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

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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.

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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.

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Email:genealogyresearech@aol.com

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

Canadian Week in Review - 02 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

February 1, 1799 - Royal Assent is given by the British government to change the name of Île St- Jean to Prince Edward Island. It was named after George III’s son – Prince Edward Augustus.
   To read more, go to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Prince_Edward_Island

February 1, 1854 - Fire destroys Parliament Buildings at Montreal, Québec. The government is transferred to Toronto, and from there, it will be transferred to Ottawa in 1867.
   For more, visit http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Burning_of_the_Parliament_Buildings_in_Montreal

February 2, 1800 - Massachusetts farmer Philemon Wright—attracted by offers of free land in Canada—leaves Woburn with 25 men, their wives, and 15 children to travel by sleigh to the Chaudière Falls on the Ottawa River. They founded Wrightstown, later known as Hull, and today, it is known as Gatineau, Quebec.
   To read the full story of Gatineau, go to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gatineau

Social Media

Toronto Custom House Records
http://wherethestorytakesme.ca/toronto-customs-house
   Jane MacNamara writes about the records of the Toronto Custom House Archives (fond 214) that are found in the Archives of Ontario.

Articles

Ontario

Fiona McKean and Shopify CEO Tobi Lütke buy Opinicon Resort
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/fiona-mckean-and-shopify-ceo-tobi-l%C3%BCtke-buy-opinicon-resort-1.2933662
   Short-term plans include reopening the Opinicon restaurant and ice cream shop for this summer.

Second bid launched to dub Manitoba-Ontario area world heritage site
http://www.sunnewsnetwork.ca/sunnews/politics/archives/2015/01/20150126-192214.html
   Ontario, Manitoba, five First Nations, and the federal government have teamed up again to have land on the east side of Lake Winnipeg declared a world heritage site.

The man who pointed the way to the Erebus: Louie Kamookak on searching for the Franklin expedition
http://news.nationalpost.com/2015/01/23/the-man-who-pointed-the-way-to-the-erebus-louie-kamookak-on-searching-for-the-franklin-expedition
   Louie Kamookak, an amateur historian from the hamlet of Gjoa Haven, spent 30 years collecting oral histories from Inuit elders and comparing them to the journals of subsequent expeditions. He came up with a theory of where the ships might be found, one that gave the Parks Canada explorers a much better idea of where to start looking.

Portrait of Simcoe County's first judge ready to be unveiled after months of restoration work
http://www.orilliapacket.com/2015/01/25/portrait-of-simcoe-countys-first-judge-ready-to-be-unveiled-after-months-of-restoration-work
   Sir James Robert Gowan's portrait is primed for its grand unveiling. Restoring the oil painting, which measures four feet by five feet, has been a costly venture for the Barrie Historical Association (BHA) – at nearly $18,500, including tax.

On Vimy Ridge, mighty oaks will grow again — thanks to a Canadian soldier
http://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2015/01/24/on-vimy-ridge-mighty-oaks-will-grow-again-thanks-to-a-canadian-soldier.html
   No trees were left standing in the aftermath of a bloody battle that defined the Canadian effort in the First World War. Thanks to a Canadian soldier and his passionate friend, that’s about to change.

Saskatchewan

Canadian History Ehx: A look back at St. Andrews Ceylon
http://www.grenfellsun.sk.ca/Community/2015-01-25/article-4019979/Canadian-History-Ehx%3A-A-look-back-at-St.-Andrews-Ceylon/1
   The church was officially built in 1889, and was consecrated by Bishop Anson. Donations to build the church came from across the area, and as far away as England.

British Columbia

Chinese historical sights sought in Richmond
http://www.richmond-news.com/news/chinese-historical-sights-sought-in-richmond-1.1740876
   Do you know of a historically significant place in Richmond connected to the Chinese community? If the answer is "yes", the B.C. government wants to know so it can be formally recognized for its heritage value.

Stories of the Week

Black History Month

Canada joins other countries celebrating Black History Month in February every year.

This year, the Governor General has declared 2015 as the Year of Sport in Canada, and Black History Month has taken the opportunity to spotlight Canada’s black athletes as they have performed on the international stage.

I have a bit of common history with one of the people that Heritage Canada highlights at
http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/multiculturalism/black/photo-sports.asp#a10, and that is Marjorie Turner-Bailey, who won two bronze medals at the 1975 Pan American Games in Mexico City (100 metres, 4x100-metre relay) in track and field, and went on to represent Canada at the 1976 Olympic Summer Games in Montreal.

How many people know that she used to train in the summer by running on the mile-long Crescent Beach that is part of the causeway that leads to her hometown of Lockeport, Nova Scotia? I grew up in the area, and it was always a proud thing to know Marjorie, and follow her career.

You can read all about Black History Month at http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/multiculturalism/black/index.asp

And for something completely different, I would like to wish everyone a Happy Groundhog Day!

Did you know that the tradition of our Groundhog Day comes to us from Germany? The Germans believed that the badger (their version of our groundhog) had the power to predict the coming of spring. They even watched the badger to know when to plant their crops.

February 2 is Groundhog Day in Canada, and although we don’t use it to predict when to plant our crops, we use it to “indicate’ if there will be six more weeks of winter (if he sees his shadow), or six week to spring (if he does not see his shadow).

Groundhog Day became popular in Canada, as it is today, when, in 1956, Wiarton Willie, from Wiarton, Ontario, became a household name. A festival grew up around him, and today, it is one of the largest winter festivals in Bruce County, Ontario.

Since then, other celebrity groundhogs have popped out and joined Willie from other parts of Canada, including Schubenacadie Sam from Nova Scotia, Gary the Groundhog in Ontario, Brandon Bob in Manitoba, Fred la Marmotte in Quebec, and Balzac Billy in Alberta.

And I forgot to mention last week that on 25 January 1791, the British Parliament approved the Constitutional Act which separated the old province of Quebec into Upper and Lower Canada. Before 1791, Quebec was a colony from Labrador down to the present-day border with the United States at Detroit. After 1840, Lower Canada became Quebec, and Upper Canada became Ontario.

Need help in finding your Canadian ancestors?

If you do, please go to my website, 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: genealogyresearch@aol.com

And that was the week that was 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!

If you missed last week's post on 26 January 2015, visit http://genealogycanada.blogspot.com/2015/01/canadian-week-in-review-26-january-2015.html

The next Canadian Week in Review will be posted 08 February 2015.

Canadian Week in Review - 26 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


January 20, 2014 - The Sands of Time
   Someone from the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution in Massachusetts sent a bottle with a message in it to test the currents of the ocean, along with a reward of 50 cents. It found found on Sable Island nearly sixty years later.
   Read the story on http://www.pc.gc.ca/apps/cseh-twih/index_e.asp

On the 7 of April 1634, the city of Trois-Rivières (Three Rivers) was founded in Quebec, and on 18 of May 1642, Montreal, Quebec was founded.
   To read about Trois-Rivières, go to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trois-Rivi%C3%A8res, and for Montreal, visit http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Montreal

Social Media

(Blog) My Moynahan Genealogy Blog
http://moynahangenealogy.blogspot.ca
   Cindi, from Ottawa, has a blog to ‘honour my ancestors: Moynahan, Coughlin, Broderick, Annal, Brennan, Hussey, Hess and Duffy. (Essex & Kent County Ontario, Michigan, Pennsylvania, New York, Ireland, Scotland); and Creighton, Moreland, (Nova Scotia, England and Scotland); and Foreman (Ireland, Scotland and Norway)’.

(Video)Two canal boats from mid-1800s found in Lake Ontario
http://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2015/01/21/two-canal-boats-from-mid-1800s-found-in-lake-ontario.html
   A team of shipwreck explorers found the canal boat and canal scow over 200 feet below the surface, using side scan sonar.

(Photos) Canadian golf pioneer’s family donates historical pieces to Hall of Fame
http://www.golfcanada.ca/news/article/amateur/canadian-golf-pioneers-family-donates-historical-pieces-hall-fame
   At the Canadian Golf Hall of Fame and Museum in Oakville (outside of Toronto), the lasting legacy of Albert H. Murray has taken its rightful place alongside a number of the nation’s most prized and treasured items celebrating Canada’s storied history with golf.

(Video) New Brunswick Museum's park expansion bid meets opposition
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/new-brunswick/new-brunswick-museum-s-park-expansion-bid-meets-opposition-1.2919389
   The New Brunswick Museum wants to expand to the park next door, but that park has a monument, including trees planted in honour of soldiers who died in the Boer War.

Articles

Nova Scotia

ED COLEMAN'S HISTORY: Which is correct – Scots Bay or Scott’s Bay?
http://www.kingscountynews.ca/Opinion/Columnists/2015-01-22/article-4014063/ED-COLEMANS-HISTORY%3A-Which-is-correct-%26ndash%3B-Scots-Bay-or-Scott%26rsquo%3Bs-Bay%3F/1
   “From these temporary residents, the place got its name,” writes Arthur W. H. Eaton in The History of Kings County.

Black Loyalist Heritage Society to attend gala Book of Negroes screening
http://www.novanewsnow.com/News/Local/2015-01-23/article-4018167/Black-Loyalist-Heritage-Society-to-attend-gala-Book-of-Negroes-screening/1
   Black Loyalist Heritage Society members are picking out their wardrobe for the red carpet Nova Scotia screening of The Book of Negroes on January 28 in Halifax, Nova Scotia.

New Heritage project announced in Yarmouth
http://www.thevanguard.ca/News/2015-01-20/article-4014309/New-heritage-project-announced-in-Yarmouth/1
   The Town of Yarmouth will develop Heritage in Your Hand, a self-guided activity app to promote the community's culture and heritage.

'Inspiring' month planned, African Nova Scotian affairs minister says
http://www.thevanguard.ca/News/Local/2015-01-21/article-4015786/Inspiring-month-planned,-African-Nova-Scotian-affairs-minister-says/1
   As Tony Ince, African Nova Scotian Affairs Minister, said in Yarmouth he wanted the program to be a "prelude to African Heritage Month”. He said that "African heritage should be celebrated all year long”.

Prince Edward Island

Prince Edward Island commemorates Samuel Holland survey
http://www.theguardian.pe.ca/News/Local/2015-01-21/article-4014766/Prince-Edward-Island-commemorates-Samuel-Holland-survey/1
   A commemorations committee has been established to recognize the 250th anniversary of Samuel Holland’s map of the province. A series of promotional and educational activities this year will pay tribute to Holland’s role in the Island’s history.

New Brunswick

Saint John art exhibit focuses on industrial heritage
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/new-brunswick/saint-john-art-exhibit-focuses-on-industrial-heritage-1.2917640
   A new art exhibit at the Saint John Arts Centre features 13 young artists who have looked to New Brunswick's industrial heritage for inspiration.

Quebec

European Flavor, Closer to Home
http://www.417mag.com/417-Magazine/February-2015/European-Flavor-Closer-to-Home
  Consider a long weekend to Quebec City. Leave Springfield mid-morning on a Friday, change planes in Chicago, and be in Quebec City late Friday afternoon, with plenty of time to check into your room and enjoy a memorable dinner chosen from a rich list of restaurant options.

Anne Fortin invites you into the kitchen of Quebec's past
http://montrealgazette.com/life/food/anne-fortin-invites-you-into-the-kitchen-of-quebecs-past
   Anne Fortin is the owner of Librairie Gourmande in downtown Montreal at the Jean Talon Market that recently celebrated its 10th anniversary, and it’s her job to know what’s out there.

Ontario

NDP MPs Want To See More Women On Canadian Money
http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2015/01/17/women-canadian-money-ndp_n_6482954.html
   Thousands of people have demanded that more Canadian women be shown on the country's bank notes, and at least two opposition MPs are listening.

Diving deep into history
http://www.recorder.ca/2015/01/17/diving-deep-into-history
   Read this interesting interview with Jonathan Moore, one of the divers on the Victoria Strait Expedition that discovered the HMS Erebus last summer in the Arctic.

1812 bicentennial a 'gift' to Niagara, Canada
http://www.niagarafallsreview.ca/2015/01/17/1812-bicentennial-a-gift-to-niagara-canada
   Was the more than $15 million that went towards infrastructure and programming support money well spent?
   The Niagara 1812 Legacy Council—the superintendent of heritage for the Niagara Parks Commission, and a senior member of the federal government that forked over a good chunk of that cash—says an unequivocal "Yes!"

ZAVITZ: The history of a newspaper
http://www.niagarafallsreview.ca/2015/01/16/zavitz-the-history-of-a-newspaper
   Founded by two brothers, James and William Anger, who were originally from the Fort Erie area, the paper had its office on the second floor of a small building on the west side of Erie Avenue. Printed on a Washington hand press, the first edition of the weekly paper appeared on Oct. 10, 1879.

CCAH and Town of Oakville present Black History Month
http://www.insidehalton.com/news-story/5261613-ccah-and-town-of-oakville-present-black-history-month
   The Canadian Caribbean Association of Halton (CCAH) is partnering with the Oakville Museum to host the kickoff to Black History Month.

Where is the federal support for historical church?
http://www.thebarrieexaminer.com/2015/01/16/where-is-the-federal-support-for-historical-church
   The Oro African Methodist Episcopal Church stands— for now—at the corner of Old Barrie Road and Line 3 in Oro-Medonte Township. The township is still looking for funding to help save the church, which was built in the 1840s and is one of the oldest African log churches still standing in North America.

Niagara Falls man thinks he has oldest hockey stick
http://www.insidehalton.com/news-story/5265713-niagara-falls-man-thinks-he-has-oldest-hockey-stick
   Art Federow suspects his stick could be just as antique as the one heralded as the world's oldest by the Canadian Museum of History.

Manitoba

South Main Street buildings are among city's oldest
http://www.thecarillon.com/provincial/building--block-288955611.html
   South Main Street, between Graham and Assiniboine Avenues, is a "key opportunity for intensification and redevelopment," and is creating a redevelopment strategy that will soon be released to the public.

Saskatchewan

Demolition likely for Lydia's building in Saskatoon
http://cjme.com/story/demolition-likely-lydias-building-saskatoon/518986 
   If the economics don’t make sense, the Farnam Block Building on the corner of 11th Street and Broadway could be demolished, according to its property owners.

British Columbia

Chinese historical sites in B.C. call for nominations
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/chinese-historical-sites-in-b-c-call-for-nominations-1.2928706
   The provincial government is seeking nominations from the public of locations with significance to B.C.'s Chinese community that would be added to a registry of historic places.

Stories of the Week

How many newsletters do you receive every week?

One of the newsletters I receive is American Ancestors from the New England Historic and Genealogy Society whose website is now as American Ancestors.

Each week in their newsletter The Weekly Genealogist, and they have The Weekly Genealogists Survey.

The survey for the Vol 18 No 2 January 18 2015, issue, they asked us about our relationship to New England. Of the 5,172 people who answered, 54% of them noted that they had “One or more of my ancestors lived in New England but was born in New England”.

That is definitely true of my family. We lived in two worlds when I was growing up – partly in Nova Scotia, and partly in the New England States. Relatives would either come to Nova Scotia in the summer time, or we would go there – there was a constant stream of Barclay’s and Blades’ across the border. There was such a strong bind that my grandfather, Lester John Blades, joined the American Army in 1917 in Boston instead of the Canadian army! *

So I understand why 54% would say that they had ancestors who were born in New England, although not all of them came from Nova Scotia.

Which brings me to one of my favorite subjects of migration, which will be the topic of my new e-book, to be published this spring. In the book, I examine the topics of migration between Canada and the Unites States, and its effect on both countries. I will discuss the history of migration, actual groups who migrated, and where they migrated to the countries. So watch for that. 

And have you heard of the National Bird Project of the Welcome to Canadian Geographic’s National Bird Project?

The goal of which is to help designate an official bird for Canada by 2017, the country’s sesquicentennial. And they want your help finding a species that can represent this nation of forest, prairie grassland, Arctic and sub-Arctic, maritime and wetland, agricultural and urban, and many other habitats, so vote for your favourite species, or contribute your own short essay today!

Right now the Loon is in the lead, but you can still vote your choice for the official bird for Canada at http://www.canadiangeographic.ca/nationalbird/#Shorebirds

* "United States World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918," index and images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/KZNL-N8R : accessed 24 January 2015), Lester Blades, 1917-1918; citing Boston City no 5, Massachusetts, United States, NARA microfilm publication M1509 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.); FHL microfilm 1,684,776

Need help in finding your Canadian Ancestors?

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 post will be published on Groundhog Day - 02 February 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.
 

Canadian Week in Review - 22 December 2014

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

History

 

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

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

Social Media

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

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

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

Articles

Newfoundland

From Newfoundland and Labrador to Beaumont-Hamel

http://www.northernpen.ca/News/2014-12-16/article-3978124/From-Newfoundland-and-Labrador-to-Beaumont-Hamel/1

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

Nova Scotia

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

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

Ontario

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

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

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

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

 Genealogy Stories of the Week

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

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

The Ontario Genealogical Society (OGS) has announced that Families (their journal) will be delivered to its members electronically, starting with the February 2015 issue.
   They give the following reasons - 

• Ability to click on any URLs and immediately check out the websites noted
• No need to find storage space for a paper copy; instead, you will have easy storage on your computer hard drive, in the cloud, or on your mobile device
• Ability to read Families on your tablet
• Having the luxury of a backup copy in the Members-Only section of the OGS website
• Helping OGS to go green

   Members with email addresses will automatically be placed on our list for the new version, while members without email addresses will continue to receive paper copies.

   Members wanting to receive a paper copy of Families must let Marsha Brown, Membership Coordinator, know by Jan. 9, 2015. Contact Marsha at 416-489-0734 or membership@ogs.on.ca.

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

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

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

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

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

The next post will be on 29 December 2014. 

 
(These links were accessed 21 December 2014)