Canada's social support programs are rooted in our geography and the experiences of the early settlers who developed farms and communities across this vast country, especially in the endless expanse of the prairies and in the impenetrable and rocky forests of Eastern Canada.

It was a lonely time. Farms were many miles apart. Towns were few. Wild animals were abundant.

If a tree fell on you in the bush or you were trapped in a blizzard, you turned to your neighbours for help.

Many of Canada's most famous writers have written about the settlers. In fact, the theme of survival -- both physical and psychological -- is a major theme in Canadian literature.