Following a special 1899 Canadian edition of his Appleton's guide, Michael Portillo leaves the United States to embark on the next leg of his rail journey in Canada. In the vibrant metropolis of Montreal, he discovers how French and British colonial roots have influenced the city's construction, cuisine and culture. Undaunted by his guidebook's description of the treacherous Lachine Rapids, Michael gets a thorough soaking on a white-knuckle boat ride down the St Lawrence River.

At the city's prestigious McGill University, Michael learns of its role as a pioneering medical establishment in the 19th century and volunteers to be a guinea pig for the university's cutting-edge neurology department. A behind-the-scenes tour of an icon of modern French Canadian culture follows at the headquarters of Cirque du Soleil, where Michael is transformed into a bright green bug and has a lesson in 'spin'. Venturing into the wooded hills of Vaudreuil, Quebec, Michael unearths the sweet secrets of Canada's maple syrup. Heading west into Ontario he reaches Alexandria, where a tartan army escorts him to the 70th annual Canadian Highland Games. His Scottish roots entitle him to put on a kilt and he attempts to toss the caber!

In the Canadian capital, Ottawa, Michael visits the country's parliament to hear about the birth of the new nation after Confederation in 1867. And at Ottawa's historic Central Experimental Farm, Michael hears of the pioneering discoveries that launched a Canadian wheat boom.