Canada is a land of vast distances and rich natural beauty. Economically and technologically, it resembles its neighbor to the South, the US, and shares with it the longest undefended border in the world yet there are significant differences between the two countries. Canada composed of ten provinces and three territories and grouped into regions. Western Canada consists of British Columbia and the three Prairie provinces: Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba. The Central Canada consists of Quebec & Ontario. Atlantic Canada consists of the three Maritime provinces: New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, & Nova Scotia, along with Newfoundland & Labrador. Eastern Canada refers to Central Canada and Atlantic Canada together. Three territories: Yukon, Northwest Territories, and Nunavut make up Northern Canada. Provinces have more autonomy than territories. Each has its own provincial or territorial symbols.
The provinces are responsible for most of Canada's social programs (such as health care, education, and welfare) and together collect more revenue than the federal government, an almost unique structure among federations in the world. Using its spending powers, the federal government can initiate national policies in provincial areas, such as the Canada Health Act; the provinces can opt out of these but rarely do so in practice. Equalization payments are made by the federal government to ensure that reasonably uniform standards of services and taxation are kept between the richer and poorer provinces.
The provinces are responsible for most of Canada's social programs (such as health care, education, and welfare) and together collect more revenue than the federal government, an almost unique structure among federations in the world. Using its spending powers, the federal government can initiate national policies in provincial areas, such as the Canada Health Act; the provinces can opt out of these but rarely do so in practice. Equalization payments are made by the federal government to ensure that reasonably uniform standards of services and taxation are kept between the richer and poorer provinces.