Canada is surrounded on three sides by oceans.
To the north, the Arctic Ocean borders Yukon, Northwest Territories, and Nunavut.
Off the west coast of British Columbia is the Pacific Ocean.
The Atlantic Ocean, meanwhile, sits to the east of Canada’s Maritime provinces, which include Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, and Prince Edward Island.

Dear Mr. Stevens,
I am writing in response to your article that appeared in the April 22nd edition of the Vancouver Sun. In your article, you suggested that people do not take public transit to get to work because of infrequent service. You used the example of how, recently, you had to wait 25 minutes for a bus to the downtown area. As a transit operator, I can assure you that incidents such as yours are rarely the fault of the bus service. Perhaps the focus of your frustration should be directed to city planning officials and residents’ commuting habits.
Buses depart from their first station at a particular time, and the schedule of stops along the route is approximately calculated to be correct. However, various factors can interfere with the schedule. The bus may be delayed because of exceptionally heavy roadway congestion or accidents. I have been working for the Regional Transit System for 10 years. When I first started, there were not enough buses operating to meet commuter needs. However, things have improved greatly in the past few years. They have increased the number of buses and the frequency of service. As well, they have introduced new bus routes from several Vancouver suburbs into the downtown core. During peak hours (Monday to Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.), we double the number of buses in operation. In fact, in Greater Vancouver, the typical waiting time for a bus commuter during peak hours now averages 4 to 8 minutes, much lower than other cities such as Calgary and Edmonton.
I assure you that the main problem in public transit today is that we are severely outnumbered by single-passengers’ privately-owned vehicles. Despite incentives to encourage public transport, such as affordable prices and free parking lots at the stations, the number of cars on the road suggests the public still finds it more convenient to drive to work. However, if they considered the financial costs of driving, as well as the effect of car exhaust on the environment, they would find that public transit offers a practical and worthwhile alternative, not to mention that it would allow you to arrive to work on time.
Sincerely

A. "Snowbirds" are characteristic of, and perhaps even unique to, Canada. The term refers not only to birds who prefer to avoid the frigid weather by migrating south, but to people, most typically retirees, who do the same. Since Canadian citizens are allowed to reside in the United States for a maximum of 182 days during a 12-month period, many take advantage of this every November by heading south until spring. Florida is perhaps the most popular US destination for snowbirds, but others choose to spend the winter months in South Carolina, Georgia, or Arizona.
B. Though seemingly ideal to most Canadians, the main drawback of this lifestyle is the expense of being a snowbird. First, there is the cost of the trip. Snowbirds who drive to sunny US destinations each year must consider the cost of fuel and, due to the distance involved, typically the cost of at least one night in a hotel. Some snowbirds travel by motorhome to avoid hotels, though what is saved in accommodation costs is often made up for in higher gas spending. Snowbirds who prefer to fly must consider the cost of the plane ticket, as well as the added expense of renting a vehicle for the duration of their stay.
C. The second and most considerable expense related to going south is the price of owning or renting a second home. Some snowbirds choose to invest in a motorhome. This is a huge strain on the budget initially, but believed by some to be more economical over the long term. However, most snowbirds either rent or own a condo or house in the United States. Many people believe that this expense will be offset by not using their home back in Canada for the winter, but they still have to pay property taxes during their absence. Furthermore, many need to continue paying for gas and other utilities. Further still, although services such as phone, television, and internet can be suspended, there is often a fee involved.
D. Other expenses, while comparatively nominal, are nonetheless vital. These can include monthly insurance and home-maintenance fees. As Canadian provincial medical coverage does not apply to medical expenses incurred in the United States, snowbirds need to purchase adequate medical coverage on their own. A snowbird’s home-maintenance costs usually include paying someone in Canada to shovel their driveway and periodically check on their property (required to keep up home-insurance coverage), forwarding mail, and so on.
E. Not given in any of the above paragraphs.

Online social media has become the most popular form of communication amongst students in North America. Students communicate online for as much as 8 hours a day. While the debate continues whether this is a milestone in communication, or a step-back in real human interaction, many are left wondering about the changes in social protocol. Nick Thompson, a science teacher at Grayson Secondary School, recently received "friend requests" on his personal Facebook and Twitter pages from several students. Unsure how to proceed, Thompson addressed the issue in a staff meeting and found other teachers to be facing the same dilemma. Consequently, the school’s staff are conferring about whether to implement a policy that prohibits educators connecting with their students online.
Annette Curtis, the school’s principal, consulted two experts to facilitate a verdict. Gregory King, educational researcher at Bostwick College, maintains that online relationships with students increase the risk of teacher misconduct. “The surest way to prevent inappropriate conduct is to forbid casual contact on online platforms,” King advises. “Student-teacher relationships after-hours is hardly a requisite for learning, and social media is simply a distraction.”
Despite such concerns, other experts contend that such restrictive policies are retrogressive and limit the potential for education outside the classroom. Marissa Lang, professor of instructional technology at Sherman Institute for Technology, argues for the positive contributions that social media can make. “School is a limited geographic space,” Lang explains. “Education, on the other hand, is boundless. Websites generate an important sense of communal learning that continues far beyond classroom walls, allowing students to collaborate with both peers and teachers.”
While there is always the risk of misconduct in any school situation, guidelines can prevent such issues. Lang advises that educators use a professional account that is altogether separate from their personal social network. Teachers should get permission from parents to proceed with online communications, and use privacy settings to protect their personal information. "Using these protocols, along with monitoring what students post, will go a long way to preventing inappropriate behaviour while concurrently utilizing social media to enhance education," Lang says. “We live in an age of technology; why not use it to its best advantage?”