Imagine that you are home – that should not be too hard for most of you (and me!). Your friends/parents ask you what courses you took this past semester. You mention that you took a course on Canada. “Canada?! What the hell did you do that for?!” they might ask. How will you respond? In a one and half to two-page essay, explain to your friends/family information that might impress, depress, and/or surprise your companions about Canada. To complete this assignment, you can use the knowledge you have gained about that country’s geography, history, politics, economy, Indigenous peoples, Quebec nationalism, and culture. In short, you are explaining what Canada is all about to people who (probably) know very little about the place.
Do not throw out simple facts and leave it at that. For example, do not simply say, “Canada has ten provinces,” and stop there. Follow through. So what? Why is it a big deal that Canada has ten provinces? You can say, “Canada has only ten provinces. That is interesting because it is a, physically, larger country than the United States. Can you imagine how the US might be different if there were only ten states? Because there are so few provinces in Canada, they have a lot of power over what happens in the country. As a result, sometimes, people in Canada tend to identify themselves by their province – and not as Canadians. Also, when there are serious problems, say, a global pandemic, it is much easier to coordinate efforts between the federal government and ten provinces than in the US, with the federal government and 50 states.” This is the type of “advanced thinking”Another example could be: “Canada has not treated its native people very well.” That would be correct. However, you would need to explain why and how you feel that Canada has wronged the indigenous people who were here before Europeans arrived. You could explain how the actions taken by successive Canadian governments made life difficult for its native peoples; and how some of those issues are still present in Canadian society. One offshoot of this might have you focus on how more recent governments are attempting to make amends for past errors. You could also explain how Canada’s treatment of natives runs counter to the image of the country as place that is friendly and welcoming to newcomers.
