WHY CANADA?
There is unlimited opportunity and potential to be found in Canada’s fast growing and industrialized economy. As one of the riches countries, Canada also offers the highest standard of living while decreasing taxes and strengthening their economy with a 2.3% inflation rate.
Canadians also get to keep an increasing amount of their income each year, with the average annual income being around $40,000. The economy continues to improve with the lowest unemployment rate since 1976 (6.8%) and hundreds of thousands of new jobs created annually. Aside from the economic facts and statistics, the currency in Canada is truly awesome. They use colorful paper money, one dollar coins (Loonies) and two dollar coins (Toonies).
Canadians consider health care to be a fundamental right. This is why free healthcare is such an important part of what makes Canada awesome. While the process may be slower, the quality of health care is among the highest in the world, and everyone has access to the medical treatment that they need. The cost of recovery is never a concern, no matter what health challenges you face. The access to social assistance programs and affordable housing also contribute to the overall wellbeing and health of the nation that takes care of its people.
Aside from free health care, there is a social health consciousness that can be seen in traditions like the Wednesday yoga class on the lawn of the nation’s capital. Every Wednesday in the summertime, yoga enthusiasts can join in on this one hour yoga class tradition that has included as many as 2,500 people at one time, and averages 1,000 participants per class.
Canada spends more money on the education of their citizens than any other nation. Primary and secondary education are free along with post-secondary studies. Canadian colleges and universities are known for the superb reputations throughout the world. Canada is also the most educated country in the world with the highest proportion of college graduates at 51% (Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development Report on Global Education).
Canada is a truly multicultural country with a rich ethnic diversity… and we’re proud of it! Multiculturalism was even adopted in Canada as a national policy. For example, Canada recognized dual citizenship, it supports media such as newspapers, etc. in several languages (Portuguese, Italian, Arabic, Chinese…), it encourages minorities’ representation in the work force and in education and it offers support and help for newcomers in Canada (translation services, immigration advices etc.).
Canada is a country that is entirely multicultural and even has an official national policy of multiculturalism. Some examples of this policy include having media (like newspapers) in several languages, including Italian, Chinese, Portuguese, Arabic, etc. Canada also encourages immigrants and minorities to hold onto their cultures and represent their nationality in education and the work force. They offer services for translation and immigration advices to support newcomers.
Canada is a wonderful example to the world as a leader in cultural diversity, tolerance, peaceful society, and safety. They legalized same-sex marriage in 2005 (4th country to do this), and they keep their citizens safer with the lowest crime rates that continue to decline thanks to a fair justice system, strict gun control laws, and community policing.
Because Canada is such a large country, their population is small in comparison with one of the lowest population densities in the world. There are ten provinces and three territories with motto of Ad Mari Usque Ad Mare (From Sea to Sea). There is a whole lot of space across the mountains and prairies and between British Columbia and the Maritimes with numerous roads, mixed ethnicity neighborhoods, unique language quirks, and intriguing cultural diversity.
Canada is famous for the gorgeous scenery and uninhabited land. The views of the untouched and natural environment are breathtaking and composed of beautiful lakes and rivers. There are three oceans, mountains, plains, and some of the most attractive cities in the world, like Toronto.
Then there is the view of the Aurora Borealis (Northern Lights) from sites like Yellowknife where the nights are clear, the landscape is flat, and the Northern Lights are perfectly visible. You can also view the beauty of giant icebergs from shore or on a tour boat. Iceberg Alley is a famous location where ice bergs from western Greenland glaciers float down an amazing path. Then there is one of the most dynamic bays in the world where people can walk or paddle through an area where more than 100 billion tons of water flows in and out each day. Fundy Bay stretches from Nova Scotia to New Brunswick and the powerful tides expose fossils and sometimes rise over 50 feet. There are some places, like Hopewell Rocks, N.B., where one can kayak in an area that will be dry ocean floor by the end of the day.
Canada is filled with famous attractions and awe inspiring scenery that combine to make this country one of the most awesome places to live or visit in the world. There are small towns like Balm Beach, Deep River, Niagara on the Lake and Rapides-des-Joachims. There are large famous cities like Montreal, Toronto, and Vancouver. There are attractions like the Thousand Islands and Niagara Falls. And of course, there are the Northern Lights and Ice, beautiful bays, mountain skylines, and enormous icebergs. When it comes to scenery, Canada is hard to beat.
Wildlife is a major part of the identity of Canada. When a wildlife enthusiast leaves the cities, they will find polar bears, moose, whales, 462 species of birds, and much more. The greatest diversity of birds can be found in Ontario and British Columbia, and the common loon is Canada’s national bird.
When it comes to whales, one of the most popular attractions is the springtime migration of around 20,000 Gray Whales which swim towards the western coast of Vancouver Island to get to the Bering Sea where they feed during the summer. The round trip of the Gray Whales is 16,000 to 22,500 kilometers and they can be seen from shore or from tour boats. There is even an annual Pacific Rim Whale Festival celebrated in the middle of March by Tofino Ucluelet and Pacific Rim National Park Reserve.
Then you have the Orca (Killer Whales) who are fearsome and easily recognizable predators of belugas, seals, and other whales. These animals are fast, moving up to 40 kilometers per hour with their aerodynamic bodies and black and white coloring being instantly recognized by anyone along the Inside Passage to Alaska or Vancouver Island.
If you happen to find yourself in Ontario, visiting Cochrane will give you the chance to get as close as you can to swimming with real polar bears. There is a small wading pool which is right next to the polar bear pool and visitors get their pictures taken with 740 pound polar bears, with a strong and thick plexiglass separating each person from the danger of powerful bear.
Some of our favorite foods come from Canada, like Hawaiian Pizza that, as it turns out, isn’t from Hawaii at all. With pineapple, ham, and even mushrooms sometimes, this pizza was created by Canadian pizzeria owner in Sam Panopoulosof Chatham, Ontario in 1962.
Then, you’ve got Tim Hortons which has expanded into the United States and offers some of the best coffee and Maple Dipped Doughnuts in the world