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79-735: Mount Robson was likely named after Colin Robertson , who worked for both the North West Company and the Hudson's Bay Company at various times in the early 19th century, though there was confusion over the name as many assumed it to have been named for John Robson , an early premier of British Columbia. The Texqa’kallt , a Secwepemc people and the earliest known inhabitants of the area, call it Yexyexéscen (striped rock), spelled in Dawson 1891 as Yuh-hai-has-kun , The Mountain of

158-659: A permanent resident who lives in Canada for three out of four years and meets specific requirements. Canada established its own nationality law in 1946, with the enactment of the Canadian Citizenship Act which took effect on January 1, 1947. The Immigration and Refugee Protection Act was passed by the Parliament of Canada in 2001 as Bill C-11, which replaced the Immigration Act, 1976 as

237-466: A tundra climate ( ET ). In 1893, 5 years after the expedition of A.P. Coleman to Athabasca Pass and the final settling of the mistaken elevations of Mount Hooker and Mount Brown , Mount Robson was first surveyed by James McEvoy and determined to be the highest peak in the Canadian Rockies. The first documented ascent of Mount Robson, led by the young guide Conrad Kain , at its time

316-639: A 19 km (12 mi) hike. The lake is approximately 2 km long and lies at 1,646 m (5,400 ft) elevation. There are backcountry campgrounds at each end of the lake and a log shelter on its banks, named Hargreaves Shelter in honor of the Hargreaves family who operated the Mount Robson Ranch across the Fraser River from the mountain and who outfitted most of the early trips into Berg Lake. The Berg Glacier calves directly into

395-667: A century or more before, the first group of permanent settlers were the French , who founded the New France settlements, in present-day Quebec and Ontario ; and Acadia , in present-day Nova Scotia and New Brunswick , during the early part of the 17th century. Approximately 100 Irish-born families would settle the Saint Lawrence Valley by 1700, assimilating into the Canadien population and culture. During

474-811: A daily basis. Additionally, Canadians speak several sign languages ; the number of speakers is unknown of the most spoken ones, American Sign Language (ASL) and Quebec Sign Language (LSQ), as it is of Maritime Sign Language and Plains Sign Talk . There are only 47 speakers of the Inuit sign language Inuktitut . English and French are recognized by the Constitution of Canada as official languages. All federal government laws are thus enacted in both English and French, with government services available in both languages. Two of Canada's territories give official status to indigenous languages. In Nunavut , Inuktitut , and Inuinnaqtun are official languages, alongside

553-514: A hand-weaver, but abandoned his apprenticeship when the trade collapsed from competition by the weaving mills. He emigrated to New York City , where he found work in a grocery store. At some point before 1803, he had joined the North West Company , a leading fur-trading company based in Montreal. He gained considerable experience about the fur trade, travelling and working in Rupert's Land and

632-540: A large influx of South Asians , who tended to settle in British Columbia . Immigrants of all backgrounds tend to settle in the major urban centres . The Canadian public, as well as the major political parties, are tolerant of immigrants. The majority of illegal immigrants come from the southern provinces of the People's Republic of China , with Asia as a whole, Eastern Europe , Caribbean , Africa , and

711-718: A large portion of whom settled in New Brunswick. After the War of 1812 , British (including British army regulars), Scottish, and Irish immigration was encouraged throughout Rupert's Land, Upper Canada and Lower Canada . Between 1815 and 1850, some 800,000 immigrants came to the colonies of British North America, mainly from the British Isles as part of the Great Migration of Canada . These new arrivals included some Gaelic-speaking Highland Scots displaced by

790-843: A number of Jesuits dedicated to converting indigenous peoples; an effort that eventually proved successful. The first large Protestant communities were formed in the Maritimes after the British conquest of New France, followed by American Protestant settlers displaced by the American Revolution. The late nineteenth century saw the beginning of a substantive shift in Canadian immigration patterns. Large numbers of Irish and southern European immigrants were creating new Catholic communities in English Canada. The settlement of

869-596: A paralyzing stroke, from which he never fully recovered. In 1840, he retired to Montreal. He was elected to the first Parliament of the Province of Canada in 1841, but died in early 1842 when he was thrown from his sleigh. Robertson was born in Perth, Scotland in 1783, the son of William Robertson and Catherine Sharp. The family was engaged in the hand-weaving trade . Robertson was originally apprenticed in Scotland as

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948-436: Is a product of its ethnicities , languages , religions , political , and legal system (s). Canada has been shaped by waves of migration that have combined to form a unique blend of art , cuisine , literature , humour , and music . Today, Canada has a diverse makeup of nationalities and constitutional protection for policies that promote multiculturalism rather than cultural assimilation . In Quebec, cultural identity

1027-502: Is an important part of Canada's political culture . With the role of Christianity in decline, it having once been central and integral to Canadian culture and daily life, commentators have suggested that Canada has come to enter a post-Christian period in a secular state, with irreligion on the rise. The majority of Canadians consider religion to be unimportant in their daily lives, but still believe in God. The practice of religion

1106-629: Is considered the father of Canadian Jewry. The Islamic , Jains , Sikh , Hindu , and Buddhist communities—although small—are as old as the nation itself. The 1871 Canadian Census ( first "Canadian" national census ) indicated thirteen Muslims among the populace, while the Sikh population stood at approximately 5,000 by 1908. The first Canadian mosque was constructed in Edmonton , in 1938, when there were approximately 700 Muslims in Canada. Buddhism first arrived in Canada when Japanese immigrated during

1185-693: Is now generally considered a private matter throughout society and within the state. The 2011 Canadian census reported that 67.3% of Canadians identify as being Christians ; of this number, Catholics make up the largest group, accounting for 38.7 percent of the population. The largest Protestant denomination is the United Church of Canada (accounting for 6.1% of Canadians); followed by Anglicans (5.0%), and Baptists (1.9%). About 23.9% of Canadians declare no religious affiliation, including agnostics , atheists , humanists , and other groups. The remaining are affiliated with non-Christian religions,

1264-479: Is now generally presumed to have reached the high summit ridge before being turned back at the final ice dome of the peak. Kinney Lake , below the south face, is named in his honour. The 1,500 m (4,900 ft) Emperor Face on the northwest side provides the most formidable challenge to elite climbers on the mountain, though the more popular routes are the Kain route and the southeast face. The Kain route follows

1343-469: Is strong, and many French-speaking commentators speak of a Quebec culture distinct from English Canadian culture. However, as a whole, Canada is a cultural mosaic : a collection of several regional, indigenous, and ethnic subcultures. Canadian government policies such as official bilingualism ; publicly funded health care ; higher and more progressive taxation ; outlawing capital punishment ; strong efforts to eliminate poverty ; strict gun control ;

1422-419: The 2021 Canadian census , over 450 " ethnic or cultural origins " were self-reported by Canadians. The major panethnic origin groups in Canada are: European ( 52.5%), North American ( 22.9%), Asian ( 19.3%), North American Indigenous ( 6.1%), African ( 3.8%), Latin, Central and South American ( 2.5%), Caribbean ( 2.1%), Oceanian ( 0.3%), and Other ( 6%). Statistics Canada reports that 35.5% of

1501-590: The Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms . Religion in Canada (2011 National Household Survey) Canada as a nation is religiously diverse, encompassing a wide range of groups, beliefs and customs. The preamble to the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms references "God", and the monarch carries the title of " Defender of the Faith ". However, Canada has no official religion , and support for religious pluralism ( Freedom of religion in Canada )

1580-569: The Canadian Citizenship Act, 1946 , took effect on January 1, 1947, and full sovereignty was achieved with the patriation of the constitution in 1982. Canada's nationality law closely mirrored that of the United Kingdom. Legislation since the mid-20th century represents Canadians' commitment to multilateralism and socioeconomic development . The word Canadian originally applied, in its French form, Canadien , to

1659-591: The First World War and Second World War helped to foster Canadian nationalism , however, in 1917 and 1944, conscription crisis' highlighted the considerable rift along ethnic lines between Anglophones and Francophones. As a result of the First and Second World Wars, the Government of Canada became more assertive and less deferential to British authority. With the gradual loosening of political ties to

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1738-631: The Highland Clearances to Nova Scotia. The Great Famine of Ireland of the 1840s significantly increased the pace of Irish immigration to Prince Edward Island and the Province of Canada , with over 35,000 distressed individuals landing in Toronto in 1847 and 1848. Descendants of Francophone and Anglophone northern Europeans who arrived in the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries are often referred to as Old Stock Canadians . Beginning in

1817-494: The Middle East . Estimates of numbers of illegal immigrants range between 35,000 and 120,000. Canadian citizenship is typically obtained by birth in Canada or by birth or adoption abroad when at least one biological parent or adoptive parent is a Canadian citizen who was born in Canada or naturalized in Canada (and did not receive citizenship by being born outside of Canada to a Canadian citizen). It can also be granted to

1896-618: The Pemmican War . By August 1817, Robertson was back in Montreal. Jailed for a short time, he stood trial on charges arising from his seizure of Fort Gibraltar. He was acquitted in the spring of 1818. Robertson then led a new HBC expedition to the Athabasca country. He was taken prisoner twice by Samuel Black of the North West Company, who planned to charge him with attempted murder, but he escaped both times, fled to

1975-414: The Province of Canada , with a single Parliament for the entire province, composed of an elected Legislative Assembly and an appointed Legislative Council . The Governor General initially retained a strong position in the government. The first general elections for the new Legislative Assembly were held in the spring of 1841. Robertson stood for election for the riding of Two Mountains , located in

2054-607: The United Kingdom grew gradually over the course of many years following the formation of the Canadian Confederation in 1867. The First and Second World Wars , in particular, gave rise to a desire among Canadians to have their country recognized as a fully-fledged, sovereign state, with a distinct citizenship. Legislative independence was established with the passage of the Statute of Westminster, 1931 ,

2133-531: The United States , and returned to England. Lord Selkirk , who had been guaranteeing Robertson's business debts, had died and Robertson was forced to flee to France to avoid being imprisoned for debt. He went into bankruptcy, paying his creditors two shillings on the pound. In 1821, the Hudson's Bay Company and the North West Company merged and Robertson became a chief factor in the new company. Now that

2212-597: The mother tongues of approximately 56% and 21% of Canadians, respectively. As of the 2016 Census, just over 7.3 million Canadians listed a non-official language as their mother tongue. Some of the most common non-official first languages include Chinese (1,227,680 first-language speakers), Punjabi (501,680), Spanish (458,850), Tagalog (431,385), Arabic (419,895), German (384,040), and Italian (375,645). Less than one percent of Canadians (just over 250,000 individuals) can speak an indigenous language . About half this number (129,865) reported using an indigenous language on

2291-458: The north-western territory . During his time with the North West Company, he fought a duel with a fellow Nor'Wester, John MacDonald of Garth . In 1809, Robertson left the North West Company and travelled to England, where he became a merchant at Liverpool. While in England, Robertson approached the management of the Hudson's Bay Company with plans to expand their trading network inland, to

2370-530: The 18th and 19th century; immigration westward (to the area known as Rupert's Land ) was carried out by " Voyageurs "; French settlers working for the North West Company ; and by British settlers ( English and Scottish ) representing the Hudson's Bay Company , coupled with independent entrepreneurial woodsman called coureur des bois . This arrival of newcomers led to the creation of the Métis , an ethnic group of mixed European and First Nations parentage. In

2449-433: The 1960s, opening the doors to immigrants from all parts of the world. While the 1950s had still seen high levels of immigration by Europeans, by the 1970s immigrants were increasingly Chinese, Indian, Vietnamese , Jamaican , and Haitian . During the late 1960s and early 1970s, Canada received many American Vietnam War draft dissenters . Throughout the late 1980s and 1990s, Canada's growing Pacific trade brought with it

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2528-413: The 2000s were not born in the country. Statistics Canada projects that, by 2031, nearly one-half of Canadians above the age of 15 will be foreign-born or have one foreign-born parent. Indigenous peoples , according to the 2016 Canadian census , numbered at 1,673,780 or 4.9% of the country's 35,151,728 population. While the first contact with Europeans and Indigenous peoples in Canada had occurred

2607-549: The 247,243 total immigrants to the country. Canada resettles over one in 10 of the world's refugees and has one of the highest per-capita immigration rates in the world. As of a 2010 report by the Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada , there were 2.8 million Canadian citizens abroad . This represents about 8% of the total Canadian population. Of those living abroad, the United States, Hong Kong,

2686-405: The 36.3 million people enumerated in 2021 approximately 24.5 million reported being " white ", representing 67.4 percent of the population. The indigenous population representing 5 percent or 1.8 million individuals, grew by 9.4 percent compared to the non-Indigenous population, which grew by 5.3 percent from 2016 to 2021. One out of every four Canadians or 26.5 percent of

2765-635: The HBC, intermittently. He received a final payout from the company in 1840, and retired to Montreal. In 1837, there were rebellions in both Lower Canada and Upper Canada . The British government decided to merge the two provinces into a single province, as recommended by Lord Durham in the Durham Report . The Union Act, 1840 , passed by the British Parliament , abolished the two provinces and their separate parliaments. It created

2844-443: The Hudson's Bay Company to pay off the mortgage on his house in Montreal, and having spent considerable sums on the election campaign the previous year. In the resulting by-election , his opponent from the general election, Forbes, was elected. Mount Robson , on the border between British Columbia and Alberta , is likely named for him. Canadians Canadians ( French : Canadiens ) are people identified with

2923-552: The North West Company traders had burnt many of the buildings and driven the Red River settlers away. Robertson led the settlers back to Red River and worked out an accommodation with the Nor'Westers, although he twice seized their fort, Fort Gibraltar , during the negotiations. He also rebuilt the HBC fort, Fort Douglas , which had been burnt down by the Nor'Westers. Robertson was unable to come to an agreement with Robert Semple ,

3002-566: The North West Company, Robertson fought a duel with a fellow Nor'Wester. Later, when working for the Hudson's Bay Company, he faced criminal charges for having seized the fort of the Nor'Westers in the Red River colony , but was acquitted by a court in Lower Canada . On a later expedition, he was twice captured by Samuel Black of the North West Company, who planned to charge him with attempted murder. Robertson escaped both times, fled to

3081-561: The Spiral Road . Other unofficial names include Cloud Cap Mountain. Mount Robson boasts great vertical relief over the local terrain. From Kinney Lake , the south-west side of the mountain rises 2,975 m (9,760 ft) to the summit. The north face of Mount Robson is heavily glaciated and 800 m (2,600 ft) of ice extends from the summit to the Berg Glacier. The north face can be seen from Berg Lake , and reached by

3160-401: The United Kingdom and the modernization of Canadian immigration policies, 20th-century immigrants with African , Caribbean and Asian nationalities have added to the Canadian identity and its culture. The multiple-origins immigration pattern continues today, with the arrival of large numbers of immigrants from non-British or non-French backgrounds. Multiculturalism in Canada was adopted as

3239-507: The United Kingdom, Taiwan, China, Lebanon, United Arab Emirates, and Australia have the largest Canadian diaspora. Canadians in the United States constitute the greatest single expatriate community at over 1 million in 2009, representing 35.8% of all Canadians abroad. Under current Canadian law , Canada does not restrict dual citizenship , but Passport Canada encourages its citizens to travel abroad on their Canadian passport so that they can access Canadian consular services . According to

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3318-409: The United States, and returned to England. After the death of his financial patron, Lord Selkirk , Robertson had to flee to France to avoid imprisonment for debt; he eventually worked out a bankruptcy agreement where he paid his creditors two shillings on the pound, before returning to the fur trade. While engaged in the fur trade, Robertson married Theresa Chalifoux, a Métis woman. Contrary to

3397-546: The area around Lake Athabasca , putting economic competition on the North West Company. In 1814, he returned to Canada in the employ of the Hudson's Bay Company, with instructions to carry out his plan. He organised the first overland HBC expedition from Montreal to the north-west, leading a large collection of experienced French-Canadian fur-trading voyageurs . Robertson was charismatic, over six feet tall, red-haired, fond of quoting Shakespeare, and with considerable self-confidence and generosity, necessary to lead groups of men in

3476-476: The basis of a point system that accounts for age, health and labour-market skills required for cost effectively inducting the immigrants into Canada's labour market) and refugee class (those seeking protection by applying to remain in the country by way of the Canadian immigration and refugee law ). In 2008, there were 65,567 immigrants in the family class, 21,860 refugees, and 149,072 economic immigrants amongst

3555-657: The colonists residing in the northern part of New France — in Quebec , and Ontario —during the 16th, 17th, and 18th centuries. The French colonists in Maritime Canada (New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and Prince Edward Island), were known as Acadians . When Prince Edward (a son of King George III ) addressed, in English and French, a group of rioters at a poll in Charlesbourg , Lower Canada (today Quebec), during

3634-427: The contemporary attitudes to such marriages, he treated his wife with respect and tried to integrate her into the fur-trading social life. They had at least one son, also named Colin, whom Robertson ensured had a good education in England. Following the merger of the two companies in 1821, Robertson worked for the Hudson's Bay Company throughout Rupert's Land and the Canadian north-western territory . In 1832, he had

3713-446: The country and offer specialty television channels, newspapers, and other publications in many minority languages. In Canada, as elsewhere in the world of European colonies , the frontier of European exploration and settlement tended to be a linguistically diverse and fluid place, as cultures using different languages met and interacted. The need for a common means of communication between the indigenous inhabitants and new arrivals for

3792-455: The country of Canada . This connection may be residential, legal, historical or cultural. For most Canadians, many (or all) of these connections exist and are collectively the source of their being Canadian . Canada is a multilingual and multicultural society home to people of groups of many different ethnic, religious, and national origins, with the majority of the population made up of Old World immigrants and their descendants. Following

3871-602: The early 1900s led to the continuous journey regulation act of 1908 which indirectly halted Indian immigration to Canada, as later evidenced by the infamous 1914 Komagata Maru incident . The population of Canada has consistently risen, doubling approximately every 40 years, since the establishment of the Canadian Confederation in 1867. In the mid-to-late 19th century, Canada had a policy of assisting immigrants from Europe , including an estimated 100,000 unwanted " Home Children " from Britain. Block settlement communities were established throughout Western Canada between

3950-419: The education of their eldest son, also named Colin. The tension between Robertson and Simpson broke into the open when Robertson tried to introduce his wife into the small social life of the Red River colony in 1831, leading to a major quarrel between the two men. Robertson planned to retire but in 1832 he had a paralyzing stroke , from which he never fully recovered. He continued to hold down positions with

4029-800: The election of the Legislative Assembly in June 1792, he stated, "I urge you to unanimity and concord. Let me hear no more of the odious distinction of English and French. You are all His Britannic Majesty's beloved Canadian subjects." It was the first-known use of the term Canadian to mean both French and English settlers in the Canadas . As of 2010, Canadians make up 0.5% of the world's total population , having relied upon immigration for population growth and social development. Approximately 41% of current Canadians are first- or second-generation immigrants, and 20% of Canadian residents in

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4108-626: The first ascent's path up the entire length of the Robson Glacier from its terminus above Robson Pass to the upper northeast face and the summit ridge. Mount Robson has a high failure rate on climbing to the top, with only about 10% of attempts being successful. Although the mountain is under 4,000 m (13,000 ft), there is no easy way to the summit and bad weather commonly rebuffs summit attempts. The main routes on Mount Robson include: Colin Robertson (fur trader) Colin Robertson (July 27, 1783 – February 4, 1842)

4187-446: The hardest ice face to be climbed on the continent, was achieved during the 1913 annual expedition organized by a large party of Alpine Club of Canada members who made use of the newly completed Grand Trunk Pacific railway to access the area. Prior to 1913, it had been necessary to approach the mountain by pack train from Edmonton or Laggan via Jasper and Lucerne, so only a few intrepid explorers had made previous attempts at exploring

4266-556: The initial period of French and then the much larger British colonization , different waves (or peaks) of immigration and settlement of non-indigenous peoples took place over the course of nearly two centuries and continue today. Elements of Indigenous, French, British, and more recent immigrant customs, languages, and religions have combined to form the culture of Canada , and thus a Canadian identity . Canada has also been strongly influenced by its linguistic, geographic, and economic neighbour—the United States. Canadian independence from

4345-681: The lake. The Robson Glacier, which fills the cirque and valley between Mount Robson and Mount Resplendent , in the early 1900s fed directly into both Berg lake and Adolphus Lake , straddling the Continental Divide and draining thus to both the Arctic and Pacific oceans via the Smoky and Robson Rivers , respectively. It since has receded more than 2 kilometres and is the source of the Robson River only. The peak of Mount Robson has

4424-595: The largest of which is Islam (3.2%), followed by Hinduism (1.5%), Sikhism (1.4%), Buddhism (1.1%), and Judaism (1.0%). Before the arrival of European colonists and explorers, First Nations followed a wide array of mostly animistic religions . During the colonial period, the French settled along the shores of the Saint Lawrence River , specifically Latin Church Catholics , including

4503-644: The late 1850s, the immigration of Chinese into the Colony of Vancouver Island and Colony of British Columbia peaked with the onset of the Fraser Canyon Gold Rush . The Chinese Immigration Act of 1885 eventually placed a head tax on all Chinese immigrants, in hopes of discouraging Chinese immigration after completion of the Canadian Pacific Railway . Additionally, growing South Asian immigration into British Columbia during

4582-451: The late 19th and early 20th centuries. Some were planned and others were spontaneously created by the settlers themselves. Canada received mainly European immigrants, predominantly Italians , Germans, Scandinavians , Dutch , Poles , and Ukrainians . Legislative restrictions on immigration (such as the continuous journey regulation and Chinese Immigration Act, 1923 ) that had favoured British and other European immigrants were amended in

4661-534: The late 19th century. The first Japanese Buddhist temple in Canada was built in Vancouver in 1905. The influx of immigrants in the late 20th century, with Sri Lankan , Japanese , Indian and Southeast Asian customs, has contributed to the recent expansion of the Jain, Sikh, Hindu, and Buddhist communities. A multitude of languages are used by Canadians, with English and French (the official languages ) being

4740-820: The legalizing of same-sex marriage , pregnancy terminations , euthanasia and cannabis are social indicators of Canada's political and cultural values . American media and entertainment are popular, if not dominant, in English Canada; conversely, many Canadian cultural products and entertainers are successful in the United States and worldwide. The Government of Canada has also influenced culture with programs, laws, and institutions. It has created Crown corporations to promote Canadian culture through media, and has also tried to protect Canadian culture by setting legal minimums on Canadian content . Canadian culture has historically been influenced by European culture and traditions, especially British and French , and by its own indigenous cultures . Most of Canada's territory

4819-688: The mid-1700s brought a large Francophone population under British Imperial rule , creating a need for compromise and accommodation. The new British rulers left alone much of the religious, political, and social culture of the French-speaking habitants , guaranteeing through the Quebec Act of 1774 the right of the Canadiens to practise the Catholic faith and to use French civil law (now Quebec law ). The Constitution Act, 1867

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4898-513: The mountain. The most famous early ascensionist was George Kinney , a founding member of the Alpine Club, who on his twelfth attempt in August 1909 claimed to have reached the summit with local outfitter Donald "Curly" Phillips . A major controversy over this claim and over the implausible nature of his unlikely and dangerous route dominated the discourse within the Alpine Club elite, and he

4977-566: The national languages of English and French, and Inuktitut is a common vehicular language in territorial government. In the Northwest Territories , the Official Languages Act declares that there are eleven different languages: Chipewyan , Cree , English, French, Gwich'in , Inuinnaqtun, Inuktitut, Inuvialuktun , North Slavey , South Slavey , and Tłįchǫ . Multicultural media are widely accessible across

5056-411: The new governor of Assiniboia , about Robertson's plan to stop the supplies of the Nor'Westers, particularly pemmican , on which the traders depended. Robertson travelled to York Factory on Hudson's Bay , intending to return to England. While waiting for a ship to England, he heard that Semple and twenty of his men had been killed in an affray with the Nor'Westers at the Battle of Seven Oaks , part of

5135-449: The official policy of the government during the premiership of Pierre Trudeau in the 1970s and 1980s. The Canadian government has often been described as the instigator of multicultural ideology, because of its public emphasis on the social importance of immigration . Multiculturalism is administered by the Department of Citizenship and Immigration and reflected in the law through the Canadian Multiculturalism Act and section 27 of

5214-554: The population belonged to a non-White and non-Indigenous visible minority , the largest of which in 2021 were South Asian (2.6 million people; 7.1 percent), Chinese (1.7 million; 4.7 percent) and Black (1.5 million; 4.3 percent). Between 2011 and 2016, the visible minority population rose by 18.4 percent. In 1961, less than two percent of Canada's population (about 300,000 people) were members of visible minority groups. The 2021 Census indicated that 8.3 million people, or almost one-quarter (23.0 percent) of

5293-547: The population reported multiple ethnic origins, thus the overall total is greater than 100%. The country's ten largest self-reported specific ethnic or cultural origins in 2021 were Canadian (accounting for 15.6 percent of the population), followed by English (14.7 percent), Irish (12.1 percent), Scottish (12.1 percent), French (11.0 percent), German (8.1 percent), Indian (5.1 percent), Chinese (4.7 percent), Italian (4.3 percent), and Ukrainian (3.5 percent). Of

5372-400: The population reported themselves as being or having been a landed immigrant or permanent resident in Canada—above the 1921 Census previous record of 22.3 percent. In 2021 India, China, and the Philippines were the top three countries of origin for immigrants moving to Canada. Canadian culture is primarily a Western culture , with influences by First Nations and other cultures. It

5451-430: The primary federal legislation regulating immigration. Prior to the conferring of legal status on Canadian citizenship, Canada's naturalization laws consisted of a multitude of Acts beginning with the Immigration Act of 1910. According to Citizenship and Immigration Canada , there are three main classifications for immigrants: family class (persons closely related to Canadian residents), economic class (admitted on

5530-470: The purposes of trade, and (in some cases) intermarriage, led to the development of mixed languages . Languages like Michif , Chinook Jargon , and Bungi creole tended to be highly localized and were often spoken by only a small number of individuals who were frequently capable of speaking another language. Plains Sign Talk —which functioned originally as a trade language used to communicate internationally and across linguistic borders—reached across Canada,

5609-409: The rural area to the north-west of Montreal. He campaigned in support of the union, as did his opponent, Charles John Forbes . Robertson was elected. The first session of the new Parliament was convened in Kingston , Upper Canada, in September 1841. The major issue was the response to the union. One of the leaders of the French-Canadian Group , John Neilson , brought a motion which condemned

5688-505: The two companies were no longer competing, men of action were valued less by the company than those with administrative skills. He held various positions in Rupert's Land and the north-west. At some point Robertson had married Theresa Chalifoux, a Métis woman. He treated her with respect but the HBC governor, George Simpson , was disdainful of the relationship, based on his racial views. In 1825, Robertson travelled to England to provide for

5767-760: The wake of the British Conquest of New France in 1760 and the Expulsion of the Acadians , many families from the British colonies in New England moved over into Nova Scotia and other colonies in Canada, where the British made farmland available to British settlers on easy terms. More settlers arrived during and after the American Revolutionary War , when approximately 60,000 United Empire Loyalists fled to British North America ,

5846-478: The way the union had been imposed on Lower Canada. Robertson voted against the motion and in favour of the union. Neilson's motion was defeated. Robertson was a consistent supporter of the Governor General, Lord Sydenham , for the rest of the session. Robertson died in Montreal in 1842 after an accident where he was thrown from his sleigh. He did not leave a large estate, having used his pay-out from

5925-501: The west brought significant Eastern Orthodox immigrants from Eastern Europe and Mormon and Pentecostal immigrants from the United States. The earliest documentation of Jewish presence in Canada occurs in the 1754 British Army records from the French and Indian War . In 1760, General Jeffrey Amherst, 1st Baron Amherst attacked and won Montreal for the British. In his regiment there were several Jews, including four among his officer corps, most notably Lieutenant Aaron Hart who

6004-514: The wilderness of the fur trade. One of his sayings was "When you're with wolves, howl!" He knew the country well, and the practices of the North West Company. He was successful in establishing the HBC in the Athabasca country, which put enough economic pressure on the North West Company that they eventually had to merge with the HBC some years later. When Robertson arrived in the Red River Colony (now Manitoba ) in 1815, he found that

6083-478: Was an early Canadian fur trader and political figure. Born in Scotland, for much of his adult life he was engaged in the North American fur trade , working at different times for the North West Company and the Hudson's Bay Company . He led the Hudson's Bay Company expedition to Lake Athabasca . The fur trade competition between the two companies was fierce and largely unregulated. While working with

6162-530: Was designed to meet the growing calls of Canadians for autonomy from British rule, while avoiding the overly strong decentralization that contributed to the Civil War in the United States. The compromises made by the Fathers of Confederation set Canadians on a path to bilingualism , and this in turn contributed to an acceptance of diversity. The Canadian Armed Forces and overall civilian participation in

6241-517: Was inhabited and developed later than other European colonies in the Americas, with the result that themes and symbols of pioneers, trappers, and traders were important in the early development of the Canadian identity . First Nations played a critical part in the development of European colonies in Canada , particularly for their role in assisting exploration of the continent during the North American fur trade . The British conquest of New France in

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