Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
the native peoples of British Columbia have adopted the technology and the ways of the
Europeans, they still remain a distinct group, contributing to and enriching the culture of
the province. Asians have made up a significant percentage of the population since the
mid-1800s,whentheycameinsearchofgold.Mostrecently,Vancouverhasseenaninflux
ofsettlersfromChina;currentlyaround400,000peopleofChinesedescentliveinthecity.
Language
The main language spoken throughout the province is English, though almost 6 percent
of the population also speaks French, Canada's second official language. All government
information is written in both English and French throughout Canada.
The natives of British Columbia fall into 10 major ethnic groups by language: Nootka
(west Vancouver Island), Coast Salish (southwest BC), Interior Salish (southern interior),
Kootenay (in the Kootenay region), Athabascan (in the central and northeastern regions),
BellaCoolaandNorthernKwakiutl(alongthecentralwestcoast),Tsimshian(inthenorth-
west), Haida (on the Queen Charlotte Islands), and Inland Tlingit (in the far northwest
corner of the province). However, most natives still speak English more than their mother
tongue.
Canada is a constitutional monarchy. Its system of government is based on England's, and
the British monarch is also king or queen of Canada. However, because Canada is an in-
dependent nation, the British monarchy and government have no control over the political
affairs of Canada. An appointed
governor general
based in Ottawa represents the Crown,
as does a
lieutenant governor
in each province. Both roles are mainly ceremonial, but
their “royal assent” is required to make any bill passed by Cabinet into law.
Elected representatives debate and enact laws affecting their constituents. The head of
thefederalgovernmentisthe
prime minister,
andtheheadofeachprovincialgovernment
is its
premier.
The
speaker
is elected at the first session of each parliament to make sure
parliamentary rules are followed. A bill goes through three grueling sessions in the legis-
lature—a reading, a debate, and a second reading. When all the fine print has been given
the royal nod, the bill then becomes a law.
