
Archive-name: canada-faq/part2
Last-modified: 1993/12/11

                    ********************************
                    *      soc.culture.canada      *
                    *  Frequently Asked Questions  *
                    ********************************

Please forward your comments, suggestions and contributions to 
Martin Savard at 'ag656@freenet.carleton.ca'

A special thank you to Glenn Chin and Stewart Clamen who compiled
a large number of contributions, to Mark Brader for the proof-reading
of the FAQ, and to all the contributors listed throughout the document.

This document may be freely redistributed in its ENTIRETY provided 
that this notice is not removed.  It may not be sold for profit or 
incorporated in commercial documents without a written permission.

-----------------------------------------------------------------

             ***** TABLE OF CONTENT *****

[Part 1/2, other document]

(questions and answers about:)

UPCOMING EVENTS
ABOUT SOC.CULTURE.CANADA
HISTORY
POLITICS
SOCIETY AND CULTURE
EDUCATION

[Part 2/2, this document]

INFORMATION FOR TRAVELLERS

     6.1 How can I get travel information from government services?
     6.2  What is to be visited in...
        6.2.1  ... Alberta?
#       6.2.2  ... British Colombia?
        6.2.8  ... Ontario?
#       6.2.12 ... Yukon?
     6.3 What are the requirements to enter Canada as a tourist?
     6.4 Do tourists in Canada get free health care?
     6.5 How can tourists get reimbursed for taxes paid while in Canada?
#    6.6 U.S. State Department Travel Advisory (on Canada)
     6.7 Canada-USA financial matters
        6.7.1 Where is the best place to exchange US currency
              in Canada and vice versa?
        6.7.2 What credit cards are accepted in Canada?
        6.7.3 Will I be able to pay my expenses in US dollars?
        6.7.4 May I cash or deposit US cheques (or checks :-) in Canada
              and vice versa?
        6.7.5 If I have an ATM card for my bank at home, can I make
              a withdrawal in Canada?
     6.8  What is the weather like in Canada?
     6.9  How can I use European electrical equipment in Canada?

IMMIGRATION, EMIGRATION, AND EMPLOYMENT
     7.1 Who needs a Canadian passport and how do I go about getting one?
     7.2 What are the addresses of some Canadian embassies and consulates?
     7.3 Does the free trade agreement mean that an American can 
  work in Canada and vice versa?
       7.3.1 OK, my profession is on the list.  What do I (as a Canadian)
             need to do to work in the US?
       7.3.2 What do I need to do (as an American) to be able to
              work in Canada?
     7.4 How do I become a Canadian citizen?
     7.5  Once I'm a landed immigrant, can I travel in and out of Canada
          whenever I want?
     7.6 Can I be a dual Canadian-American citizen?
     7.7  How will my credit rating in my country affect me in Canada?
     7.8 Immigrating to Canada
        7.8.1 How can I immigrate to Canada as an independent class
              immigrant?
        7.8.2  According to the point system, what occupations are
               most needed in Canada?
        7.8.3 May I immigrate to Canada as a sponsored immigrant?
     7.9 How do I import an automobile into Canada from the US?
     7.10  Does a Canadian citizen need a visa to visit country X?

TAXATION
     8.1 What kind of income taxes does one have to pay in Canada?
     8.2 How can I contact Revenue Canada?  The Canadian Tax Foundation?
     8.3 How can tourists get reimbursed for taxes paid while in Canada?
     8.4 Do I have to pay Canadian taxes if I work or live abroad?
     8.5 What are the customs clearing fees of some couriers?

ECONOMICS AND BUSINESS
     9.1 Where can I get information on Canadian industry and trade?
     9.2 How can I start a business in Canada?
     9.3 How can I contact economic development offices?
     9.4 What are sources of venture capital?
     9.5 What is Canada's foreign trade position?
     9.6  What are the characteristics of the Canadian economy?

MEDIA
     10.1 What Canadian television shows can I see from abroad?
     10.2 What are some 50,000-watt AM radio stations originating from
          Canada?
     10.3 How can I subscribe to some Canadian newspapers?
     10.4 How can I subscribe to some Canadian magazines?
     10.5  Comment puis-je m'abonner a certaines revues canadiennes?
     10.6 How can I listen to Canadian radio while abroad?
          What is the Radio Canada International schedule?

STATISTICAL INFORMATION
     11.1 What is the population of Canada?
     11.2 What is the census breakdown by language spoken?
#    11.3 How large are Canada's major and mid-sized cities?
     11.4 How can I access data provided by Statistics Canada on the Internet?

ELECTRONIC SOURCES OF INFORMATION
     12.1 How can I get Internet access in Canada?
     12.2 What Canadian-interest newsgroups exist?
     12.3 Is there anything about Canada in the World Wide Web?
     12.4 What Internet-accessible libraries of Canadian interest exist?
     12.5 How can I access documents by the Canadian government's
          Department of Industry and Science?
#    12.6 Where can I find e-mail addresses of government bodies?

GENERAL INFORMATION
     13.1 What are the time zones in Canada?
     13.2 How can I, a Canadian resident, check my own credit record?
     13.3 As a Canadian living abroad, how can I vote?
     13.4 Where can I list my non-profit organization?
     13.5 What is the geography of Canada like?
     13.6 How does the postal system work in Canada?
     13.7 How does the phone system work in Canada?

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INFORMATION FOR TRAVELLERS

Also have a look at the files on  ftp.cc.umanitoba.ca  in the directory
/pub/rec-travel/north_america/canada.  In case ftp.cc.umanitoba.ca is
not in your nameserver files, try  ccu.umanitoba.ca  or the number
130.179.16.8

Additions or corrections should be sent to Brian Lucas
<lucas@ccu.UManitoba.CA>.

To become on-line users of the Business Opportunities Sourcing System
(BOSS)-Tourism database, contact:

 BOSS-Tourism
 235 Queen Street, First Floor East
 Ottawa, Ontario
 K1A 0H6
 Fax 613-954-1894

-----

 6.1 How can I get travel information from government services?

Tourism is a provincial juridiction in Canada.  Therefore, you must
ask provincial governments for that kind of information.  When writing
for information, make sure you specify what kind of activities
(sightseeing, hunting, skiing, events...) and accommodations (hotel,
motel, camping, bed & breakfast, Youth Hostel, ...) you plan to select.
Many provinces also have brochures for many of their cities.  Make sure
you specify everything that you want.  When calling, you'll generally
be asked about your plans.  The brochures, guides, and other travel
publications are free (mailing included).

ALBERTA                         BRITISH COLUMBIA

Alberta Tourism                 Tourism British Columbia
Vacation Counselling            Parliament Buildings
3rd floor, City Centre Bldg     Victoria, British Columbia
10155 102 Street                Canada  V8V 1X4
Edmonton, Alberta               (604) 685-0032
Canada T5J 4L6                  Canada + USA: 1-800-663-6000
(403) 427-4321
Canada + USA: 1-800-661-8888

MANITOBA                        NEW BRUNSWICK

Travel Manitoba                 Tourism New Brunswick
Department 20, 7th floor        P.O. BOX 12345
155 Carlton Street              Fredericton, New Brunswick
Winnipeg, Manitoba              Canada  E3B 5C3
Canada  R3C 3H8                 (506) 453-2444
(204) 945-3777                  New Brunswick: 1-800-442-4442
Canada + USA: 1-800-665-0040    Canada + USA: 1-800-561-0123

NEWFOUNDLAND & LABRADOR         NORTHWEST TERRITORIES

Department of Tourism and       Northwest Territories Tourism
Culture                         P.O. BOX 1320
P.O. BOX 8730                   Yellowknife, N.W.T.
St. John's, Newfoundland        Canada  X1A 2L9
Canada  A1B 4K2                 (403) 873-7200
(709) 729-2830                  Canada + USA: 1-800-661-0788
Canada + USA: 1-800-563-6353

NOVA SCOTIA  (read note #1)     ONTARIO (read note #2)

Department of Tourism and       Ontario Travel
Culture                         Queen's Park
P.O. BOX 456                    Toronto, Ontario
Halifax, Nova Scotia            Canada  M7A 2R9
Canada  B3J 2R5                 (416) 314-0944
(902) 424-5000                  TDD: (416) 314-6557
Canada: 1-800-565-0000          Canada + USA: 1-800-ONTARIO
USA: 1-800-341-6096

PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND            QUEBEC (read note #3)

Department of Tourism,          Tourisme Quebec
Parks and Recreation            C.P. 20,000
Visitors Services Division      Quebec, Quebec
P.O. BOX 940                    Canada  G1K 7X2
Charlottetown, P.E.I            (514) 873-2015
Canada  C1A 7M5                 Canada + USA: 1-800-363-7777
(902) 368-4444
Canada + USA: 1-800-565-0267

SASKATCHEWAN                    YUKON

Tourism Saskatchewan            Tourism Yukon
1919 Saskatchewan Dr.           P.O. BOX 2703
Regina, Saskatchewan            Whitehorse, Yukon
Canada S4P 3V7                  Canada  Y1A 2C6
(306) 787-2300                  (403) 667-5340
Canada + USA: 1-800-667-7191


Notes:
        #1: Department of Tourism & Culture, Nova Scotia can also take 
            your reservations for accomodation.
        #2: Ontario Travel can also take reservations for 170 different
            hotels, resorts and motels.
        #3: Receptionists at Tourisme Quebec speak both French & English.
            Tourism publications are also available in English.

-----

     6.2  What is to be visited in...

[This section is not complete. I encourage people to send their
contributions. I apologize for the 'advertising tone' of some of the
tourism information as it was taken from marketing brochures
published by the provincial governments]

        6.2.1  ... Alberta?

Compilation includes:        Banff

** BANFF **

Located in the Rocky Mountains, Banff National Park is very popular
for its ski slopes and hiking trails.  Banff is really the place for
nature lovers. It has an international reputation.  As well as the
attractions mentioned in this part, you'll find lots of beautiful
scenery.  Be sure to call Alberta Tourism for more information.

Some companies offer complete tour packages for skiing in Banff.
These include air travel (from Canadian and US cities), hotel, and
access to ski facilities.  Companies include: Canadian Holidays
(1-800-561-8881), Air Canada Vacations (905-615-8000).

SULPHUR MOUNTAIN GONDOLA (South end of Mountain Ave. 2 miles from Banff
town)
 Ride to the top of Sulphur Mountain in a glass-enclosed, four-
 passenger gondola and enjoy a 360-degree view of Banff and
 area.  Canada's highest restaurant is situated at the summit
 and offers self-serve meals.  Short hiking trails explore the
 summit.  Admission: $7.94 (Adults), $3.50 (<12) and free (<5).
 (403) 762-5438 (24 hours); fax (403) 762-8101.

BANFF SPRINGS HOTEL  (Spray Ave.)
 Constructed in 1888.  Visitors are welcome to view the grounds.
 If you can't stay there during your trip, be sure you see it.

BANFF PARK MUSEUM (92 Banff Ave.)
 Presents wildlife displays of the birds and mammals found in
 Banff Natural Park.  Thu to Sun from 10am to 6pm except for
 Christmas and Boxing Day.  Free.  (403) 762-1558;
 fax (403) 762-3380.

CAVE AND BASIN CENTENNIAL CENTRE (311 Cave Ave.)
 Visitors can walk into the cave, view the intact basin, and
 learn about the discovery of the hot springs.  Historical
 exhibits and videos tell the ark's history.  Warm outdoor pool
 in the summer.  (403) 762-1557; fax (403) 762-3380.

LUXTON MUSEUM (1 Birch Ave.)
 Displays about the natives: costumes, hunting equipment, dances,
 songs, and legends.  Daily.  Admission between $2 and $3.50;
 maximum $8/family.

NATURAL HISTORY MUSEUM AND GIFT SHOP (112 Banff Ave.)
 Displays show the cave system of the area.  4 dinosaur skulls
 are included among the numerous fossil specimens.  Slide shows
 illustrate the formation of the Rockies.  The shop sells fossils
 and books on geology.  Admission $1 to $2.  Open daily.
 (403) 762-4747.

-

        6.2.2 ... British Columbia?

The following items reflect a strong Victoria bias because the
pamphlets were obtained from Victoria Tourism.  I have tried to
balance these with information that I can recall from memory.

There is an excellent BC Government Gopher, cln.etc.bc.ca. It
is one of the best gophers that I have ever seen.  You can obtain
road information (construction, winter conditions, sheep on road,
etc.), BC Ferries schedules, phone numbers of MLA's and an
experimental accommodation section.  

XV COMMONWEALTH GAMES
August 12-28, 1994
Victoria, British Columbia

Events:  Aquatics, Athletics, Badminton, Boxing, Cycling, Gymnastics,
Lawn Bowls, Weightlifting, Shooting, Wrestling
Demonstration: Field Lacrosse (including aboriginal teams)
Disabled Sports: Aquatics, Athletics, Lawn Bowls

Ticket Ordering:

 All orders forms received up to November 1, 1993 will be 
 processed by a random selection lottery.  Orders are now being 
 filled on a first-come first-served basis. Actual times for events 
 will be announced in January 1994. For more information:   
                            Victoria Commonwealth Games Society
                            P.O. Box 1994
                            Victoria, British Columbia
                            V8W 3M8
                            (604) 995-1994
                            1-800-663-3883

Special travel and accommodation packages available through
Canadian Holidays (as of November 30, 1993).  Write:
 Canadian Holidays
 7th Floor,
 191 The West Mall
 Etobicoke, Ontario
 M9C 5K9

[BC INFO:]

Royal British Columbia Museum, Victoria, BC
July 1-Sept 6 - 9:30am-7:00pm
Sept 7-June 30 - 10:00am-5:30pm
Excellent museum, one of the best in BC with full-scale displays and
large native collection.
675 Belleville St, Victoria, BC, V8V 1X4 (on the Inner Harbour)

Bungy Zone, Nanaimo
Jump off 42 meter high bridge, into the Nanaimo River gorge.  13 km south 
of Nanaimo.  Heaviest jumper: 172 kg.  Oldest: 85.5 years.  65 years and
over jump free.  Annual Naked Bungy Day (mid-February) where naked
jumpers jump free.  Chickens (paid, weighed, tied, and hooked): 1%.
P.O. Box 399, Station "A", Nanaimo, BC, V9R 5L3.  (604) 753-JUMP
1-800-668-7771 (for Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana)  Price not
listed, but I would guess about 75 bucks.

M.V. Lady Rose (& MV Francis Barkley)
Set sail for spectacular West Coast Scenery aboard the MV Lady Rose.
The Lady leaves at 8am from the Argyle Street Dock in Port Alberni, then 
steams down the Alberni Inlet and into Barkley sound to Bamfield or 
through the Broken Group Islands to Ucluelet, then returns to Port Alberni 
in the late afternoon.  Services the Broken Islands and West Coast Trail
(both part of Pacific Rim National Park).  Fares range from $10 (one
way) to $36 (return) depending on destination.
Alberni Marine Transportation, P.O. Box 188, Port Alberni, BC, V6Y 7M7
Phone: (604) 723-8313  Fax: (604) 723-8314

Western Wildcat Tours
Backpack or kayak over scenic Vancouver Island.  Explore the half
million acres of Strathcona Provincial Park's mountain wilderness,
experience the spirit of Vancouver Island's green cathedrals and
visit some of the continent's last remaining old growth forest.
Choose from a smorgasbord of paddling possibilities.  Lounge in rock
pools by the sea at Hotsprings Cove.
P.O. Box 1162, Nanaimo, BC, V9R 6E7   Tel/Fax: (604) 753 3234

Seacoast Expeditions (Marine Wildlife Tours)
Join us for an exhilarating and adventurous experience of coastal waters
and marine wildlife.  Watch for: KILLER WHALES, Mink Whales, Dall's
Porpoises, Harbour Porpoises, Harbour Seals, California and Stellar Sea
Lions; Elephant Seals, Bald Eagles and many species of marine birds.
2 & 3 hour trips in high speed 23' zodiacs.  $50/$70 adult, $25/45 youth.
1655 Ash Road, Victoria, BC, V8N 2T2   (604) 477-1818

TimberTours - Fletcher Challenge Canada
Informative tours, free of charge.  Courtenay, Campbell River, Lake
Cowichan, Port McNeill, Moresby Island, Crofton.  Tours range from
1 1/2 hours to 6 1/2 hours and activities vary from tours of pulp mills,
active logging sites, tree planting, eagle nesting sites, nature walks.
Call (604) 654-4000 for more information.

Victoria Express Passenger Ferry
Fast, convenient express service between Port Angeles, WA and Victoria.
Fares: $20 US Return.  4 sailings in winter, 8 sailings in summer.
Info: 206-452-8088 (WA), 604-361-9144 (BC)

Victoria Clipper
Passenger ferry between Victoria & Seattle
Fares: Range from $46-49 1-way and $74-85 round trip depending on
season.  Advance round trips (14 days, restrictions) $59-69.  Prices in
US Dollars.
Clipper Navigation, 1000A Wharf St., Victoria, BC, V8W 1T4, 604-382-8100
In SABRE, N*/VICTORIA CLIPPER  Also 1-800-888-2535 outside Seattle & BC

As far as I know, there is no car ferry between Victoria and Seattle
despite political pressure by Victoria's merchants.  Also, the Royal
Sealink Express between downtown Victoria and downtown Vancouver has
gone bankrupt.

The BC Government announced November 23, 1993, that it would provide BC
Ferries with $1M to operate a Seattle-Victoria car ferry for the 1994
season only.  This is mostly due to the XV Commonwealth Games being
hosted in Victoria.

Capilano Suspension Bridge and Park, North Vancouver
450 foot suspension bridge, 230 feet above Capilano River.  Original
bridge constructed in 1889.  Totem poles, small museum.  Entrance fee
of approx. 8 bucks.  3735 Capilano Rd, North Vancouver, BC, V7R 4J1
(604) 985-7474

Grouse Mountain Skyride
Ski area in winter, hiking area in summer, plus logger sports, chair
rides, wood carving, Theatre in the Sky, helicopter tours.  $14.50 for
adults, $9.25 Youth, $5.95 Child, Free under 5, Family $54.95
6400 Nancy Greene Way, North Vancouver, BC, V7R 4K9

Other attractions in Vancouver are Science World, Vancouver Aquarium,
CN IMAX Theatre, Vancouver Canucks, Vancouver 86ers, Vancouver VooDoo,
BC Lions, Cypress Bowl, Seymour Mountain (provincial park), Rief Bird
Sanctuary, Lynn Canyon Interpretive Centre, Stanley Park, Fantasy
Gardens, Playland, PNE, the Cecil.

The West Coast Trail has become so popular that reservations are
required to hike the Trail.  It is a 80 kilometre hike between Bamfield
and Port Renfrew (?).  Only 50 hikers each day are permitted to begin
at each end of the trail.  Reservations are free and may be obtained
from Parks Canada.

The Bowron Lakes Canoe Circuit is another area where popularity has
forced a reservation system.  The Bowron Lakes are a chain of 5 lakes,
120km long, including some portages and line canoes.  Reservations may
be made from Parks Canada and the rate is $20/canoe.  The Bowron Lakes
are approximately 2 hours northeast of Quesnel.

Barkerville is a historic gold rush town that at one time was the
largest town north of San Francisco and west of Chicago.  The town
is fascinating and contains over 100 (?) restored buildings.  The
charm is that it is a realistic portrayal of the town with the bakery
selling fresh bread and the general store selling supplies.  You can
also hear mock trials with the famed hanging judge, Sir Matthew Begbie.
Pioneer cemetery, a Chinatown, gold panning, dance halls with real
dancers and plays, restaurants.  Approx. $6 admission.  1 1/2 hour drive
east of Quesnel.
<Bob Gray>

-

        6.2.3 ... Manitoba?
        6.2.4 ... New Brunswick?
        6.2.5 ... Newfoundland and Labrador?
        6.2.6 ... the Northwest Territories?
        6.2.7 ... Nova Scotia?

-

        6.2.8 ... Ontario?

Compilation includes:   Niagara Falls
   Ottawa
   Toronto

** NIAGARA FALLS **

Much nicer on the Canadian side!  Of course, the Falls are THE attraction
to visit in Niagara Falls.  They draw tourists from all over the world.
They also draw honeymooners in the thousands.  The falls are equally
spectacular all year round.  A system of illumination also makes them
a great attraction at night.

GREAT GORGE ADVENTURE (4330 River Rd.)
 An elevator takes you down to the Niagara gorge below the
 falls, to a walkway that follows the edge of the river.
 May to October, daily.

MAID OF THE MIST (at 5920 River Rd.)
 A tough little boat that takes tourists in front of the American
 Falls, and upriver right into the horseshoe of the main falls
 where the noise is deafening and the spray hits like tropical
 rain.  Raincoats supplied.  Daily, from mid-May to mid-October.

MARINELAND (7657 Portage Rd. South)
 A marine park with impressive dolphin, sea lion, and whale
 shows.  Admission price also admits you to the adjacent game
 farm, plus unlimited use of rides.  March to December, daily.
 Rides don't operate in winter.

MINOLTA TOWER CENTRE (6732 Oakes Dr.)
 Restaurant overlooking the falls.  On-site attractions during
 the summer.  Open daily.

NIAGARA FALLS IMAX THEATER (6170 Bachanan Ave)
 A film on the falls (45 minutes) on a giant 6-storey-high
 screen.  The lobby houses the Niagara Daredevil Adventures -
 artifacts and displays on the various stuntmen and daredevils
 who have challenged the falls over the years.

NIAGARA FALLS MUSEUM  (5651 River Rd.)
 North America's oldest, with over 700,000 exhibits, including 7
 authentic Egyptian mummies and the Daredevil Hall of Fame.
 Daily.

NIAGARA HELICOPTERS LTD. (3731 Victoria Ave., near Whirlpool Rapids)
 Flights over the falls. All year, daily (weather permitting).

NIAGARA-ON-THE-LAKE
 Originally named Newark.  Population 13,000.  One of the best-
 preserved (and prettiest) 19th-century towns in North America.
 Fort George National Historic Park (tells about Canada-USA
 battles).  Many old buildings.  Wineries.

NIAGARA SPANISH AERO CAR (Niagara Parkway, at Rapids)
 A cable car that makes the dizzling, 550 m (1,800ft) trip high
 above the Whirlpool Rapids.

SKYLON TOWER (5200 Robinson St.)
 Revolving restaurant overlooking the falls.  236 meters above
 them.

TIVOLI MINIATURE WORLD (5930 Victoria Ave.)
 A world tour in miniature, where visitors can see landmarks
 and lesser known village squares, complete in every detail
 but built on a scale of 1/30 actual size.  Buildings include
 St. Peter's Basilica, Eiffel Tower, the Tower of Pisa, and the
 Kremlin.  Daily, from Easter to Christmas.

WHITEWATER WATERPARK (7430 Lundy's Lane)
 Five giant waterslides, super-surf wave pool, play pools, video
 arcade and snack and picnic facilities.  Daily (weather permitting)
 from June to Labour Day (first Monday in September).


** OTTAWA **

A 2-hour drive from Montreal and 5 hours from Toronto.  International
airport, train station, and frequent bus service.


Info:   Canada's Capital Information Center
 14 Metcalfe Street, Ottawa
 Open daily from 9am to 5pm, 10am to 4pm on Sundays.
 (613) 239-5000.

 Ottawa Tourism and Convention Authority Visitor Information Center
 65 Elgin Street, National Arts Center
 Open daily from 9am to 5pm, 10am to 4pm on Sundays

BANK OF CANADA/CURRENCY MUSEUM  (234 Wellington)
 The museum is housed on the first floor and is open Tuesday to
 Saturday, 10.30am to 5pm, and on Sundays from 1pm to 5pm.
 (613) 782-8914.

BANK STREET PROMENADE (on Bank St., from Gladstone Avenue to Wellington)
 The fine stores and services of the promenade make it a
 favourite spot for the serious shopper and casual browser
 alike.

BYTOWN MUSEUM (steps aside the Chateau Laurier)
 In the Commissariat, the oldest stone building in Ottawa.  The
 exhibits in the museum explore Ottawa's history and pay tribute
 to the builders of the Rideau Canal.
 Open 10am to 4pm, Sundays 2pm to 5pm, closed Tuesdays.
 (613) 234-4570.

BYWARD MARKET (east of Sussex Drive and north of Rideau Street)
 First opened in 1840.  Farmers from the Ottawa Valley offer
 vegetables, fruits, flowers, and maple syrup from street-side
 booths and stalls.  Specialty shops, restaurants, pubs.

CANADIAN MUSEUM OF CARICATURE (136 St. Patrick Street, corner Sussex)
 20,000 caricature works from the 18th, 19th, and 20th
 centuries.  Wed to Fri.

CANADIAN MUSEUM OF CIVILIZATION (Laurier St. in Hull, just across the river)
 A wide variety of exhibits.  The Museum is also home of the
 world's 1st combination of IMAX and OMNIMAX.
 Tue to Sun 9am to 5pm, Thu until 8pm.
 (819) 776-7000.  (From Ottawa just dial 776-7000.)

CANADIAN MUSEUM OF CONTEMPORARY PHOTOGRAPHY (1 Rideau Canal)
 Founded by and affiliated with the National Gallery of Canada.
 150,000 images.  
 Mon, Tue, Fri, Sat, Sun from 11am to 5pm;
 Wed from 4pm to 8pm; Thu 11am to 8pm.
 (613) 990-8257.

CANADIAN MUSEUM OF NATURE (corner of Metcalfe and McLeod St.)
 Explore the world of insects, dinosaurs, gems, animals, and the
 changing face of the Earth.  Open daily from 10am to 5pm;
 to 8pm on Thu.  (613) 996-3102 (24-hour service).

CANADIAN TULIP FESTIVAL
 The Dutch Royal Family spent their enforced exile in Ottawa
 during WWII.  As a token of appreciation the Dutch people sent
 tulip bulbs (over 4 million of them).  Now, each and every
 spring, the gift is given anew and the city celebrates with a
 Spring Festival (concerts, firework displays, decorated boats
 on the Canal...).  Mid-May all over the city (tulips especially
 along the canal and at Dows Lake).

CANADIAN WAR MUSEUM  (330 Sussex Drive)
 Open Tue to Sun from 9.30am to 5pm; to 8pm on Thu.
 (613) 992-2774.

CENTRAL EXPERIMENTAL FARM / AGRICULTURAL MUSEUM (Prince of Wales Drive)
 500-hectare experimental farm.  The land was designated
 for agricultural research.  You'll find ornemental flower
 gardens, rippling fields of grain, rare trees from around the
 world, livestock barns, dairy barn.  Museum closed until May
 1994 for renovations.  (613) 993-4802.

CHATEAU LAURIER (Just east of Parliament Hill)
 Built in 1912, in the style of a stately French chateau, it is
 the luxury hotel in the perfect foil to the neo-Gothic design
 of the Parliament buildings.

DOWS LAKE AND PAVILION (Take Queen Elizabeth Dr. south)
 Recreation area.  The Pavilion is home to 3 restaurants and a
 raised summer terrace that allows diners a splendid view of the
 lake.  The surrounding parklands, including some of the capital's
 most spectacular flower beds, are a great place for a summer picnic.
 You can rent paddle boats and canoes for a ride on the lake.

GATINEAU PARK (on the Quebec side, just 20 minutes from Ottawa. Follow
 Tache Blvd. west out of Hull, then turn north along the scenic
 Gatineau parkway).  A 35,000-hectare park where deer and other
 wildlife still abound.  Hundreds of kilometres of trails for
 walkers, hikers, cyclists, and cross country skiing enthusiats.
 (819) 827-2020.

JACQUES CARTIER PARK (in Hull, on the Ottawa river between the Alexandra
 and MacDonald-Cartier bridges).  Offers fine views of the Rideau
 Falls and the Ottawa skyline.

MAJOR'S HILLS PARK (Behind the Chateau Laurier, east of Parliament Hill)
 Ottawa's oldest park (1874).  Several statues, exquisite views
 of the Ottawa River, Hull, the Parliament buildings and the
 Rideau Canal.

NATIONAL ARTS CENTER  (53 Elgin St.)
 Hosts hundreds of Canadian and international musical, theatrical,
 dance and variety performances.  Public tours available.
 (613) 996-5051.

NATIONAL AVIATION MUSEUM  (From Sussex Dr. take the Rockliffe Parkway until
 you see the exit to the new National Aviation Museum).  One of
 the most impressive collections of vintage aircraft in the world
 -- 43 airplanes and numerous artifacts.
 Tue to Sun from 9pm to 5pm; to 9pm on Thu.
 (613) 993-2010.

NATIONAL GALLERY OF CANADA  (corner of Sussex Dr. and St. Patrick St.)
 Has the capacity to exhibit more than 1900 works of art.
 Daily from 10am to 6pm; to 8pm on Thu.
 (613) 990-1985.

NATIONAL MUSEUM OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY (1867 St. Laurent blvd, corner
 of Lancaster).  Explore how man has transformed the natural
 elements into a new world of mechanics, transportation, and
 technological advances.
 Tue to Sun from 9am to 5pm; to 9pm on Thu.
 (613) 991-3044.

NATIONAL PEACEKEEPING MONUMENT (corner of Sussex and St. Patrick)
 The world's only monument to honour peacekeepers.  A "sacred
 grove" of 12 oak trees is intented to remind visitors of the
 peacekeepers from 10 provinces and 2 territories who served
 during the past 40 years.

PARLIAMENT HILL (On Wellington St.)
 Pretty Parliament Buildings.  Change of the Guard by guards in
 scarlet tunics and bearskin busbies is a must-see (every summer
 day from 10am to 10.30am).

RIDEAU CANAL (runs for some 8 kms for Ottawa Downtown to Carleton University)
 In May, the parkways beside the canal bloom with tulips; in
 summer, they are thronged with cyclists, joggers, and
 picnikers; in winter, the canal turns into the "World's Longest
 Ice Skating Rink".

RIDEAU HALL (at 1 Sussex Dr. in front of Prime Minister's residence)
 This estate is the official residence of Canada's Governor
 General (see 2.3, 3.1).  Tours of the grounds (until Mid-Oct.)
 are free and leave on the hour from the main gate on Sussex Dr.
 Wed to Sun from 10am to 3pm.
 (613) 998-7113, (613) 998-7114 or (800) 465-6890.

ROYAL CANADIAN MINT (320 Sussex Dr.)
 Manufactures Canadian coins.  Tours are not available in fall
 and winter months.  (613) 993-5700.

SHOPPING CENTRES
        Rideau Center (230 stores), attached to the Westin Hotel and
  Convention Centre; a 10-minute walk from Parliament Hill
        Bank Street Promenade (many stores, boutiques; some antique stores)
        Somerset Village
        St. Laurent Shopping Centre (over 200 stores), corner of St. Laurent
  and Queensway. 
        Bayshore Shopping Centre (165 stores), in the west end, corner of
  Richmond Road and Queensway.  Open until 10pm every weekday.
        Stittsville Flea Market, on Hazeldean Road.  Open Sundays from 9am to 
                5 pm in the summer.  Huge.  (613) 836-5617.

SOMERSET VILLAGE (On Somerset St. between Bank St. and O'Connor St.)
 Lined with restored Victorian homes that now host 50 small
 businesses, restaurants, boutiques, and outdoor cafe.  Hosts many
 outdoor special events (danses, concerts, and exhibitions).
 (613) 233-7762.

SPARKS STREET MALL (one block south of Parliament Hill)
 Pedestrian mall.  Also houses some market stalls in the summer.

SUPREME COURT OF CANADA (just a 5-minutes walk east of Parliament Hill)
 The lobby and courtroom are open to public on weekdays from 9am
 to 5pm.  (613) 995-5361.

WINTERLUDE
 10-day winter carnival with sporting activities, entertainment,
 fireworks, ice sculptures, and more, centred around the ice-bound
 Rideau Canal.


** TORONTO **

5 hours of driving from Ottawa, about 6 hours from Montreal.
International airport, train and bus stations.

ART GALLERY OF ONTARIO (Dundas St. West, 2 blocks west of University Ave.)
 50 galleries showing a permanent collection of 600 years of
 creative endeavour.  The Gallery also has an active program of
 special exhibitions.  Wed to Sun and holiday Mondays.

BLACK CREEK PIONEER VILLAGE (corner Jane St. and Steeles Avenue)
 A living Ontario village, which recreates with surprising
 realism the sights, sounds, and smells of a rural pioneer
 community of the pre-Confederation era.  Flour is ground in
 the mill, horses are shod in the blacksmith's shop, the
 villagers wear period costumes and work at their pioneer
 crafts while you watch and wander.

CANADA'S SPORTS HALL OF FAME  (Exhibition Place, Lake Shore Blvd. West)
 A large well-established national sports museum displaying
 thousands of sports artifacts in its 3 galleries.  Open daily.

CANADA'S WONDERLAND (in Vaughan, north of Toronto)
 A 150-hectare theme park designed to entertain the whole family.
 Over 50 rides (8 roller coasters), live shows, and a new water
 theme called SplashWorks.  Open daily from late May to Labour
 Day (1st Monday in Sept.); weekends in May and from Labour Day
 to Canadian Thanksgiving (2nd Monday in October).

CASA LOMA (1 Austin Terrace, near Davenport and Spadina)
 A fairy tale castle, creation of an industrialist and financier
 who spent $3 million in 1911 to build a rambling medieval-style
 castle to live in.  Secret doorways, hidden rooms, etc.  Open
 daily.

CITY HALL (corner of Queen and Bay Sts.)
 A pair of curved towers.  The huge forecourt, Nathan Phillips
 Square, is home of art shows, brass bands, people watchers,
 suntanners, and brown-baggers in summer.  Skating is possible
 on the frozen pool in Winter.  Check ahead for information on
 possibility of tours.

CN TOWER (301 Front St. West)
 This is the world's tallest free-standing structure (553
 metres, 1815 feet).  It's a tourist attraction as well as a
 communication tower.  Indoor and outdoor observation decks and
 the world's largest revolving restaurant (no jeans, shorts,
 bermudas or running shoes in the restaurant) at 351 metres.
 From the highest observation deck (447 metres), you can see
 almost 160 km (100 miles) on a clear day.  At night the city
 view is beautiful.  Open daily; restaurant reservations are
 advisable if you're planning on dinner.  As everyone knows,
 CN stands for Canadian National Railways.

FORT YORK (Garrison Road, east of CNE grounds)
 Established in 1793, destroyed in 1813 (see 2.2) but rebuilt
 almost immediately.  Now restored with 8 original log, stone,
 and brick buildings. The guard marches and demonstrates military
 skills to the strain of the fife and drum in the summer.
 Open daily.

HARBOURFRONT
 A still developing urban playground combines recreation,
 shopping, and the arts.  Permanent features include the Power
 Plant art gallery, craft studios, boutiques, restaurants, antique
 market, and a creative playground for children.

THE HOCKEY HALL OF FAME (Yonge and Front, old Bank of Montreal building)
 The name says it all.  Open daily.

METRO TORONTO ZOO (Northeast of city, 2 km north of Highway 401 on
 Meadowvale Rd.) 710 acres.  Wear confortable shoes and take a
 whole day.  Open all year, daily.

ONTARIO PLACE (955 Lake Shore Blvd. West)
 Built over Lake Ontario on 3 artificial islands.  You'll find an
 IMAX theatre ("Cinesphere"), exhibits, rides, playgrounds,
 restaurants, lawns for picnicking, a marina, and an outdoor
 amphitheatre.  Open mid-May to beginning of Sept.; Cinesphere
 operates year round. [?]

ONTARIO SCIENCE CENTRE (corner of Don Mills Rd. and Eglinton Ave. East)
 Intends to demonstrate that science and technology are a visible
 and engrossing part of our lives.  Worth seeing.  Open daily.

PROVINCIAL PARLIAMENT BUILDING (Queen's Park, north end of University Ave.)
 Was built in the late 1800s.  Visitors can stroll the marble
 halls, take guided tours, or listen to the Members of Provincial
 Parliament in the Legislative Chamber.
 Tours: mid-May to Labour Day, daily; September to Mid-May, weekdays.
 House in session: Oct. to Dec. and Feb. to June.

ROYAL ONTARIO MUSEUM (100 Queen's Park)
 Canada's largest public museum.
 Closed Mondays, except from Victoria Day (Monday preceding May 25)
 to Labour Day (1st Monday in September).

SHOPPING
        Yonge Street (many stores)
        Eaton Centre (on Yonge St. from Queen to Dundas, 300 stores)
        Fairview Mall (Don Mills Rd. & Sheppard Ave.)
        The Promenade (Highway 7 & Bathurst St.)
        Scarborough Town Centre (Highway 401 and McCowan Rd.)
        Markville Shopping Centre (Highway 7 and MCCowan Rd.)
        Yorkdale (Dufferin St. and Highway 401)
        Dixie Value Mall (QEW and Dixie Rd., Mississauga)

SKYDOME (corner of Front St. and John St.)
 Multi-purpose stadium with a fully retractable roof.  Home of
 the Argos (football) and Blue Jays (baseball).  It also hosts a
 variety of concerts.  Tours are available if the facility is not
 in use.

TORONTO ISLAND (a short ride on one of the Island ferries, no cars allowed)
 Playgrounds, rides, and a farm for kids, lots of space for
 picnickers, tennis courts (Hanlan's Point) and plenty more.

TORONTO STOCK EXCHANGE (The Exchange Tower, 2 First Canadian Place)
 Offers a Visitor Centre and presentations.  Open weekdays.
 Presentations from Tue to Fri at 2pm.

-
        6.2.9 ... Prince Edward Island?
        6.2.10 ... Quebec?
        6.2.11 ... Saskatchewan?

-

        6.2.12 ... Yukon?

The U.S. State Department Travel Advisory published some information on Yukon:

The Yukon:  The Yukon may be considered frontier territory in many 
areas.  Facilities for car repair, while generally adequate, may 
sometimes be limited outside the larger communities.  Because of the 
distances from major population centers, the cost of food, gasoline, 
and lodging often runs higher than in the continental United States.

The Highway:  The 1500 mile Alaska (formerly the Alcan) highway 
starts in Dawson Creek, British Colombia, and runs north and west 
through Fort St. John and Fort Nelson to the Yukon Territory towns 
of Watson Lake, the capital city of Whitehorse and onward into 
Fairbanks, Alaska.  For most of its length, it is a two or four lane 
divided highway.  Most of it is in good condition and previously 
rough sections have been repaired for the celebrations.  The highway 
runs through some spectacularly beautiful areas, but much of the 
area is sparsely inhabited.  Gas stations are spaced an average of 
60 miles apart.

Lodging:  A full range of camping and motel lodging can be found in 
the Yukon.  Further away from population centers, however, travelers 
can expect facilities to be basic.  Several new motels and 
campgrounds are opening this year, but travelers are advised to have 
reservations -- particularly during the peak month of July.  It 
might be wise to plan travel either a little earlier or a little 
later than peak season, e.g., late May or early September.

Medical Care:  The longest stretch between medical facilities is 
approximately 150 miles.  As with car repair, medical facilities are 
limited outside of population centers.  As in many foreign 
countries, most hospitals and clinics will insist on payment before 
discharge.  While some (but not all) now accept Visa or Mastercard, 
most will not wait for payment from insurance companies.  
<Provided by Bob Gray>

-----

     6.3  What are the requirements to enter Canada as a tourist?

You must have a valid reason to visit, be in good health, be law-abiding,
have enough funds to support yourself and any dependants, and have a
valid passport or travel documents.  Return airline tickets are often
required as well.  Citizens or permanent residents of the USA, St. Pierre
et Miquelon, and Greenland do not need a passport when entering directly
from their country.  However, proof of citizenship or permanent residence
must be provided (birth certificate or resident alien card); also provide
photo ID if the proof of citizenship has no photo.

Visitors coming from certain countries will be required to present a
visitor visa.  It must be obtained at a visa office outside Canada.
For these people, entry into Canada will not be granted without this
document.  People from countries requiring a visitor visa are
encouraged to present a letter of invitation from friends or relatives
in Canada.  This letter should indicate the length of the stay and that
the host confirms that he will provide any assistance required.  To know
if you require a visa to enter Canada, contact the nearest Canadian
diplomatic mission.

Visits in Canada should be of less than 180 days unless otherwise
specified.  The officers at the airport or at the border determine the
length of visit.  Visitors can not study or work in Canada during their
stay -- to do so, you must apply for a student or employment authorization.

-----

     6.4 Do tourists in Canada get free health care?

No.  Only Canadian citizens and landed immigrants (i.e. permanent
residents) can be covered by the governmental health insurance.
Most provinces also have residency restrictions, even for Canadian
citizens.

If your country offers you free health insurance coverage, make sure
to get some information on what it covers when you travel in Canada.
You're always better to get private insurance.  Insurance companies
will often offer you cash advances to pay your doctor's bill.  It could
prevent you from spoiling your trip and having to wait months before
your government insurance refunds you.

-----

     6.5 How can tourists get reimbursed for taxes paid while in Canada?

Visitors may apply for Goods and Services Tax (GST) refunds for goods
purchased for export from Canada and for lodging expenses.  I've gotten
pamphlets with the appropriate mail-in forms at Calgary International
Airport.  Duty-free stores at major border crossings have GST refund
booths.  Present your receipts to the person, who will record the
amounts and GST numbers, stamp the receipts, and return them to you
along with your refund in Canadian dollars.  <Fred Grosby>

Airport duty-free shops all originally signed up, then opted out of the
program because the volume was too high.  I can imagine that they got
complaints from people who were in lineups and either missed their
planes or had to leave and did not get their GST refund at the
airport.  The only airport duty-free that has remained in the program
is the one in Quebec City, which does not have that much international
traffic.

If you apply for your refund by mail, Revenue Canada will send it in
US$ if you are in the US, and C$ if you are anywhere else in the world.
<David Sherman>

Mail receipts to:       Revenue Canada
   Customs, Excise and Taxation Visitor rebate program
   Ottawa, ON
   Canada
   K1A 1J5

GST can be refunded on $100 or more of goods purchased for export plus
lodging.  You can also wait til you get home, and mail in your receipts
with the form.  How to get the form?  I called revenue canada in Ottawa.
Our motel owner also had them.  <Louise Mallory>

Taxes on restaurant bills can not be refunded because the expense was
not done for lodging or for export.

Provincial sales tax (PST) has its own rules which vary by province;
some provinces do not allow any refunds for tourists.

-----

     6.6 U.S. State Department Travel Information on Canada

 May 27, 1993

Country Description:  Canada is a highly developed stable democracy 
with a modern economy.  Tourist facilities are widely available.  In 
northern and wilderness areas, tourist facilities are less developed 
and can be vast distances apart.

Entry Requirements:  Proof of U.S. citizenship and photo 
identification are required for travel to Canada.  Visas are not 
required for tourists entering from the United States for stays up 
to 180 days.  U.S. citizens entering Canada from a third country 
must have a valid passport or an official U.S. travel document.  For 
further information, including information on student or business 
travel, travelers can contact the Embassy of Canada at 501 
Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W., Washington, D.C.  20001, (202) 682-1740 
or the nearest Canadian consulate in Atlanta, Boston, Buffalo, 
Chicago, Cleveland, Dallas, Detroit, Los Angeles, Minneapolis, New 
York, or Seattle.

Medical Facilities:  Good medical care is widely available.  U.S. 
medical and auto insurance may not be valid in Canada.  Travelers 
have found that in some cases, supplemental auto or medical 
insurance with specific Canadian coverage has proved to be useful.  
Further information on health matters can be obtained from the 
Centers for Disease Control's international travelers hotline on 
(404) 332-4559.

Crime Information:  Canada has a higher incidence of criminal 
activity in urban areas than in the countryside.  Violent crimes 
such as murder, armed robbery, and rape occur infrequently.  The 
loss or theft of a U.S. passport abroad should be reported 
immediately to the local police and the nearest U.S. embassy or 
consulate.  U.S. citizens can refer to the Department of State's 
pamphlet "A Safe Trip Abroad" for ways to promote a more 
trouble-free journey.  The pamphlet is available from the 
Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office, 
Washington, D.C.  20402.

Drug Penalties:  U.S. citizens are subject to Canadian laws while 
they are in Canada.  Penalties for possession, use, and dealing in 
illegal drugs are strict, and convicted offenders can expect jail 
sentences and fines.

Other Information:  (a) Canadians consider driving under the 
influence of alcohol a serious offense.  Penalties are heavy, and 
any prior conviction (no matter how long ago or how minor the 
infraction) is grounds for exclusion from Canada.  A waiver of 
exclusion may be obtained from Canadian Consulates in the United 
States, but requires several weeks.  (b) Firearms are strictly 
controlled.  In general, handguns are not permitted in Canada.  
Anyone wishing to take hunting rifles into Canada can contact in 
advance the nearest Canadian Consulate for detailed information and 
instructions.  In all cases, travelers must declare to Canadian 
customs authorities any firearms in their possession when entering 
Canada.  If a traveler is denied permission to take the firearm into 
Canada, there are in many cases facilities near the border crossing 
where firearms may be stored pending the traveler's return to the 
U.S.  Canadian law requires that officials confiscate guns from 
those crossing the border who deny having guns in their possession.  
Confiscated guns are never returned.  (c)  It is illegal to take 
automobile radar detectors into the provinces of Quebec, Ontario, 
and Manitoba or into the Northwest territories.  The police will 
confiscate radar detectors, whether in use or not, and impose fines 
up to one thousand dollars.  (d) The prevailing language in Quebec 
province is French rather than English as in most of Canada.  
However, even in Quebec, English is spoken at most hotels and many 
tourist facilities.

Registration:  U.S. citizens who register in the Consular Section 
at the U.S. Embassy or at a U.S. Consulate may obtain updated 
information on travel and security within Canada.

Embassy and Consulate Locations:  The U.S. Embassy in Canada is 
located at 100 
Wellington Street, Ottawa, Ontario, telephone (613) 238-5335.

There are also consulates in:

Calgary, Alberta, at 615 Macleod Trail SE, (403) 266-8962;

Halifax, Nova Scotia, at Suite 910, Cogswell Tower, Scotia Square, 
(902) 429-2480;

Montreal, Quebec, at 1155 St. Alexander Street, (514) 398-9695;

Quebec City, Quebec, at 2 Place Terrasse Dufferin, (418) 692-2095;

Toronto, Ontario, at 360 University Avenue, (416) 595-1700; and

Vancouver, British Columbia, at 1095 West Pender Street, (604) 
685-4311.
<Provided by Bob Gray>

-----

     6.7 Canada-USA financial matters

        6.7.1 Where is the best place to exchange US currency
              in Canada and vice versa?

( See the canada-faq file maintained by Brian Lucas for information
concerning the exchange of US currency in Canada. )

In the US, your best bet is hotels.  Not only will they give a slightly
better rate than the banks (consistently about 3-4 cents higher, in
favour of Can$), but they are nicer and faster than US banks, and they
do not require an account, as some banks have.  <Stephanie Clarkson-Aines>

The exchange rate at retail stores tends to get worse the farther you
are from the Canada-US border.  <Paul Ward>

Pretty much every bank in the US that I have seen will exchange foreign
currency.  But they will charge outrageous spreads, that is, the
difference between the buy rate and the sell rate.  I have seen it as
high as seven points.  If the base exchange rate were $C1.20 to $US1,
they would charge you $1.235 to buy a US dollar, and only give you
$1.165 if you sold it at the end of your trip.  In contrast, in Canada
I have usually found that the spreads are at most 4.5 points.  Canadian
residents going to the US should exchange their money before leaving.

People living in the Toronto area who want to exchange money to US or
other major currencies should go to Friedberg Mercantile Exchange on
Bay Street between Queen and King.  They give the best rates; their
spread is usually no more than 1.5 points (maybe 2).  If you need to
exchange, say, $5000, you will typically save about $75 over going to a
bank.  They will even give your money in US$ American Express travellers
cheques at no additional charge.  Their minimum transaction is $200.
<Charles Kozierok>

        6.7.2  What credit cards are accepted in Canada?

Visa and MasterCard are generally accepted everywhere (restaurants,
hotels, stores, ...).  While American Express is widely accepted in
hotels, large restaurants, and transportation companies, you might find
that many restaurants, stores, boutiques, and cafes won't accept it.

With Visa and MasterCard, you'll also be able to get cash advances at
any bank machine in Canada.  Every bank has an affiliation with either
Visa or MasterCard (mostly Visa; the Bank of Montreal is the largest
MasterCard bank).

        6.7.3  Will I be able to pay my expenses in US dollars?

Most hotels, stores, restaurants will accept US$, but they will give
you a lower rate than banks or airports.  For example, you might get
C$1.10 when the rate is $1.20, or $1.20 when the rate is $1.32.  Large
hotels will usually give you a rate that approaches those at the bank.

        6.7.4 May I cash or deposit US cheques (or checks :-) in Canada
              and vice versa?

My sister has had terrible experiences with her Boston-area bank.
They did not like to accept her Canadian cheques, even when they
were cheques drawn on US dollar accounts.  <Stewart Clamen>

Once I deposited a cheque in Canadian funds at an American bank.
The cheque took six months to clear and the bank took a US$40
service charge.  <Julie Heynssens>

The problem is that the Canadian and US cheque-clearing systems are
not integrated with each other.  So if you present a cheque drawn on a
Canadian bank -- even if the account at that bank is in US dollars --
it is treated as a foreign item.  I have had merchants tell me horror
stories about such cheques -- they can take six weeks to clear, with
the funds not being credited to the person's account till then, and
service charges of $25 to $300 applying.

The solution is to get a chequing account that clears through the US
system.  We have an account at Wood Gundy that does exactly that, and
write cheques in the US all the time with no problems.  <David Sherman>

I have a friend who experienced similar problems when he tried to clear
my cheque drawn on a US bank at his Canadian bank.  While the cheque
was cleared from my US account within days, the fund showed up at his
Canadian bank some three weeks later.  My friend had to use his
certificate of deposit accounts as collateral to get the fund released.
<Pi Hong>

I have been quite successful getting cheques from US banks deposited in
my CIBC (Cdn$) account without service charges.  The tellers have
always quoted a 3- or 4-week hold on the funds, but in actual fact the
cheques have usually cleared in less than a week, and I have managed to
get the customer service manager at my CIBC branch to authorize a
reduction in the standard hold.

It appears that CIBC uses my US bank, Wells Fargo, as a "correspondent"
bank for handling US items.  This probably explains why my deposited
cheques written on my Wells Fargo account clear so quickly.

According to the people at Wells Fargo Bank, a cheque I write on my
account is considered to have been irrevocably paid as of the end of
the next business day after their automated "Express Access" system
says it had "posted" to my account.  The extra day apparently gives the
customer one last chance to stop payment.

Things do not seem to be as tidy going the other way.  The folks at
Wells Fargo have told me that if I were to try to deposit a Canadian
cheque in my Wells Fargo account, they would treat it as a collection
item, that is, long delays and ridiculous fees.  My solution so far has
been to buy a US$ draft at CIBC and deposit that.  <Rich Wales>

Canadian bank account holders don't need to have a US dollar account to
write cheques denominated in US dollars -- you just write on the cheque
what currency payment is to be in, and the bank will charge a fee
(about $5, I think).  This works at the Royal Bank, and I assume the
others are the same.  Such cheques are not easily cleared in the US.
<Mark Brader>


        6.7.5 If I have an ATM card for my bank at home, can I make
              a withdrawal in Canada?

Most of the major Canadian banks and trust companies are on the Plus
network, and those that aren't on Plus are on Cirrus.  (See 6.7.2;
Cirrus is affiliated with MasterCard.)  You get Canadian dollars,
of course, and generally the exchange rate is good.  Your bank will
probably make a service charge of $2 or so for each withdrawal.

Those whose banks are only on other networks are out of luck.
<Mark Brader>


     6.8  What is the weather like in Canada?

Canada is the second-largest country in the world, in area, and the
climate varies accordingly!  However, to generalize...

Maritimes:  Winters are cold and very snow-filled with an average high
around -5 degrees Celsius (23 Fahrenheit).  Summers are generally mild,
but rarely much above 25C (77F).

Southern Ontario:  September starts in the mid-20s C and by late
October, it goes down to the low-10s.  Winters are not overly cold and
usually not a lot of snow with an average high about -5C or slightly
warmer.  Summers are usually hot.

Prairies:  One word should do it for summer and winter: extreme.
Average January highs -10 to -15C (12-21F); average July highs 27-30C.

Vancouver:  Moderate in all seasons. I read somewhere that the record
high temperature for Vancouver and the record low temp are only 40C
apart.  <Ken Breadner>

(Average Lows and Highs in celsius for some Canadian cities)

OTTAWA

  Jan   Feb   Mar   Apr   May   Jun   Jul   Aug   Sep   Oct   Nov   Dec

H  -5    -5    1     11    19    24    27    25    20    12    4    -3
L -15   -15   -8      0     7    12    14    13     9     3   -2   -12

QUEBEC CITY

  Jan   Feb   Mar   Apr   May   Jun   Jul   Aug   Sep   Oct   Nov   Dec

H  -7    -6    0      7    16    22    24    23    18    11     2    -5
L -16   -15   -8     -1     5    11    14    12     8     3    -3   -12

TORONTO

  Jan   Feb   Mar   Apr   May   Jun   Jul   Aug   Sep   Oct   Nov   Dec

H   0     0     3    10    17    23    26    25    21    13    6     1
L  -8    -8    -4     1     7    12    15    14    11     4    0    -5

VANCOUVER

  Jan   Feb   Mar   Apr   May   Jun   Jul   Aug   Sep   Oct   Nov   Dec

H  5     7     10    14    18    21    23    23    18    14    9     6
L  0     1      3     4     8    11    12    12     9     7    4     2

-----

     6.9 How can I use European electrical equipment in Canada?

Buy suitable adaptors before you come.  Most stores in Canada only sell
adaptors for our equipment to be used in other countries.

The principal electricity standards here are the same as in the US.
The nominal voltage is 120 V (often misquoted as 110, but variations of
that size are not important anyway), the frequency is 60 Hz, and
ungrounded plugs have two parallel flat pins.

This assumes that you are only interested in using simple things like
razors.  If you are moving here and want to bring computers, sound
systems, and the like, an adaptor may not suffice.  TV broadcast
standards are also quite different.  <Mark Brader>


-----------------------------------------------------------------

IMMIGRATION, EMIGRATION, AND EMPLOYMENT

For more information, or confirmation of the following answers, contact
a Canadian diplomatic mission or write to:

 Enquiries Centre
 Employment and Immigration Canada
 Ottawa, ON
 K1A 0J9
 Tel: (819) 994-6313

     7.1 Who needs a Canadian passport and how do I go about getting one?

Canadian passports are issued to Canadian citizens and are needed for
travel to most other countries, except to the US.  They last for five
years, but the country you visit may require your passport to still
be valid for a certain period after you arrive.

To get one in Canada, first get the application form from any post
office or passport office.  The form has the full details, but in
brief, you need:
   - your photo taken by a professional photographer
   - to supply proof of citizenship and the like ("supporting documents")
   - to have your answers guaranteed by another person who knows you and
     whose occupation is on a list provided (there is also a procedure
     to follow if you do not know such a person); and
   - to pay the fee.
If you deliver the form to a passport office, you will wait in line and
then they will go over it with you and return your supporting documents,
and the passport is ready in less than a week.

Alternatively, you can trust your documents to Canada Post.

If you are outside Canada, contact a Canadian consulate or embassy.
<Mark Brader>

-----

     7.2 What are the addresses of some Canadian embassies and consulates?

USA        

Embassy of Canada
501 Pennsylvania Avenue N.W.
Washington, DC 20001
Ph: 202-682-1740             [<--need verification]
    202-682-1760 for visa immigration inquiries

Canadian Consulate General           Canadian Consulate General
400 South Tower                      Three Copley Place
1 CNN Tower                          Suite 400
Atlanta, GA  30303-2705              Boston, MA  02116

Canadian Consulate                   Canadian Consulate General
1 Marine Midland Center              2 Prudential Plaza
Suite 3550                           180 North Stetson Avenue
Buffalo, NY  14203-2884              Suite 2400
                                     Chicago, IL  60601

Canadian Consulate                   Canadian Consulate General
55 Public Square                     St. Paul Place, Suite 1700
Suite 1008                           750 North St. Paul Street
Cleveland, OH  44113                 Dallas, TX  75201
                                     (214) 922-9806
                                     Fax: (214) 922-9815

Canadian Consulate General           Canadian Consulate General
600 Renaissance Center               300 South Grand Avenue
Suite 1100                           10th Floor, California Plaza
Detroit, MI  48243-1704              Los Angeles, CA  90071
                                     (213) 687-7432   [<--need verification]

Canadian Consulate General           Canadian Consulate General
701 Fourth Avenue South              1251 Avenue of the Americas
Suite 900                            Exxon Building, 16th Floor
Minneapolis, MN  55415-1899          New York, NY  10020-1175

Canadian Consulate General
412 Plaza 600
Sixth and Stewart
Seattle, WA  98101-1286


Austria         Canadian Embassy
                Dr. Karl Lueger Ring 10
                A-1010 Vienna
                Austria
                Tel. +43 1 533-3691
                Telex (Destination code 47) 11-5320 (DMCAN A)
                Fax  +43 1 533-4473

France          Canadian Embassy
                35, avenue Montaigne, 75008
                Paris, France
                Tel. +33 1 44 43 32 00
                Telex (Destination code 42) 651806 (CANADA 651806F)
                Fax  +33 1 44 43 34 98

                Canadian Consulate
                Bonnel Part-Dieu Building
                74, rue de Bonnel, 3rd Floor
                69428 Lyon Cedex 03
                France
                Tel. +33 72 61 15 25
                Telex (Destination code 42) 380003 (CANADA)
                Fax  +33 78 62 09 36

Germany         Canadian Embassy
                Friedrich-Wilhelm-Strasse 18
  D-5300 Bonn 1,
                Germany
                Tel. +49 228 23 10 61
                Telex (Destination code 41) 886421 (DOMCA D)
                Fax  +49 228 23.61.70

                Canadian Consulate General
                Tal 29
                D-8000 Munich 2
                Germany
                Tel. +49 89 22 26 61
                Telex (Destination code 0411) 5214139 (CAND D)
                Fax  +49 89 228 5987

Great Britain   Canadian High Commission
                Macdonald House
                One Grosvenor Square
                London, W1X 0AB
  England
                Tel. +44 71 258-6600
                Telex (Destination code 51) 261592 (CDALDING)
                Fax  +44 71 258-6384

-----

     7.3 Does the free trade agreement mean that an American can 
  work in Canada and vice versa?

The US-Canada Free Trade Agreement (hereafter the FTA) has a provision
whereby citizens of the US and Canada *in certain professions* may work
in the other country without having to get a normal work authorization.
In the US, it means you get a TC-1 visa instead of an H-1; in Canada
it means you get an "FTA Professional Authorization" instead of a
"Work Authorization".

Here's the list of covered professions:

accountant
engineer
scientist
   biologist
   biochemist
   physicist
   geneticist
   zoologist
   entomologist
   geophysicist
   epidemiologist
   pharmacologist
   animal scientist
   agriculturist (agronomist)
   dairy scientist
   poultry scientist
   soil scientist
research assistant (working in a post-secondary educational institution)
medical or allied professional
   physician (teaching and/or research only)
   dentist
   registered nurse
   veterinarian
   medical technologist
   clinical lab technologist
architect
lawyer
teacher
   college
   university
   seminary
economist
social worker
vocational counselor
mathematician (baccalaureate)
hotel manager (baccalaureate + 3 yrs experience)
librarian (MLS)
animal breeder
plant breeder
horticulturist
sylviculturist (forestry specialist)
range manager (range conservationist)
forester
journalist (baccalaureate + 3 yrs experience)
nutritionist
dietician
technical publications writer
computer systems analyst
psychologist
management consultant (baccalaureate + 3 yrs experience)
disaster relief insurance claims adjuster
scientific technician/technologist
   must:
       a) work in direct support of professionals in the following disciplines:
          chemistry, geology, geophysics, meteorology, physics, astronomy,
          agricultural sciences, biology or forestry;
       b) possess theoretical knowledge of the discipline;
       c) solve practical problems in the discipline; and
       d) apply principles of the discipline to basic or applied research.
<Marcy Thompson>


       7.3.1 OK, my profession is on the list.  What do I (as a Canadian)
             need to do to work in the US?

The "TC Temporary Professional" (TC stands for "trade Canada") visa
has been available since January 1, 1989.

For this TC visa, you must:

- enter from Canada;
- have proof of Canadian citizenship in the form of a birth certificate and
  photo-ID or a passport that is valid for at least six months after the
  end of the employment period (landed immigrant status is not acceptable);
- provide sufficient documentation of your professional credentials in one of
  the qualifying professions;
- have proof of employment plans, such as a written offer of employment,
  in your profession;
- pay exactly US$50; and
- be prepared to spend up to two hours at an airport or probably less
  at a Class 'A' (i.e. land, sea or air border) point-of-entry.

Your credentials and position stated in your offer of employment must
match a profession listed on the Immigration and Naturalization Service
(INS) master list for TC's.  For example, engineer is a listed
profession, requiring at least a bachelor's degree in any discipline or
state/provincial licencing.  To get a full one year visa, your offer
must show support by the employer for that period.

The job offer must contain the following information:

- A term of employment of duration not greater than one year.
- Job title from one of the professions on the list.  If you work for a
  company that uses fixed titles, such as Software Engineer III, and you
  are trying to get a visa as a computer systems analyst, the letter
  should say, "as a Software Engineer III, Company X's internal job
  classification for persons who perform the duties of a computer
  systems analyst".
- Description of duties.
- Salary(optional?).  They may want to know that you can live on your salary.

As a precautionary measure, be sure to have a second letter addressed
to the INS.  Phone the INS headquarters in Washington if you cannot
find people to properly handle your application.  Documents that state
the laws governing the FTA can be obtained by calling the Buffalo
District o{#]=Path: planet!isdnlin.mtsu.edu!darwin.sura.net!gatech!swrinde!ihnp4.ucsd.edu!usc!bloom-beacon.mit.edu!senator-bedfellow.mit.edu!faqserv
From: ag656@freenet.carleton.ca
Newsgroups: soc.culture.canada,soc.answers,news.answers
Subject: soc.culture.canada FAQ (Monthly posting) [2/2]
Summary: Contains a list of Frequently Asked Questions (and their
Message-ID: <canada-faq/part2_772891068@rtfm.mit.edu>
Date: 29 Jun 1994 11:58:01 GMT
Expires: 12 Aug 1994 11:57:48 GMT
References: <canada-faq/part1_772891068@rtfm.mit.edu>
Reply-To: ag656@freenet.carleton.ca
Followup-To: soc.culture.canada
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Supersedes: <canada-faq/part2_770286840@rtfm.mit.edu>
NNTP-Posting-Host: bloom-picayune.mit.edu
X-Last-Updated: 1993/12/22
Originator: faqserv@bloom-pioccupational green cards, but the TC visa must be kept current.  Anapplication would take about one year to complete.  The US StateDepartment can be contacted for general visa information at202-663-1225.  The number of its BBS is 202-647-9225.If you lose your job, you cannot do anything else until you get amodification of the TC-1 after receiving a new job offer in the samefield.Few people in either the US or Canada know of the existence of the TC;you may have some trouble convincing them that you are legally entitledto work by virtue of your citizenship and your profession.  Securityclearances can also be a factor.  Since the Reagan Administration,non-US citizens are not able to get jobs classified Top Secret or above-- not even Permanent Residents.If you do not fall under the provisions of the FTA, that is, cannotget a TC-1, you can try and get an H-1.  H-1 visas are non-renewable(?)and last for up to five years.  This is much harder and more timeconsuming, and involves a lot more than just showing up at the borderwith documentation.        7.3.2 What do I need to do (as an American) to be able to              work in Canada?The US-Canada Free Trade Agreement also provides a streamlined way forskilled Americans to work in Canada on a temporary basis.  However, ifyou are looking to move to Canada permanently, this will probably nothelp you unless you can find an employer that wants you badly enough totry and get special immigration clearance for you (see the question"How can I immigrate to Canada as a non-family-class immigrant?") andwill hire you via the Free Trade setup until the special clearancecomes through.Here is what is needed to get a work permit:    a. Proof of US citizenship (birth certificate and passport);    b. A written job offer from a Canadian employer;    c. Professional credentials for the appropriate job category:       a university degree and, if required, proof of experience; and    d. C$100 cash.Salary will be subject to Canadian taxes.  US citizens must file USincome tax returns no matter where in the world they live, even if theyhave no US income.  All world income of a US citizen is subject to USincome tax.  You get to deduct foreign tax paid on foreign income as atax credit, and since most countries have a higher tax rate than theUS, it is mostly a matter of filing.A permit can be made on the spot in about 15 minutes when you arrive atthe border.  Permits are good for a year at a time and can be renewedindefinitely; just cross into the US with your renewed job offer andall your paperwork, and do it again.  Ask the immigration official toissue the permit on the spot since the fast mail-in method takes over amonth.  Possession of an FTA work authorization entitles you toprovincial medical insurance and allows you to bring your school-agechildren into Canada with a student visa.-----     7.4 How do I become a Canadian citizen?It is possible to obtain landed immigrant status in Canada (see thequestion "How can I immigrate to Canada as a non-family-classimmigrant?").  Anyone who wants to become a Canadian citizen must firstbecome a landed immigrant and wait three years before applying forcitizenship.  It is also possible for someone to be a landed immigrantand never apply for Canadian citizenship at all.The main things a landed immigrant cannot do are vote, serve on a jury,and run for elective office.  Also, without citizenship, there is therisk of being deported or refused reentry to Canada if you commit aserious crime, if you get horribly ill while outside the country, or ifyou leave Canada for an extended period of time (generally more thansix months in any 12-month period).  <Rich Wales>-----     7.5  Once I'm a landed immigrant, can I travel in and out of Canada          whenever I want?If you are currently a landed immigrant of Canada but a citizen ofanother country and need to leave for more than six months, you canapply for a Returning Resident Permit.  It costs about C$75, and can beobtained at any Canadian Immigration Office or Consulate.  It is goodfor one year, but can be extended for up to two years.  If it is toexpire before your planned return, you can reapply, but you have tore-pay the fee.  This allows you to hold your landed immigrant status"in limbo" while you are away.  You have to exhibit a distinct interestin returning back to Canada in order to be eligible.  <Joel DeYoung>To get a Returning Resident Permit, you will be required to provideproof that the departure is temporary and that you will not be abandoningCanada as your place of permanent residence.  A copy of your passport,3 passport size photos, a copy of your record of landing, and letters ofa lawyer, school, doctor, or others justifying your absence from Canadawill be required.-----     7.6 Can I be a dual Canadian-American citizen?Canada's citizenship laws freely permit dual citizenship with any othercountry or countries in the world.  Hence, it is not necessary to giveup one's previous citizenship in order to become a Canadian unless theother country requires this.  In particular, it is not necessary for anAmerican to give up American citizenship in order to become a Canadiancitizen.US law used to mandate loss of citizenship for anyone who became acitizen of another country, with few if any exceptions.  However,several things have happened since that time:  two decisions of theSupreme Court in 1967 and 1980; changes to the Immigration andNationality Act by Congress in 1986; and changes by the StateDepartment to their administrative procedures for handling dualcitizenship cases in 1990.The current situation is almost the opposite of what it used to be.The State Department will now assume that a US citizen who acquires orasserts citizenship in another country intended to keep his or her UScitizenship as well.  In order to lose one's US status in such asituation, one must now either explicitly petition for revocation ofcitizenship, or else do one of a very limited number of things whichare generally considered to be wholly incompatible with a wish toretain US ties.A "Dual Citizenship FAQ" has been prepared for people interested in thecurrent state and some of the history of US law as it relates to dualcitizenship and loss of US citizenship.  To get the "Dual CitizenshipFAQ", send mail to richw@mks.com.  For example:  From: someone@somewhere.com  To: richw@mks.com  Subject: send dualcitPlease be sure to spell the phrase "send dualcit" precisely as shown,and put it in the "Subject:" line of your message's header.  Otherwise,the automatic handler for my incoming mail will not recognize yourrequest.I am not a lawyer, and my "Dual Citizenship FAQ" should not be taken asofficial legal advice.  If you are in a dual citizenship situation orare contemplating such a move, you may wish to discuss things with alawyer who is knowledgeable about the latest developments in thisaspect of US law, as well as the laws of the other country you areinvolved with.  <Rich Wales>-----     7.7  How will my credit rating in my country affect me in Canada?CIBC (where we have a chequing account) initially refused to give me    a VISA because I had only been in Canada for a few weeks and I had    no Canadian credit history.  They refused to consider my US credit    history, period.  I offered copies of my US credit reports for them    to examine, but they were not interested because they said they    could not verify their authenticity.  I finally got a CIBC VISA    with a C$500 credit limit through the personal intervention of my    branch's manager.Scotiabank told me not even to bother applying for a VISA until I had    been at my current job for at least three months.T-D initially refused to give me a VISA because I had not been at my    current job for at least two years.  After a long talk with one of    their credit people, they agreed to reconsider my history with VISA    cards in the US, and I eventually got a T-D VISA with a reasonable    limit.Citibank Canada welcomed my VISA application with open arms because I    already had a Citibank card from the US.  They gave me a VISA with    a high limit (but also a high interest rate) with no hassle.My impression is that Canadian lenders do have ways of accessing UScredit info, but they have to go through some kind of broker and thiscosts them money.  This may explain why, for example, Zellers and Searsreadily grabbed my US credit history, but CIBC insisted they could notdo this.It may also help to get one or more VISA cards in the US (as opposed toMasterCard) before moving to Canada, since most of the major Canadianbanks offer VISA, and at least the T-D seems to have a way of accessingVISA info even if getting my entire credit history from the US was toomuch of a hassle.  A US Citibank VISA might be a particularly goodinroad to the Canadian credit market, since Citibank Canada has aspecial program in place for holders of Citibank cards from the US.If you get turned down, call the bank back and discuss the matter withtheir credit department.  If the first person you get on the phonemumbles some boilerplate stuff about a "computerized profile", politelyinsist that you wish to know exactly why you were turned down.  You mayneed to ask for a supervisor, since the first person may be a "droid"with no access to detailed information and no authority to do anythingfor you anyway.  <Rich Wales>-----     7.8 Immigrating to Canada        7.8.1 How can I immigrate to Canada as an independent class              immigrant?You can look for work in Canada with the understanding that (1) youcannot legally work in Canada until/unless you are accepted forimmigration or get a temporary work permit, and (2) employers areunlikely to give you any serious consideration until after you havebeen accepted for immigration or get a work permit.  There is aprocedure whereby an employer can petition the Canadian government forclearance to hire a foreigner (actually, they ask the government togive the person in question extra preference for immigration selection)-- but in order to accomplish this, the government has to be convincedthat no Canadian citizen or permanent resident is available to fill thejob and is even minimally able to meet the qualifications for the job.That is, even if you are the best candidate, the company still has tohire someone already in the country if such a person can be found whocan do the job "well enough" and is willing to take it.  Foreignerscannot live with friends in Canada until and unless they get permissionfrom the Canadian government.For people who want to move to parts of Canada other than Quebec, thefederal government's selection criteria give equal preference tofacility in English or French, with extra points if you speak both.The immigration officials have a fair amount of discretionary authorityin evaluating applications, and if, for example, you speak only Frenchbut propose to move to Toronto (where most people speak only English),you might lose points based on your likely inability to succeed infinding work and integrating yourself into the community.  But the ideain such a situation is not to discriminate against French speakers assuch in non-French-speaking parts of Canada, but simply to recognizethat such an applicant is going to have a harder time immigrating to aplace where he/she does not know the dominant language of the region.Prospective immigrants to Canada who wish to go to Quebec are handledby Quebec's own immigration office.  General eligibility issues such assecurity (criminal record checks) and health are still handled by theCanadian federal government, but the selection criteria (education,work experience, etc.) are handled by Quebec.  Quebec's immigrantselection criteria, from what I understand, give heavy preference topeople who speak French and have some familiarity with Quebec throughhaving spent time there on vacations or whatever.  An applicant forQuebec can get a few points for speaking English, but not nearly somany as if he or she speaks French.As for promoting the immigration of "highly qualified" people, theCanadian system does base the selection of immigrants primarily on thebasis of job skills rather than national or regional quotas or othersuch methods.  The Canadian government uses a frequently updated listof high-demand occupational categories with varying "points" given topeople qualified to do various kinds of work.  If your occupation isnot in the occupational demand list, this is an automatic bar toimmigration unless you get an "approved" job offer.  You can get an"approved" job offer if an employer wants to hire you and can convincethe government that no available Canadian citizen or landed immigrantis even minimally qualified to do the job in question and is willing totake the job.  You will get ten points for a job offer, and yourimmigration application will be considered even without points foroccupational demand.  For example, university professors are not on theoccupational demand list, but Canadian universities still manage toimport foreign faculty members via the approved job offer mechanism.In practice, it is very difficult to meet the criteria for an approvedjob offer, and the submission process is a major bureaucratic hasslefor the employer.  Hence, you are unlikely to get such an offer unlesssomeone wants you very badly.  Quebec's separate immigrant selectionsystem works similarly, but they use their own occupational demand listwhich is keyed specifically for the job market in Quebec.People who want to move to Canada need to file a lengthy application intriplicate with a sizable stack of supporting documents.  The wholeprocess is likely to cost at least US$400, which is non-refundable evenif you are turned down, and to take a year or more.  If you want to pursuethe possibility of immigrating to Canada, contact the nearest Canadianconsulate and tell them you are interested in applying for immigration.They will send you free of charge a short questionnaire that you shouldfill out and mail back.  If the people at the consulate decide you area reasonable prospect, they will send you the "real" forms, which willcost plenty of money to file.  In preparation for all of this, startnow to gather things like:==> birth and marriage certificates;==> school diplomas and transcripts;==> lists of everywhere you have ever lived, every job you have ever had,    and every organization you have ever belonged to since you turned    18, including such things as school student body organizations    where membership was automatic by virtue of attending the school in    question;==> your complete medical history, including any nontrivial illness or    accident you have ever had and every time you have ever been a    patient in a hospital; and==> financial records to document your assets, debts, income, etc.You will need all the above, either together with your application orto show to the immigration officer when or if they call you in for aninterview.  <Rich Wales>Employment and Immigration Canada uses a selection system to recruitvarious types of independent applicants1. Self-employed A person who will set up or buy a business that will help Canadian economy, culture or arts.2. Entrepreneur A person who will set up, buy or invest in a business in which he/she will be involved at the management level.3. Investors A person worth at least $500,000 with management experience. The applicant has to present an investment proposal that will help create jobs in Canada.4. Assisted relatives A person whom is the parent, grandparent, niece, nephew, brother, sister, son, daughter, uncle, aunt, grandson, or granddaughter of a Canadian citizen or permanent resident will automatically get 5 supplemental points.All independent applicants must apply at a visa office outside Canada(Embassy, Consulate, High Commission)The point system is based the following factors:  Maximum  Points           Factor   12              Education    8              Experience   18              Specific vocational preparation   10              Occupation   10              Arranged employment or designated occ.    8              Demographic factor   10              Age (10 points if 21-44; 2 points deducted for each                   year under 21 or over 44)   15              Knowledge of English and/or French    10              Personal suitability (e.g. do you plan on living in Toronto     if you speak only French?)    5              Bonus for assisted relatives   30              Bonus for self-employed immigrantsMinimum selection units required per categoryEntrepreneur           25Investor               25self-employed          70 (includes 30 bonus points)skilled worker         70assisted relative      70 (includes 5 bonus points for assisted relatives)Applicants must also meet medical and security requirements.Processing fees are $450 or more.        7.8.2  According to the point system, what occupations are               most needed in Canada?Systems Analysts, computer programmers and related occupationsAudiologists, speech pathologists, clinical occupational therapyspecialists, occupational therapists, physiotherapists, remedial gymnast [?]Radiotherapy technician, prosthetist-orthotist, respiratorytechnologist, electroencephalographic tech.Chef-cook general, head chef, banquet chef, cook-small establishment,chef, patissier, chef, saucier, chef, rotisseur, cook-domestic,chef-garde-manger, chef, entremetier, cateretr, cook-institution,working sous-chef, cook - kosher foods, cook - foreign foods, cook-first,cook - theraputic diet, cook-campBench moulderA whole list that I am too lazy to type out (42 items) under thecategory of industrial, farm, and construction machinery mechanicsand repairers.The following designated occupations are in special demand incertain provinces:Newfoundland: Occupational therapist, physiotherapistPEI: (None)New Brunswick: (Consultations not complete)Quebec: (Exclusive provincial selection of independent immigrants)Ontario: Design and development engineer, electrical and electronic,  occupational therapist, physiotherapistManitoba: (None)Saskatchewan: Occupational therapist; physiotherapistAlberta: Speech pathologist, occupational therapist, physiotherapist,  dental hygienistBrit. Columbia: Speech pathologist, occupational therapist, physiotherapist,      dental hygienist, farmer, nurseryNWT: No designationsYukon: No designationsNotes: 10 assessment points for the occupation factor, 10 pointsfor designated occupation under the arranged employment factor,processing priority for designated occupations as defined inthe Regulations.  <Alice Ramirez>        7.8.3 May I immigrate to Canada as a sponsored immigrant?I have also been told that if you show up at the Canada-US bordermarried, the immigration officer can at his or her discretion issue youa visa on the spot.  <Maurice Charland>Any Canadian citizen or permanent resident over 19 years old can sponsormembers of his/her family.  The categories of relatives that can besponsored are the following: Spouse* or Fiance(e)** Dependent children*** Parents and grandparents Brothers, sisters, nephews & nieces under 19 years old and unmarried A child under 19 that will be adopted *If newlyweds, the authorities will want to ensure that it isn't  a marriage of convenience. **As above, and the wedding must be scheduled. ***A child is dependent if:   1. Under 19 and unmarried; or   2. Full-time student 19 or over and financially dependent; or   3. Disabled and financially dependent.Any family member who enters Canada via sponsorship will be dependent onthe sponsor for financial security, and will not be eligible for welfarepayments for [7?] years.The processing fee is $450 (not refundable).  Once the sponsorship isapproved, a letter will be sent indicating the processing time.Also read the previous question (7.8.1) for information on assistedrelatives.-----     7.9 How do I import an automobile into Canada from the US?Cars built for the US market through and including the 1984 model yearcan be imported into Canada with no problems, as long as they wereoriginally built to US specifications and have the standard notice,which is usually a metal plate riveted into the driver's side door jamb.However, many cars built for the US market starting with the 1985 modelyear do not meet Canadian safety requirements and are not eligible forimportation to Canada.  Contact Transport Canada in Ottawa at613-998-2174 and ask specifically regarding the make, model, and yearof your car.  The list from Transport Canada is consulted by Canadiancustoms people in deciding whether to allow you to bring your car in.As of fall 1992, certain fairly minor issues can be taken care of bythe vehicle owner after importation.  The Canada Motor Vehicle SafetyStandard (CMVSS) requires a car being imported from the US to includekm/h markings on the speedometer -- but most cars already have suchmarkings, and if not, you are permitted to buy a set of stickers andput them on the plastic cover of the instrument panel.  The CMVSS doesnot require an odometer reading in miles to be replaced with onereading in kilometres.  Daytime running lights (DRL's) are required forimportation of a car of the 1990 model year or later -- but thisrequirement can be satisfied by adding a DRL kit (from Canadian Tire orsimilar stores, or from the car dealer in Canada if available) afterbringing the car into Canada.  Also, if a car has air bags, the CMVSSrequires the maintenance label to be bilingual (English/French).  Butagain, this can be done by having a dealer in Canada stick on a newlabel.  The importer is required to sign something at Customs promisingto follow through on the issue(s) involved.However, the more major problems cannot be fixed to the satisfaction ofTransport Canada.  The three crucial issues that determine whether acar is on the importable list or not are:  bumper strength (8 km/h or5 mph collision test in Canada); seat belt anchorage strength (manyUS-spec cars do not meet the Canadian requirements); and child seattether anchorage strength (Canada requires tether straps on allfront-facing "toddler" seats, and newer cars must have a place toattach the tether strap to).  If a car does not meet all theserequirements, you are out of luck.  In particular, Canada does notpresently allow "grey-market conversion" of a non-complying car to meetthe CMVSS.Contact US Customs at the place where you plan to cross the border intoCanada, at least three days prior to the intended emigration date, andgive or mail them a notarized copy of the title certificate for yourcar.  Then, before crossing the border, stop at the US Customs officeand let them check the VIN of your car.  The intent of this rule isapparently to curb the smuggling of stolen cars out of the US, byallowing Customs to run a records check on the VIN number of your car.However, this export rule seems to be little known, even by movingcompanies.  When I moved to Canada in December 1992, I asked the moversabout what I should do to help them meet the requirements of thisexport rule.  It turned out that even people at the highest levels ofthe moving company in question had no idea what I was talking about.Inquiries to other companies revealed a similar ignorance regarding thesituation.In the end, I managed to send a notarized copy of the title to theright customs office (the moving company could not tell me where thevan would cross the border until the day after our pickup!) -- but thetruck driver neglected to stop at US Customs before entering Canada,and when asked about this later on, he tried to tell me this was notnecessary.  Fortunately, the Canadian customs people did not seem tocare or even ask.  I eventually managed to get a letter from US Customsabsolving me of any liability in this situation, and I definitely planto carry a copy of said letter with me the next time I cross theborder.  <Rich Wales>You need to get forms from customs and pay C$100 to bring your car in.<Brian Fisher>-----      7.10  Does a Canadian citizen need a visa to visit country X?Contact a consulate or embassy of country X.-------------------------------------------------------------------------------TAXATION     8.1 What kind of income taxes does one have to pay in Canada?The 1993 marginal income tax rates on salary are:British Columbia                Ontario                        Quebec$ 6.8 - 29.6K   25.0        $ 6.8 - 29.6K    25.9%     $ 6.8 -  7.7K    13.9% 29.6 - 33.4    39.0         29.6 - 33.4     40.4        7.7 - 14.0     31.8 33.4 - 38.7    39.6         33.4 - 38.7     41.0       14.0 - 23.0     33.8 38.7 - 54.5    40.4         38.7 - 52.2     41.9       23.0 - 29.6     35.8 54.5 - 59.2    43.2         52.2 - 59.2     44.4       29.6 - 32.5     43.6 59.2 - 63.3    48.1         59.2 - 63.3     49.6       32.5 - 33.4     44.7 63.3 - 79.3    49.6         63.3 - 67.8     51.0       33.4 - 38.7     45.6 79.3 and up    51.1         67.8 and up     52.4       38.7 - 50.0     46.6                                                        50.0 - 54.2     47.7                                                        54.2 - 59.2     48.9                                                        59.2 - 63.3     51.5                                                        63.3 and up     52.9Deductions or credits on income tax are available for contributionsto pension plans and registered retirement savings plans, individualssupporting family members, tuition fees, investment expenses, etc.Marginal income tax rates for other provinces and other details can befound in the July 24, 1993, edition of The Financial Post.-----      8.2 How can I contact Revenue Canada?  The Canadian Tax Foundation?Revenue Canada                           Canadian Tax FoundationOttawa District Office                   Suite 1800360 Lisgar Street                        1 Queen Street EastOttawa, ON                               Toronto, ONK1A 1A2                                  M5C 2Y2-----     8.3 How can tourists get reimbursed for taxes paid while in Canada?See the same question under Information for Travellers.-----     8.4 Do I have to pay Canadian taxes if I work or live abroad?[ needs to be generalized ]One thing Canadians working temporarily in the US should look at iswhether they can get out of paying into the Federal InsuranceContributions Act.  The US/Canada tax treaty has wording that allowsnationals of one country working temporarily in the other to continuepaying into their home country's social security system and avoidpaying in the country where they temporarily reside and work.  Theadvantage of paying less than C$1000 for Canada Pension Plan instead ofUS$4000 (plus another US$4000 from an employer in matching funds)should not be underestimated.  Ten years of payment into the CPPclinches a minimal pension.You must work out of Canada for two years to be tax free; otherwise youowe Ottawa and your province the difference between what you paid in UStaxes and what you owe in Canadian taxes.  This may apply to Canadiansworking with a TC-1, too.  <Norbert Schlenker, Gary Dare>-----     8.5 What are the customs clearing fees of some couriers?United Parcel Service (UPS) charges: Brokerage        $5.25        for goods valued less than $40   $14.20        for goods valued between $40 and $100 Surcharge      min. $3        for collecting the GST COD charge         $40        unless you give them a VISA numberPlus the GST (Goods and Services Tax) or duty.All this for one- to two-week delivery.For a US$35 manual they charged me $24.91 of fees.  I am appealing itto their refunds department because I was told when they phoned that itwould be "about $5 plus GST".  And I was not told that there would be aCOD charge that could be avoided by giving them a VISA number.If you are dealing with a large shipper in the US they may have verylow Federal Express rates, usually in the $12 to $15 range.<Stuart Lynne>The July 1993 issue of Toronto Computes! (a monthly tabloid) has a veryuseful article and table comparing the costs of various couriers.In brief, DHL and FedEx do not charge customs clearing fees, Purolatorcharges only for non-express goods over $20 in value, and UPS andCanada Post always charge at least $5.DHL, FedEx, and Purolator will even let you clear your own goods, if youfeel for whatever reason that their staff may make an error in processingyour shipment.  Canada Post and UPS will not.DHL, FedEx, and Purolator allow the sender to prepay duty and taxes.Canada Post and UPS do not.On the other hand, UPS is the only company that will appeal an incorrectcalculation to Canada Customs for you "for free", except that sincethey will not give you back the original fee, which can be morethan the appeal fee for other couriers, this advantage is dubious.Canada Post will not submit appeals on your behalf.  <John J. Chew III>I send stuff to the US via Priority Post.  I pay a premium to do thisbut have never had a problem with them.  They tell me it will be inTexas tomorrow afternoon and it is.Priority Post charges $25.00 per envelope and $50.00 per 10 pounds ofstuff on average.  Like I said, a premium for premium service.<Dennis Breckenridge>--------------------------------------------------------------------------------ECONOMICS AND BUSINESS     9.1 Where can I get information on Canadian industry and trade?Industry, Science and Technology Canada (ISTC) and External Affairs andInternational Trade Canada (EAITC) provide services, information products,and programs in industry and trade matters.ISTC                                    EAITCC.D. Howe Building                      InfoExport1st Floor, East Tower                   Lester B. Pearson Building235 Queen Street                        125 Sussex DriveOttawa, Ontario                         Ottawa, OntarioK1A 0H5                                 K1A 0G2Tel. 613-952-4782 [952-ISTC]            Tel. 613-993-6435Fax  613-957-7942                            800-267-8376                                        Fax  613-996-9709Also see the question "How can I access documents by the Department ofIndustry and Science, Government of Canada?" under Electronic Sourcesof Information.-----     9.2 How can I start a business in Canada?Contact your nearest Canadian Embassy or Consulate, or: Investment Canada P.O. Box 2800, Station "D" Ottawa, Ontario K1P 6A5 Tel. 613-995-0465 Fax  613-996-2515-----     9.3 How can I contact economic development offices?Addresses of city economic development offices can be found in theAugust 1993 issue of Canadian Business.-----     9.4 What are sources of venture capital?Federal Business Development Bank800 Victoria SquareTour de la Place VictoriaMontreal, QuebecH4Z 1L4Tel. 800-361-2126Fax  514-283-0617FBDB is a federal Crown corporation.The 1991 publication "Venture Capital in Canada: A Guide and Sources"is available from: Association of Canadian Venture Capital Companies Suite 1000, 120 Eglinton Avenue East Toronto, Ontario M4P 1E2 Tel. 416-487-0519 Fax  416-322-6371------     9.5  What is Canada's foreign trade position?Exports: US$133.5 billion (1990)  partners:    US (68%), Japan, UK, Germany, South Korea, Netherlands, China  commodities:    newsprint, wood pulp, timber, crude petroleum, machinery, natural    gas, aluminum, motor vehicles and parts, telecommunications equipmentImports: US$124.7 billion  partners:    US (65%), Japan, UK, Germany, France, Mexico, Taiwan, South Korea  commodities:    crude petroleum, chemicals, motor vehicles and parts, durable    consumer goods, electronic computers, telecommunications equipment    and partsBalance of trade is traditionally positive (US$ 9,823,000,000 in 1990),but the balance of payments is always near or below zero.  That is due tothe exchange of services, especially tourism.  Many Canadians take theirvacations in the USA.Canada has an agreement on car production with the USA that allows it tobe one of the biggest exporting countries for cars, trucks, and parts(most are exported to the USA).  Now there is the Free Trade Agreement(FTA) with the USA.  This started in 1989 and its implementation is stillin progress.  Canada and US still have some disagreements because ofCanada's government intervention (i.e. subsidies) in the Canadian economy.The USA and Canada are negotiating the expansion of the FTA into a NorthAmerican FTA (NAFTA) that would include Mexico.  The initiative in thiswas from the USA, Mexico is willing, and the Canadian government feelslike it should participate.-----    9.6  What are the characteristics of the Canadian economy?From the CIA World Fact Book, 1992: "As an affluent, high-tech industrial society, Canada today closely resembles the US in per capita output, market-oriented economic system, and pattern of production.  Since World War II the impressive growth of the manufacturing, mining, and service sectors has transformed the nation from a largely rural economy into one primarily industrial and urban.  In the 1980s, Canada registered one of the highest rates of real growth among the OECD nations, averaging about 3.2%.  With its great natural resources, skilled labor force, and modern capital plant, Canada has excellent economic prospects.  However, the continuing constitutional impasse between English- and French-speaking areas has observers discussing a possible split in the confederation; foreign investors are becoming edgy."The national debt has become a major problem.  It is now over $450billion, and is increased every year by the snowball effect of theinterest on the debt.  Deficits are usually over $30 billion.  Over30% of all government expditure goes to paying the interest on theprincipal, and that proportion is going up.The labour force is divided: services 72.3%, manufacturing 20%,agriculture 4.5%, construction 3%, other 1.1% (1992)30.6% of the labour force is unionized (39.6% of nonagricultural paidworkers)The Gross Domestic Product (GDP), in 1991, was $709 billion (US$588.5Billion), with real annual growth of -1.5%, and the GDP per capita was$26,850 (US$22,293).  Agriculture accounts for 3% of the GDP.Unemployment is 12% (August 1993).-----------------------------------------------------------------MEDIA     10.1 What Canadian television shows can I see from abroad?Stewart Clamen (clamen@cs.cmu.edu) maintains a database of Canadiantelevision exports, the most recent of which can be retrieved viaanonymous ftp from byron.sp.cs.cmu.edu:canada/tv-exports.Z-----     10.2 What are some 50,000-watt AM radio stations originating from          Canada?Here is the list of CBC (English) / SRC (French) AM radio stations thatare powerful enough to reach many parts of the US up to a distance ofabout 750 miles / 1200 km from the border.  The 50,000-watt class Aclear-channel stations can easily be received up to 750 miles / 1200 kmaway from the transmitter with a good AM radio such as the GE SuperadioIII (approx. US $45-50 from K-Mart and other discount or electronicsstores).  The class A stations are authorized to reflect its signalsoff the ionosphere (skywave) to cover large areas.  CBC/SRC also hassome powerful class B stations with highly directional transmissionpatterns that are much more difficult, but not impossible, to receivein the US.  I have included both CBC/SRC AM stations in Windsor, ON, inthe list because these two stations are located just across the riverfrom Detroit.   AM Freq (kHz)  Call  City and Province     class    watts   -------------  ----  -----------------     -----    -----CBC       540     CBK   Regina, SK            A        50000          640     CBN   St. John's, NF        A        10000          690     CBU   Vancouver, BC         B        50000          740     CBL   Toronto, ON           A        50000          740     CBX   Edmonton, AB          B        50000          940     CBM   Montreal, PQ          A        50000          990     CBW   Winnipeg, MB          A        46000         1010     CBR   Calgary, AB           A        50000         1070     CBA   Moncton, NB           A        50000         1550     CBE   Windsor, ON           A        10000SRC       540     CBEF  Windsor, ON           B         5000          690     CBF   Montreal, PQ          A        50000          860     CJBC  Toronto, ON           A        50000          980     CBV   Quebec, PQ            B        50000         1580     CBJ   Chicoutimi, PQ        A        50000I did not include any FM stations since the most powerful FM stationsonly have ranges of about 125 miles / 200 km.  FM reception requiredirect line-of-sight to the transmitter.  As a result, Canadian FMstations are available only within 125 miles / 200 km from the borderunless one has a satellite dish.  <Oliver Tse>900 AM in Hamilton is another 50,000-watt channel.-----     10.3 How can I subscribe to some Canadian newspapers?Calgary Herald                           The Edmonton JournalThe Southam Newspaper Group              The Southam Newspaper Group215 16 Street S.E.                       The Journal BuildingP.O. Box 2400                            Edmonton, Alberta  T5J 2S6Station M                                Tel. 403-498-5500Calgary, Alberta  T2P 0W8Tel. 403-235-0121The Gazette                              The Globe and MailThe Southam Newspaper Group              444 Front Street West250 St. Antoine West                     Toronto, Ontario  M5V 2S9Montreal, Quebec  H2Y 3R7                Tel. 800-668-1503Tel. 800-361-8478, Ext. 2400The Ottawa Citizen                       The Toronto StarThe Southam Newspaper Group              1 Yonge Street1101 Baxter Road                         Toronto, Ontario  M5E 1E6Box 5020                                 Tel. 416-367-4500Ottawa, Ontario  K2C 3M4Tel. 613-596-1950LA PRESSE est publi'ee par LA PRESSE, LT'EE, 7, rue Saint-Jacques,Montr'eal H2Y 1K9.  Seule la Presse Canadienne est autoris'ee `a diffuserles informations de LA PRESSE et celles des services de la PresseAssoci'ee et de Reuter.  Tous droits de reproduction des informationsparticuli`eres `a LA PRESSE sont 'egalement r'eserv'es.RENSEIGNEMENTS  (514) 285-7272REDACTION       (514) 285-7070La Presse                        La Presse is published in French7 St. Jacques StreetMontreal, Quebec  H2Y 1K9Tel. 514-285-7272The Vancouver Sun                        Winnipeg Free PressPacific Press Ltd.                       Thomson Newspapers Company Limited2250 Granville Street                    1355 Mountain AvenueVancouver, British Columbia  V6H 3G2     Winnipeg, Manitoba  R2X 3B6Tel. 604-736-2281                        Tel. 204-697-7001-----     10.4 How can I subscribe to some Canadian magazines?Current Affairs (Weekly):        Maclean's                       Tel: (416) 596-5523  or 1-800-268-6811        Box 4003, Station A             Fax  (416) 596-2510        Toronto, Ontario        M5W 2B8        ISSN 0024-9262        Subscription (September 1993)        Canadian funds:                Canada: $39.95 /year, $69.95 /2 years                USA (surface): $55.00                USA (first class): $125.00                Other countries (air mail): $160.00Business (monthly):         Canadian Business               Tel: (416) 946-0406        PO BOX 30000 Station B          Fax  (416) 364-2783        Markham, Ontario        M7Y 7A2        ISSN 0008-3100        Subscription (September 1993)        Canadian funds:                Canada: $24 /year, $60 /3 years                Others: $40 /year, $100 /3 years                Back copies: $3 plus postage   (Last Corporate Top 500 was June 1993)-----     10.5  Comment puis-je m'abonner a certaines revues canadiennes?Actualite' (20 nume'ro/anne'e):        L'Actualite'                   Tel: (514) 843-2552        1001 boul. Maisonneuve Ouest        Montreal, Quebec        H3A 3E1        ISSN 03830-8714        Abonnement (Octobre 1993)                                Canada: 25$ /anne'e + Taxes                E'tats-Unis: 40$ /anne'e                Autres: 54$ /anne'eVulgarisation scientifique (10 nume'ro/anne'e):        Que'bec Science                Tel: (418) 657-4391        C.P. 250        Sillery, Que'bec        G1T 2R1        En France:        Dawson France, B.P. 57, 91871, Palaiseau, Cedex, France        Abonnement:   Canada      E'tranger        (septembre 1993)        1 an           34.67$       43$        2 ans          59.86$       75$        3 ans          83.20$      105$-----     10.6 How can I listen to Canadian radio while abroad?          What is the Radio Canada International schedule?Radio Canada InternationalP.O. Box / Case postale 6000Montreal, Quebec   H3C 3A8RCI Program Schedule * September 26, 1993 - March 26, 1994English programming________________________________________________________________________SERVICE         DAY             UTC             FREQUENCIES-------         ---             ---             -----------E U R O P E A N   S E R V I C ERCI             MO-FR           0600-0630       6050U 6150 7155U 9760RCI             7D              1430-1500       9555U 11915S 11935U #15315                                                15325SRCI             7D              2130-2230       5995U 7260U 11945 13650                                                15325CBC             MO-FR           2300-2330       5995U 7250URCI             SA-SU           2300-0000       5995U 7250UCBC             MO-FR           2330-0100       5995U 7250UCBC             SU-MO           0000-0100       5995U 7250UA F R I C A N   S E R V I C ERCI             MO-FR           0600-0630       6050U 6150 7155U 9740U                                                9760 11905URCI             7D              1430-1500       9555U 11935U 15325S                                                #17820RCI             7D              2130-2230       5995U 7260U 11945 13650                                                13670 15140 15325 17820CBC             MO-FR           2300-2330       5995U 7250URCI             SA-SU           2300-0000       5995U 7250UCBC             MO-FR           2330-0100       5995U 7250UCBC             SU-MO           0000-0100       5995U 7250UM I D D L E   E A S T   S E R V I C ERCI             7D              0400-0430       6150S 9505M 9670URCI             MO-FR           0600-0630       6050U 11905URCI             7D              1430-1500       9555U 11935U 15325SRCI             7D              2130-2230       5995UU N I T E D   S T A T E S   S E R V I C ERCI             7D              0200-0300       6120 9755 11845CBC             7D              0300-0400       6010 9755CBC             MO-FR           1300-1400       11855 17820CBC             SU              1400-1700       11955 17820CBC             MO-FR           2300-2330       5960 9755 11845RCI             SA-SU           2300-0000       5960 9755 11845CBC             MO-FR           2330-0100       5960 9775CBC             SU-MO           0000-0100       5960 9755A S I A N   S E R V I C ERCI             7D              1230-1300       6150Y 11730YRCI             7D              1330-1357       6150X 9535XRCI             7D              1630-1657       7150X 9550XCBC             MO-FR           2200-2230       11705YRCI             SA-SU           2200-2230       11705YL A T I N   A M E R I C A N   S E R V I C ERCI             7D              0200-0300       9535 11845 11940CBC             7D              0300-0400       6010 9725CBC             MO-FR           2300-2300       9535 11845 11940RCI             SA-SU           2300-0000       9535 11845 11940C A R I B B E A N   S E R V I C ERCI             7D              0200-0300       9535 11845 11940CBC             7D              0300-0400       6010 9725CBC             MO-FR           1300-1400       17820CBC             SU              1400-1700       17280CBC             MO-FR           2300-2330       9535 11845 11940RCI             SA-SU           2300-0000       9535 11845 11940-----------------------------------------------------------------------------This schedule is subject to change without notice.  All times and days inUTC (Coordinated Universal Time).Service Column: RCI - broadcast containing Radio Canada International program                CBC - broadcast containing Canadian Broadcasting Corporation                      programs (of particular interest to Canadians abroad)Frequencies Column:     M - Relay from Moosbrunn (Austria)                        S - Relay from Sines (Portugal)                        U - Relay from Skelton (England)                        X - Relay from Xian (China)                        Y - Relay from Yamata (Japan)                        # - Monday through Saturday service                        $ - First half hour only-----------------------------------------------------------------------------P R O G R A M   D E T A I L S-----------------------------------------------------------------------------Radio Canada International ProgramsUTC             DAY             PROGRAM DESCRIPTIONS---             ---             --------------------0200-0300       TU-SA           SPECTRUM *[1]0200-0300       SU              INNOVATION CANADA *[5], EARTH WATCH [5]                MO              ARTS IN CANADA *[4], THE MAILBAG0400-0430       TU-SA           SPECTRUM *[1]0400-0430       SU              INNOVATION CANADA *[5]                MO              THE MAILBAG *0600-0630       MO-FR           REPORT TO PEACEKEEPERS *[6]1230-1300       MO-FR           SPECTRUM *[1]1230-1300       SA              INNOVATION CANADA *[5]                SU              THE MAILBAG *1330-1400       MO-FR           SPECTRUM *[1]1330-1400       SA              INNOVATION CANADA *[5]                SU              ARTS IN CANADA *[4]1430-1500       MO-FR           SPECTRUM *[1]1430-1500       SA              INNOVATION CANADA *[5]                SU              ARTS IN CANADA *[4]1630-1700       MO-FR           SPECTRUM *[1]1630-1700       SA              INNOVATION CANADA *[5]                                THE MAILBAG *2130-2230       MO-FR           SPECTRUM *[1]2130-2200       SA              INNOVATION CANADA *[5]                       SU              ARTS IN CANADA *[4]2200-2230       SA              EARTH WATCH **[5]                SU              THE MAILBAG2300-2300       SA              INNOVATION CANADA **[5]                SU              ARTS IN CANADA **[4]2330-0000       SA              EARTH WATCH **[5]                SU              THE MAILBAGCanadian Broadcasting Corporation Programs0000-0100       SU              THE INSIDE TRACK **[3]                MO              OPEN HOUSE **[4]0300-0400       TU-SA           BEST OF MORNINGSIDE **[1]0300-0400       SU              THE INSIDE TRACK **[3]                MO              QUIRKS AND QUARKS **[5]1300-1400       MO              OPEN HOUSE *[4]                TU-FR           AS IT HAPPENS *[1]1400-1700       SU              SUNDAY MORNING **[1]2200-2230       MO-FR           WORLD AT SIX [2]2300-2330       MO-FR           WORLD AT SIX [2]2330-0100       MO-FR           AS IT HAPPENS [1]-----------------------------------------------------------------------------*       indicates that the program is preceded by a RCI newscast**      indicates that the program is preceded by a CBC newscast[1]     Current Affairs[2]     News Magazine[3]     Sports[4]     Cultural[5]     Science or Environment[6]     Program for Canadian PeacekeepersRADIO CANADA INTERNATIONAL (RCI)PROGRAMME-HORAIRE DU 26 SEPTEMBRE AU 26 MARS1993 - 1994EMISSIONS EN FRANCAIS____________________________________________________________________________SERVICE         JOUR            UTC             FREQUENCES (kHz)-------         ----            ---             ----------------A M E R I Q U E   L A T I N ERCI             7J              0100-0200       $9535 $11845 $11940 13720SRC             LU-VE           2230-2300       9755 11940RCI             SA-DI           2230-2300       9755 11940A F R I Q U ERCI             LU-VE           0630-0700       6050U 6150 7155U 9740U                                                9760 11905USRC             7J              1500-1600       9555U 11935U 15325S                                                #17820 21545RCI             7J              2030-2130       5995U 7260U 11945 13650                                                13670 15140 15325 17820SRC             LU-VE           2230-2300       5995U 7230U 11945 13670      17820RCI             SA-DI           2230-2300       5995U 7230U 11945 13670      17820A N T I L L E SRCI             7J              0100-0200       $9535 $11845 $11940 13720SRC             LU-VE           1300-1400       15425SRC             DI              1400-1700       11855SRC             LU-VE           2230-2300       9755 11940RCI             SA-DI           2230-2300       9755 11940E T A T S - U N I S RCI             7J              0100-0200       5960 9755 $11845SRC             LU-VE           1300-1400       9560 15425SRC             DI              1400-1700       11855SRC             LU-VE           2230-2300       5960 9755RCI             SA-DI           2230-2300       5960 9755A S I ESRC             LU-VE           1200-1230       6150Y 11730YRCI             SA-SU           1200-1230       6150Y 11730YSRC             7J              2230-2300       11705YRCI             SA-DI           2230-2300       11705YE U R O P ERCI             LU-VE           0630-0700       6050U 6150 7155U 9760SRC             7J              1500-1600       9555U 11935U $11915S                                                #15315 $15325S 21545RCI             7J              2030-2130       5995U 7230U 11945 13650                                                15325SRC             LU-VE           2230-2300       5995U 7230U 11945RCI             SA-DI           2230-2300       5995U 7230U 11945M O Y E N - O R I E N TRCI             7J              0300-0330       6025U 9505MRCI             LU-VE           0630-0700       6050U 11905U SRC             7J              1500-1600       9555U 11935U $15325SRCI             7J              2030-2130       5995USRC             LU-VE           2230-2300       5995URCI             SA-DI           2230-2300       5995U-----------------------------------------------------------------------------Cet horaire peut etre modifie sans preavis.Les periodes et les jours sont en UTC (Temps Universel)colone Service:    RCI - diffusion contentant des emissions de Radio Canada International    SRC - diffusion contentant des emissions de la Societe Radio-Canada          (interet particulier pour les canadiens a l'etranger)colonne Jour:    7J: 7 jours par semaine    LU: Lundi MA: Mardi   ME: Mercredi  JE: Jeudi    VE: Vendredi   SA: Samedi   DI: Dimancecolonne Frequences:     M - Relais Moosbrunn (Autriche)                        S - Relais Sines (Portugal)                        U - Relais Skelton (Royaume-Uni)                        Y - Relais Yamata (Japon)                        # - frequence utilisee du lundi au samedi seulement                        $ - frequence utilisee la premiere demi-heure       de la diffusion seulement-----------------------------------------------------------------------------C O N T E N U   D E S   E M I S S I O N S -----------------------------------------------------------------------------Emissions de Radio Canada InternationalUTC             JOUR          DESCRIPTION DES EMISSIONS---             ----          -------------------------0100-0200       MA-SA         LES ACTUALITES CANADIENNES *[1]0100-0200       DI            EUREKA *[6], PLANETE [5]                LU            VIE D'ARTISTE *[4], LE COURRIER DES AUDITEURS [4]0300-0330       MA-SA         LES ACTUALITES CANADIENNES *[1]0300-0330       DI            EUREKA *[6],                 LU            LE COURRIER DES AUDITEURS *[4]0630-0700       LU-VE         LE MAGAZINE DES CASQUES BLUES *[7]1200-1230       SA            EUREKA **[6],                 DI            LE COURRIER DES AUDITEURS **2030-2130       LU-VE         LES ACTUALITES CANADIENNES *[1]2030-2130       SA            EUREKA *[6], PLANETE [5]                DI            VIE D'ARTISTE *[4], LE COURRIER DES AUDITEURS [4]2230-2300       SA            VIE D'ARTISTE *[4]                DI            LE COURRIER DES AUDITEURS *[4]Emissions de la Societe Radio-CanadaUTC             JOUR          DESCRIPTION DES EMISSIONS---             ----          -------------------------1200-1230       LU-VE         LE RADIO JOURNAL [2], LES ACTUALITES [1]1300-1400       LU-VE         LE RADIO JOURNAL [2], CBF-CBV-CBOF BONJOUR [1]1400-1700       DI            DIMANCHE MAGAZINE **[1],          AUJOURD'HUI LA SCIENCE [5]1500-1600       LU-VE         EN DIRECT **[4]1500-1600       SA            VIE HEBDO RADIO *[1]                DI            C'EST LA FAUTE AUX MEDIAS **[1]2230-2300       LU-VE         LE RADIO JOURNAL [2]-----------------------------------------------------------------------------*       indique que l'emmision est precedee d'un bulletin de nouvelles de RCI**      indique que l'emmision est precedee d'un bulletin de nouvelles de SRC[1] Affaires publiques[2]     Magazine d'informations[3]     Sports[4]     Culture[5]     Science or Environnement[6]     Innovation technologiques[7] Emissions pours les Casques Bleus canadiens-----------------------------------------------------------------------------Radio Canada InternationalP.O. Box / Case postale 6000Montreal, CanadaH3C 3A8--------------------------------------------------------------------------------STATISTICAL INFORMATION     11.1 What is the population of Canada?                           1991 Census              Change from 1986 census                      Population    % of Canada     population  % changeOntario               10,084,885       36.9         +983,191     +10.8Quebec                 6,895,963       25.3         +363,502      +5.6British Columbia       3,282,061       12.0         +398,694     +13.8Alberta                2,545,553        9.3         +179,728      +7.6Manitoba               1,091,942        4.0         +28,926       +2.7Saskatchewan             988,928        3.6         -20,685       -2.0Nova Scotia              899,942        3.3         +26,766       +3.1New Brunswick            723,900        2.7         +14,458       +2.0Newfoundland             568,474        2.1             125       +0.0Prince Edward Island     129,765        0.5          +3,119       +2.5Northwest Territories     57,649        0.2          +5,411      +10.4Yukon                     27,797        0.1          +4,293      +18.3Canada                27,296,859      100.0      +1,987,528       +7.9The growth rate is around 1.3%. The population density is very low: 3 per square km (vs 27 for the USA,   103 for France, 223 for Germany, 5,600 for Hong Kong)77% of the population is urbanized.80% live within 100 miles (160 km) of the US border.-----     11.2 What is the census breakdown by language spoken?See the answer under Society and Culture.-----     11.3 How large are Canada's major and mid-sized cities?There are the cities with a census metropolitan area (CMA) populationof 125,000 or more, by 1991 census figures as reported by the CanadianGlobal Almanac 1993.                               CMA     city proper    *Toronto, ON            3,893,000     635,400     Montreal, QC           3,127,000   1,017,700     Vancouver, BC          1,603,000     471,800   **Ottawa, ON               921,000     314,000    *Edmonton, AB             840,000     616,700     Calgary, AB              754,000     710,700    *Winnipeg, MB             652,000     616,800    *Quebec, QC               646,000     167,500     Hamilton, ON             600,000     318,500     London, ON               382,000     382,000     St. Catharines, ON       365,000     129,300     Kitchener, ON            356,000     168,300    *Halifax, NS              321,000      67,800    *Victoria, BC             288,000      71,200     Windsor, ON              262,000     191,400     Oshawa, ON               240,000     129,300     Saskatoon, SK            210,000     186,100    *Regina, SK               192,000     179,200    *St. John's, NF           172,000      95,700     Chicoutimi, QC           161,000      62,700     Sudbury, ON              158,000      92,900     Sherbrooke, QC           139,000      76,400     Trois-Rivieres, QC       136,000      49,400    *St. John, NB             125,000      76,400     Thunder Bay, ON          124,000     114,000These are other cities or (x) towns exceeding 125,000 that are withinthe above CMAs:     North York, ON        (Toronto)      562,600     Scarborough, ON       (Toronto)      524,600     Mississauga, ON       (Toronto)      463,400     Laval, QC             (Montreal)     314,400     Etobicoke, ON         (Toronto)      310,000     Brampton, ON          (Toronto)      234,400    xMarkham, ON           (Toronto)      153,800     York, ON              (Toronto)      140,500     Longueuil, QC         (Montreal)     129,900     Burlington, ON        (Hamilton)     129,600And these are the other provincial and territorial capitals:    +Whitehorse, YT                        17,900    *Charlottetown, PE                     15,400    +Yellowknife, NT                       15,200**National capital; *provincial capital; +territorial capital.<Mark Brader>--     11.4 How can I access data provided by Statistics Canada on the Internet?Statistics Canada daily news releases are available via the NationalCapital Freenet in Ottawa (see 13.1).From the main menu, select "News stand".  Select "Stats Canada daily newsreleases".  The freenet keeps copies of only the last 5 days' release,about 25-30 of them.  You do not need to register with the freenet inorder to access these statistics; login as "guest".You can also get a suscription from Statistics Canada.  They will send yousemi-annual updates on CD-ROM for a few hundred dollars per year.  A 50% discount is offered to teaching institutions and students.-----------------------------------------------------------------ELECTRONIC SOURCES OF INFORMATION      12.1 How can I get Internet access in Canada?There is a gopher server at is.internet.nic that lists Internetproviders (the Xmosaic URL is gopher://is.internic.net:70/11/infosource).Look under "Getting connected to the internet" and "North AmericanInternet Provider's List".UniForum Atlantic is a users group that serves users of TCP/IP networksas part of its goal to promote Open Systems.  Interested parties cancontact me at G_White@BIOnet.BIO.DFO.ca, or send mail touniforum-board@cs.dal.ca.<George White>EDMONTONBulletin board systems with Usenet access:        Edmonton Remote Systems at 403-454-6093, 403-452-3254, and         403-454-1808 is available free of charge.        Freddy's Place at 403-457-0125 is available at ~$100.00 a year.        The Outland at 403-475-0588 is also available at a cost.        These two may be easier to use for novices (both run PCBoard).MONTREAL AREA The GameMaster at 514-385-6144.  Log in as "new" and answer the questions.  The system will automatically sign you up.  Once signed up, hang up and call 514-858-7777.  You should benefit from a 10-minute no-bumping period once per day as a guest member. You have unlimited time as long as one of the 15 lines is free.  This is simply because there are a number of paying members.  The various classes of membership are guest and free -- both of which are free -- basic, standard, extended, elite and finally ultra.  Each successive class costs more and gives access to more as well as benefitting from additional time called "busy-minutes".  Members of the ultra class are never bumped.  All this is explained under option M (Membership).NEWFOUNDLAND AND LABRADOR NLnet is a non-profit organization formed to provide Internet and IP connectivity to users in Newfoundland and Labrador. NLnet presently offers a "Personal Account Service" that provides dialup access to a UNIX account.  Account holders have email, FTP, news, gopher, and other Internet services.  This service is available to anyone for a set fee.  Anyone interested in IP or Internet services provided by NLnet in Newfoundland and Labrador can contact me at mreid@random.ucs.mun.ca. <Mike Reid>OTTAWA        NATIONAL CAPITAL FREE-NET - Ottawa, Canada          David Sutherland          Computing Services          Carleton University          Ottawa, Ontario   K1S 5B6          Modem: (613) 780-3733          Telnet: freenet.carleton.ca  (134.117.1.25)          Modem configuration: 8 data bits, 1 stop bit, no parity          Log in as "guest" and follow instructionsTORONTO AREAA BBS# directory listing for the Toronto (416) dialing area released byThe International Programmers Guild can be obtained at:Data lines Guild BBS - (905) 824-4731 - HST 12/24/9600 Toronto/Mississauga                       (416) 693-7108 - HST 12/24/9600 Markham/Pickering                       (905) 825-9291 - HST 12/24/9600 Oakville/Burlington.Data line access outside of local calling from area code 416:                       - Dial "CENTRAL" or 236-8725                       - Wait for Dial Tone                       - Then Dial "4731"FidoNet Node 259/419FAX line             - (905) 824-5139Voice - General Info - (905) 824-7947 - During business hours onlyVoice line access outside of local calling in area code 416:                       - Dial "CENTRAL" or 236-8725                       - Wait for Dial Tone                       - Then Dial "7947"        Internex Online Inc. at 416-363-3783.  Log in as  NEW        MAGIC at 416-288-1767.  This is a Mac environment and uses        FIRSTCLASS software which can be obtained when you first log on.VANCOUVER        InterNet NM at 604-988-6345  (8/N/1)        Mindlink at 604-576-1214.  Log in as  guest        Versailles at 604-477-4688 contact at 1:340/43.  Sysop is Duncan Brooks.        VICTORIA FREE-NET - Victoria, British Columbia          Victoria Free-Net Association          C/O Vancouver Island Advanced Technology Centre (VIATC)          Suite 203-1110 Government Street          Victoria, British Columbia  V8W 1Y2   CANADA          Modem: (604) 595-2300          Telnet: freenet.victoria.bc.ca  (134.87.16.100)-----     12.2 What Canadian-interest newsgroups exist?Widely available newsgroups are:        alt.music.canada        misc.invest.canada        rec.sport.football.canadian        rec.sport.hockey        soc.culture.canada (has widest distribution).There is also the can.* geographic hierarchy, featuring groups such as:        can.general:         General interest        can.politics:        Political topics        can.francais:        Focus on French Canadian topics        can.jobs:            Job listings        can.legal:           Legal discussions.The can.* hierarchy is available throughout Canada, and at a number offoreign sites.-----     12.3 Is there anything about Canada in the World Wide Web?Those of you who have an interest in Canada and the World Wide Web areinvited to try out my WWW Canada page.For more information about the World Wide Web, please consult thewww-FAQ, posted to comp.infosystems.www.Here are URL references to the<AHREF="http://www.cs.cmu.edu:8001/afs/cs.cmu.edu/user/clamen/misc/Canadiana/README.html">English-language</A>and <AHREF="http://www.cs.cmu.edu:8001/afs/cs.cmu.edu/user/clamen/misc/Canadiana/LISEZ.html">French-language</A> versions of the page.<ADDRESS> <IMG SRC="http://www.cs.cmu.edu:8001/afs/cs/user/clamen/mosaic/small-face.gif"><A HREF="http://www.cs.cmu.edu:8001/afs/cs/user/clamen/mosaic/whois-stewy.html">clamen@cs.cmu.edu</A></ADDRESS><Stewart Clamen>-----     12.4 What Internet-accessible libraries of Canadian interest exist?[ more specific detail required ]Look in a Hytelnet server:                        telnet access.usask.ca or telnet 128.233.3.1                        telnet info.ccit.arizona.edu or 129.196.76.201                        telnet laguna.epcc.edu or 192.94.29.3 (Login: library)                        telnet info.anu.edu.au or 150.203.84.20(Login:library)                        telnet library.adelaide.edu.au (Login: access)                        telnet nctuccca.edu.tw or 140.111.3.21 (TAIWAN)                        telnet info.mcc.ac.uk or telnet 130.88.200.15                        telnet rsl.ox.ac.uk or telnet 129.67.16.31   offers: univ. & library catalogues around the world. (Login: hytelnet)-----     12.5 How can I access documents by the Canadian government's          Department of Industry and Science?This pilot project currently makes nine telecommunications-relateddocuments available in both official languages, English and French.****  ftp accessDocuments are available in ASCII format, uncompressed, via anonymous ftpfrom:debra.dgbt.doc.ca  pub/isc/For the most recent index of files, retrieve "00readme"***   Listserv accessThese files are also available via Listserv for people with e-mailaccess only.  The address is:listserv@debra.dgbt.doc.caTo retrieve the most recent index of documents available, send thefollowing command alone in the body of the message:get isc 00readme------------------------------------------------------------Industrie et Sciences Canada, du gouvernement du Canada, a le plaisird'introduire une base de donnees des documents.  Cette base du donneesdu project pilote comprend presentement neuf documents relies auxtelecommunications, dans les deux langues officielles du Canada,francais et anglais.***  Acces par ftpTous les documents sont accessibles en format ASCII non comprime,par "anonymous ftp" a:debra.dgbt.doc.ca  pub/isc/pour obtenir l'index le plus recent prendre le fichier "00lisez"***  Acces par ListservCes fichiers sont egalement accessibles par Listserv aux personnesmunies de l'acces par courrier electronique seulement.  L'adresseest la suivante:listserv@debra.dgbt.doc.caPour obtenir l'index le plus recent des documents disponibles,envoyez la commande suivante isolement dans le corps du message:get isc 00LISEZ****<Tyson Macaulay>        12.6 Where can I find e-mail addresses of government bodies?E-mail addresses of the Government of Ontario have been compiled by Dr. Joe Baptista (baptista@planet.org). The lists are available by sending e-mail to listserv@planet.org and including in the body of your message oneor more of the following commands: get /public/gov.ont/e-mail/govonca.txt get /public/gov.ont/e-mail/mcugovon.txt-----------------------------------------------------------------GENERAL INFORMATION        13.1 What are the time zones in Canada? There are six time zones in Canada, at the usual one-hour intervals exceptfor Newfoundland Time which is only 30 minutes ahead of Atlantic Time.Newfoundland Time is not used in the whole province of Newfoundland,but only on the island of Newfoundland.  Except for Saskatchewan, whichis always on Standard Time, all areas of Canada observe Daylight SavingTime, moving clocks ahead by one hour for the summer.  Currently theDST period is from the first Sunday in April until the last Sunday inOctober, the same as in the USA.  Time Zone        Abbrev. and offset vs. GMT        Provinces and Terrs.    Name           Standard       Daylight Saving    Where Used  Pacific          PST  -0800     PDT  -0700         BC, YT  Mountain         MST  -0700     MDT  -0600         BC, AB, SK, NT  Central          CST  -0600     CDT  -0500         SK, MB, ON, NT  Eastern          EST  -0500     EDT  -0400         ON, QC, NT  Atlantic         AST  -0400     ADT  -0300         QC, NB, NS, PE, NF, NT  Newfoundland     NST  -0330     NDT  -0230         NFHistorical notes:  - There was once a Yukon Time zone (YST, -0900), but this was abolished    in the early 1970s, and the Yukon Territory changed to Pacific Time.  - The whole province of Newfoundland tried advancing two hours instead    of one hour for the DST period circa 1990.  This was only done once.<Mark Brader>-----     13.2 How can I, a Canadian resident, check my own credit record?Write a letter to Equifax and include your full name, home address,date of birth, social insurance number, phone number, and the name ofyour employer.  Sign the letter and mail it to:Equifax60 Bloor Street West, Suite 1200Toronto, OntarioM4W 3C1They will call you and you can review the information over the phone.<Rene Lampe>-----      13.3 As a Canadian living abroad, how can I vote?Recent changes to the Canada Elections Act now make it possible forCanadians residing outside Canada to vote in Federal Elections bySpecial Ballot.  You are eligible to vote by special ballot fromoutside Canada if:  you are a Canadian citizen who has reached the ageof 18 by election day; and you have resided outside Canada for lessthan five years (or you are exempt due to employment in certainorganizations); and you intend to resume your residence in Canada.For more information, and to obtain your Voter Registration Form andGuide, contact your nearest Canadian embassy, high commission, orconsulate.  Or call Elections Canada in Ottawa at 1-613-993-2975;1-800-267-VOTE(8683) toll free from Canada and the United States; or1-800-361-8935 TDD, toll free from Canada and the United States.You may also contact Elections Canada through Internet by addressinge-mail to martin.lax@synapse.orgor by writing to:       Elections Canada                        Ottawa, Ontario                        Canada  K1A 0M6If you have any friends, relatives or employees who are residingoutside Canada, tell them about this new opportunity or call ElectionsCanada with their names and addresses.  Elections Canada will send thema voter's guide and a registration form.  Upon returning thisapplication they will be eligible to receive a Special Ballot themoment an election is called.Quebec also has a vote-by-mail program.  To qualify, you need to havelived in Quebec (enumeration is probably sufficient) in the past twoyears, and have not set up permanent residency anywhere else.  Write aletter to this address asking for a registration form:Service aux e'lecteurs hors du Que'bec3460, rue de La Pe'radeSainte-Foy, Que'becG1X 3Y5-----     13.4  Where can I list my non-profit organization?Here is a list of directories in which Canadian associations, foundations,and other non-profit groups can be listed.  There is no charge to belisted in any of them.  Most public and school libraries have at leastone of these directories.  Just send a letter or fax to each directoryto ask that your group be listed in the next edition of the directory.The addresses below are correct as of February 1993. Associations Canada Canadian Almanac & Directory Publishing Co. 134 Adelaide Street East, Suite 207 Toronto, Ontario M5C 1K9 telephone (416) 362-4088 fax (416) 362-4181 Corpus Almanac and Canadian Sourcebook Attn: Associations Editor 1450 Don Mills Road Don Mills, Ontario M3B 2X7 telephone (416) 445-6641 fax (416) 442-2200 International Organizations Gale Research Inc. 835 Penobscot Building Detroit, MI 48226-4094 U.S.A. telephone (313) 961-2242 fax (313) 961-6815 Directory of Associations in Canada Micromedia Limited 20 Victoria Street Toronto, Ontario M5C 2N8 telephone (416) 362-5211, ext. 2254 fax (416) 362-1699Some associations that deal with the media may also want topay to be listed in Sources, a directory for journalists.For information about Sources and the cost of a listing, contact: Sources 4 Phipps Street, Suite 109 Toronto, Ontario M4Y 1J5 telephone (416) 964-7799 fax (416) 964-8763<Nigel Allen>-----     13.5 What is the geography of Canada like?From the CIA World Fact Book:Total area:    9,976,140 km2Land area:    9,220,970 km2Comparative area:    slightly larger than USLand boundaries:    8,893 km with US (includes 2,477 km with Alaska)Coastline:    243,791 kmMaritime claims:  Continental shelf:    200 m (depth) or to depth of exploitation  Exclusive fishing zone:    200 nm  Territorial sea:    12 nmDisputes:    maritime boundary disputes with the USClimate:    varies from temperate in south to subarctic and arctic in northTerrain:    mostly plains with mountains in west and lowlands in southeastNatural resources:    nickel, zinc, copper, gold, lead, molybdenum, potash, silver, fish, timber,    wildlife, coal, crude oil, natural gasLand use:    arable land 5%; permanent crops NEGL%; meadows and pastures 3%; forest and    woodland 35%; other 57%; includes NEGL% irrigatedEnvironment:    80% of population concentrated within 160 km of US border; continuous    permafrost in north a serious obstacle to developmentNote:    second-largest country in world (after Russia); strategic location between    Russia and US via north polar route-----     13.6 How does the postal system work in Canada?The Canadian postal system is government operated.  The Crowncorporation in charge of it is "Canada Post Corporation" (CPC).Mail deliveries are daily from Monday to Friday, and a letter mailed tothe same city will usually take 2-3 days.  Deliveries to other citieswithin Canada will usually be made in no more than 4-5 days.The postal code has the form "A9A 9A9".  In cities a postal codespecifies the address down to one side of a city block, or evenmore precisely in the case of high-rise buildings or large-volumemail receivers.  To avoid confusion with similar letters and digits,the letters D, F, I, O, Q, and V are never used.All letters must be capitalized, and a blank space (never a dash orperiod) must separate the first three characters from the last ones.The first letter of the postal code:        Newfoundland (NF)          = A        Nova Scotia (NS)           = B        Prince Edward Island (PE)  = C        New Brunswick (NB)         = E        Quebec (PQ)                = G (East), H (Metro Montreal), J (West)            (The abbreviation QC is used very often for Quebec)        Ontario (ON)               = K (East), L (South Central), M (Metro     Toronto), N (Southwest), P (North)        Manitoba (MB)              = R        Saskatchewan (SK)          = S        Alberta (AB)               = T        British Columbia (BC)      = V        Yukon territory (YT)       = X        Northwest Territories (NT) = YSending a letter to Canada:        Make sure you include the postal code.  Also mention Canada on the bottom line to make sure the letter is directed to Canada. Official CPC symbols for province, street type and direction,..., are PREFERRED rather than the full name.  The postal code should always be on the last line.                        Name of the Company                        123 Laurier St.                        Ottawa, ON                        CANADA  K1K 2R4<M.S.>You can order a National Postal Code Directory from Canada PostCorporation by calling 1-800-565-4362 from Canada or 1-800-565-1336from the United States.  You can pay with Visa or MasterCard,I believe, and this would probably be the most convenient way forsomeone from outside Canada to pay.The price is $11 (Canadian) plus GST and provincial sales tax.There is no tax if the directory is shipped to an address outside Canada.Some postal stations sell the directories, but most do not.You can also order it by mail from: National Philatelic Centre Canada Post Corporation Antigonish, NS B2G 2R8 Disclaimer: I don't work for Canada Post.<Nigel Allen>-----     13.7  How does the phone system work in Canada?Canada is integrated with the USA (and a number of Caribbean islands)for purposes of telephone numbering.  Therefore we use 3-digit areacodes and 7-digit phone numbers, and long-distance calls to other areacodes are dialed the same way whether the destination number is inCanada or the USA.  The actual dialing methods vary from place to placeand according to how the call is to be billed.The phone system is operated by private monopolies licensed by agovernment body called the CRTC.  The biggest phone company is BellCanada, operating in Ontario and Quebec.  Other private companiesinclude British Colombia Telephone, Quebec Telephone (Eastern Quebec),New Brunswick Telephone, and more.  Some provincial governments haveinvested in their own telephone companies: Saskatchewan Telecommunicationsand the Manitoba Telephone System.The long distance business was monopolistic too, before recent changesthat now allow any other company to be a long distance carrier.The telephone companies charge a flat rate to all subscribers forunlimited calls in the local area.  The size of the local calling areavaries considerably; in Ontario, Scarborough to Oakville is a localcall, but Guelph to Kitchener is not.  The flat rate depends on thenumber of telephones in the local calling area; $15 a month would betypical.  Long-distance calls are charged individually.Directory assistance can be reached dialing 411 for informationin the local area code, or by dialing 1-area code-555-1212.--                    |Martin Savard       |    Character is simply habit long continuedOttawa, Canada      |                     |                         - Plutarch 