Learn the province
The New Brunswick coat of arms has a shield in the centre with a gold lion sitting on the top that symbolizes the province’s relationship with Britain. Underneath, a ship can be seen in open water against a gold backdrop celebrating New Brunswick’s maritime and shipbuilding history. Centered above the shield is an Atlantic Salmon, leaping from golden maple leaves whilst wearing the St. Edwards crown on its back. On either side of the shield are white tailed deer with antlers; each has a small badge suspended from a friendship collar. On the left, you can see the British Union badge, and to the right is the royal arms of France, symbolic of the French and British settlement of the region.
Study some history
Dive deep into the history of New Brunswick and some sites you’ll visit on tour. Learn what it was like for early French settlers by visiting the open-air Village Historique Acadien. There, you can experience what life was like for the Acadian people and other early settlers in the region. Throughout New Brunswick, there are also various forts and defense settlements of both French and British origin that you can visit, such as Fort La Tour and Fredericton Military Compound.
Get creative
Organize your art supplies and get painting! Pick a particular location you’ll visit on your trip and compare your artwork to photos of the location when you return. Consider painting the Reversing Falls in Saint Johns or a portrait of the world’s largest axe in Nackawic.
Pick a film
Watch a movie or TV show that was filmed in (or relates to) your destination. Some ideas for New Brunswick include:
- Still Mine (2012)
- Jericho Mansions (2003)
- Geraldine’s Fortune (2004)
Understand the culture
Research some of the most famous inhabitants of New Brunswick! We’ll start you off: Donald Sutherland, an actor and inductee on both the Hollywood and Canadian Walks of Fame, was born in St. Johns, New Brunswick in 1935. His film career has spanned more than seven decades, including roles in movies and TV such as The Dirty Dozen (1967), MASH (1970), and more recently The Hunger Games (2012-2015).
Examine the economy
Most of the industry in New Brunswick comes from agriculture, forestry, fisheries, and mining. McCain’s Food Limited, known for its frozen foods (and smiley potatoes!) worldwide, is a Canadian multinational company that was founded in Florence Ville, New Brunswick in 1957. McCain’s headquarters is still based in New Brunswick today.
Master the language
Chiac is a dialect of the Acadian French language spoken in New Brunswick with influences from English and, to a lesser extent, Canadian aboriginal language. Chiac is a relatively recent development of the French language that became popular around the 1960s that focuses on primarily French syntax with French-English vocabulary and phrase forms.
Did you know?
New Brunswick has one of the longest natural sandbars in the world, located at Eel River Bar.