As Canada came to terms with its new role as an independent nation following Confederation in 1867, there was a call for a new literary voice to express the needs and desires of a new country. Children's literature was one of the means through which this new voice found expression. Seen as a tool for both entertaining and educating children, this material is often overtly propagandist, and addresses some of the key political, economic, and social concerns of Canada as it struggled to maintain national unity in the years following Confederation.

Canadia: 2056
This entertaining sci-fi comedy series is written by one of Canada’s best-loved comedy writers, Matt Watts. The United States has launched an armada to destroy an alien threat. Canada sends the nation’s only publicly-funded spacecraft, The Canadia - a ship with a single purpose - to plunge the Americans’ toilets.

The TOEFL is a comprehensive English language examination required by more than 3,000 colleges and universities in the United States, Canada, and other parts of the world. In addition, foreign born professionals frequently need a TOEFL score for certification to practice their profession in the United States or Canada.
The TOEFL is a timed test that consists of the three sections listed here.

If you are planning on visiting our neighbor to the North, you'll need DK's Eyewitness Travel Guide: Canada to show you the best this beautiful country has to offer. Broken into six distinct sections: Atlantic Canada, Quebec, Ontario, Central Canada, Northern Canada and British Columbia and the Rockies -- this guide allows you to find the best places to stay, eat, shop, and visit while in Canada. Includes more than 900 full-color photographs. There is something in this informative reference for everyone.

News of the Week
SCIENCE EDUCATION: Louisiana Opens School Door for Opponents of Evolution
Fayana Richards
Science 20 June 2008: 1572.
A bill passed overwhelmingly by the Louisiana state legislature and expected to become law as early as next week marks the latest attack in the United States on the teaching of evolution and mainstream scientific thought on global warming and other topics.
BIOBANKS: Canada Launches Massive Study of Adult Cancer Precursors
Paul Webster
Science 20 June 2008: 1572-1573.
Canada has joined the global stampede of countries gathering biological data over decades on a large population cohort in hopes of better understanding the genetic, social, and environmental factors that affect human health.
BIODEFENSE: Senate Bill Would Alter Biosafety, Select Agent Rules
Jocelyn Kaiser
Science 20 June 2008: 1573.
Last week, a bipartisan pair of U.S. senators introduced a bill that would streamline the red tape involved in studying potential bioweapons as well as address safety concerns at the nation's biodefense labs.