Dear Canada Trivia Quiz

Answer: 1608 Quebec City

Samuel de Champlain had made a previous trip to North America in 1603 as an observer under the supervision of his uncle of François Grave Du Pont.

He made a second expedition that lasted for several years starting in 1605 under the sponsorship of a noble Pierre Dugua de Mons. He founded a winter settlement at Saint Croix Island in the St. Croix River. After a nasty winter, he moved his party across Fundy Bay where the group established Port Royal. Dugua wanted a permanent fur trading settlement on the St Lawrence River so in 1608, on July 3, Samuel de Champlain arrived at the "point of Quebec" He built a fort with a moat. This was the start of Quebec City and it still is the only walled city in North America.

Answer: 1670

Pierre-Esprit Radisson and Medard des Groseilliers, two French traders sought French approval for a plan to establish a trading post on Hudson's Bay. This would reduce the cost of moving furs across land to the St Lawrence River. The French refused so the Frenchmen went to London where the reigning monarch liked the idea (for the English) and approved of the plan. This was formalised by charter which granted the company a monopoly of trade in Hudson's Bay and ownership of all lands drained by rivers flowing into the Bay. This represented 15% of North American lands, however the boundaries of Rupert's Land (named after King Charles' son) were not defined.
The Hudson's Bay Company facilitated an English presence and increased competition for the fur trade. The establishment at Hudson's Bay broke the French fur monopoly and set the scene for a showdown between the English and the French for the control of what was to become Canada.

The Hudson's Bay Company functioned as a quasi-government for the English colony until effective legislation could be enacted.

Answer: The Treaty of Ghent

Between 1756-1763, the Seven Years War or French and Indian War was fought between France and England for control of New France. On September 13, 1759
the decisive Battle of the Plains of Abraham gave the British, a victory in the War. February 10, 1763 was an historic day as the Treaty of Paris ended the Seven Years War. France surrendered New France, now called Quebec, to Great Britain.

The Treaty of Ghent was the peace treaty that ended the War of 1812 between the United State of America and Great Britain and her allies over the North American borders. Parts of what is now Ontario were returned to Great Britain. Part of the Upper Michigan peninsula and Maine were returned to USA. Pre-war borders were thus restored. The Treaty of Ghent was signed by both sides on December 24, 1814, in Ghent, a city in the United Netherlands. The treaty was approved by the UK parliament and signed into law by the future King George IV on December 30, 1814. but it took some time for this news to reach the US as the American forces under Andrew Jackson won the Battle of New Orleans on January 8, 1815. The Treaty of Ghent was ratified by the U.S. Senate unanimously on February 17, 1815.

Answer: The British North America Act of 1867

Delegates from the Maritime colonies: Nova Scotia; New Brunswick; and Prince Edward Island met in Charlottetown, PEI, in September 1864 to discuss federation. Newfoundland was notified but could not attend in time. The Province of Canada, comprising what is now Ontario and Quebec, also asked to be included. The majority favoured confederation after a subsequent conference was held in Quebec a month later. 72 resolutions were made at the Quebec Conference but the Act itself added one more; the sovereignty of the British Crown.

There was remarkably only three years between the two conferences and the confederation of Canada. The Act was signed by Queen Victoria on 22 March 1867 with the caveat of 'not being more than six months of passing this act, the provinces of Canada, Nova Scotia and New Brunswick shall form and be one dominion under the name of Canada.' and, further 'Canada shall be divided into four provinces, named Ontario, Quebec, Nova Scotia and New Brunswick. It was achieved in less than four months when the Dominion of Canada was proclaimed on July 1 1867.

Answer: Craigellachie, British Columbia

British Columbia joined the Confederation of Canada in 1871 on the proviso a route be devised to connect it by land to eastern Canada. A road was considered but rejected so railroad plans were developed, knowing the Rockies,the Selkirk Mountains and the Blackfoot First Nation were large issues to overcome. The Selkirk Mountains were considered the biggest obstacle as no known passage through them was known. A surveyor named Major Albert Bowman Rogers found a pass through the mountains, three years later and the subsequent pass was named after him. The railway commenced its' first spike in Bonfield, Ontario in 1881 and ended in Craigellachie in 1885. The last spike was driven in by CPR Director, Donald Smith.

The Canadian Pacific Railroad was more than just a train line. It was a symbol of national unity. Other transport infrastructure such as connecting railroads and shipping terminals on the Great Lakes were constructed to support this critical transport system.

Answer: The Battle of Vimy Ridge

The Battle of Vimy Ridge was fought in the Nord-Pas-de-Calais region of France, during the First World War. The main military forces were all four divisions of the Canadian Corps and the First Army against the German 6th Army with three divisions. The battle for higher ground was fought from 9 to 12 April 1917.

The Canadian Corps captured the German-held higher ground of Vimy Ridge, an escarpment over four days The German Army then retreated back to the Oppy-Méricourt line.

The battle was the first occasion when all four divisions of the Canadian Expeditionary Force fought in one place at the same time. It became a symbol of Canadian national achievement and unity It was also a place of sacrifice: sacrifice. Nearly 3600 Canadians died. Four Victoria Crosses were awarded.
In 1936, part of the former battleground became a memorial park when it was unveiled by King Edward VIII.

* This is conjecture. It is unknown whether the General acknowledged his Canadian counterparts at the time. Sir Julien became the Governor-General of Canada in 1921.

Answer: Insulin

in October 1920, Canadian Frederick Banting, concluded that previous investigators had reasoned that some some substance in the pancreas lowered blood sugar but was unable to isolate this substance. He went to the University of Toronto seeking funding and lab space to prove his hypothesis. He and his lab assistant Charles Best were able to isolate the compound, eventually called insulin, and was able to demonstrate it lowered blood sugar on a diabetic frog. He was then able to use the compound (on the second attempt) to save the life of a 14 year old diabetic boy whose life was prolonged for another 13 years with insulin treatment. The said prize was awarded to a University of Toronto team including Dr Banting who shared his prize with his lab assistant.

Without doubt this was one of the greatest scientific discoveries of the 20th century.

Answer: Universal Health Care System

The Premier of Saskatchewan was instrumental in obtaining free hospitals in his province. He introduced medical insurance reform in 1946-7, and before he left office in 1961 he steered the province towards universal medicare. This was a hard fought battle replete with doctors strikes, but other provinces took note and implemented similar programs over time. In 1958 another Saskatchewan politician, recently elected Prime Minister, John Diefenbaker, promised federal support, The result is Canada has universal health coverage (called Medicare) for its citizens with the private sector playing a much smaller role in health care than in other countries. Canada now has one of the best health Care systems in the world.

Answer: No. He had to abandon the run as he was suffered a recurrence of cancer symptoms whist running

Terry Fox was born in Winnipeg Manitoba in 1958. He was a talented athlete in high school and college but was diagnosed with osteosarcoma, which required his leg to be amputated. Undaunted he walked with a prosthetic leg after three weeks post-amputation and became a national Wheelchair basketball athlete.

He was appalled about how little money was given to cancer research so he decided he would run from the eastern Canadian seaboard to the Western seaboard, a distance of approximately 15 000 kilometres, running a marathon distance of 42 kilometres a day. What was remarkable was he could not run like a two legged runner.

The springs in his prosthetic leg needed time to reset with each stride so he had to hop step on his good leg. His injuries were numerous but he persevered.

After 143 days and 5,373 kilometres (3,339 mi), he developed chest symptoms and was diagnosed with cancer in his lungs. He had to abandon his run. He died on 28 June 1981 aged 22. When he set out on his run, he wanted to raise $24 million CAD, a dollar for each Canadian.

His efforts have raised over $750 Million CAD. He became a national hero by inspiring others and his legacy is large.

Answer: April 1982

Whilst Pierre Trudeau was Canada's third longest prime Minister when he left office in 1984, he had had two separate terms. With the answer options the 1982 answer was the only option in which he was in office.

On April 17, 1982, Queen Elizabeth II and Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau, signed the Proclamation which brought the Constitution Act, 1982 into force. This act enabled Canada to assume authority over its constitution, which was the last step to full sovereignty. It thereby repealed The British North America Act, 1867, the very act that created Canada has a country.
The Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms is a bill of rights to protect certain "political rights, legal rights and human rights of people in Canada" from the policies and actions of all levels of government. Additionally the Charter unified Canadians around "a set of principles that embody those rights" This bill of rights (written in English and French of course) is a significant document and other countries with no, or an outdated bill of rights, could view this bill as a template for change.