Happy Canada Day!

Canada became a country on July 1, 1867, when the British North America Act was passed by the British Parliament.  It was the culmination of many dreams, much effort, and considerable debate.  Canadian confederation is the story of peaceful, civilized political development with bountiful and substantial benefits for the new country and the mother country.

There is a lot to love about our country, from its glorious landscapes to its diverse peoples.  Its unique combination of beauty and odd history make it one of the magical places in the worlds.  Today, Canada celebrates its 152nd birthday.

Here are 13 (one for each province and territory) interesting facts to help commemorate the "Great White North".

• The Canadian motto, A Mari Usque ad Mare, means "From sea to sea".

• Canada got its own flag 100 years after it became a country (February 15, 1965).

• Alert, in Nunavut territory, is the northernmost permanent settlement in the world.

• You can write a letter in any language and send it to the North Pole, Canada, H0H 0H0 and you will receive a letter back from Santa.

• A black bear cub named Winnipeg, donated to the London Zoo in 1915, became a favorite of Christopher Robin Milne and inspired the stories written by his Father, A. A. Milne, about Winnie-the-Pooh.

• In Alberta's Banff National Park, overpasses that go over the highway are made for wildlife and have trees and shrubs growing on them.

• The east coast of Canada was settled by Vikings around the year 1000.

• The Westboro Baptist Church and its members are banned from entering Canada.

• Newfoundland was the first part of Canada to be explored by Europeans and the last part to become a province (in 1949).

• Canada has been invaded by the United States twice (in 1775 and 1812).

• Canada has the longest coastline of any country in the world at 243,977 km.

• The official phone number for Canada is 1-800-O-Canada.

• Manitou Lake on Manitoulin Island in Lake Huron is the world's largest lake within a lake (66 square km).