The Seven Wonders of Canada, or More Proof the Country Isn’t Boring

Travel Blog  •  Michael Yessis  •  06.19.07 | 9:07 AM ET

chateaufrontenac

Photo of Chateau Frontenac in Quebec by SqueakyMarmot, via Flickr, (Creative Commons)

Last week I happily waved my Maple Leaf flag in support of Canada’s above averageness, citing, among other things, an abundance of moose and snowboarding the Canadian Rockies. I now have more ammunition. CBC Television’s The National and BCB Radio’s Sounds Like Canada conducted a search to determine the Seven Wonders of Canada, and earlier this month they announced the results. The wonders, based on this criteria, are: The canoe, Niagara Falls, Pier 21 in Halifax, the Rockies, The igloo, Old Quebec city and Prairie Skies.

I’d happily experience them all, perhaps saving the canoe excursion for last. I have no J-stroke. Or balance in a canoe, for that matter.

The unveiling of Canada’s Seven Wonders comes in advance of the July 7, 2007 announcement of the New Seven Wonders of the World, as voted by participants in a NewOpenWorld Foundation-sponsored competition. We’ve been following the New Wonders since January 2006, and we know at least one thing: No Canadian wonder will win the status of world-wide wonder. The organizers recently announced that, with more than 50 million votes cast, the top 10 include the Great Wall, the Colosseum, Machu Picchu, the Acropolis, Chichen Itza, the Eiffel Tower, Easter Island, the Statue of Christ Redeemer, the Taj Mahal and Petra.

Don’t worry, Canada. You can still win a shirt signed by Cristiano Ronaldo.



2 Comments for The Seven Wonders of Canada, or More Proof the Country Isn’t Boring

Tia B. Viering 04.23.08 | 10:35 AM ET

Hi - Could you please forward this to Michael Yessis? Thanks!

Hi Michael -
Since you wrote about the 7 Wonders of Canada, I thought you might be a good person to help get the word out that there are currently 8 Canadian nominees in the New7Wonders of Nature campaign ... but it seems like there are not many Canadians who have heard the good news! Since Canadians were hugely active in the first New7Wonders campaign, I’m sure that they will want to get involved again - especially with some of their own natural treasures in the running.
Right now, the top Canadian nominee, Niagara Falls, is ranked number 17, and then there is a huge gap before you reach Lake Louise at rank 101. Banff is # 110, Dinosaur Provincial Park is # 119, Lake Superior is # 136, the Bay of Fundy is # 158, Rocher Perce is # 227 and Gros Morne Nat’l Park is # 252 ... this is of 268 nominees!

The New7Wonders fever has already risen again in many parts of Asia and Latin America, but has not yet caught on in Canada - could you help change that? What we need are a) Official Supporting Committees to be formed for all of the nominees except Gros Morne - so we have someone to deal with on behalf of the natural site, to let us use photos, to organize the World Tour visit if it makes it into the top 21 Finalists, and b) people to find out and VOTE!
We’re trying hard to get the word out, also to the educational community - since kids were a big part of the first campaign and New7Wonders is a terrific way to broaden kids’ horizons and make the future a more open, harmonious place. We have lots of tools for teachers at http://www.new7wonders.com/kids&schools;, and we’ll post all schoolwork, artwork and other neat things that kids and teachers send us.

Are you on the New7Wonders mailing list for press releases? Would you like to be?

Thanks very much for any help you can give to the Canadian New7Wonders nominees!

Take care -
Tia

rik 08.28.08 | 5:31 AM ET

What do you mean “...don’t worry Canada…” ?
“The Great Lakes” belong right up there
as one of the “7 Natural Wonders of the World”

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