Issue - National ID Cards in Canada

At the request of Denis Coderre, the Canadian Minister for Citizenship and Immigration, the House of Commons Committee on Citizenship and Immigration is examining the possibility of a secure national identity card for Canadians. The minister has made it very clear that he himself is in favour of a Canadian national ID card that would use some type of biometrics, such as an iris scan, facial recognition or fingerprints.

The Minister of Citizenship and Immigration seems to have two major reasons for the intensified interest by the federal government in a secure national ID card for Canadians: an increasing demand for a secure identity document for international travellers, especially to meet changing and more stringent requirements from the U.S. Government growing concern over rapid increases in identity theft in Canada

The House of Commons Citizenship and Immigration Committee has asked for comments on a range of questions related to the possibility of national ID cards in Canada. Some of the items on their list are: what are the problems with current Canadian identity documents? which levels of government in Canada would be responsible for a new national ID card? should a Canadian national ID card be mandatory or voluntary? what personal information and which secure technologies should be used for national ID cards?

Still at the preliminary discussion stage.

The most vocal supporter of a secure Canadian national ID card using biometrics is the Minister of Citizenship and Immigration. Some of the reasons the minister gives are: Canada needs a national identity system. Right now the federal government issues citizenship and immigration documents and the provincial and territory governments issue birth and death certificates. a national ID card is just a tool that lets people prove they are who they say they are a national ID card is an important element of both personal and collective security a secure national ID card would help prevent identity theft it would improve the integrity of Canadian travel documents

Objections to the introduction of a national ID card include: Canadian Privacy Commissioner George Radwanski sees a secure national ID card as part of a recent Canadian federal government trend to intrude on the privacy of Canadians. Radwanski also points out that a national ID card would be useless as an anti-terrorist device, since anyone would be able to get one, and those on short visits to Canada would not need to get one. Some technology experts say that there is absolutely nothing secure about biometric ID cards unless the papers required to get them are equally secure. Morris Manning, a Canadian constitutional lawyer, says a biometric ID card could violate the Charter of Rights. Many are concerned about the costs, especially after huge cost overruns with existing federal government databases, the most recent example being the gun registry. There is also concern that a national ID card could lead to racial profiling.

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Royal Visits to Canada

Queen Elizabeth, Canada's head of state, always draws crowds when she visits Canada. Since her accession to the Throne in 1952, Queen Elizabeth has made 22 official Royal visits to Canada, usually accompanied by her husband Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh, and sometimes by her children Prince Charles, Princess Anne, Prince Andrew and Prince Edward. Queen Elizabeth has visited every province and territory in Canada. 2010 Royal Visit
Date: June 28 to July 6, 2010
Accompanied by the Duke of Edinburgh
The 2010 Royal Visit included celebrations in Halifax, Nova Scotia to mark the centennial of the founding of the Royal Canadian Navy, Canada Day celebrations on Parliament Hill in Ottawa, and a dedication of the cornerstone for the Museum of Human Rights in Winnipeg, Manitoba. 2005 Royal Visit
Date: May 17 to 25, 2005
Accompanied by the Duke of Edinburgh
Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip attended events in Saksatchewan and Alberta to celebrate the centennial of the entry of Saskatchewan and Alberta into Confederation. 2002 Royal Visit
Date: October 4 to 15, 2002
Accompanied by the Duke of Edinburgh
The 2002 Royal Visit to Canada was in celebration of the Queen's Golden Jubilee. The Royal couple visited Iqaluit, Nunavut; Victoria and Vancouver, British Columbia; Winnipeg, Manitoba; Toronto, Oakville, Hamilton and Ottawa, Ontario; Fredericton, Sussex and Moncton, New Brunswick. 1997 Royal Visit
Date: June 23 to July 2, 1997
Accompanied by the Duke of Edinburgh
The 1997 Royal Visit marked the 500th anniversary of John Cabot's arrival in what is now Canada. Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip visited St. John's and Bonavista, Newfoundland; NorthWest River, Shetshatshiu, Happy Valley and Goose Bay, Labrador, They also visited London, Ontario and viewed the floods in Manitoba. 1994 Royal Visit
Date: August 13 to 22, 1994
Accompanied by the Duke of Edinburgh
Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip toured Halifax, Sydney, the Fortress of Louisbourg, and Dartmouth, Nova Scotia; attended the Commonwealth Games in Victoria, British Columbia; and visited Yellowknife, Rankin Inlet and Iqaluit (then part of the Northwest Territories). 1992 Royal Visit
Date: June 30 to July 2, 1992
Queen Elizabeth visited Ottawa, Canada's capital, marking the 125th anniversary of Canadian Confederation and the 40th anniversary of her accession to the Throne. 1990 Royal Visit
Date: June 27 to July 1, 1990
Queen Elizabeth visited Calgary and Red Deer, Alberta, and then joined the celebrations for Canada Day in Ottawa, Canada's capital. 1987 Royal Visit
Date: October 9 to 24, 1987
Accompanied by the Duke of Edinburgh
On the 1987 Royal Visit, Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip toured Vancouver, Victoria and Esquimalt, British Columbia; Regina, Saskatoon, Yorkton, Canora, Veregin, Kamsack and Kindersley, Saskatchewan; and Sillery, Cap Tourmente, Rivière-du-Loup and La Pocatière, Quebec. 1984 Royal Visit
Date: September 24 to October 7, 1984
Accompanied by the Duke of Edinburgh for all parts of the visit except Manitoba
Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip toured New Brunswick and Ontario to participate in events marking the bicentennials of those two provinces. Queen Elizabeth also visited Manitoba. 1983 Royal Visit
Date: March 8 to 11, 1983
Accompanied by the Duke of Edinburgh
At the end of a tour of the U.S. West Coast, Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip visited Victoria, Vancouver, Nanaimo, Vernon, Kamloops and New Westminster, British Columbia. 1982 Royal Visit
Date: April 15 to 19, 1982f
Accompanied by the Duke of Edinburgh
This Royal Visit was to Ottawa, Canada's capital, for the Proclamation of the Constitution Act, 1982. 1978 Royal Visit
Date: July 26 to August 6, 1978
Accompanied by the Duke of Edinburgh, Prince Andrew and Prince Edward
Toured Newfoundland, Saskatchewn and Alberta, attending the Commonwealth Games in Edmonton, Alberta. 1977 Royal Visit
Date: October 14 to 19, 1977
Accompanied by the Duke of Edinburgh
This Royal Visit was to Ottawa, Canada's capital, in celebration of the Queen's Silver Jubilee Year. 1976 Royal Visit
Date: June 28 to July 6, 1976
Accompanied by the Duke of Edinburgh, Prince Charles, Prince Andrew and Prince Edward
The Royal family visited Nova Scotia and New Brunswick, and then Montreal, Quebec for the 1976 Olympics. Princess Anne was a member of the British equestrian team competing in the Olympics in Montreal. 1973 Royal Visit (2)
Date: July 31 to August 4, 1973
Accompanied by the Duke of Edinburgh
Queen Elizabeth was in Ottawa, Canada's capital, for the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting. Prince Philip had his own program of events. 1973 Royal Visit (1)
Date: June 25 to July 5, 1973
Accompanied by the Duke of Edinburgh
Queen Elizabeth's first visit to Canada in 1973 included an extended tour of Ontario, including events to mark the 300th anniversary of Kingston. The Royal couple spent time in Prince Edward Island marking the centennial of PEI's entry into Canadian Confederation, and they went on to Regina, Saskatchewan and Calgary, Alberta to participate in events marking the RCMP centennial. 1971 Royal Visit
Date: May 3 to May 12, 1971
Accompanied by Princess Anne
Queen Elizabeth and Princess Anne marked the centennial of British Columbia's entry into Canadian Confederation by visiting Victoria, Vancouver, Tofino, Kelowna, Vernon, Penticton, William Lake and Comox, B.C. 1970 Royal Visit
Date: July 5 to 15, 1970
Accompanied by Prince Charles and Princess Anne
The 1970 Royal Visit to Canada included a tour of Manitoba to celebrate the centennial of Manitoba's entry into Canadian Confederation. The Royal Family also visited the Northwest Territories to mark its centennial. 1967 Royal Visit
Date: June 29 to July 5, 1967
Accompanied by the Duke of Edinburgh
Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip were in Ottawa, Canada's capital, to celebrate Canada's centennial. They also went to Montreal, Quebec to attend Expo '67. 1964 Royal Visit
Date: October 5 to 13, 1964
Accompanied by the Duke of Edinburgh
Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip Visited Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, Quebec City, Quebec and Ottawa, Ontario to attend the commemoration of the three major conferences that led up to Canadian Confederation in 1867. 1959 Royal Visit
Date: June 18 to August 1, 1959
Accompanied by the Duke of Edinburgh
This was Queen Elizabeth's first major tour of Canada. She officially opened the St. Lawrence Seaway and visited all Canadian provinces and territories over the span of six weeks. 1957 Royal Visit
Date: October 12 to 16, 1957
Accompanied by the Duke of Edinburgh
On her first official visit to Canada as Queen, Queen Elizabeth spent four days in Ottawa, Canada's capital, and officially opened the first session of the 23rd Parliament of Canada.

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Work Permits Canada

In general the following documents are required to apply for a temporary work permit for Canada. Check the information provided in the application kit carefully for details and in case there are other documents required for your specific circumstances. There may also be additional local requirements, so contact your local visa office to verify that you have all the required documents before submitting your application for a temporary work permit. proof of identity - a valid passport or travel document for you and each family member accompanying you. If the country that issued your passport requires a re-entry permit, you must have one before you apply for a temporary work permit for Canada. Citizens and permanent residents of the United States, Saint-Pierre and Miquelon, and Greenland do not need passports, but do need proof of status and citizenship. You must also supply two recent passport-size photos. proof of employment in Canada - a written job offer or contract from your prospective employer proof of qualifications - proof that you meet the requirements of the job, including educational requirements and work experience HRDSC Confirmation - if required for your job, your prospective employer must get a labour market opinion and confirmation from Human Resources and Skills Development Canada(HRDSC) and provide you with the file identifier number Quebec Certificate of Acceptance (CAQ) - required if you are planning to work temporarily in the province of Quebec. Check the Ministère de l’Immigration et des Communautés culturelles site for details. immigration status in country of application - if you are not a citizen of the country in which you are applying, you must provide proof of your current immigration status.

You must also produce any additional documents requested.

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Study Permits for Canada

When you apply for a study permit for Canada, you must satisfy the immigration officer who reviews your application that you will leave Canada after your temporary stay have been accepted by a recognized school, university or college in Canada have enough money to pay for your tuition fees, to support yourself and family members while you are in Canada, and enough to return home will be law abiding have no record of criminal activity (a Police Certificate may be required) are not a risk to the security of Canada are in good health (a medical exam may be required)

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Canada No-Fly List

On June 18, 2007, the Canadian federal government implemented a no-fly list to strengthen air travel security on domestic and international commercial flights.

Under the Passenger Protect program, the government maintains a list of people who may pose an immediate threat to air security if they get on board a flight. Airlines use an online system to check passengers intending to board flights against the no-fly or specified persons list.

If a name matches, the airline checks the person's government-issued identification information to see if it matches the name, date of birth and gender of someone on the list. This verification is done in person at the airport check-in counter.

If the airline gets a match, it contacts Transport Canada to confirm the person's identity and get a decision on whether that person will be allowed to board the flight. The RCMP are notified immediately if there is a match with the no-fly list, and police having jurisdiction at the airport are also informed and take action as required.

The no-fly or specified persons list is compiled by an advisory group led by Transport Canada. The group includes RCMP and Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) representatives and also gets input from representatives of other Canadian government departments and agencies.

Individuals who are considered to pose a threat to air travel security may include those involved in a terrorist group those convicted of one or more serious and life-threatening crimes against aviation security those convicted of one or more serious and life-threatening offences and who may attack or harm an air carrier, passengers or crew members.

Beginning June 18, 2007, new identity screening regulations were also put in place for boarding a commercial flight in Canada.

All passengers who appear to be 12 years of age or older must have valid ID - either one piece of government-issued photo ID showing name, date of birth and gender or two pieces of government-issued ID, at least one of which shows name, date of birth and gender buy their ticket using the same name as on the ID - the name on the boarding pass must match the ID, or the passenger will not be allowed to board the aircraft.

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Canada Gazette

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Alcohol Into Canada - Settlers

If you are moving to Canada permanently or if you are coming to Canada to work for more than three years, you are allowed to bring a small quantity of alcohol (wine, liquor, beer or coolers) into the country without having to pay duty or taxes as long as: the alcohol accompanies you you meet the minimum legal drinking age for the province or territory in which you enter Canada

You may bring in one of 1.5 litres (50.7 US ounces) of wine, including wine coolers over 0.5 percent alcohol, or 1.14 litres (38.5 US ounces) of liquor, or a total of 1.14 litres (38.5 US ounces) of wine and liquor, or 24 x 355 millilitre (12 ounce) cans or bottles of beer or ale, including beer coolers over 0.5 percent alcohol (a maximum of 8.5 litres or 287.4 US ounces).

Except in the Northwest Territories and Nunavut, if you are moving to Canada to settle you may bring in more than the personal allowances of liquor listed above as long as you pay customs and province / territory assessments. The amounts you are allowed to bring into Canada are also limited by the province or territory in which you enter Canada. For details on specific amounts and rates, contact the liquor control authority for the apporpriate province or territory before you come to Canada.

If you are moving to Canada to take up permanent residence or temporary employment for more than three years, and you want to ship alcohol to Canada (the contents of your wine cellar, for example), contact the liquor control authority for the appropriate province or territory to pay the provincial or territory fees and assessments in advance. To have your shipment released when you get to Canada, you will need to show the receipt for the provincial or territory fees and assessments and you will also need to pay the applicable federal customs assessments.

If you have questions or require more information on bringing alcohol into Canada, please contact the Canada Borders Services Agency.

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Study Permits for Canada

A study permit is an official document allowing someone who is not a Canadian citizen or a permanent resident of Canada to study in Canada. Most international students need a study permit to study in Canada. Some international students also need a temporary resident visa. You do not need to make a separate application for a temporary resident visa - it will be issued at the same time as the documentation necessary for you to enter Canada as an international student.

Before you apply for a study permit for Canada you must be accepted to study at a recognized school, university or college in Canada, and receive a letter from that educational institution confirming your acceptance.

Education is a responsibility of the provincial and territory governments in Canada, and educational standards are set by the individual provinces and territories. For more information on education in Canada and to find provincial departments of education, elementary and high schools, school boards, and universities and colleges in Canada, check

Citizenship and Immigration Canada advises that it takes at least six months to gather the information and documents required to apply for a study permit for Canada, and to plan and prepare for a move to Canada as an international student.

The process and documents required to study in the province of Quebec are different, so check the Ministère de l’Immigration et des Communautés culturelles for details.

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Explore Parks in Canada

The Canadian system of national and provincial parks provides a unique view of the magnificence of the country. There are 39 national parks across Canada and hundreds of provincial parks.

Canadian national and provincial parks preserve representative natural areas of Canada and protect their ecological integrity for future generations.

Canadian parks also offer visitors a wide range of places for relaxation, recreation and reflection.

The Canadian federal government agency responsible for administering the national parks in Canada is Parks Canada. Parks Canada also manages Canadian conservation areas and historic sites. The Parks Canada agency does a good job of providing information on each of the national parks across the country and has a 3-D tour of many of the parks and historic sites.

Great Canadian Parks also has information on the wildlife and history of the national parks in Canada. This site provides a weather forecast for each national park and advice on what to bring for a seven-day trip to the park. The video clips are from the documentary television series Great Canadian Parks.

If you are interested in park management, the Parks Canada site has some interesting documents in its library. They include: Fire in Canadian National Parks - the ecology of fire and how "prescribed fires" are used to sustain fire-dependent ecosystems. Parks Canada Public Safety Program - methods used by Parks Canada to deal with the wide variety of safety issues that arise in the vast territory and differing terrains of the national parks system. Keeping the Wild in Wildlife - protecting the wildlife and yourself in Canadian national parks. Includes information on bears, elk, and safety tips for backcountry travel.

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Career Choices in Canada

Do you ever wonder about what kind of careers are available in the space industry in Canada? Or what the options are for a career in meteorology? Are you curious about how you'd get into the Canadian Armed Forces? How about the requirements for becoming a Mountie? Whether you've just started to think about working, or are due for a career change, the Web's a great place to find information on some of those Canadian careers guidance offices never mention!

As you consider the career choices open to you in Canada, you'll need a good handle on your own personality, aptitude and skills. Service Canada has a good selection of Assessment Quizzes that can help give you an idea of the way you prefer to work. The Canadian federal government Essential Skills site explains the nine essential skills identified for identified for work, learning and life and TOWES, the Test of Workplace Essential Skills, offers tools to test essential skills. Dawn Rosenberg McKay, About.com Career Planning, has more information on career self-assessment, including links to other free online tools.

If you're unsure about education and training options, spend some time with CanLearn's section on Choosing a Program and School. It has details on thousands of programs at Canadian colleges, CEGEPs and universities. Also, the federal government has indexed a number of education and training programs available in Canada by target group - from youth and students, to those for people with disabilities, families and more.

Governments in Canada and professional and trade associations are excellent sources of information on specific careers. For example, the federal government and the Agriculture and Food Council of Alberta have put together Soil to Sky, a useful site on Canadian careers in agriculture and food, especially in Alberta. If you're interested in a career in finance, the Canadian Securities Institute offers insight into a variety of opportunities and career paths in finance in Canada. A Certified General Accountant is another career choice in finance in Canada.

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Kyoto Protocol and Canada

The Kyoto Protocol is an international agreement reached in 1997 in Kyoto, Japan to address the problems of climate change and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Canada signed the Kyoto Protocol in 1998, and after a Parliamentary debate formally ratified it in December 2002. The Liberal government at the time agreed to reduce Canadian greenhouse gas emissions by six per cent below 1990 levels by the five-year commitment period of 2008 to 2012. The Canadian Conservative government elected in January 2006 says that the Kyoto Protocol targets are unrealistic and unachievable. The government plans to focus on developing "made-in-Canada" solutions, to spend all money for the environment on the Canadian environment rather than on international credits, and to put the emphasis on the development and deployment of clean technology. CBC reports that 40 percent of the climate change budgets at Environment Canada and Natural Resources have been cut. Programs cut include the One Tonne Challenge, a high-profile public education campaign on climate change, and the popular EnerGuide Retrofit Incentive Program of grants to help make Canadian homes more energy-efficient. Both Prime Minister Stephen Harper and Environment Minister Rona Ambrose have been expressing interest publicly in the Asia-Pacific Partnership on Clean Development and Climate, also called AP6 or Kyoto Lite, as an alternative to the Kyoto Protocol. Rona Ambrose has come under fire from both political and environment opponents who say she is trying to sabotage negotiations on the second phase of the Kyoto Protocol. The Kyoto Protocol is a UN-led international agreement reached in 1997 in Kyoto, Japan to address the problems of climate change and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The Kyoto Protocol went into force in February 2005. The Kyoto Protocol involves moving away from fossil fuel energy sources - oil, gas, and coal - to renewable sources of energy - hydro, wind and solar power - and to less environmentally harmful ways of burning fossil fuels. Greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide are mainly generated by burning fossil fuels. Higher levels of greenhouse gas emissions cause global warming and climate change. The Kyoto Protocol commits 38 industrialized countries to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 2008-2012 to overall levels that are 5.2 percent below 1990 levels. Targets for greenhouse gas emissions reduction were established for each industrialized country. Developing countries including China and India were asked to set voluntary targets for greenhouse gas emissions. The Canadian target for the Kyoto Protocol is to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by six percent below their 1990 levels by 2012. The United States did not ratify the Kyoto Protocol, and in February 2002 introduced the Clean Skies and Global Climate Change initiatives, in which targets for reduction in greenhouse gas emissions are linked directly to GDP and the size of the U.S. economy. In April 2005, the Liberal government issued a revised implementation plan and pledged $10 billion to cut greenhouse gases by 270 megatonnes a year by 2008-2012. Emission targets for large industrial polluters were relaxed. During the 2006 federal election campaign the Conservatives said they did not support the Kyoto Protocol. However, since winning the election with just a minority, the Conservative government members have been a little more circumspect in their comments, and instead talk about the targets being unrealistic or unachievable.

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Alcohol Into Canada - Visitors

If you are a a visitor to Canada, you are allowed to bring a small quantity of alcohol (wine, liquor, beer or coolers) into the country without having to pay duty or taxes as long as: the alcohol accompanies you you meet the minimum legal drinking age for the province or territory at which you enter Canada.

You may bring in one of 1.5 litres (50.7 US ounces) of wine, including wine coolers over 0.5 percent alcohol, or 1.14 litres (38.5 US ounces) of liquor, or a total of 1.14 litres (38.5 US ounces) of wine and liquor, or 24 x 355 millilitre (12 ounce) cans or bottles of beer or ale, including beer coolers over 0.5 percent alcohol (a maximum of 8.5 litres or 287.4 US ounces).

Except in the Northwest Territories and Nunavut, if you are a visitor to Canada you may bring in more than the personal allowances of liquor listed above as long as you pay customs and province / territory assessments. The amounts you are allowed to bring into Canada are also limited by the province or territory in which you enter Canada. For details on specific amounts and rates, contact the liquor control authority for the appropriate province or territory before you come to Canada.

If you have questions or require more information on bringing alcohol into Canada, please contact the Canada Borders Services Agency.

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Career Choices in Canada

Do you ever wonder about what kind of careers are available in the space industry in Canada? Or what the options are for a career in meteorology? Are you curious about how you'd get into the Canadian Armed Forces? How about the requirements for becoming a Mountie? Whether you've just started to think about working, or are due for a career change, the Web's a great place to find information on some of those Canadian careers guidance offices never mention!

As you consider the career choices open to you in Canada, you'll need a good handle on your own personality, aptitude and skills. Service Canada has a good selection of Assessment Quizzes that can help give you an idea of the way you prefer to work. The Canadian federal government Essential Skills site explains the nine essential skills identified for identified for work, learning and life and TOWES, the Test of Workplace Essential Skills, offers tools to test essential skills. Dawn Rosenberg McKay, About.com Career Planning, has more information on career self-assessment, including links to other free online tools.

If you're unsure about education and training options, spend some time with CanLearn's section on Choosing a Program and School. It has details on thousands of programs at Canadian colleges, CEGEPs and universities. Also, the federal government has indexed a number of education and training programs available in Canada by target group - from youth and students, to those for people with disabilities, families and more.

Governments in Canada and professional and trade associations are excellent sources of information on specific careers. For example, the federal government and the Agriculture and Food Council of Alberta have put together Soil to Sky, a useful site on Canadian careers in agriculture and food, especially in Alberta. If you're interested in a career in finance, the Canadian Securities Institute offers insight into a variety of opportunities and career paths in finance in Canada. A Certified General Accountant is another career choice in finance in Canada.

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Child Car Seats in Canada

Every week brings fresh highway fatalities in Canada - grim reminders of the importance of the proper use of child car seats and seat belts for children in Canada. Transport Canada says surveys show that more than a third of children are not properly restrained when traveling in vehicles.

If you're not clear on the government regulations for child car seats in Canada, check Safety in the Car from Transport Canada. It contains specific information and installation tips for the four different stages of child car seats and seat belts in vehicles in Canada:

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Tobacco Into Canada - Cdns

If you are a Canadian resident or a temporary resident of Canada returning from a trip outside Canada, or a former Canadian resident returning to live in Canada, you are allowed to bring a limited amount of tobacco and tobacco products (cigarettes, cigars, cigarillos, tobacco sticks, tobacco) into the country without having to pay duty or taxes as long as: the tobacco accompanies you, and you have been outside Canada for more than 48 hours.

You may bring in: 200 cigarettes 50 cigars or cigarillos 200 grams (7 ounces) of manufactured tobacco, and 200 tobacco sticks.

Note: A special duty will apply to cigarettes, tobacco sticks or manufactured tobacco unless they are marked "CANADA - DUTY PAID ? DROIT ACQUITTÉ." Canadian-made products sold at duty-free shops are marked this way.

It speeds things up if you have your tobacco products available for inspection when you arrive at the border.

Returning Canadian residents may bring in more than the personal allowances of tobacco listed above as long as you pay full duties, taxes and provincial or territorial fees on the extra. Canadian-made products marked "CANADA - DUTY PAID ? DROIT ACQUITTÉ" are taken into account when customs officials calculate what you must pay.

If you have questions or require more information on bringing tobacco into Canada, please contact the Canada Borders Services Agency.

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Shop and Ship to Canada

Are you new to online shopping? If you're on the Canadian side of the border and thinking of shopping on U.S. sites, hidden costs may catch you by surprise. There are things you should check before you give out your credit card number.

First, check that the site offers international shipping or at least shipping to Canada. There is nothing more irritating than going through an e-commerce site, filling your shopping cart and then discovering that the vendor does not ship outside the continental United States.

Good sites will list their shipping policies and procedures up front, usually under the customer service section or the help section. Shipping charges are determined by weight, size, distance, speed and number of items. Be sure to read the details carefully. Don't forget to factor in the exchange rate for the shipping charges as well as for the cost of the merchandise. Your credit card company may also add a charge for currency conversion.

The shipping charges and methods of shipment (usually either mail or courier) aren't the total of the costs you'll have to pay to get that package across the Canadian border though. If goods are coming across the border, you will also have to consider, and be ready to pay, Canada customs duties, taxes and custom brokerage fees.

Because of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), Canadians do not have to pay duty on most American and Mexican manufactured items. But be careful. Just because you buy an item from a U.S. store does not mean it was made in the United States. It's quite possible it was imported into the United States first and, if so, you may be charged duty when it comes into Canada. So check before you buy and if possible get something in writing from the e-store in case the Canada Customs people decide to be particular.

Duties on goods vary widely, depending on the product and the country in which it was manufactured. Other charges and duties may also apply depending on the item, for example excise duty and excise tax on luxury items such as jewelry. In general, on goods ordered from a foreign retailer there is no assessment unless Canada Customs can collect at least $1.00 in duties and taxes. If you have specific questions about Canada customs and duties, please contact a Canada Border Services Agency office or the Border Information Service.

Continue: Canadian Taxes and Customs Brokerage Fees

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Legal Drinking Age in Canada

Definition:

The legal drinking age in Canada is the minimum age at which a person is allowed to buy and drink alcohol. The legal drinking age in Canada is determined by each province and territory in Canada.

The legal drinking age in the individual provinces and territories of Canada is Alberta - 18 British Columbia - 19 Manitoba - 18 New Brunswick - 19 Newfoundland and Labrador - 19 Northwest Territories - 19 Nova Scotia - 19 Nunavut - 19 Ontario - 19 Prince Edward Island - 19 Quebec - 18 Saksatchewan - 19 Yukon Territory - 19

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Gun Registry in Canada

Since 1995 in Canada, the Canadian gun registry, formally called the Canadian Firearms Registry, was a cornerstone of the Liberal government policy on gun control.

Soaring costs and administrative mismanagement, in concert with strong political, philosophical and emotional differences of opinion on gun control, have combined to make the gun registry a hot issue for years. The gun registry issue tends to split between Western and rural opponents and Eastern and urban supporters. During the 2006 election campaign, guns and gun violence were a high-profile issue, and the Conservatives proposed eliminating the Canadian gun registry completely.

Since the Conservatives were elected in January 2006 with a minority government, they are not sure of enough votes in Parliament to go ahead with cutting the gun registry altogether. Instead they started by taking regulatory measures to dismantle the long-gun portion of the registry but to leave the gun registry in place for restricted weapons and handguns.

An amnesty has been put in place until May 17, 2007 to protect previously licensed owners of non-restricted firearms from prosecution under the Criminal Code for unlawful possession of a non-restricted firearm in Canada. The amnesty does not apply to individuals who have never obtained a firearms licence. The government is implementing licence renewal fee waivers and refunds. The government is eliminating physical verification of non-restricted firearms. In June 2006 the government followed up on the amnesty for long-guns by tabling a bill to abolish the long-gun registry, which would repeal the requirement to register non-restricted firearms. The government will not be able to move on the bill before the fall of 2006. The Firearms Act was passed in 1995 establishing a program to license all owners of firearms in Canada, and a registration program for firearms. A major change in the gun control system was that all firearms, including rifles and shotguns not just restricted weapons, would have to be registered. That meant a significant increase in the number of gun owners subject to controls. The law was gradually phased in up to January 2003. 1995 estimates of the cost of the Canadian Firearms Program were that it would cost $119 million, but registration fees would bring in $117 million, leaving the total cost to the taxpayers of $2 million. A preliminary audit released in the Auditor General Report 2002 revealed that the Department of Justice was estimating the gun registry program would cost more than $1 billion by 2004-05, and collect about $140 million in fees. This estimate did not include all financial impacts on the government. After the release of the 2002 audit, the Department of Justice hired an outside consultant to review the program and in 2003 announced a Gun Control Action Plan to reduce costs and improve management of the gun control program. In the follow-up Auditor General Report 2006 in May 2006, the Auditor General said that although the Canada Firearms Centre had made progress on financial reporting, on two occasions the Liberal government did not report significant overruns of tens of millions of dollars for the gun registry computer system. Responding to the May 2006 Auditor General Report, the Conservative government announced plans to dismantle the long-gun portion of the gun registry, including a one-year amnesty for previously licensed owners on the registration and licensing of long guns, but to leave the gun registry in place for restricted weapons and handguns. In June 2006 the Conservative government tabled a bill to abolish the long-gun registry.

Continue: What Supporters and Opponents Say

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Statistics Languages in Canada

Canada is increasingly becoming a multilingual society according to language statistics from the 2001 Census of Canada. Statistics Canada says that while most people in Canada speak English or French at home, one out of every six reported having a mother tongue other than English or French.

Statistics Canada says that more than 100 languages were reported in the 2001 Census question on mother tongue. Mother tongue is defined by Statistics Canada as the first language learned at home in childhood and still understood. The fastest growth comes in Asian and Middle East language groups.

According to the 2001 Census, nine out of 10 people in Canada still speak either the English or French languages at home. All the other languages reported as mother tongue are not spoken at home as frequently. Only 10 percent spoke a language other than English or French at home, compared to 18 percent who reported another language as their mother tongue.

The 2001 Census total of anglophones, those who report their mother tongue as English, was 17.5 million, or 59.1 percent of the population of Canada, down from 59.8 percent at the last census in 1996.

The 2001 Census total of francophones, those who report their mother tongue as French, was 6.8 million, or 22.9 percent of the population, down from 23.5 percent in 1996.

In contrast, the 2001 Census total of allophones, those who report a mother tongue other than English or French, was 5.3 million, or 18 percent of the population, up from 16.6 percent in the 1996 census.

Chinese is the third most common mother tongue in Canada, with the number of people reporting Chinese as their mother tongue at a total of 872,400. That's approximately 2.9 percent of the total population of Canada, up about 0.3 percent since 1996.

The other most common languages reported as mother tongue were Italian German Punjabi Spanish

Cree was the Aboriginal language reported as a mother tongue by the highest number of people in Canada at 80,000. The Inuktitut language was claimed as the mother tongue by 29,700 and Ojibway by 23,500.

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Alcohol Into Canada - Cdns

If you are a Canadian resident or a temporary resident of Canada returning from a trip outside Canada, or a former Canadian resident returning to live in Canada, you are allowed to bring a small quantity of alcohol (wine, liquor, beer or coolers) into the country without having to pay duty or taxes as long as: the alcohol accompanies you you meet the minimum legal drinking age for the province or territory in which you enter Canada you have been outside Canada for more than 48 hours.

You may bring in one of 1.5 litres (50.7 US ounces) of wine, including wine coolers over 0.5 percent alcohol, or 1.14 litres (38.5 US ounces) of liquor, or a total of 1.14 litres (38.5 US ounces) of wine and liquor, or 24 x 355 millilitre (12 ounce) cans or bottles of beer or ale, including beer coolers over 0.5 percent alcohol (a maximum of 8.5 litres or 287.4 US ounces).

Except in the Northwest Territories and Nunavut, returning Canadian residents may bring in more than the personal allowances of liquor listed above as long as you pay customs and province / territory assessments. The amounts you are allowed to bring into Canada are also limited by the province or territory in which you enter Canada. For details on specific amounts and rates, contact the liquor control authority for the appropriate province or territory before you come to Canada.

If you are a former Canadian resident moving back to Canada and you want to ship alcohol to Canada (the contents of your wine cellar for example), contact the liquor control authority for the appropriate province or territory to pay the provincial or territorial fees and assessments in advance. To have your shipment released when you arrive in Canada, you will need to show the receipt for the provincial or territory fees and assessments and you will also need to pay the applicable federal customs assessments.

If you have questions or require more information on bringing alcohol into Canada, please contact the Canada Borders Services Agency.

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