Showing posts with label history. Show all posts
Showing posts with label history. Show all posts

Friday, January 23, 2015

Name a ferry!

Transport Canada wants your ideas for the naming of a new ferry which will cross the Bay of Fundy between Digby, Nova Scotia and Saint John, New Brunswick.

Greg Kerr, MP for West Nova, at a meeting in Digby, said the name should have some regional significance, and has to mean something to people on both sides of the Bay of Fundy.

One name which he said he had heard has been Samuel de Champlain, the French explorer and cartographer who made the first accurate map of the coast of Canada. But all ideas of a name are welcome.

There are guidelines for you to follow, and some of them are -
  • It should promote Canadian culture, history or geography by honouring people or places of importance to Canadians.
  • It should have some regional significance. The name should be brief and easily understood by radio or phone.
  • Complicated or confusing spelling or pronunciation should be avoided.
  • If it is has professional or honorific titles, like Dr. or Right Honourable, and family abbreviations, like Jr. or III, they should be avoided.
  • A vessel name will only be considered for persons posthumously.
  • Canadian citizens can enter as many suggestions as they wish, but only until 20 February 2015.
Forms are available at the ferry terminals in Digby and Saint John, as well as online at http://www.ferries.ca/naming.

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Check the Canadian Week in Review every Monday morning for the latest in Genealogy, Heritage, and History news in Canada.

If you missed this week’s edition, it is at http://genealogycanada.blogspot.com/2015/01/canadian-week-in-review-19-january-2015.html

It’s the ONLY news blog of its kind in Canada!

It has been a regular post every Monday morning since April 23, 2012.

Monday, January 5, 2015

Canadian Week in Review - 05 January 2015

I have come across the following Canadian websites, social media websites, and newspaper articles this past week that were of interest to me, and I thought you might be interested in them, too.

History

In 1727, James Wolfe, commander of the British expedition that captured Quebec in 1759, died of his wounds during the battle of the Plains of Abraham at Quebec.
To read more about James Wolfe, go to http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/646548/James-Wolfe


In 1872, Canada and the U.S. exchanged telegraphic weather reports for the first time.
For more on the history of telegraphy, go to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Telegraphy

In 1884, a railway collision at the Humber River, just west of Toronto, took 31 lives.
To read more about the Toronto streetcar system, go to
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toronto_streetcar_system#Early_history_.281861.E2.80.931945.29

Social Media

(Video) Quebec man on a mission to save barns
http://www.ctvnews.ca/canada/quebec-man-on-a-mission-to-save-barns-1.2167507#ixzz3NZhBY5Cq
   Roger Brabant of Rigaud, Que, a town on the road from Ottawa to Montreal, has started to take apart barns which have been slated for demolition, and uses the wood for his products – like cupboards.

Articles

Nova Scotia

Memory Lane Heritage Village goes high tech to boost tourism
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-scotia/memory-lane-heritage-village-goes-high-tech-to-boost-tourism-1.2882752

   The Heritage Village includes a dozen buildings set in the style of the 1940s and 1950s, and depicts the typical life of a coastal Nova Scotia community.
 
Nova Scotia music contest honours Viola Desmond’s legacy
http://thechronicleherald.ca/artslife/1259921-nova-scotia-music-contest-honours-viola-desmond%E2%80%99s-legacy
   The contest pays tribute to Viola Desmond and her contributions to Canada’s civil rights movement, and raises awareness of Nova Scotia’s Heritage Day
holiday honouring her on February 16th.


New Brunswick


Last official event held at Royal Canadian Legion Branch 28
http://www.chathamdailynews.ca/2015/01/01/last-official-event-held-at-royal-canadian-legion-branch-28
   A long-time military tradition capped off the Royal Canadian Legion Branch 28's history on New Year's Day.
   The branch hosted its stand-to levee, with more than 250 people in attendance. It was the last official event before it will merge with Branch 628 to create a new organization in February.


Ontario

Ross rifle maligned due to misinformation
http://www.mykawartha.com/opinion-story/5234631-ross-rifle-maligned-due-to-misinformation
   Terry Wieland, from St. Louis, Missouri (formerly of Peterborough, Ontario), a professional gun writer, writes a letter to the editor, in which he defends Lt. Ross Ackerman, by saying that he did not die from rifle malfunction.

Remembering the dead at Huronia Regional Centre
http://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2014/12/29/remembering_the_dead_at_huronia_regional_centre.html
­   Remember Every Name, a committee of survivors and community members, is working on a plan to mark some 1,440 unmarked graves of former patients at the notorious centre for people with developmental disabilities.

Canada's history not always so 'strong, proud, free'

   The federal government's recent ad campaign distorts history, say some critics of the process.

Saskatchewan


What will Saskatoon look like in the future?

   Saskatoon could be on the precipice of getting a new look, say city officials, architects, and designers. But what that look will be is still open for debate.

Stories of the Year
 
 

One of the biggest stories of the year was the news that the Library and Archives Canada was going to digitize the service files of the First World War men and women, and put them online.
One suggestion that I would like to see as a researcher, in addition to being kept up-to-date, is that the LAC tells us where they are - up to which letter have the files been digitized? It would be easier to judge the rate at which they are doing the scans.
 
Another story has been the realignment of the Ontario Genealogical Society. They declared two branches “inactive” - Haldimand and Norfolk - and there were financial concerns for the organization, both due to lower levels of membership. It seems that they have stabilized themselves as a society, but time will tell.
  
The OGS has also transformed the publication of their journal, Families, from one that is a high-quality, paper-based magazine, into an electronic format, starting with the February 2015 issue.
 
A bit of good news for the Genealogical Association of Nova Scotia, as it moved to its new headquarters in the wider Halifax area. See their website, http://www.novascotiaancestors.ca.
They will be starting a new eight-week course in February 2015 for beginners.
 
And the third news story of the year was the Canadian societies that are going online with Webinars, Live Streaming, and putting genealogy topics on YouTube.
 
And sites like Ancestry.ca who have put on 24 new databases and have updated 5 more this past year, and FamilySearch.org, who has put on or updated their databases covering Canada (thanks to the indexers).
 
So, it has been a good year.
 
And we just got word that Louis Kessler, a genealogist from Winnipeg, Manitoba, has just released his GenSoftReviews for 2014.
 
To read who won the best reviews of 2014, go to http://www.gensoftreviews.com.
 
In 2015, the big news, as Thomas MacEntee says, is doing the Genealogy Do-Over.
  
It involves a 13-week exercise where you look at your genealogy and decide if you need to go back and do parts or all of it over again, because the first time, you may missed putting in sound citations, or do exhaustive research, and now you have a chance to correct it.
  
You can follow the progress at a Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/groups/genealogydoover or add a comment at http://www.geneabloggers.com/tag/genealogy-do-over

So, we wish everyone a Happy New Year, and let’s make 2015 the best ever year we have had for genealogy!

Reminder: Check the Canadian Week in Review next Monday for the latest in Genealogy, Heritage, and History news in Canada. It’s the ONLY news blog of its kind in country!

The next post will be on 12 January 2015.
 

Monday, December 22, 2014

Canadian Week in Review - 22 December 2014

I have come across the following Canadian websites, social media websites, and newspaper articles this past week that were of interest to me, and I thought you might be interested in them, too.

History
 
1856 - Street Lights in Ottawa
   The city of Ottawa has had an interesting history of street lighting. In 1856, the first gas street lights were turned on at Sparks, Rideau, Sussex, York, and Nicholas Streets in Ottawa, They still had to be lit by a lamplighter each night. Streets were first lit by whale oil lamps, and electric arc lights were established in 1885.

1883 - Bridge over Niagara Falls
   In 1883, a cantilever bridge was opened between the United States and Canada at Niagara Falls. The 150-metre bridge was the first to be called a cantilever.

Social Media

(Tweet) Winter on Hollis Street, Halifax, ca. 1947
https://twitter.com/NS_Archives/status/544558603886407680

(Blog) Elgin County Virtual Tour Link - Thomas Talbot
http://elgincountyogs.blogspot.com/2014/12/elgin-county-virtual-tour-link-thomas.html
   Go to http://www.elgin.ca/ElginCounty/CulturalServices/Museum/talbot/website.htm and read about Colonel Thomas Talbot.

(Video) Historic Pinkston forge moved to new location in Brigus
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/newfoundland-labrador/historic-pinkston-forge-moved-to-new-location-in-brigus-1.2874450
   A 125-year-old building took a short trip in Brigus on Monday.
   The Pinkston forge was recently donated to the local heritage society by the family that owned it.

Articles

Newfoundland


From Newfoundland and Labrador to Beaumont-Hamel

   The 774 Air Cadet Squadron will visit the site where Newfoundland Regiment’s somber engagement at Beaumont-Hamel took place on July 1, 1916, during the Battle of the Somme. It will mark the 100th anniversary of the battle.
 
Saint John's oldest church up for sale for $134,900
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/new-brunswick/saint-john-s-oldest-church-up-for-sale-for-134-900-1.2874972
   St. George's Anglican Church, built in 1821, has been put on the market for $134,900, including its hall and three city lots.

Nova Scotia

Pictou paintings offer a glimpse into its industrial history
http://thechronicleherald.ca/novascotia/1257645-pictou-paintings-offer-a-glimpse-into-its-industrial-history
   Stephanie Robertson has a 20-painting exhibition at Stone Soup Cafe and Catering on Water Street in her hometown of Pictou. About half the show is about the railroad, only a memory in today's world.
 
Quebec

Ottawa to fund $35.7-million in Quebec City historical projects
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/ottawa-to-fund-357-million-in-quebec-city-historical-projects/article22102472/
   Prime Minister Stephen Harper has announced $35.7-million in funding for historical and archeological projects in Quebec City, while opening the door to further federal funding for a tall-ships regatta that will stop in the city in 2017.

Ontario

Royal Ontario Museum to host exhibits from Franklin expedition
http://www.sunnewsnetwork.ca/sunnews/canada/archives/2014/12/20141218-183619.html
   This fall a team made up of specialists with Parks Canada and National Defence found a wreck submerged in 11 metres of water complete with a bell will all the identifying markers of the Erebus - and it has been found, and now is the centre of a exhabit at the Royal Ontario Museum.
 
Blackwell & Beddoe Lawrence: The maple leaf has symbolized Canada for 50 years, but its origins are still misunderstood
http://fullcomment.nationalpost.com/2014/12/15/blackwell-beddoe-lawrence-the-maple-leaf-has-symbolized-canada-for-50-years-but-its-origins-are-still-misunderstood/
   When a committee began lobbying to have the city of Brockville designated as "the birthplace of the Canadian flag" and John Matheson, their MP in the 1960s, as "the father of the flag." Both claims are unfounded, and have recently ignited heated controversy.

Tour for Humantiy aims to make the connection: Lessons of past can apply to today, Westland students learn
http://www.niagarathisweek.com/community-story/5206823-tour-of-humanity-aims-to-make-the-connection/
   Grade 9 and 10 students at Westlane Secondary School were the first in Niagara to witness a mobile presentation at the Friends for the Simon Wiesenthal Center for Holocaust Studies Tour for Humanity. The tour was invited to the school by Westlane’s Me to We Club.

Manitoba

Royal Proclamation to 'kitchen accord;' Canada's history on display in Winnipeg
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/royal-proclamation-to-kitchen-accord-canada-s-history-on-display-in-winnipeg-1.2876513
   The collection of 11 documents, on loan from Library and Archives Canada, includes some of the most important original records in the country's history, spanning The Royal Proclamation of 1763 to more recent Constitution Act of 1982 created on made-in-Manitoba flax paper.

Unravelling the Riel family’s history
http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/our-communities/lance/correspondent/Unravelling-the-Riel-familys-history-285888771.html
   Of all the historic figures in Manitoba, the most convoluted stories surround Louis Riel, the man who steered Manitoba in Confederation.


 
Genealogy Stories of the Week

Some stories which have passed over this desk this past week -

The Government of Canada has announced that they want young Canadians to be involved in developing a logo for the 150th anniversary of Confederation in 2017. If you have a creative spirit and would like to make history, this logo design contest is for you!
   The contest is open to Canadian citizens residing in Canada or permanent residents living in Canada, 18 years and older, registered at a Canadian post-secondary institution in December 2014 and/or January 2015.
   You can submit your design online at www.Canada.ca/150. Click on sections below for more details on the contest and how to enter. The contest will end at 11:59 p.m. EST on January 23, 2015.

The Ontario Genealogical Society (OGS) has announced that Families (their journal) will be delivered to its members electronically, starting with the February 2015 issue.
   They give the following reasons - 
  • Ability to click on any URLs and immediately check out the websites noted
  • No need to find storage space for a paper copy; instead, you will have easy storage on your computer hard drive, in the cloud, or on your mobile device
  • Ability to read Families on your tablet
  • Having the luxury of a backup copy in the Members-Only section of the OGS website
  • Helping OGS to go green
   Members with email addresses will automatically be placed on our list for the new version, while members without email addresses will continue to receive paper copies.
   Members wanting to receive a paper copy of Families must let Marsha Brown, Membership Coordinator, know by Jan. 9, 2015. Contact Marsha at 416-489-0734 or membership@ogs.on.ca.

Library and Archives Canada has the William Lyon Mackenzie King collection and has digitized his personal diary. The full text search offers unparalleled access to the document, one of the most remarkable sources of information on Canadian political history in the first half of the 20th century.
   Their Internet partner, Canadiana.org, recently added more digitized microfilms to the site called Héritage , and they have recently released more Digitized Copies of the Canadian Expeditionary Force Personnel Service Files on their site at http://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/discover/military-heritage/first-world-war/first-world-war-1914-1918-cef/Pages/canadian-expeditionary-force.aspx

The National Institute for Genealogical Studies (NIGS), based in Ontario, is celebrating 15 Years of Online Genealogy Education.
   With hundreds of courses being offered today, it all started with a single course called 'Methodology-Part 1: Getting Started'.
   With hundreds of courses being offered today, they are giving away presents!
   Now's the time to sign-up for those courses you always wanted to take. Go to www.genealogicalstudies.com/ and sign up today. As a student in the Professional Development Certificate Program (I am halfway through), I can attest that the courses are current and challenging, and are a great test of your genealogy knowledge.

After a week of making calls and hard work, the Quebec Family History Society (QFHS) has their modem working again, and you can go back on the Member's only site once again.
   December 19th was the last day the library was open before the Christmas recess. It will stay closed until Monday, January 5th, 2015.

And talk about Christmas and the holiday season, may I wish each and everyone of you, my loyal readers, the best for the holiday season, and my thanks for making this blog popular and successful.
   As genealogy waits for no man (or woman), I will be working on my research projects this week, and like most good genealogists, I'll be too busy to see Santa drop down my chimney, eat the cookies, drink all the milk (and leave the fridge door open) before I realize he was here and left me something (nice, I hope)!

Reminder: Check the Canadian Week in Review next Monday for the latest in Genealogy, Heritage, and History news in Canada. It’s the ONLY news blog of its kind in country!

The next post will be on 29 December 2014. 
 
(These links were accessed 21 December 2014)

Monday, December 15, 2014

Canadian Week in Review - 15 December 2014

I have come across the following Canadian websites, social media websites, and newspaper articles this past week that were of interest to me, and I thought you might be interested in them, too.

History
 
1869 - T. Eaton Co. Limited
   In 1869, Timothy Eaton opened a small dry-goods store at the corner of Yonge and Queen streets in Toronto. He offered a new twist to department store selling - satisfaction guaranteed, or money refunded. His store became the largest department store chain in Canada. In September 1999, Sears Canada announced that it would buy the outstanding common shares of the insolvent Eaton’s.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eaton's

Social Media

Newfoundland and Canada genealogy
http://newfoundlandcanadagenealogy.com
   This blog is to provide resources for people researching family genealogy in Newfoundland, Canada.

(Photos) Hockey Life
https://www.flickr.com/photos/lac-bac/sets/72157649339951435/
   Library and Archives Canada has photos on their Flickr page of the history of hockey.

(Photos) Opinicon Resort on Rideau Canal up for auction starting at $500K
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/opinicon-resort-on-rideau-canal-up-for-auction-starting-at-500k-1.2859506
   For four generations, the same family ran the Opinicon Resort on the Rideau Canal, about an hour and half south of Ottawa - and now it's for auction.

(Video) 100 years of Manitoba hockey celebrated in new exhibit
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/100-years-of-manitoba-hockey-celebrated-in-new-exhibit-1.2856701
   As part of the 100th anniversary of Hockey Manitoba, the organization and the Manitoba Sports Hall of Fame is celebrating those moments, and more, with a new exhibit that showcases the success of Manitobans in hockey.

(Video) Confederation gets its due in Museum of History show
http://ottawacitizen.com/entertainment/local-arts/confederation-gets-its-due-in-museum-of-history-show
   In early 2012, Museum of History curator Jean-Francois Lozier got a special assignment, his very first big exhibition - Confederation.

(Facebook) New - The Halton-Peel Branch Group
   The Halton-Peel Branch of the OGS is excited to announce the move from a Page to a Group. The address of the Facebook Group is https://www.facebook.com/groups/774317655963454/permalink/778137152248171/

Articles

Nova Scotia

EDITORIAL: Order of Nova Scotia honours our own
http://thechronicleherald.ca/editorials/1255551-editorial-order-of-nova-scotia-honours-our-own
   This fall, five new names joined the pantheon of those named to the Order of Nova Scotia since the honour’s inception in 2001. Four were invested at Province House Wednesday, a fifth will be invested later.

NS: Local history buff documents Maritime Building demolition
http://www.dailybusinessbuzz.ca/Construction-%26amp%3B-Transportation/2014-12-05/article-3964048/NS%3A-Local-history-buff-documents-Maritime-Building-demolition/1
   Philip MacKenzie already has 43 hours of video and more than 500 photos documenting the demolition of the Maritime Building, and it’s not over yet.

Much to be gained by student participation in heritage and science fairs
http://www.trurodaily.com/Opinion/Columns/2014-12-05/article-3964072/strongMuch-to-be-gained-by-student-participation-in-heritage-and-science-fairsstrong/1
   Every year, schools in Nova Scotia and across Canada participate in heritage and science fairs.

Volta Labs wants the old Library
http://www.thecoast.ca/RealityBites/archives/2014/12/09/volta-labs-wants-the-old-library
   As the Halifax Central Library finally gets set to open its doors this weekend, the fate of the former Memorial Library across the street is still being decided.

New Glasgow to celebrate 200th anniversary of birth of Canada’s first PM
http://www.cumberlandnewsnow.com/News/Local/2014-12-09/article-3968467/New-Glasgow-to-celebrate-200th-anniversary-of-birth-of-Canada%26rsquo%3Bs-first-PM/1
   The 200th anniversary of Sir John A. Macdonald birthday (11 January 1815), and his visit to New Glasgow will be celebrated on 08 January 2015 with an reenactment of the speech he gave on the 25 August 1888.

New Brunswick

Faculty, students create digital history of New Brunswick
http://www.dailytargum.com/article/2014/12/faculty-students-create-digital-history-of-new-Brunswick
   “Mapping New Brunswick Memories” uses oral histories from interviews of New Brunswick residents to create five virtual tours of the city on the website, MappingNewBrunswickMemories.org.

Quebec

No license personalized plates in Quebec
http://www.sunnewsnetwork.ca/sunnews/canada/archives/2014/12/20141202-150733.html
   The project was cancelled due to concerns among government officials that some citizens would use English words or vulgar phrases.

Ontario

Do the archiving here in Hamilton
http://www.thespec.com/opinion-story/5176690-do-the-archiving-here-in-hamilton/
   Library and Archives Canada doesn't know which departmental records should be disposed of or archived. And there is a backlog of 98,000 boxes of material waiting to be archived, some of it dating back to 1890, but no plan for how to deal with it.

Ontario heritage has its own day
http://www.chroniclejournal.com/editorial/daily_editorial/2014-11-30/ontario-heritage-has-its-own-day
   Hunting, trapping and fishing now has its own day - National Hunting, Trapping and Fishing Heritage Day on the third Saturday of September.

Natalie Bull: When governments invest funds in historic places, the returns are always impressive
https://mail.aol.com/38865-111/aol-6/en-ca/Suite.aspx
   Last week, Prime Minister Stephen Harper announced $5.8 billion in infrastructure funding for federally owned historic sites, museums, national parks and other tourist attractions across Canada.

Saskatchewan

Regina Beach historical society wants you to share your memories
http://www.leaderpost.com/Regina+Beach+historical+society+wants+share+your+memories/10429113/story.html
   Submissions will be accepted until the end of this year by mail to Box 102, Regina Beach, SK S0G 4C0, or by email as a Word or PDF file to rginc@accesscomm.ca. Those who would like some help writing their stories can call 306-729-4906, or write hpolischuk@leaderpost.com.

British Columbia

Got $10M? The West End’s historic Gabriola House is for sale
http://www.vancitybuzz.com/2014/12/west-end-historic-gabriola-house-is-for-sale/
   One of Vancover's oldest buildings and the last of its kind in the West End, is up for sale. The historic Gabriola House, also known as the Rogers Sugar mansion, is on the market for $10 million.

A one hundred year journey
http://www.asianpacificpost.com/article/6615-one-hundred-year-journey.html
   The 100 Year Journey Gala on Saturday, November 29, 2014 presented by the publisher of Mehfil Magazine, Rana Vig, celebrated the past, present, and future of the South Asian community.

Genealogy Stories of the Week

Some stories which have passed over this desk this past week -

The Canada Aviation and Space Museum Foundation is asking people to support The Legacy Project – the Museum’s first crowdfunding campaign.
   As the site says, 'The Legacy Project is a documentary being created by Canadian film students and the Canada Aviation and Space Museum. Through first person accounts from Canadian Veterans—airmen and women who served in the RCAF, RAF, WAAF, and the Polish Air Force—as well as from former European civilians, the documentary will showcase the people and stories of the Second World War through the lens of aviation'.
   To find out more about the campaign, go to http://foundation.techno-science.ca/en/the-legacy-project.php

Starting in January 2015, Ottawa Branch OGS will present a genealogical education session prior to the monthly program. Genealogy: Back To Basics will include a short lecture on a genealogical topic, followed by a Question and Answer session with Ottawa Branch members. If you are new to family history research or need a refresher, come out and join us.
   The first session will be Saturday 24 January 2015 at 10:30 a.m. in Room 115 of the City of Ottawa Central Archives. The presentation should last about 45 minutes and will be followed by a general Q&A session on genealogical topics until noon. Coffee and tea will be available throughout the morning.
   There is no charge for the session, and all are invited to return at 1:00 p.m. for the monthly presentation with Elizabeth Kipp and her talk on One Name Studies.
   The following is the current schedule for Genealogy B2B. For updates, check their website at
http://ogsottawa.on.ca/.

The Genealogical Society of Nova Scotia (GANS) will be offering an eight-week Genealogy 101 course beginning on February 2, 2015.
   The cost is $195 for non-members and $160 for members. For more details and to register, please go to http://www.novascotiaancestors.ca/cpage.php?pt=299.

The members of the Ontario Genealogical Society (OGS) were informed this week that the OGS has taken the step of issuing Families (their journal) in electronic format, starting with the February 2015 issue, although there will be an option to receive the paper version, if preferred.
   As the editor of Families, I find several advantages to the new format - in addition to resizing the text for viewing comfort, members will now be able to store and read Families online; click on live hyperlinks; and view the photographs, diagrams, and maps in full colour.

Reminder: Check the Canadian Week in Review next Monday for the latest in Genealogy, Heritage, and History news in Canada. It’s the ONLY news blog of its kind in country!

The next post will be on 22 December 2014.

(These links were accessed 13 December 2014)

Monday, October 27, 2014

Canadian Week in Review - 27 October 2014


I have come across the following Canadian websites, social media websites, and newspaper articles this past week that were of interest to me, and I thought you might be interested in them, too.

History Week in Canada (October 20 – October 27, 2014) 


Did you know that in 1864, a group of Confederate soldiers based in Canada attacked the town of St. Alban's, Vermont? The soldiers robbed a bank of $200,000 and killed one man in their escape. The incident strained Canadian-American relations already weakened by the events of the American Civil War.

You can read about the robbery at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canada_in_the_American_Civil_War
=============================================
In 1818, Canada and the U.S. signed the Convention of London. The treaty established the 49th Parallel as the boundary from Rainy River, Ontario to the Rockies.

To read further on the subject, you can go to http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1G2-3406400208.html
=============================================
What an interesting history Canada has had in its moving from Niagara to Quebec to Toronto and finally to Ottawa in search of a place to seat the Canadian government. In 1855, it was moved to Toronto from Quebec City.

To read more, please go to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Legislative_Assembly_of_the_Province_of_Canada
=============================================
In 1876, the first shipment of wheat from Western Canada to Ontario left Winnipeg, and this blog posted the story of Peel's Prairie Province releasing Grain Elevators in Canada books online.

To read more about the grain elevators, go to http://genealogycanada.blogspot.com/2014/10/peels-prairie-province-releases-grain.html
=============================================
In 1926, magician Harry Houdini—appearing at the Princess Theatre in Montreal—received a fatal blow to the stomach. When a McGill University student asked him if he could shrug off blows to the body; Houdini said “Yes”, but before he could brace himself, the blow was dealt. He died of a ruptured appendix 10 days later in Detroit.

To read more about this story, go to http://www.snopes.com/horrors/freakish/houdini.asp

Social Media


(Video) Iconic Saskatoon hotel general manager set to retire
http://globalnews.ca/news/1630167/iconic-saskatoon-hotel-general-manager-set-to-retire
The Delta Bessborough is an iconic building in Saskatoon, and its general manger, Andrew Turnbull, will retire at the end of the month.
=============================================
(Video) The First World War: Excerpts from the diary of Woodman Leonard
http://www.ottawasun.com/2014/10/23/the-first-world-war-excerpts-from-the-diary-of-woodman-leonard
Read about Lt. Col. Leonard's observations during the week of March 20th.
=============================================
French In Name Only
This new blog explores the family history of the surname of French/ffrench and the surname of Grace. It also demonstrates, through family stories, the close connections between Canada and the United States.

Nova Scotia

Demolition crews dig up piece of naval history in Halifax
http://metronews.ca/news/halifax/1188486/anchor-a-wow-demolition-crews-dig-up-piece-of-naval-history-in-halifax-2/
The discovery of an anchor in Halifax’s dockyards believed to have belonged to Canada’s first naval warship. The director of the Naval Museum of Halifax said he’s “85 to 90 per cent certain” it belonged to HMCS Niobe, the first Canadian warship to enter the country’s territorial waters, on Oct. 21, 1910.

RBC Black History Month Student Essay Competition continues to grow in its sixth year
http://www.newswire.ca/en/story/1430406/rbc-black-history-month-student-essay-competition-continues-to-grow-in-its-sixth-year/
Students can now earn one of 20 scholarships, up from three, including grand prizes of up to $5,000 that will help make their someday a reality. The competition gives students an opportunity to learn about the contribution black people have made to Canadian history.

Windsor’s Hockey Heritage Museum shoots for expanded hours
http://thechronicleherald.ca/novascotia/1244887-windsor-s-hockey-heritage-museum-shoots-for-expanded-hours
The museum season now runs from June 15 to October 05, but during the pumpkin regatta, held Thanksgiving weekend, the tourist bureau in Windsor gets hundreds of inquiries about the hockey museum.

Maritime voyage: Halifax to Prince Edward Island
http://www.jpost.com/Not-Just-News/Maritime-voyage-Halifax-to-Prince-Edward-Island-379142
Read a Jerusalem Post writer’s travels from Nova Scotia to Prince Edward Island.

Ontario

Genealogical journey yields results
http://www.orilliapacket.com/2014/10/17/genealogical-journey-yields-results
For Orillia resident Phil Jenkinson, his work following his genealogy led to the realization one of his relatives played a role in the First World War.

Union Gas donation will help with historic chapel restoration
http://www.napaneeguide.com/2014/10/23/union-gas-donation-will-help-with-historic-chapel-restoration
Union Gas presented a cheque for $20,000 to the committee that is fundraising to restore Her Majesty’s Royal Chapel of The Mohawks, located on Tyendinaga Mohawk Territory.

Royal Canadian Air Force squadron returns to RAF Leeming to take part in exercise for first time since it was based there in WWII
A Royal Canadian Air Force squadron has returned to RAF Leeming more than 70 years after using it as a base during World War Two.

Manitoba

Park to celebrate Upper Fort Garry: A Significant part of Manitoba's history
http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/park-to-celebrate-upper-fort-garry-279699702.html
Friends of Upper Fort Garry unveiled the first of a three-phase development that will celebrate the fort's singular significance in the province's history.

Alberta

Local honoured by Alberta Historical Resources Foundation
http://www.camrosecanadian.com/2014/10/23/local-honoured-by-alberta-historical-resources-foundation
The outstanding efforts of Alberta’s “heritage heroes” and the work of local organizations to preserve the province’s rich history were recognized October 16 with the announcement of the 2014 Alberta Historical Resources Foundation Heritage Awards.

Story of the Week



Canadian Library Month 

In October, the inspiration created in and by libraries is celebrated during Canadian Library Month with the theme “Libraries Inspire!”.

Did you know that “over 21-million Canadians hold a public library card, making public libraries the most popular cultural institution in the country? Over 97 percent of Canadians live in communities served by a public library, and the library adds to the vitality of every one of these communities.”

And don’t forget genealogical libraries!

In Ottawa, we are fortunate to have many genealogical libraries in the city, and we should take advantage of them.

They hold maps, directories, books, and those ever so important family files that may hold clues to our ancestors, census, and cemetery records.

For more information Library Month, go to http://librarymonth.ca/

Reminder: Check the Canadian Week in Review next Monday for the latest in Genealogy, Heritage, and History news in Canada. It’s the ONLY news blog of its kind in country! 

The next post will be on 03 November 2014.

Saturday, October 25, 2014

Canada's First History Youth Forum in Ottawa


Twenty-two students from communities all across Canada have earned themselves a trip to Ottawa later this month during the first Canada's History Youth Forum.

The students were selected following their regional heritage fairs, and tasked with making a short video that demonstrated the historical significance of their topic. 

The videos were all posted online and a public vote encouraged Canadians to watch and support their favourite student flicks. After a combined total of over 34,000 votes, a panel of judges selected twenty-two winners for this year's program. 

The recipients of the 2014 Young Citizens program are: 

Abby Peterson, Rocky Mountain House, AB — Canada & Titanic
Dominic Shoop, Okotoks, AB —The Flintlock Pistol
Dylan Lee, Vancouver, BC — The Chinese Head Tax
Alexandra Mines, Vancouver, BC — Les Réfugiés Indésirables du Canada
Jenna Allison, Winnipeg, MB — Nellie McClung
Rachel Teller, Winnipeg, MB — Sir Frederick Banting
Maude Couturier, Fredericton, NB — Les infirmières militaires canadiennes
Emma Morehouse, Lincoln, NB — Patrick Owens Covered Bridge
Jasmine Rahman, St. John's, NL—The Newfoundland Conscience: A History of Giving
Jack Goldsworthy, Torbay, NL —Reduce, Reuse, Recycle: The Original Way of Life
Ben Strickland, Bridgewater, NS —The Mosquito
Sam Rogers, Lower Onslow, NS — The Black Devil's Brigade
Eastyn Klages, Chatsworth, ON — A Little Taste of Home
Paris Snake, Rama, ON — Residential Schools: The Intergenerational Impacts
Karla McCallum, Charlottetown, PEI —The Journey of the Potato
Harrison Duffy, Kinkora, PEI — History Of the PEI Railway
Élodie Chamberland, Sainte-Hélène-de-Kamouraska, QC — La Seconde Guerre mondiale
Andréanne Girard-Lemieux, Saint-Gédéon-de-Beauce, QC — Reproduction de mocassins amérindiens
Dylan Donald, Regina, SK — Chuckwagon Racing
Ella Forrest, Regina, SK — My Oma's Story
Duncan Snooks, Whitehorse, YT— Jacques Cartier
Maximilian Wanner, Whitehorse, YT — North West Mounted Police 

Honourable mentions include: 

Cauren Bale. De Winton, AB — The Evolution Of Canadian Figure Skating
Amina GuoVancouver, BC — Japanese Canadian internment
Olivia Richards. Vancouver, BC — 1961 train smoke eaters
Siya Johal. Delta, BC — My Sikh Family History
Luke Harris. North Vancouver, BC — Vimy Ridge
Jacob Grant, Winnipeg, MB — Andrew Charles Mynarski
Luke Battcock, Paradise. NL — Gros Morne
Griffin Fancy, Bridgewater. NS — Prestigious Provo
Julia McNeaney. ON — Ridley College
Turner Clarke, Port Colborne. ON — The Wainfleet Bog
Clara Sismondo. Kingston, ON — KCVI : a history
Lise Charles, Charlottetown. PEI — Un pÄ—cheur madelinot
Karine Champagne, Saint-Honoré-de-Shenley. QC — Le patrimoine des Jésuites en Nouvelle-France
Makayla Kaye. Whitehorse, YT — Yukon First nation 

To see more about the Young Citizens Program, visit their website at www.YoungCitizens.ca

Monday, October 20, 2014

Canadian Week in Review - 20 October 2014


I have come across the following Canadian websites, social media websites, and newspaper articles this past week that were of interest to me, and I thought you might be interested in them, too.

History Week in Canada (October 14 – October 20, 2014) 


In 1937, public schools in Toronto opened after a six-week delay caused by a polio epidemic which claimed 150 lives.

To read more about the polio epidemic, go to http://www.cpha.ca/en/programs/history/achievements/02-id/polio.aspx
=============================================
In 1923, Canada’s “Bluenose” defeated the “Columbia” in an international boat race.

To view a Heritage Minute video of the Bluenose, go to https://www.historicacanada.ca/content/heritage-minutes/bluenose
=============================================
In 1967, Expo 67, which opened in Montreal on April 27, closed with a final attendance total of more than 50 million.

To read about Expo ’67, go to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Expo_67

Social Media


(Video) Maritime artist Canada's iconic Heritage Minutes into works of art
Christopher Hemsworth says he is such a big fan of the Heritage Minutes vignettes that his friend bought him the complete set of commercials on DVD.
=============================================
Researching Relatives - A Genealogy Blog about Searching for Ancestors
http://researching-relatives.blogspot.com

Joanne Cowden, a new blogger, has ancestors in various US states, Canada, France, and Germany, and now she is starting to share these ancestors with follow genealogists.

Nova Scotia

Memorial planned for Nova Scotia woman murdered in domestic violence case a century ago
More than 100 years ago, the name of Theresa (Balsor) McAuley Robinson was on the lips of many Kings County residents. Her husband, William S. Robinson, was judged guilty of her murder and sentenced to death. He was the last person publicly hung in Kings County.

Legacy of local Springhill Veterans preserved
http://www.newswire.ca/en/story/1428894/legacy-of-local-springhill-veterans-preserved
Scott Armstrong, Member of Parliament for Cumberland–Colchester–Musquodoboit Valley, today announced Government of Canada funding for the restoration of the Springhill Soldiers' Monument, which honours the achievements and sacrifices of Veterans from within the community.

Libraries: Presenting history in a different way
http://www.ngnews.ca/Community/2014-10-13/article-3901804/Libraries%3A-Presenting-history-in-a-different-way/1
Discover history can be approached in a new ways at Nova Scotia libraries, such as storytelling and writing your own history.

Vandals can’t stop work on Black Loyalist Heritage Centre
http://thechronicleherald.ca/novascotia/1243763-vandals-can-t-stop-work-on-black-loyalist-heritage-centre
What promises to be one of Nova Scotia’s star attractions in 2015 is nearing completion in Shelburne County, despite a setback caused by vandalism.
During the 1780s, Birchtown had the largest population of free blacks outside Africa, when some 3,500 arrived there after the American Revolution.

Hundreds attend Halifax powwow, celebrate Mi’kmaq History Month
Hundreds of aboriginal people and non-natives celebrated First Nations heritage and culture on Saturday at an indoor powwow in Halifax.

History: Hantsport was flourishing 98 years ago
When a New Brunswick-based magazine published a feature on the  Annapolis Valley in 1916, Hantsport was one of the towns profiled.

Prince Edward Island

Bonavista honoured with Prince of Wales prize
http://www.nlnewsnow.com/News/Local/2014-10-14/article-3902869/Bonavista-honoured-with-Prince-of-Wales-prize/1
Heritage Canada award recognizes town for preservation of building.

New Brunswick

Historic Edmundston church will soon be rebuilt
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/new-brunswick/historic-edmundston-church-will-soon-be-rebuilt-pastor-says-1.2797817
Anglican St. John the Baptist Church was destroyed in a suspicious fire on September 20th.

Ontario

The First World War: Excerpts from the diary of Woodman Leonard 
http://www.ottawasun.com/2014/10/16/the-first-world-war-excerpts-from-the-diary-of-woodman-leonard
Follow Lt. Col. Leonard during the weeks he travelled from battleground to battleground.

Quiz: Can you pass this Canadian citizenship test?
http://metronews.ca/news/ottawa/1184269/quiz-could-you-pass-a-canadian-citizenship-test
About 140 students from across the country were put to the Citizenship Challenge on Wednesday when they played a bingo-style game at the Chateau Laurier in Ottawa.

The Musées de la Civilisation de Québec to be honoured in Ottawa for their exhibition dedicated to Aboriginal peoples
http://www.newswire.ca/en/story/1427006/the-musees-de-la-civilisation-de-quebec-to-be-honoured-in-ottawa-for-their-exhibition-dedicated-to-aboriginal-peoples
Inaugurated in November 2013, This Is Our Story: First Nations and Inuit in the 21st Century, is the latest addition to the Musées de la Civilisation de Québec's (MCQ) permanent exhibits. This ambitious project offers a contemporary vision of the cultural diversity and Aboriginal realities within Quebec.

Manitoba

Stuart Stuart Murray out as head of Canadian human rights museum
http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/2014/10/15/stuart_murray_out_as_head_of_canadian_human_rights_museum_1.html
tuart Murray, a former Manitoba Progressive Conservative leader who oversaw the construction of the museum in Winnipeg since 2009, is leaving on November 1st, and another chief executive officer is being sought, the board of trustees said Wednesday.

Alberta

The First World War: Excerpts from the diary of Woodman Leonard
http://www.ottawasun.com/2014/10/16/the-first-world-war-excerpts-from-the-diary-of-woodman-leonard
Follow Lt. Col. Leonard during the weeks he travelled from battleground to battleground.

City recognized for efforts in historic preservation
http://medicinehatnews.com/news/local-news/2014/10/16/city-recognized-for-efforts-in-historic-preservation
The City of Medicine Hat is gaining new recognition for a program to protect its history.

British Columbia

Touring BC's 'Hidden' History Shared by Chinese and Indigenous People
http://www.thetyee.ca/News/2014/10/13/Shared-Chinese-Indigenous-History
Every year for the last five years, Bill Chu has conducted treks along the Fraser Canyon, up to Lytton, Lillooet, and Mount Currie. His purpose: to educate Canadians about the "real" shared history of Indigenous and Chinese people in British Columbia.

Story of the Week

Credit: Library and Archives Canada / C-029399

The Great Depression 

Starting in 1929, the Great Depression swept over the world, and it affected Canada greatly because of our dependence on exporting natural goods to countries that no longer needed them since their own industrial capacity was reduced because of the Depression.

Between 1929 and 1939, the gross national product dropped 40% (compared to 37% in the US). Unemployment reached 27% at the depth of the Depression in 1933! Many businesses closed, as corporate profits of $398 million in 1929 turned into losses of $98 million, due to falling prices.

It was a terrible time for our country.

When I was a child, I can remembers stories that my family use to tell of how they coped with the Depression, and of how my father took “to the rails” as a young man looking for work on the farms in Ontario . He found work on the fruit farms in the Niagara region of Ontario.

One of the imitative which brought my father back to Nova Scotia was the paving of roads that I wrote about in the post Nova Scotia Paving Programme in 1934 the government undertook http://genealogycanada.blogspot.com/2014/08/nova-scotia-paving-programme.html, and eventually the breakout of the Second World War.

If you have the occasion to research a person who was trying to come to Canada during the Depression years from the United states, for instance, do not be surprised if you find they were denied entry, unless they could prove that they wouldn’t take jobs away from Canadians.

If you want to learn more about the Great Depression, read this article - http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/great-depression/

Reminder: Check the Canadian Week in Review next Monday for the latest in Genealogy, Heritage, and History news in Canada. It’s the ONLY news blog of its kind in country! 

The next post will be on 27 October 2014.

Monday, September 29, 2014

Canadian Week in Review - 29 September 2014



I have come across the following Canadian websites, social media items, and newspaper articles this past week that were of interest to me, and I thought you might be interested in them, too.

History Week in Canada


In 1780, Benedict Arnold escaped one day after his treason came to light in what was to become the United States. Arnold, a major-general, and commander of the American Fort West Point, had planned to surrender the fort to the British. He became a colonel in the British army, and later lived in Saint John, New Brunswick. He then returned to England, where he died in 1801.

===================================================
In 1962, the "Garden of the Provinces" in Ottawa was opened by Prime Minister John Diefenbaker.

To read more about this park, that is opposite the Library and Archives Canada, go to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Garden_of_the_Provinces_and_Territories
===================================================


Social Media


(Blog) The Recipe Project
http://recipes.hypotheses.org/4378
Valarie J. Korinek is the author of this blog, and a Professor of Canadian History at the University of Saskatchewan.

Nova Scotia

Delegates visit area for N.S. Heritage Conference
http://www.ngnews.ca/News/Local/2014-09-23/article-3879913/Delegates-visit-area-for-N.S.-Heritage-Conference/1
Pictou County, Nova Scotia hosted the Nova Scotia Heritage Conference.

History-Ed Coleman: First World War humour in Hansford’s stories
http://www.novanewsnow.com/Opinion/Columnists/2014-09-21/article-3875711/History-Ed-Coleman%3A-First-World-War-humour-in-Hansford%26rsquo%3Bs-stories/1
Born in 1899, the former Wolfville barber, Cecil Hansford, was 16 when he joined the Canadian Army to fight in the First World War.

Lighthouse mural by Yarmouth artist an attraction for Nova Scotia visitors
http://www.kingscountynews.ca/News/Local/2014-09-23/article-3878832/Lighthouse-mural-by-Yarmouth-artist-an-attraction-for-Nova-Scotia-visitors/1
A Yarmouth artist has painted a mural of 144 Nova Scotia lighthouses that will meet everybody who takes the ferry from Maine to this Nova Scotian town.

New Brunswick

N.B.’s 104th finally gets its due
http://thechronicleherald.ca/books/1239446-nb-s-104th-finally-gets-its-due
Regiment’s War of 1812 efforts shown to be more than a footnote.

Quebec

The Treaty of Paris is in town
http://www.lifeinquebec.com/the-treaty-of-paris-is-in-town-10088/
Quebec City (Quebec) 23 September, 2014 – The Treaty of Paris ended the Seven Years’ War between France Britain and Spain. The actual treaty, that was signed on February 10, 1763, is on display at the Musée de la Civilisation starting today, September 23 until October 2nd.

Ontario

Excerpt #6 – The First World War: Excerpts from the diary of Woodman Leonard
http://www.ottawasun.com/2014/09/25/the-first-world-war-excerpts-from-the-diary-of-woodman-leonard
For links to the other installments, visit last week's CWR post at -
http://genealogycanada.blogspot.com/2014/09/canadian-week-in-review-22-september.html

Canadian government joins 11th-hour search for John A. Macdonald’s precise birthplace
http://o.canada.com/news/canadian-government-joins-11th-hour-search-for-john-a-macdonalds-precise-birthplace
Barely 100 days before planned celebrations to mark the bicentennial of Sir John A. Macdonald’s birth in Glasgow, Scotland, the Canadian government has joined in an 11th-hour search for the precise birthplace of the country’s founding prime minister.

Science and Technology museum closed until 2015
http://www.ottawasun.com/2014/09/23/science-and-tech-museum-closed-until-2015
The Canada Science and Technology Museum will remain close until at least January 2015 because of mould.

Health unit looks back at its history
http://www.northernlife.ca/news/localNews/2014/09/22-sdhu-history-sudbury.aspx
A painstaking account of Sudbury's environmental history, going back to 1883, when Sudbury was only a Canadian Pacific Railway Outpost.

Here are the details on the RCAF’s new uniforms and ranks
http://ottawacitizen.com/news/national/defence-watch/here-are-the-details-on-the-rcafs-new-uniforms-and-ranks
The Royal Canadian Air Force’s (RCAF) new uniform respects the contributions and sacrifices of airmen and airwomen who served – and continue to serve – with pride and professionalism.

Afghanistan added to Tillsonburg's cenotaph, dedication ceremony planned Oct. 7
http://www.tillsonburgnews.com/2014/09/25/afghanistan-added-to-tillsonburgs-cenotaph-dedication-ceremony-planned-oct-7

Local residents are invited to a special dedication ceremony at the town cenotaph on Tuesday, October 7th to honour members of the International Security Assistance Force who served in Afghanistan.

Alberta

Can we save McKay Avenue School? Or is our history doomed to be history?
http://blogs.edmontonjournal.com/category/edmonton-commons/
McKay Avenue School, built in 1904, also played host to Alberta’s first legislative assemblies. Today, it’s a school museum, and on the endanger list to be torn down.


Alberta Aviation Museum receives historic air mail letter
The letter was part of the very first air mail delivery in Western Canada, flown from Calgary to Edmonton on July 9th, 1918 by Katherine Stinson, in an insubstantial wood and fabric aircraft.

Bison treaty signed by Alberta, Montana tribes
1st treaty among tribes and First Nations in the area since the 1800s
Native tribes from the U.S. and Canada signed a treaty Tuesday establishing an inter-tribal alliance to restore bison to areas of the Rocky Mountains and Great Plains where millions of the animals once roamed.


British Columbia 

Aboriginal tourism operator rebuked for opening burial boxes for travellers
http://www.cbc.ca/news/aboriginal/aboriginal-tourism-operator-rebuked-for-opening-burial-boxes-for-travellers-1.2774255
The actions of an aboriginal tourism operator in British Columbia who gave some travellers access to ancient burial boxes, including revealing the skeletal remains inside, have been condemned by his fellow First Nations.

Story of the Week




The society’s webpage is changing
(Editorial)

In years gone by, I used to go to a society’s website to see what was new with the organization, as well as its events,  latest publications, and their yearly executive.

There was so many changes I used to highlight it on my old news summary every week, and later, the Canadian Week in Review, but as time marched on, websites became less and less important, while on the other hand, the Member’s-Only webpages in the majority of a society’s website were becoming more important.

Then, about three years ago or so, the use of blogs by societies became the go-to media of choice for societies. But blogs quickly went out of style, mainly because they needed someone to look after them as people naturally graduated toward them. They needed someone to update them on a daily basis, and it became a hard job to find somebody within the society to take on that responsibility. And then Facebook came into the picture!

In a way, Facebook is their saving grace, because it can do everything that a webpage can do, plus it can add photos, videos, and other people can quickly comment on the posting, so it’s an "everybody" page. People have a feeling that the society belongs to them; whereas, the webpages and even blogs seemed somewhat distant, and there has to be a reason why only about 10% of the genealogy audience reads blogs, while as many as 70% read Facebook to see what is going on (according to a recent survey).

And now Google+ is making inroads on Facebook, although I believe that people are so used to Facebook now, it will be difficult to switch over to Google+. Most of the genealogists I know use Goggle+, along with a combination of Facebook, and yes, even blogs to keep up the date on genealogy news. And with the acquisition of YouTube, and video "Hang Outs", where you can actually listen to a person or people talk about one's favourite subject – Genealogy – it makes for a good combination.

So that is where I see genealogy going these days, until a new idea comes along.

How about you? Have you found that genealogy is cha
nging the way they get their word across to people? What have you experienced?

Let me know your thoughts, and I might post them in a future issue of CWR!

I can be reached at genealoygcanada@aol.com

Reminder: Check the Canadian Week in Review next Monday for the latest in Genealogy, Heritage, and History news in Canada. It’s theONLY news blog of its kind in country!

The next post will be on 06 October 2014.