O CANADA

The O in O Canada, the national anthem of the country, acts as a vocative exclamation used to directly address the country with strong emotion, and is a declaration of love, loyalty and protection for the nation, highlighting its natural beauty, history and promise of freedom and strength. 

About Canada:

• Is geographically larger than the USA, 3.855 million square miles to 3.678 million square miles.

• 
  #1 is Russia 6.6 million sq. mi., with China #3 at 3.705 sq. mi.  Canada is #2 and U.S #4., with Brazil #5 at 3.288 sq. mi.
• Has the longest coastline of any country.
• Population of over 41 million, with a density of 11 inhabitants/square mile, one of the lowest in the world.

• 
  Ten provinces (like U.S. states) and three territories.
• Recent history.
• Indigenous peoples have continuously inhabited Canada going back thousands of years.
• British and French expeditions came in the 16th century.
• Through armed conflicts, France ceded nearly all of its colonies in North American in 1763.

• 
  Canada formed in 1867.
• Is a parliamentary democracy and a constitutional monarchy.
• Head of government is the prime minister, who today is Mark Carney.

• 
  Country underwent profound social and economic changes through the Quiet Revolution of the 1960s, giving birth to a secular nationalist movement,
• Quebec almost seceded from Canada in 1995, but the No side won, 50.58% to 49.42%.
• As of today, Alberta's separation is a topic of intense political debate, but the current numbers indicate that this vote too would lose.  
• Asian population of 19.3%.

• 
  Two official languages, English (54%) and French (19%).
• Has one of the highest and fastest-growing percentages of religiously unaffiliatd, today at 34.6%, a figure that has more than doubled in 20 years .  Was 16.5% in 2001.  The USA is at 28%.
• Healthcare is tax-funded and provided to all.  This U.S. figure is 92%.

According to Google AI:

Here are 10 surprising things about Canada:

1. More Lakes Than the Rest of the World: Canada has over 2 million lakes, covering roughly 20% of the world's freshwater.
2. Longest Coastline in the World: 151,109 miles. It would take roughly four and a half years to walk the entire coast.
3. 
   Polar Bear Capital & Jail: Churchill, Manitoba, is the polar bear capital of the world and has a "jail" for bears that wander into town.
4. 
   Mac and Cheese Obsession: Canadians consume 50% more Kraft Dinner (mac and cheese) per capita than Americans.
5. A Unique National Drink: The "Caesar" is a popular cocktail made with vodka, lime, hot sauce, Worcestershire sauce, and—most uniquely—Clamato juice (a blend of clam broth and tomato juice).
6. 
   "Screech-In" Ceremony: In Newfoundland, visitors can become "honorary Newfoundlanders" by taking a shot of Screech rum and kissing a codfish.
7. French Flair in Quebec: Old Quebec feels intensely European, often described as the most romantic city in North America, with streets that look like 17th-century France.
8. 
   The World's Longest Hiking Trail: The Great Trail (formerly Trans Canada Trail) spans 17,000 miles, making it longer than the Great Wall of China.
9. Higher Education Rankings: Over 50% of Canadians have a college degree, making it one of the most educated nations in the world.
10. 
    A "Maple Syrup Monopoly": Quebec produces the majority of the world's maple syrup.

The overwhelming most known song of Canada is, of course, O Canada.

• Was originally commissioned by Lt. Governor of Quebec Theodore Robitaille for the 1880 Saint-Jean-Baptiste ceremony.

• 
  Composed by Caliza Lavallee, after which French language words were written by poet and judge Sir Adolphe-Basile Routhier.
• The most popular Eglish lyrics by Robert Weir in 1908.
• Became the official national anthem of Canada in 1980.
• Was revised several times, most recently in 2018.
• French version.
• 
  Based on historical significance and enduring popularity, according to Google AI, the next most popular Canadian songs are:
• Both Sides Now by Joni Mitchell, the singer-songwriter.
• Was born in Fort Macleod, Alberta, Canada in 1943.
• One of the first recordings, and most popular, was by Judy Collins in 1968.  
• Won a 1969 Grammy.
• While this song became the signature song for Collins, Mitchell actually disliked that version, although the success helped her career.
• American Woman by The Guess Who.
• 
  The band formed in Winnipeg, Manitoba in 1958.
• Song was released in 1979, and reached #1 on the Billboard Hot 100, and stayed there for three weeks.
• Was said to be an attack on U.S. politics, especially the draft.  However, this was later contradicted by the group.

• 
  Actually, I'm somewhat surprised that those #2 and #3 songs are said to be by far the most popular Canadian songs.
• Celine Dion was born in Quebec and is the best selling Canadian artist of all time, over 200 million tunes.

• 
  On 27April2026, when I was in Toronto, I listed a whole host of singers just from that city:  Little Darlin; by The Diamonds, Sh-Boom by the Crewcuts, Moments to Remember by the Four Lads, and others, like Robert Goulet, Drake and Weeknd.

• 
  How can anyone forget the film Rose Marie (1936), Rotten Tomatoes scores of 100/71), with Nelson Eddy and Jeanette MacDonald, where they sang Indian Love Call, also featuring Song of the Mounties.  Okay, this movie was actually shot in Lake Tahoe, but there were two other MGM versions, all set in Canada, a 1928 silent film and 1954 colored version.  In any case, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police is the most famous of them all.

• 
  So I pointedly asked Google AI, why only mention Both Sides Now and American Woman?  The response, was....okay, you might have a good point.

Ultimately, Canada has an incredibly rich musical history, and both the classic era and the modern streaming era are equally valid. Other top lists frequently include Celine Dion's "My Heart Will Go On," Bryan Adams' "Summer of '69," and Leonard Cohen's "Hallelujah" as the real top contenders. [1]

Top Canadian Songs of All Time (According to Spotify/CBC):

• Neil Young - Heart of Gold
• Leonard Cohen - Hallelujah
• Bryan Adams - Summer of '69
• Celine Dion - My Heart Will Go On
• The Guess Who - American Woman

Top 2026 Canadian Artists (by popularity):

• The Weeknd
• Drake
• Justin Bieber
• Celine Dion [1, 2, 4, 5]

I didn't know Leonard Cohen was born in Canada.  Montreal.  The most popular version of Hallelujah was recorded by Jeff Buckley in 1994.  But he was born in Anaheim.

I should have begun with saying this subject, but belatedly, Happy Mother's Day!

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