Canadian Week in Review (CWR) - 29 June 2015

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

This Week in Canadian History

In 1774, the "Quebec Act" was passed by the British Parliament, establishing French civil law and the British system of criminal law in Quebec. As well, Roman Catholics were to have religious freedom. It also enlarged the province's borders to include Newfoundland and territory south of the Great Lakes.

For more information, go to https://en.wikipedia.org/?title=Quebec_Act



In 1955, the laying of a transatlantic telephone cable began at Clarenville, Newfoundland.

For more information, go to http://strowger-net.telefoniemuseum.nl/tel_hist_tat1.html

In 1534, French explorer Jacques Cartier discovered Prince Edward Island

For information, go to https://en.wikipedia.org/?title=Jacques_Cartier





Social Media

(Video) Timber! Crowd gathers to watch old mill implode in Saskatoon
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/saskatoon/timber-crowd-gathers-to-watch-old-mill-implode-in-saskatoon-1.3121465
   It woke up the neighbourhood, if you were not already up to watch.
   This morning, at least 100 people gathered on Saskatoon's west side to watch the 105-year-old Parrish & Heimbecker mill's demolition.

Articles

Newfoundland

Website reveals Newfoundland's best-kept secrets
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/newfoundland-labrador/website-reveals-newfoundland-s-best-kept-secrets-1.3120632
   Local adventurers have a new source of inspiration for their expeditions. A new website called Hidden Newfoundland is dedicated to revealing unknown and forgotten locations across the island for people to explore.
   The website called Hidden Newfoundland is at http://www.hiddennewfoundland.ca/

Quebec

NCC to preserve iconic Gatineau Strutt House as public pavilion
http://ottawacitizen.com/news/local-news/ncc-to-preserve-iconic-gatineau-strutt-house-as-public-pavilion
   Gatineau’s iconic Strutt House, lauded by National Capital Commission CEO Mark Kristmanson as “a unique 20th century architectural treasure in the national capital,” will be preserved, rehabilitated, and opened as a public pavilion in time for Canada’s 150th birthday celebration in 2017.

Ontario

Champlain's legacy endures: Sudbury historian
http://www.thesudburystar.com/2015/06/22/champlains-legacy-enduresn-history-his-influence-on-canada-is-still-presentonepla

   This series has examined the life of Samuel de Champlain, his accomplishments and the mysteries surrounding him. This final part looks at how we relate to him and what we can learn from his life.

Is it too late to save Canada’s national horse?
http://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2015/06/19/is-it-too-late-to-save-canadas-national-horse.html
   There’s a common saying in the horse world: “A dog may be man’s best friend, but the horse wrote history.”
   In the case of Canada’s national horse, this saying couldn’t be more true.
   Yet as “le Cheval Canadien” celebrates its 350th anniversary this year, it’s pacing on the verge of extinction.

Manitoba

Gridiron Greats Exhibit Opens At Manitoba Sports Hall Of Fame
http://www.cjob.com/2015/06/23/gridiron-greats-exhibit/
   Tuesday marked the start of a brand new display at the Manitoba Sports Hall of Fame, as “Gridiron Greats” opened through until November 22nd on the main floor of the Canada Games Sport For Life Centre at 145 Pacific Avenue.

Saskatchewan 

Possible changes to iconic traffic bridge concerns heritage advocate
http://www.thestarphoenix.com/Possible+changes+iconic+traffic+bridge+concerns+heritage+advocate/11155185/story.htmlChanging
   The distinctive look and design of the Traffic Bridge replacement would represent a “tremendous loss” for Saskatoon, a heritage advocate says.

Alberta

Heritage quilts documented at guild anniversary
http://www.wetaskiwintimes.com/2015/06/23/heritage-quilts-documented-at-guild-anniversary
This initiative focuses on quilts made before 1970 to preserve a little bit of history of the trade and Canadians. The documentation ran alongside the Millet Arts and Crafts Guild’s 35th Anniversary, whose members also participated in the documentation process

British Columbia

Footprints found on a remote B.C. island could be 13,000 years old — the oldest in North America
http://news.nationalpost.com/news/canada/footprints-found-on-a-remote-b-c-island-could-be-13000-years-old-the-oldest-in-north-america
   Evidence of what could be the oldest footprints in North America has been discovered below the shoreline of a remote British Columbia island.

The Stories This Week

Are people using the DNA correctly? 

I hear that it has become quite a concern to some genealogists that people are expecting their DNA test to tell them exactly where their ancestors are from, without verifying it with their paper records – a family tree. In fact, some people who have DNA done, don't even have a family tree. This is amazing, since the information sent with the DNA kit, tells you to consult and make a family tree!

They don’t ask - are my ancestors really from “x” place in England, for example. And in fact, some of these people don’t and will never make their paper records which would show them where their peoplr are from. They don’t see a need for it, now that DNA can answer all questions exactly who their ancestors were.

And then, to make it worse for themselves, they tell other people whose tree they may have seen on FamilySearch or at Ancestry, that they are their 5th cousin – only to find that they are in effect barking up the wrong tree.

It harkens back to the day, when people hooked themselves on to other people's tree if they thought they had the correct tree without doing the research.

So it all goes back to the old axiom, you must do your paper or computer family tree first, so that you can be sure that your ancestors are correct. Then, you can have your DNA done, and then proceed from there.

Cyndi's List is 20 years old this year! Congratulations, Cyndi Ingles!

What would we do without Cyndi's List? How many time have I use it – too many times to count. If you are looking for places to research, it should be your first place to stop on the Internet.

For the Canadians site, go to http://www.cyndislist.com/canada/

For a while , I was using the Canadian version of Cyndi\s List, the Canadian Genealogy & History Links at http://www.islandnet.com/~cghl/index.php. It's has been almost 8 years since anything has been done to the list, but I still check it, especially the personal websites that are there.

And this week, we will celebrate the 148th birthday of Canada on July 1 and the National History Week from July 1st to July 7th. 

Canada’s historical organizations, including museums, historical societies, and festivals, will be hosting activities during this week to get their communities involved in learning about our past.

The page is at http://www.pch.gc.ca/eng/1403094611161

  

I am taking the week off to go to Cornwall and Hawkesbury in eastern Ontario to do client research. All of my research notes are in order, the appointments have been made, the vet has been called, and the dog will be at “camp” that week while we are away. My husband and I will be in 'genealogist heaven' for the time that we are there!






And that was the Canadian genealogy, history, and heritage news in Canada this past week!

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

If you missed last week’s edition, it is at http://genealogycanada.blogspot.com/2015/06/canadian-week-in-review-cwr-22-june-2015.html

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