New website highlights Canadian goods

Canada Travel Tips

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Tuesday, 04 December 2012 16:55

Josh Fine and his father are on a mission to define what it means to be Canadian. Their new website, Canadianicons.ca, is an online exhibition that highlights the national treasures that serve as quintessential symbols this great country.

For those who travel through Canada for the first time, sometimes they may be curious as to the culture of a nation that's unlike any other. With a rich and strong connection with the native population in all provinces, many Canadians identify with their nation and are eager to share their traditions with the rest of the world. In the same vein, even commercial products like parkas, snowshoes and toboggans all have connections to Canadian history.

Curious about what makes Canada, Canada? Here are some things visitors should keep their eyes on when travelling throughout the country:

The parka
The Caribou Inuit invented the parka. While living in the Canadian Arctic, these people typically made heavy parkas out of seal or caribou, and stayed warm while hunting and kayaking in northern regions. These jackets were regularly covered in fish oil so they would remain water resistant throughout the year, and since their invention, they still serve as the quintessential piece of winter gear for Canadians and people around the world.

The toboggan
There's nothing quite like going for a toboggan ride down a powdery, snowy hill, and as winter rolls around, Canadians will be pulling out their toboggans from the backs of their garages and taking to the slopes. First Nations were the inventors of these wooden sleds, and initially used them as transportation devices (think of it like a snow-friendly wheelbarrow). Pretty soon, kids were using them to play in the wintertime. For those who travel to Canada for the first time this winter, they should definitely take a thrilling ride down a hill!