You may have seen the Maple leaf in the center of the Canadian flag. The sugar maple's leaf has come to symbolize Canada. More than 80 percent of the world's maple syrup is produced in Canada.

Canada became a nation, the Dominion of Canada, in 1867. Before that, British North America was made up of a few provinces, the vast area privately owned by the Hudson’s Bay Company, and the North-Western Territory. By 1864, many leaders felt that it would be good to join into one country.

One of the factors that helped the British defend this land from invading Americans was the native Iroquois allies. They lived in longhouses, they cultivated the soil, and they were fierce warriors. The Iroquois Confederacy, also called the Iroquois League of Six Nations, was a confederation of six Native tribes across upper New York state.

There was a Great Lakes native uprising led by Chief Pontiac of the Ottawas, who the car’s named after. Pontiac’s Rebellion occurred 1763 to 1766. The war began in May 1763 when Native Americans, offended by the policies of British General Jeffrey Amherst, attacked a number of British forts and settlements.

As we leave Toronto, we pass the Canadian National Exhibition Grounds. This 192 acre site is home to the Canadian National Exhibition (CNE or The Ex) every August­ September for 18 days, ending on Labor Day. The CNE is Canada’s largest community event and one of the top 10 agricultural fairs in North America.