Saturday 14 April 2018

M is for Motto: the Canadian Motto ...





The Canadian Motto is "A Mari usque ad Mare" ... the English translation of this Latin motto means "From sea to sea" ... very appropriate for this huge land ...

Canada's Coat of Arms
(c/o artwork by Karen E Bailey/
courtesy of Library and Archives Canada


... but the Dominion of Canada wasn't born out of revolution or a sweeping outburst of nationalism. 



Rather, it was created in a series of conferences and orderly negotiations, culminating in the terms of the Confederation on 1 July 1867.




The Union of the British North American colonies of New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and the Province of Canada was the first step in a slow but steady nation-building exercise ... eventually fulfilling the dream of a country 'a mari usque ad mare'.


Lower Canada - c/o The Canadian Encyclopedia


This term comes from the Bible's Psalm 72:8, which reads in Latin: 'Et dominabitur a mari usque ad mare, et a flumine usque ad terminos terrae.'



The King James version puts it into English: "He shall have dominion also from sea to sea, and from the river unto the ends of the earth." 


Upper Canada - c/o The Canadian
Encyclopedia


However, "From Sea to Sea" did not geographically apply to Canada until 1871, when British Columbia joined the Confederation, when the Dominion did then extend from the Atlantic to the Pacific.



The first official use of the motto came in 1906, when the phrase was engraved on the head of the mace of the Legislative Assembly of the new province of Saskatchewan. 


Ocean Currents - map


In 2006, the leaders of Canada's three northern territories (Yukon, Northwest Territories and Nunavut) marked the 100th anniversary of Canada's motto by proposing a new one:




"From Sea to Sea to Sea"


Map of Canada from World Atlas
... thus incorporating Canada's third oceanic border, the Arctic Ocean ... colloquially the three seas are usually referred to, but the official motto remains as "from sea to sea."



That is M for the Canadian Motto ... from Aspects by a British 'girl' in Canada ...

This abbreviated post on Canada's motto and its origins was 'borrowed' from The Canadian Encyclopedia - Motto ... please check for further and fuller details at their site

Please note the images come courtesy of their site ... and the World Atlas (link above) 


To revert back to 'L' ... please could you all tweet out     #levidrome     for Levi's word and to put a few dollars into the food banks ... 

Hilary Melton-Butcher
Positive Letters Inspirational Stories

39 comments:

Liz A. said...

"[I]t was created in a series of conferences and orderly negotiations, culminating in the terms of the Confederation on 1 July 1867." <--There's just something so Canadian about that description. I do mean that in a good way.

diedre Knight said...

"From Sea to Sea" sounds like a memorable book or movie. An interesting bit of (civil) history. Gosh, so proper - and nice. It's refreshing!

Denise Covey said...

Hi Hilary. Isn't it nice when you read of a country that was created without a war! Love learning more about Canada. Thank you!

Denise x

Elephant's Child said...

Like everyone else I love hearing about a county which came into being in an orderly and peaceful way. Hooray for Canada and orderly negotiations.
Thanks Hilary, I am thoroughly enjoying learning more about your current home of adoption.

Hels said...

I too wrote a post in 2017 on the history of Canada's Confederation and received FAR more readers than any of my posts normally attract. I therefore have to assume that, as your other comments noted, people love hearing about a country than confederated peacefully.

Your maps add extra information, so thanks for the link
Hels
https://melbourneblogger.blogspot.com.au/2017/06/lets-celebrate-canadas-150-years-since.html

Sue Bursztynski said...

A fascinating place! This is something I hadn’t known about. I’m guessing that you, too, are learning about your new country of residence!

M Is For Elyne Mitchell, Sophie Masson and Geoffrey McSkimming

https://suebursztynski.blogspot.com.au/2018/04/a-to-z-blogging-challenge-m-is-for.html

Marcy said...

Very interesting to learn some more Canadian history. Thanks for being such a wonderful teacher and blogger!

Patsy said...

Why can't all political leaders sort things out with conferences and orderly negotiations?

Anabel Marsh said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Anabel Marsh said...

Of course, we go from sea to sea too! But the seas are just ever so slightly closer to each other 😉

Unknown said...

Hi Hilary. Another wonderful interesting post. It is startling to think about how big Canada must be to stretch between 3 oceans! Hope your weekend is enjoyable, I know it will be interesting!

Rhodesia said...

Interesting history and I love that coat of arms. Take care Diane

Emily in Ecuador said...

It sounds so civilized to be born from negotiations and conferences. What a rarity. Thanks for the history lesson, Hilary.

Emily In Ecuador | Mototaxis - Second Most Popular Way to Get Around Puerto Lopez, Ecuador

Anonymous said...

I am learning things I didn't know that I didn't know! Another fascinating instalment Hilary.


A-Z of My Friend Rosey!

Deborah Weber said...

I love this. In my mind it's yet another demonstration that Canadians are the epitome of politeness. How many other nations do things with conferences and orderly negotiations.

Computer Tutor said...

That was interesting. I didn't even know how Canada was formed. I suppose I thought it was like--revolt against Britain. Thanks for this!

Sophie Duncan said...

I like that motto, simple and clear. What is it about mottos and being in Latin, though. Our school motto was, and so is our clan motto, which really ought to be some kind of Scots dialect if it had really been old.

Sophie
Sophie's A to Z - Ghostly Inspirations

Sandra Cox said...

Canada has continued as it began, a land of orderly negotiations. We could certainly learn from this wonderful country.
Happy Weekend, Hilary.

Hilary Melton-Butcher said...

@ Liz - Canada ... is a gentle land isn't it ...

@ Diedre - could so easily become the title of something, couldn't it ... yes it is refreshing being here ...

@ Denise - well there were wars earlier ... as the Americas tried to sort themselves out - but that's what happened ...

@ EC - isn't it interesting how simple (relatively) Canada has come into being ... so glad you're enjoying the Canadian posts ...

@ Hels - thanks so much for your link across to your post - I'll be over to read it during the weekend - and yes I'm glad I put the maps in ...

@ Sue - I am doing exactly that - learning as I go ... finding things that interest me and writing them up ...

@ Marcy - great to see you and I'll be over ... delighted to set things out 'in my relative' way of thinking! i.e. simply ...

@ Patsy - oh I know ... why can't we value life ...

@ Anabel - yes we do go from sea to sea too - just the seas are slightly further apart here - a mere 5,500+ miles between them (E-W) ...

@ Kim - many thanks ... yes it is a large (humungous) country - some of the land masses in the world are huge aren't they ...

@ Diane - I was pleased to find the stained glass window with the coat of arms ... I love stained glass ...

@ Emily - they are civilised here - and I must add a few snippets to the country getting together ... glad you're enjoying my take on Canada ...

@ Keith - thanks ... I think that's the way blogging should be sometimes ... just fun to find out about ...

@ Deborah - in this day and age (and now) ... I don't know - but I hope the wrangles everywhere can be resolved more easily and gently in the future ...

@ Jacqui - I had no idea either ... and suspect I haven't got it right! - but near enough ... the Brits and France were involved earlier on too ... dividing north and south ...

@ Sophie - I guess Latin was the standard set early on and was the language of administration - and has stuck ... it is still the legal language ... and offers gravity in its succinctness ...

@ Sandra - you're right a land of orderly negotiations and so many could learn from being here ...

Cheers to you all - thanks for coming by ... I'll be seeing you across at your blogs soon - enjoy the halfway point and weekend - Hilary

troutbirder said...

We love our Canadian neighbors and spent many a summer vacation camping throughout from sea to sea...:)

Susan Scott said...

My first thought was golly how polite and civilised! Lovely part of your adopted home's history, thank you so much Hilary. I imagine this is hugely enriching for you to learn more of Canada - it is for us, thank you!

Lynda Dietz said...

I'm really enjoying your history and geography lessons, Hilary. Having been born in the US and living here all my life, I tend to think in terms of US and Canada as far as size and borders on the water. Hard to imagine landlocked countries when I know all I have to do is drive east or west and I'll eventually hit an ocean while still remaining in my own country.

Jz said...

I don't think I'd ever seen the Canadian coat of arms before - I'm rather charmed by the lion holding the maple leaf! Thank you for that, Hilary!

Sherry Ellis said...

I think they should add the additional "to sea." as you suggested. They are surrounded by a lot of water!

Out on the prairie said...

I like the 3 oceans best, I had never thought of it that way.

DMS said...

I am always intrigued by coats of arms and enjoyed seeing the Canadian one. I learned a lot about the motto too. :)
~Jess

Nilanjana Bose said...

The Latin version sounds lovely! Gravitas combines with melodic...Didn't know this bit about Canadian history. Very level-headed and amicable, fits in well with their general image.

Chatty Crone said...

From sea to sea - I like that. And imagine no violence or wars to acquire the land - just negotiations. Peaceful.....

Jo said...

Amazing what you are learning about Canada Hilary. It has a lot of history for such a young country. I was talking to a friend in Mexico who couldn't believe I had never been to BC and seen all the lovely scenery there. She didn't realise just how far it was from here.

bookworm said...

It is nice to have a niehbor to the north that was not born from revolution, but rather from an orderly process. I have never had a bad visit to Canada. It's so hard to believe it's been eight years since I've been there last. The Unknown Journey Ahead agingonthespectrum.blogspot.com

Michael Di Gesu said...

Hi, Hilary,


Great motto.... Enjoying the history of Canada. It truly is a lovely country and I am hoping to visit there some time this summer....

Thanks for another charming and informative post!

Bob Scotney said...

I'm ashamed to say I kew more about America than about Canada's origin. Great motto with which I'm sure everyone can identify themselves.

David M. Gascoigne, said...

We are so different from the United States - and thank goodness for that.

Truedessa said...

From sea to sea, now I see so much more. It sounds like you are embracing Canada's history.

Andrea Ostapovitch said...

It is so interesting to read the comments and to see that people think that Canada was born peacefully. Nope! Like all land, people fought like crazy for it.
Great little read.
Have a fantastic week,
Andrea

Deepa said...

This is an amazing read


Tongue Twister for N
Tongue Twister for M
Tongue Twister for L

Lynn said...

It sounds very peaceful. Love looking at the Canadian map - I enlarged and had a long look at it.

Ronel Janse van Vuuren said...

I learn something new about Canada every day. Thanks for sharing :-)

Hilary Melton-Butcher said...

@ Troutbirder - so good to hear ... it's certainly a lovely place with lovely people ...

@ Susan - there were wars before 'the country' evolved - and a few skirmishes, mostly verbal since ... but it seems to have had a relatively comfortable existence ... it's been interesting to explore and write up snippets ...

@ Lynda - thanks so much - I too am enjoying my take on Canada - it gets a little less normal with my 'eclectic' range of posts ... there's certainly lots to offer countrywise in these two huge countries bounded by (nearly) one boundary ...

@ Jz - I saw the window and thought that's a delightful image to add to the post ... glad I did!

@ Sherry - one day perhaps they'll add the third ocean in ... but there sure is a lot of water up here ...

@ Steve - I'd never thought of the 3rd ocean - obvious really ... but glad I could write up about it ...

@ Jess - that's great ... good to see you; I too love heraldry and keep trying to understand it ... so am always happy to post things ... and the motto - thought that was interesting ...

@ Nila - the Latin one does ring true doesn't it - I enjoy seeing Latin used around the place - in legal phrases, attached to plants etc ... Latin does add to the importance and dignity of the situation being addressed or read about ... good word is Gravitas ...

@ Sandie - there were wars ... but nothing major for 200+ years ... and that was such a sensible way to 'grow a nation' ...

@ Jo - I'm selecting various bits about Canada - which I hope add interest and aren't 'too dull' ... it does have quite a lot of history which goes back a long way in different time scales. I know it's a huge country to travel around ...

@ Bookworm - thank you for coming over - and yes perhaps sometime in the future you'll be able to get back for a peaceful visit - you've a lot going on. There were wars ... but recent centuries it's been peaceful ...

@ Michael - that'll be great if you can get up for a visit ... as you say it's a lovely place ... I'm enjoying it ...

@ Bob - well your son is in the States - so that's understandable and we hear a lot more about it; as you say it's a good motto - that should easily resonate with people ...

@ David - yes thank goodness for the differences from the neighbour due south - we are lucky ...

@ Truedessa - I'm trying to find things that interest me and thus are a bit different that will interest bloggers and A-Zers ... so am learning!

@ Andrea - I know ... I was only referring to the latter history when Canada rolled itself into one country - I probably should have added there were wars going on before that - but life gets complicated ... ie the post is too long ...

@ DeeDee - good to see you ...

@ Lynn - that's great you enjoyed the map - it makes more sense if one has some reference point ... and for a while has been peaceful - long may it last ...

@ Ronel - many thanks ... good to see you

Cheers to you all - thanks for your visits - Hilary