Two newspaper column this week

Janice Nickerson and Dr. Fraser Dunford, two Ontario genealogists, have newspaper columns this week in area newspapers.

Janice continues on with her monthly column in the City Centre Mirror by writing GENEALOGY WITH JANICE: What’s in your closet?

Old documents tell your family’s history and they may be hidden in your mother's or grandmother’s closet for safe keeping until it is discovered one day by yourself, or another person. What a find!

To find out what you may possibly find, go to the newspaper article at http://www.insidetoronto.com/news-story/5561867-genealogy-with-janice-what-s-in-your-closet-old-documents-tell-your-family-s-history/

Janice’s website is at http://www.uppercanadagenealogy.com/aboutus.html

And Fraser Dunford continues with his column, and this time he writes about census in Ontario.

Fraser is a professional genealogist and member of Kawartha Branch, OGS, and former executive director of the Ontario Genealogical Society, and he has written a column called The  Amateur Genealogist: How To Read A Census.

They both offer sage advice. They have been at the game for a while, so to speak, and they offer good advice.

His article is at http://www.mykawartha.com/community-story/5561328-the-amateur-genealogist-how-to-read-a-census/



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/2015/04/canadian-week-in-review-13-april-2015_13.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.

Canadian Week in Review 23 February 2013

 

 

 

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.

This Week in Canadian History

In 1932, following a 48-day manhunt, Albert Johnson, known as the Mad Trapper of Rat River, was shot dead by the RCMP in the northern Yukon.

For more information, go to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Albert_Johnson_(criminal)

In 1881, the Canadian Pacific Railway was incorporated.

The Ontario Genealogical Society is celebrating the CPR this year with their conference held in Barrie. The CPR was the not only operated a railraod in Canada, but operated ship’s that transvered the Atlantic Ocean 1884-1915 and they brought immigrants to Canada.

For more information, go to http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/canadian-pacific-railway/

Social Media

PHOTOS: Grain elevator moves down Manitoba back roads to museum
http://globalnews.ca/news/1839539/photos-grain-elevator-moves-down-manitoba-back-roads-to-museum/
The grain elevator was moved from a family farm to the Pembina Threshermen’s Museum.

Video: From the CBC archives: Festival du Voyageur in the '70s
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/from-the-cbc-archives-festival-du-voyageur-in-the-70s-1.2956898
With the 2015 Festival du Voyageur underway in St. Boniface last weekend, the CBC looked back at the annual Franco-Manitoban celebration in the early 1970s.

Newfoundland

Stephenville to mark U.S. heritage with 50th anniversary festivities

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/newfoundland-labrador/stephenville-to-mark-u-s-heritage-with-50th-anniversary-festivities-1.2956197
The U.S. pulled out of Stephenville in 1966, but the legacy of the Ernest Harmon Air Force Base is still present through the culture, architecture and landmarks of the town.

New Brunswick

Exhibit celebrates 50-year history of provincial and national flags

http://www.sackvilletribunepost.com/News/2015-02-14/article-4044366/Exhibit-celebrates-50-year-history-of-provincial-and-national-flags/1
50 Years of Our Flags: Canada & New Brunswick, on display starting on Sunday, Feb. 15, at Government House in Fredericton. from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m., and each weekday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. until March 27.

Ontario

Tree shows how my family has evolved over 300-year period
http://www.insidehalton.com/opinion-story/5334548-tree-shows-how-my-family-has-evolved-over-300-year-period/
A keen interest in family tree research among local residents is evident to me based on the number of inquiries I have received about how my tree has progressed.

Snowbirds, including first flag seamstress, party in Florida for 50th birthday

http://www.princegeorgecitizen.com/news/national/snowbirds-including-first-flag-seamstress-party-in-florida-for-50th-birthday-1.1760386#sthash.VtBdXtIr.dpuf

Five decades ago, a young Joan O'Malley was summoned by her father one snowy November night to sew Canada's first Maple Leaf flag.

Manitoba

Legislative Library receives collection of rare books

http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/legislative-library-receives-collection-of-rare-books-291634241.html
Manitoba Heritage Minister Ron Lemieux has announced the donation of 27 books, a gift of the Manitoba Historical Society, at the downtown Manitoba Archives.

Saskatchewan

Knock ‘Em Down

http://www.planetsmag.com/story.php?id=1825
The historic Farnam Block in Saskatoon is headed towards being torn down, as a filed demolition permit suggests at least the possibility of the buildings coming down.

Alberta

Grande Prairie’s francophone heritage gets spotlight

http://www.dailyheraldtribune.com/2015/02/12/grande-prairies-francophone-heritage-gets-spotlight Along with the mayors from Moncton, New Brunswick and Lafayette, Louisiana, Quebec City Mayor Regis Labeaume is on a mission to shine a spotlight on cities that are historically, culturally and linguistically connected to French North America.

British Columbia

Opposition mounts to block new B.C. mine as town shuns its coal-mining heritage

http://news.nationalpost.com/2015/02/13/opposition-mounts-to-block-new-b-c-mine-as-town-shuns-its-coal-mining-heritage/
Built in the 1890s atop one of the richest coalfields in coastal British Columbia, the ground below the village’s downtown is criss-crossed with hundreds of now-flooded mining tunnels. 

News Stories of the Week

Cliff Seibel of CanadianHeadstones.com is looking for Cemetery Photos! He has put various Canadian Facebook queries out there this week,  and if you or anyone has headstone photos that they would like to share with Canadian Headstones, but you don't have the time to upload and transcribe them, let the people at Canadian Headstones know. Although they would prefer complete cemeteries, any contributions would be appreciated. Cliff also accepts photos of churches – new and old.

RootsTech, like last year, was about stories, and Dennis Brimhall, Chief Executive Officer, FamilySearch International debuted the Museum of Me, which is all based on the story of you. Apparently, it is a big hit in Salt Lake City at the Family Search Library. They plan to expand the facilitary to other cities. 

One way to do this too is through the excellent exhibits put on by Canadian libraries. archives, and museums.

For example, the Fredericton Region Museum is now hosting the travelling exhibit, “New Brunswickers and the Great War”. The exhibit commemorates the contributions of New Brunswickers during the First World War and will travel for the next two years.

If you go to visit the exhabit, you learn more about the contributions of their province to the First World War.

The news of the exhibit can be viewed at https://frederictonregionmuseum.wordpress.com/

And they have a Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/FrederictonRegionMuseum

 

And a new exhibit at Conrad Grebel University College (on the campus of the university of Waterloo, Ontario), showcases the work of David Hunsberger, a St. Jacobs photographer well-known for his portraits of the Old Order Mennonite community.

The exhibit, Taking Community From the Farm to the World, features photographs of barn raisings, suppers and candid portraits of Ontario Mennonite communities from the 1950s and 1960s.

The exhibit will close at the end of April. You can go to the Grebel Gallery at Conrad Grebel University College at https://uwaterloo.ca/grebel/mscu-centre-peace-advancement/grebel-gallery

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

=====

 

 

Need help in finding your Canadian Ancestors?

Michael D. from Florida says that “
Ms. Elizabeth Lapointe is an experienced professional with a broad-based detailed knowledge of the available genealogical documentary resources, together with an understanding of the colonial and modern history, economy, and sociology of the French and English aspects of Canada. For a client, she is both a teacher and a guide into the field of genealogy.

If you do, go to Elizabeth Lapointe Research Services and see how I can help you find that elusive Canadian ancestor.

Great service. Reasonably priced.

Website: www.elrs.biz
 

 

The next Canadian Week in Review will be posted 02 March 2015.

Canadfian News in Review 16 February 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.

This Week in Canadian History

In 1894, Canadian fighter pilot Billy Bishop was born in Owen Sound, Ontario. He was given credit for shooting down 72 enemy aircraft in the First World War, and was the first Canadian airman to win a Victoria Cross for a 1917 solo attack on a German airfield. Bishop died in Florida in 1956.

For further information, go to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Billy_Bishop

In 1995, Roméo LeBlanc was sworn in as Canada's 25th Governor General, the first Acadian to hold the post.

For further information, go to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rom%C3%A9o_LeBlanc

Social Media

For all the Canadians who were at RootsTech 2015, for the keynote speakers online, and for those interviewed by Dear Myrt’s AmbushCAM http://blog.dearmyrtle.com/2015/02/fgsrootstech-2015-myrts-ambushcam.html, here is a summary of the blog posts -

• RootsTech 2015 - Day 1 http://genealogycanada.blogspot.com/2015/02/rootstech-2015-day-1.html
• News Flash! - RootsTech 2015 live streaming schedule now available http://genealogycanada.blogspot.com/2015/02/news-flash-rootstech-2015-live.html
• RootsTech 2015 - Day 2 http://genealogycanada.blogspot.com/2015/02/rootstech-2015-day-2.html
• RootsTech 2015 - Day 3 http://genealogycanada.blogspot.com/2015/02/rootstech-2015-day-3.html
• RootsTech 2015 - Day 4 http://genealogycanada.blogspot.com/2015/02/rootstech-2015-day-4.html

For a listing of Dear Myrt's AmbushCAM from the the National Genealogical Society (NGS) 2014 Conference, visit Randy Seaver's Genea-Musings blog post at http://www.geneamusings.com/2014/05/did-you-watch-dearmyrtles-ambushcam.html

Articles

Nova Scotia

Howe, Lewis among next 7 Heritage Day honorees
http://thechronicleherald.ca/novascotia/1267791-howe-lewis-among-next-7-heritage-day-honorees
   As the province prepares for the first official day to celebrate its history, the government unveiled the focus of celebration for future years.

Ontario

70 years After the Second World War: Remembrance Endures
http://ottawacitizen.com/news/national/defence-watch/70-years-after-world-war-two-remembrance-endures
   This year marks the 70th anniversary of the end of the Second World War, and important historic dates are dotted across the calendar.

Petrolia man finds a piece of family history
http://www.sarniathisweek.com/2015/02/10/petrolia-man-finds-a-piece-of-family-history
   Petrolia’s Don Gibson is a man with a keen interest in Canadian military history. And he’s recently solved a military mystery of sorts that involved his great-grandfather, the Fenian Raids, and a missing medal.

Navan's St. Mary's Anglican Church pleads for return of records
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/navan-s-st-mary-s-anglican-church-pleads-for-return-of-records-1.2950881
   Although no money was taken, the safe stolen from church contained birth and death records of parishioners.

Find haute and history in Toronto’s Distillery District
http://www.daily-journal.com/life/travel/find-haute-and-history-in-toronto-s-distillery-district/article_7b91fadb-2f40-5f60-9342-fcc4388b3fed.html
   At the core of the District is the history of the Gooderham and Worts Distillery, whose predecessor company started in 1831. Established in 1837 as a distillery on the shores of Lake Ontario, 50 years later it had evolved into the largest distillery in the British Empire.

How black Canadians fought for liberty in the American Civil War
http://www.thestar.com/opinion/commentary/2015/01/31/how-black-canadians-fought-for-liberty-in-the-american-civil-war.html
  Many black Canadians headed to the U.S. to join the fight against slavery in 1863. Nearly 1,000 of them came from Canada West.

Discover the Moving History of the Holocaust with Insight Vacations
http://globenewswire.com/news-release/2015/02/11/705489/10119776/en/Discover-the-Moving-History-of-the-Holocaust-with-Insight-Vacations.html#sthash.e7W2EYCT.dpuf
   Dr. Jody Perrun will host Insight guests on an exclusive two-week journey starting June 4th through Poland, Slovakia, Hungary, Austria, Czech Republic, and Germany to explore the locales where the events of the Holocaust unfolded in a tour named the History of the Holocaust.

GENEALOGY WITH JANICE: Genealogist Janice Nickerson shares her passion in new column
http://www.insidetoronto.com/news-story/5338473-genealogy-with-janice-genealogist-janice-nickerson-shares-her-passion-in-new-column
   Ontario genealogist and Association of Professional Genealogists member debuts a new column in Inside Toronto. As she says, “Genealogy is my life”.

Manitoba

Manitobans don kilts, skates to celebrate Canada’s first prime minister
http://winnipeg.ctvnews.ca/manitobans-don-kilts-skates-to-celebrate-canada-s-first-prime-minister-1.2215088#ixzz3RCEMQWlU
   To celebrate the bicentennial birthday of Sir John A. Macdonald, Canada’s first Prime Minister, hearty Canadians in five cities across the country donned kilts – and headed outdoors.

Saskatchewan

Archives Week shows Humboldt history
http://www.humboldtjournal.ca/news/local-news/archives-week-shows-humboldt-history-1.1760931
   A variety of photos showing fundraising efforts and other events were donated to the museum by City Hall, and museum staff is inviting people to check them out and part with any information they may have about them.

Alberta

History on display at City Hall
http://www.meridianbooster.com/2015/02/06/history-on-display-at-city-hall
   The walls of City Hall are displaying the region’s history as part of a special visual display provided by the Lloydminster Regional Archives.

Galt exhibit on the money
http://lethbridgeherald.com/news/local-news/2015/02/07/galt-exhibit-on-the-money
   “Voices from the Engraver” will open today, and showcase more than 60 artifacts dealing with the creative process—behind the scenes, as well as the technical skill and the sheer artistry—that goes into every series of Canadian stamps and bank notes.

British Columbia

Chinese made big contribution to pioneer B.C.
http://www.vicnews.com/news/290721701.html
   In the spring of 1858, news of gold in the Fraser Canyon transformed Fort Victoria from a quiet fur trade outpost of the Hudson’s Bay Company into a booming town. Hop Kee & Co. of San Francisco played an instrumental role in the first wave of Chinese to Victoria.

Clyde Duncan: Black history is central to the beginnings of B.C.
http://blogs.theprovince.com/2015/02/01/clyde-duncan-black-history-is-central-to-the-beginnings-of-british-columbia
   Sir James Douglas, who in 1858 became the first governor of the colony of British Columbia, and who is known as the “Father of British Columbia,” was born in British Guiana (now, Guyana) to a mixed-race mother with African ancestry.

Black artist a trailblazer in Victoria's early days
http://www.timescolonist.com/life/islander/black-artist-a-trailblazer-in-victoria-s-early-days-1.1756470
   Grafton Tyler Brown became the first professional artist in the province when he reinvented himself in his move to British Columbia in 1882.

Stories of the Week

National Flag Day



The 50th anniversary of Flag Day was celebrated yesterday in Canada (February 15th). The (new, then) Canadian Flag was first raised over Parliament Hill 50 years ago in 1965, replacing the beloved Canadian Red Ensign http://tmg110.tripod.com/canada_flag.htm

I can remember watching the ceremony on TV, and wondered if I would ever get to see Parliament Hill in Ottawa from a small town in Nova Scotia. Now I can see this place every day in person if I want to because I live in the area.

The represents the county - strong, proud and free. It represents we have accomplished together over the years - the historical moments that have shared, and the served to define us, and to the promising future of this great country.

Share your Moment with the Flag!

Did you celebrate the 50th anniversary of the National Flag of Canada by taking part in the “Share your Moment with the Flag” Challenge.

This challenge gives us an opportunity, as Canadians, to honour the National Flag of Canada, by putting your memory on the Internet. You can go to #flag50 https://twitter.com/hashtag/flag50 and #drapeau50 https://twitter.com/hashtag/drapeau50 on Twitter to see the photos and videos of everyone who took part in the challenge.

The Library and Archives Canada also put on a special page which celebrates the flag. There is a Flickr page, podcasts, and a history of the flag which can be seen by reading the Lester B. Pearson fonds. He was the prime minister of the time.

This is all available on their blog, Celebrating 50 years of Canada’s national flag, at http://thediscoverblog.com/2015/02/12/celebrating-50-years-of-canadas-national-flag

Additional blog posts about the Canadian Flag are available here -

John Matheson, 'Father' Of Canadian Flag dies at age 96 - http://genealogycanada.blogspot.com/2014/01/canadian-week-in-review-06-january-2014.html

Statement by the Prime Minister of Canada on National Flag Day - http://genealogycanada.blogspot.com/2014/02/statement-by-prime-minister-of-canada.html

May 9th will be a National Day of Honour - http://genealogycanada.blogspot.com/2014/03/canadian-week-in-review-24-march-2014.html

Red Ensign flag protected for future generations - http://genealogycanada.blogspot.com/2014/09/canadian-week-in-review-01-september.html

Hope Restored announced as theme for Heritage Week 2015 - http://genealogycanada.blogspot.com/2014/11/canadian-week-in-review-03-november-2014.html

How social media is being used so that Canadian flags can be placed on soldier’s graves in Italy - http://genealogycanada.blogspot.com/2014/11/ogs-first-world-war-heritage-society.html

Blackwell & Beddoe Lawrence: The maple leaf has symbolized Canada for 50 years, but its origins are still misunderstood - http://genealogycanada.blogspot.com/2014/12/canadian-week-in-review-22-december-2014.html

In 1924, the Canadian Red Ensign was given official recognition as Canada’s official flag until the Maple Leaf was adopted in 1965 - http://genealogycanada.blogspot.com/2015/01/canadian-week-in-review-19-january-2015.html

Feds spend $50K on Canadian flag birthday celebration- http://genealogycanada.blogspot.com/2015/01/canadian-week-in-review-19-january-2015.html

The federal government has allotted $50,000 for celebrations for the upcoming 50th birthday of the iconic Maple Leaf flag - http://genealogycanada.blogspot.com/2015/01/canadian-week-in-review-19-january-2015.html

Canadian MP offers excellent primer on the Canadian Flag, and its history - http://genealogycanada.blogspot.com/2015/01/canadian-week-in-review-19-january-2015.html
and http://www.mauril.ca/the-canadian-flag

==========
As well, I recently reported on the Canadian Flag on my weekly Canadian Week in Review (CWR) blog post, dated 26 January 2015 http://genealogycanada.blogspot.com/2015/01/canadian-week-in-review-26-january-2015.html

In addition to news stories from television and Canadian newspapers, there is a link to the history of the flag (including a free PDF download of a Canadian Flag poster depicting its chronology and historical background) from a Canadian Member of Parliament, the Honourable Mauril Bélanger, representing the a local riding of Ottawa East http


Celebrations around Heritage Day/Family Day and Flag Day has broken out all over Canada.

Heritage Day is a nationwide celebration that encourages all Canadians to explore their local heritage, and this year the theme is Our Main Streets and traditional downtowns are a heritage worth celebrating. As venues for commerce, entertainment, worship, shopping and more, they demonstate the community's social and economic history.

For instance, Heritage Day has been  to Heritage Week in British Columbia this week and the theme is Main Street: At The Heart of the Community. The week kicked off with the national Heritage Day designated by Heritage Canada The National Trust.

In Toronto, a plague has been unveiled honours Chinese-Canadian association
http://www.canadianarchitect.com/news/heritage-torontos-first-plaque-unveiling-of-2015-honours-chinese-canadian-association/1003450245/?&er=NA
The plaque commemorates the Wong Association of Ontario (Wong Kung Har Wun Sun Association). The Wongs have been part of the historic fabric of Toronto and Chinatown for over 100 years and the Wong Association of Ontario is the first Chinese-Canadian family association to receive a coat of arms.

That was the Canadian genealogy, history and heritage news in Canada this past week.

=====

Need help in finding your Canadian Ancestors?

Michael D. from Florida says that “
Ms. Elizabeth Lapointe is an experienced professional with a broad-based detailed knowledge of the available genealogical documentary resources, together with an understanding of the colonial and modern history, economy, and sociology of the French and English aspects of Canada. For a client, she is both a teacher and a guide into the field of genealogy.

If you do, go to Elizabeth Lapointe Research Services and see how I can help you find that elusive Canadian ancestor.

Great service. Reasonably priced.

Website: www.elrs.biz

Email:genealogyresearech@aol.com

The next Canadian Week in Review will be posted 25 February 2015.

Canadian Week in Review - 12 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 1955, the opening of the Canadian Parliament was broadcast on television for the first time.
   To read about Canada’s form of government, go to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parliament_of_Canada

On 1805, the first issue of the Quebec Mercury was published.

    It is interesting to note that “The Quebec Mercury was to become a key political tool for the Tories, vigorously denouncing the initiatives of the Canadian Party”.

    Read more about it at http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/confederation/023001-2200.01-e.html

 
Social Media

Alex Inspired
http://alexandrafrankow.com/genealogy
   As is true with so many genealogies, you can trace ancestor’s from Canada to Minnesota, New York, California, and Ireland.

Curating Kin

http://curatingkin.ca/location/index.html

   Follow Chriss as she traces her family from Ireland to Niagara Falls, Ontario.

A Parcel of Ribbons

http://aparcelofribbons.co.uk
   This blog concerns Joseph Scott, brother of John Scott, an émigré who first went from Ireland to the New World in the 1720s, then went to Canada, where he built himself a delightful manor house at Fort Sackville, Bedford, Nova Scotia on land that had belonged to his brother, George.

(Video) Louis Gossett Jr. ‘amazed’ by Canadian story in Book of Negroes

http://www.canada.com/entertainment/Louis+Gossett+amazed+Canadian+story+Book+Negroes+with+video/10702946/story.html
   An interview with Louis Gossett Jr. and his role on the Book of Negroes, partly filmed in Shelburne, Nova Scotia.

(Photos) Halifax bookbinders recreate The Book of Negroes
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-scotia/halifax-book-binders-recreate-the-book-of-negroes-1.2893857
   Joe Landry and Katherine Victoria Taylor spent weeks creating the prop for the miniseries.

Articles

Newfoundland

Newfoundland students part of Antarctic expedition

http://www.thetelegram.com/News/Local/2015-01-02/article-3994459/Newfoundland-students-part-of-Antarctic-expedition/1

   On Friday the students and staff from the M/V Ushuaia landed by Zodiac at Danco Island, Neko Harbour, and Goudier Island along the Antarctic Peninsula.

Nova Scotia

It’s 2015, and a scalping law is still on the books
http://www.thecoast.ca/RealityBites/archives/2015/01/07/its-2015-and-a-scalping-law-is-still-on-the-books
    Britain’s colonial government issued three proclamations offering bounties on human beings. Two of those were formally repealed in 1752. The third, ordered in 1756 by Governor William Lawrence, remains. And nobody is sure that the law can be repealed.

From the shores of Nova Scotia, Israel’s first soldiers
http://news.nationalpost.com/2015/01/05/rob-gordon-from-the-shores-of-nova-scotia-israels-first-soldiers
   During the summer of 1917, Windsor, Nova Scotia was home to some of Israel’s founding fathers, and there were hundreds of Jewish boys from New York, Montreal, Russia, and Palestine who were the first to put on a uniform of the Israeli Defence Force.

The Book of Negroes, shot in Nova Scotia, debuts on TV

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-scotia/the-book-of-negroes-shot-in-nova-scotia-airs-tonight-1.2891712

   The majority of the film, The Book of Negroes, was shot in Shelburne, my hometown. It will air on CBC Television on Wednesdays until February 11th.

Book of Negroes tops ratings for its time slot
http://www.cbc.ca/news/arts/book-of-negroes-tops-ratings-for-its-time-slot-1.2895342
   1.7 million viewers tune in to  this adaption of Lawrence Hill's book.

Prince Edward Island

Charlottetown restoration reveals building’s heritage
http://www.dailycommercialnews.com/Projects/News/2015/1/Charlottetown-restoration-reveals-buildings-heritage-1004985W
   Read how Chris Tweel renovated an 1880s brick building in the heart of Charlottetown, P.E.I.

Ontario

Sir John A. Macdonald turns 200
http://o.canada.com/news/john-a-macdonald-572482
   Randy Boswell writes an excellent article on the supposed “birthdate” of Sir John A. Macdonald of Glasgow, Scotland.

(Photos) In a war-soaked world, Mennonites struggled for a peaceful response

http://www.therecord.com/news-story/5240671--we-could-not-take-any-part-of-it-in-a-war-soaked-world-mennonites-struggled-for-a-peaceful-response

   In the fall of 1917, as the carnage of the First World War seemed endless, a young Mennonite woman in Guelph wrote to her bishop for advice.

Historical protection of Windsor, Ont., street curbs halts driveway construction
https://ca.news.yahoo.com/blogs/dailybrew/historical-protection-of-windsor-ont-street-221033309.html
   In Windsor, Ontario, the presence of 130-year-old stone curbs is considered a matter of cultural heritage, and is being protected by the city.

George Daszkowski: Passionate protector of the Canadian Motorsport Hall of Fame's archives

http://www.thestar.com/autos/autoracing_blog/2015/01/george_daszkowski__passionate_protector_of_the_canadian_motorsport_hall_of_fame_s_archives.html
   George Daszkowski, who recently passed away, believed in the Canadian Motorsport Hall of Fame, particularly the archives. Although he was a walking encyclopedia of racing knowledge, he believed strongly in the storing, filing, and indexing/cross-referencing of photographs and documents in order to create and maintain a historical record of the sport.

 

Alberta

Delving into family history
http://www.highrivertimes.com/2015/01/06/delving-into-family-history
   For those who are curious to gain insight to their family history but don't know much about historical research, the High River Library is offering a beginner’s genealogy course in January and February.

Ukrainian Christmas festivities celebrate a rich heritage

http://www.edmontonjournal.com/Ukrainian+Christmas+festivities+celebrate+rich+heritage/10706932/story.html
   Ukrainian Catholics and Orthodox Christians around the world follow the Julian calendar, and celebrate Christmas on January 7^th.

Fort Calgary uncovers mummified rat, 1890s newspaper during Hunt House restoration

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/fort-calgary-uncovers-mummified-rat-1890s-newspaper-during-hunt-house-restoration-1.2894373

   Fort Calgary workers are uncovering a wide range of rare artifacts as they continue to restore the Hunt House in Inglewood.
   A mummified rat, a child's toy, and a 125-year-old newspaper are some of the items that have been discovered in the building, and buried beneath the structure.

British Columbia

Province commissions book commemorating history of Chinese Canadians

http://ubyssey.ca/news/province-makes-plans-to-publish-book-celebrating-the-history-of-chinese-canadians-in-bc-334
   The province of B.C. has set aside $100,000 for a book that celebrates the achievements of eminent Chinese Canadians.

B.C. whaling – an uncomfortable history
http://www.vicnews.com/opinion/287142931.html
   An Op-Ed piece by on the whaling industry by Kate Humble from British Columbia.

Events to salute Alberni maritime history

http://www.avtimes.net/news/local/events-to-salute-alberni-maritime-history-1.1705487
   The Port Alberni Maritime Heritage Society is kicking off its winter season with the first of three presentations.
 

Stories of the Week

 

 

 

Do you realize that one in four Canadians cannot identify Sir John A. Macdonald as the first prime minister of Canada?

 

This sad news is the result of a recent Ipsos Reid poll commissioned by Historica Canada.

 

Not shocking enough? Well, according to the poll, 28% of Canadians polled didn’t even know the year of Confederation!

 

For readers not familiar with the year Canada became a country—including the aforementioned 28% who missed this question—the answer is 1867.

 

How about this? Forty-four per cent of respondents didn’t know that Canada will turn 150 years old in 2017. This is also disturbing, for it means that either this group didn’t know the year of Confederation (essential to do the calculation), or they did know it, and in doing the math, failed basic addition (or subtraction, depending on one’s methodology in performing calculated date functions).

 

Either way, it shows that of the 44% who got the wrong answer, 100% of this group failed rudimentary Canadian history, and/or rudimentary math.

 

Oh, my!

 

I could go on and on...

 

Maybe we need more Heritage Minutes! (An excellent series of vignettes – well-worth a look).

• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heritage_Minutes
• https://www.historicacanada.ca/content/heritage-minutes/agnes-macphail
• https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL1848FF9428CA9A4A

 

The full results of the poll is found here - https://www.historicacanada.ca/node/5362

 

 

Canadian Recipients of the Victoria Cross Honoured through the "Toll of War," a project that tells the stories of the valour and sacrifice of Canadians in the World Wars.

 

The press release says that the “Funding for a unique visual and educational program that will inform Canadians about the wartime actions and sacrifices of Canadian soldiers during the World Wars was announced today by the Honourable Keith Ashfield, Member of Parliament (Fredericton), on behalf of the Honourable Shelly Glover, Minister of Canadian Heritage and Official Languages.”

 

The Victoria Cross was created by Queen Victoria in 1856, and was awarded to Canadians in all conflicts up to the end of the Second World War. The last Victoria Cross to be awarded to a Canadian was in 1945. There have been 98 Canadian recipients (Canadian-born, serving in the Canadian Army, or having a close link to Canada).

 

A new Canadian honour, the Canadian Victoria Cross—which retains the same design and the same awarding criteria as the British Victoria Cross—was unveiled by the Governor General on May 16, 2008. It joined a suite of Canadian Military Valour Decorations that include the Star of Military Valour and the Medal of Military Valour.

 

 

News has reached us that Tim Cook, adjunct research professor in the Department of History at Carleton University in Ottawa, has been named to the Order of Canada http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Order_of_Canada

 

You will know this name because of Cook’s work at the Canadian War Museum and for his contributions to promoting Canada’s military history as an author, researcher, and curator.

 

He is the author of eight books, including Shock Troops: Canadians Fighting the Great War, 1917-1918, a winner of the Charles Taylor prize for literary non-fiction. His latest book, The Necessary War, was published this year, and is the first of two volumes on Canadians in the Second World War. The second volume, Fight to the Finish, will be published next fall.

 

The Order of Canada, one of our country’s highest civilian honours, was established in 1967 to recognize outstanding achievement, dedication to the community, and service to the nation. Since then, more than 6,000 Canadians from all sectors of society have been invested into the Order.

 

 

Have you been following the Early Ontario Teachers & Pupil List 1838-1916 on the Olive Tree Blog at http://olivetreegenealogy.blogspot.com?

 

Although I don’t have any ancestors in Ontario at that time, this list can be important to those people who do.

 

You might also want to get a copy of Education and Ontario Family History by Marian Press through the Ontario Genealogical Society’s online store at http://www.ogs.on.ca/ogsnewcart/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=2&products_id=722

 

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

 

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 19 January 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'

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/canada-s-history-not-always-so-strong-proud-free-1.2884928

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

Saskatchewan

What will Saskatoon look like in the future?

http://www.thestarphoenix.com/entertainment/What+will+Saskatoon+look+like+future/10695207/story.html

   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.