Australia vs. Canada: Two Vast

Australia vs. Canada: Two vast nations, vast differences, and similar languages and conflicts

Their specious, surface images in the international public eye could not be more diverse. Canada is often schematically depicted as a friendly land of stoic Mounties, clear views of mountaintops and uncluttered city streets, crisp air -- and the home of Anne of Green Gables. Australia travel advertisements show a land of sunny beaches, strange wildlife, and strange English expressions such as to throw another shrimp upon the Barbie, and feature upside down seasons of blistering heat -- and the home of the rustic Crocodile Dundee. Yet both of these nations do speak the Queen's English language, and both were once a part of the British crown. Both have experienced profound internal conflicts with their indigenous populations. Both embrace a wide diversity of cultures within their respective folds, partly due to geographic circumstances of great territorial and climatic diversity.

Geographically, Canada has the disadvantage of being a relatively cold and large land, compared to its immediately Southernmost neighbor, that of the United States albeit it also has the distinction of possessing extremely rich and plentiful natural resources, one of the reasons explorers from England and Canada sought it out in the first place. Because of Canada's great geographical embrace it encompasses many different climates, from Toronto's Boston-like temperatures to the nearly Eskimo-like chill of its most artic regions.

According to the latest edition of the Canadian Encyclopedia, the entry upon "Climate" states that the Canadian nation extends 4500 km, from 42° N. lat (at Pelee Island, Lake Erie) to 83° N (the tip of Ellesmere Island). Thus, there are great differences in length of day from south to north: in December southern Canada receives a scant eight hours of daylight; Canada's northern tip receives almost none. Latitude is also responsible for the generally westerly airflow in Canada, causing temperatures to remain cold, although relatively low in humidity. There are five main climatic regions in the southern populated area of Canada: East Coast, Great Lakes, Prairies, Cordilleran and West Coast, all of which tend to be colder than the United States, although to very different degrees. (Sanderson, "Climate," the Canadian Encyclopedia, 2004)

Thus, in contrast to Canada, Australia's relative warmth may be seen as its greatest advantage. This has indeed proved to be a valuable national characteristic during the times of year when most of the world is experiencing winter, and Australia is experiencing summer. Tourists flock to Australia's sunny beaches, and to explore its nightlife after the sunsets. However, the fair-skinned immigrants from long ago Britain to Australia also suffer high rates of melanoma, due to long-term exposure to the sun over many years time. Only after recent efforts by the Australian government were these developments circumvented to some degree. (Australia Year Book 2003)

Australia's proximity to the equator and general heat has also meant that its diversity of wildlife has proved to be a great draw for tourists, yet presents residents with often-inhospitable areas in which they cannot settle, such as the infamous, blistering outback, where more animals than humans still currently find a home. And viewed holistically, Australia's climate is more diverse than one might think. Although the most densely populated areas such as Sydney and Melbourne are warm, the nation's climatic zones range from tropical rainforests, deserts, and cool temperate forests to snow covered mountains. (Australia Year Book 2003)

Because Australia is an island continent its weather is also often quite changeable. Its spance is large, covering an area of about 7.7 million square kilometres. In land area, Australia is the sixth largest nation after Russia, Canada, China, the United States of America and Brazil. (Australia Year Book 2003) However, various aspects of this land mass, because of the heat, have proved unsettlable -- not unilke the extreme cold of much of the upper, northern sections of Canada. Both lands have a frontier of sorts, separating the climatic spheres that are hospitable to human's relatively narrow range of tolerable temperatures.

Both of these nations are similar, too, in that they are relatively isolated, except in the case of Canada with the United States. However, certain areas of uppermost Canada are so remote, they are actually closer to the uninhabited or sparsely inhabited parts of Russia, rather than America. Australia's relative proximity and popularity as a vacation destination for residents of the Pacific rim countries such as Australia, has proved a boon to that nation -- and even New Zealand's closeness and popularity as a film location for such unlikely series as "Xena: Warrior Princess" has improved the Australian economy and encouraged Australia to import many actors to the film industry of American Hollywood. (Likewise, the Canadian comedy circuit, it must be noted, as proved a fertile stomping ground for future Saturday Night Life alumni such as Dan Ackroyd and Martin Short, amongst others.)

Australia remains condemned by the international community for its treatment of its native populace, again, another irony in a nation founded by cast-off English convicts, condemned by their own people -- who now condemn others, so it is alleged. However, recently, the Australian government issued a report stating "Australia's Indigenous people and their culture have made and continue to make a unique contribution to this country. Their contribution together with the significant contributions of the early settlers and more recent migrants has helped build the nation we belong to today." (New Agenda for a Multicultural Australia, 2003) it has renewed its efforts to better integrate aboriginal life into a livable national community, without outright assimilation.

The similarly of culture has provoked trade conflict between the United States and Canada, however, as many filmmakers sought to use Toronto as a 'cheap' version of New York, to much controversy. But much of the current cultural conflicts with Canada, and between Canada's neighbors have involved differences of culture, rather than similarities. For instance, the health Toronto's burgeoning Asian population caused widespread panic in the American financial district during the SARS epidemic, as many of New York's traders often traveled to Canada or used Toronto as a hub before hopping off to do business in Hong Kong.

Within these nation's borders, there has been a great deal of conflict as to how to create a society that is tolerant of local populations, yet is still modern. While, Australia's native aboriginal population has raised international cries, demanding their full basis of rights, Canada has had to accommodate the cultural needs of native populations across "five broad cultural regions, defined by common climatic, geographical and ecological characteristics. Each region gave rise to distinctive building forms that "reflected these conditions, as well as the available building materials, means of livelihood, and social and spiritual values of the resident peoples." (Kalman & Mills, "Native Architecture," the Canadian Encyclopedia, 2004)

Thus, Canada and Australia presents some particular problems for the social historian, since it is such a complex mosaic of ethnic groups, cultures, traditions and institutions. In Canada's history the French and English cultural backgrounds made themselves felt in political institutions, in the "established" Anglican and Roman Catholic churches and in elite cultural activities; but at the popular level of entertainment, architectural styles, marriage customs, etc., the social forms and institutions have come from the United States, Ireland, Ukraine and elsewhere. (Cross, "Social History," the Canadian Encyclopedia, 2004)