What do geographers believe?
Despite claims to the contrary, it is not culture, religion, language, ethnicity, race that is dominant feature of civilization. It is place
What do equalization payments and territorial transfer payment designed to do
ensure consistent standard of living across canada
- future of these payments is heavily dependent on Ontario economy
What is Ontarios strength and weakness
- most favourable conditions for economic growth, industrialization, agriculture, trade w/ US
- weakness:
- manufacturing economy has an uncertain future due to continued globalization
What is QC strength + weakness
strength: home to extensive hydroelectric resources + has access to St. Lawrence Seaway
Weakness: struggle to maintain its culture and language in English dominated continent
Strngth + weakness of BC
strenght: cultured centered around ecotopia and growing population w/ expanding links to Pacific Rim
weakness: lower demand has weakened forestry industry
What is Ecotopia
focus on green living w/ emphasis on quality of life and sustainability
Strength + weakness of Prairie Provinces
Strengh: abundance of natural resources and fertile soil
Weakness: sense of alienation from core developed partly due to actions of past fed govts
Strength and weakness of Atlantic Provinces
Strength: offshore petroleum deposits provided revenue; fishing industry likely improve in future
Weakness: isolated geographically, has stagnant population, lacks employment opportunites
Strengths + weakness of Territorial North
Strength: rich in natural resources and has growing pop from natural increase
Weakness: climate change dramatically impacting the region; social problems evident in Inuit settlements
What is the Spatial Framework of Canada?
Core regions: ON, QC
3 types of periphery regions:
1. Upward transitional (BC, Prairie Provinces)
2. Downward transitional (Atlantic Provinces)
3. Resource frontier (Territorial North)
- spatial frameworks are not rigid, they can always be adjusted
what are Canada’s faultlines?
Centralist/ Decentralist
Indigenous/ Non-Indigenous
English/ French
Newcomers/Old-Timers
How has the entry of China into world trade organization impact on Canadian economy?
- manufacturing sector has slowly eroded; low-cost goods imported from China have become common
- Resource industries have expanded to meet growing demand from Asia
What is the future for Canada
- economy slowly shift toward quaternary sector
- greater share of quaternary sector employment found in large cities
- mid-sized cities grow larger make choices:
1. automobile traffic or rapid transit
2. suburban expansion or development of downtown cores - most oil and natural gas exports still flow to US, but increasing the amt flowing to Asia
- BC and ON gain more seats in house of Common in future federal elections
- Uncertainties relate to oil prices, manufacturing industry in ON and impacts of climate change on Territorial North
what are the national goals for the future
- greener urban country; creative class encouraged + flourishes
- indigenous Peoples become more represented in Canada’s parliament and moving toward self-govt in Nunavik and other areas
- even more pluralistic society where tensions arise quickly subside
-more open border with US for which trade relationships can grow + expand
What is a creative class
people who are attracted to cities that have a progressive and diverse culture
Pluralistic society
society that values multiculturalism
