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The province of Manitoba has a majority Progressive Conservative government, formed on 10 September 2019. The premier of the province is Heather Stefanson and the lieutenant-governor is Anita R. Neville. Manitoba joined Confederation in 1870 and its legislature met for the first time the following year.

In 1771, Moravian missionaries were the first Europeans to settle in Labrador. Over a 133-year period, they established a series of eight missions along the coast which became the focus of religious, social and economic activities for the Inuit who gradually came to settle near the communities. Moravians had a huge impact on the life and culture of Labrador Inuit. What emerged was a unique culture rooted in Inuit traditions with indigenized European practices. The last Moravian missionary left Labrador in 2005, but the Moravian church, its customs and traditions are still very much alive in Labrador.

The province of Alberta has a majority United Conservative Party government, formed on 16 April 2019. The premier of the province is Danielle Smith and the lieutenant-governor is Salma Lakhani. Its first premier, Alexander C. Rutherford, was elected in 1905, after the province joined Confederation. Historically, Alberta provincial politics have been characterized by governing parties commanding huge majorities in the legislature, remaining in power for lengthy periods and then being decisively beaten by a new political force.

The early Inuit (Thule) were an Indigenous people who began to occupy the Arctic, from Alaska to Greenland, around 1000 CE. In the winter, the early Inuit used a house built partially into the ground to keep them warm for long periods of time. One striking feature of this structure was the roof, which was sometimes made of whalebone. (See also Architectural History of Indigenous Peoples in Canada.)

Canada has seven primary vegetation regions, in addition to the marine fauna found along the country’s coasts. Vegetation regions are geographical areas characterized by distinct plant communities. Community composition, determined primarily by climate (e.g., temperature, precipitation and sunlight), may be affected by factors such as geology, soil composition and erosion, water drainage patterns and human interference. Each vegetation region supports a characteristic animal community that may also affect its composition.

This is a full-length entry about Vegetation Regions. For a plain-language summary, please see Vegetation Regions (Plain-Language Summary).

Humans have been exploring the North American Arctic for centuries, beginning about 5,000 years ago when Palaeo-Inuit were looking for a homeland, followed by the early Inuit (Thule) — ancestors of the Inuit. European exploration of the same region began with the Norse in the 10th century and, after a short pause, was continued by Englishmen during the Elizabethan era (1558–1603). Over the next several hundred years, explorers ventured to the Arctic in search of resources, scientific knowledge, national prestige, personal fame and a navigable Northwest Passage. The most successful of these explorers adapted to the harsh Arctic environment and adopted the tools and practices of northern Indigenous peoples.

Before the arrival of Europeans, Indigenous peoples in Canada had their own building traditions. Dwellings and structures differed vastly from nation to nation, depending on their purpose and function. Building traditions also reflected important aspects of Indigenous peoples’ respective cultures, societies, geographies, environments and spiritual beliefs. This article provides an overview of the main types of dwellings and structures used by Indigenous peoples in the Arctic, Subarctic, Northwest Coast, Plateau, Plains and Eastern Woodlands.

The province of New Brunswick has a majority Progressive Conservative government, formed on 14 September 2020. The premier of the province is Blaine Higgs and the lieutenant-governor is Brenda Murphy. New Brunswick’s first premier following Confederation was Andrew Wetmore, who served from 1867 to 1870. New Brunswick politics have been dominated by one of two parties, the Liberals and the Conservatives (eventually Progressive Conservatives), each of which have held power for lengthy periods of time. In 1987, for example, Frank McKenna’s Liberal party won every seat in the legislature. This had only happened once before in Canadian history, when the Prince Edward Island Liberals won every seat in 1935.

The Treaty of Utrecht was an agreement between Britain and France, concluded on 11 April 1713 at Utrecht in the Netherlands, as part of the series of treaties ending the War of the Spanish Succession.

The prime minister (PM) is the head of the federal government. The PM is typically the leader of the party with the most seats in the House of Commons. The PM controls the governing party and speaks for it. They appoint senators and senior judges. They also appoint and dismiss all members of Cabinet. As chair of Cabinet, the PM controls its agenda and sets the goals of Parliament. Recent years have seen a debate over the growing power of prime ministers and the effect of this on Parliament.

This article is a plain-language summary of the Prime Minister of Canada. If you are interested in reading about this topic in more depth, please see our full-length entry: Prime Minister of Canada.