On July 1, 1867, Canada became a nation. Every year on that date, Canada celebrates Canada Day.

Many of the biggest events for this national birthday party are held in the city of Ottawa, in the province of Ontario. Thats because Ottawa is Canadas capital. If youre there on Canada Day, youll see parades and spectacular fireworks displays.

GOVERNMENT HEADQUARTERS

The focus of Ottawas Canada Day events is Parliament Hill. Canadas government meets in buildings on Parliament Hill to make laws for the nation. In the center of Parliament Hill is the Peace Tower. It was built after World War I (1914-1918) to honor Canadas soldiers who died in that war.

FESTIVALS FOR ALL SEASONS

Parliament Hill overlooks the Ottawa River. The Rideau Canal connects the Ottawa River with Lake Ontario. In winter, the canal freezes and becomes the longest skating rink in the world! Skaters fill the canal during Winterlude. Ottawa holds this winter festival in January. Snow sculptures and ice sculptures line the banks. Ottawa is one of the coldest national capitals in the world.

Another big event in Ottawa is the Canadian Tulip Festival, held in May. It features large displays of tulips. As part of the event, boats decorated with tulips travel down the Rideau Canal. In 1945, The Netherlands sent Ottawa 100,000 tulip bulbs. The bulbs were a thank-you present to Canada for helping The Netherlands during World War II (1942-1945).

VISIT A FARM MUSEUM

You might not expect to find a farm in a big city, but theres one in Ottawa. The Central Experimental Farm is part of the Canada Agriculture Museum. The farm conducts research, but its also a fun place to visit. Youll see barnyard animals, rare trees, fields of grain, and beautiful gardens.

Ottawa has some other museums you might enjoy. See dinosaur fossils and enormous gemstones at the Canadian Museum of Nature. Learn about the world from exhibits at the Canadian Childrens Museum.

Also in Encarta Kids All articles about Canadian history All articles about places in Canada Canada Canadian Parliament Great Lakes Ontario

Microsoft Encarta 2009. 1993-20

08 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.

Manitoba has three nicknames. Its known as the Postage Stamp Province, the Keystone Province, and the Land of 100,000 Lakes. Its also one of Canadas Prairie Provinces.

Facts About Manitoba Capital Winnipeg Population 1,190,000 people Rank among provinces and territories in population 5th Major cities Winnipeg, Brandon Area 250,000 square miles 648,000 square kilometers Rank among provinces and territories in area 8th Entry into federation July 15, 1870 Provincial bird Great Grey Owl

Provincial flower Prairie Crocus Abbreviation MB

PRAIRIE PROVINCE

Manitoba is the easternmost of Canadas three Prairie Provinces. The other two are Alberta and Saskatchewan. Much of the land in these provinces is treeless prairie, flat as far as the eye can see.

Fertile farmland covers the southern part of Manitoba. Here, farmers raise grain, hogs, and cattle. Wheat is Manitobas major crop, and food processing is its major industry. Winnipeg, Manitobas capital and largest city, is in southern Manitoba.

Vast forests lie north of the farmland. In the far north, the land is frozen most of the year. Few people live in northern Manitoba.

Manitoba is the only Prairie Province with a coastline. It borders Hudson Bay on the northeast. Thousands of lakes are scattered across Manitoba. All the waters in Manitoba flow toward Hudson Bay.

LAND OF 100,000 LAKES

Glaciers flattened Manitoba during the last ice age. A huge lake formed when the glaciers melted about 10,000 years ago. Lake Agassiz covered much of Manitoba and spread into the United States.

Over time, Lake Agassiz got smaller. But it left behind Lake Winnipeg and thousands of other lakes in Manitoba. The rest of what was Lake Agassiz is now fertile lakebed. Here, grain and other crops are grown.

Today, lakes and large rivers cover about 16 percent of the province. Thats an area almost as big as the state of Ohio.

THE POSTAGE STAMP PROVINCE

Manitoba covers a large area. Although it ranks eighth in size among Canadas ten provinces, its almost as big as the state of Texas. But when it became a Canadian province, it was tiny. Thats how it got the nickname the Postage Stamp Province.

Manitobas first European settlers came from Scotland. A Scottish nobleman, the earl of Selkirk, bought land in Canada. He helped homeless Scottish families settle it in the early 1800s.

The Scottish farmers settled in the Red River Valley near Lake Winnipeg. Their colony was known as Assiniboia. The farmers faced severe hardship. Their crops failed to thrive, and fur trappers attacked their farms.

Many of the settlers married natives, mainly Ojibwa and Cree Indians. Their descendants are known as Mtis. Mtis are Canadians of mixed European and native ancestry.

RED RIVER REBELLION

In 1869, word came that Assiniboia was to join Canada and become part of Canadas vast Northwest Territories. The Mtis were furious. They were afraid they would lose their lands, power, and identity as new immigrants came in.

Louis Riel led the Mtis of Assiniboia in a rebellion. After many months, they convinced Canada to approve the Manitoba Act. It granted the people of the Red River Valley the right to form a separate province. Their province was called Manitoba. It became a part of Canada on July 15, 1870.

THE KEYSTONE STATE

Manitobas fertile lands attracted settlers. They arrived from Russia, Iceland, Germany, and other countries. Some came from the neighboring province of Ontario. In 1881, and again in 1912, the government expanded Manitobas boundaries. It is now almost 18 times its original postage-stamp size.

Manitobas position at the center of Canada earned it a new nickname. It became the Keystone Province. A keystone is a central support on which others depend.

WINNIPEG, MANITOBAS CAPITAL

Nearly 60 percent of Manitobas people live in or near Winnipeg. It is the oldest city in the Prairie Provinces. The citys name comes from Cree Indian words meaning murky waters. The murky (cloudy) waters are probably those of Lake Winnipeg to the north of the city.

Winnipeg is located at the meeting place of the Assiniboine and Red rivers. Fur traders built a fort there in the 1700s. Winnipeg grew rapidly after the railroad reached it in 1881. It gained importance as a grain market and railroad transportation center for the prairies.

Today, Winnipeg is a cultural center for the Prairie Provinces. It has a ballet company, symphony orchestra, theater, and museums.

Also in Encarta Kids All articles about Canadian history All articles about places in Canada Canada Glaciers Lakes Neighboring province, Ontario

Neighboring province, Saskatchewan Neighboring territory, Nunavut Neighboring U.S. state, Minnesota Neighboring U.S. state, North Dakota Pioneer Life

On the Web Find out more about the fur trade and the start of the Hudson's Bay Company.

Microsoft Encarta 2009. 1993-2008 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.