🚀 go-pugleaf

         THE GREAT CANADIAN TRIVIA CONTEST
  
From: Steve_Caldwell@colby.on.infoshare.ca
Subject: Great Canadian Trivia Contest
 
QUESTION FOR 23 MARCH 1998.
 
The History Department of Colonel By Secondary School in Ottawa,
Ontario is sponsoring a Canadian Studies Internet trivia contest.  
 
This contest is designed to appeal to students in Grades 6 - 10
although other grades are more than welcome to participate.

INFORMATION:
 
Each week a new question  will be presented.  Students participating in
the contest will, in all likelihood, have to do some research to find
the correct answer to our weekly question.
 
Questions are based on some aspect of Canadian Studies. Questions will
include the subjects of history, geography, culture, natural science,
sports, current events, law and any other aspect of Canadian studies
that we can think of.
 
A new question will be posted by noon, eastern time, every Monday and
answers must be received by 8:00 a.m. eastern time the following
Saturday week. Answers will be tabulated, and the correct answer, along
with the winners' names, will be posted in two weeks. Thus, there will
be a new question each week while the answer and winners will be posted
two weeks later.
 
We plan on offering a few nominal prizes so make sure you let us know
where we can reach you. We plan on offering three prizes this year, one
for the top scoring individual or small group, one for the top scoring
class, and one for the top scoring out of country participant. Because
of this it is vital for participants to identify which of the three you
are entering as. If the participants are representing a particular
class please identify the teacher, grade(s) and school. 

Last year we had participants from across Canada and the United States,
as well as Sweden while in previous years we have had participants from
as far away as China.
We welcome all new participants as well as our returning veteran
contestants.    
 
Don't forget your e-mail address, as well as your school's name and the
grade and/or class that you are in, as well as your postal address.
     

MARCH 2nd's  QUESTION:

Eastern Ontario, Quebec and New Brunswick are in the process of
recovering from the Great Ice Storm of 98. Property damage was
horrendous and there was unfortunate loss of life. In terms of loss of
life what was the greatest disaster to ever hit Canada?

ANSWER:

Most people accept the Halifax Explosion of 6 December, 1917 as the
single worst Canadian disaster in terms of loss of life. On that day
the French munitions ship Mont Blanc collided with the Belgian relief
ship Imo in Halifax harbour. The resulting explosion levelled large
parts of the cities of Halifax and Dartmouth. 

The Canadian Encyclopedia Plus reports that:
 "Out of a population of less than 50,000, over 1600 people died and 	 
                                 9000 were injured, including 200
blinded by flying glass. Sixteen hundred buildings were destroyed and
12,000 damaged; 6000 people were homeless and 20,000 lacked adequate
shelter. Total damage amounted to $35 million. The misery was
compounded by a forced evacuation of the city, necessitated by fire
threatening the main dockyard magazine, and by appalling weather
conditions in the days immediately following the explosion."

Another interesting suggestion comes from Andrea Evans of Colonel By
who suggested that the influenza pandemic of 1918-19 which spread
around the world and killed 50,000 people as being the single worst
natural disaster. However since the influenza lasted for several months
whereas the Explosion only a few moments most people seem to 
give credit to the Explosion.

WINNERS:

1. Dean Voykin, Sa-Hali Secondary School: Kamloops, British Columbia

2. Alex Bush, Colonel By Secondary School: Gloucester, Ontario

3. Ian Raska, Colonel By Secondary School: Gloucester, Ontario

4. Taissir Rachid, Colonel By Secondary School: Gloucester, Ontario

5. Peter and Cindy Bailey, Madison, Connecticut

6. Mr. Hinds Gr. 7/8 class, J.V. Clark School: Mayo, Yukon

7. Keiran Washbrook, Colonel By Secondary School: Gloucester, Ontario

8. Andrea Evans, Colonel By Secondary School: Gloucester, Ontario

LAST WEEK'S QUESTION:

Who is the richest person in Canada?

DUE DATE: 28 MARCH, 1998.

THIS WEEK'S QUESTION:

King George V is reported to have introduced this 17 year old
Newfoundlander as "... the youngest VC in my army." 

What is the name of this 17 year old who was the youngest person to win
the British Empire's highest award for valour, the Victoria Cross,
during World War I?  

DUE DATE: 4 APRIL, 1998.


SEND IN YOUR ANSWERS:
 
Remember, don't post your answers to this list.  Otherwise everyone
will see what you're sending in. Instead, send your answers to Steve
Caldwell at the following e-mail address:

Steve_Caldwell@colby.on.infoshare.ca