Climate and nature of Canada

Canada is situated in the northern part of the North American continent. It is washed by the Pacific Ocean in the west, by the Atlantic Ocean in the east and by the Arctic Ocean and its seas in the north. That is why the climate and the nature of Canada are much varied.
The northern parts lie in the subarctic and arctic climatic zones. Most of the northern islands are covered with ice. The bays between them are covered with ice for 9—10 months a year. This territory has a climate with very cold winters and short, cool summers. The average winter temperature is about 35 degrees below zero. The average summer temperature is about 4 degrees above zero.
It contrasts with the rest of the territory, where the climate is moderate. This part gets enough amount of rainfall and heat. In the south there are large areas of fertile soils. The west of the country has a mild and humid climate thanks to a warm Pacific current. The average winter temperature is about 4 degrees above zero there. The average summer temperature is 21 degrees above zero.
The region of the Cordilleras is famous for its beautiful forests. Canadian west is the most attractive part of the country. The snow-capped mountains and ocean bays create a surprisingly beautiful atmosphere. Besides, Canadian south is known for its changeable weather. Sometimes it is too humid, and sometimes it is too dry: the weather can change very quickly. The Niagara Falls situated in that part of the country attracts people from all over the world by its unusual beauty.

Климат и природа Канады
Канада расположена в северной части североамериканского континента. Она омывается Тихим океаном на западе, Атлантическим океаном на востоке и Северно- Ледовитым океаном и его морями на севере. Поэтому климат и природа Канады очень разнообразны.
Северные части страны лежат в субарктических и арктических климатических зонах. Большинство северных островов покрыты льдом. Заливы между ними покрыты льдом в течение 9-10 месяцев в году. Эта территория имеет климат с очень холодной зимой и коротким, прохладным летом. Средняя температура зимой около 35 градусов ниже нуля. Средняя летняя температура составляет около 4 градусов выше нуля.
Это контрастирует с остальной территорией, где климат умеренный. Эта часть получает достаточное количество осадков и высокой температуры. На юге находятся большие площади плодородных почв. Запад страны имеет мягкий и влажный климат, благодаря теплу Тихоокеанского течения. Средняя температура зимой составляет около 4 градусов выше нуля. Средняя летняя температура составляет 21 градус выше нуля.
Область Кордильер славится своими красивыми лесами. Западная Канада является наиболее привлекательной частью страны. Заснеженные горы и океанские бухты создают удивительно красивую обстановку. Кроме того, канадский юг известен своей переменчивой погодой. Иногда здесь слишком влажно, а иногда слишком сухо: погода может меняться очень быстро. Ниагарский водопад, расположенный в этой части страны, привлекает людей со всего мира своей необычайной красотой.

Thanksgiving Canada

 

The Canadian Thanksgiving Day came about because of a combination of traditions. Before the first Europeans arrived in North America, the farmers in Europe held celebrations at harvest time. The farm workers filled a curved goat's horn with fruit and grain to give thanks for their harvest having been a good one. This horn was called a Horn of Plenty.....or a Cornucopia, and the farm workers who started a new life in Canada took this tradition with them.

In Newfoundland in 1578, the English navigator Martin Frobisher held a ceremony to give thanks for surviving the long journey. He was later knighted and had an inlet of the Atlantic Ocean in Northern Canada named after him.....Frobisher Bay. As other settlers arrived they continued these ceremonies.

In 1621, in what is now the United States of America, the Pilgrims celebrated their harvest in the New World. By the 1750's settlers moving to Canada from America had taken this celebration to Nova Scotia. At the same time, French settlers arriving in Canada with the explorer Samuel de Champlain held thanksgiving feasts and shared their food with their Indian neighbours. After the seven years war ended in 1763 the citizens of Halifax held a special day of Thanksgiving.

At the time of the American Revolution, the people who remained loyal to the Government in England moved to Canada and spread the Thanksgiving celebration to other parts of the country. Other English settlers were also used to having a harvest celebration in their churches every Autumn.

In 1879 the Canadian Parliament declared the 6th November as a day of Thanksgiving and a national holiday. Over the years the date has changed with the third Monday in October being the most popular time. Finally on the 31st January 1957 the Canadian Parliament proclaimed that....

'A Day of General Thanksgiving to Almighty God
for the bountiful harvest with which Canada has
been blessed.....to be observed on the second Monday in October.'

Canada.

 

 Canada is the second largest country in the world. Only Russia is larger. Canada is slightly larger than the United States but has about one-tenth as many people. Three-fourths of all Canadians live within 100 miles of the USA.  Ottawa is the capital of Canada. Toronto is the largest city. Both cities are in the province of Ontario.

  Canada is an independent, self-governing nation -  a federation or union of ten provinces and three territories. The Constitution Act of 1982 continued recognition of the British monarch, Queen Elizabeth II, as the queen of Canada. The position symbolizes Canada's historic ties to the United Kingdom which entirely ruled Canada until 1848. At that time, Canada began to gain some control of its domestic affairs; however, the UK continued to govern Canada's foreign affairs. In 1931, Canada became a fully independent nation.

 

 About one third of all Canadians came from England, Ireland, Scotland, and Wales. Other large ethnic  groups represented are Germans, Italians and Asians.   The Canadian government recognizes both English and French as official languages. French Canadians are near eighty percent of Quebec Province's population. Native people, American Indians and Inuit, comprise a small percentage of the nation's population.

 

 Canada has got a lot of natural resources. European settlers discovered a land of clear lakes and rivers, prairies, and forests that supported vast numbers of projects and fur-bearing animals. There were rich farm lands and coastal fisheries. The forests became important sources of timber for shipbuilding and construction. Today, Canadian forests make Canada the leading producer of paper for newsprint.  Canada also is a leader in the generation of hydroelectric power. The country also has abundant deposits of petroleum, iron ore, and other minerals that provide the raw materials to maintain Canada as a leading manufacturing nation.