150 Little Known Canadian Facts #19

This week’s installment includes a small refresher course in Canadian history. Only nine more facts to go!

133.  The name Edmonton Eskimos didn’t always only refer to the city’s football team; it was also the name of Edmonton’s hockey team from 1907 to 1936. After WWII, the team’s name changed to the Flyers (1945–1963), and in 1971 it changed to the name we all know—the Oilers.

134.  The Winnipeg Art Gallery is the oldest civic gallery in Canada and houses the world’s largest collection of contemporary Inuit art. In June of this year, construction began to build the world’s first Inuit Art Centre (IAC), which is expected to be completed in 2019. This centre will exhibit approximately 13,000 Inuit art pieces, as well as become a hub for researching, learning and art-making. For more information on the IAC click here.

135.  The Canadian Space Agency has had only four recruitment campaigns since 1983. Only 14 people have been chosen from over 17,000 applicants, and eight these astronauts have flown into space.

136.  Did you know Montréal was the second choice for the 1967 Exposition Fair? Moscow, who originally won the bid, backed out in 1962, and Canada was given the honour to host the fair. Montréal had just over four years to get ready instead of the standard seven. Expo ’67 brought over 50 million visitors including Queen Elizabeth II, Princess Margaret, Grace Kelly, American President L.B. Johnson, French President Charles de Gaulle, Jackie Kennedy, Ed Sullivan, Luciano Pavarotti and Harry Belafonte.

137.  Pat Morrow, who was born in Invermere, BC, is the first person to have climbed all the Seven Summits: Kilimanjaro, Elbrus, Carstensz, Vinson, Denali, Aconcagua and Everest. Morrow is also the second Canadian to have climbed to Everest’s summit.

138.  In case you’ve forgotten your history classes: since December 26, 1791, the name Canada has officially been used to describe this country. In 1791, the Constitutional Act divided the province of Quebec into Upper Canada (Ontario) and Lower Canada (Quebec) and was known as the Province of Canada or “The Canadas.” However, it wasn’t until New Brunswick and Nova Scotia joined the Province of Canada in 1867 that Canada was established as a country (known as the Dominion of Canada) with the British North American Act. So, Canada can be said to be turning 226 years old this year.

139.  Since 1963, 72 Canadian cities have been twinned with 72 Japanese cities, and Alberta has been twinned with the island/dō (province) of Hokkaido, which is the second largest island in Japan.

140.  Canadian legal independence came on December 11, 1931 when the British government passed the Statute of Westminster, whereby it gave Canada the freedom to pass its own laws without getting British consent first. It also stated that any British law passed in parliament didn’t extend to Canada (unless Canada wanted it), and the British government could no longer alter or void any law the Canadian government made.

141.  Guinness World Records has proclaimed the Carcross Desert in the Yukon the smallest desert in the world. It’s just over one square mile (260 hectares). Truthfully, it’s not really a desert but an ancient glacial lake bed. The area remains arid due to the rain shadow caused by the nearby mountain range. Scientists who have been studying the area have come across some insects that may be totally new to science.