The War of 1812 demonstrated British North America's vulnerability. American forces had burned York (Toronto) and nearly captured Kingston. The St. Lawrence River - the only route connecting Montreal to Upper Canada - ran along the American border, within cannon range. British strategists concluded they needed an inland route safe from American guns. The solution was a canal connecting the Ottawa River to Lake Ontario via the Rideau and Cataraqui river systems - a route entirely within British territory. The Duke of Wellington approved the project; Lieutenant Colonel John By was assigned to build it.

Building the Rideau Canal was a brutal undertaking. Between 1826 and 1832, thousands of workers - many of them Irish immigrants and French Canadians - carved through 202 kilometers of wilderness. They built 47 locks to raise and lower boats across the terrain. They dammed rivers, flooded valleys, and blasted through rock. The work was done with hand tools, black powder, and animal power. Malaria killed hundreds; the swamps around the canal were deadly. By himself died shortly after returning to England, exhausted by the effort. The canal cost £800,000 - far over budget - but it worked.

The war never came. The Rush-Bagot Agreement of 1817 began demilitarizing the Great Lakes; the Webster-Ashburton Treaty of 1842 resolved border disputes. The Rideau Canal never served its military purpose. Instead, it became a commercial highway, carrying passengers, lumber, and freight between Ottawa and Kingston. Steamboats replaced military transports. Towns grew along its banks. The canal contributed to opening the Ottawa Valley, making possible the lumber industry that built fortunes. Ottawa's selection as Canada's capital in 1857 recognized the city that had grown from the canal's construction headquarters.

Each winter, a 7.8-kilometer section of the Rideau Canal through downtown Ottawa becomes the world's longest skating rink. The Rideau Canal Skateway freezes naturally (temperatures help); staff maintain the ice surface. On a good winter day, thousands of skaters travel between the Parliament Buildings and Dow's Lake, passing beneath bridges, past embassies, and by stands selling beaver tails (fried dough). Some commuters skate to work. The Skateway has become an Ottawa icon, featured at Winterlude festival each February. Climate change threatens the tradition - some recent winters haven't been cold enough.

The Rideau Canal runs 202 km between Ottawa and Kingston, Ontario. In Ottawa, the canal passes directly below Parliament Hill, where the Ottawa Locks connect it to the Ottawa River. The Bytown Museum tells the construction story. In summer, boats traverse the canal; the entire journey takes 3-5 days through 45 lock stations. Many locks still operate using the original hand-cranked mechanisms. The canal is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. In winter (January-February, conditions permitting), the Skateway is free and open 24 hours. Skate rentals are available. Ottawa International Airport (YOW) serves the capital. Kingston, at the canal's southern end, is also worth exploring.