The First Nations of Canada

Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, making it the world’s second-largest country by total area, with the world’s longest coastline. Its border with the United States is the world’s longest international land border. Canada’s capital is Ottawa and its three largest metropolitan areas are Toronto, Montreal, and Vancouver.

Indigenous peoples have continuously inhabited what is now Canada for thousands of years. Beginning in the 16th century, British and French expeditions explored and later settled along the Atlantic coast. Canada is a parliamentary democracy and a constitutional monarchy. The country’s head of government is the prime minister, representing the monarch of Canada, the ceremonial head of state. The country is a Commonwealth realm and is officially bilingual (English and French) in the federal jurisdiction. It is very highly ranked internationally in terms of government transparency, quality of life, economic competitiveness, innovation, education and gender equality. It is one of the world’s most ethnically diverse and multicultural nations.

“First Nations” is a term used to identify Indigenous peoples in Canada. There are 634 recognized First Nations governments or bands across Canada. Roughly half are located in the provinces of Ontario and British Columbia. North American indigenous peoples have cultures spanning thousands of years. Some of their oral traditions accurately describe historical events, such as the Cascadia earthquake of 1700 and the 18th-century Tseax Cone eruption. Written records began with the arrival of European explorers and colonists during the Age of Discovery in the late 15th century. European accounts by trappers, traders, explorers, and missionaries give important evidence of early contacts. In addition, archaeological and anthropological research, as well as linguistics, have helped scholars piece together an understanding of ancient cultures and historic peoples.

Canadian Inuit live throughout most of Northern Canada in the territory of Nunavut, in the northern third of Quebec and in Labrador, and in various parts of the Northwest Territories and Yukon (traditionally), particularly around the Arctic Ocean. In Canada, the Constitution Act of 1982 classify Inuit as a distinctive group of Aboriginal Canadians who are not included under the First Nations.

Glossary:

northward: verso nord;

a border: un confine;

settled: stabilito;

roughly: più o meno;

spanning: che dura da

a trapper: un cacciatore;

northern third: quadrante settentrionale

20 Facts about Canada