Despite being only the fourth-largest city in Canada, Ottawa is the capital and political centre of Canada. 🇨🇦

The Rideau Canal, also known unofficially as the Rideau Waterway, connects Ottawa to Lake Ontario and the Saint Lawrence River at Kingston.

The construction of the canal was supervised by Lieutenant-Colonel John By who decided to create a slackwater canal system instead of constructing new channels. In honour to his accomplishments the settlement around the canal was called Bytown (founded 1826, incorporated as Ottowa in 1855) The name Ottowa is derived from the Algonquin “Odawa“, meaning “to trade”.

The Rideau Canal played a pivotal role in the early development of Canada and encouraged shipping, trade, and settlement of Upper Canada by tens of thousands of immigrants.

In 2007 the Rideau Canal was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site recognising it as a work of human creative genius.

In March 1848, a Reform government – it was called The Great Ministry – led by Louis-Hippolyte LaFontaine and Robert Baldwin came into power in the United Province of Canada (the territories now known as Ontario and Quebec). During its three years in power, the Reform government laid the legal foundations for egalitarianism, instated a system of public education, and insisted on a non-violent approach to politics.

It can thus be seen as beginning of what might be called modern Canada.