module 5 Canada Unit BEFORE READING Answer these questions. a. Can you identify the three symbols of Canada? b. Why do you think they are associated with Canada? c. Which do you think has been a symbol of Canada the longest/the shortest time? Canada in brief The federal nation of Canada comprises 10 provinces and 3 territories. The capital city, Ottawa, is on the St. Lawrence River about halfway between the country s two most important cities: Montréal (Québec province) to the northeast of Ottawa and Toronto (Ontario province) to the southwest. The country s third most important city, Vancouver (British Columbia province), lies on Canada s Pacific Ocean side. The Atlantic town of Halifax (Nova Scotia province) has always played and continues to play an important role in Canada s, military, shipping and fishing sectors. This enormous (9,970,610 km2) country is known for its magnificent scenery: over 10% of Canada has been set aside in 37 national parks. The oldest (1885) and most popular of these is Banff National Park (Alberta province) in the Canadian Rocky Mountains. 80% of Canadians live within 150 km of the U.S. border to the south; the climatically inhospitable northern areas are very sparsely populated. The Yukon Territory, on the far western border with Alaska, saw a temporary population surge during the Klondike gold rush between 1896 and 1898. The Nunavut Territory, situated between the Northwest Territories and Hudson Bay, is unique because it is a large political unit with an indigenous majority: 85% of its approximately 25,000 inhabitants are Inuit, more commonly known as Eskimos. ACTIVITIES 1 After discussing the symbols of Canada, listen and fill in the chart. Name ................................. Name ................................. Name ................................. Why associated with Canada ..................... Why associated with Canada ..................... Why associated with Canada ..................... ........................................... ........................................... ........................................... A symbol since ................. A symbol since ................. A symbol since ................. Other details .................... Other details .................... Other details .................... ........................................... ........................................... ........................................... ........................................... ........................................... ........................................... 2 After reading Text 1, highlight the places on the map on p. 70.