The late Queen Elizabeth II had reigned for so long that people have lived and died in 70 years. Although there was a quick succession of death, ascension, abdication, and coronation in the first third of the 20th century, there hasn’t been a change of guard in recent memory. Canadians Read more
I have mixed feelings about taking the train in Canada. Although Via Rail may feel normal to the uninitiated traveler, it’s at least odd even by American standards. Where to begin? I traveled between Ottawa and Toronto, about 4.5 hours each way, but there was no buffet car. The only Read more
The 50th anniversary of the Canadian International Auto Show exhibited over 1,000 vehicles with a focus on battery-electric and hybrid-electric powertrains. Unfortunately, it was more focused on consumer sales than an exhibition on engineering prowess. While manufacturers were proud to show off safety features on stage, there was no information Read more
I wanted to visit Atlantic Canada in October 2020 when the weather was nice, but it was closed off for pleasure trips sue to the pandemic. New Brunswick and Nova Scotia finally reopened in February 2022, so I jumped at the chance to visit even though it was cold and Read more
Sydney is the largest city on Cape Breton Island in the north of Nova Scotia. Its industry began from coal mining in the eighteenth century by the French, who also built the Louisbourg Fortress. The steel industry developed two centuries later and was the city’s bastion of economic activity until Read more
The native Mi’kmaq people used the isthmus as a transit point between the Atlantic Ocean and Bras d’Or Lake (they obviously didn’t call it that thousands of years ago) as it was only a kilometre long. Their lightweight canoes could easily be carried on their shoulders and brought from the Read more
The University of Moncton serves the francophone Acadian community in New Brunswick. It was the first and still is the largest francophone university in Atlantic Canada. As such, it is the birthplace of the reawakening of Acadian nationalism in the 1960s and is the world’s premier repository of Acadian records. Read more
When I planned my trip to Atlantic Canada, I didn’t think I was going to end up in Nova Scotia, I only planned as far as New Brunswick because Nova Scotia wasn’t fully open for discretionary travel yet. A couple of days before my departure date, Nova Scotia finally opened Read more
Lunenburg is one of the oldest cities in Canada and was home to the schooner Bluenose, featured on some Canadian coinage. It is also one of only two UNESCO communities on the continent, the other one being Quebec City. It is the best conserved British-style colonial settlement on the continent Read more
Louisbourg is a fishing village surrounded by the fortress’ National Historic Park on both sides of the bay. On one side is a lighthouse built near the site of the country’s first lighthouse in 1730. On the other side is the mighty fortress and its partially rebuilt village. I visited Read more