Canada: Canada Art / Culture Profile

Canada's culture is both diverse and distinctive. It has been influenced by the traditions of its indigenous peoples, the Indians and the Inuit; its European founders, the British and the French; its neighbor to the south, the United States; and its multicultural immigrant population. It also has aspects that are uniquely Canadian.

The federal government encourages and gives financial aid to organizations and individuals working in music, theater, opera, dance, visual arts, and literature. This is accomplished through such organizations as the Canada Council, founded in 1957 to support cultural activities. Provinces and municipalities also give some assistance to individual artists as well as to cultural groups and institutions. The National Film Board and Telefilm Canada encourage and aid the Canadian film industry. Another important instrument for promoting Canadian culture is the publicly owned Canadian Broadcasting Corporation.

The National Arts Centre, located in Ottawa, has several theaters for the performing arts. It has a resident orchestra and a theater company. The Stratford Festival, at Stratford, Ontario, is Canada's best-known theatrical enterprise. The National Gallery of Canada in Ottawa has an excellent art collection and sends touring exhibits throughout the country. Public and private art galleries are found in most large cities. There are more than 3,500 public libraries; the National Library of Canada is in Ottawa. The Canadian Museum of Nature and the Canada Museum of Science and Technology are also in Ottawa. The Canadian Museum of Civilization is in Hull.

Several cities have symphony orchestras, including Edmonton, Montreal, Quebec, Toronto, Vancouver, and Winnipeg. The National Ballet, the Royal Winnipeg Ballet, and Les Grands Ballets Canadiens are the major ballet companies. There are many smaller ballet troupes and many local amateur and professional theater groups. Several cities have opera companies, including Montreal, Toronto, and Vancouver.

Canadians who have gained international fame in the performing arts include Glenn Gould, pianist; Sir Ernest Campbell Mac-Millan, conductor; and Edward Johnson, operatic tenor and manager. Among Canada's noted artists are James E. H. MacDonald and Emily Carr.

LIBRARIES AND MUSEUMS

Municipal public libraries serve the large cities and many small towns and rural areas, and regional units supply library service to scattered population areas. Traveling libraries, operated by provincial governments or university extension departments, also provide mail services for more isolated individuals and communities. In 2002, Canada had a total of 3,932 libraries.

There are about 2,000 museums, art galleries, and related institutions in Canada. The National Arts Center is located in Ottawa, as are Canada's four national museums: the National Gallery of Canada, the Canadian Museum of Civilization, the National Museum of Natural Sciences, and the National Museum of Science and Technology.

Political Figures

Because of their exploits in establishing and developing early Canada, then known as New France, a number of eminent Frenchmen are prominent in Canadian history, among them the explorers Jacques Cartier (1491–1557), Samuel de Champlain (1567?–1635), and Jacques Marquette (1637–75). Later, Sir Wilfred Laurier (1841–1919) became the first French-Canadian prime minister. English-speaking Canadians of note include the first prime minister of the Dominion of Canada, Sir John A. MacDonald (1815–91), and William Lyon Mackenzie King (1874–1950).

Artists

Highly regarded Canadian painters include James Edward Hervey MacDonald (1873–1932), Frederick Horsman Varley (1881–1969), and Emily Carr (1871–1945). Two other artists of distinction were James W. G. MacDonald (1897–1960) and Harold Barling Town (1924–91). The portrait photographer Yousuf Karsh (1908–2002), who was born in Turkish Armenia, was a long-time Canadian resident.

Musicians

Well-known Canadian musicians include the pianist Glenn Gould (1932–82); the singers Jon Vickers (b.1926) and Maureen Forrester (b.1931); the bandleader Guy Lombardo (1902–77); and, among recent popular singers and songwriters, Gordon Lightfoot (b.1938), Joni Mitchell (b.1943), Neil Young (b.1945), and Celine Dion (b.1968).
Actors

Canadian-born actors who are known for their association with Hollywood include Mary Pickford (Gladys Mary Smith, 1893–1979), Walter Huston (Houghston, 1884–1950), Lorne Greene (1915–87), Raymond Burr (1917–94), William Shatner (b.1931), Donald Sutherland (b.1935), and Jim Carrey (b.1962).

Sports

Notable in the world of sports are ice-hockey stars Maurice ("Rocket") Richard (1921–2000), Gordon ("Gordie") Howe (b.1928), Robert Marvin ("Bobby") Hull, Jr. (b.1939), Robert ("Bobby") Orr (b.1948), and Wayne Gretzky (b.1961).

Authors

The Anne of Green Gables novels of Lucy Maud Montgomery (1874–1942) have been popular with readers of several generations. Louis Hémon (1880–1913), a French journalist who came to Canada in 1910 and spent only 18 months there, wrote the classic French Canadian novel Maria Chapdelaine (1914).

Silent film star Mary Pickford was born in Toronto. EPD Photos.
Silent film star Mary Pickford was born in Toronto.
EPD Photos.

Scientists and Inventors

Among the famous Canadian scientists and inventors are Sir Sanford Fleming (1827–1915), inventor of standard time, and Sir William Osler (1849–1919), the father of psychosomatic medicine. The codiscoverers of insulin, Sir Frederick Grant Banting (1891–1941) and John James Richard Macleod (1876–1935), were awarded the Nobel Prize for medicine in 1923.