Monthly News. Most Admired Country in the World. A Controversial Deal with Iran. Wild Rose Country. The New Fishing Ban. His Royal Highness

Transcription

1 Monthly News ALBERTA FOR GRADES 8, 9 & 10 SEPTEMBER 2015 ALBERTA 1 Wild Rose Country NATIONAL 2 Most Admired Country in the World INTERNATIONAL 3 A Controversial Deal with Iran ENVIRONMENT 4 The New Fishing Ban FEATURE 5 His Royal Highness PROFILE 17 Kids Around The World: Serbia

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3 Wild Rose Country Alberta is one of Canada s three Prairie provinces. It is located in western Canada, bordered on the west by the province of British Columbia and on the east by the province of Saskatchewan. Alberta became a province on September 1, Today, Alberta has an estimated population of 4.15 million people, making it the fourth most populous province in Canada. More than half of this population live in two cities: Edmonton (the province s capital) and Calgary. Both cities have metropolitan populations of just over one million people, and are regarded as important centres for business. Despite the concentration of people in cities, Alberta has a strong agricultural economy. The province is known for growing wheat, corn, and barley, as well as for raising cattle to produce worldfamous Alberta beef. While known as a Prairie province, Alberta has a varied landscape, with vast forests in the north and the majestic Rocky Mountains along its western border. Banff and Jasper are Alberta towns in the Rockies that are known as popular world-class tourist destinations. Alberta is probably best known for its thriving oil and gas industry. The industry has helped the province become one of Canada s key economic power centres. Much of the province s wealth stems from the Alberta oil sands, which hold about 168 billion barrels of oil. This resource gives Canada the world s third largest source of oil, after Saudi Arabia and Venezuela. Falling oil prices in recent months have hurt Alberta s economy. Alberta s government is led by Premier Rachel Notley. She led the NDP to a victory in the provincial general election held on May 5, The NDP win surprised some because they defeated the Progressive Conservative Party, which had held power in the province for 44 straight years (making them the longest-serving provincial government in Canadian history). The NDP won a majority government, and they now hold 53 of 87 seats. The Wildrose Party came in second with 21 seats and are the official opposition. The Progressive Conservatives won only 10 seats. Notley and the NDP have promised to make a number of changes, including raising taxes on the wealthy. They are also reviewing whether the province receives enough royalties from its oil and gas resources, and they plan to introduce laws to fight climate change by reducing greenhouse gas emissions. DID YOU KNOW? Alberta s motto is Fortis et liber, which is Latin for strong and free. Alberta s official flower is the wild rose, and the province s nickname is wild rose country. WORD POWER METROPOLITAN: Having to do with a major city and all surrounding well-populated areas. OIL SANDS: Sand, clay, or other minerals saturated with bitumen (a thick, sticky form of crude oil). ROYALTY: A payment made by a producer of oil, natural gas, or minerals to the owner of the site. 1

4 Most Admired Country in the World On July 1, 2015, Canada became 148 years old. A young nation compared to many, Canada has grown to become prosperous and influential around the world. This influence is seen in a recent survey that found Canada is the most admired country in the world. An organization called the Reputation Institute asked 48,000 people in the G8 countries to rank the 55 most prosperous countries in the world. According to Fernando Prado of the Reputation Institute, Canada came out on top because it was ranked highly in a number of categories, including having an effective government and having friendly and welcoming people. Canada has a population of 35.7 million people. That makes Canada the 37th largest country in the world by population. Canada consists of 10 provinces and 3 territories. Covering almost 10 million square kilometres, Canada is the second largest country by size in the world, after Russia. Ottawa is the nation s capital city. Canada s motto is A Mari usque ad Mare Latin for from sea to sea. Canada was created in 1867 when a group of British colonies in North America decided to peacefully unite together. Today, Canada has a diverse population that descends from the First Nations peoples (who were here before the Europeans arrived to North America) and the first European settlers, as well as subsequent immigrants from all parts of the world. Canada has two official languages: French and English. A modern nation rich with natural resources, Canada has a standard of living that is among the best in the world. Canada is also known as a place of tolerance and freedom. Many of those freedoms are expressed within our system of laws in a document known as the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. Canada s system of government is called a federal parliamentary democracy. There is a strong central (federal) government made up of elected representatives who meet in a place called Parliament (located in the House of Commons, Ottawa). Currently, Canada s government is led by Prime Minister Stephen Harper and the Conservative Party. A federal election is scheduled to be held later this year, on October 19, As of right now, opinion polls say it will be a close race among three parties: the Conservatives, the Liberals, and the New Democratic Party. DID YOU KNOW? Canada adopted its beloved maple leaf flag in 1965 so, this year is the flag s 50th anniversary! 2 WORD POWER G8 COUNTRIES: A group of countries that have advanced, prosperous economies: Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Russia, the United Kingdom, and the United States. COLONY: A territory that is under the political control of another country, usually far away.

5 A Controversial Deal with Iran Iran and six of the most powerful nations in the world reached a historic agreement in mid-july. However, the deal has created some controversy. The deal concerns Iran s desire to develop nuclear technology. Iran says it wants the technology for peaceful purposes, including generating electricity and making certain kinds of medicines using nuclear power plants. Many people are afraid, however, that Iran wants the technology so it can build nuclear bombs. The deal centres around a process called uranium enrichment. Enriched uranium is the fuel that runs a nuclear power plant or triggers a nuclear weapon. In 2006, the United Nations (UN) imposed sanctions on Iran because Iran refused to stop creating enriched uranium. The sanctions include things like not allowing Iran to sell its oil to other countries. The sanctions have severely hurt Iran s economy. Recently, six countries got together to negotiate an end to the sanctions on Iran. The countries were China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom, the United States, and Germany. On July 15, Iran and these six countries signed a deal that will end the sanctions in exchange for Iran s cooperation on actions designed to prevent Iran from making a nuclear bomb. These actions include making Iran give up 98 percent of its enriched uranium as well as two-thirds of its centrifuges. (Centrifuges are machines used to create enriched uranium.) For the next 15 years, Iran has agreed not to create the kind of enriched uranium used in nuclear bombs. Iran has also agreed to let inspectors from the International Atomic Energy Agency inspect its nuclear facilities to make sure the actions are carried out. Supporters of the deal, including President Barack Obama of the United States, say that the deal makes the world a safer place because it takes away Iran s ability to make nuclear bombs for at least the next 15 years. They also point out that Iran might have been able to make bombs despite the sanctions, and so a deal is preferable to just keeping the sanctions in place. Critics of the deal include Israel as well as some U.S. politicians. They are critical of the fact that Iran will still possess some centrifuges and enriched uranium under the deal. They also are skeptical that Iran can be trusted to keep its end of the bargain. DID YOU KNOW? In the past, several Iranian leaders have expressed their belief that the country of Israel should be destroyed. As a result, the idea of Iran building nuclear bombs worries a lot of people around the world, especially people living in Israel. WORD POWER ENRICHED URANIUM: Has a higher percentage of a certain kind of uranium (called u-235) than occurs in nature. Uranium that is 3 to 4 percent u-235 can be used in nuclear power plants. Uranium that is enriched to 90 percent u-235 can be used in bombs. SANCTION: A penalty for breaking a rule. INTERNATIONAL ATOMIC ENERGY AGENCY: An international organization that seeks to promote the peaceful use of nuclear energy and inhibit its use for any military purpose, including nuclear weapons. 3

6 The New Fishing Ban The Arctic Council has signed a deal to ban fishing in the central Arctic seas, a region in which the ice is melting away. Although some Arctic ice melts every summer, it has been melting more and more in recent years. The ice hit a record low in 2012 when 40 percent of the central Arctic was open water. The Arctic Council is a group of countries that surround the Arctic seas who share control of the Arctic region. Those countries are Canada, the Kingdom of Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, the Russian Federation, Sweden, and the United States. Arctic indigenous groups also have representatives on the council. The ice in the Arctic seas has been melting because of global warming. Most scientists agree that global warming is caused by air pollution, which gets trapped in the atmosphere and heats the planet. The warmer the planet gets, the more the ice melts in the Arctic. There are currently no fish in the central Arctic seas, but it is believed that Arctic cod and other types of fish may be attracted to the new area of open water on their path of migration. In the past, overfishing has devastated fish populations. In the 1980s, pollock in the Bering Sea (in the north Pacific Ocean) almost reached endangered status through overfishing. Pollock fishing has been banned in the region, but their population has still not recovered. Atlantic cod were also threatened in Canada when they were overfished, and the government had to impose regulations. The Arctic Council wants to prevent the same problems from happening in the Arctic, should fi sh move in. The council also wants to keep trawlers from coming into the area. It is concerned that trawlers would be a threat to local wildlife such as polar bears, whales, and seabirds, which are already vulnerable because of the change in climate. Technically, anyone is allowed to fish in the newly-protected area because it is part of international waters. But now that the countries of the Arctic Council have agreed not to fish there, they hope to get other countries, such as China and Japan, to sign an agreement not to fish there either. DID YOU KNOW? Arctic cod is an important part of the food chain. It is eaten by seabirds, seals, whales, and bigger fish. 4 WORD POWER GLOBAL WARMING: The increase of Earth s temperature over a relatively short time, caused primarily by human activity. TRAWLERS: Fishing boats that catch fi sh by dragging large nets through the water. INTERNATIONAL WATERS: Waters located more than 370 kilometres from any country s coast and not under any one country s jurisdiction.

7 His Royal Highness As a member of the British Royal Family, Prince William is something of an international celebrity, but his work and position make him significant to Canada, too. Born on June 21, 1982, Prince William is the grandson of Queen Elizabeth II of England, and he is second in line to the throne after his father, Prince Charles. Canada is a member of the Commonwealth of Nations, which means that it associates itself with countries that were once a part of the British Empire. This makes the Royal Family of Britain a symbol of nationality, allegiance, and authority to many Canadians. Politicians, soldiers, police officers, and new Canadian citizens swear allegiance to the Queen. Some people are critical of the Royal Family and Canada s allegiance to it. They think that the royals represent monarchy and colonialism, while Canada is a democratic country. On April 29, 2011, Prince William married Catherine Middleton. Upon their marriage, Queen Elizabeth II gave them the titles of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge. Prince William and Catherine have two children. Prince George Alexander Louis was born on July 22, 2013, and Princess Charlotte Elizabeth Diana was born on May 2, Prince George follows his father as third in line to the British throne. Like other members of the Royal Family, Prince William has royal duties, such as attending ceremonies, supporting charities, and meeting citizens of the Commonwealth. He and Catherine visited Canada on their honeymoon in They attended Canada Day ceremonies and met with various Canadian citizens and politicians. Prince William also recently visited China and Japan as part of his royal duty to strengthen trade relationships between foreign countries and England. In addition to royal duties, William and Catherine support a number of charities, including some organizations that protect endangered species. The couple first met when they were studying at St. Andrews University in Fife, Scotland. After completing a master s degree in geography, Prince William trained to become a helicopter pilot with the British Royal Air Force (RAF), where he worked on the search and rescue team until He recently took a job with the East Anglian Air Ambulance as an emergency helicopter pilot, although he has decided to donate his salary to charity. DID YOU KNOW? One species that Prince William is trying to protect is the African elephant, which is endangered by the illegal ivory trade. WORD POWER COMMONWEALTH: A grouping of states or other bodies. ALLEGIANCE: Loyalty or commitment to a group, person, or cause. COLONIALISM: A policy or practice in which one country takes control of another country, moves settlers into it, and uses its resources or people to make money. 5

8 ALBERTA Wild Rose Country 1. What is the population of Alberta? How is it dispersed? Monthly News Q & A 2. Describe Alberta s agricultural economy. 3. For what is Alberta best known? 4. What was surprising about the last provincial election? 5. What changes has the new government promised to make? CRITICAL THINKING 1. Why have the falling oil prices hurt Alberta s economy? 2. What are some of things that come to your mind when you think about Alberta? 6

9 Monthly News Q & A NATIONAL Most Admired Country in the World 1. How long has Canada been a country? 2. How many people live in Canada? How does this compare to other countries? 3. How does Canada compare to other countries in geographic area? 4. Describe Canada s diverse population. 5. What does it mean that Canada is a federal parliamentary democracy? CRITICAL THINKING 1. Discuss Canada s motto. Do you think it is a good motto? 2. What factors might be considered when determining a standard of living? 7

10 INTERNATIONAL A Controversial Deal with Iran 1. Why does Iran want to develop nuclear technology? Monthly News Q & A 2. What is enriched uranium? 3. Why were sanctions imposed on Iran? What do the sanctions include? 4. What did Iran have to agree to in order for the sanctions to be lifted? 5. According its supporters, how does the deal make the world a safer place? CRITICAL THINKING 1. How do sanctions impact a country? 2. Why do you think Iran would be allowed to keep some centrifuges and enriched uranium? 8

11 Monthly News Q & A ENVIRONMENT The New Fishing Ban 1. What has been happening to the ice in the central Arctic seas? 2. What is the Arctic Council? 3. Why has the ice in the Arctic seas been melting? 4. How has overfishing affected fish populations, and what has been done about it? 5. Why is anyone allowed to fish in the area? CRITICAL THINKING 1. Explain in your own words how global warming is causing the Arctic ice to melt. 2. Do you think that the new deal will discourage other countries from fishing in the area? Why or why not? 9

12 FEATURE His Royal Highness 1. To whom is Prince William related? Monthly News Q & A 2. What does it mean to Canadians that Canada is a member of the Commonwealth of Nations? 3. Why are some people critical of Canada s allegiance to the Royal Family? 4. What are some of Prince William s royal duties? 5. What training does Prince William have? What does he do for work? CRITICAL THINKING 1. Do you think that the Royal Family is important to Canada? Why or why not? 2. Why do you think Prince William would donate his salary to charity? 10

13 Monarchs of Great Britain and Ireland Queen Elizabeth II became Queen of the United Kingdom and Head of the Commonwealth on February 6, She is the 32nd great-granddaughter of King Alfred the Great, who was the first effective King of England, from The table below shows the monarchs of Great Britain and Ireland since Use this information to answer the questions that follow. DATES MONARCH HOUSE ANNE HOUSE OF STUART GEORGE I HOUSE OF HANOVER GEORGE II HOUSE OF HANOVER GEORGE III HOUSE OF HANOVER GEORGE IV HOUSE OF HANOVER WILLIAM IV HOUSE OF HANOVER VICTORIA HOUSE OF HANOVER EDWARD VII HOUSE OF SAXE-COBURG-GOTHA GEORGE V HOUSE OF WINDSOR 1936 EDWARD VIII HOUSE OF WINDSOR GEORGE VI HOUSE OF WINDSOR ELIZABETH II HOUSE OF WINDSOR 1. Who ruled for the shortest time? 2. How many monarchs were from the House of Hanover? 3. Which monarchs have been from the House of Windsor? 4. Who reigned from 1760 to 1820? 5. When did Queen Victoria reign? 11

14 Political Cartoon A political cartoon uses symbols to exaggerate an opinion in a humorous way. The main purpose of the cartoon is to show you the artist s point of view on a situation. For each element in the image above, write a point or two about the element or how it relates to the rest of the image. 1. The sign on the lawn 2. The caption and the man in the window 3. Put all of the elements together and explain in your own words what the cartoon is saying. 12

15 Map Activity: Canada 1. Locate and label the following countries in capital letters: GREENLAND UNITED STATES 2. Locate and label the following provinces: Alberta Newfoundland & Labrador Quebec British Columbia Nova Scotia Saskatchewan Manitoba Ontario New Brunswick Prince Edward Island 3. Locate and label the following territories: Yukon Northwest Territories Nunavut 4. Locate and label the following capital cities: (Show Canada s capital city with a star.) Charlottetown Ottawa Victoria Edmonton Quebec City Whitehorse Fredericton Regina Winnipeg Halifax St. John s Yellowknife Iqaluit Toronto 5. Locate and label the following bodies of salt water: Atlantic Ocean Arctic Ocean Baffin Bay Beaufort Sea Hudson Bay Pacific Ocean 6. Locate and label the following lakes and rivers: Great Bear Lake Great Slave Lake Lake Winnipeg St. Lawrence River 7. Colour each province and territory a different colour. 8. Draw and label the compass bearing. 9. Label your map: Canada and Neighbouring Countries 13

16 Map Activity: Canada 14

17 Looking at Canada Canada is part of the continent of North America, bordering the Atlantic Ocean on the east, the Pacific Ocean on the west, and the Arctic Ocean on the north, situated north of the United States. Canada is the second largest country (in area) in the world at 9,984,670 square kilometres. Canada is located 60 degrees north of the equator, giving it a climate that varies from temperate in the south to subarctic and arctic in the north. Canada has a population of 35,749,600 (April 2015 estimate) and a currency called the Canadian dollar (CAD). HEMISPHERES Shade the hemispheres to which Canada belongs. AT A GLANCE Fill in the following information from the paragraph above. N S W E Area: Population: FLAG Colour the flag as follows: two vertical bands of red with a white square between them. An 11-pointed red maple leaf is centred in the white square. Currency: Flag Colour: NEIGHBOURS Use the map to help you fill in the countries bordering Canada. 15

18 Monthly News Quiz MOST ADMIRED COUNTRY IN THE WORLD 1. Where does Canada rank in terms of its population? A. 1st B. 23rd C. 37th D. 68th 2. Canada is the second largest country by size in the world, after. 3. Canada s system of government is called a federal parliamentary democracy. True False A CONTROVERSIAL DEAL WITH IRAN 1. Which of the following was not one of the six countries that negotiated the deal to end sanctions on Iran? A. Canada B. China C. France D. Germany 2. Iran has agreed to give up 98 percent of its enriched as well as two-thirds of its centrifuges. 3. In the past, several Iranian leaders have expressed their belief that the country of Israel should be expanded. True False THE NEW FISHING BAN 1. The is a group of countries that surround the Arctic seas who share control of the Arctic region. 2. What has been causing the ice in the Arctic seas to melt? A. Overfishing B. Global warming C. Ships in the region D. Normal weather patterns 3. Technically, no one is allowed to fi sh in the newly-protected area because it is part of international waters. True False 16

19 Kids Around The World Serbia In Serbia, all children must be enrolled in kindergarten between the ages of five-and-a-half and six. It is mandatory for all children to attend eight years of elementary school. There are schools in almost every town. Subjects that are taught include mathematics, English, physical education, social studies, science, and art. High schools are located in the bigger cities, so the students must travel a few miles to get to school. This can be a challenge as bus lines are rare and driving is expensive (the average hourly wage is the same price as one litre of gas). Parents need to find a way to get their kids to classes on time. There are two types of secondary schools: gymnasium and professional. Gymnasiums last for four years and offer a general education. Professional schools specialize students in particular fields, such as auto mechanics or locksmithing. Most high school graduates stay at home to try to find work instead of continuing their education. The reason for this is the high cost of faculty (university) education. Faculties are located in the largest cities. Only a very few students receive scholarships. Even families who have two or three people with regular incomes do not have the money to send their children to faculty. Of those who go to faculty, about 80 percent complete their studies. But with the lack of jobs in Serbia, only 35 to 40 percent of those who graduate get a job in their first year. This has been causing many young adults to leave the country in search of a job. In 2014, over 100,000 young adults between the ages of 19 and 27 went to work outside the Serbian border. Finding a job in Serbia is difficult because most positions are held for future generations. A mother saves her place for her daughter even if the daughter doesn t have the training that is required. She will get the job because of her mother s influence. 17

20 Kids Around The World: Serbia In Serbia, the water is clean and every home is supplied with enough fresh water for its needs. Food is expensive, so families in towns and small cities often keep some cattle and small farm animals to try to save money. This is not always a good idea as the animals are not checked by veterinarians and people get sick from Salmonella and similar diseases. Hospitals are located in the big cities so town folks need to travel to visit their doctors. After school and on weekends, many children find fun in online video games and social media. But most youth can be found on the streets and in the fields, playing games like soccer and basketball, and chanting the names of their sports idols. One of those is Novak Djokovic, a Serbian who is the top tennis player in the world tennis is now hugely popular among Serbia s youth. What are some of the similarities and some of the differences you can see between your life in Canada and the life of someone in Serbia? Facts About Serbia Serbia is a country in southeastern Europe that is located between Macedonia and Hungary. A landlocked country, Serbia has borders with eight countries: Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Hungary, Macedonia, Montenegro, and Romania. The largest city and capital is Belgrade with 1.2 million people, and the official language is Serbian. Serbia is the largest raspberry exporter in the world. Population: 7,176,794 (July 2015 estimate) Capital: Belgrade Area: 77,474 square kilometres Language: Serbian, Hungarian, Bosnian, Romany Religion: Serbian Orthodox, Catholic, Muslim, Protestant, atheist Currency: Serbian dinar Agriculture: Wheat, maize, sunfl ower, sugar beets, grapes/wine, fruits (raspberries, apples, sour cherries), vegetables (tomatoes, peppers, potatoes), beef, pork, and meat products, milk and dairy products 18

21 Monthly News Answer Key ALBERTA 1 Wild Rose Country 1. What is the population of Alberta? How is it dispersed? Alberta has an estimated population of 4.15 million people, making it the fourth most populous province in Canada. More than half of this population live in two cities: Edmonton (the province s capital) and Calgary. Both cities have metropolitan populations of just over one million people. 2. Describe Alberta s agricultural economy. Alberta has a strong agricultural economy. The province is known for growing wheat, corn, and barley, as well as for raising cattle to produce world-famous Alberta beef. 3. For what is Alberta best known? Alberta is probably best known for its thriving oil and gas industry. The industry has helped the province become one of Canada s key economic power centres. Much of the province s wealth stems from the Alberta oil sands, which hold about 168 billion barrels of oil. This resource gives Canada the world s third largest source of oil, after Saudi Arabia and Venezuela. 4. What was surprising about the last provincial election? Premier Rachel Notley led the NDP to a victory in the provincial general election held on May 5, The NDP win surprised some because they defeated the Progressive Conservative Party, which had held power in the province for 44 straight years (making them the longest-serving provincial government in Canadian history). 5. What changes has the new government promised to make? Notley and the NDP have promised to make a number of changes, including raising taxes on the wealthy. They are also reviewing whether the province receives enough royalties from its oil and gas resources, and they plan to introduce laws to fi ght climate change by reducing greenhouse gas emissions. NATIONAL 2 Most Admired Country in the World 1. How long has Canada been a country? On July 1, 2015, Canada became 148 years old. 2. How many people live in Canada? How does this compare to other countries? Canada has a population of 35.7 million people. That makes Canada the 37th largest country in the world by population. 3. How does Canada compare to other countries in geographic area? Covering almost 10 million square kilometres, Canada is the second largest country by size in the world, after Russia. 4. Describe Canada s diverse population. Canada has a diverse population that descends from the First Nations peoples (who were here before the Europeans arrived to North America) and the first European settlers, as well as subsequent immigrants from all parts of the world. 5. What does it mean that Canada is a federal parliamentary democracy? There is a strong central (federal) government made up of elected representatives who meet in a place called Parliament (located in the House of Commons, Ottawa). INTERNATIONAL 3 A Controversial Deal with Iran 1. Why does Iran want to develop nuclear technology? Iran says it wants the technology for peaceful purposes, including generating electricity and mak- 19

22 Monthly News Answer Key ing certain kinds of medicines using nuclear power plants. Many people are afraid, however, that Iran wants the technology so it can build nuclear bombs. 2. What is enriched uranium? Enriched uranium is the fuel that runs a nuclear power plant or triggers a nuclear weapon. It has a higher percentage of a certain kind of uranium called u-235 than occurs in nature. Uranium that is 3 to 4 percent u-235 can be used in nuclear power plants. Uranium that is enriched to 90 percent u-235 can be used in bombs. 3. Why were sanctions imposed on Iran? What do the sanctions include? In 2006, the UN imposed sanctions on Iran because Iran refused to stop creating enriched uranium. The sanctions include things like not allowing Iran to sell its oil to other countries. 4. What did Iran have to agree to in order for the sanctions to be lifted? Iran had to cooperate on actions designed to prevent Iran from making a nuclear bomb. These actions include making Iran give up 98 percent of its enriched uranium as well as two-thirds of its centrifuges. For the next 15 years, Iran has agreed not to create the kind of enriched uranium used in nuclear bombs. Iran has also agreed to let inspectors from the International Atomic Energy Agency inspect its nuclear facilities. 5. According to its supporters, how does the deal make the world a safer place? Supporters of the deal, including President Barack Obama of the United States, say that the deal makes the world a safer place because it takes away Iran s ability to make nuclear bombs for at least the next 15 years. They also point out that Iran might have been able to make bombs despite the sanctions, and so a deal is preferable to just keeping the sanctions in place. ENVIRONMENT 4 The New Fishing Ban 1. What has been happening to the ice in the central Arctic seas? The ice is melting away in the region. Although some Arctic ice melts every summer, it has been melting more and more in recent years. The ice hit a record low in 2012 when 40 percent of the central Arctic was open water. 2. What is the Arctic Council? The Arctic Council is a group of countries that surround the Arctic seas who share control of the Arctic region. Those countries are Canada, the Kingdom of Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, the Russian Federation, Sweden, and the United States. Arctic indigenous groups also have representatives on the council. 3. Why has the ice in the Arctic seas been melting? The ice in the Arctic seas has been melting because of global warming. Most scientists agree that global warming is caused by air pollution, which gets trapped in the atmosphere and heats the planet. The warmer the planet gets, the more the ice melts in the Arctic. 4. How has overfi shing affected fi sh populations, and what has been done about it? In the 1980s, pollock in the Bering Sea (in the north Pacific Ocean) almost reached endangered status through overfishing. Pollock fishing has been banned in the region, but their population has still not recovered. Atlantic cod were also threatened in Canada when they were overfished, and the government had to impose regulations. 5. Why is anyone allowed to fish in the area? Technically, anyone is allowed to fi sh in the newlyprotected area because it is part of international waters. Therefore, no one country has jurisdiction and the waters are shared. FEATURE 5 His Royal Highness 1. To whom is Prince William related? Prince William is the grandson of Queen Elizabeth II of England, and his father is Prince Charles. 2. What does it mean to Canadians that Canada is a member of the Commonwealth of Nations? 20

23 Monthly News Answer Key Canada being a member of the Commonwealth of Nations means that it associates itself with countries that were once a part of the British Empire. This makes the Royal Family of Britain a symbol of nationality, allegiance, and authority to many Canadians. Politicians, soldiers, police officers, and new Canadian citizens swear allegiance to the Queen. 3. Why are some people critical of Canada s allegiance to the Royal Family? They think that the royals represent monarchy and colonialism, while Canada is a democratic country. 4. What are some of Prince William s royal duties? Prince William s royal duties include attending ceremonies, supporting charities, and meeting citizens of the Commonwealth. Prince William recently visited China and Japan as part of his royal duty to strengthen trade relationships between foreign countries and England. 5. What training does Prince William have? What does he do for work? After completing a master s degree in geography, Prince William trained to become a helicopter pilot with the British Royal Air Force (RAF), where he worked on the search and rescue team until He recently took a job with the East Anglian Air Ambulance as an emergency helicopter pilot, although he has decided to donate his salary to charity. Monarchs of Great Britain and Ireland (Page 11) 1. Who ruled for the shortest time? Edward VIII 2. How many monarchs were from the House of Hanover? Six 3. Which monarchs have been from the House of Windsor? George V, Edward VIII, George VI, Elizabeth II 4. Who reigned from 1760 to 1820? George III 5. When did Queen Victoria reign? 1837 to 1901 Political Cartoon (Page 12) 1. The sign on the lawn The sign on the lawn is a giant cheque. It says Universal Child-Care Benefit and is made out to parents for the sum of hundreds of dollars. 2. The caption and the man in the window The man in the window is Prime Minister Stephen Harper. The caption reads, The Tories First Election Campaign Lawn Sign. 3. Put all of the elements together and explain in your own words what the cartoon is saying. The Conservative government recently boosted the amount parents receive every month for the Universal Child-Care Benefit. The timing of this is suspicious as there is a federal election coming up this October. It would be a good way for the Conservatives (Tories) to gain support before the election. Monthly News Quiz (Page 16) MOST ADMIRED COUNTRY IN THE WORLD 1. Where does Canada rank in terms of its population? C. 37th 2. Canada is the second largest country by size in the world, after RUSSIA. 3. Canada s system of government is called a federal parliamentary democracy. True A CONTROVERSIAL DEAL WITH IRAN 1. Which of the following was not one of the six countries that negotiated the deal to end sanctions on Iran? A. Canada 2. Iran has agreed to give up 98 percent of its enriched URANIUM as well as two-thirds of its centrifuges. 3. In the past, several Iranian leaders have expressed their belief that the country of Israel should be expanded. 21

24 False Should be destroyed THE NEW FISHING BAN 1. The ARCTIC COUNCIL is a group of countries that surround the Arctic seas who share control of the Arctic region. 2. What has been causing the ice in the Arctic seas to melt? B. Global warming 3. Technically, no one is allowed to fi sh in the newly-protected area because it is part of international waters. False - Anyone Monthly News Answer Key 22

25 Monthly News Answer Key Arctic Ocean UNITED STATES Beaufort Sea Yukon Whitehorse Northwest Territories Yellowknife Nunavut Pacific Ocean British Columbia Alberta Edmonton Saskatchewan Manitoba Victoria Regina Winnipeg UNITED STATES Ontario GREENLAND Baffin Bay Iqaluit Quebec Quebec City OTTAWA Toronto New Brunswick Fredericton Prince Edward Island Charlottetown Halifax Nova Scotia St. John s Newfoundland and Labrador St. Lawrence River Great Bear Lake Great Slave Lake Lake Winnipeg CANADA AND NEIGHBOURING COUNTRIES Hudson Bay Atlantic Ocean 23 er