The Maple Leaf Country

Canada as the name of the country is said to have originated from a native language of what was then North America and present day Canada. In the Iroquoian language kanata stood for settlement or village or land. It is understood that the name of the settlements since the arrival of the French in the 16^th century has been Canada and the country has never been known by any other name since then. The European navigator Jacques Cartier is credited with naming the country Canada, circa 1535. British colonisation in the 17^th century came into conflict with that of the French. After the conclusion of the Seven Years’ War in 1763 and the defeat of the French all their territory in Canada passed on to the British. With gradual agglomeration of territories Canada became a self-governing entity in 1867. However, it was only after the patriation of the Constitution in 1982 that Canada became sovereign and free of the legal dependence on the British Parliament. Despite the obvious influence of the French and British it must be appreciated that the Vikings were the first around 1000 CE to occupy a part of what is now Newfoundland. The Spanish and the Portuguese explorers did not find anything interesting in that part of the world for settlement and did not leave their imprint in Canada, unlike in South America. It is said that the Portuguese disappointment of not finding gold and silver resonated in their name for the land, ca nada, meaning ‘nothing here’ or the Spanish acqi nada for ‘Cape of Nothing’.

The western boundary of the country is the North Pacific Ocean and its eastern boundary is the North Atlantic Ocean. This geographical spread has given the country its motto “From Sea To Sea”, prescribed in its coat of arms. While the magnetic North Pole is technically currently within the Arctic territory claimed by Canada it is said to be shifting further towards Siberia. The most populous settlements are in the territories bordering USA. With a population density of less than 3.5 per square km, it is one of the least populous countries in the world. The northernmost human settlement in the world is in Canada, less than 900 km from the North Pole at the northern tip of Ellesmere Island. The country has 10 provinces and 3 territories. Canada shares with USA the world’s longest undefended border at over 8800 km. It also has French and Danish neighboring land masses.

The use of Maple leaf as an emblem for Canada harks back to the early days of French settlement. While the French and English speaking territories adopted the golden and green maple leaves as their emblem it was adopted in the coat of arms of Canada in the 1920s.  Its ultimate acceptance as a national symbol happened with its incorporation in the Canadian flag in 1965. The 11 pointed maple leaf on the flag indicates no particular genre of maple leaf, but the 11 points are supposed to signify its 10 provinces and one for the three territories. The Royal Canadian Mint has been producing golden, silver, platinum and palladium bullion coins called Maple Leaf since 1979. Acquiring one is high on my agenda during the Canadian sojourn. Significant for the TCH expedition is the fact that the TCH sign boards are distinguished by their green maple leaf.

Not many who have traveled to Europe and Americas would not have had maple syrup with toasts, waffles and pancakes? Where does the syrup come from? Predominantly three species of maple, namely sugar, black and red, are used to make the syrup. Nails are drilled into the trunk of the tree to collect the sap. It is then heated to evaporate the water content and thicken the syrup. Maple syrup is thought to have been the ‘recipe’ of indigenous North American tribes. It was adopted by European settlers and the production process and technology employed underwent changes. The syrup is high in sucrose content and certainly a no-no to a diabetic. However, the unique flavor is tough to resist, as I have learned from trying many times. Quebec province reportedly produces 70% of the world’s maple syrup and 90% of the country’s maple syrup export. Recently, this produce was in the news when Saudi Arabia banned its import following a political standoff. Hundreds of liters of Hutchinson’s maple syrup, specially packaged for Saudi Arabia, were ‘stranded’ and the company feared losses. Canadian pride surfaced and the people sought out the consignment meant for export to Saudi Arabia and bought them for their consumption. This saved the traditional industry from huge losses. This is ‘nationalism’. It comes from the heart and not from thumping 56 inch chests and expending hot air!