Post by canada on May 4, 2011 21:50:47 GMT -5
(((My Reflection)))
Nation: Canada
Name: Matthew Williams
Gender: Male
Appearance Age: 19
Hair Color: Blonde
Eye Color: Violet
Height: 5'9
Weight: 155 lbs
Appearance:
It doesn't take much prompting for someone to notice that Canada looks a lot like America. The two are often said to be identical twins, with only a few features showing any difference at all. Apparently these differences do not outweigh all of the similarities. Even though he's a hair shorter than his brother, Canada is taller than most nations. Not all nations realize this even after they finally notice him as his postures make him seem at least two inches shorter than America. Due to his nation's long standing firm economy providing ample nourishment, his figure is able to maintain a healthy weight while his own practices have lead him to being athletic and trim.
The main differences between himself and Alfred is the hair texture and eye color. Matthew's hair has a more silky texture from his stronger French heritage. He also keeps longer than Alfred's, with his ears often covered if he doesn't push the hair out of the way. Still, he doesn't always keep it any more orderly than his brother. He has a strange long strand that comes out of the front and refuses to be tamed. His eyes, in contrast to Alfred's blue, are a violet.
Another trait that seems to be true across the Canadian-American border is style. Matthew chooses simple clothing for his attire. He's content with a hockey jersey or his red sweatshirt and blue jeans for most occasions. However, his uniform is much different than America's, consisting of a heavy coat and goggles in addition to more standard military apparel.
(((Know Thyself )))
Personality:
Externally, Matthew seems to be kind to a fault. In social (non-governmental) situations, he accommodates others before attempting to take care of his own needs and allows others to speak first and often even get the last word in. Even when he does talk, it often at a quiet and calm tone without any air of presumption. The stereotype that a Canadian will apologize when you bump into them isn't baseless when it comes to Matthew. Unlike his southern neighbor, he feels no need to have the limelight and once he has expressed his opinion he is more than willing to drop the issue if it's obvious that he isn't going to persuade the other side. In important meetings, he is more solid. He doesn't need to run the show, but he won't bend quite as easily if the other side's offer doesn't benefit his nation.
Some might mistake Canada's laid back demeanor as a sign that he lacks the patriotic fervor of other nations. This couldn't be farther from the case. While he's less likely to paint himself up in the color of his flag and chant his name over and over, he feels the achievements of his people on a deep, internal level. His energy is a product of being a nation that was developed through slow but decisive changes as opposed to radical revolutions.
The nations that Canada traditionally has the most trouble dealing with are his southern neighbor, America and one of his former Imperial owners, England. In recent decades, this has shifted to be primarily aimed at his brother, but occasionally there is some tension between Britain's decisions and his own. Canada often feels that these two nations both take his support for granted. Earlier than that, many points in history left Canada scrambling to try to work with both of them and concerned that he'd become a battle ground for their rivalry. However at other times, they, along with France to a lesser extant, have been the nations that he feels the deepest connection and most brotherhood toward. When possible, he prefers to work with these nations and come to decisions that benefit all of them, but due to his quiet nature and both of their more outgoing attitudes, that can often lead to head aches and disappointments. When either of them push him too much, he is capable of standing up to them and making sure he gets his point across.
Canada loves to be recognized as a fully separate entity. While young compared to many Asian and European nations, Canada isn't so little that simply knowing his name makes him attach to you like an overzealous suction cup. It's the nations that really understand the differences between him and his brother, who put the time in to learn that there isn't one homogenous North American culture, that impress him. He finds it baffling that other nations would even try to lump him and America together in such a manner when many of them get up in arms if you do the same with them and their neighbor.
To see him at his most passionate, he must be seen away from work. Obviously all nations have to put on some kind of front when discussing important matters of state. But within his hobbies, you can really see what makes him unique. On the hockey field he is a tough and serious competitor, not accepting defeat and remembering every imperfection on his part. Something less obvious about him is that he is quite prone to really going all out when there's a victory to celebrate. A more observant watcher might notice that he brings that same passion to his other past times. When reads, he'll really get into the story, attaching all of his emotions into the work. Even on hikes, he puts himself into the atmosphere and soaks up the outdoors fully.
Likes:
★Hockey
★Maple Syrup
★Curling (Ice/Winter Sports)
★America
★ Kumataro! (Kumajiro)
★ Coffee
★ Animals
★ Nature
★ Poutine
Dislikes:
✖ Fighting
✖ Being confused for America
✖ Being considered just like America
✖ The belief he does whatever America wants
✖ Tea
✖ When France makes fun of his form of French
✖ When America or England make fun of his English
✖ Heat
✖ The impossibility of pleasing all of his people
Fears:
☣ Global Warming
☣ The Quebec Issue
☣ Having to choose between close allies
☣ Wendigos (lol too cute, had to use it xD)
☣ That he'll make a mistake in the precise formula of working with, but remaining separate from, America
Secrets:
♦ Canada isn't as meek internally as he is externally. While his humor is more self-deprecating than at the expense of others, Canada is prone to thinking more rude things than he'd ever say. The major reason this qualifies as a secret is that he's totally capable of smiling and selling the deceit. Other nations have walked out of meetings believing Canada really liked them when the opposite was true.
♦ Canada loves cars. While many wouldn't peg him as a motor head, he is actually quite into the ins and outs of all the newest automobiles. Anyone who casually bring up the subject just trying to make small talk might find themselves getting their ear talked off. (Canada has more automobiles per person than any other nation xD)
♦ Canada isn't a celibate nation. He's only been working in global politics for a relatively short time, but he hasn't been immune to any of the urges of other nations for quite some time. With his French heritage, it shouldn't too surprising that he is capable of winning over a partner when he wants one.
Strengths:
Decisive Action
Canada isn't known for glorious revolutions or his ability to bring about change in an instant. But when something needed to happen, Canada was able to pull it off in time. He lives by a more haste makes waste policy than his neighbor and likes to keep his changes slow. A slow change allows every contingency to be explored before any moves are taken, which is why Canada has many reforms that have a high quality structure to them. What his actions lack in speed they more than make up for with structural integrity.
Stronger than people realize
While it is hard to deny claims that Canada is at least partially shielded from threats outside the continent due to the shadow that his brother casts, Canada himself is actually quite capable of defending his own borders from most threats and without taking nuclear arms into considerations, his military might is ranked within the top twenty five forces in the world. The advantage of this strength lies just as much in itself as it does in the fact that most nations are unaware of it. So, when Canada does need to lend his strength to another, he can be quite a solid addition.
Kindness
Much more important for Canada's purposes is his own hospitality. He doesn't believe in strong arm politics. When Canada has needed to step up and lead a global organization or a committee, he has done so through diplomatic means and political prowess, not through other pressures. His peaceful attitude has given him a positive opinion in nations that don't just consider him to be just like his brother.
Weaknesses:
Known to be peaceful
Being a peaceful nation is a double edged sword. In many places, it gives you a good reputation and a shinier approval rating. But all nations aren't quite so impressed. With nations that refuse to work within correct diplomatic channels, Canada holds a lot less sway than more militants Coalition members. He isn't likely to be attacked, but he's not likely to attack. So when it comes time to enforce sanctions, many nations just don't believe that he'd participate.
Lack of global recognition
This takes several unfortunate forms. There are many people across the world who either think that Canada is an extension of America or don't even know what Canada is. Other people find Canada's history and culture to be too tame and boring to be of any interest. And lastly, many nations consider Canada to just bend to the will of his brother. Any of these reputations is negative and to have all of them dispersed throughout the world can lead to trouble. Finding his own unique global identity is paramount to Canada's continued success as a nation.
America
Due to the complex nature of their relationship, Canada does have a difficult time negotiating with his brother, America. The two are often said to work closer than any two nations and forty percent of the Canadian economy is tied to America(which itself can be considered a weakness). Canadian politics and stances have to take America into account and dissenting from American desires has been a point of contention every time it has happened.
(((The Pages of History )))
History:
European touches in pre-Matthew times (Before Matthew Williams exist).
~875 Celt-Irish Monks from Iceland possible settle Cape Breton and are absorbed into the Mi'kmaq population.
-1004-1005 Leif Ericson winters in Vinland (L'Anse aux Meadows, NFLD)
-1005-1008 The brother of Leif (Thorwald Ericson) spends two winters in Vinland.
~1420 Basque whalers begin to hunt in the Labrador Sea.
-1497 John Cabot lands on Cape Breton and claims the land for King Henry VII of England
-1534 Jacques Cartier lands at Penouille Point, St. Lawrence River, erects a cross and claims land for the King François I of France.
-1558 First settlers arrive aboard brig Hawke in Trinity, Newfoundland.
Matthew Williams is born.
-1583 Sir Humphrey Gilbert takes possession of Newfoundland for Queen Elizabeth I of England. Matthew is born here.
-1598 French colony called La Roche founded on Sable Island. Matthew's appearance becomes more distinct and takes on the French touch that he still has to this day.
-1608 Samuel de Champlain founds settlement at Quebec. By this time, Matthew is officially adopted by both Francis and Arthur.
-1622 First Scots colonists arrive in Nova Scotia.
Early conflicts and territorial disputes.
-1627 Compagnie des Cent-Associes founded under French crown protection to colonize New France under corporate monarchy.
-1629 English captain, David Kirke,captures Quebec.
-1632 Quebec returned with Port Royal to France by Treaty of St. Germain-en-Laye.
-1644 Settlers near Montreal defeated by Iroquois.
-1653 Iroquois make peace with French, ending destruction of Huronia and devastation of Huron peoples by war.
-1660 Battle of Long Sault, Ottawa River (near Hawkesbury), between 16 French led by Adam Dollard des Ormeaux and 44 native allies and some 800 Iroquois; all French fighters in this battle are killed.
-1663 Sovereign Council of New France created, and with it the first constituted civil and military government of the colony under specifically royal auspices and regulation.
-1686 England and France agree on neutrality pact to settle dispute over Hudson Bay.
-1700 Iroquois, Abenakis, and Ottawas agree to peace terms with governor of New France, Louis-Hector de Callière.
Continuing turmoil
-1702-1713 Queen Anne's War sparks many raids and massacres. In 1710, English conquer Port Royal, rename it Annapolis Royal. In 1711, Admiral Hovenden Walker's Royal Navy expedition fails to reach Quebec.
-1713 Treaty of Utrecht signed by France, Spain and England. Treaty recognizes British sovereignty over Hudson Bay, Acadia and Newfoundland. France retains New France, Island of St. John and the rights to fish and use parts of Newfoundland shore.
-1756 British declare war on France, beginning the Seven Years War (French and Indian War).
-1763 British, French and Spanish sign Treaty of Paris. Treaty places Canada under British rule, outlines boundaries of Canada. The new British colony is called Quebec.
-1774 Quebec act passed by British Parliament.
American Revolution.
-Many of the founding fathers believed that the northern territories that are now Canada would join their struggle against England. The leaders of the Revolution even attempted to assure the northern territories that they were coming to protect them. However, the revolutionaries were often cruel to the Canadian peasantry and saw them as akin to 'savages'. Nevertheless, the decision to remain neutral was a forced decision. Interestingly, the American revolution actually brought up the solidification of the Canadian territories, even if it came at no increase in sovereignty.
-1791 Constitutional (or Canada) Act given royal assent in London for the division of Quebec and creation of provinces of Upper Canada and Lower Canada.
War of 1812.
-1812 US President James Madison declares war on Britain, beginning War of 1812.
-1815 Treaty of Ghent signed which essentially keeps things exactly the way they were before the war.
1800s.
-1834 Lower Canada assembly adopts 92 resolutions demanding constitutional reforms.
-1840 Upper and Lower Canada merged into one province called Canada, governed through elected Assembly and appointed Legislative Council, under an appointed governor general. -10 August: First manned flight, by balloon Star of the East, at Saint John, New Brunswick.
-1841 Kingston selected as capital of Province of Canada.
-1842 Webster-Ashburton Treaty signed between Britain and United States; sets boundary between new Brunswick and Maine, at Saint John River.
-1846 Oregon Boundary Treaty signed by Britain and United States, sets boundary along 49th parallel west of Rocky Mountains, leaving Vancouver Island in British hands and status of San Juan Archipelago uncertain.
-1849 Montreal citizens, including French Canadian liberals and English merchants, issue manifesto urging annexation to United States; parliament buildings in Montreal destroyed by Tory mob.
-1854 United Province of Canada and United States sign Reciprocity Treaty.
-1861 Trent affair prompts British naval and military reinforcement of British North America.
-1864 Tories and Reformers in Canadian Assembly form coalition lead by John A. Macdonald and George Brown to unite British North America into one nation.
-1867 British parliament passes British North America Act, providing for union of New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and Canada into self-governing dominion called Dominion of Canada.
-1887 North-West territories act gives French equal standing with English in government and courts.
1900s.
-1909 First flight in British Empire of a powered heaver-than-air flying machine at Baddeck, Nova Scotia, by JAD McCurdy.
-1917-1919 Conscription begins in Canada, as does training of Royal Flying Corp officers, later conscription riots in Quebec which would be off and on for quite some time. Canada as part of British Empire signs the Treaty of Versailles.
-1922 Canadian doctors Frederick Banting and Charles best discover insulin as for control of diabetes.
-1923 Canada and the United States sign Halibut Treaty, first commercial treaty negotiated by Canada without participation of Britain. Chinese Immigration Act closes doors to Chinese immigrants, known as “Humiliation Day” in Chinese communities, it is repealed in 1947.
-1929 Canada enters into the Great Depression.
-1936 Canadian units fight in Spanish Civil War.
-1938 Canada, United States and Britain sign trade treaty to allow easier access into each country's markets.
-10 September 1939, Canada declares war on Germany, entering World War II.
-1940 Quebec becomes last province to give women the vote in provincial elections. Canada and the United States sign Ogdenburg Agreement defense pact creating Permanent Joint Defense Board to deal with protection of North America.
-1941 Following Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, Canada declares war on Japan.
-1942 Relocation and internment of Japanese ordered. Canadian people vote in favor of conscription.
-1944 Invasion of Normandy.
-1945 Japan surrenders.
-1950 Canadian government supports UN policy in Korea and sends Canadian units to participate in military activities.
-1952 Korean War ends.
-1955 United States and Canada sign agreement for US to build Distant Early Warning network of radar in Canada's north and Alaska.
-1956 Collapse of Hungarian uprising against Soviet authority; about 37,000 refugees arrive in Canada. UN sends emergency forces to Suez Canal to help find peaceful solution.
-1957 NORAD formed.
-1960 Native peoples enfranchised.
-1975 Beaver adopted as national animal.
-1982 Canada Act. New Canadian constitution gives Canada full sovereignty.
-1987 Canada and the United States agree on terms of a free trade agreement.
-1991 Canada joins operations in Iraq (Operation: Desert Storm).
-1992 Canada joins UN forces to enforce peace in Yugoslavia.
-1993 Canada sends 1,200 troops into devastated area of Sarajevo to escort UN convoys. Canada ends 29 years of peacekeeping in Cyprus.
-1994 NAFTA comes into effect, bringing Mexico into partnership with Canada and the USA to create the world's largest free trading zone. Canada announces it will not take part in an invasion of Haiti.
2000s.
-2001 Terrorists hijack four commercial airplanes, destroy World Trade Center Twin Towers in New York and attack Pentagon, bringing forth “war against terrorism” and later NATO military action in Afghanistan with Canadian participation.
-2003 Same sex marriage legalized in Ontario. Canada decides not to join US-led coalition against Iraq.
-2010 Canada deploys Disaster Assistance Response Team, Canadian Forces, to Haiti devastated by earthquake. Vancouver hosts 21st Winter Olympics. G8 and G20 meetings in Huntsville and Toronto. Riots break out.
Allies:
Boer Wars: British
Seven Years War: France and several native American tribes.
War of 1812: England
WWI: America, England, France, Russian Empire, Japan, Romania
WWII: America, England, France, Soviet Union, China, Australia, Poland, New Zealand, Netherlands, Belgium, Brazil
Cold War: America (seriously.. with NORAD, NATO, the Dew Line, a ton of US radar systems and several agreements between the two nations, Canada was not an active participant but it was pretty solidly on America's side except when it came to the Vietnam war and stances on China and Cuba).
Enemies:
Boer Wars: Boers
Seven Years War: England, Colonial America and several native American tribes.
War of 1812: America
WWI: German Empire, Italy, Austria-Hungary, Ottoman Empire, Bulgaria
WWII: Nazi Germany, Fascist Italy, Japan, Hungary, Bulgaria, Romania, Finland, Iraq, Thailand
Cold War: Soviet Union (though not to the extent of the United States of America)
Sample Post:
Action of 14 July 1696
The rocking of the ship was mesmerizing as it sat in the water. Back and forth it swayed, pushing along the young nation's stomach along with it. Francis had told him that smaller ships were even worse when it came to turbulence. Matthew hoped to stay off of anything like that if he could avoid it. In fact, after this he would ask to not be on any ship for a time. If it wasn't the swaying disagreeing with him, it was the sea air. The salty tinge tickled his nose and made him feel like he was constantly about to sneeze.
The ship he found himself on was called the Profond. They had dropped anchor after it had become too foggy for them to continue. The planks of the ship's deck creaked eerily, the sounds coming as if out of nowhere. The captain was a tall man named Simon-Pierre Denys de Bonaventure, naturally one of Francis' countrymen, the type that fancied himself to have some loyalty to Matthew's birthlands. If there was any more to be known about the man, then Matthew didn't know it. He left those things to his big brother and didn't worry about them. This policy was quite fortunate as keeping himself from throwing up was taking the bulk of his concentration at the moment.
The man stood proudly, but Matthew thought he seemed on edge. His military bearing was quite impressive, but it did little to comfort the small North American. He huddled against France, pressing his back up against the taller nation. At this prompting, he was picked up. He stared Francis, who smiled at him and opened his mouth to speak, but before he could someone called out from above them, prompting them to both look up.
<<Captain! Three ships ahead, English ships!>>
It was a man on the crow's nest. Matthew strained his vision to try to see the ships in question. He could barely make out their forms on the horizon. Without the aid of a scope, he couldn't see anything that hinted at the ships being English. But the forms shifted their positions and turned toward the Profond. Matthew huddled closer to his owner.
<<Pull up anchor, but don't drop the ports. Once we're in range, drop them and fire at once!>>
Matthew felt a shiver run through them. This wasn't just a trip on a big ship. He was going to be part of a naval battle. His steward looked pensive, an expression of little comfort to his colony. The pair moved closer to the center of the ship and Francis set Matthew down.
<<Stay down, mon petite, it will be over before you know it.>> And with a wink, his master disappeared.
Matthew hunkered down, but he kept his eyes toward the other ships. Francis wouldn't have brought him if this wasn't important to him. He was afraid, but he couldn't be too scare to turn away. This all made no sense to him right now. He didn't understand why Francis and Arthur fought and he didn't understand anything about battles in general. But one day he would and when then day came, he wanted to remember this and figure out what it all meant. If any of the men on either ship died today, they'd deserve that much. He inhaled deeply as he heard a click and the ports falling rapidly. He was about to inhale when the first shot was fired. In the fog, it was like five dragons crying out as they attacked each other. But this was no fantasy. This was history.
Did you read the rules and Dark Reflections Canon? I just came back for the Italian pasta!
Random fun fact about yourself: I was born on the island of Tobago, but I haven't been there in almost 19 years :')