January 8, 2016

Hello!
Welcome to my new blog. I wanted to start this blog because I love my country of Canada and want others to learn of it in a unique way. I know it is just as easy to search Canada out on the internet, but I hope to introduce people in a fun way as well. Now, as a disclaimer, I am currently living in Tennessee for awhile, but I am Canadian through and through. Also, my experience of Canada remains mostly West, but I am hoping to learn along with everyone else, more about the Canada I don't know much about. I was born in Ontario, and have only been there a few times, and I haven't been past Ontario.

I wish to have this blog be interactive. (no tests involved!) I would like you Canadians (or even anyone that has visited Canada) to send me photos of your little hamlet to your big cities, whether it is on vacation, animals, birds, buildings, or events and fairs. Anything that shows us the unique and beautiful country we live in.
I will be posting the ones that fit my blog, so don't send me anything of a nature that is not applicable to this blog, or is political, profane, provocative, or plain perverse, please. :)  I want this to be a family blog that teaches, or helps us to learn more, about Canada.
Add a description to your photo so I can add it to the blog. I don't know anything about your little village in P.E.I.
If you have people in your picture, please again, be aware that I will be posting them.
 I will also give credit to the photographer. IE: Photo taken by Carol V. of Calgary, AB.
 Please send me pictures that are .JPEG only.
Also, please ensure that the photo you send me is yours.
Do not send me photos you find on the internet. You can use the "Contact Me" on the sidebar.
Depending on the size, I may edit the photo to fit the blog.



Now that the intros and rules are over, let's begin.

As you can see, Canada has 10 provinces (like States) and 3 Territories. Our smallest province is Prince Edward Island. Canada is the second largest country in the world, but we have much less population than the United States. In 2014, our population was just over 35 million. Our capitol is Ottawa in Ontario, the leader of the country is called a Prime Minister. We have 2 official languages : French and English. Canada is a constitutional monarchy, the head of state being the monarch, currently Queen Elizabeth II. The monarch's representative in Canada is the Governor-General. For the most part, the monarch (through her representative, the Governor-General) is a figurehead, and what little real power she has is reserved for times of crisis.
We celebrate Canada becoming a country on July 1, 1867.
And yes, we do have snow, and plenty of it in the winter. We also have some very hot summers.

Yes, there are people who say `eh', but not after every sentence. :)

So for now, I will leave it at that and add more facts and interesting things about Canada.





Bow Falls in Banff, Alberta
Photo by Carol V