Canadian culture and symbols: the essentials for the citizenship test
Symbols, anthems, sports, the arts and national holidays are presented in the Discover Canada guide (pp. 25 and 26, then 38 to 41). Here are the essentials, summed up from our study sheet 6.
National symbols
| Symbol | To remember | Page |
|---|---|---|
| The flag | First raised in 1965; red-white-red design based on the Royal Military College flag in Kingston; red and white have been the national colours since 1921 | 38 |
| The maple leaf | The best-known symbol, in use since the 1700s | 38 |
| The beaver | Emblem of the Hudson's Bay Company; on the 5-cent coin | 39 |
| The Crown | Symbol of the state for 400 years: Parliament, the courts, the police, the Armed Forces | 38 |
| The coat of arms | Motto A mari usque ad mare, "from sea to sea" | 38 |
| The fleur-de-lys | Symbol of the French monarchy, adopted by Quebec in 1948 | 38 |
The RCMP (the "Mounties") and the Snowbirds are also Canadian icons.
The anthems
- O Canada, the national anthem, proclaimed in 1980 and first sung in Quebec City in 1880 (p. 40).
- God Save the King, the royal anthem, played to honour the Sovereign (p. 40).
Sports
- Ice hockey is the national winter sport; the Stanley Cup dates from 1892 (p. 39).
- Lacrosse, of Indigenous origin, is the national summer sport.
- Canadian football is the 2nd most popular sport; the Grey Cup dates from 1909.
- Basketball was invented by Canadian James Naismith in 1891.
Athletes to know: Wayne Gretzky, Terry Fox (Marathon of Hope, 1980), Rick Hansen (around the world in a wheelchair, 1985), Donovan Bailey and Chantal Petitclerc (p. 26).
Arts and letters
- The Group of Seven (1920) painted Canada's rugged wilderness; Tom Thomson painted The Jack Pine; Emily Carr painted the West Coast.
- Writers: Stephen Leacock, Louis Hémon, Margaret Laurence, Mordecai Richler, Joy Kogawa.
- Filmmakers: Denys Arcand, Norman Jewison, Atom Egoyan. And Cirque du Soleil.
(See the guide, p. 25.)
National holidays
| Date | Holiday |
|---|---|
| January 1 | New Year's Day |
| January 11 | Sir John A. Macdonald Day |
| April 9 | Vimy Day |
| Monday before May 25 | Victoria Day (Sovereign's birthday) |
| June 24 | Fête Nationale (Quebec) |
| July 1 | Canada Day |
| 1st Monday in September | Labour Day |
| 2nd Monday in October | Thanksgiving |
| November 11 | Remembrance Day (red poppy, silence at 11 a.m.) |
| November 20 | Sir Wilfrid Laurier Day |
| December 25 and 26 | Christmas Day and Boxing Day |
The Order of Canada
Created in 1967, for the centennial of Confederation, it is the country's highest civilian honour. Anyone can nominate someone (p. 41).
Test yourself
Summary taken from our study sheet 6; see the Discover Canada guide, pp. 25 and 26, and 38 to 41.