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Home The Canadian Flag Defining Moments in Canadian History Did You Know…? Flag Do's and Don'ts Challenge Yourself! Participate! Teachers' Corner Canadian Heritage Home Page |
How Did You Do?The Birth of a NationThe Fathers of Confederation and the Dominion of Canada1. The British North America Act, 1867 (Constitution Act, 1867) that created Canada gave it an official title. What was it? a) Dominion of Canada. The issue of our country's legal title was one of the few points on which our constitution is not entirely homemade. The Fathers of Confederation wanted to call the country “the Kingdom of Canada”. However the British government was afraid of offending the Americans so it insisted on the Fathers finding another title. The term “Dominion” was drawn from Psalm 72. In the realms of political terminology, the term dominion can be directly attributed to the Fathers of Confederation and it is one of the very few, distinctively Canadian contributions in this area. It remains our country's official title. 2. How many of the 36 Fathers of Confederation were later to become Prime Minister of Canada? b) 2. Sir John A. Macdonald became our first Prime Minister in 1867 (1867-1873; 1878-1891) and was knighted by Queen Victoria for his efforts in bringing about Confederation. His role in creating Canada, and the realization of his dream to build a transcontinental railway, have fixed his place as a nation-builder in Canadian history. Sir Charles Tupper has the distinction of being the longest-surviving Father of Confederation at the age of 94 (1821-1915) as well as the Prime Minister with the shortest term of office - 2 months and 7 days (May 1 - July 8, 1896). 3. The discussions and negotiations at the 3 Confederation conferences were oftentimes lengthy, going into the early morning hours. What was the mother tongue of the majority of the Fathers of Confederation? Gaelic. Many of the Fathers, including Sir John A. Macdonald, were either born in Scotland or had parents who had earlier immigrated to Canada. While formal discussions were obviously conducted in English and French, it may have been that many a private conversation between delegates was in the “old tongue.” This too is a fascinating part of our country's rich history and heritage. Cum a Ghaldhlig Suas! (Keep up the Gaelic!) A Nation Forged in Battle and HonourThe Canadian Victory at Vimy Ridge1. The initial artillery barrage that began some 3 weeks before the Canadians stormed the ridge was so intense that it could be heard in a) London. In a 3 week period before the battle, more than 1,000,000 shells had been fired into German trenches. Over 1,000 cannons of various descriptions, from British navy guns mounted on railway cars miles behind the battlefield lines to portable pieces dragged into place by horses, mules or soldiers, were used. Bearing the scars of bombardment to this day, Vimy Ridge was given to Canada by the Government of France and is the site of a magnificent memorial that features a 30 tonne limestone figure carved from a single block of stone. The hooded figure represents Canada gazing down and over the Douai Plain. Its twin pillars bear the names of roughly 11,000 Canadian soldiers who died in France and who lie buried there. Having taken 11 years to build at a cost of $1.5 million, it was unveiled by King Edward VIII in July 1936. It was designated a Canadian National Historic Site in 1997. 2. A local story of the time: when told of the victory, a French soldier said “That is impossible!” When told it was the Canadians, he responded: “Ah the Canadians.... c) It is possible!”. The gratitude of the citizens of France for the sacrifices of Canadian soldiers was immediate and immeasurable. Canada had forged for itself a special place in the hearts of others and, for itself, a place on the international stage as a proud and confident nation. The Canadian success at Vimy marked a significant turning point for the war effort. The Canadian record, crowned by the victory at Vimy Ridge, won Canada a chair 2 years later as a separate signatory to the Treaty of Versailles. At home and abroad, Canada had truly come of age as a nation. 3. As they stormed the ridge carrying approximately 32 kilograms of equipment, Canadian troops were burdened with the all-pervasive mud that exploded around them. Can you guess how much? c) 32 kilograms. Many military experts venture to guess that Canadian soldiers most probably carried mud on their uniform and equipment that was equal to the weight of their equipment. It is doubly astonishing that, even with the burden of approximately 64 kilograms, our troops forged forward with a determination and commitment that was second to none. Even with the difficulties of climbing in and out of the numerous trenches and craters while under enemy fire, the Canadians exhibited the finest qualities of commitment and dedication to purpose. It was fitting that, beyond the awarding of 4 Victoria Crosses, the entire Canadian contingent was commended as being an elite fighting corps. Giving Canada Its Own VoiceThe Statute of Westminster, 19311. The Statute of Westminster, 1931 granted Canada autonomy except in one important area. What was it? b) The constitution. The Statute stated that: the British Parliament could no longer nullify laws in the dominions; the dominions could make their own extra-territorial laws; and British law no longer applied to the dominions. The one area to which it did not apply was in relation to revision of the acts of parliament upon which the constitutions of the dominions were founded. In Canada's case, this was the British North America Act, 1867 (Constitution Act, 1867). It was only in 1982, some 51 years later, that Canada patriated its constitution from the United Kingdom and finally claimed complete control, including the inclusion of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms. 2. The Statute applied to Canada, New Zealand, the Irish Free State, the Commonwealth of Australia, the Union of South Africa and one other. It was a) Newfoundland. Newfoundland was a dominion within the Empire and never officially adopted the Statute. By 1933, the Great Depression combined with other factors, brought the Newfoundland government close to bankruptcy. Consequently, it asked the British government to suspend the legislature. A governor and a 6-member Commission of Government ruled Newfoundland from 1934 to 1949, when it became the 10th province in Confederation. The name of the province was changed by a constitutional amendment in December 2001 to “Newfoundland and Labrador.” 3. Why should all Canadians be indebted to a doctor by the name of O. D. Skelton? Dr. O. D. Skelton was recruited from Queen's University in Kingston by Prime Minister Mackenzie King in 1925. Serving as one of Canada's senior public servants (head of the Department of External Affairs), he travelled to a London, England conference in the fall of 1929 to negotiate terms of independence for Canada's internal and external policies. Working closely with other nations over the course of 2 months, he drafted much of the final report and built the coalitions that made consensus possible. The 1930 conference recommended the passage of an act by the British Parliament that would eliminate Britain's authority to make laws for Canada, except for certain areas that had been agreed upon such as the Constitution. It was Skelton's masterful powers of persuasion that ultimately led to Royal Assent being given on December 11, 1931 to the Statute of Westminster. With Flying Colours!The National Flag of Canada1. Who designated red and white as Canada's official colours? c) King George V – 1921. Red and white were designated Canada's colours by King George V on November 21, 1921 in the proclamation of the Royal Arms of Canada — Canada's coat of arms. Red and white had long been present as the colours of England and France. Indeed, from medieval times, each nation was distinguished by a cross of a different colour — France had a red cross on its banners while England used a white cross. 2. What is the symbolic significance of the 11-pointed maple leaf on the flag? There is none. The maple leaf, as found on the national flag, is a stylized design. The symbolism lies in the maple leaf itself, which is the traditional emblem of Canada. Over the years, many believed that there was one point for each of the 10 provinces and one for the territories combined. However, the 11-pointed design was a simplified version of a typical maple leaf that could be easily drawn by children and that, when fluttering in the wind, would resemble a real maple leaf. 3. How many flag designs were reviewed by the parliamentary committee in 1964? b) 5,900. The parliamentary committee studied 2,000 submitted designs as well as 3,900 that had been accumulated as a result of the 1945-46 committee study. Those designs with a chance of being accepted were provided to the full committee for greater study. Posted over the walls of the committee room, the submissions came in all shapes and sizes and on a variety of materials. Designs were submitted on wrapping paper, tissue paper, wallpaper, cardboard, bristol board, mat board, pieces of cloth and other materials. A Declaration of Who We AreThe Charter of Rights and Freedoms1. Since 1982, Canadian courts have rendered decisions in which they invoke the Charter in order to bring Canadian laws into accordance with the principles and values of Canadian society. How many? More than... c) 300. The Supreme Court of Canada rendered its first decision on the Charter in 1984, in the Skapinker Case. Since then, the Supreme Court has rendered more than 360 rulings on the Charter. Former Chief Justice Brian Dickson said that the advent of the Charter was the most important event since the adoption of federalism in 1867. The Charter is considered by a majority of Canadians to be both an important symbol and defining attribute of being Canadian. 2. Canada has a long history of championing human rights around the world. Whose draft, not discovered until the 1990s, served as the foundation for the Universal Declaration of Human Rights? b) John Peters Humphrey. In 1946, the fledgling United Nations chose Canadian John Peters Humphrey as the first director of its Human Rights Division. In this role, Humphrey, a former McGill University law professor, became principal drafter of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights — a document of enormous importance to people struggling for basic human rights around the world. He was instrumental in finding solutions for many Canadian and international human rights problems and helped to launch Amnesty International Canada and to create the Canadian Human Rights Foundation. 3. The Charter of Rights and Freedoms builds on the foundation of which piece of legislation passed by Parliament in 1960? The Canadian Bill of Rights is a law passed by Parliament in 1960 that required that all federal statutes protect certain rights such as freedom of speech, freedom of association and assembly, freedom of religion, freedom of the press and guarantees of equality. Most of the provisions in the Canadian Bill of Rights are now contained in the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms which is entrenched in the Constitution. It was at the same time that Canada, under the leadership of Prime Minister Diefenbaker, became a leader in the Commonwealth and world in the fight against the reprehensible system of apartheid in South Africa. |
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| Date modified: 2007-05-23 | Important Notices |