Is Canada the greatest country?
Is Canada the best country to live in?
Where does Canada stand?
Population and Immigration
A country of cultures
A sustainable population
An abundance of resources
Our current population density is roughly 4 people per square kilometer. About 80% of the country's land is uninhabited. This creates a vast gap between the number of people and the area of our land. This vast gap has allowed Canadians to live in the luxury of every resource on Earth. The huge area of our country means that it will likely never be over populated. At a healthy population density of 50 people per square kilometer, Canada could easily maintain a population of five hundred million people. From oil and natural gas to agriculture, we have an abundance of everything. This has allowed us to live comfortable lives, while exporting most of what we produce to foreign countries. This has also given us one of the best stable economies in the world.
A very long life
An educated population
Immigrants' hub
- Free Healthcare: Canada has one of the best healthcare systems in the world. Many people choose to come here to escape the outrageous healthcare expenses in their home country.
- Peaceful Atmosphere: Canada hasn't been involved in a war since World War 2 and has excellent diplomatic relations with 180 countries. People come here constantly to escape war and conflict in their home countries.
- Freedom of Speech: Canada has absolute freedom of speech, while protecting the rights of everyone. People come here to escape oppression in home countries.
- Vast job opportunities: According to Stats Canada, there are 18 million active jobs in all sectors in Canada, with thousands created every year. This is the main reason that people come to Canada
Climate and Landforms
A climate for everyone
A balance of seasons
However, the region we live in( Great Lakes and St.Lawrence Lowlands) still has a good climate. Southern Ontario's highest recorded temperature is 40 degrees ( with humidex) and the lowest is around -30. The climate here gives us a full taste of all seasons.
In winter, there are plenty of activities to do here as we receive plenty of snow. Skiing, snowboarding, tobogganing and sledding are all very popular. However, the temperature is still not too low so it us enjoyable, unlike places such as the territories where winter makes life unbearable.
In spring, the snow thaws out and nature is alive once more..It is a very scenic time of the year with plenty of birds and green everywhere.
In summer, the temperature shoots high and lots of activities such as swimming can take place. People tend to enjoy it a lot. It is not as hot as some parts of Saskatchewan, British Columbia, Manitoba and Alberta.
And finally, autumn makes trees lose leaves and turn into a variety of colors, which is very fascinating to see. It is a unique process to view as few places on earth have this season. Autumn also has reasonably good weather with some cold winds and rain.
This has turned Southern Ontario into a popular spots for tourists, especially in the spring and summer. Southern Ontario has a more stable climate mainly because of the great lakes. The Great Lakes have a tempering effect, reducing cold in winter and reducing heat in summer. Regions around the Great Lakes have a humid climate, which makes it easier to bear the freezing winters.
Refreshing B.C
British Columbia has a climate much warmer than the rest of Canada. This has made BC the most popular place for tourists to visit in Canada. Temperatures rarely dip below -10 in winter, and even stay above 0 for the most part. In the summer, the Pacific Ocean again has a major impact on the region's climate. The climate is usually cool, even in the summer.
The Frozen Territories
Resources in landforms
Great Lakes and St.Lawrence Lowlands
The region also comprises the world famous Niagara Falls, one of the largest waterfalls in the world.
Western Cordillera
The Appalachians
The Canadian Shield
Interior Plains
Water, Water and More Water
Canada's economy
Canada
Trade
Agricultural Giant
We produce about 80% of the world's maple syrup
We are the world's largest exporter of flaxseed, canola, pulses and durum wheat
The food and beverage processing industry is one of the largest manufacturing industries in Canada with annual sales worth $98.8 billion. It accounts for 16% of total manufacturing shipments and for 2% of the national GDP. It's the largest manufacturing employer and provides jobs to 283,000 Canadians.
Energy Sector
Canada's hub of controversy: The oil sands
The oil sands in Alberta are one of the largest reserves in the world. They have an estimated 166 billion reserves of oil, and cover an area larger than England. There extraction is one of the most important contributing factors to Canada's economy. It employs an estimated 133,000 people according to Energy Alberta,
Recently, the oil sands have come under major controversy in other Canada and other countries. People have argued that the oil sands extraction causes too much harm to the neighboring first nation communities, causes too much pollution, environmental damage and contaminates the land and water around the refineries and extraction sites. They therefore propose a straightforward solution, to close down the oil sands extraction and look for another source of income to our economy.
I on the other hand, propose the opposite. The oil sands are one of Canada's largest source of income. The estimated worth of the oil in the oil sands is 5.3 trillion dollars if we take the current oil price ( 32$ per barrel). We need that money to support our economy. We can and should think of more effective ways to extract the oil sands and dispose it's waste. That way, we can make sure that everyone is happy. However, if we just stop extracting oil, it will cause our economy to collapse. 133,000 people would lose their jobs directly, along with thousands of others that work in energy companies such as Suncor, Petro Canada, Enbridge and Imperial Oil.
Therefore, we cannot stop extracting oil from the oil sands. The oil sands are an asset too big to give up for Canada. I think that instead of stopping to extract them, we should start looking for new ways to extract them efficiently, while causing little or no harm. Some of these ways could include restoring the land after oil is extracted, storing the emissions from the refineries instead of letting them out in the open, finding ways to store the poisonous waters and toxins that are created from the oil extraction process and communicating with the locals to find a better solution to their problems.
Liveable communities
Settlement Patterns
Dispersed
Grid
Sustainable Cities
Combating Urban Sprawl
References
Agr.gc.ca,. (2015). We Grow a Lot More Than You May Think - Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC). Retrieved 22 January 2016, from http://www.agr.gc.ca/eng/about-us/publications/we-grow-a-lot-more-than-you-may-think/?id=1251899760841
Edudemic.com,. (2016). The Top 10 (And Counting) Education Systems In The World. Retrieved 22 January 2016, from http://www.edudemic.com/learning-curve-report-education/
Government of Canada, S. (2016). Work - Employment Rate / Indicators of Well-being in Canada. Well-being.esdc.gc.ca. Retrieved 22 January 2016, from http://well-being.esdc.gc.ca/misme-iowb/.3ndic.1t.4r@-eng.jsp?iid=13
Mathews, J., & Mathews, V. (2015). The Fact Sheet: Prepare To Be Amazed By Canada’s Agricultural Industry. TalentEgg Career Incubator. Retrieved 22 January 2016, from http://talentegg.ca/incubator/2015/02/16/fact-sheet-canadas-agriculture-industry/
Wikipedia,. (2016). Economy of Canada. Retrieved 22 January 2016, from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Economy_of_Canada
Wikipedia,. (2016). List of the largest trading partners of Canada. Retrieved 22 January 2016, from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_the_largest_trading_partners_of_Canada