Canada's Geographic Challenge

RANE explains Canada's primary geographic challenge of unifying its dispersed population across its vast territory.

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[Kouhiko]

Challenge? Looks to me like Canada has the best geographic location on the planet. The only threat they have of invasion comes from the nation that ensures their protection.

[sillyname]

Canada's greatest advantage is it's maple syrup reserve.

[-runswithbeer-]

I'm an American.  I love Canada.  They are different places.  This isn't a pissing competition.  Both countries have good and bad.  Stop shitting on other countries and their people to prove how great your country is.

[statesindivisible]

It is not easy to exist next to a behemoth (US).  Those that resort to comparing Canada to the US are not understanding a core reality.  The US is what it is due to  geography.  Americans are special not because of who they are but where they live.  Occupying the bulk of fertile lands, deep sea ports, ocean buffers, temperate climate and strategic presence in half of the earth's surfaces (Pacific Ocean, Hawai'i and Alaska) all together renders a potent scenario.  The fact that Canada has maintained it's identity and managed it's relationship next to it's only neighbor which is 10 times bigger in military and economic might speaks volumes about the Canadians.

[FalconFastest]

I wish you had mwntioned that Quebec is mostly French-speaking, whilst the rest of Canada speaks English, which is why Quebec has tried to become its own independent country in the past. That is a big geographical challenge, since by definition geography also includes peoples and nations.

[manofsan]

More seriously, I would have appreciated some analysis on emerging challenges, such as the ships of other countries increasingly passing into northern zones which Canada considers its own sovereign waters. These northern regions may become a theater of conflict one day, as their natural resources become the object of strategic competition.

[kenllacer]

Good geographic position as long as the southern neighbor remains level headed.

[MrSmithaustin]

90% of the Canadian population lives 100 miles or less from the US boarder.

[keithsca]

Canada became a self-governing Dominion in 1867, independent in 1931 under the Statue of Westminster. 

[thegamingtyrant]

The fact that a nation like Canada has been able to survive next to a military behemoth like the United States shows just how united Humans can and should be.

[meloncooler]

Canada did not gain independence in 1867, it became a country in that year. To this day we are still part of the commonwealth, however Britain has little to no control over our country (since 1987 I believe).

[LesVentilateursduQuebec]

I'm Canadian from Quebec province born post 1970 and I never learned the Imperial system. My knowledge to it is limited to inches because my parents have learned it, they were born before 1970 and as of today they use a lot more the metric system than the Imperial even though they first learned the Imperial.

[hubrismaxim]

Ummm... Canada did not become independent from the UK in 1867. There is no clear date of independence, though I would pick the Statutes of Westminster in 1921. In 1867, Canada became a self governing domain WITHIN the British Empire.

[allghilliedup]

Canada has only been invaded once in its entire existence and it was by the US, albeit a short-lived invasion. We gladly paid them back in kind though.

Other than that, we remained neutral or indifferent to foreign wars. We sent humanitarian aid, but seldom ground troops or aircraft.

I'm damn proud to be Canadian.

[canmoore]

He is correct in that geographic distance is perhaps the largest constraint. Look at Target!! One of the largest businesses in the US comes to Canada and it is a train wreck. They completely underestimated the challenges in logistics, especially since they thought they could just jump in and open a bunch of stores!

[Iznikroc]

You're not restrained Canada, We just love you...alot....JOIN US!

[OrphanSeasun]

Thanks for forgetting to include the Maritimes in the "population cores" :)

[paulinotou]

the fact that its north of the US is both a blessing and a curse. I mean having large oil reserves north of a oil guzzling country is a huge benefit for Canada. We are the worlds largest trading partners

[RANENetwork]

No. In the previous version, we misspelled a word, and we had to correct our mistake.

[manofsan]

I like the idea of UK, Canada and Australia forming a triad, to pool their strategic and diplomatic resources. Makes a lot of sense in this increasingly competitive world.