In recent years Canada has become the envy of liberal nations the world over but the country still has work to do if it is to truly cement its position as a global leader. In this issue we outline all that’s great about the Great White North and suggest a few ways that it can make its new-found dominance last.

The Canadians’ love of cottage country is more than a lifestyle choice: it’s a way of linking to that vast landscape and being part of the nation.

Satirists to supermodels, mayors to moguls: here are Canada’s power players.

Canada may be seen as the perennial nice guy but its military are ready for a fight. We join them in Ukraine, where they are taking a stand against Russia.

Canadians are rightly proud of their vibrant metropolises. But how does Toronto, one of its noblest urban hubs, compare to sister city and rival Chicago across the international border? We pitted citizens of both places head to head to find out.

Home to aircraft manufacturers, suppliers and associations, Montréal is a leading centre of aviation. At the forefront is Bombardier, whose new C Series planes will benefit the whole of Québec province – not to mention ‘Brand Canada’.

As Canada assumes a greater role on the world stage, the nation’s companies need to promote a positive impression of the country. From maple leaves and mountains to beavers and bears, we give the best of the bunch our stamp of approval.

The city formerly known as ‘Deadmonton’ has been reanimated – and its vital signs are good. With an entrepreneurial spirit that’s as strong as any, it seems the Big E is coming alive.

In Canada’s far-flung communities the established media can seem distant, out of touch and even irrelevant. We take a look at some of the independent media outlets covering the country’s more isolated corners.

Whether in Winnipeg or New York, McNally bookshops are the essence of their communities. We find out how the founders’ daughter is furthering the family line and how the new owner of the original shop is keeping up with the McNallys.

Canada’s architects know all too well that its wilds cannot be conquered; instead they’re working with the wilderness to create a new kind of structural language. We go cross-country to visit three rural retreats and meet the people who collaborated with nature to build them.

Monocle meets the makers who are living off the land in the bucolic surrounds of Prince Edward County.

Canada, one of the best-loved nations in the world, exports more than just good will and maple syrup. From peacekeeping troops to submarines and lentils, this vast and varied country makes a mark in the unlikeliest of places.

An ex-soldier, intelligence gatherer and police detective, Harjit Sajjan hadn’t long been an MP before landing the job as Canada’s minister of national defence. A year into the job, he’s faced some significant challenges.

A third constitutional referendum in 15 years for Italy, plus the special bond between Québec and Bavaria.

When it comes to agreements on trans-Pacific trade, Hillary Clinton will be hoping for the help of a lame duck.

Japan invests in some blue-sky thinking, plus rail upgrades in Thailand.

Why Somali stability owes much to the Canadian spirit, and Iran’s efforts to save Lake Urmia.

Eighty per cent of Canadians live in cities but increased investment for small towns is on the way.

James Baumgartner, Canada’s man in Portland, on building business ties.

Small businesses in Singapore and why Ontario start-up success Waterloo needs better air links.

Our usual rounded round-up which this month features, without a hint of irony, Alanis Morissette.

Canadian masterpieces for sale, the Diane Dufresne Art Centre and a British Columbia art collection.

This month’s audio and visual highlights.

Essential looks for a Canadian cold snap.

This issue we check out a Haitian hostelry in Montréal and sample Argentinian food in Toronto that’s been perfected over generations. We also visit a surfing community that’s become a culinary hotspot and taste a whole world’s worth of tea. Join us for a tour of Canada’s food frontiers.

What does it really mean to be Canadian? Is it an open-minded acceptance of refugees, being a leader on the world stage or perhaps even an affinity with an imagined idyll? We ask five natives to shed some light on this ever-evolving and perennially popular country.

The presumption that any North American of note in the entertainment industry is American is misplaced; the High North is a veritable talent factory. Here are 10 superstars whose unique talents could only originate from one place.

Canada’s prime minister Justin Trudeau swept to power with a landslide. Advertising guru David Rosenberg helped him get there while journalist Rosemary Barton had a front-row seat. Together they navigate this new political era.

From chairs, lights and blinds to shops and office fit-outs there’s a wealth of exciting designers out there. Here’s our sampler of our favourite finds.

A Thai style of graphic design is slowly emerging from an identity crisis, powered by pioneering creatives and a new breed of CEOs who are modernising their products.

Monocle visits the annual trade fairs where craft aficionados are upholding traditions such as barrel-making and basket-weaving and forward-looking ceramicists are reinventing the humble tile.

The skilfully designed and lovingly curated United Arrows flagship entices shoppers with its bazaar-style retail concept.

Upgrading premises to cater for growth can be painful but one Swedish architect has moulded a 1930s apartment into the ideal replacement for his firm’s much-loved former home.

We round up the sharpest and most forward-looking architects busy turning heads with their innovative retail designs, lush tropical dwellings and nature-inspired and welcoming commercial spaces.

From cosy blankets to sleek tiles and ambient lighting, we select the most covetable and hard-wearing pieces to make a hotel room feel like a welcoming home from home.

The house that Japanese architect Tsutomu Abe built for himself 42 years ago says as much about his thoughtful design process as it does about his humble character. He takes us on a tour and discusses the vital relationship between inhabitant and home.

Hidden in a leafy, historic corner of São Paulo, Casa CSF has stood as a quiet expression of Brazilian modernism since the 1940s. Now it is experiencing a new lease of life as young architect Felipe Hess combines original and new design.

Autumnal Vancouver is an attractive choice for the urban dweller, with myriad shops, cafés, walks and more. All you need are clothes that look sharp and ward off the Pacific chill; pull on a locally made sweatshirt and let’s explore.

We look to the Great White North for finely made products, from fire-tending tools to a dram of whiskey.

Toronto is trumpeted as a city of diversity so it’s no surprise to see that variety carried over into its shopping too. Our third Retail Safari takes you on a tour of the small businesses that take on the big brands, from bookshops staffed by writers to design outlets that seem more like art galleries and markets that exist solely to promote local creativity.

Levelled by a massive explosion in the early 20th century, Halifax’s North End is now welcoming an explosion of young professional families.

We tuck into some top Japanese-Italian specialities in a converted Chinatown shophouse that doesn’t miss a beat.

Lauded BBC journalist and foreign correspondent Lyse Doucet mulls over her love of Middle Eastern fare and reflects on why food has become a weapon of war.

Hockey is the best chance for many young Canadians to achieve fame and fortune. Monocle laces up and visits Ontario to meet the junior players out on the ice chasing more than just pucks: they’re chasing their dreams.