Module 1 Flashcards
What distinguishes each region?
-Geographic Location
-Regional consciousness
-Historical development
-population size
-economic strength
(the economy of each region revolves around a specific economic anchor)
By how many times has Canadas population increased since Confederation?
10 times (3.5mil - 40mil)
Place vs Placelessness
Tims is the same everywhere (PLACELESSNESS) but the niagara escarpment is unique to Hamilton, Ontario (PLACE)
Sense of place
Reflects a deeply felt attachment to a region or area by local residents who have bonded to their environment and resulting institutions
Sense of place cont’d
An attachment and commitment to “home” region
Canada is a country of regions that each have a strong sense of regional pride as well as a commitment to Canada.
What is a Faultline?
A geological metaphor applied to economic, social, and political cracks that divide regions and people, and threaten to destabilize Canadas integrity as a nation
Faultlines might stay dormant for long periods of time then suddenly erupt to divide the country
4 principle faultlines represent struggles
-Regional Faultline
-Quebec Faultline
-Indigenous minority Faultline
-Immigration Faultline
Faultlines Cont’d
the 4 faultlines have at times threatened the unity of the country
Hard vs Soft Country
CAN is a soft country because of its ability to compromise as opposed to the US that is considered a hard country
Regional Faultline
leans most heavily on Canadas geography and political system
Federal-provincial feuds/disputes between provinces
regional control over natural resources is contentious issue (i.e. fossil fuel in Alberta)
Quebec Faultline
Proportion of French-speaking Canadians has declined
Language remains a sensitive issue
Some francophone leaders feel quebecois way of life is slipping away
Indigenous minority Fault line
Canada as a settler state has stripped indigenous people of their land and resources
Indigenous peoples remain on the margins of Canadian society
Little opportunities exist for indigenous peoples located in geographically isolated and marginalized communities
opportunities started becoming available only in the late 20th century.
Immigration Faultline
Continuous waves of newcomers bringing their own set of cultures, languages, and religions
Canadians generally welcoming but remain uncertain of how to accomodate different customs and religions
Benefits of immigration
-increased population
-increased cultural diversity
-growth of the Canadian economy
Challenges presented by immigration
-Disagreement over which level of gov’t should bear settlement cost
-balancing number of immigrants arrivals with the country’s capacity for absorption
-need to find compromises among different cultural groups and their traditions
What is geography
-“Description of the Earth”
-study of spatial variation
geography provides a description and explanation of lands, places, peoples.
Regional Geography
Regional geography is the geographic study of a particular part of the world
People, interacting with their economic, physical, and social environments, place their imprint on landscapes, just as landscapes influence their lives and activities
Canada’s Six Geographic Regions
o Atlantic Canada
o Québec
o Ontario
o Western Canada
o British Columbia
o Territorial North
Why these six regions?
o Manageable number, balanced size, and economic importance
o Reflect distinctive physical features, natural resources, and economic activities
o Reflect political structure of Canada
o Facilitate use of statistical data
o Linked to regional identity
