Canada Eh! Some Fun Facts

August 25 2010 by Bryson Forbes

iStock_000001729772XSmall.jpg"From Sea to Sea" is our country's official motto and it fits. At nearly ten million square kilometres in size, Canada is the second largest country on the planet. Its land stretches from the Pacific Ocean in the west across to the Atlantic Ocean in the east and all the way up north to the Arctic Circle. In between, there's certainly no shortage of interesting things to do and see.

In previous blogs, I've highlighted many of those specifics. Today, I'd like to share several fun facts about our home that you may not have known:

  • The first explorer to reach Canada in 1497 was none other than John Cabot--the namesake behind the Cabot Trial in Nova Scotia.

  • Canadians consume the most macaroni and cheese per capita than any other country. The Barenaked Ladies, a famous Canadian band, support this factoid in their song, "If I Had a Million Dollars."

  • Our national anthem, "O Canada", was originally written in French and called "Chant National". It's now the only multilingual anthem in the world. C'èst manifique!

  • Though Canada's national sport (which most assume is hockey) is actually lacrosse, we have certainly assisted with the great American pastime of baseball, having invented the baseball glove in 1883.

  • The average life expectancy for Canadians is 81.2 years, more than three years longer than our American friends who can expect to live for 78.1 years.

  • The CN Tower in Toronto was the world's largest free-standing building until 2007. Now that claim goes to Burj Khaliba in Dubai.

  • We are very accomplished inventors. Some of the most notable inventions made by Canadians include; the television, the telephone, the zipper and the game of basketball. Next time you make a call while taking a bathroom break from watching the NBA Finals on TV - remember almost none of this would have been possible if it weren't for Canadians.

  • Some interesting foods that are uniquely Canadian include poutine, maple syrup, ice wine and beavertails.

  • The largest single-branded hotel chain in Canada is none other than Best Western International. The brand is a recognized hotel leader in the midscale range.

With so much space, Canadians are happy to share. Make yourself at home, grab some ice wine and a bowl of mac and cheese at your locally-owned and operated Best Western. You may just live longer!

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