Canada - Interesting People & Fun Facts Quiz

Answer: from the Huron-Iroquoian word "kanata", meaning "village" or "settlement"

Although the name "Canada" does mean "a beautiful land" from the language of native Mohawks, the most widely accepted origin for the country's name is from the Huron-Iroquoian Indian's word "kanata", meaning "village", "settlement", and even "gathering of huts".

The country was first referred to as Canada (Kanata) by the indigenous inhabitants of the modern-day area of Quebec City to direct the explorer Jacques Cartier towards the village of Stadacona. Cartier began using the title "Canada" to refer not only to Stadacona, but also to the entire geographical area ruled by Donnacona (the chief at Stadacona). By 1545, European books and maps were beginning to refer to this entire region as Canada.

Answer: God Save the Queen

Previous to 1967, the official anthem of Canada was "God Save the Queen". The clue suggests "the title changed a few times", which it did, depending if there was a king or queen heading the British monarchy; the anthem sometimes was titled "God Save the King".

Answer: the longest border in the world between two countries

Canada and the U.S.A. share a border known as The International Boundary, which at 5,525 miles in length, including the 1,538 mile boundary between Alaska and Canada, is the longest border between any two nations on Earth. The countries do 'share' the Great Lakes, yet Lake Michigan is entirely within the borders of the United States, while all the other lakes have a Canada-U.S. line down their centres. And although both Canadians and Americans are able to enjoy the spectacular waterfalls of the cities of New York State and provincial Ontario, the "horseshoe falls" lie completely within Ontario borders, while the falls in New York lie totally within its borders.

Answer: baseball glove

Several baseball historians argue that it wasn't Art Irwin who invented the baseball glove, yet there's much more factual evidence that upholds that 'Foxy' Irwin did invent the infielder's glove. All players caught barehanded in the old days, but during a game in 1883, Irwin had two fingers broken by a ground ball. Rather than wait for them to heal, he bought an extra large buckskin work glove and stuffed the fingers with padding, allowing him to continue playing.

In a short while, several players were wearing what was referred to as the "Irwin Glove".

It's rumoured that Phil Powers of the London Tecumsehs (Ontario) first used the glove in 1878, but Phil, too, was a Canadian, so either way this important piece of equipment was created by a Canadian.

Answer: the smallest jail in North America

"The Green Mile" is about a prison with a hallway to death row called the Green Mile; I was trying to hint at the answer being about a 'small jail' with a hallway called "The Green Centimetre". Nevertheless, Rodney, Ontario's claim to North American fame is the continent's smallest functioning jail.

The entire building, built in 1890, measures 24.3 square meters, about 270 square feet, and includes two tiny jail cells.

Answer: Terry Fox

Terry Fox's marathon began on 12 April 1980, when Terry dipped his artificial leg into the Atlantic Ocean near St. John's, Newfoundland. On 1 September 1980, 143 days and 5,280 kilometres (3,280 miles, about 2/3rds of the way) into the 8,000 kilometre trip, he was forced to stop running because of chest pain and severe coughing. Later, he personally announced that the cancer had returned and had spread to his lungs.

The entire world lost the hero Terence Stanley Fox on 28 June 1981. The memory of Terry lives on in the hearts of millions, with events being performed annually in his memory all over the world.

Answer: Leatherback Seaturtle

Well, I hope this "Crafty Canadian" might have fooled you with the Indian Elephant, which is an animal native to India and parts of Asia. Maybe I tricked you with the choice of the Woolly Mammoth, which has been extinct for centuries. And how can the Western Sasquatch be on an endangered list when its existence hasn't even been proven yet? If I 'got you' with that one then consider yourself "Canuck Stumped"! That leaves us with the Leatherback Seaturtle, which is included on Canada's endangered list because even though it's a migratory animal and does not nest in Canada, it spends a few months making a home off the coasts of British Columbia, Quebec, Newfoundland, and Nova Scotia.

Answer: neighbour

Well neighbour, did I pull a "Canuck Stump" on you again? Neighbour is the Canadianism, as Americans likely spell the word without a 'u', as in "neighbor". Interestingly, both versions are acceptable spellings in Canada, yet in the United States, if spelled with a 'u', it's considered incorrect. See how nice and reasonable Canadians are? :) If "theater" had been spelled "theatre", with the 'r' and the 'e' changing positions, then that would be another example of a "Canadianism", but 'theater' is how Americans spell the word.

The word "ain't" to me just ain't a good word, yet has been adopted as an acceptable slang variation for the term "is not", although by the laws of contractions it makes no sense whatsoever. Now--as a Canadian, I wish to go on the record to say that I have never pronounced the word "about" as "aboot", nor have I ever met a Canadian who did.

A few east-coast Canadians, who have unavoidable accents, might say "aboot" inadvertently at times, but the use of that slang term is simply a fallacy. Maybe the slang "aboot" came from our 'neighbahz' in Bawstin, Noo Yawk, or even Noo Joisey? ;)

Answer: Montreal

Anyone who's even a part-time hockey fan is usually aware that Montreal has won the Stanley Cup more times than any other team since the NHL was established and into the early 21st century.

As an extra tidbit of interesting information, the Stanley Cup, originally donated in 1892 by the Canadian Governor General, Lord Stanley of Preston, does not have a cash figure estimated value and is labeled "priceless".

Answer: the electric light bulb - Thomas Edison

The idea for the electric light bulb was brainstormed and drawn up by Canadian Thomas Woodward, with a little help from a man named Mathew Evan, while working at Morrison's Brass Foundry in Toronto, Ontario. It was patented by an unnamed hotel keeper in his behalf in 1874.

In 1875, Thomas Edison purchased one-half of Woodward's patent to further his own research. Edison evolved his designs for the light bulb based on the 1875 patent he purchased from inventors, Henry Woodward and Matthew Evans. In 1876, Woodward received a patent for his electric lamp, and in 1879, Edison considered it important enough that he bought the entire patent for the invention from Woodward.

Then in 1885, Woodward sold all his patents and ideas to Thomas, and that's when the "light bulb became American".