Canada's new citizenship guide for aspiring immigrants places a new emphasis on the military, the history of Confederation and First Nations but also finds room to mention hockey and curling.

Immigration Minister Jason Kenney says the new study guide -- about 20 pages longer than the previous one -- promotes "a greater understanding of Canada's history, values, symbols and important Canadian institutions, such as Parliament and the Crown."

"(There's) a growing consensus that we need to recover a sense of civic memory, civic literacy about our democratic institutions and the history in which they are rooted," Kenney said.

The new 62-page document, entitled "Discover Canada: The Rights and Responsibilities of Citizenship," is the first substantive update since the study guide for those taking the Canadian citizenship test was introduced in 1995.

Kenney says the new version is more comprehensive in its promotion of Canadian values, such as freedom, democracy and human rights. There is also special emphasis on the country's view of equality between men and women.

Only a few pages into the guide, it says: "Canada's openness and generosity do not extend to barbaric cultural practices that tolerate spousal abuse, 'honour killings,' female genital mutilation or other gender-based violence."

"Those guilty of these crimes are severely punished under Canada's criminal laws."

The guide covers much of the major points of Canadian history from early Aboriginal settlements, the War of 1812 to Canada's contributions in both World Wars.

It also encourages immigrants to be proud of Canada's military and says the Canadian Forces is "a noble way to contribute to Canada and an excellent career choice."

The guide says there are three "founding people" - Aboriginals, French and English.

It also doesn't shrink from Canada's ill treatment of its aboriginals, including residential schools.

"From the 1800s until the 1980s, the federal government placed many Aboriginal children in residential schools to educate and assimilate them into mainstream Canadian culture.

"The schools were poorly funded and inflicted hardship on the students; some students were physically abused. Aboriginal languages and cultural practices were mostly prohibited. In 2008, Ottawa formally apologized to the former students," the guide states.

Multiculturalism and social programs

The guide speaks of the importance of Canadian multiculturalism in modern society.

It says Canada's largest religion is Christianity but adds the number of "Muslims, Jews, Hindus, Sikhs, and members of other religions, including atheists, are also growing."

However, the guide makes no mention of gay marriage in Canada and the only mention of Canada's gays and lesbians is in a photo caption of Olympic gold medalist Mark Tewksbury.

Universal health care and other social programs such as Employment Insurance and the Canadian Pension Plan are also discussed.

The arts and sport

Interestingly, the section titled "Arts and Culture in Canada" makes no mention of Canadian music -- despite international success stories like Neil Young, Celine Dion and The Arcade Fire. Canadian novelists are also looked over.

Canadian television gets a mention in the art section but no specific programs are named. However, Denys Arcand, Norman Jewison and Atom Egoyan are listed as "noteworthy Canadian filmmakers."

Sport in Canadian society is also promoted.

"Hockey is Canada's most popular spectator sport and is considered to be the national winter sport," the document states. "Canadian football is the second most popular sport. Curling, an ice game introduced by Scottish pioneers, is popular."

Controversially, Wayne Gretzky is listed only as "one of the greatest hockey players of all time."

Not just for immigrants

Kenney said that he's concerned about the "historical amnesia" of young Canadians and the guide can be used by those who are already citizens.

"We see polls that indicate the majority of young Canadians can't identify our first prime minister, or the battle of Vimy Ridge. I think this is responding to a growing public demand for a deep sense of citizenship," he said.

"I want to reinforce this is not just a resource for new citizens, it's hopefully a useful resource for all Canadians, particularly young Canadians."

The new guide was produced in consultation with such experts as former governor-general Adrienne Clarkson, military historian Jack Granatstein, ret-gen. John de Chastelain and historian Margaret MacMillan.