CANADA 150

Today is Canada 150 Day, a day of celebration across our great land of Canada. 

It's also the eve of my wife's birthday and I still have yet to get her a gift...Yikes!

Over the past few weeks, I've been reading a little French book that highlights traditions and folklore from each of the ten provinces as well as the three territories. It's called Mon Premier Livre de Contes du Canada by Corinne De Vailly. 

The book is at about the grade 4 level which is right up my alley.

At the end of each chapter, there is a brief description of the meaning of the names of our provinces and territories.

I thought you might enjoy reading about their origins on this special day.

British Columbia....The province's name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858, reflecting its origins as the British remainder of the Columbia District of the Hudson's Bay Company.

Alberta.....In English the meaning of the name Alberta is from the Old German Adalbert meaning noble and bright. The Canadian province Alberta was named for Queen Victoria and prince Albert's daughter Princess Louise Alberta, who was married to a former Canadian Governor General.

Saskatchewan..The province of Saskatchewan is named after the Saskatchewan River. The river's name in the Cree language is kisiskāciwani-sīpiy, meaning 'swiftly flowing river'. 

Manitoba...The name Manitoba is believed to be derived from the Cree, Ojibwe or Assiniboine languages. The name derives from Cree manitou-wapow or Ojibwa manidoobaa, both meaning "straits of Manitou, the Great Spirit", a place referring to what are now called The Narrows in the centre of Lake Manitoba.

Ontario...The province is named after Lake Ontario, a term thought to be derived from Ontarí:io, a Huron (Wyandot) word meaning "great lake", or possibly skanadario, which means "beautiful water" in the Iroquoian languages. Ontario has about 250,000 freshwater lakes.

Quebec...The name "Québec", which comes from the Algonquin word kébec meaning "where the river narrows", originally referred to the area around Quebec City where the Saint Lawrence River narrows to a cliff-lined gap.

New Brunswick.... ​ The name “New Brunswick” was given to the area in honour of King George III who also held the title of Duke of Brunswick, an area in Germany.

Nova Scotia..."Nova Scotia" means "New Scotland" in Latin (although "Scotia" was originally a Roman name for Ireland) and is the recognized English language name for the province. In Scottish Gaelic, the province is called Alba Nuadh, which also simply means "New Scotland".

Prince Edward Island...The island is named for Prince Edward, Duke of Kent and Strathearn (1767–1820), the fourth son of King George III and the father of Queen Victoria.

Newfoundland... King Henry VII of England referred to the land discovered by John Cabot in 1497 as the “New Found Launde," thus helping to coin the name of Newfoundland. It is thought that the name Labrador came from João Fernandes, a Portuguese explorer.

Yukon...The name Yukon comes from the Gwich'in word Yu-kun-ah meaning "great river" and is a reference to the Yukon River. 

Nunavut...Nunavut is the Inuktitut word for "our land." Nunavut became a territory of Canada in 1999.

Northwest Territories...This territory is so named because it is an area located in the northwest part Canada...Surprise! Surprise!

And I better not forget the origin of the word Canada....It likely comes from the Huron-Iroquois word “kanata,” meaning “village” or “settlement.” In 1535, when two Aboriginal youths told French explorer Jacques Cartier about the route to kanata; they were actually referring to the village of Stadacona, the site of the present-day city of Québec.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY CANADA!

And thank you for being the greatest country in the world. Hope you enjoy Jonathan Torrens's tribute to our home and native land.