Canadian Week in Review 23 January 2017

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
 

Superman - Man of Steel

On 16 January 1939, Joe Shuster from Toronto publishes his first self-titled Superman comic strip - the Man of Steel had been a character in Action Comics. New York. New York. 

The "man of steel" hid his extraordinary strength, speed, and superhuman powers under the self-effacing guise of the weak and clumsy Clark Kent. 

For more information, read https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joe_Shuster

Lorne Greene - Canadian actor 

Lorne Greene, the Canadian actor from my adapted hometown, Ottawa, starred as the lead in Bonanza, a TV series set on the Ponderosa Ranch in Nevada.

He played family patriarch and three-time widower Ben Cartwright, with his three sons (each by a different mother, by the way – and this would be of interest to genealogists) - Adam (Pernell Roberts), Hoss (Dan Blocker) and Little Joe (Michael Landon).

For more information, go to https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lorne_Greene

Social Media

(Photos) Retired doctor paints Gander’s past

http://www.thetelegram.com/living/2017/1/16/retired-doctor-paints-ganders-past.html

When most people think of Gander, they think of planes. But when artist Clayton Hann is working on one of his watercolours, he looks past the planes, to the trains that made building the town possible. 

Newspaper Articles

Nova Scotia

Wolfville honours war heroine
http://thechronicleherald.ca/novascotia/1432769-wolfville-honours-war-heroine

Wolfville is commemorating war heroine Mona Parsons by erecting a bronze statue of her near the town’s post office.

Plans are being made to erect the statue of Parsons, created by Dutch sculptor Nistal Prem de Boer, on the anniversary of VE Day in May.

Local author and history buff pens new book about local family
http://enfieldweeklypress.com/local-author-history-buff-pens-new-book-local-family/

One of East Hants’ most prominent names in their history is the topic of John “Jack” Hawkins latest book.

“This book is a brief account of the life of Jabob Horne and some of his descendants, ” said Hawkins. ” Over the years I have been given records and information on Jacob and the early settlers. Mary Horne Knotling or Oregon has done a lot of research and passed it along to me.” 

Halifax Explosion plaque tells wrong story for 17 years
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-scotia/halifax-explosion-fort-needham-park-plaque-imo-mont-blanc-1.3942098

For 17 years, a plaque at the Halifax Explosion memorial site in Fort Needham park has told passersby about the disaster that rocked the port city on Dec. 6, 1917.

"Reversing her engines, Mont-Blanc went astern to pull out the deep gash in Imo's side," the plaque reads.

"Steel rasped against ragged steel, sparks flew, Mont-Blanc caught fire and blew up at 9:04:35 a.m."

The trouble is that the plaque has the story wrong. 

New Brunswick 

Port Saint John: Canada's next National Historic Seaport?
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/new-brunswick/saint-john-historic-seaport-1.3940789

The majority of Saint Johners don't visit Martello Tower, Fort LaTour or Partridge Island — but local historian Harold Wright is hoping to change that.

Sites like Fort Howe, Fort LaTour and Partridge Island "tell our story," Wright said.
 

Rustico priest had first automobile in Canada 150 years ago
http://www.theguardian.pe.ca/news/local/2017/1/15/rustico-priest-had-first-automobile-in-canada-150-years-ago.html

December marked the 150th anniversary of the first automobile arriving in Canada, before the country was even officially formed, a steam-powered carriage that was imported by Father George A. Belcourt.

Prince Edward Island 

New Brunswick’s 2017 slogan not sitting well with some P.E.I. Politicians
http://www.theguardian.pe.ca/news/local/2017/1/21/new-brunswick_s-2017-slogan-not-sitting-well-with-some-p-e-i--po.html

A wee bit of a tiff is developing between P.E.I. and New Brunswick over which province planted the seed for Confederation.

Quebec 

A beauty pageant of the sea is coming to Quebec City, river
http://www.wral.com/a-beauty-pageant-of-the-sea-is-coming-to-quebec-city-river/16441673/

As the story goes, the training ship Amerigo Vespucci was sailing the Mediterranean in 1962 when the U.S. aircraft carrier Independence spotted it and radioed: "Who are you?" Came the reply: "School ship Amerigo Vespucci, the Italian Navy." The Independence answered: "You are the most beautiful ship in the world." 

Ontario 

Burlington Heritage Fair celebrates Canada 150 on Feb. 4
http://www.insidehalton.com/community-story/7076857-burlington-heritage-fair-celebrates-canada-150-on-feb-4/

Residents may feel more nostalgic at this year’s Burlington Heritage Fair as the 2017 theme will celebrate Canada 150 and the history of sports in the city.

The free family event is the official kick off for Heritage Month (February) and is hosted by the Heritage Month Committee and Heritage Burlington. 

Canada Post: celebrating Canadian UNESCO sites
http://www.rcinet.ca/en/2017/01/16/canada-post-celebrating-canadian-unesco-sites/

­Canada post has released five new stamps. The stamps show fascinating world heritage sites as named by UNESCO, so declared for their importance to world history and heritage 

Archives making history
http://www.intelligencer.ca/2017/01/17/archives-making-history 

The community archives has had a record number of new historical documents flooding in. 

Curious locals can now wander into the Community Archives of Belleville and Hastings County and unearth circa 1800s details about taxes paid and prisoner treatment. 

Museum of History acquires 'Canadian Caper' collection
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/canadian-museum-of-history-acquires-canadian-caper-collection-1.3941272

Most Canadians who were around in the 1980s have vivid memories of the so-called Canadian Caper, an audacious rescue of six U.S. diplomats during the Iran hostage crisis.  

Manitoba

Nominations requested for annual historical preservation award
http://www.mysteinbach.ca/news/815/nominations-requested-for-annual-historical-preservation-award/

Lt.-Gov. Janice Filmon is encouraging the public to nominate a worthy Manitoban who has provided prolonged and meritorious service in the preservation and promotion of Manitoba history for an award, presented in consultation with the Manitoba Historical Society. 

Alberta

Museum honours 150 years of Canada

http://www.westernwheel.com/article/Museum-honours-150-years-of-Canada-20170118

Fascinating facts and intriguing stories about Okotoks’ unique history will fill the Okotoks Museum and Archives in a year-long devotion to a Canadian milestone.

In celebration of Canada’s 150th birthday, the museum is displaying facts and stories that reflect numerous aspects of the community since the nation’s confederation in an exhibit entitled Our Place in History.

Pictures: art contest celebrates Alberta's Ukrainian heritage

http://www.metronews.ca/news/edmonton/2017/01/20/art-contest-celebrates-albertas-ukranian-heritage.html

Six Alberta students were recognized Friday for their artwork showing 125 years of Ukrainian settlement in Canada.

The ‘We Became a Part of Canada’ art contest got students across the province to look at how Ukrainian-Canadian migrants became part of Alberta 

British Columbia

Province launching a funding program for museums, heritage sites
http://www.pqbnews.com/community/410958675.html

This program offers one-time grants of up to $100,000 for; developing infrastructure to improve museum spaces and facilities; conserving historic places and heritage sites; building lasting legacies with projects that physically represent B.C.’s unique and diverse histories, culture and heritage such as exhibitions, public art or statues; and sharing history through projects that promote sharing of collections and expertise between the Royal B.C. Museum and the wider museum community.

British Columbia

Central Saanich heritage home to be moved for development

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/central-saanich-verdier-1.3938500

The first purpose-built affordable housing to come to Central Saanich since the 1960s will blend history and access, proponents say.

The project on West Saanich Road in Brentwood Bay will see a heritage home moved to make way for 40 affordable rental apartments and six for-purchase townhomes.

Metlakatla First Nation working on plan to protect heritage, language

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/metlakatla-first-nation-1.3935980

Dozens of Metlakatla First Nation members are meeting in Prince Rupert, B.C. this weekend to find ways to preserve and pass down their culture, history and language.

Allowing future generations to connect with their roots as well as protecting sites of cultural significance will be the goals of a new cultural program from the Nation," said Metlakatla communications manager Shaun Thomas.

Canada Stories this Week 

First World War

387,710 of 640,000 files are available online in the Personnel Records of the First World War database at Library and Archives Canada.

They say that the ' digitizing the service files systematically, from box 1 to box 10686, which roughly corresponds to alphabetical order. Please note that over the years, the content of some boxes has had to be moved and you might find that the file you want, with a surname that is supposed to have been digitized, is now located in another box that has not yet been digitized'

So far, they have digitized the following files - Latest box digitized: Box 6526 and last name Murray.

Please check the database regularly for new additions, and if you still have questions after checking the database, you may contact us directly at 1-866-578-7777 for more assistance.

For more information, go to http://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/discover/military-heritage/first-world-war/Pages/introduction.aspx 

A legacy carved in stone

There is going to be an exhibit at the Museum of War which I will try to go and see, and it's the Preserved in Stone – Underground Art of the First World War. The exhibit will be on from October 17, 2016 – January 7, 2018 and it's right inside the lobby, so it's easy to get to right beside the front door.

In the shadow of the Vimy Memorial in France lies a Celtic cross carved in soft stone. Both are monuments to Canadian soldiers who died in the First World War. But while one looms solemnly over the French countryside, the other is hidden in a cave beneath a farmer’s field.

A Celtic Cross is a highlight of Preserved in Stone – Underground Art of the First World War. The exhibition of photographs and 3D reproductions of artwork and graffiti left behind by Canadian troops preparing for the Battle of Vimy Ridge in 1917.

And if you are coming to Ottawa during the Ontario Genealogical 2017 Conference, you can take advantage of the tours that are available, and one of the tours is of the Museum of War, so you can make reservations now at https://conference2017.ogs.ca/program/thursday-2/

Canadian War Museum is http://www.warmuseum.ca/ 

Be sure to tell your friends about us. 

If you would like to subscribe, please send your email to genealogycanada@aol.com

Publishers Elizabeth and Mario Lapointe

Sponsored by Elizabeth Lapointe Research Services. To learn more about the research services offered by ELRS, go to www.elrs.biz The email is genealogyresearch@aol.com

(c)2017 All rights reserved.

Canadian Week in Review 16 January 2016

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 

“Father of Confederation” is born 

On 11 January 1815, John A Macdonald was born in Scotland, and in 1820, the family emigrated to Kingston, Ontario where they joined a number of family members, who had immigrated earlier.

He died in 1891 from the effects of a stroke, and was buried in Kingston.

Canadian held a number of birthday parties on Saturday, and one of them was held on the Natrel skating rink in Old Montreal on Saturday afternoon.

Read about it at http://montrealgazette.com/news/local-news/kilted-skaters-celebrate-sir-john-as-birthday-at-old-port-rink

If you want to learn more, go to http://www.rcinet.ca/en/2017/01/11/canada-history-jan-11-1815-the-father-of-confederation-is-born/ 

The Fuller Brush Man 

On 13 January 1885, Alfred C. Fuller from Nova Scotia was born, and he started the Fuller Brush Company after he moved to Hartford, Connecticut in 1906. 

It was a door-to-door company, and I remember as a child, salesmen coming to our house selling personal care as well as commercial and household cleaning products.

For more information, go to http://www.rcinet.ca/en/2017/01/13/canada-history-jan-13-1885-the-fuller-brush-man/ 

To see his home in Yarmouth, Nova Scotia, go to the shttp://www.yarmouthcountymuseum.ca/index.php/other-sites/pelton-fuller-house

Social Media 

Video: Union Point Church: History and heart along Highway 75
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/union-point-church-manitoba-1.3926647

For drivers heading down Highway 75 to the American border, there's one welcome sign they are headed in the right direction — a tiny white church perched between two lanes of high-speed traffic.

But how did it end up perched so precariously? The answer dates back to the days of steamboats and river travel. 

Newspaper Articles 

Nova Scotia

Hants History: Jan. 9, 2017 edition

http://www.hantsjournal.ca/community/2017/1/12/hants-history--jan--12--2017.html

Here's a look at what was making the news 25 and 50 years ago in the Hants Journal. 

Don't leave Lunenburg in the lurch, mayor urges feds eyeing new heritage sites
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-scotia/lunenburg-wants-funds-from-feds-eyeing-new-nominees-unesco-1.3924484

Before the federal government accepts nominations for a new slew of UNESCO World Heritage Sites, the mayor of Lunenburg says it should provide more support for those it already has.

Rachel Bailey says Old Town Lunenburg's designation has been very much a blessing, raising the town's profile not only provincially, but nationally and worldwide.

Prince Edward Island

Heritage group hopes to preserve historic estate, brick by brick

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/prince-edward-island/pei-glenaladale-estate-1.3924896

The heritage trust trying to preserve the Glenaladale estate, built in the late 1880s in Tracadie Bay, has launched a Buy a Brick campaign to encourage Islanders to invest in the property.

The group says it has until March 31 to raise another $700,000 it needs to buy the three-storey brick home, which it hopes to turn into a small conference/ education centre. 

Why P.E.I. is celebrating 150 years — again and again

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/prince-edward-island/pei-150-years-sesquecentennial-celebration-history-1.3924693

Yes, it was just two years ago that P.E.I. wrapped up a year of exhaustive province-wide celebrations on which federal, provincial and municipal governments collectively spent $26 million and 161 community groups partied with the nearly $5 million from the P.E.I. 2014 Fund — so Islanders can be forgiven for a bit of dejà vu when they hear that Canada is celebrating 150 years of nationhood in 2017.

Quebec 

From the archives: Success of ice railway to South Shore in 1880 was short lived

http://montrealgazette.com/news/quebec/from-the-archives-success-of-ice-railway-to-south-shore-in-1880-was-short-lived

It was one of the most bizarre rail accidents in Montreal’s history and also one of the least auspicious. Bizarre, because the rails were laid not on terra firma but on ice across the frozen St. Lawrence. And inauspicious, because the accident came on the very first day of operations that winter. 

Ontario 

Scientists map beaver genome as gift for Canada's 150th birthday

http://www.ctvnews.ca/health/scientists-map-beaver-genome-as-gift-for-canada-s-150th-birthday-1.3240007

Throughout Canada's history, the industrious, humble beaver has gone from near-extinction at the height of the fur trade to becoming the official symbol of our nation.

Now, Canadian researchers are hoping that the furry rodent can also become a science hero by helping them better understand human disorders like autism.

Dufferin County offering funds for Canada 150 events, legacy projects
http://www.orangeville.com/news-story/7062800-dufferin-county-offering-funds-for-canada-150-events-legacy-projects/

Municipalities planning something special for this year’s Canada 150th celebration may be eligible for funding from Dufferin County.

Kicking off Canada 150

https://www.barrietoday.com/local-news/kicking-off-canada-150-505028

Springwater is kicking off its Canada 150 Celebrations with a new art exhibit at the Township Administration Centre.

The Canada 150 Maple Leaf Mosaic was created by the BaySide Artists and features sixteen 12”x12” paintings of Canadian historical figures and events. The paintings are designed to be hung together as a mosaic of the Canadian flag, and each panel commemorates one aspect of Canada’s rich history from landmarks, to people, to moments in time.

Manitoba

Nominees Sought For Manitoba Historical Preservation Efforts
http://mytoba.ca/featured/nominees-sought-manitoba-historical-preservation-efforts/

Lt.-Gov. Janice Filmon is encouraging the public to nominate a worthy Manitoban who has provided prolonged and meritorious service in the preservation and promotion of Manitoba history for an award, presented in consultation with the Manitoba Historical Society.

Celebrating the 150th anniversary in St. Boniface

http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/our-communities/lance/Celebrating-the-150th-anniversary-in-St-Boniface-410125305.html

The building which Le Musée de Saint-Boniface Museum currently occupies is 20 years older than Canada itself, and is the oldest building in Winnipeg. The building has a rich history, starting as the convent for the Grey Nuns in 1847, later serving as the first hospital in Western Canada.

Alberta

CIUS Digital Archive Project website is launched

http://www.ukrweekly.com/uwwp/cius-digital-archive-project-website-is-launched/

Developed in close cooperation with the University of Alberta Libraries and the Arts Resource Center, the Digital Archive Project of the Canadian Institute of Ukrainian Studies (CIUS) aims to digitize, systematize and describe the core publications of the institute that have been produced over the last 40 years – essentially, since its founding in 1976.

Alberta

Stettler’s history book in limbo due to lack of volunteers

http://www.stettlerindependent.com/news/410436335.html

When president of the P&H Elevator Preservation Society, Stan Eichhorn and Jack Schultze decided to initiate and back the project – intrinsic to many small communities in Alberta, a history book recording and documenting our town – little did they know some of the stumbling blocks they would be facing.

East Coulee school Museum receives grant for roof

http://www.drumhellermail.com/news/29347-east-coulee-school-museum-receives-grant-for-roof

The East Coulee School Museum has received a grant that will help restore the roof of its building.

The East Coulee School Museum has been making steady progress in maintaining and refurbishing the recognized historical site. It was successful installing a new boiler to heat the facility and the next project for the organization is to replace the roof. 

British Columbia

B.C. marks Canada 150 with cultural legacies
http://www.voiceonline.com/b-c-marks-canada-150-with-cultural-legacies/

TO mark the 150th anniversary of Canada’s Confederation, the Province is launching a funding program to celebrate B.C. communities and their contribution to Canada. The Government of British Columbia will invest $8 million in museums and heritage sites throughout the province.

Monument to Chinese unveiled in Cumberland
http://www.comoxvalleyecho.com/news/410696365.html

A commemorative monument unveiled today in the historic Cumberland Chinese Cemetery recognizes the contributions of Chinese Canadians to B.C.'s rich cultural, historical and economic mosaic. 

'Prestigious log house' added to heritage registry in Prince George

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/prestigious-log-house-added-to-heritage-registry-in-prince-george-1.3928387

A "prestigious log house" and Dutch Colonial-style residence have been added to the City of Prince George's heritage register.

While the designation doesn't come with any protection for the buildings, it does draw attention to the homes' unique value, said Trelle Morrow, a retired architect and member of the Heritage Commission.

Taking a look at history of Okanagan soldiers

http://www.vernonmorningstar.com/lifestyles/409946625.html

The Greater Vernon Museum & Archives’ first presentation of the 2017 Speaker Series is to be given by UBC Okanagan history professor Dr. Jim Wood. 

Wood has taught history at several post-secondary institutions across Canada and is a well-published military history writer, as well as an Army reserve officer in the British Columbia Dragoons.

Canada Stories this Week 

"Gretna Green" places for Canada 

I must credit J Paul Hawthorne, a genealogist from San Diego, for bringing this phenomenon to my attention – Gretna Green Marriage Places for North Americans, on his site at https://www.facebook.com/jphawthorne?pnref=lhc.friends and it includes Canadians. This is something I did not know! 

Some of the places were New York, Erie, Buffalo; New York, Niagara for Ontario Canada; St. Lawrence, Ogdensburgh, New York for Ontario and Quebec, and Michigan, St. Clair, Port Huron for Lambton County, Ontario and all Ontario. 

So you should check these places in the United States if you have people in your family that you can't find their marriage records, they may have been married in the states! 

The website is https://familysearch.org/wiki/en/Gretna_Greens_in_the_United_States  

FamilySearch - More Free Historic Records 

FamilySearch has great planes for 2017! 

One of the six things to look for in 2017 will be “Over 330 FamilySearch digital camera teams worldwide will digitally preserve 125–150 million historical records in 2017 for free online access. Another 200 million images will be added from FamilySearch's microfilm conversion project that uses 25 specialized machines to convert its vast microfilm collection at its Granite Mountain Records Vault for online access. Over 30 percent of the 2.4 million rolls of microfilm have already been digitized and published online. The digital collections can be located in the FamilySearch catalog online and by perusing collection lists by location”. 

And they are doing the passenger lists, border crossings, and naturalization petitions, and I am interested to see these records. 

The website is at https://familysearch.org/blog/en/6-familysearch-2017/.

Be  sure to tell your friends about us!

If you would like to subscribe, please send your email to genealogycanada@aol.com 

Publishers Elizabeth and Mario Lapointe 

Sponsored by Elizabeth Lapointe Research Services. To learn more about the research services offered by ELRS, go to www.elrs.biz 

(c)2016 All rights reserved.

Canadian Week in Review 09 January 2017

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 

Ice Storm 1998

05 January 1998 - The Ice Storm of 1998, caused by El Niño, hit southern Ontario and Quebec, resulting in widespread power failures, severe damage to forests, and a number of deaths.

(That day will live with me forever. I was awoken in the early morning by our dog to hear crashing noises as transformers blew. I went to the front door, and the sky was lit up by by the lights as the power went off, and the days of unrelenting freezing rain continued. We were without power for four days. And we went under another freezing rain alert again this past week and lost more limbs off of trees once again, including a big branch from our beautiful giant Fir.) 

If you want more information, go to https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/January_1998_North_American_ice_storm 

Newspaper Articles 

Newfoundland 

Letter: Honouring Alcock and Brown 

http://www.thetelegram.com/opinion/letter-to-the-editor/2017/1/3/letter--honouring-alcock-and-brown.html  

On Saturday, June 14, 1919 British Royal Air Force officers Arthur Whitten Brown and John Alcock took off from a bumpy field in St. John’s, Newfoundland and soared into history as the first to fly the Atlantic Ocean non-stop. The takeoff site was christened “Lester’s Field” by Brown for the family that owned the property. 

Nova Scotia 

Reliving Amherst’s history over the airwaves
http://www.cumberlandnewsnow.com/news/local/2017/1/4/reliving-amhersts-history-over-the-airwaves.html 

CFTA Tantramar Community Radio and the Tantramar Radio Players are taking to the airwaves to present The 1867 News. The show will begin later this month and feature daily newscasts from 150 years ago, when Canadians were preparing to enter into the federation known as Canada. 

Nova Scotian tartan has Cochrane connection
http://www.cochraneeagle.com/article/Nova-Scotia-Tartan-has-Cochrane-connection-20170105  

A Canada 150 project from Annapolis Royal, N.S., weaving the rich history of the region into a traditional Scottish tartan has a Cochrane connection. 

Kimberly Gunn, who lived in Cochrane for 10 years before moving to Nova Scotia five years ago, has a strong link to the community. She and her husband come back to visit as often as they can, were bagpipers in the Cochrane Pipe Band, and Gunn continues to publish the Cochrane Visitors' Guide.

Neglect, corruption and the history behind Halifax's deadliest fire. 

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-scotia/deadly-halifax-fire-poor-house-30-killed-1.3918547 

The devastating fire broke out just before midnight at a Halifax institution, consuming everything in its path and taking the lives of 30 vulnerable people who had been asleep in their beds. 

More than a century later, a local author is delving into the shady history of the Halifax Poor House fire, which remains the deadliest blaze to ever occur in the city. 

Quebec 

From the archives: Awarding of a gold-headed cane to the first ship of the year started in the 1840s
http://montrealgazette.com/news/quebec/from-the-archives-awarding-of-a-gold-headed-cane-to-the-first-ship-of-the-year-started-in-the-1840s 

For most of Montreal’s long history, it was far different. Winter ice made the river impassable to sailing ships at least from mid-December to mid-April, and the advent of more powerful steam-driven ships in the middle of the 19th century didn’t extend the season by much.  

From the archives: Bonsecours was a market with style — and pretensions of grandeur — in 1847
http://montrealgazette.com/news/quebec/from-the-archives-bonsecours-was-a-market-with-style-and-pretensions-of-grandeur-in-1847  

On Jan. 6, 1847, Bonsecours Market still was not finished. Sharp eyes could see workers’ tools and supplies lying about. The police station in one of the building’s wings and the weighing station in the other — “superseding the wretched looking place now occupied for that purpose,” as the Gazette put it — were far from complete. 

Buy this 19th-century Quebec village for just $2.8 million
http://www.ctvnews.ca/lifestyle/buy-this-19th-century-quebec-village-for-just-2-8-million-1.3224999?autoPlay=true  

Have you ever dreamed of being the sheriff of an old-timey frontier town? Perhaps you’re looking for a place to hitch your wagon? Or maybe you just wished you lived like a pioneer? Well, for the tidy sum of $2.8 million, you can turn those fantasies into reality in southern Quebec.

Ontario 

Canadian symbols on display at Museum London
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/windsor/canadian-symbols-museum-london-1.3921529

From the beaver and the moose to poutine and maple syrup, Canadian symbols will be on display at Museum London next week in preparation for the country's 150th birthday celebration.

The museum collected a host of artifacts, images and artwork that have become known as symbols of Canada's national identity, according to Amber Lloydlangston, the museum's curator of regional history.

Laid to rest: Identifying unknown Canadian soldiers who fell in battle in Europe
http://www.metronews.ca/news/canada/2017/01/04/laid-to-rest-identifying-unknown-canadian-soldiers-who-fell-in-battle-in-europe.html

It was a construction crew working on a hospital expansion that first came across human remains in 2010 near the pastoral French town of Vendin-le-Vieil — remains that would later prove to be those of an unknown Canadian soldier.

Over the six years that followed, the remains of 18 more missing Canadians would be found in the same area, either in small groups or alone where they fell nearly a century earlier.

Project adds Indigenous names to Canadian history
http://www.cbc.ca/radio/thecurrent/the-current-for-january-3-2017-1.3918513/project-adds-indigenous-names-to-canadian-history-1.3918516

They were called "Eskimo," "half-breed" or "squaw." The collection of photos of Indigenous people in the collections of Library and Archives Canada extends into the thousands — but often the Indigenous people in the photographs were not named, just labelled with words that sound offensive to modern ears.

Col. John McCrae gets the comic book superhero treatment
https://www.sootoday.com/local-news/col-john-mccrae-gets-the-comic-book-superhero-treatment-501435

Col. John McCrae is teaming up with six other lions of Canadian history to help save the world in a new comic book.

The Guelph author of In Flanders Fields is the central character in a work of historical comic book fiction by a pair of Guelph residents titled Group of 7.

Canada to celebrate Tamil Heritage Month in January
http://www.colombopage.com/archive_17A/Jan02_1483366672CH.php

Canada for the first time will celebrate the Tamil Heritage Month throughout January following its declaration by the Canadian House of Commons last year

Saskatchewan

History Matters: Grader operator unearths two ancient sites in Saskatoon landfill
http://thestarphoenix.com/opinion/columnists/history-matters-grader-operator-unearths-two-ancient-sites-in-saskatoon-landfill

It started out as a typical day for Charles Gowen, a heavy-equipment operator at the Saskatoon landfill. It was his job to scrape away dirt from a borrow pit and layer it over the trash. 

But on Sept. 1, 1977, when his grader had dug down about a metre, Gowen noticed that the colour of the soil was much darker, not its normal light sandy brown. Stopping to take a closer look, he found bone fragments and other organic material. 

Canadian Stories this Week 

New Year's Resolutions 

Well, have you made your New Years's Resolution, or do you call them something else, like goals for 2017? I prefer goals myself. I find that goals are more attainable, and I mention my goals in last week's newspaper http://genealogycanada.blogspot.com/2017/01/canadian-week-in-review-02-january-2017.html what I hope to attain in 2017. 

I found that The Genealogy Weekly January 4 2017 from Boston has in its weekly survey resolutions for 2017, and the most popular was organizing research papers, files, and photographs; followed closely by sharing genealogical information with other members of my by family, and sharing family history with our younger generations of my family.

That sounds familiar, doesn't it? I wonder what the success rate will be?

Something new at the Library and Archives Canada

I received a blog post from the Library and Archives Canada (LAC) entitled Introducing LAC’s guest curator blog series and our upcoming exhibition! 

They tell us to watch the LAC website at http://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/Pages/home.aspx because there will be new and exciting blog articles, and upcoming exhibition - Canada: Who Do We Think We Are? And this is in recognition of the 150th anniversary of Canadian Confederation.

The exhibition opens on June 1, 2017, while the year-long blog series starts in January 2017.

The blog says that we will hear from the staff who helped develop the exhibition, including anecdotes about their work at LAC. The series also includes articles by scholars, experts and ordinary Canadians, who all depend upon LAC’s collection, from across Canada—and even the other side of the globe!

Visiting the exhibition

And be sure to visit the physical exhibition in downtown Ottawa where you can see these, and many other Canadian treasures, in person. Canada: Who Do We Think We Are? will be on display free of charge at the LAC headquarters at 395 Wellington Street between June 1, 2017, and March 1, 2018.

It sounds great and worth the visit.  

Be sure to tell your friends about us.

BTW, did you know that we celebrated our 9th blogiversary last week? We've been around since 02 January 2008! <http://genealogycanada.blogspot.com/2008/01/welcome-to-genealogy-canada-blog.html>

If you would like to subscribe, please send your email to genealogycanada@aol.com 

Publishers Elizabeth and Mario Lapointe 

Sponsored by Elizabeth Lapointe Research Services. To learn more about the research services offered by ELRS, go to www.elrs.biz. 

The email is genealogyresearch@aol.com 

(c)2017 All rights reserved

Canadian Week in Review 19 December 2016

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

First Newspaper in New Brunswick

On 17 December 1783, the first issue of the newspaper, The Royal Saint John Gazette and Nova Scotia Intelligencer, was printed for the first time.

You can access this newspaper on the New Brunswick Archives site at http://archives.gnb.ca/ResearchTools/NewspaperDirectory/Default.aspx?culture=en-CA&Tab=5 

Thomas Chandler Haliburton

On 17 December 1796, Thomas Chandler Haliburton, a Nova Scotian author, judge, and politician, was born. 

He wrote the adventures of Sam Slick in the Clockmaker series that had first appeared in the Nova Scotia newspaper, the Novascotian. 

He later settled in England, and died there in 1865. 

For more information, you can go to https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Chandler_Haliburton


 Second World War

On 14 December 1944, during the Second World War, Canada called for conscription in fighting the war.

Prime Minister Mackenzie King called for the conscription of 16,000 more men, and this stirred up resentment and opposition in Quebec.

You can read about conscription in the newspapers of the day at http://www.warmuseum.ca/cwm/exhibitions/newspapers/canadawar/conscription_e.shtml




Social Media 

(Video) What are you at? Darryl Chislett's vintage model ships

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/newfoundland-labrador/what-are-you-at-model-ships-1.3890872

Darryl Chislett of the Kilbride area of St. John's says building model ships requires a keen interest in history.

"A good model ship builder knows his time period, knows his history, knows how history affected [the ship]," said Chislett.

(Photos) Simcoe County history

http://www.bradfordtimes.ca/2016/12/09/simcoe-county-history#

One of the most famous explorers in Canadian history based one of his first major expeditions out of Huronia.

Samuel de Champlain was known for his map-making skills, his toughness, and his organizational skills, as well as his ability to remain optimistic during even the most trying times. In addition, unlike most Europeans, he was relatively progressive in his ideas about natives – as long as he saw them as allies.

Newspaper Articles

Nova Scotia

Desmond announcement uplifting for African Nova Scotians

http://www.guysboroughjournal.com/article1.php?ID=181

Last week Finance Minister Bill Morneau and Bank of Canada Governor Stephen Poloz announced that the first Canadian woman to be featured on the $10 bill would be Viola Desmond, a civil rights activist from Nova Scotia.

Exploring the Black experience in Nova Scotia

https://www.dal.ca/news/2016/12/16/exploring-the-black-experience-in-nova-scotia.html

A new Dalhousie University course launching this winter will take students on a voyage through more than 400 years of African Nova Scotian history.

Dalhousie professor Isaac Saney says the course will help fill a gap for students interested in studying the African experience in Nova Scotia — a topic that also holds broader national significance.

Ontario

From Chinese to Canadian: Archive Project documents the integration of Chinese immigrants into Canada's mainstream

http://www.torontosun.com/2016/12/10/from-chinese-to-canadian

From the beginning, Chinese immigrants to Canada had an arduous odyssey of grudging tolerance and outright racism as cheap (usually the cheapest) labour in the 1800s.

Rare views of Japanese-Canadian internment: 19 images remembering one of Canada’s darkest hours

http://news.nationalpost.com/news/canada/rare-views-of-japanese-canadian-internment-19-images-remembering-one-of-canadas-darkest-hours

Last week was the 75th anniversary of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. Amid commemorations of the Americans killed in the attack, as well as the brutal war that followed, also came a solemn remembrance of how the United States interned coastal Japanese-American populations that it wrongly believed were a dangerous fifth column.

New register will help with Brooklin family history research

http://www.durhamregion.com/opinion-story/7008774-new-register-will-help-with-brooklin-family-history-research/

Genealogy is one of the biggest reasons people visit archives. This is true for archives as big as the Archives of Ontario and as small as the Archives at the Whitby Public Library. 

How a Canadian Invented Basketball

http://www.history.com/news/how-a-canadian-invented-basketball

Unlike sports such as baseball, football and hockey that evolved slowly into the games fans know today—basketball sprung forth from a singular inventor’s imagination. Find out how a Canadian with just a pair of peach baskets, an old soccer ball and 13 typewritten rules invented one of America’s favorite pastimes, and find out how different the original sport was to the one played today.

Abhayjeet Singh Sachal wins prestigious Vimy Pilgrimage Award

http://www.voiceonline.com/abhayjeet-singh-sachal-wins-prestigious-vimy-pilgrimage-award/

ABHAYJEET Singh Sachal from Delta’s Seaquam Secondary School is among the 17 high school students and the only Indo-Canadian to have won the prestigious Vimy Pilgrimage Award. He will travel to Europe in April to learn about Canada’s First World War legacy and participate in the commemorations for the centennial of the Battle of Vimy Ridge.

Manitoba

From the Archives: Manitoba farmers vote to strike

http://www.producer.com/2016/12/from-the-archives-manitoba-farmers-vote-to-strike/

The Western Producer takes a weekly look at some of the stories that made headlines in issues of the paper from 75, 50, 25 and 10 years ago. 

Saskatchewan

Clark wants committee to have final say on civic names

http://thestarphoenix.com/news/local-news/mayor-clark-wants-committee-to-have-final-say-on-civic-names

What’s in a name?

Saskatoon’s new mayor wants to change who has the final say on the city’s civic naming process to allow for better community representation in the names of city streets and facilities.

British Columbia

Finally, some respect for women in Canadian history

http://www.cfjctoday.com/column/551698/finally-some-respect-women-canadian-history

We have long failed to recognize the contributions of Canada’s women to our rich history, just as we have failed to recognize the contributions of many of our First Nations leaders.

Unique collection of rare artifacts reveals Vancouver's history

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/unique-collection-of-rare-artifacts-reveals-vancouver-s-history-1.3888352

Pieces of people's lives, memories and experiences currently on display at the Museum of Vancouver are offering a rare century-old glimpse into the city's past.

The objects are part of the Major James Matthews collection, and they present a snapshot of what Vancouver was like before it was even incorporated.

Column: New banknote helps illuminate our history

http://www.theprogress.com/opinion/406575476.html

I’m not sure what’s more disturbing: the fact I didn’t know who Viola Desmond was until last week, or that I was unaware that Canada had racially segregated movie theatres as recently as 1946. 

Canadian Stories this Week 

This Week in New Brunswick History 

Do you know that New Brunswick (Canada) has website devoted to putting the province's history online in a time line? 

For instance, this week there is 1873 right up to 1911. An example, it says that on the 23rd of December 1915, the “Collège de Caraquet” in Caraquet is destroyed by fire. 

And that's not all, you can search 2,271 historical images of New Brunswick by simply putting in a search word, say, the capital city of Fredericton. 

So to read more of what this site has to offer, go to http://www1.gnb.ca/0131/en/heritage/thisweek-e.asp 

Have you ever gone to the site OurDigitalWorld?

There are many older newspapers online that you should be aware of, and they are searchable. On their website, they say that they have the “Largest collection of Ontario Community Newspapers online, from 1810 to present day”.  

This month they have put on a complete set of newspapers from Clarington, Ontartio which now joins 150,000 pages from Orono, Bowmanvile!

And coming soon there will be more Kawartha Lakes 150,000 pages from Lindsay to Bobcaygeon and Omemee!

This is a fantastic place to go to when you need to read about your ancestor's lifes in the villages and towns in Ontario.

Their website is https://ourdigitalworld.net/ and to go directly to the newspapers, go to https://ourdigitalworld.net/what-we-do/digital-newspapers/  

And that was the week in Canadian news!

This e-newspaper has been published since April 2012!

Be sure to tell your friends about us.

If you would like to subscribe, please send your email to genealogycanada@aol.com

Publishers Elizabeth and Mario Lapointe

Sponsored by Elizabeth Lapointe Research Services. To learn more about the research services offered by ELRS, go to www.elrs.biz

(c)2016 All rights reserved.

Canadian Week in Review 12 December 2016

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 

Statute of Westminster 

11 December 1931 - The British parliament passed the Statute of Westminster, giving Canada final standing as an independent country. The legislation applied to Australia, New Zealand and South Africa. 

The one exception, was Newfoundland, where Britain resumed direct rule as they did before 1931. That arrangement remained until Newfoundland became a province of Canada in 1949. 

For more information, please go to http://www.canadashistory.ca/Magazine/Online-Extension/Articles/Moment-December-11,-1931  

Social History  

Historic courthouse becomes Hampton's new town hall  

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/new-brunswick/hampton-town-hall-courthouse-1.3886321 

After years spent sitting empty the old Kings County Courthouse is once again bustling with activity, as staff from the town of Hampton began moving into their new office quarters this week.  

At one point many feared the 145-year-old building would be demolished when the province closed it in 2013 without a buyer in sight. The municipality bought the historic structure for $1 and has been renovating it since earlier this year.  

Newspaper Articles 

Newfoundland 

Archaeologists examine Indigenous site dating back 2,200 years on Exploits River 

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/newfoundland-labrador/archaeologists-uncover-artifacts-old-grand-falls-windsor-groswater-1.3884429 

An archaeological dig has uncovered material that dates back more than 2,000 years on the Exploits River. 

Laurie Maclean, an archaeologist, and Don Pelley, dig assistant, spent two weeks in November sifting through mud, clay and dirt on the edge of the river in search of items that belonged to the Groswater Paleoeskimos. 

Nova Scotia 

Africville and the 1917 Halifax Explosion  

http://thechronicleherald.ca/thenovascotian/1421480-africville-and-the-1917-halifax-explosion 

Shortly after 9 a.m. on Dec. 6, 1917 a vessel carrying munitions exploded in the Narrows of Halifax Harbour, devastating much of the north end of the city. Two popular myths have emerged from that event: Africville, a black neighbourhood on the shores of Bedford Basin, escaped destruction, sheltered by the heights of the Halifax peninsula; and, following the explosion, Halifax Relief authorities deliberately denied reconstruction aid to Africville. Although mutually-exclusive, neither myth bears close scrutiny. 

Some family history at Fort Gaspereau 

http://www.cumberlandnewsnow.com/community/2016/12/3/some-family-history-at-fort-gaspereau.html 

I am going to tell you a story that might or might not be true. 

I prefer to think that it is true since it fits what I know of my family tree. After all my grandfather, who was born in the mid 1800s, has a name on his birth certificate that you all will recognize, Charles Tupper MD. 

2 historic downtown Halifax buildings may be in private hands next year 

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-scotia/dennis-acadian-recorder-hansard-building-historic-halifax-province-ns-government-1.3878192 

After years of sitting idle and as a potential hazard, the Nova Scotia government is hoping to sell the historic Dennis Building in downtown Halifax to a developer in the new year.

The minister responsible for the file, Labi Kousoulis, wants the issue settled as soon as possible. 

How civil rights icon Viola Desmond helped change course of Canadian history 

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/viola-desmond-bio-1.3886923 

She's often described as "Canada's Rosa Parks."  but if anything, Rosa Parks is America's Viola Desmond. 

The civil rights icon and new face of the Canadian $10 bill refused to give up her seat in a whites-only section of a Nova Scotia movie theatre nine years before Parks's famous act of civil disobedience on a racially segregated bus in Montgomery, Alamba. 

HANTS HISTORY: Dec. 5, 2016 edition 

Here's a look  at what was making the news 35 and 50 years ago in the Hants Journal. 

http://www.hantsjournal.ca/community/2016/12/8/hants-history--dec--5--2016-edition.html 

Quebec 

Timeworn Quebec City bridge could draw inspiration from Scottish twin 

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/montreal/pont-de-quebec-forth-bridge-quebec-city-edinburg-paint-cn-1.3878344 

Politicians have been trying to restore and repaint a historic Quebec City bridge, known as the Pont de Québec, for nearly a quarter of its 97 years of existence. 

Its almost identical twin in Edinburgh, Scotland, on the other hand, is sporting a new paint job.

Ontario 

New archive highlights years of racism faced by Chinese-Canadians 

https://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2016/12/06/new-archive-highlights-years-of-racism-faced-by-chinese-canadians.html  

Seventy-one years ago Mavis Chu Lew Garland and eight of her preschool classmates were photographed on the porch of the Chinese Canadian Institute on the corner of Dundas St. W. and University Ave. 

History: December 6, 1941 – War, spies, even James Bond 

http://www.rcinet.ca/en/2016/12/06/history-december-6-1941-war-spies-even-james-bond/ 

The small isolated farm in southern Ontario was the perfect spot. 

It was the allied training camp for spies. 

Hindus worldwide laud proclamation of November as 'Hindu Heritage Month' by Ontario Legislature  

http://www.merinews.com/article/hindus-worldwide-laud-proclamation-of-november-as-hindu-heritage-month-by-ontario-legislature/15921469.shtml 

Commending Ontario legislature for passing the bill proclaiming November as "Hindu Heritage Month", Hindu community is urging the Canadian Parliament, other nine provinces, and three territories of Canada to do the same.  

Saskatchewan 

History Matters: Asked for bread, given a stone; the 1910 Farmers' Siege of Ottawa 

http://thestarphoenix.com/opinion/columnists/history-matters-asked-for-bread-given-a-stone-the-1910-farmers-siege-of-ottawa  

In the summer of 1910, Prime Minister Sir Wilfrid Laurier embarked on a gruelling, two-month rail tour of western Canada. 

Officially, the visit would give the prime minister the chance to see first-hand how the region had changed so dramatically during his time in office. The more likely explanation, though, was that Laurier was genuinely worried about the rumblings coming from the farm community. 

And there was good reason. 

Alberta 

ANAVETS reveal memorial park project 

http://www.dailyheraldtribune.com/2016/12/04/anavets-reveal-memorial-park-project  

The ANAVETS revealed their plan for a memorial park dedicated to veterans of the Afghan War on Friday.  

The ANAVETS originally looked at placing the memorial at Veterans Park, but a land survey indicated the land used to be a 1950s high-water catch basin and to remediate would cost $1.5 million.  

The memorial park will feature a black marble cenotaph, a tank, and landscaping. 

British Columbia 

Kelowna cemetery first provincial site of Chinese-Canadian monuments 

http://globalnews.ca/news/3105872/kelowna-cemetary-first-provincial-site-of-chinese-canadian-monuments/ 

A commemorative monument to honour the contributions of Chinese-Canadians to BC’s history, culture and economic prosperity has been unveiled in Kelowna.  

Cowley – A Village with History 

http://passherald.ca/archives/161207/index5.htm 

The story behind its toponym (name history) apparently has to do with F.W.Godsal a pioneer rancher in the Cowley area. This was not the towns first name however as it was originally known as French Flats, as most of the early (white) residents that came there were French in origin. Nouveau-Brunswick and Quebecois families with names like LaGrandeur and Barbeau settled in the area around 1882. 

Historians shrug as two prime ministers erased from Canadian banknotes 

http://www.timescolonist.com/historians-shrug-as-two-prime-ministers-erased-from-canadian-banknotes-1.4087468#sthash.NcbrO8sH.dpuf

Losing two of Canada's wartime prime ministers from the country's $50 and $100 bills won't be a step backwards for a country that has plenty to learn about itself, a pair of leading history buffs say.  

International 

Canadian Jewish Heritage Month on table at Senate 

http://www.jpost.com/Diaspora/Canadian-Jewish-Heritage-Month-on-table-at-Senate-474724 

Canadian legislators have introduced a bill to designate the month of May as Canadian Jewish Heritage month. 

Canadian Stories this Week 

Call for Proposals 

The British Isles Family History Society of Greater Ottawa (BIFHSGO) has issued a Call for Proposals for its 23rd annual conference in Ottawa in September 2017. 

This year, they will highlight the genealogy of England and Wales family history, and Methodology, e.g., evidence analysis, genealogical proof standard, FAN (friends, associates and neighbours), and appraising the credibility of documents. 

For more information about submitting proposals, you can go to http://www.bifhsgo.ca/cpage.php?pt=125   

Deadline is January 31, 2017. 

New exhibit - The Canadian Museum of History and Library and Archives Canada 

A new exhibit, called Treasures From LAC Gallery, will be created within the Canadian Museum of History. 

The news story says that “ the gallery will showcase some of Canada's most historically significant documents from LAC's collections, making them more accessible to Canadians and enhancing public understanding of Canada's history and heritage.” 

So next time you are at the museum, be sure to check-out the CMH-LAC exhibit. 

To read more about the story, go to http://www.newswire.ca/news-releases/the-canadian-museum-of-history-and-library-and-archives-canada-collaborate-on-new-exhibition-gallery-604854366.html 

Internet Archive raising funds for Internet Archive of Canada

I came across a friend's Facebook page the other day, and although she is an American genealogist, she had just made a donation to the Internet Archive, which, among other things, is going to host the Internet Archive of Canada. 

Not that that is a bad thing, but when you read the lead, it says “The Internet Archive is seeking donations to assist with the building of the Internet Archive of Canada in the wake of the Trump election”. 

What does the Trump election have to do with the Internet Archive of Canada??? 

If you read on, they say “The Internet Archive feels that this move is necessary in order to support their key mission: “to give everyone access to all knowledge, forever. For free.” We try to stay non-political here at Techaeris, but there is no telling what will transpire over the next four years with regards to net neutrality under a Trump presidency". 

So it appears that the Trump effect has made its way into Genealogy! Who knew? 

If you wish to read more, go to http://techaeris.com/2016/11/29/internet-archive-raising-funds-for-internet-archive-of-canada/ 

And that was the week in Canadian news!

This e-newspaper has been published since April 2012! 

Be sure to tell your friends about us. 

If you would like to subscribe, please send your email to genealogycanada@aol.com 

Publishers Elizabeth and Mario Lapointe  

Sponsored by Elizabeth Lapointe Research Services. To learn more about the research services offered by ELRS, go to www.elrs.biz 

(c)2016 All rights reserved.