by Pam Brink

Created on: June 27, 2008   Last Updated: May 27, 2012

Canada Day, July First, is Canada’s birthday.

Canada, as we know it today, was born on July 1, 1867, when the British North American Act was signed naming Canada as an independent Dominion of the British Commonwealth.  The articles of the confederation were written by Canadians and accepted by the British parliament giving Canada her independence.  In 1879, July 1st was declared a holiday and was called “

Dominion Day.”

Canada’s nation status came about through a peaceful process, setting the tone for Canada’s relationship with other nations. (Note that the border between the United States and Canada is the longest unprotected border in the world.) Canada is so peaceful that few people who are not Canadians, and who have never visited Canada, know much about it. Most Americans see Canada as a blank space on the map north of their border.   They know much more about Mexico than they do about Canada. Canada just doesn’t pick fights with other nations; instead, Canada has sent troops on every Peace Keeping mission set by the United Nations.  A nation at peace with the world does not call attention to itself or make the news which tends to emphasize the negative.

When the Dominion of Canada became a “confederacy” the first four provinces to join were: New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Ontario and Quebec.  Prince Edward Island joined the confederacy in 1873.) Joining the confederacy not only gave the provinces better economic opportunities but also increased their common defense.  The last war with the United States, before the confederacy was created, was the war of 1812 which lasted only two years.

Canada’s original European immigrants came from France in the early 1600’s. By the middle of the 1700’s most of North America was part of New France.  French explorers and traders settled in many parts of North America.  English speaking settlers did not come to Canada in any great numbers until it came under British rule (1713-1763).  Although many emigrated from Europe (predominantly from the British Isles) the major immigration came from the United States following the American War for Independence (1776-1783).  These immigrants were loyal to the crown, disagreed with the principles of the revolutionary war and called themselves the United Empire of Loyalists.  They migrated to Canada from 1783-1789.

Canada honors its historical roots by maintaining

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