11/15/17
Mr. Ledgerwood
Research and Development
Canada Day
Canada. This holiday celebrates the 1867 formation of the Dominion of Canada, when the British
colonies of Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and Canada united and became a “kingdom in its own
right.” The 1982 Constitution Act made Canada an independent nation. Since 1868, Canadians
worldwide have celebrated their country on the first day of July. Firework displays, parades and
fairs are some of the many ways that Canadians celebrate their pride for their country. This
The 150th anniversary of Canadian independence took place on July 1st 2017. Although
many Canadians celebrated this holiday fondly it was not as cheerful for many native people.
The Inuit and Métis people lived in what is now Canada far before any of the first Canadians
settled in the region. These native peoples took offense to the 150th Canada day celebrations
because it was viewed by them as a celebration of colonialism. The people native to Canada have
been there for thousands of years, so the anniversary of the country’s independence has less
meaning. Colonization of north america brought with it the destruction of native lands and
culture. Poor treatment of native peoples historically in Canada is the driving force that leads
many of them to dislike this particular Canada Day celebration. Native populations have been
forced to integrate with the standard population and give up many of their unique cultural
Heritage, C. (2017, October 16). History of Canada Day. Retrieved November 19, 2017, from
https://www.canada.ca/en/canadian-heritage/services/canada-day-history.html
Hollingsworth, J. (2017, June 30). Canada Day vs. Fourth of July: How do these national
https://www.seattletimes.com/entertainment/events/canada-day-vs-fourth-of-july-how-do
-these-national-holidays-compare/
Morton, W. L., Hall, R. D., Bercuson, D. J., Krueger, R. R., & Nicholson, N. L. (2017, October
https://www.britannica.com/place/Canada
Why is Canada's 150th birthday controversial? (2017, June 29). Retrieved November 19, 2017,
from
https://www.economist.com/blogs/economist-explains/2017/06/economist-explains-24