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Canada

Newfoundland & Labrador is Canada's most eastern province, with Labrador attached to the northwest corner of Quebec and Newfoundland hanging off into the Atlantic ocean as an island. The name for this province is Portuguese, but also has significance in the native language of Inuttitut. Newfoundland means "terra nova" in Portuguese, which translates to "new land." The name Labrador is derived from the surname of Fernandes Lavrador, a Portuguese explorer. It also translates to "the big land" in Inuttitut.

Newfoundland & Labrador has a long history of habitation, dating back 9,000 years. While many different indigenous groups occupied the land in relative harmony, by the time of European contact only the Beothuk remained. The Beothuk passionately…

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The end of our Canada 150 series is being amalgamated into our Christmas Advent blogging. Today we are talking all about Calgary's friend to the east, Manitoba. Learn all about this beautiful province and some of its unique attractions!

Turtle Mountain, part of which resides in present day Manitoba, was the first area of land to be exposed following the ice age. This made it an ideal spot for First Nations groups to settle. European explorers first came to Manitoba via the Hudson's Bay--named after explorer Henry Hudson whose crew abandoned him. The Hudson's Bay Trading Post was swiftly established, and soon, much like what happened in the rest of Canada, European immigrants flooded in. 

Manitoba was the fifth province to join Canada on July 15th,…

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Our Canada 150 series is still going! This week's highlighted province/territory is Saskatchewan, our neighbor to the east. 

It is important to recognize that the Europeans did not discover a new land when they stumbled upon present day Saskatchewan. The Canadian Encyclopedia notes, "evidence of Aboriginal peoples in Saskatchewan can be traced to at least 10,000 BCE, when hunters followed the migratory herds of bison, leaving behind arrowheads and ashes." European settlement did not really begin to boom until the Royal Canadian Mounted Police were established, at which point Saskatchewan became an agricultural hub. Today, many residents can trace their ancestry back to the Ukraine or to original native inhabitants such as the Metis. 

Saskatchewan…

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Quebec is rich with history and unique sights. When you plan your next visit, make sure to include the following highlights: 

Montreal's Unique Buildings: Sitting on the water's edge in an industrial area of Montreal is a unique housing structure that has drawn people from all over the globe: Habitat 67. This complex "was designed by Moshe Safdie as his graduate thesis while an architecture student at McGill University" (Atlas Obscura). Each single unit is now worth millions of dollars, offering some of Montreal's most sought-after luxury living. There is also a giant orange on the Montreal horizon "that stands a monstrous 3 stories high and 40 feet wide... [It] started out as nothing but an ambitious 'casse-croute' with a quirky, mysterious…

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Quebec was originally inhabited by the Algonquian, Iroquois, Inuit and Mohawk people. Some of these groups were nomadic, following their food supply. Others, like the Iroquois, settled along the St. Lawrence to farm. When Jacques Cartier arrived in present day Quebec, via the St. Lawrence, the Iroquois met him with furs to trade. This proves that they had contact with Europeans before Cartier. Cartier claimed the land as a French colony, opening the doors for mass European immigration to Canada. 

Quebec City was the first city in Quebec to be established as a permanent settlement, not simply a trading post. It was founded by Samuel De Champlain in 1608, and today is home to some of the oldest buildings in Canada. Although the British eventually seized…

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Nunavut is full of both hidden gems and world-renowned hot spots. With so much to offer, it can be hard to narrow down your must-sees. Don't worry; Team Ken Richter is here for you. Here are three things you need to add to your Nunavut bucket list today, so that you can experience this beautiful territory in all of its glory:

Mount Thor: You heard it here first; Nunavut has its very own Avenger, Mount Thor. Amusing Planet writes, "Mount Thor, officially called the Thor Peak, in Auyuittuq National Park, on Baffin Island, Nunavut, Canada, is a granite peak that features the world’s tallest purely vertical drop. The drop measures 1250m and angles inwards at 105 degrees making it more of an overhang. To put the height in context, the Eiffel Tower is 324m."…

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The Northwest Territories has so much to offer for the adventurous traveler—explore it today!

The Aurora Borealis: There is a reason why the Aurora Borealis are nicknamed the Northern Lights: because the great white north is the absolute best place to view them. The Northwest Territories are known for their beautiful Northern lights and work hard to ensure every visitor gets a chance to see them. Global News reports, “Wood Buffalo National Park, which stretches across the Northwest Territories… was designated a Dark-Sky Preserve by the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada.” This makes it the perfect place to view these dancing lights, because there is less artificial light pollution.

Historic Sites: “Here, as nowhere else in Canada, time stands…

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Each week we are featuring a new province or territory on our blog as part of the Canada 150 celebrations! This week we head back up North to the Northwest Territories.

The history of the Northwest Territories dates back to 12,000 BC when most of it was locked under a glacier a mile (or more) deep. When the glacier receded it revealed beautiful land that could be settled by humans.

Spectacular Northwest Territories writes, “first here were the Dene, who’ve roamed the boreal forest for millennia…they were joined by the Inuvialuit in the Mackenzie Delta and on the Arctic coast… [and then] the Métis arrived – the vanguard of the fur trade. Settlement by Euro-Canadians stretches back barely a century – first Hudson Bay men and missionaries, then whalers…

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Looking for something fun to do in New Brunswick during your next visit? Have we inspired you to get out east and explore the beautiful Maritimes? Here are three hot-spots you do not want to miss on your New Brunswick adventure:

The Bay Of Fundy: World-renowned, awe-inspiring, a true gem--these are all words used to described the magnificent Bay of Fundy, where tides are high. Tourism New Brunswick writes, "the Bay of Fundy tides are best explored at The Hopewell Rocks, where you can walk around the famous 'flowerpot rocks' at low tide then watch them slowly disappear. Bike along the Fundy Trail, rappel down craggy cliffs at Cape Enrage, set up camp at Fundy National Park or head out to sea on a whale-watching excursion." We're sold! How about…

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Our Canada 150 series is still going strong! This week's highlighted province/territory is New Brunswick. Read on to learn more about the history of this maritime province, what makes it unique and how New Brunswick is celebrating Canada 150.

Originally inhabited for hundreds of years by indigenous people groups, the land of New Brunswick has always been treasured. Unfortunately, when European explorers arrived, these indigenous groups were pushed off the land and forced to retreat, some into extinction and others into fringe communities. As Canada has grown more culturally conscious, many efforts have been made to preserve what is left of these indigenous communities and histories. 

New Brunswick was named by King George III. Britannica writes,…

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