Canada: 10 Claims to Fame

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Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. </div> <div class="label mt-20 mb-10">Select Citation Style</div> <select class="js-citation-format-select form-select"> <option selected value="mla">MLA</option> <option value="apa">APA</option> <option value="chicago">Chicago Manual of Style</option> </select> <div class="citation font-serif border rounded p-15 mt-20" data-authors="Melissa Petruzzello" data-title="Canada: 10 Claims to Fame" data-published-date="25 Aug. 2023" data-url="https://www.britannica.com/list/canada-10-claims-to-fame" > <div class="citation-text"></div> </div> <button class="js-copy-citation-button mt-20 btn btn-xs btn-outline-blue border shadow-sm pr-10" > <em class="material-icons md-icon ml-n10 my-n5 mr-5" data-icon="file_copy"></em> <span class="js-citation-status-text">Copy Citation</span> </button> </div> </div> </div> <div> <button class="js-share-modal-button js-modal gtm-topic-tool btn btn-xs btn-outline-blue border shadow-sm pr-10" data-modal=".md-share-modal"> <em class="material-icons md-icon ml-n10 my-n5 mr-5" data-icon="share"></em> Share </button> <div class="md-share-modal size-lg d-none qa-share-modal"> <div class="md-modal-body"> <div class="h2 font-serif d-flex align-items-center pb-15 border-bottom"> <em class="material-icons text-blue mr-10" data-icon="share"></em> Share </div> <div class="label my-20">Share to social media</div> <div class="md-social-toolbar-circle d-flex align-items-start inverted" data-value="share" title="Canada: 10 Claims to Fame" data-url="https://www.britannica.com/list/canada-10-claims-to-fame" > <a class="social-icon facebook justify-content-center d-flex align-items-center align-self-center" data-provider="facebook" href="https://www.facebook.com/BRITANNICA/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span>Facebook</span></a> <a class="social-icon x justify-content-center d-flex align-items-center align-self-center" data-provider="x" href="https://x.com/britannica" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span>X</span></a> </div> <div class="label pt-20 mt-20 mb-5 border-top">URL</div> <a class="font-serif text-truncate d-inline-block" href="https://www.britannica.com/list/canada-10-claims-to-fame">https://www.britannica.com/list/canada-10-claims-to-fame</a> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="md-byline module-spacing font-14"> <div class="font-serif font-12"> <span class="written-by text-gray-700"> Written by </span> <div class="editor-popover popover p-0"> <a class="d-block p-20 gtm-byline font-12 byline-contributor" href="/editor/Melissa-Petruzzello/9400228" > <div class="editor-title font-16 font-weight-bold">Melissa Petruzzello</div> <div class="editor-description font-12 font-serif mt-5 clamp-description text-black">Melissa Petruzzello is Assistant Managing Editor and covers a range of content including plants, algae, and fungi; insects and spiders; and renewable energy and environmental engineering. She has her M.S....</div> </a> <div data-popper-arrow></div> </div> <span class="btn btn-link editor-link p-0 qa-byline-link gtm-byline font-12 byline-contributor text-decoration-underline"> Melissa Petruzzello</span></div> <div class="font-serif font-12 text-gray-700"> <span class="qa-fact-checked-by">Fact-checked by</span> <div class="editor-popover popover p-0"> <a class="d-block p-20 font-12" href="/editor/The-Editors-of-Encyclopaedia-Britannica/4419" > <div class="editor-title font-16 font-weight-bold">The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica</div> <div class="editor-description font-12 font-serif mt-5 text-black">Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree. They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors.</div> </a> <div data-popper-arrow></div> </div> <span class="btn btn-link editor-link p-0 qa-byline-link font-12 "> The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica</span></div></div> </div> <article class="topic-content content"><div class="topic-paragraph font-serif md-list-intro pt-15 pb-20"><figure class="md-assembly md-feature-assembly print-false" data-type="1" data-descid="1"><div class="md-assembly-wrapper card-media " data-type="image"><a href="https://cdn.britannica.com/40/150940-131-3236A59E/Bow-River-Alberta-Canada-Banff-National-Park.jpg" target="_blank" class="gtm-assembly-link position-relative d-flex align-items-center justify-content-center " data-href="*0"><img src="https://cdn.britannica.com/40/150940-131-3236A59E/Bow-River-Alberta-Canada-Banff-National-Park.jpg?w=1000" alt="Banff National Park. Aerial view of Lake Louise in Banff National Park, Alberta, Canada. Aerial perspective." data-width="900" data-height="675" loading="eager"><button class="magnifying-glass btn btn-circle position-absolute shadow btn-white top-10 right-10" aria-label="Zoom in"><em class="material-icons link-blue" data-icon="zoom_in"></em></button></a></div><figcaption class=""><div class="md-assembly-caption text-muted font-14 font-serif "><span></span></div><cite class="credit d-block mt-5">© Vanessa Belfiore/Shutterstock.com</cite></figcaption></figure><p class="topic-paragraph">O <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Canada" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Canada</a>! The Great White North is truly diverse, beautiful, and full of history. Explore some of the country's natural and cultural claims to fame!</p><span class="MOD"></span></div><ul class="list-unstyled md-mendel-list"><li><h2>Inuksuk</h2><div><figure class="md-assembly md-feature-assembly print-false" data-type="1" data-descid="1"><div class="md-assembly-wrapper card-media " data-type="image"><a href="https://cdn.britannica.com/88/134988-050-B2AEE9E7/BC-Vancouver-English-Bay-logo-2010-Winter-2010.jpg" target="_blank" class="gtm-assembly-link position-relative d-flex align-items-center justify-content-center " data-href="*138587"><img src="https://cdn.britannica.com/88/134988-050-B2AEE9E7/BC-Vancouver-English-Bay-logo-2010-Winter-2010.jpg?w=1000" alt="Inukshuk (stone landmark or cairn) on English Bay, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Created by artisan Alvin Kanak of Rankin Inlet for Expo 86 given to the City of Vancouver in 1987. Symbol of 2010 Vancouver Olympics. Circa 2007" data-width="800" data-height="600" loading="eager"><button class="magnifying-glass btn btn-circle position-absolute shadow btn-white top-10 right-10" aria-label="Zoom in"><em class="material-icons link-blue" data-icon="zoom_in"></em></button></a></div><figcaption class=""><div class="md-assembly-caption text-muted font-14 font-serif "><span><a class="gtm-assembly-link md-assembly-title font-weight-bold d-inline font-sans-serif mr-5 media-overlay-link" target="_blank" href="https://cdn.britannica.com/88/134988-050-B2AEE9E7/BC-Vancouver-English-Bay-logo-2010-Winter-2010.jpg" data-href="*138587">A stone <em>inukshuk</em> near English Bay, Vancouver, B.C., Can. The <em>inukshuk</em> was the inspiration for the official logo of the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympic Games.</a></span></div><cite class="credit d-block mt-5">© Terry Alexander/Shutterstock.com</cite></figcaption></figure><p class="topic-paragraph">In <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Nunavut" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Nunavut</a> and other far northern areas of Canada, the landscape is dotted with <em>inuksuit</em> built by <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/Inuit-people" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Inuit peoples</a> for communication. An <em>inuksuk</em> is typically an anthropoid figure formed of stacked rocks that is visible from great distances in the territory, where there are few trees or other landmarks. Many <em>inuksuit</em> are quite ancient; they have been found near archaeological sites that date from 2400 to 1800 BCE! <em>Inuksuit</em> are still used during hunting and navigation, and some of the figures are of spiritual importance. The <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/flag-of-Nunavut" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">flag of Nunavut</a> (the territory that is home to the world's northernmost permanently inhabited city) and badges and other symbols of several local organizations incorporate this amazing emblem of Arctic survival.</p><span class="MOD"></span></div><span class="LIST-ITEM-1"></span></li><li><h2>Hockey</h2><div><p class="topic-paragraph"><a href="https://www.britannica.com/sports/ice-hockey" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Ice hockey</a> rose to prominence in Canada and is the country's most famous sport. The <a href="https://www.britannica.com/sports/Stanley-Cup" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Stanley Cup</a>, North America's oldest professional sporting trophy, hails from Canada, as do many (most?) of the sport's greatest players, including <a href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/Bobby-Orr" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Bobby Orr</a>, <a href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/Wayne-Gretzky" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Wayne Gretzky</a>, and Mr. Hockey himself, <a href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/Gordie-Howe" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Gordie Howe</a>. Besides their prowess in the National Hockey League, Canadians have dominated the ice in the <a href="https://www.britannica.com/sports/Olympic-Games" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Winter Olympics</a>. </p><span class="MOD"></span></div><span class="LIST-ITEM-2"></span></li><li><h2>Maples</h2><div><figure class="md-assembly md-feature-assembly print-false" data-type="1" data-descid="1"><div class="md-assembly-wrapper card-media " data-type="image"><a href="https://cdn.britannica.com/77/194577-050-8A2586E2/High-Park-Toronto.jpg" target="_blank" class="gtm-assembly-link position-relative d-flex align-items-center justify-content-center " data-href="*227670"><img src="https://cdn.britannica.com/77/194577-050-8A2586E2/High-Park-Toronto.jpg?w=1000" alt="High Park Maple Leaf, Toronto, Public Park, Autumn, Canada," data-width="1600" data-height="1041" loading="eager"><button class="magnifying-glass btn btn-circle position-absolute shadow btn-white top-10 right-10" aria-label="Zoom in"><em class="material-icons link-blue" data-icon="zoom_in"></em></button></a></div><figcaption class=""><div class="md-assembly-caption text-muted font-14 font-serif "><span><a class="gtm-assembly-link md-assembly-title font-weight-bold d-inline font-sans-serif mr-5 media-overlay-link" target="_blank" href="https://cdn.britannica.com/77/194577-050-8A2586E2/High-Park-Toronto.jpg" data-href="*227670">High Park Maple Leaf, Toronto, Canada</a></span></div><cite class="credit d-block mt-5">© DebraLeeWiseberg/iStock.com</cite></figcaption></figure><p class="topic-paragraph">Maple stuff is a big deal in Canada. Not only does the country produce almost 80% of the world's <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/maple-syrup" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">maple syrup</a>, but the leaf on the country's iconic flag is a <a href="https://www.britannica.com/plant/sugar-maple" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">sugar maple</a> leaf. In fact, Canada boasts 10 native maple species, all of which contribute to the beautiful leaf displays seen in autumn. You can even visit a massive landscaped maple leaf in High Park, <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Toronto" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Toronto</a>, or catch a game of the <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/Toronto-Maple-Leafs" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Toronto Maple Leafs</a> NHL team.</p><span class="MOD"></span></div><span class="LIST-ITEM-3"></span></li><li><h2>Mounties</h2><div><figure class="md-assembly md-feature-assembly print-false" data-type="1" data-descid="1"><div class="md-assembly-wrapper card-media " data-type="image"><a href="https://cdn.britannica.com/90/140290-050-40CF33F1/Man-Dawson-North-West-Mounted-Police-Yukon-1917.jpg" target="_blank" class="gtm-assembly-link position-relative d-flex align-items-center justify-content-center " data-href="*143389"><img src="https://cdn.britannica.com/90/140290-050-40CF33F1/Man-Dawson-North-West-Mounted-Police-Yukon-1917.jpg?w=1000" alt="Man serving with the North West Mounted Police (later called Royal Canadian Mounted Police), Dawson, Yukon Territory, Canada, c. 1917." data-width="1600" data-height="1344" loading="eager"><button class="magnifying-glass btn btn-circle position-absolute shadow btn-white top-10 right-10" aria-label="Zoom in"><em class="material-icons link-blue" data-icon="zoom_in"></em></button></a></div><figcaption class=""><div class="md-assembly-caption text-muted font-14 font-serif "><span><a class="gtm-assembly-link md-assembly-title font-weight-bold d-inline font-sans-serif mr-5 media-overlay-link" target="_blank" href="https://cdn.britannica.com/90/140290-050-40CF33F1/Man-Dawson-North-West-Mounted-Police-Yukon-1917.jpg" data-href="*143389">North West Mounted Police (Royal Canadian Mounted Police)</a><span>Man serving with the North West Mounted Police (later called Royal Canadian Mounted Police), Dawson, Yukon Territory, Can., <em>c.</em> 1917.</span></span></div><cite class="credit d-block mt-5">Library of Congress, Washington, D.C. (Digital File Number: cph 3c09718)</cite></figcaption></figure><p class="topic-paragraph">Although the hapless Dudley Do-Right and his clever horse, Horse, may have informed how many non-Canadians envision the <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/Royal-Canadian-Mounted-Police" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Royal Canadian Mounted Police</a>, Canada's federal police force obviously is much more than this cartoony <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/stereotype-social" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">stereotype</a>. Founded in 1873, the Mounties serve as the provincial and criminal police establishment in all provinces except <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Ontario-province" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Ontario</a> and Quebec, and they are the only police force in <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Yukon-territory" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Yukon</a> and the <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Northwest-Territories" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Northwest Territories</a>. With their iconic red tunics and brown hats, the Mounties have maintained their image as a frontier force, and many units still do use horses while on patrol.</p><span class="MOD"></span></div><span class="LIST-ITEM-4"></span></li><li><h2>Lots of lakes</h2><div><figure class="md-assembly md-feature-assembly print-false" data-type="1" data-descid="1"><div class="md-assembly-wrapper card-media " data-type="image"><a href="https://cdn.britannica.com/53/100653-050-B51E18CF/Lake-of-the-Woods-border-Canadian.jpg" target="_blank" class="gtm-assembly-link position-relative d-flex align-items-center justify-content-center " data-href="*100804"><img src="https://cdn.britannica.com/53/100653-050-B51E18CF/Lake-of-the-Woods-border-Canadian.jpg?w=1000" alt="Lake of the Woods, Ontario, Canada a scenic lake astride the Canadian-United States boundary where the provinces of Ontario and Manitoba and the state of Minnesota meet." data-width="1600" data-height="1043" loading="eager"><button class="magnifying-glass btn btn-circle position-absolute shadow btn-white top-10 right-10" aria-label="Zoom in"><em class="material-icons link-blue" data-icon="zoom_in"></em></button></a></div><figcaption class=""><div class="md-assembly-caption text-muted font-14 font-serif "><span><a class="gtm-assembly-link md-assembly-title font-weight-bold d-inline font-sans-serif mr-5 media-overlay-link" target="_blank" href="https://cdn.britannica.com/53/100653-050-B51E18CF/Lake-of-the-Woods-border-Canadian.jpg" data-href="*100804">Lake of the Woods, on the U.S.-Canadian border</a></span></div><cite class="credit d-block mt-5">© Index Open</cite></figcaption></figure><p class="topic-paragraph">Canada has more <a href="https://www.britannica.com/science/lake" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">lakes</a> than any other country in the world. The province of <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Ontario-province" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Ontario</a> alone has more than 250,000 lakes, which contain about one-fifth of the world's liquid fresh water. <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Lake-Superior-lake-North-America" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Lake Superior</a>, the most voluminous lake of the Western Hemisphere, and <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Lake-Michigan" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Lake Michigan</a>, the most extensive freshwater lake on Earth, are shared between the United States and Canada. <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Great-Slave-Lake" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Great Slave Lake</a> of the Northwest Territories is considered the deepest lake of the Western Hemisphere, reaching an impressive 614 meters (2,014 feet) in depth. Lake Manitou, on <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Manitoulin-Islands" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Manitoulin Island</a> in <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Lake-Huron" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Lake Huron</a>, has the honor of being the most extensive lake on an island in a lake. </p><span class="MOD"></span></div><span class="LIST-ITEM-5"></span></li><li><h2>Most easterly point</h2><div><figure class="md-assembly md-feature-assembly print-false" data-type="1" data-descid="1"><div class="md-assembly-wrapper card-media " data-type="image"><a href="https://cdn.britannica.com/48/195848-050-1EA8BA53/Cape-Spear-Newfoundland-St-Johns-Avalon-Peninsula.jpg" target="_blank" class="gtm-assembly-link position-relative d-flex align-items-center justify-content-center " data-href="*224679"><img src="https://cdn.britannica.com/48/195848-050-1EA8BA53/Cape-Spear-Newfoundland-St-Johns-Avalon-Peninsula.jpg?w=1000" alt="Cape Spear, located on the Avalon Peninsula near St. John's, Newfoundland, is the easternmost point in Canada, and North America," data-width="1600" data-height="1063" loading="eager"><button class="magnifying-glass btn btn-circle position-absolute shadow btn-white top-10 right-10" aria-label="Zoom in"><em class="material-icons link-blue" data-icon="zoom_in"></em></button></a></div><figcaption class=""><div class="md-assembly-caption text-muted font-14 font-serif "><span><a class="gtm-assembly-link md-assembly-title font-weight-bold d-inline font-sans-serif mr-5 media-overlay-link" target="_blank" href="https://cdn.britannica.com/48/195848-050-1EA8BA53/Cape-Spear-Newfoundland-St-Johns-Avalon-Peninsula.jpg" data-href="*224679">Cape Spear</a></span></div><cite class="credit d-block mt-5">© donnamcmullin/Fotolia</cite></figcaption></figure><p class="topic-paragraph">Cape Spear, in <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Newfoundland-and-Labrador" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Newfoundland and Labrador</a>, is the most easterly point in North America (excluding <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Greenland" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Greenland</a>, which is a self-governing part of Denmark). The rural and rugged Cape Spear lighthouse, built in 1836, is a national historic site. Although Cape Spear is quite a way off the beaten path, tourists go there to see the first sunrise over North America each day. Some hearty souls even brave the trip in winter to witness the first sunrise on <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/New-Year-festival" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">New Year's Day</a>!</p><span class="MOD"></span></div><span class="LIST-ITEM-6"></span></li><li><h2>Polar bears</h2><div><figure class="md-assembly md-feature-assembly print-false" data-type="1" data-descid="1"><div class="md-assembly-wrapper card-media " data-type="image"><a href="https://cdn.britannica.com/60/158160-050-ED0D60BC/Polar-bear.jpg" target="_blank" class="gtm-assembly-link position-relative d-flex align-items-center justify-content-center " data-href="*224680"><img src="https://cdn.britannica.com/60/158160-050-ED0D60BC/Polar-bear.jpg?w=1000" alt="Male polar bear on the shore of Hudson's Bay, Canada. (camouflage; ice flow; winter; carnivore)" data-width="1600" data-height="1066" loading="eager"><button class="magnifying-glass btn btn-circle position-absolute shadow btn-white top-10 right-10" aria-label="Zoom in"><em class="material-icons link-blue" data-icon="zoom_in"></em></button></a></div><figcaption class=""><div class="md-assembly-caption text-muted font-14 font-serif "><span><a class="gtm-assembly-link md-assembly-title font-weight-bold d-inline font-sans-serif mr-5 media-overlay-link" target="_blank" href="https://cdn.britannica.com/60/158160-050-ED0D60BC/Polar-bear.jpg" data-href="*224680">Polar bear</a></span></div><cite class="credit d-block mt-5">© Outdoorsman/stock.adobe.com</cite></figcaption></figure><p class="topic-paragraph">The <a href="https://www.britannica.com/animal/polar-bear" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">polar bear</a> is the largest and most powerful <a href="https://www.britannica.com/animal/carnivore-mammal" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">carnivore</a> on land (tied with the Kodiak bear). Polar bears are found throughout the Arctic, but an estimated 60–80% of them are found in Canada. The seaport of <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Churchill-Manitoba" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Churchill</a>, on <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Hudson-Bay" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Hudson Bay</a> in <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Manitoba" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Manitoba</a>, is one of the most famous places on Earth for polar bear watching. In what is known as "the polar bear capital of the world," it is said that residents leave their cars unlocked in case anyone needs to make a quick escape from a close encounter! Adorably, the license plates in the <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Northwest-Territories" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Northwest Territories</a> are shaped like polar bears. However, despite all the polar bear hype, the <a href="https://www.britannica.com/animal/beaver" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">beaver</a> is the country's national animal.</p><span class="MOD"></span></div><span class="LIST-ITEM-7"></span></li><li><h2>Poutine</h2><div><figure class="md-assembly md-feature-assembly print-false" data-type="1" data-descid="1"><div class="md-assembly-wrapper card-media " data-type="image"><a href="https://cdn.britannica.com/29/233029-050-0FAB006B/poutine-quebec-meal-french-fries-gravy-cheese-curds-canada.jpg" target="_blank" class="gtm-assembly-link position-relative d-flex align-items-center justify-content-center " data-href="*265847"><img src="https://cdn.britannica.com/29/233029-050-0FAB006B/poutine-quebec-meal-french-fries-gravy-cheese-curds-canada.jpg?w=1000" alt="Poutine quebec meal with french fries, gravy and cheese curds . Canada food" data-width="1600" data-height="1080" loading="eager"><button class="magnifying-glass btn btn-circle position-absolute shadow btn-white top-10 right-10" aria-label="Zoom in"><em class="material-icons link-blue" data-icon="zoom_in"></em></button></a></div><figcaption class=""><div class="md-assembly-caption text-muted font-14 font-serif "><span><a class="gtm-assembly-link md-assembly-title font-weight-bold d-inline font-sans-serif mr-5 media-overlay-link" target="_blank" href="https://cdn.britannica.com/29/233029-050-0FAB006B/poutine-quebec-meal-french-fries-gravy-cheese-curds-canada.jpg" data-href="*265847">poutine</a></span></div><cite class="credit d-block mt-5">© Julie Deshales—iStock/Getty Images</cite></figcaption></figure><p class="topic-paragraph"><a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/poutine" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Poutine</a> is an iconic Canadian dish that first appeared in snack bars in rural <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Quebec-province" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Quebec</a> in the 1950s. Made of fresh-cut <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/French-fries" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">french fries</a> topped with cheese curds and gravy, the delicious treat quickly spread throughout Canada and can now be found at fine restaurants and <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/fast-food" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">fast-food</a> chains alike. While the classic Quebecois combination remains popular, countless other variations with meat, vegetables, and unconventional sauces have been created to delight any palate.</p><span class="MOD"></span></div><span class="LIST-ITEM-8"></span></li><li><h2>Quebec</h2><div><figure class="md-assembly md-feature-assembly print-false" data-type="1" data-descid="1"><div class="md-assembly-wrapper card-media " data-type="image"><a href="https://cdn.britannica.com/91/93691-050-FE8CC9A8/Chateau-Frontenac-hotel-buildings-Upper-Town-Lower.jpg" target="_blank" class="gtm-assembly-link position-relative d-flex align-items-center justify-content-center " data-href="*109370"><img src="https://cdn.britannica.com/91/93691-050-FE8CC9A8/Chateau-Frontenac-hotel-buildings-Upper-Town-Lower.jpg?w=1000" alt="Chateau Frontenac and Lower Town, Quebec City, Canada" data-width="1268" data-height="1600" loading="eager"><button class="magnifying-glass btn btn-circle position-absolute shadow btn-white top-10 right-10" aria-label="Zoom in"><em class="material-icons link-blue" data-icon="zoom_in"></em></button></a></div><figcaption class=""><div class="md-assembly-caption text-muted font-14 font-serif "><span><a class="gtm-assembly-link md-assembly-title font-weight-bold d-inline font-sans-serif mr-5 media-overlay-link" target="_blank" href="https://cdn.britannica.com/91/93691-050-FE8CC9A8/Chateau-Frontenac-hotel-buildings-Upper-Town-Lower.jpg" data-href="*109370">Quebec city: Château Frontenac hotel</a><span>The Château Frontenac hotel (centre background), Upper Town, rising above buildings of Lower Town, Quebec city, Quebec, Canada.</span></span></div><cite class="credit d-block mt-5">© Creatas/JupiterImages</cite></figcaption></figure><p class="topic-paragraph">There are many gorgeous and interesting cities in Canada, but <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Quebec" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Quebec</a> has the distinction of being the country’s only remaining walled city. Quebec is more than 400 years old and is a designated UNESCO <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/World-Heritage-site" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">World Heritage site</a>. With its Old World charm—including narrow cobblestone streets, stone buildings, and fortifications—and its rich French Canadian culture, Quebec is an important tourist destination. It is also an administrative center and a major transatlantic port. In fact, several major Allied strategies of <a href="https://www.britannica.com/event/World-War-II" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">World War II</a> were discussed at the city’s iconic <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/Chateau-Frontenac" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Château Frontenac</a> during the Quebec Conferences of 1943 and 1944.</p><span class="MOD"></span></div><span class="LIST-ITEM-9"></span></li><li><h2>Oil</h2><div><figure class="md-assembly md-feature-assembly print-false" data-type="1" data-descid="1"><div class="md-assembly-wrapper card-media " data-type="image"><a href="https://cdn.britannica.com/04/190004-050-604B81E4/Tar-sands-industry-Fort-McMurray-Canada-Alberta.jpg" target="_blank" class="gtm-assembly-link position-relative d-flex align-items-center justify-content-center " data-href="*208858"><img src="https://cdn.britannica.com/04/190004-050-604B81E4/Tar-sands-industry-Fort-McMurray-Canada-Alberta.jpg?w=1000" alt="Tar Sands (oil sands) industry in Fort McMurray, northeastern Alberta, Canada. (Photo taken in 2010)" data-width="1600" data-height="1067" loading="eager"><button class="magnifying-glass btn btn-circle position-absolute shadow btn-white top-10 right-10" aria-label="Zoom in"><em class="material-icons link-blue" data-icon="zoom_in"></em></button></a></div><figcaption class=""><div class="md-assembly-caption text-muted font-14 font-serif "><span><a class="gtm-assembly-link md-assembly-title font-weight-bold d-inline font-sans-serif mr-5 media-overlay-link" target="_blank" href="https://cdn.britannica.com/04/190004-050-604B81E4/Tar-sands-industry-Fort-McMurray-Canada-Alberta.jpg" data-href="*208858">Fort McMurray: tar sands industry</a><span>Tar sands industry in Fort McMurray, Alberta, Canada. </span></span></div><cite class="credit d-block mt-5">© Alan Gignoux/Dreamstime.com</cite></figcaption></figure><p class="topic-paragraph">Canada has the world’s third largest oil reserves, after <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Saudi-Arabia" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Saudi Arabia</a>’s and <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Venezuela" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Venezuela</a>’s, and the largest known deposits of <a href="https://www.britannica.com/science/tar-sand" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">tar sands</a>, which occur in the <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Athabasca-River" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Athabasca River</a> valley of western Canada. <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Fort-McMurray" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Fort McMurray</a>, in northeastern <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Alberta-province" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Alberta</a>, went from being a fur-trading post to being the heart of much of Canada's oil production. While advocates of tar sand recovery cited job creation and lower oil prices to justify the endeavor, critics noted the high environmental costs locally—namely, clear-cutting of pristine <a href="https://www.britannica.com/science/taiga" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">boreal forests</a> and water contamination—and the risk of additional <a href="https://www.britannica.com/science/fossil-fuel" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">fossil fuel</a> investments in the face of <a href="https://www.britannica.com/science/global-warming" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">climate change</a>.</p><span class="MOD"></span></div><span class="LIST-ITEM-10"></span></li></ul><span class="AM-END-OF-ARTICLE am-inline"></span></article> </div> </div> </div> <aside class="cm-rightrail d-none d-md-block ad-rail"></aside> </div> </div> </div> <div class="grid gx-0"> <div class="col"> <div class="md-loading hidden display-4 font-weight-normal"></div> <div class="text-center my-20 mb-100"> <button class="md-infinite-load-next btn btn-blue" data-value="next-page">Load More</button> </div> </div> <div class="col-md-da-320 hidden-xs"> </div> </div></div> </div> </main> <div id="md-footer"></div> <noscript><iframe src="//www.googletagmanager.com/ns.html?id=GTM-5W6NC8" height="0" width="0" style="display:none;visibility:hidden"></iframe></noscript> <script type="text/javascript" id="_informizely_script_tag"> var IzWidget = IzWidget || {}; (function (d) { var scriptElement = d.createElement('script'); scriptElement.type = 'text/javascript'; scriptElement.async = true; scriptElement.src = "https://insitez.blob.core.windows.net/site/f780f33e-a610-4ac2-af81-3eb184037547.js"; var node = d.getElementById('_informizely_script_tag'); node.parentNode.insertBefore(scriptElement, node); } )(document); </script>  <script> window.ap3c = window.ap3c || {}; var ap3c = window.ap3c; ap3c.cmd = ap3c.cmd || []; ap3c.cmd.push(function() { ap3c.init('ZO4siT4cLwnykPnzZWJtd3Byb2Q', 'https://engage.email.britannica.com/'); ap3c.track({v: 0}); }); ap3c.activity = function(act) { ap3c.act = (ap3c.act || []); ap3c.act.push(act); }; var s, t; s = document.createElement('script'); s.type = 'text/javascript'; s.src = "https://engage.email.britannica.com/app.js"; t = document.getElementsByTagName('script')[0]; t.parentNode.insertBefore(s, t); </script> <script class="marketing-page-info" type="application/json"> {"pageType":"List","templateName":null,"pageNumber":1,"pagesTotal":11,"pageId":6289,"pageLength":null,"initialLoad":true,"lastPageOfScroll":false} </script> <script class="marketing-content-info" type="application/json"> [] </script> <script src="https://cdn.britannica.com/mendel-resources/3-130/js/libs/jquery-3.5.0.min.js?v=3.130.14"></script> <script type="text/javascript" data-type="Init Mendel Code Splitting"> (function() { $.ajax({ dataType: 'script', cache: true, url: 'https://cdn.britannica.com/mendel-resources/3-130/dist/list-page.js?v=3.130.14' }); })(); </script> <script class="analytics-metadata" type="application/json"> {"leg":"D","adLeg":"D","userType":"ANONYMOUS","pageType":"List","pageSubtype":null,"articleTemplateType":null,"gisted":false,"pageNumber":1,"hasSummarizeButton":false,"hasAskButton":false} </script> <script type="text/javascript"> EBStat={accountId:-1,hostnameOverride:'webstats.eb.com',domain:'www.britannica.com', json:''}; </script> <script type="text/javascript"> ( function() { $.ajax( { dataType: 'script', cache: true, url: '//www.britannica.com/webstats/mendelstats.js?v=1' } ) .done( function() { try {writeStat(null,EBStat);} catch(err){} } ); })(); </script> <div id="bc-fixed-dialogue"></div> </body> </html>

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