IN THE NEWS
Last week, Prime Minister Trudeau made a $4 billion major development announcement.
HIGH SPEED TRAIN - Canada is getting high-speed rail. This week's announcement of Alto, a high-speed rail system between Toronto and Quebec City, will transform our economy - drastically shortening commute times for millions of Canadians, turbocharging economic growth, creating thousands of good-paying jobs .... and much more.Toronto to Montreal in three hours - you can't beat that!!
American actress who became one of the most iconic film legends.
MARILYN MONROE (1926-1962) - Marilyn Monroe became one of the most iconic film legends. Her films were moderately successful, but her lasting fame came through her photogenic good looks and aura of glamour and sophistication.
What's the number of continents in the world?
SEVEN - A continent is one of Earth's seven main divisions of land. The continents are, from largest to smallest: Asia, Africa, North America, South America, Antarctica, Europe, and Australia. Sometimes Europe and Asia are considered one continent called Eurasia. When geographers identify a continent, they usually include all the islands associated with it.
Streets that were named after the First Lieutenant -Governor of Upper Canada and Founder of the City of Toronto.
JOHN Street, GRAVES Street and SIMCOE Street -
named after John Graves Simcoe, a British Army General and the first lieutenant governor of Upper Canada from 1791 - 1796 in southern Ontario and the watersheds of Georgian Bay and Lake Superior.
You can find the John Graves Simcoe Monument at Queen's Park.
It was the most expensive and highest grossing release movie of 1963.
CLEOPATRA - The 1963 film Cleopatra, starring Elizabeth Taylor as Cleopatra and Richard Burton as Mark Antony, is one of the most famous and extravagant movies ever made. Directed by Joseph L. Mankiewicz, it is known for its stunning costumes, lavish sets, and dramatic storytelling.
Originally budgeted at $2 million, it ballooned to over $31 million (equivalent to hundreds of millions today), nearly bankrupting 20th Century Fox.
Canadian- American former professional ice hockey player who was made the honorary captain after the Canada - U.S game.
WAYNE GRETZKY - Wayne Gretzky, born in Brantford Ontario, was a former professional ice hockey player who played for the National Hockey League for 20 seasons. On Thursday evening, Canada beat the U.S 3 - 2, Wayne Gretzky stood as Team Canada's honorary captain for the tournament. The move has drawn harsh criticism, as in the time since the U.S presidential election win last November, Gretzky has been repeatedly spotted at the side of the newly elected president.
British Chemist who made significant contribution to understanding DNA.
ROSALIND FRANKLIN (1920-1958) - Rosalind Franklin was a British Chemist who made significant contributions understanding the physical structure of DNA. DNA is the genetic information inside the cells of the human body that helps make people who they are. Think of it as the blueprints for a house.
Rosalind Franklin died of cancer, at the age of 37. Her famous quote: "science and everyday life cannot and should not be separated".
Which "colourful" sea borders the countries of South Korea, Japan and China?
THE YELLOW SEA - The Yellow Sea is a marginal sea of the Western Pacific Ocean located between mainland China and the Korean Peninsula. Named for the yellowish sand that colours its water, the Yellow Sea is one of the largest shallow areas of continental shelf in the world.The Yellow Sea derives its name from the colour of the silt-laden water discharged from the major Chinese rivers emptying into it.
What was built by Admiral Augustus Warren Baldwin in 1818.
RUSSELL HILL ROAD - In 1817 Admiral Baldwin bought a 2-hundred acre property from Elizabeth Russell and began to build a house a year later. He named the property Russell Hill for his birthplace in Ireland, and in honour of the Russell family. After Augustus retired from the Navy in 1836, he was appointed to Upper Canada's Executive Council, he held the position until the Union of the Canadas in 1841. He died at Russell Hill in 1866 and today Admiral and Russell Hill Roads remain as reminders of his Russell Hill Estate.
Proctor & Gamble product that revolutionized baby care in 1966.
PAMPERS - Pampers is a well-known brand of baby diapers owned by Procter & Gamble (P&G). It was introduced in the 1960s and has since become one of the most successful and widely used diaper brands worldwide.
Pampers was created by P&G researcher Victor Mills in the late 1950s. He wanted a more convenient alternative to cloth diapers for his grandson.The first disposable Pampers hit the market in 1961.
Who was the 49th spiritual leader of the world's millions of Ismaili Muslims.
AGA KAHN IV - His Highness, Prince Karim Aga Khan IV was an extraordinary compassionate global leader who went on to channel a fortune into building homes, hospitals and schools in developing countries. Here in Canada he helped set up the Global Centre for Pluralism in Ottawa and the the first Islamic arts museum in Toronto. On February 4th the Aga Kahn passed away peacefully in Lisbon at the age of 88.
American woman who refused to give up her bus seat in Alabama in 1955.
ROSA PARKS (1913-2005) - Civil rights activist Rosa Park' refusal to give up her bus seat in Montgomery, Alabama led to some of the most significant civil rights legislations of American history. Through her peaceful and dignified campaigning she became one of the most well respected figures in the civil rights movements.
What was the first fruit eaten on the moon?
PEACH - A peach was the first fruit eaten on the moon. After landing at the Sea of Tranquility, Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin ate the first lunch on the moon during the Apollo II mission. It was on July 20, 1969, during the historic moonwalk that they had a meal consisting of packaged and freeze-dried items. The meal included bacon squares, peaches, sugar cookie cubes, coffee, and grapefruit drink.
The street that was named after John Graves Simcoe's friend, a British Secretary of War, who just like Earl of Bathurst, never visited Canada.
YONGE STREET - named by Ontario's first Colonial Administrator John Graves Simcoe for his friend Sir George Yonge, who was an expert on ancient Roman roads. Yonge Street is a major arterial route in our province of Ontario, connecting Toronto to Lake Simcoe, a gateway to the Upper Great Lakes.
Contrary to popular belief, it's not the longest street in the world. That title goes to the Pan American Highway.
What new type of telephone was invented in 1963?
TOUCH-TONE - The touch-tone phone was introduced by AT&T's Bell System on November 18, 1963. It replaced the traditional rotary dial with push buttons, allowing for faster dialing and eventually enabling telephone-based services like banking and customer support.
Key Facts About the Touch-Tone Phone:
Developed by Bell Labs as an improvement over rotary dial phones. Today we have: interactive voice response (IVR) systems, automated dialing, and later, internet modems and mobile phone keypads.
When was the record One-Day snowfall in Toronto?
DECEMBER 1944 - On December 1, 1944 Toronto experienced its heaviest single-day snowfall, with 48.3 centimeters (19 inches) blanketing the city in One Single Day. This month our city was hit by multiple snowstorms, resulting in a total of 63 cm over a ten-day period. More than 72,000 tonnes of snow were removed from 101 kl. of roadways, 11 kl. of bike lanes and 18kl. of sidewalks.
Schoolgirl who has become a global leader for environmental issues and leading protests against global warming.
GRETA THUNBERG (2003 - ) - At the age of 15, Swedish student Greta Thunberg skipped school to protest outside parliament for more action against climate change. Greta worked to address the problem of climate change, founding (2018) a movement known as "Fridays for Future", also called School Strike of Climate.The same year, she began public speeches for which she has become an internationally recognized climate activist.
Animal that can sleep for up to three years.
SNAIL - YES, snails can sleep for up to three years when they hibernate in response to hot and dry climates. Snails need moisture to survive: so if the weather is not cooperating, they can actually sleep up to three years. Snails can live anywhere between 3 and 7 years in the wild and to 10 years in captivity
Snails do have many uses, food (protein), medicine, cosmetics, and environmental indicators.
He was the builder of Spadina (Spadeena) Avenue and named this street after himself.
BALDWIN STREET - Dr. William Warren Baldwin, builder of Spadina Avenue, owned much of the area in the early 1900s. Dr. Baldwin moved to Upper Canada from Ireland in 1798. In 1836, Baldwin laid out Spadina Avenue south to Queen, with many of its various offshoot streets named after Baldwin's family members. Although trained as a doctor in Ireland, Baldwin spent his time in Canada as a lawyer, judge and eventual political figure in Upper Canada's Parliament.
What 60s artist was famous for his rendering of everyday objects such as soup cans?
ANDY WARHOL - Andy Warhol's "Campbell's Soup Cans" was and still is one of his most iconic works. In 1962, Warhol created a series of 32 paintings, each depicting a different flavor of Campbell's soup, marking a major moment in the Pop Art movement. Warhol was fascinated by branding and repetition, often saying he ate Campbell's soup every day for lunch as a kid.
After Thursday night's hockey game, who said the words " You can't take our country - and you can't take our game"?
JUSTIN TRUDEAU - "You can't take our country - and you can't take our game", the outgoing Canadian Prime Minister wrote on his social platform, indirectly referencing to the U.S. President's proposal to make Canada the 51st. state.
On Thursday evening, Canada defeated the U.S. in the men's hockey championship game 3-2 in overtime.
Canadian author who's book's popularity put P.E.I. on the map.
LUCY MAUD MONTGOMERY (1874 - 1942) - Best known for a collection of novels, essays and short stories, but mostly for her first novel Anne of Green Gables. Maud Montgomery's book's popularity put P.E.I. on the map as millions of fans began to visit the magical setting of their favourite novel.There are many places in P.E.I that are dedicated to Montgomery and her most well known fictional character, Anne Shirley.
What's the largest province of Canada?
QUEBEC - Quebec is Canada's largest of our 10 provinces by area, covering 1,356,128 square kilometres of land, while its water area is 185,000 square kilometres.
The second-largest province is Ontario, the smallest one is P.E.I. (Prince Edward Island).
Canada has provinces and territories. Provinces have their own government, territories are governed by the federal government. (Largest territory is Nunavut, smallest is The Yukon).
Who was St. Clair Avenue named after?
AUGUSTINE ST. CLARE -- The story of Toronto's St. Clair is one of misspelling and confusion. According to authors Leonard Wise and Allan Gould, in "Toronto Street Names", it got its name from "St. Clare", a character in anti-slavery novel Uncle Tom's Cabin, in which the character spelled his name incorrectly, as St. Clair on a signpost at his parents farm near Avenue Road and St. Clair.
In 1964, Jack Ruby was convicted of murdering which other accused assassin?
LEE HARVEY OSWALD - Lee Harvey Oswald and Jack Ruby are central figures in the assassination of President John F. Kennedy in 1963.
Lee Harvey Oswald was arrested for assassinating Kennedy on November 22, 1963, in Dallas, Texas. Jack Ruby, a nightclub owner with alleged ties to organized crime, shot and killed Oswald on live television two days later, on November 24, 1963, as Oswald was being transferred from police custody. Ruby claimed he acted out of patriotism and grief?!?!