maine and SUNY Plattsburgh) • Note: “STUDY CANADA” also benefits from an annual Embassy of Canada Grant (DFAIT, • Education Section). Also appreciated are partnerships with the US Embassy in • Ottawa, the US Consulate General in Montréal, the Government of Québec, the • Université du Québec à Montréal, the Canada-America Society of Washington, • Harper Collins Publishers and all exhibitors at the STUDY CANADA Resource Fair.
There is so much more you will learn this week. Please let us know your questions/concerns as your knowledge of Canada grows. Thank you for your interest in teaching Canada. Merci!