For how long have Anglophones and Francophones lived together in partnership and creative tension?

More than 300 years — More than 300 years.

How does the second line of the English national anthem now read?

True patriot love in all of us command — "True patriot love in all of us command." The line was amended in 2018; older printings of the guide still show "in all thy sons command".

What is notable about how French and English Canadians sing the national anthem?

They sing different words — They sing different words. The French version is not a translation of the English.

Where and when was O Canada first sung?

Québec City, in 1880 — In Québec City, in 1880 — a century before it was proclaimed the national anthem.

In what year was O Canada proclaimed the national anthem?

1980 — 1980. It was first sung in Québec City in 1880.

Which company adopted the beaver as a symbol centuries ago?

The Hudson's Bay Company — The Hudson's Bay Company.

On which coin can the beaver be seen?

The five-cent coin — The five-cent coin. It also appears on the coats of arms of Saskatchewan and Alberta, and of cities such as Montreal and Toronto.

In what year did the beaver become an emblem of the St. Jean Baptiste Society?

1834 — 1834. The Society is a French-Canadian patriotic association.

Who was Billy Bishop?

A First World War flying ace and V.C. recipient — A flying ace born in Owen Sound, Ontario, who earned the V.C. in the Royal Flying Corps in the First World War and was later an honorary Air Marshal of the RCAF.

What do the Books of Remembrance contain?

The names of those who died serving Canada — The names of soldiers, sailors and airmen who died serving Canada in wars or while on duty. They are in the Memorial Chamber of the Peace Tower.

Canadian Symbols

NotesQuestions

The Canadian Crown

The Crown has been a symbol of the state in Canada for 400 years.
Canada has been a constitutional monarchy in its own right since Confederation in 1867, during Queen Victoria's reign.
Queen Elizabeth II was Queen of Canada from 1952, marked her Golden Jubilee in 2002 and her Diamond Jubilee — 60 years as Sovereign — in 2012.
The Crown is a symbol of government, including Parliament, the legislatures, the courts, police services and the Canadian Forces.

Flags

A new Canadian flag was raised for the first time in 1965.
The red-white-red pattern comes from the flag of the Royal Military College, Kingston, founded in 1876.
Red and white had been the colours of France and England since the Middle Ages and the national colours of Canada since 1921.
The Union Jack is our official Royal Flag.
The Canadian Red Ensign served as the Canadian flag for about 100 years, and has been carried officially by veterans since 2005.

The maple leaf and the fleur-de-lys

The maple leaf is Canada's best-known symbol.
Maple leaves were adopted by French-Canadians in the 1700s, have appeared on Canadian uniforms and insignia since the 1850s, and are carved into the headstones of our fallen soldiers.
The fleur-de-lys was said to be adopted by the French king in the year 496 and was the symbol of French royalty for more than 1,000 years, including New France.
Revived at Confederation, the fleur-de-lys was included in the Canadian Red Ensign. In 1948 Quebec adopted its own flag, based on the Cross and the fleur-de-lys.

Coat of arms and motto

Canada adopted an official coat of arms and a national motto as an expression of national pride after the First World War.
The national motto is A Mari Usque Ad Mare, Latin for "from sea to sea".
The arms contain symbols of England, France, Scotland and Ireland as well as red maple leaves, and can be seen on dollar bills, government documents and public buildings.

Parliament Buildings

The Parliament Buildings embody the French, English and Aboriginal traditions and the Gothic Revival architecture popular in the time of Queen Victoria. They were completed in the 1860s.
The Centre Block was destroyed by an accidental fire in 1916 and rebuilt in 1922. The Library is the only part of the original building remaining.
The Peace Tower was completed in 1927 in memory of the First World War.
The Memorial Chamber within the Tower contains the Books of Remembrance, in which are written the names of those who died serving Canada.
The Quebec National Assembly is built in the French Second Empire style; other provincial legislatures are Baroque, Romanesque and neoclassical.

Popular sports

Hockey is Canada's most popular spectator sport and is considered the national winter sport. Ice hockey was developed in Canada in the 1800s.
The National Hockey League plays for the Stanley Cup, donated by Lord Stanley, the Governor General, in 1892.
The Clarkson Cup, established in 2005 by Adrienne Clarkson, the 26th Governor General and the first of Asian origin, is awarded for women's hockey.
Canadian football is the second most popular sport.
Curling, an ice game introduced by Scottish pioneers, is popular.
Lacrosse, an ancient sport first played by Aboriginals, is the official summer sport.
Soccer has the most registered players of any game in Canada.

The beaver

The beaver was adopted centuries ago as a symbol of the Hudson's Bay Company.
It became an emblem of the St. Jean Baptiste Society, a French-Canadian patriotic association, in 1834.
The beaver can be seen on the five-cent coin, on the coats of arms of Saskatchewan and Alberta, and of cities such as Montreal and Toronto.

Official languages

English and French are the two official languages and are important symbols of identity.
Anglophones and Francophones have lived together in partnership and creative tension for more than 300 years.
Adult applicants 55 years of age or over are exempted from the language requirement.
Parliament passed the Official Languages Act in 1969, with three main objectives: establish equality between French and English in Parliament and the Government of Canada; maintain and develop official language minority communities; and promote equality of French and English in Canadian society.

Anthems

O Canada was proclaimed the national anthem in 1980. It was first sung in Québec City in 1880.
French and English Canadians sing different words to the national anthem.
The English anthem now reads "True patriot love in all of us command" — amended in 2018 from the wording printed in older copies of the guide.
The Royal Anthem of Canada, "God Save the King (or Queen)", may be played on any occasion when Canadians wish to honour the Sovereign.

Honours

Official awards are called honours, consisting of orders, decorations, and medals.
Canada started its own honours system with the Order of Canada in 1967, the centennial of Confederation.
The Victoria Cross is the highest honour available to Canadians, awarded for the most conspicuous bravery, a daring or pre-eminent act of valour or self-sacrifice, or extreme devotion to duty in the presence of the enemy.
The V.C. has been awarded to 96 Canadians since 1854.
Alexander Roberts Dunn, born in present-day Toronto, was the first Canadian awarded the Victoria Cross, for the Charge of the Light Brigade at Balaclava (1854).
William Hall of Horton, Nova Scotia, whose parents were American slaves, was the first black man awarded the V.C., for the Siege of Lucknow during the Indian Rebellion of 1857.
Filip Konowal, born in Ukraine, became the first member of the Canadian Corps not born in the British Empire to be awarded the V.C., for the Battle of Hill 70 in 1917.
Flying ace Billy Bishop, born in Owen Sound, Ontario, earned the V.C. in the Royal Flying Corps and was later an honorary Air Marshal of the RCAF.
Paul Triquet of Cabano, Quebec, earned the V.C. in the attack on Casa Berardi in Italy in 1943.
Robert Hampton Gray, a navy pilot born in Trail, B.C., was killed sinking a Japanese warship in August 1945 and was the last Canadian to receive the V.C. to date.

Holidays and important dates

New Year's Day — January 1. Sir John A. Macdonald Day — January 11.
Vimy Day — April 9. Victoria Day — the Monday preceding May 25, the Sovereign's birthday.
Fête nationale (Quebec) — June 24, the Feast of St. John the Baptist. Canada Day — July 1.
Labour Day — first Monday of September. Thanksgiving Day — second Monday of October.
Remembrance Day — November 11. Sir Wilfrid Laurier Day — November 20.
Christmas Day — December 25. Boxing Day — December 26.

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