Canada

Dominion of, the largest country in North America. It includes all of British North America, except Newfoundland. The capital is Ottawa. The Dominion was established by act of Parliament in 1867. The Dominion then comprised only the provinces of Ontario, Quebec, Nova Scotia, and New Brunswick; but provision was made in the act for the admission of British Columbia, Prince Edward Island, the Northwest Territories, and Newfoundland. All these with the exception of Newfoundland have since been admitted. The provinces now are Ontario, Quebec, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Manitoba, Alberta, Saskatchewan, British Columbia, and Prince Edward Island; the northwestern districts are Keewatin, Yukon, Mackenzie, Ungava, and Franklin. The total area is 3,745,574 square miles, including lakes; greater than that of the United States with Alaska. The total population at the last census was reported at 5,371,315, about one and one-half per square mile. Nearly one-half of the population is Roman Catholic of French ancestry. Other denominations named in order of size are the Presbyterian, the Church of England, the Methodist, the Baptist, the Lutheran, and the Congregationalist.

The government is in the hands of a governor-general; a privy council of 14 ministers; a Senate of 87 members appointed by the governor-general and a House of 214 members elected by the various provinces according to their population. Each province has a local legislature. A lieutenant governor for each province is appointed by the governor-general of the Dominion.

The largest twelve cities named in order of population are Montreal, Toronto, Quebec, Ottawa, Hamilton, Winnipeg, Halifax, St. John, London, Vancouver, Victoria, and Kingston. Immigration into the western part of Canada, chiefly from Great Britain and the United States, is large. The statistics given, therefore, must be revised frequently.

Canada is well situated for commerce. Excellent ports on the Pacific coast are connected with those on the Great Lakes and those on the St. Lawrence by the Canadian Pacific, the Canadian Northern, and the Grand Trunk railways. Agriculture, lumber, fishing, and mining are the principal industries. The chief exports are fish, lumber, wheat, meat and dairy products, gold ore, and fur. The principal imports are cotton, wool and silk goods, groceries, and hardware. Canada sells more goods to Great Britain than to any other country, and buys chiefly from the United States. By agreement with the mother country, Canada is permitted to levy a duty on all imports, one-third of which, however, is remitted on goods from any part of the British Empire. Sugar, spirits, and tobacco must pay full duty wherever they come from. The various provinces, cities, rivers, etc., are reserved for special articles.

The income of the Dominion for the year ending June 30th, 1905, was $70,702,011; debt, $359,411,837; exports, $213,521,235; imports, $219,211,803. The remarkable growth of the northwestern provinces is told in separate articles.

STATISTICS. The following statistics are the latest to be had from trustworthy sources:

See British Empire; Hudson Bay Company, and articles on the several provinces, cities, lakes, rivers.