O, Canada - Round-Up Hub - An Insider's Guide to Scenic Canada

"From the Vancouver Island to the Alberta highlands,

'Cross the Prairies, the lakes, to Ontario's towers;

From the sound of Mount Royal's chimes, down to the Maritimes;

Something to sing about, this land of ours!"

In the words of that catchy little tune, “this land of ours” is, indeed, “something to sing about”. It is a land of sharp contrasts: broad vistas and towering mountain peaks, rolling farmlands that give way to modern city towers, small towns and friendly people, the diverse cultural inheritance of our First Nations and Celtic forebears and pioneering immigrants from every nation, and breathtaking scenery at every turn.

Canada is home to world-class tourist attractions, from internationally-renown Banff and Jasper National Parks, to Alberta’s Devonian Gardens and West Edmonton Mall. As well, Canada’s hinterlands play yearly host to hunters and fishermen from Japan, Europe, and the United States.

Growing up on a series of Armed Forces bases afforded me the opportunity to experience this great country from one end to the other. I have been fortunate to live in eight of our ten provinces, and in all three territories. I have yet to enjoy in person the delights of Prince Edward Island, andNewfoundland-Labrador.

This hub of Hubs will host a collection of "things Canadian", from photo-essays on breathtaking Canadian scenery, to anecdotal histories of some of our uniquely Canadian "doings", and introductions to some of Canada's lesser known byways - and along the way, you will come to know why we have "something to sing about."

Daylight Savings Time was a hotly debated topic. Some, notably Westerners and Northerners, saw it as a plot hatched by those "out east" to further regulate their lives. Many Easterners blamed it on the farmers, notably the Prairie farmers, loudly proclaiming that they just wanted to have more free time after the cows were milked - a patently untrue canard as everyone knows farmers have no free time until the winter, and precious little then if they run a mixed farm.

Still other announced it was thought up by government workers, mainly urban dwellers, who wanted an extra hour of daylight so they could head out to the lake with their families in the daylight, and have some extra playtime after work.

As it still tends to be a touchy subject in some areas, the hubs listed here shall be divided by the ideological boundaries referred to in the brief "jogfree" lesson in O, Canada - The Great Flag Debate.

The West Coast

"this designation tends to unfairly include all of British Columbia, and is also known by a number of designation revolving around nuts and flakes, the mildest of which is "California North", referring, I am sure to the climate, rather than any political disposition. Home to rhododendron trees, hydrangea groves, sage brush and cattle country, Stanley Park, the Lion's Gate Bridge, and the Gulf Islands - also known as "God's country", to its resident s"

The Northwest Coast

"a designation rarely used except by a Northwest coaster, to differentiate themselves from the "lower mainlanders", who, as they are not fishermen, hunters, nor loggers, are viewed with some suspicion - also known as "God's country", to its residents"

Out West

"used by an Easterner, this area usually includes B.C., and sometimes, Saskatchewan, but, technically speaking, should only include Alberta, especially if you are an Albertan, with a proud heritage of ranchers, oilmen, hunters, farmers, fishermen, and rugged individualists. Home to the mighty Peace River, Writing on Stone Provincial Park, The Hoodoos, Dinosaur country, and the Rocky Mountains - also known as "God's country", to its residents "

The Prairies

"also referred to as "miles and miles of nothing but miles and miles", but usually only by Easterners, or first-time visitors. Comprised of Saskatchewan, and much of southern Manitoba, though some rather uncharitably lump southern Alberta in there, too, this region is thought to be the land that gave birth to the phrase, "Are we there yet?" - usually uttered by small children, Easterners, and first time visitors to the prairies. Home to waving fields of wheat, great softball teams, the Qu'appelle Valley, the white sand beaches of Lake Winnipeg, and curiously enough, birthplace of great sailors - also known as "God's country", to its residents"

Up North

"this area includes Northern Alberta, the Hudson Bay region of Northern Manitoba, all of Yukon, Nunavut, and Keewatin Territories, and parts of Northern Quebec, and any bordering areas where the residents demonstrate the same hardy reliance on self. Home to traditional hunters, trappers, artists, and internationally renown Canadian diamonds - also known as "God's country", to its residents "

Out East

"sometimes called Upper Canada by Ontario residents, but not outside of Ontario, this region includes Ontario, the Ottawa Valley (a very different region, both ideologically AND linguistically,) Toronto (as far as Torontonians as concerned, the known hub of the civilized world, second only to New York), and Quebec. This region is also home to such diverse scenery as the rugged Precambrian shield, rolling farmlands, Georgian Bay, Olde-Town Montreal, and excellent maple sugar bush country - also known as "God's country", to its residents "

Down East

"also known as "The Maritimes", this picturesque area includes New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, the stately homes of some of our first settlers, Peggy's Cove, Magnetic Hill, the Reversing Falls, the start of the Evangeline Trail, fresh lobster, and some of the finest fiddle music this side of heaven - also known as "God's country", to its residents "

The Rock

"politically designated as Newfoundland-Labrador (no-one is quite sure what to do with Labrador except the long-suffering folk who actually live there), this amazing region is home to some of the most breathtakingly beautiful scenery in the world, from fragile high-alpine parklands, to rocky coastal vistas, Viking settlements of long ago, and fishing villages that make your camera fairly leap out of your pocket. Inhabited by some of the finest musicians and humorists ever to grace a concert hall stage or dining room get-together, this blessed, sometimes benighted region actually is "God's country" - just don't tell the rest of Canada "

Canadian First Peoples - "Our Home and Native Land"

There to meet the first European visitors to step ashore on the shores of both coasts were Canada's first peoples, a diverse yet as interdependent a nation as the Canada we live in today. Some First Nations people have since explained that they thought their European guests must be lost, and in a show of what is now internationally known as "typically Canadian" generosity, they welcomed the newcomers, fed them, and generally made them feel at home.

In return the newcomers brought hundreds more of their friends and families, settled the new land, generally took over the whole place in the name of several foreign rulers, and embroiled the local populaces in any number of territorial skirmishes.

For a more serious look at how those times are a-changin' and more information about what steps are being made together, please check out these links:

Now that you've been introduced to Canada's regions, you have some idea of our national character - which is as varied and ruggedly individualistic as each of the regions or areas from which each was born.

Starting with the High Arctic, and the norther-most quadrants of most of the provinces, you will encounter that breed of Canadian cat known as "the Northerner." This particular kind of Canadian will not be found in any of our southern cities.

Northerners

Some say that Northerners are born, not made - that it is an attitude towards life, and a perception of how life should be lived that draws these people to the North. A Northerner may not have been born in the North, but, happily, most of them make their way there by adult-hood. Some don't manage to make it up North 'til later in life, and then wonder why they didn't go North sooner.

Some of those lucky enough to be born in the North are, in fact, not Northerners, and they are not really happy until they move down south.

Northerners prefer to be as far away from big business and big government as is humanly possible, though they may be involved in business or local government in their community.

They are community-minded people who believe in lending a hand - no questions asked - wherever and whenever they are needed. As well, they are fiercely independent creatures who believe in taking care of things on their own, and in running their lives without "interference" from outsiders, or non-Northerners, which loosely translates to big business or big government.

There are a few unlovely things about the north, mind you - the size and aggressiveness of the mosquitoes and black flies being among them. The black flies referred to in the song below, though, are not ordinary house flies - they are a particularly bloodthirsty insect that seems to be able to insert itself through the smallest, pinhole in your screen window, under your hat or scarf, or up your sleeves and pant-legs. These little predators insert an anesthetic when they bite, so first indication of their visit will be when you notice the tiny trickle or pool of blood left by the nasty little biters.

Southerners

Technically speaking, we don't have a whole lot of southerners in Canada. We actually don't have a whole lot of "south," our border with the United States being where it is - following the 49th parallel for much of its length, with a few notable diversions.

Most of our population tends to cluster from the middle down towards the southern parts of each province, mainly because of climate. Anyone crazy enough to live above the middle of most of the provinces tends to end up either becoming a Northerner pretty quickly, or heading back south.

We do, however, have...

Easterners

Mainly urban dwellers, these folk tend to be more at home in large schools, all swimming about together. Their history is rich and as culturally diverse as the homelands from which their forebears emigrated.

Eastern Canada comprises the largest population base, and is a major seat of power in the political system. In rural areas of the east though, you will find pockets of farmers and rural small towns not unlike those in the Eastern United States, with the same pioneering spirit and sturdy self-reliance.

There is a sharp contrast between the rural communities and the hustle and bustle of the large urban centers. Here urban sophistication and multi-cultural diversity reign. The pace of life, of speech, and of traffic is much faster - witness the vehicular mayhem on Highway 401, one of the major arteries into Toronto.

Easterners are the caretakers of some of the prettiest farmlands, the most deliciously productive maple sugar bushes, and some of the most beautiful lake resorts in the world, as well as inhabiting picturesquely historic towns and villages along the length of the St. Lawrence Seaway, one of North America's major inland trade routes.

Maritimers

Some folk mistakenly lump Newfoundlanders into this bunch, but the 'Newfs will be the first to let you know that they are a whole 'nother world to themselves.

Maritimers have a close connection to the sea, in no small part because they live right beside it. Their ancestors were some of Canada's first settlers, and they will point out that out to you or anyone else who cares to know.There's a good reason for the pride of Nova Scotia, the Bluenose II, to be featured on the Canadian dime, celebrating the proud heritage of our nation's seafarers, and unsurpassed excellence in shipbuilding.

The Scottish, Irish, British or French ancestry has colored the character of the locals, who proudly maintain many of their cultural traditions. Music abounds. You can scarcely throw a stone without hitting a fiddler, a dancer, or a piper, and no gathering is complete without a kitchen ceilidh (pronounced kay-lee), also called a kitchen concert.

Newfoundlanders or Dwellers on the Rock

Many of the Rock Dwellers I have personally known were no longer dwelling there. Some were mercifully only temporary emigres in search of better paying jobs,

There are pockets of this hardy breed sown the length and breadth of our great land due to economic hardship in their home province. Sometimes, political heretic that I am, I wonder if joining Confederation was the wisest choice for this island culture to have made.

A hardy, and independent breed, they have much in common with Westerners and Northerners, and generally fit in well in western and, particularly, in northern communities.

As you can see from the video below, they hold some of the same things dear, like enjoying a brew or down at the local, and have a similar disregard for picayune details, or the more mundane aspects of life. Life is to be lived, and enjoyed - cheer up b'y - after all, no one ever gets out alive...

© 2010, Text by Elle Fredine, All rights reserved