Shadedmuse
05-19-2002, 8:10 PM
This is from Spokesman Review.com
'Eh' OK
Didn't realize Monday is Victoria Day in Canada? Don't worry, we've got it covered, from the myths to the legends to the land
Jim Kershner, Leslie Kelly and Chris Wille
Staff writers
Have a happy Victoria Day tomorrow.
What? You didn't know Victoria Day was Monday? You didn't even know Victoria Day existed?
Well, that's exactly the issue we aim to address today. Americans know too little about Canada, even those of us in the Inland Northwest, who can practically see Canada by standing on our tippy-toes.
For your information, Victoria Day is a national holiday in Canada, celebrated every year on the Monday preceding May 25.
Back in an earlier (Victorian) era it was celebrated on May 24 as Queen Victoria's birthday. When that formidable monarch died in 1901, Canada just kept right on celebrating. Today, Victoria Day has evolved into a generic holiday that most Canadians enjoy (it's a day off, after all) rather than actively celebrate.
A Canadian source tells us that tiny groups of monarchists have tea parties, but that's about it. Canada Day is a much bigger deal, but then again we Americans don't know much about that holiday either.
Sigh.
And don't think Canadians haven't noticed. Americans' collective ignorance about Canada is a major source of humor north of the border.
But Victoria Day gives us the perfect opportunity to remedy the situation. Here's our list of "100 Things You Should Know About Canada." (That's 64 Canadian, with the current exchange rate.)
Canada Day comes every July 1, commemorating the establishment of the Dominion of Canada in 1867. It was known as Dominion Day until 1982. Most towns and cities have celebrations and fireworks.
The unofficial drink of Victoria Day is beer. Contrary to popular belief, it's no stronger than American beer. Canadian labels simply list the alcohol content by volume rather than by weight.
Not all Canadians say "Eh" after every statement. Many actually say "Hey," as in, "They've got excellent fish and chips here, hey?"
4. British Columbia road signs do not say "Watch for ice." They say "Slippery when frosty."
5. The maple leaf flag of Canada is a relatively recent innovation. It replaced the Canadian Red Ensign, which included the Union Jack and the Canadian shield of the royal arms, in 1965.
6. Canada has two official languages. That's why one side of the Mackintosh's Creamy Toffee package says, "Give Your Mack a Smack!" and the other says, "On Craque Pour Mack!"
7. When it comes to English, we speak the same language. Sort of. There are plenty of Canadian colloquialisms: A napkin is a serviette, a bathroom is a washroom, chips are french fries and potato chips are crisps.
8. Canadians are Americans, too, because they live in North America. However, they bow to convention and refer to U.S. residents as "Americans" because, as one Vancouver resident said, "What did you expect us to call you, United Statians?"
9. The average Canadian worker has 26 vacation days per year. The average U.S. worker has 13.
10. Most Canadians live neither in igloos nor in log cabins in the woods. 77 percent of the Canadian population is urban.
11. Vancouver's metro population is about 2 million, of whom approximately 28 percent are Chinese or of Chinese descent.
12. Vancouver also has more than 120,000 residents who are South Asian (Indian or Pakistani), or of South Asian descent.
13. Films shot in and around Vancouver that were set somewhere else include "Rumble in the Bronx," "3000 Miles to Graceland," "Mission to Mars" and "Seven Years in Tibet."
14. Famous Canadian songbirds: Celine Dion, Anne Murray, The Barenaked Ladies, Gordon Lightfoot, Diana Krall, Nickelback, Shaggy, Joni Mitchell, Neil Young, Alanis Morrisette.
15. Canada is the second-largest country in the world (next to the Russian Federation), but only one-tenth of its land area is inhabited.
16. Spokane is on about the same latitude as St. John's, Newfoundland.
17. Nearly 90 percent of Canadians live within 100 miles of the 3,000-mile U.S. border.
18. 0.3 percent of Canadian vehicle accidents involve a moose.
19. There are 5 time zones in Canada, or maybe we should say 51/2, because the island of Newfoundland operates in a special time zone, which is a half-hour different from the rest of the province.
20. The Dominion of Canada was established in 1867, but true independence from Great Britain was not achieved until 1931.
21. Pamela Anderson Lee ("Baywatch", the ex-Mrs. Tommy Lee) was the first baby born in Canada on the country's centennial day, July 1, 1967. Her parents received numerous cash prizes and gifts for having "The Centennial Baby."
22. About 60,000 Canadians died in World War I, a far higher proportion for its population than the U.S., which had about 116,000 killed.
23. All Canadian schoolchildren know about Alexander Mackenzie, Simon Fraser and David Thompson, who were Canada's equivalents to Lewis and Clark. They (separately) explored vast tracts of the Canada interior.
24. Alexander Mackenzie also become Canada's second prime minister in 1873. They were actually two different guys.
25. Canada's first prime minister was John MacDonald, but Americans shouldn't feel too bad about not knowing that. In a recent poll, only 54 percent of Canadians knew it.
26. MacDonald is credited with creating the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. The most famous Mounties are fictional, including "Sergeant Preston of the Yukon," a TV show that ran from 1955 to '58 and, of course, Dudley Do-Right.
27. There are 10 provinces in Canada, and three territories. The newest, Nunavut, a native territory in the far north, was established in 1999.
28. Like the U.S., cuisine in Canada is a real melting pot of international dishes. But here's a few Canadian edibles you won't easily find south of the border in the states: Ketchup-flavored potato chips, Coffee Crisp candy bars, Murchie's tea, restaurants that offer "Chinese and Canadian food" and poutine, which is an order of gravy-drenched french fries.
29. Long, cold Canadian winter nights mean there's lots of time for playing games indoors. And, no, we're not talking about curling. Canadian residents are credited with coming up with classic board games including Pictionary, Trivial Pursuit and Yahtzee.
30. You cannot buy beer or wine in a grocery store in Canada, but must go to a government liquor store or licensed beer store, where a six-pack will set you back almost $10.
31. Despite the chilly reputation of the Great White North, there's a thriving wine industry in Canada, especially in British Columbia's Okanagan Valley (they don't spell it Okanogan, like here in Washington). That region is home to more than 40 wineries.
32. In the '70s, Canadians who traveled across the border to shop in Washington bought big blocks of cheese because it was cheaper than cheese in Canada. Thus, earning them the not-so-flattering nickname "cheeseheads."
33. Many Yanks make the pilgrimage up north to purchase cheaper prescription medications and some over-the-counter products not available without a prescription in the U.S. Some models and actresses buy the Canadian formula of Preparation H. That clear gel -- which offers relief from hemorrhoid pain -- is said to have an ingredient that temporarily erases wrinkles.
34. Along with having just three downs and a larger field, the Canadian Football League is also distinguished by once having two teams called Tiger-Cats. (Only the Hamilton T-Cats still play. They won the Grey Cup in 2001.)
35. Canadian bacon is neither bacon nor ham. It's smoked pork loin and the essential ingredient on pizza when paired with pineapple.
36. In 2000, "South Park: Bigger, Longer and Uncut" was nominated for an Academy Award for its obscenity-spiked ditty: "Blame Canada."
37. Thousands of visitors a year make the pilgrimage to Prince Edward Island to the "home" of "Anne of Green Gables." That island is now connected to the mainland by a 12-kilometer bridge that takes approximately 10 minutes to drive across.
38. Does size matter? The highest peak in the Canadian Rockies is Mount Robson at 12,969. The highest point in the Lower 48 Rockies is Colorado's Castle Peak at 14,265 feet.
39. Canada's current leader is Prime Minister Jean Chretien. Time magazine called him an "oxford-wearing . . . liberal lawyer with a hard-to-pronounce name." For the record, it's pronounced "cray-TYEN," with a nasal N. And Jean is pronounced like John, but with a soft J and a nasal N. Chretien, a member of the Liberal Party, has served as prime minister since 1993.
40. Canada does not have fixed election dates (or campaigns that last for years). The prime minister calls for elections, and they must be held at least every five years.
41. There are two houses of Parliament. The House of Commons contains elected representatives. The Senate, mostly ceremonial, is filled with lifetime appointees who get fat salaries.
42. Canadians seem to thrive on politics. Five major parties jockey for power: Bloc Quebecois, the Canadian Alliance, the New Democratic Party, the Progressive Conservative Party, and the Liberal Party, which currently runs the country.
43. Canadian radio and TV newscasts and newspapers cover politics more than crime, ignoring the American obsession with the old "If-it-bleeds-it-leads" style of journalism.
44. Canadians use the metric system, so speeding down the highway at 55 mph will get you a ticket in a 55 kilometers per hour zone. That 55 mph converts to 88.5 kilometers per hour.
45. When buying gasoline, remember that there are 3.8 liters to a U.S. gallon. The average price of gas up north is some 68.5 cents a liter, so fill 'er up before crossing the border.
46. Firearms must be licensed in Canada. As one Canadian noted on the Web: "We much prefer to knife or poison each other. If you wish to shoot someone, you have to go to a lot more effort here in Canada."
47. The most popular sport is ice hockey, which is the country's official winter sport. The official summer sport is lacrosse, though few people know how to play. Canadians also favor three other sports with sticks and stones, so to speak: curling, golf and baseball.
48. One of the nation's most revered citizens is Wayne Gretzky, known as the Great One for his hockey exploits. As an NHL player, he won 10 scoring titles, nine most-valuable player awards and four Stanley Cups. He set 61 records before hanging up his skates in 1999.
49. The Canadian dollar, a coin nicknamed a loonie (because there's a loon stamped onto it), is currently worth about 64 U.S. cents. A quarter century ago, it was worth more than the American dollar. Canada's two-dollar coin is called a toonie.
50. Americans buying stuff in Canada can claim a refund for the goods and services tax, or GST, and the harmonized sales tax, or HST. Canadians have dubbed the GST the Grab and Steal Tax. You'll need to follow the rules to collect your refund. Check them out and pick up forms at border crossings and visitors centers.
51. When a Canadian invites you to sit on the Chesterfield, he's not talking about his pet cat. That's the name up north for a sofa or couch.
52. The country's national anthem, "O Canada," was written in 1880 in French, but was not proclaimed the official anthem by the government until 1980.
The first lines, in French (and English), are:
O Canada (whaddya know, same in English) Terre de nos aieux (Our home and native land) Ton front est ceint (True patriot love in all thy sons command).
53. The man who invented the game of basketball, James Naismith, grew up on a farm in Almonte, Ontario, not far from Ottawa. He came up with the idea in 1891 as an assignment while attending a Massachusetts YMCA training school.
54. The estimated population of the country is 31,186,000.
55. More and more Canadians are flipping burgers at Harvey's and other popular fast food spots now that service industry jobs rank No. 1 in the work force.
56. Professional Canadians are fleeing south in droves, drawn by higher pay, lower taxes and the massive high-tech infrastructure, and the government lists this as a major concern.
57. Kelowna, the largest town in the Okanagan Valley with about 100,000 residents, has been ranked as one of the most liveable cities in the country. It is situated in the heart of B.C.'s fruit-growing district along the shores of Okanagan Lake.
58. U.S. residents visiting Canada can haul back $400 U.S. worth of goods duty free. That could add up to a whole lot of Preparation H.
59. Banff, in the Canadian Rockies, is the country's No. 1 resort town in both winter and summer. Banff National Park, established in 1885, is the country's first national park.
60. Boxing Day is the day after Christmas, so named for gift-returners punching out dim-witted clerks. Actually, it's named for the British tradition of giving gifts to mail carriers, the milkman and others.
61. A beer gut in Canada is known as a Moulson Muscle.
62. Take off, eh? That line was made famous by beer-swilling comedic characters Bob and Doug McKenzie, fixtures on the early '80s hit series SCTV. The back bacon-, crisp-crunching hosers were played by Rick Moranis and Dave Thomas. Other Canadian funnymen include Jim Carrey, the late John Candy, Tommy Chong, Michael J. Fox, Eugene Levy, Norm MacDonald, Mike Myers, Matthew Perry, Leslie Nielsen and Martin Short.
63. Next time the phone rings, thank (or curse) Canadian-born inventor Alexander Graham Bell.
64. Other famous Canadian inventors include Wilbur R. Franks, who created the anti-gravity suit in 1940; John J. McLaughlin, who invented ginger ale in 1904, and Steve Pasjac, who came up with the cardboard handle for cases of beer in 1957. No doubt comes in handy on Victoria Day. Good man, Steve! Sources: The World Almanac and Book of Facts 2001, An American's Guide to Canada at www.icomm.ca/emily/ (http://www.icomm.ca/emily/), www.communities.msn.com/99canadian (http://www.communities.msn.com/99canadian), www3.sympatico.ca/taniah/canada/index.html, www.vancouver.hm/canfacts1.html (http://www.vancouver.hm/canfacts1.html), www.statcan.ca (http://www.statcan.ca), www.pch.gc.ca (http://www.pch.gc.ca) and other Internet sites.
'Eh' OK
Didn't realize Monday is Victoria Day in Canada? Don't worry, we've got it covered, from the myths to the legends to the land
Jim Kershner, Leslie Kelly and Chris Wille
Staff writers
Have a happy Victoria Day tomorrow.
What? You didn't know Victoria Day was Monday? You didn't even know Victoria Day existed?
Well, that's exactly the issue we aim to address today. Americans know too little about Canada, even those of us in the Inland Northwest, who can practically see Canada by standing on our tippy-toes.
For your information, Victoria Day is a national holiday in Canada, celebrated every year on the Monday preceding May 25.
Back in an earlier (Victorian) era it was celebrated on May 24 as Queen Victoria's birthday. When that formidable monarch died in 1901, Canada just kept right on celebrating. Today, Victoria Day has evolved into a generic holiday that most Canadians enjoy (it's a day off, after all) rather than actively celebrate.
A Canadian source tells us that tiny groups of monarchists have tea parties, but that's about it. Canada Day is a much bigger deal, but then again we Americans don't know much about that holiday either.
Sigh.
And don't think Canadians haven't noticed. Americans' collective ignorance about Canada is a major source of humor north of the border.
But Victoria Day gives us the perfect opportunity to remedy the situation. Here's our list of "100 Things You Should Know About Canada." (That's 64 Canadian, with the current exchange rate.)
Canada Day comes every July 1, commemorating the establishment of the Dominion of Canada in 1867. It was known as Dominion Day until 1982. Most towns and cities have celebrations and fireworks.
The unofficial drink of Victoria Day is beer. Contrary to popular belief, it's no stronger than American beer. Canadian labels simply list the alcohol content by volume rather than by weight.
Not all Canadians say "Eh" after every statement. Many actually say "Hey," as in, "They've got excellent fish and chips here, hey?"
4. British Columbia road signs do not say "Watch for ice." They say "Slippery when frosty."
5. The maple leaf flag of Canada is a relatively recent innovation. It replaced the Canadian Red Ensign, which included the Union Jack and the Canadian shield of the royal arms, in 1965.
6. Canada has two official languages. That's why one side of the Mackintosh's Creamy Toffee package says, "Give Your Mack a Smack!" and the other says, "On Craque Pour Mack!"
7. When it comes to English, we speak the same language. Sort of. There are plenty of Canadian colloquialisms: A napkin is a serviette, a bathroom is a washroom, chips are french fries and potato chips are crisps.
8. Canadians are Americans, too, because they live in North America. However, they bow to convention and refer to U.S. residents as "Americans" because, as one Vancouver resident said, "What did you expect us to call you, United Statians?"
9. The average Canadian worker has 26 vacation days per year. The average U.S. worker has 13.
10. Most Canadians live neither in igloos nor in log cabins in the woods. 77 percent of the Canadian population is urban.
11. Vancouver's metro population is about 2 million, of whom approximately 28 percent are Chinese or of Chinese descent.
12. Vancouver also has more than 120,000 residents who are South Asian (Indian or Pakistani), or of South Asian descent.
13. Films shot in and around Vancouver that were set somewhere else include "Rumble in the Bronx," "3000 Miles to Graceland," "Mission to Mars" and "Seven Years in Tibet."
14. Famous Canadian songbirds: Celine Dion, Anne Murray, The Barenaked Ladies, Gordon Lightfoot, Diana Krall, Nickelback, Shaggy, Joni Mitchell, Neil Young, Alanis Morrisette.
15. Canada is the second-largest country in the world (next to the Russian Federation), but only one-tenth of its land area is inhabited.
16. Spokane is on about the same latitude as St. John's, Newfoundland.
17. Nearly 90 percent of Canadians live within 100 miles of the 3,000-mile U.S. border.
18. 0.3 percent of Canadian vehicle accidents involve a moose.
19. There are 5 time zones in Canada, or maybe we should say 51/2, because the island of Newfoundland operates in a special time zone, which is a half-hour different from the rest of the province.
20. The Dominion of Canada was established in 1867, but true independence from Great Britain was not achieved until 1931.
21. Pamela Anderson Lee ("Baywatch", the ex-Mrs. Tommy Lee) was the first baby born in Canada on the country's centennial day, July 1, 1967. Her parents received numerous cash prizes and gifts for having "The Centennial Baby."
22. About 60,000 Canadians died in World War I, a far higher proportion for its population than the U.S., which had about 116,000 killed.
23. All Canadian schoolchildren know about Alexander Mackenzie, Simon Fraser and David Thompson, who were Canada's equivalents to Lewis and Clark. They (separately) explored vast tracts of the Canada interior.
24. Alexander Mackenzie also become Canada's second prime minister in 1873. They were actually two different guys.
25. Canada's first prime minister was John MacDonald, but Americans shouldn't feel too bad about not knowing that. In a recent poll, only 54 percent of Canadians knew it.
26. MacDonald is credited with creating the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. The most famous Mounties are fictional, including "Sergeant Preston of the Yukon," a TV show that ran from 1955 to '58 and, of course, Dudley Do-Right.
27. There are 10 provinces in Canada, and three territories. The newest, Nunavut, a native territory in the far north, was established in 1999.
28. Like the U.S., cuisine in Canada is a real melting pot of international dishes. But here's a few Canadian edibles you won't easily find south of the border in the states: Ketchup-flavored potato chips, Coffee Crisp candy bars, Murchie's tea, restaurants that offer "Chinese and Canadian food" and poutine, which is an order of gravy-drenched french fries.
29. Long, cold Canadian winter nights mean there's lots of time for playing games indoors. And, no, we're not talking about curling. Canadian residents are credited with coming up with classic board games including Pictionary, Trivial Pursuit and Yahtzee.
30. You cannot buy beer or wine in a grocery store in Canada, but must go to a government liquor store or licensed beer store, where a six-pack will set you back almost $10.
31. Despite the chilly reputation of the Great White North, there's a thriving wine industry in Canada, especially in British Columbia's Okanagan Valley (they don't spell it Okanogan, like here in Washington). That region is home to more than 40 wineries.
32. In the '70s, Canadians who traveled across the border to shop in Washington bought big blocks of cheese because it was cheaper than cheese in Canada. Thus, earning them the not-so-flattering nickname "cheeseheads."
33. Many Yanks make the pilgrimage up north to purchase cheaper prescription medications and some over-the-counter products not available without a prescription in the U.S. Some models and actresses buy the Canadian formula of Preparation H. That clear gel -- which offers relief from hemorrhoid pain -- is said to have an ingredient that temporarily erases wrinkles.
34. Along with having just three downs and a larger field, the Canadian Football League is also distinguished by once having two teams called Tiger-Cats. (Only the Hamilton T-Cats still play. They won the Grey Cup in 2001.)
35. Canadian bacon is neither bacon nor ham. It's smoked pork loin and the essential ingredient on pizza when paired with pineapple.
36. In 2000, "South Park: Bigger, Longer and Uncut" was nominated for an Academy Award for its obscenity-spiked ditty: "Blame Canada."
37. Thousands of visitors a year make the pilgrimage to Prince Edward Island to the "home" of "Anne of Green Gables." That island is now connected to the mainland by a 12-kilometer bridge that takes approximately 10 minutes to drive across.
38. Does size matter? The highest peak in the Canadian Rockies is Mount Robson at 12,969. The highest point in the Lower 48 Rockies is Colorado's Castle Peak at 14,265 feet.
39. Canada's current leader is Prime Minister Jean Chretien. Time magazine called him an "oxford-wearing . . . liberal lawyer with a hard-to-pronounce name." For the record, it's pronounced "cray-TYEN," with a nasal N. And Jean is pronounced like John, but with a soft J and a nasal N. Chretien, a member of the Liberal Party, has served as prime minister since 1993.
40. Canada does not have fixed election dates (or campaigns that last for years). The prime minister calls for elections, and they must be held at least every five years.
41. There are two houses of Parliament. The House of Commons contains elected representatives. The Senate, mostly ceremonial, is filled with lifetime appointees who get fat salaries.
42. Canadians seem to thrive on politics. Five major parties jockey for power: Bloc Quebecois, the Canadian Alliance, the New Democratic Party, the Progressive Conservative Party, and the Liberal Party, which currently runs the country.
43. Canadian radio and TV newscasts and newspapers cover politics more than crime, ignoring the American obsession with the old "If-it-bleeds-it-leads" style of journalism.
44. Canadians use the metric system, so speeding down the highway at 55 mph will get you a ticket in a 55 kilometers per hour zone. That 55 mph converts to 88.5 kilometers per hour.
45. When buying gasoline, remember that there are 3.8 liters to a U.S. gallon. The average price of gas up north is some 68.5 cents a liter, so fill 'er up before crossing the border.
46. Firearms must be licensed in Canada. As one Canadian noted on the Web: "We much prefer to knife or poison each other. If you wish to shoot someone, you have to go to a lot more effort here in Canada."
47. The most popular sport is ice hockey, which is the country's official winter sport. The official summer sport is lacrosse, though few people know how to play. Canadians also favor three other sports with sticks and stones, so to speak: curling, golf and baseball.
48. One of the nation's most revered citizens is Wayne Gretzky, known as the Great One for his hockey exploits. As an NHL player, he won 10 scoring titles, nine most-valuable player awards and four Stanley Cups. He set 61 records before hanging up his skates in 1999.
49. The Canadian dollar, a coin nicknamed a loonie (because there's a loon stamped onto it), is currently worth about 64 U.S. cents. A quarter century ago, it was worth more than the American dollar. Canada's two-dollar coin is called a toonie.
50. Americans buying stuff in Canada can claim a refund for the goods and services tax, or GST, and the harmonized sales tax, or HST. Canadians have dubbed the GST the Grab and Steal Tax. You'll need to follow the rules to collect your refund. Check them out and pick up forms at border crossings and visitors centers.
51. When a Canadian invites you to sit on the Chesterfield, he's not talking about his pet cat. That's the name up north for a sofa or couch.
52. The country's national anthem, "O Canada," was written in 1880 in French, but was not proclaimed the official anthem by the government until 1980.
The first lines, in French (and English), are:
O Canada (whaddya know, same in English) Terre de nos aieux (Our home and native land) Ton front est ceint (True patriot love in all thy sons command).
53. The man who invented the game of basketball, James Naismith, grew up on a farm in Almonte, Ontario, not far from Ottawa. He came up with the idea in 1891 as an assignment while attending a Massachusetts YMCA training school.
54. The estimated population of the country is 31,186,000.
55. More and more Canadians are flipping burgers at Harvey's and other popular fast food spots now that service industry jobs rank No. 1 in the work force.
56. Professional Canadians are fleeing south in droves, drawn by higher pay, lower taxes and the massive high-tech infrastructure, and the government lists this as a major concern.
57. Kelowna, the largest town in the Okanagan Valley with about 100,000 residents, has been ranked as one of the most liveable cities in the country. It is situated in the heart of B.C.'s fruit-growing district along the shores of Okanagan Lake.
58. U.S. residents visiting Canada can haul back $400 U.S. worth of goods duty free. That could add up to a whole lot of Preparation H.
59. Banff, in the Canadian Rockies, is the country's No. 1 resort town in both winter and summer. Banff National Park, established in 1885, is the country's first national park.
60. Boxing Day is the day after Christmas, so named for gift-returners punching out dim-witted clerks. Actually, it's named for the British tradition of giving gifts to mail carriers, the milkman and others.
61. A beer gut in Canada is known as a Moulson Muscle.
62. Take off, eh? That line was made famous by beer-swilling comedic characters Bob and Doug McKenzie, fixtures on the early '80s hit series SCTV. The back bacon-, crisp-crunching hosers were played by Rick Moranis and Dave Thomas. Other Canadian funnymen include Jim Carrey, the late John Candy, Tommy Chong, Michael J. Fox, Eugene Levy, Norm MacDonald, Mike Myers, Matthew Perry, Leslie Nielsen and Martin Short.
63. Next time the phone rings, thank (or curse) Canadian-born inventor Alexander Graham Bell.
64. Other famous Canadian inventors include Wilbur R. Franks, who created the anti-gravity suit in 1940; John J. McLaughlin, who invented ginger ale in 1904, and Steve Pasjac, who came up with the cardboard handle for cases of beer in 1957. No doubt comes in handy on Victoria Day. Good man, Steve! Sources: The World Almanac and Book of Facts 2001, An American's Guide to Canada at www.icomm.ca/emily/ (http://www.icomm.ca/emily/), www.communities.msn.com/99canadian (http://www.communities.msn.com/99canadian), www3.sympatico.ca/taniah/canada/index.html, www.vancouver.hm/canfacts1.html (http://www.vancouver.hm/canfacts1.html), www.statcan.ca (http://www.statcan.ca), www.pch.gc.ca (http://www.pch.gc.ca) and other Internet sites.