Pingo Canadian Landmark , also known as Pingo National Landmark , is a natural area protecting eight pingos near Tuktoyaktuk , Northwest Territories . It is in a coastal region of the Arctic Ocean which contains approximately 1,350 Arctic ice dome hills—approximately one quarter of the world's pingos.
41-617: The area has been a focus of scientific study for over 50 years, and research here has formed the basis of current understanding about the origin and growth of pingos. The region was first identified as a site of national significance in 1978, and landmark status was proposed. Legislation creating it in 1984 formed part of the Inuvialuit Final Agreement (officially, the Western Arctic (Inuvialuit) Claims Settlement Act (1984)). It provided for cooperative management of
82-590: A 2008 transcontinental land, sea, and air journey by the Scottish entertainer. Government of Canada The Government of Canada ( French : Gouvernement du Canada ) is the body responsible for the federal administration of Canada . The term Government of Canada refers specifically to the executive, which includes ministers of the Crown (together in the Cabinet ) and the federal civil service (whom
123-456: A short face, small ears, a dark tail and white markings around its eyes. Arctic ground squirrels undergo a coat change from summer to winter. Summer coats include red/yellow colorations along the cheeks and sides of the animal. In fall, these red patches are replaced with silvery fur. The average length of an Arctic ground squirrel is approximately 39 cm (15 in). Since Arctic ground squirrels undergo drastic seasonal changes in body mass, it
164-568: Is a species of ground squirrel native to the Arctic and Subarctic of North America and Asia. People in Alaska , particularly around the Aleutians, refer to them as "parka" squirrels, most likely because their pelt is good for the ruff on parkas and for clothing. Subspecies listed alphabetically. The Arctic ground squirrel has a beige and tan coat with a white-spotted back. This squirrel has
205-586: Is difficult to give an average mass, but for adult females it is close to 750 g (26 oz), however, males generally are around 100 g (3.5 oz) heavier than females. The Arctic ground squirrel can be found in regions of Northern Canada ranging from the Arctic Circle to northern British Columbia , and down to the southern border of the Northwest Territories , as well as Alaska and Siberia . The Arctic ground squirrel
246-800: Is made or other body parts are pressed together. The "tsik-tsik" calls are made in response to threats and vary as between different predators. Deep guttural sounds are used to indicate land-based predators while short "band whistle" chatter indicates danger from the air. The Arctic ground squirrel hibernates over winter from early August to late April in adult females and from late September to early April for adult males, at which time it can reduce its body temperatures from 37 °C (99 °F) to as little as −3 °C (27 °F). During hibernation, its core body temperature reaches temperatures down to −2.9 °C (26.8 °F) and its heart rate drops to about one beat per minute. Peripheral , colonic, and blood temperatures become subzero. The best theory as to why
287-504: Is native to the North American Arctic tundra , where its main habitats are on mountain slopes, river flats, banks, lakeshores and tundra ridges of the arctic tundra. Ground squirrels live in sandy soil due to easy digging and good drainage. Arctic ground squirrels make shallow burrows in areas where the permafrost does not prevent them from digging. The Arctic ground squirrel inhabits dry Arctic tundra and open meadows in
328-586: Is planned by Parks Canada for self-guided tours. Local tour operators provide guided access to the site, which is easiest by boat. Hiking provides a more challenging option, but no matter how visitors access the site, Arctic weather and varying water levels can force a change of plans and an alternate route of return. The landmark was featured in Billy Connolly: Journey to the Edge of the World ,
369-599: Is shared by multiple institutions of government acting under the sovereign's authority. The executive is thus formally referred to as the King-in-Council . On the advice of the Canadian prime minister, the sovereign appoints a federal viceregal representative —the governor general (currently Mary Simon )—who, since 1947, is permitted to exercise almost all of the monarch's royal prerogative ; though, there are some duties which must be specifically performed by
410-709: The Canadian Crown . In press releases issued by federal departments, the government has sometimes been referred to as the current prime minister's government (e.g. the Trudeau Government ). This terminology has been commonly employed in the media. In late 2010, an informal instruction from the Office of the Prime Minister urged government departments to consistently use, in all department communications, such phrasing (i.e., Harper Government , at
451-703: The Inuvialuit Settlement Region , is managed by Parks Canada under the National Parks Act . In a region near the Beaufort Sea which is quite flat, pingos dominate the skyline, rising from 5 to 36 m (16 to 118 ft), in various stages of growth and collapse. Ibyuk Pingo, the highest, continues to grow about 2 cm (0.79 in) per year, and is estimated to be at least 1,000 years old. Unique to areas of permafrost , pingos have formed here thanks to numerous lakes in
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#1732783423448492-528: The King's Privy Council for Canada is the body that advises the sovereign or their representative on the exercise of executive power. This task is carried out nearly exclusively by the Cabinet, which functions as the executive committee of the Privy Council that sets the government's policies and priorities for the country and is chaired by the prime minister. The sovereign appoints the members of Cabinet on
533-467: The advice of the King's Privy Council for Canada , referred to as the King-in-Council . However, the Privy Council—consisting mostly of former ministers, chief justices , and other elder statesmen—rarely meets in full. In the construct of constitutional monarchy and responsible government , the advice tendered is typically binding, meaning the monarch reigns but does not rule , with
574-590: The federal departments and agencies , staffed by the Public Service of Canada , and the Canadian Armed Forces . One of the main duties of the Crown is to ensure that a democratic government is always in place, which includes the appointment of a prime minister , who heads the Cabinet and directs the activities of the government. Not outlined in any constitutional document, the office exists in long-established convention , which stipulates
615-716: The head of government , who is invited by the Crown to form a government after securing the confidence of the House of Commons , which is typically determined through the election of enough members of a single political party in a federal election to provide a majority of seats in Parliament, forming a governing party . Further elements of governance are outlined in the rest of the Canadian constitution , which includes written statutes in addition to court rulings and unwritten conventions developed over centuries. Constitutionally,
656-630: The Cabinet direct); it is alternatively known as His Majesty's Government (French: Gouvernement de Sa Majesté ) and is corporately branded as the Government of Canada . There are over 100 departments and agencies, as well as over 300,000 persons employed in the Government of Canada. These institutions carry out the programs and enforce the laws established by the Parliament of Canada . The federal government's organization and structure
697-419: The Cabinet ruling "in trust" for the monarch. However, the royal prerogative belongs to the Crown and not to any of the ministers, and there are rare exceptions where the monarch may be obliged to act unilaterally to prevent manifestly unconstitutional acts. The stipulations of responsible government require that those who directly advise the Crown on the exercise the royal prerogative be accountable to
738-485: The Crown formed in Cabinet in conventional practice); within the conventional stipulations of a constitutional monarchy, the sovereign's direct participation in any of these areas of governance is limited. The term Government of Canada , or more formally, His Majesty's Government refers to the activities of the King-in-Council . The day-to-day operation and activities of the Government of Canada are performed by
779-579: The Crown must select as prime minister the person most likely to command the confidence of the elected House of Commons , who, in practice, is typically the leader of the political party that holds more seats than any other party in that chamber (currently the Liberal Party , led by Justin Trudeau ). Should no particular party hold a majority in the House of Commons, the leader of one party—either
820-648: The Landmark also hosts wedge ice . These are vertical masses of ice that form after water freezes in the cracks around ground that has contracted due to extreme cold. When ice wedges connect to one another, they can form tundra polygons . These polygons are most striking when viewed from the air. There are an estimated 1200 different plant species that can be found at the park. Shrubs that can be found include arctic willow , white heather , Labrador tea , and dwarf birch . Several different berries such as cranberries , cloudberries , and blueberries can be found in
861-868: The Landmark between the Government of Canada , the Inuvialuit Land Administration, and the people of Tuktoyaktuk. It reserved subsurface rights for the Inuvialuit , federal jurisdiction for the surface, and that the pingos would be preserved unimpaired. Although a nationwide landmarks program was envisioned at its creation, Pingo remains the country's only National Landmark . The Landmark comprises an area roughly 16 km (6.2 sq mi), just 5 km (3.1 mi) west of Tuktoyaktuk, and includes Ibyuk Pingo— Canada 's highest, exceeded in height only by Kadleroshilik Pingo in Alaska—at 49 m (161 ft). The Landmark, which lies within
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#1732783423448902-565: The Tuktoyaktuk Peninsula. The Tuktoyaktuk Peninsula has the greatest concentration of pingos in the world with a total of 1,350 pingos. These pingos formed in one of two distinct ways: hydrostatically and hydraulically . Hydrostatic pingos are the result of closed systems caused by continuous permafrost where there is an impermeable ground layer, leading to the build up of hydrostatic pressure . Hydraulic pingos are caused by open systems where groundwater flows in, leading to
943-448: The accumulation of artesian pressure . The Landmark protects an excellent example of massive ice . One section of the frozen groundwater , part of an eroded hillside by the sea, is over 500 m (1,600 ft) long, and 10 m (33 ft) high. Other less visible ice beds in the region are over 40 m (130 ft) thick. This type of ice is found in permafrost, and can be thousands of years old. The permafrost environment of
984-466: The advice of the prime minister who, by convention, are generally selected primarily from the House of Commons (although often include a limited number of members from the Senate ). During its term, the government must retain the confidence of the House of Commons and certain important motions , such as money bills and the speech from the throne , are considered as confidence motions . Laws are formed by
1025-417: The elected House of Commons and the day-to-day operation of government is guided only by a sub-group of the Privy Council made up of individuals who hold seats in Parliament, known as the Cabinet . The monarch and governor general typically follow the near-binding advice of their ministers. The royal prerogative, however, belongs to the Crown and not to any of the ministers, who only rule "in trust" for
1066-410: The mating season, males engage in male-male aggressive encounters for mating rights. Arctic ground squirrels live individually in burrow systems. Mating occurs between mid-April and mid-May (depending on latitude ) after winter hibernation. Mating includes male-male competition for access to females, and litters are typically sired by multiple males. Gestation is approximately 25 days, and results in
1107-400: The monarch and who must relinquish the Crown's power back to it upon losing the confidence of the commons, whereupon a new government, which can hold the lower chamber 's confidence, is installed by the governor general. The royal and vice-royal figures may unilaterally use these powers in exceptional constitutional crisis situations (an exercise of the reserve powers ), thereby allowing
1148-450: The monarch themselves (such as assent of certain bills). In case of the governor general's absence or incapacitation, the administrator of Canada performs the Crown's most basic functions. As part of the royal prerogative, the royal sign-manual gives authority to letters patent and orders-in-Council . Much of the royal prerogative is only exercised in-council, meaning on the advice of the King's Privy Council for Canada ( ministers of
1189-483: The monarch to make sure "that the government conducts itself in compliance with the constitution." Politicians can sometimes try to use to their favour to obscure the complexity of the relationship between the monarch, viceroy, ministers, and Parliament, as well as the public's general unfamiliarity with such. Arctic ground squirrel 10 ssp., see text Spermophilus parryii The Arctic ground squirrel ( Urocitellus parryii ) ( Inuktitut : ᓯᒃᓯᒃ, siksik )
1230-682: The most southern habitats of this species. The Arctic ground squirrel has an extensive fossil record from the Pleistocene. During the Last Glacial Maximum , it was abundant in areas such as the Klondike region where it is currently rare or absent. Fossilised Arctic ground squirrel nests and caches have also been used for palaeoenvironmental reconstruction; Calamagrostis canadensis , Carex albonigra, and Koeleria sp. are common in caches from Late Pleistocene Alaska, indicating
1271-405: The park are brant geese , tundra swans , lesser snow geese , loons , and greater white-fronted geese . Ducks such as mallard , green-winged teal , king eider , common eider , and long-tailed ducks are common to this area as well as a variety of gulls and shorebird species. In August 2010 a boardwalk trail was completed with a boat launch, dock and viewing platforms; interpretive signage
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1312-432: The park. Non-vascular plants such as sphagnum moss and leaf lichen make up much of the ground cover in the region. As a result of the permafrost and short growing season of the park what few trees can be found are in a stunted krummholz form. Animals that inhabit this park include grizzly and polar bears , wolf packs, two species of fox , and Arctic ground squirrels . Birds that either nest or migrate around
1353-468: The party with the most seats or one supported by other parties—will be called by the governor general to form a minority government . Once sworn in, the prime minister holds office until their resignation or removal by the governor general, after either a motion of no confidence or defeat in a general election . The executive is defined in the Constitution Act, 1867 as the Crown acting on
1394-519: The passage of bills through Parliament, which are either sponsored by the government or individual members of Parliament. Once a bill has been approved by both the House of Commons and the Senate, royal assent is required to make the bill become law. The laws are then the responsibility of the government to oversee and enforce. Under Canada's Westminster-style parliamentary democracy , the terms government and Government of Canada refer specifically to
1435-422: The presence of an aerially extensive mammoth steppe ecosystem in the region at this time. The diurnal Arctic ground squirrel lives on the tundra and is prey to the Arctic fox , the red fox , the wolverine , Canada lynx , Eurasian lynx , the brown bear , and eagles . It is one of the few Arctic animals, along with their close relatives the marmots and the un-related little brown bat , that hibernate . In
1476-478: The prime minister, Cabinet, and other members of the governing party inside the House of Commons , but typically includes the federal public service and federal departments and agencies when used elsewhere. This differs from the United States , where the executive branch is referred to as an administration and the federal government encompasses executive, legislative, and judicial powers, similar to
1517-623: The squirrel's blood doesn't freeze is that the animal is able to cleanse their bodies of ice nucleators which are necessary for the development of ice crystals. In the absence of ice nucleators, body fluids can remain liquid while in supercooled state. This process is being studied with the hope that mechanism present in arctic ground squirrels may provide a path for better preservation of human organs for transplant. The connections between brain cells also wither away in this state. The damage should have resulted in death, but research on related species show that these connections regrow after waking up. In
1558-469: The summer it forages for tundra plants , seeds , and fruit to increase body fat for its winter hibernation . By late summer the male Arctic ground squirrel begins to store food in its burrow so that in the spring it will have edible food until the new vegetation has grown. The burrows are lined with lichens , leaves , and muskox hair. Communication between squirrels is done through both vocal and physical means. When they meet, nose to nose contact
1599-401: The time), in place of Government of Canada . The same Cabinet earlier directed its press department to use the phrase Canada's New Government . Canada is a constitutional monarchy, wherein the role of the reigning sovereign is both legal and practical, but not political. The monarch is vested with all powers of state and sits at the centre of a construct in which the power of the whole
1640-466: The warmer months, the squirrel is active during the day. This squirrel feeds on grasses, sedges , mushrooms, bog rushes, bilberries , willows , roots, stalks, leaves, leaf buds, flowers, catkins , and seeds. They will also eat insects, and occasionally they will even feed on carrion (such as mice, snowshoe hares and caribou ) as well as juvenile Arctic ground squirrels. Sometimes these squirrels carry food back to their den in their cheeks. During
1681-467: Was established at Confederation , through the Constitution Act, 1867 , wherein the Canadian Crown acts as the core, or "the most basic building block", of its Westminster-style parliamentary democracy . The monarch, King Charles III is head of state and is personally represented by a governor general (currently Mary Simon ). A prime minister (currently Justin Trudeau ) is