Stuart Wachowicz

In May of 1497, Master John Cabot (Giovanni Caboto) sailed from Bristol, England on what would become Britain’s first naval exploration of North America. On June 24, Cabot disembarked, likely in Newfoundland. Upon returning to Bristol on August 6, he brought not gold or silver, but news of a territory claimed for England, and of a treasure that would prove to be more valuable than precious metal. He had discovered in the seas off Newfoundland the richest fishing grounds on the planet.

“In most places, a world without beavers is a world without water and the life it supports”
(Glynnis Hood, The Beaver Manifesto, p. 5).

Professor Judith Adler, of Memorial University of Newfoundland, had grown concerned that many of her students might be lacking an awareness of geography that would enable them to comprehend course issues about global cultural traditions. She gave her students a quiz consisting of a blank map of the world, with instructions to indicate where places and features such as Africa, Europe, Great Britain and the Atlantic Ocean were. To her surprise, many students lacked even the most rudimentary geographic awareness. Some did not know where the Atlantic Ocean was, even though they could see it from their university (“Lost without a map” The National Post, January 13, 2013).

When Americans think of Canada, visions of expanses of wilderness or holiday locations may come to mind. Few, however, on either side of the border, realize the size and power of the economic relation between the United States and its northern neighbour.

Standing on the north shore of the St. Lawrence River, just west of Cornwall, Ontario, one is awestruck by the vistas of lush pastures and farms. Remarkably, one can traverse nearly 1,000 miles eastward and 3,000 miles westward from there and find similar peaceful scenes, on an international border with no sign of soldiers—the longest undefended border on the planet.

It was not always this way. At various points along the border, old fortresses and monuments to battles are seen—mute witness to a less peaceful era, when thousands died in order to defend their homes from invaders.