 Overview of Canada
Canada is a very diverse country and has notably been ranked as one of the best places to live in the world. Canada offers a variety of different and unique opportunities for people wanting to embark on a new life. Canadians embrace each others cultures and values and continuously dedicate time to improving the quality of life for themselves, their families and society in general. The cost of living in Canada varies depending on the area but overall is relatively inexpensive. The weather is a slightly different in every province but is generally mild to hot in the summer months and cold to freezing in the winter. |
Roles and responsibilities The Lieutenant Governor is the Queen's representative. The position has several duties, including opening and closing the Legislature sessions and granting Royal Assent to bills passed by the government. A bill cannot become law without Royal Assent. The Premier is the head of government in the province. Executive Council is made up of the Premier and cabinet ministers. Its role is to put government policy into practice. The Premier is the head of Executive council, and choosers cabinet ministers from electe members of this party. Cabinet is the framework in which members of Executive Council do their work. In addition to approving Orders in Council, Cabinet ratifies policy matters and is the final authority on a wide variety of issues related to the day-to-day operation of government. The Opposition is made up of MLA's that are not part of the governing party. The role of the Opposition is to criticize government activities., propose improvement, and present itself to the publicas an alternative to the party in office. Education in each province can vary. Below is a break down of each age category and the school level they fall under. (The province of Quebec has different names for school levels.) Pre-School or Nursery School is for children aged 5 and under. Kindergarten is for children 5 or 6 years old. Elementary School often refers to grades 1 through 6 (ages 6 to 12), but in some provinces may also include grades 7 and 8. Junior High School can also be refered to as middle school or intermediate school. Junior high school consists of grade 7 through 9. This affects the amount of time students spend in elementary and high school.
High School is comprised of grade 8 - 12, in areas where junior high schools don't exist. Below is a break
down of ages by grade.
College is usually two to three years in length and upon completion students receive a diploma. University in Western Canada normally consists of four years leading to a Bachelor's Degree and five years for a double major or for a Bachelor's Degree in certain specific fields. In Ontario and the Atlantic provinces, University normally consists of three years leading to Bachelor's Degree; four years leading to an advanced major degree, a double degree or an Honours Bachelor's Degree. Private Schools are not paid for by the government. Parents must pay for this schooling if they want their children to attend. Students are usually required to write an entrance exam before accepted and these schools are usually expensive depending on the location and type of private school. The weather in Canada changes considerably depending on the province. The West Coast of Canada is known for warm summer months, mild temperatures and rain throughout the rest of the year. The Prairie Provinces(Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba) experience hot summer months followed by very cool winter months and lots of snow. The East Coast of Canada enjoys very warm summer months and an abundance of snow throughout the winter. See each provincial profile for specific weather conditions. |
