Canadian Week in Review (CWR) 23 November 2015

 

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

This Week in Canadian History

In 1883, the first operation of Standard Time in North America began at midnight in eastern Nova Scotia. Scottish-born Sir Sandford Fleming played a major role in introducing the concept around the world.

Fleming, who was also Canada's foremost railway surveyor and construction engineer of the 19th century, first proposed the international standard time measurement at a Toronto conference in 1879.

To read more about Sir Sandford Fleming, go to https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sandford_Fleming

On 23 November 1936, The Globe merged with The Mail and Empire itself formed through the 1895 merger of two conservative newspapers, The Toronto Mail and Toronto Empire, and it became The Globe and Mail.

In the 1850s it became known as 'Canada's national newspaper', and in 2000, the website began covering breaking news with its own content and journalists in addition to the content of the print newspaper.

To read morte about the Globe and Mail, go to  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Globe_and_Mail#1936_formation_and_expansion

Social Media 

(WEBSITE) Saskatchewan World War 1 Casualties

http://www.saskgenealogy.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/War-Casual-Prepub-Order.pdf

It has been created to supplement the physical War Memorial located on the grounds of the Saskatchewan Legislature in Regina, Saskatchewan.

(WEBSITE) Old Cemeteries Society of Victoria

http://www.oldcem.bc.ca/

The Old Cemeteries Society of Victoria is dedicated to researching, preserving and encouraging the appreciation of Victoria's heritage cemeteries.

(NEW WEBSITE) Leeds and Granville Branch, Ontario Genealogical Society

https://www.ogs.on.ca/leedsandgrenville/
Beside having a new website, there is news about the The Brockville Rifles which will be celebrating their 150th Anniversary in 2016.

(PHOTOS) HANTS HISTORY — Nov. 19, 2015 edition

http://www.hantsjournal.ca/Opinion/Columnists/2015-11-17/article-4346516/HANTS-HISTORY-%26mdash%3B-Nov.-19,-2015-edition/1

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

(PHOTOS) Exhibit photographs the remains of First Nations churches
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/kamloops/exhibit-photographs-the-remains-of-first-nations-churches-1.3320154

A new photography exhibit is hoping to capture some of the stories of First Nations churches in British Columbia. Brian Kipp has been taking photos of what's left of some of the oldest churches in the province.

(DRONE) Nova Scotia lighthouses the subject of drone passion project

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-scotia/ns-lighthouses-drones-1.3329563

They are sweeping views of the Nova Scotia's coastlines that are usually only available to the birds.

But a Waverley man is capturing these sights of the province's lighthouses using a drone that showcase the landmarks in a way that few people have seen before.

Upcoming Events

Ottawa Branch, Ontario Genealogical Society

Welcome to Genealogy: Back To Basics! Genealogy B2B is a short lecture on a genealogical topic, followed by a Question and Answer session with Ottawa Branch members. If you are new to family history research or need a refresher, come out and join us!

This month’s topic is The World of Webinars with Heather Oakley, and it will be held on Saturday, November 28, 2015 from 10:30 am till 12:00 pm at City of Ottawa Archives, 100 Tallwood Drive (Room 115), Ottawa, Ontario.

Coffee and tea will be available throughout the morning.

Bruce & Grey Branch, Ontario Genealogical Society

A meeting will be held Tuesday, November 24, 2015, 7:30 p.m. at the L.D.S. Family History Centre, 490 2nd Ave. S.E. Owen Sound, and the speaker will be Bonita Johnson-de-Matteis, and she will talk about African-Canadian Black Veteran's.

Call 519-534-1875 for further information, or go the website at https://www.ogs.on.ca/bruce_grey/

Newspaper Articles

Nova Scotia

Boston Christmas tree a thank-you gift from Nova Scotia for disaster aid in 1917

http://www.masslive.com/news/index.ssf/2015/11/boston_christmas_tree_a_thank-.html

The 49-foot Christmas tree that will be installed on Boston Common Friday is a cheery holiday tradition in the city.

But the iconic tree, delivered for free each year from Nova Scotia, has roots in one of the darkest days in Canadian history.

Ontario

ROOTS AND REMEMBRANCE: Many of Toronto’s synagogues have been torn down including Holy Blossom, which was at Richmond and Yonge

http://www.insidetoronto.com/news-story/6126502-roots-and-remembrance-many-of-toronto-s-synagogues-have-been-torn-down-including-holy-blossom-whic/

When InsideToronto invited me to blog on genealogy for Toronto Time Capsule, I requested Toronto heritage and history, including architecture, also be part of the mix.

If you want to read more about Jewish culture in Toronto, you can go to his website at http://www.billgladstone.ca/

Special watches commemorate 150th anniversary of Lorne Scots

http://www.theifp.ca/community-story/6126994-special-watches-commemorate-150th-anniversary-of-lorne-scots/

Robin Devine makes watches for veterans.

The retired owner of Checker Cabs has been making watches for the Canadian Military for the past 20 years. She has made pieces for the Black Watch in Scotland and the Royal Canadian Navy.

NCC board approves designs for science and tech museum, Holocaust memorial

http://ottawacitizen.com/news/local-news/ncc-board-approves-designs-for-museum-of-science-and-technology-holocaust-monument

A reborn museum and a new Ottawa landmark received design approval Wednesday from the National Capital Commission’s board of directors.

The board approved the proposed design of the remodelled Canada Science and Technology Museum and the revised design of the National Holocaust Monument. Both are scheduled to open in 2017.

Government to erect plaques across Ottawa to honour Fathers of Confederation

http://www.cfra.com/NationalCP/Article.aspx?id=486873

The federal department overseeing Canada 150 celebrations is embarking on a capital-wide project to place commemorative plaques at locations where 15 Fathers of Confederation made a home during their time in Parliament.

Communism memorial opponent welcomes Liberal rethink

https://ca.news.yahoo.com/blogs/dailybrew/communism-memorial-opponent-welcomes-liberal-rethink-185215654.html

Heritage Minister Mélanie Joly said last week that she wants more consultations before making a decision on the Memorial to the Victims of Communism on Parliament Hill, and that was music to Ottawa architect Barry Padolsky’s ears.

The monument, whose main proponent is the non-profit group Tribute to Liberty, was a lightning rod for criticism under the last government since the first public support for the project was announced in 2012.

Vaughan church grieves for bones unearthed to build pool

http://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2015/11/18/vaughan-church-grieves-for-bones-unearthed-to-build-pool.html

Cathy Pearson never thought her words would come true.

The longtime parishioner at Holy Trinity Anglican Church in Thornhill sent an odd letter to the City of Vaughan over the summer. Protesting plans by the Thornhill Golf and Country Club to construct an in-ground pool and cabana just a few feet away from Holy Trinity Cemetery, one of the oldest in the city, she ended her letter with a unique wish: for the project to unearth human remains.

Alberta

History Harvest event upcoming at museum

http://www.highrivertimes.com/2015/11/17/history-harvest-event-upcoming-at-museum

Described as a celebration of High River’s history, the stories and cherished memories behind keepsakes, heirlooms and other objects will be featured during the upcoming History Harvest event.

The event, to be held Nov. 21 at the Museum of the Highwood, is part of a larger oral history project titled Placing Memory in High River’s Built Environment that is already underway in our community.

British Columbia

Vancouver: A Distant Mirror offers glimpses into city's history

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/vancouver-history-vancouver-archive-1.3319002

Investigating placenames can be a way of connecting with an unknown - or untold – history.

University of Northern B.C.'s writer in residence stated that conversation last Thursday as part of the Anthropology in our Backyards public lecture series that looks at names in Prince George.

Canadian news stories this week

Moore and Sombra Townships in Lambton Country, Ontario 

To continue on from last week's Letter from Veterans of the First World War, a 32-page index is a collection of names of men from the former Moore and Sombra Townships in Lambton Country, Ontario who were part of the Canadian Expeditionary Force. The list includes men who were born in this community or who may have moved here after the First World War.

Go to http://www.twp.stclair.on.ca/world_war_i_men_of_st_clair_township.pdf

Louis Riel Day

For the Métis, November 16 was a national public commemoration of Riel's life and struggles with the government of the day.

For many years, Riel fought for tolerance, and equal share of social justice from the Canadian government, and even fought for Métis nationalism and political independence.

There is a database of materials held by the University of Saskatchewan Libraries and the University Archives under the The Northwest Resistance.

You can go to http://library.usask.ca/northwest/, and the Table of Contents to the database contains The Adam Shortt Library of Canadiana, Canadiana Pamphlet Collection, Morton Manuscript Collection, and the Jean E. Murray Fonds (University Archives MG 61).

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

1921 census for Lunenburg County, Nova Scotia 

Thanks to Beverley Sumpter, Alice Frauzel, Bill Bruhm, John deRoche, Pat Smith, Wayne Cross, and me (Dwayne Meisner), the 1921 census for Lunenburg County, Nova Scotia is now fully transcribed and available to view at the link below. As usual, if you are not already a member of my site, you will have to complete a free registration form.

Go to http://www.dwaynemeisner.com/census/novascotia/lunenburg1921/index.php

Library and Archives Canada survey

How many of you have taken the survey that the LAC has on the Nanos Research Site at
http://go.nanosresearch.com/s/2015697QX3694/?l=en?

It is important that you do take the survey, so the the LAC can see where they can make improvements within the next three years.

They truly do want to provide a good service to the public, and youi can have a say in how this is done.

The survey will take approximately 8 to 10 minutes to complete, and your responses are confidential and protected.

And that was the week in Canadian news!

===========================================================================

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

If you missed last week’s edition, it is 

at http://genealogycanada.blogspot.com/2015/11/canadian-week-in-review-16-november-2015.html

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

It has been published on a continuous basis every Monday since April 2012!

Copyright © 2015 Genealogy Canada. All rights reserved

Canadian Week in Review 16 November 2015

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

This Week in Canadian History

On November 14, 1891, and died in 1941. Frederick Banting, medical scientist, doctor and Nobel Laureate, was born in Alliston, Simcoe County, Ontario and studied medicine at the University of Toronto. He graduated in 1916, and then reported for military duty in December, the day after graduation.

After the war, he started studying the pancreas in 1920, and in 1922, they injected a 14-year old diabetic boy with insulin that had had made and purified from an ox pancreas.

You can read more at http://www.notablebiographies.com/Ba-Be/Banting-Frederick.html

Social Media

Kawartha Branch, OGS, now on Facebook

The page is at https://www.facebook.com/groups/Kawartha.OGS/

The Kawartha Branch of the Ontario Genealogical Society covers the counties of Haliburton, Northumberland, and Peterborough, as well as the former Victoria County, now known as the City of Kawartha Lakes.

Grande Prairie & District Branch

And the Grande Prairie & District Branch has a new website. The area covers the South Peace Region of Alberta.

It is a very clean site where you can search the obituary website, visit the cemetery index, and read the newsletter.

 The website is at http://www.abgenealogy.ca/grande-prairie-branch

Upcoming Events

Gene-O-Rama 2016

Gene-O-Rama will be held from April 1 and 2, 2016 by the Ottawa Branch Society of the Ontario Genealogical Society in Ottawa. The featured speaker will be Glenn Wright.

The latest details will be available at http://ogsottawa.on.ca/geneorama

Hamilton Branch, Ontario Genealogical Society

Christine Woodcock will present From Family Tree to Family Treasure on 19 November 2015 at 7:00 pm at the Hamilton Branch of the Ontario Genealogical Society.

It covers the former County of Wentworth, which includes the Townships of Ancaster, Barton, Binbrook, Beverly, Flamborough East, Flamborough West, Glanford, and Saltfleet, which are now all part of the City of Hamilton. The branch includes a sub-group which focuses on British Genealogy: WISE (Welsh, Irish, Scottish, English).

For more information, you can go to their website at http://www.ogs.on.ca/hamilton/

Genealogical Association of Nova Scotia

Did you know that the Genealogical Association of Nova Scotia (GANS) opens up their Research Room every Sunday from 1:00 pm to 5:00 pm at 33 Ochterloney Street, Suite 100, Dartmouth, Nove Scotia?

The Research Room is open to everyone. Stop by to chat, do some Internet research, check out the library, or buy a publication or membership. Bring a friend!

You can go to their website at http://www.novascotiaancestors.ca/eventListings.php?nm=287

Prince Edward Island Genealogical Society

The next public meeting of the PEI Genealogical Society will take place Saturday, November 21 at 2:00 p.m. at Beaconsfield’s Carriage House in Charlottetown.

Their guest speaker will be Sarah Fisher, Project Manager for the University of Prince Edward Island's (UPEI) new website called booklives.ca at http://booklives.ca, developed by the Robertson Library.

The Book Lives project originated with research on the *provenance*of books in the library’s collection which revealed interesting facts on the individuals and families who, over the course of many decades, donated the books. These books carry stories beyond their original purpose. The meeting is open to the general public, admission is free, and all are welcome. Refreshments will be served.

The Carriage House is located behind Beaconsfield Historic House on the corner of Kent and West Streets in Charlottetown.

For further information please email fredchorne@gmail.com

Newspaper Articles

Newfoundland

Cluny Macpherson, gas mask inventor, more than a side note of history

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/newfoundland-labrador/cluny-macpherson-gas-mask-1.3312072

Dignitaries and medical history buffs, including the acclaimed British historian, gathered in the atrium of Memorial University's medical school last week to unveil an exhibit about Cluny Macpherson's accomplishments during the First World War – the discovery of the gas mask!

Prince Edward Island

Replica chaloupe to be built at Roma

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/prince-edward-island/pei-roma-replica-boat-1.3311227

The Roma at Three Rivers Historic Site near Montague, Prince Edward Island, is the proud new owner of a chaloupe— a wooden boat described as the pickup truck of the 1700s.

Mi'kmaq of P.E.I. history on display at Acadian Museum

http://www.journalpioneer.com/Living/2015-11-09/article-4337838/Mikmaq-of-P.E.I.-history-on-display-at-Acadian-Museum/1

The Acadian Museum's latest exhibition -- Ni'n na L'nu: The Mi'kmaq of Prince Edward Island -- opened last Thursday.

Ontario

South African historian revisits Canada’s role in Boer War after discovery of hidden grave

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/world/forgotten-grave-in-south-african-bush-recalls-canadians/article27216630/

In a remote patch of South African bush, where only giraffe and wildebeest roam, lies the long-neglected grave of an unknown Canadian who may have been a veteran of Canada’s first major overseas war.

11 Canadian War Heroes We Can't Forget On November 11

http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2015/11/09/canadian-war-heroes-remembrance-day_n_8475820.html

While many soldiers have been recognized for their exploits in combat, others deserve praise for the roles they played in other fields designing planes, gathering intelligence, or treating wounded fighters.

Manitoba

Military hall of honour opens in Manitoba legislative building

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/manitoba-legislature-military-hall-1.3312455

A hall of honour listing all First World War regiments based out of Manitoba was unveiled at the legislative building on Tuesday.

Located in the southwest corridor on the main floor, the hall will eventually include dedications to Lt.-Col. William "Billy" Barker of Dauphin, the most decorated serviceman in Canadian history, and Sgt. Tommy Prince of Winnipeg, Canada's most decorated First Nations soldier.

Fundraiser celebrates Carberry’s heritage

http://www.mywestman.ca/community-news/4503-fundraiser-celebrates-carberry-s-heritage.html

When the provincial heritage branch declared two blocks of Carberry’s Main Street as Manitoba’s first (and still only) Heritage District in 2007, one of their recommendations was to create a comprehensive walking tour guide that illustrates what’s special about the town. Thanks to Winnipeg writer and heritage buff Reid Dickie, Carberry now has such a book.

British Columbia

Lost to history: the Canadians who fought in Vietnam

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/lost-to-history-the-canadians-who-fought-in-vietnam-1.3304440

At only 17 years old, B.C.'s Rob McSorley knew he wanted to go to war, and it didn't matter if it wasn't in a Canadian uniform.

Now, 45 years after his death in the jungles of Vietnam, his sister is finally learning how much he mattered to the American soldiers with whom he served.

Canadian news stories this week

First World War letters are now online

On November the 11th, in addition to the nation remembering veteran's who died in the First World War, the county's archives, like the Archives of Manitoba, paid homage by putting online The First World War in Letters in a weekly blog.

They also have put on a database of 1, 092 names of veteran who died in the First World War. This a very complete database, for it contains their surname, and given names, rank, battalion, community of residence, next of kin/siblings at the front, details surrounding death, and date of death.

You can see this date base and the letters at http://www.gov.mb.ca/chc/archives/ww1blog/index.html

The Archives of Nova Scotia also has a website for putting on Correspondence from the First World War.

30,000 Nova Scotians signed up between 1914 and 1918, and archives is oresenting a small selection of original letters, to be augmented with new content each year until 2018.

The three letter that are presented, are those from Private George Allen “Al' Fraser, Captain L. Howard Johnstone, and Corporal Daniel Morrison.

The letters (which are very interesting to read), are at http://novascotia.ca/archives/warletters/

1921 Census for Colchester County, Nova Scotia are now online

Dwayne Meisner, who keeps on top of the 1921 census, tells us that thanks to Beverley Sumpter, Donna Rushton and Christine Vincent, census for Colchester County, Nova Scotia is now fully transcribed and available to view at the link below.

As usual, if you are not already a member of his site, you will have to complete a free registration form.

Please go to the site, http://www.dwaynemeisner.com/census/novascotia/colchester1921/index.php

Library and Archives Canada (LAC) blog

Now that the election is over, the Library and Archives Canada (LAC) has returned to regular blogging, and last week it launched a new online database called Immigration to Canada, porters and Domestics 1899 -1949. 

This online database allows you to access more than 8,600 references to individuals who came to Canada. Names were taken from lists contained in the Central Registry Files series of the Immigration Branch (RG76 BIA) and other files held at LAC.

Go to http://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/discover/immigration/immigration-records/porters-domestics-1899-1949/Pages/search.aspx

The LAC has also announced the launch of a new online database, the Ukrainian Immigration, 1891-1930. 

This online database allows you to access more than 14,700 reference to names of Ukrainian who arrived in Canada and the united States between 1891 and 1930. Names were taken from the passenger lists held at lAC for the following Canadaian and American ports – Halifax, Nova Scotia; Montreal and Quebec, Quebec; Saint John, New Brunswick; new York, New York; and Portland, Maine.

Start searching at http://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/discover/immigration/immigration-records/immigrants-ukraine-1891-1930/Pages/search.aspx

Quebec government drops place names with n-word

And as you know, the Quebec government has announced that the rapids in West Quebec will no longer be named with racist slur after province drops place names with n-word. Quebec is the last province in Canada to do this, and now it seemed probable that placenames with the word 'squaw' in them will be banned.

There are still 27 official place names in Canada containing the term 'squaw' , for example, Quebec has the most, with eight, followed by New Brunswick with seven. British Columbia, Saskatchewan, Ontario and Prince Edward Island have scrubbed the word from their maps, while it does not appear Manitoba ever used it.

To read the full story, go to http://www.24news.ca/the-news/canada-news/178152-quebec-rapids-will-no-longer-be-named-with-racist-slur-after-province-drops-place-names-with-n-word

And that was the week in Canadian news!

===========================================================================

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

If you missed last week’s edition, it is 

at http://genealogycanada.blogspot.com/2015/11/canadian-week-in-review-09-november-2015.html

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

It has been published on a continuous basis every Monday since April 2012!

Copyright © 2015 Genealogy Canada. All rights reserved

Canadian News in Review (CWR) 09 November 2015

This week you can read the reason why I have decided to let go of daily posts, and concentrate on publishing the Canadian News in Review (CWR) every Monday.

The Canadian News in Review (CWR) for the week of November 9th, 2015 has been posted. It has been published on a continuous basis every Monday since April 2012!

If you missed last week’s edition, it is at http://genealogycanada.blogspot.com/2015/11/canadian-week-in-review-09-november-2015.html

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

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

Canadian Week in Review 09 November 2015

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

This Week in Canadian History

In 1873, during the "Pacific Scandal," Sir John A. Macdonald defended himself against corruption charges in a five-hour speech to Parliament. He resigned as prime minister two days later.

To read about the "Pacific Scandal," go to  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pacific_Scandal







Social Media

Video: From the CBC archives: Nellie McClung celebrated in Manitoba

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/from-the-cbc-archives-nellie-mcclung-celebrated-in-manitoba-1.3306714

With Manitoba set to mark a century since it became the first province to allow some women to vote, we look back at efforts to honour Nellie McClung, who was instrumental in the fight for women's votes in Canada.

(Video) Arizona woman searches for Quebec birth parents on Facebook

http://globalnews.ca/news/2318811/arizona-woman-searches-for-quebec-birth-parents-on-facebook/
Julie Levanhagen was adopted when she was just 9 days old.

She spent the first seven years of her life growing up in Fabreville, before moving to Wisconsin and then settling in Arizona.

(Video) A living history of Canada's Great War effort a century later

http://montrealgazette.com/news/local-news/a-living-history-of-canadas-great-war-effort-a-century-later

A hundred years ago, a young Canada was engaged in one of the deadliest global conflicts the world has ever witnessed.

The Great War, as it was known then, lasted more than four years (1914-18) and eventually claimed the lives of nine million combatants, including more than 60,000 Canadians.

Upcoming Events

Gwyneth Pearce, the Publicity Chair of the Toronto Branch, Ontario Genealogical Society sent me the winter 2016 lineup of educational events.

Registration is now open for -

A Series on Social History: A four-session course on Tuesday afternoons in February to develop your understanding of your ancestors’ everyday life and challenges – with a focus on medicine, food, clothing and footwear in 19th century Canada. Speakers: Ingrid Mida, Sarah B. Hood, Sheila Knox and Marianne Fedunkiw.

· Introduction to Genealogy and Family History: A fast-paced one-day course on Saturday 20 February to introduce you to records and techniques that will help you research your family tree. Instructor: Linda Reid.

· Ulster Historical Foundation – North American Tour 2016: A full day of lectures on Saturday 5 March by two research specialists from the Ulster Historical Foundation – for those with Irish or Scots-Irish ancestors. Speakers: Fintan Mullan and Gillian Hunt.

· Hands-On Ancestry.ca Library Edition: A three-session course on Wednesday afternoons in February and March on how to use one of the largest databases of Canadian and international genealogical records. Instructor: Carol Nichols.

· Drop-In Ancestry.ca Library Edition: A series of three relaxed drop-in sessions on Wednesday afternoons in March, April and May for family history researchers to meet each other and practice Ancestry.ca skills with the help of Toronto Branch volunteers.

Further information is available on the Toronto Branch website at http://torontofamilyhistory.org/learn/

Newspaper Articles

Newfoundland

The View From Fogo Island

http://www.lportepilot.ca/Columnists/Benson-Hewitt/2015-11-04/article-4331307/The-View-From-Fogo-Island/1

Next year, 2016, St. Andrew’s congregation, Fogo, will be celebrating the centennial of their present church building, having been opened and dedicated for divine worship on Aug. 13, 1916.

New Brunswick

Cenotaph plaques will be replaced by Remembrance Day

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/new-brunswick/fredericton-cenotaph-plaques-heritage-minister-1.3308952

Plaques to replace those stolen from the New Brunswick cenotaph in downtown Fredericton will be ready for Remembrance Day says Tourism, Heritage and Culture Minister Bill Fraser.

Quebec

A living history of Canada's Great War effort a century later

http://montrealgazette.com/news/local-news/a-living-history-of-canadas-great-war-effort-a-century-later

Stolen Chute-a-Blondeau, Ont., church safe found in Quebec ditch

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/stolen-eastern-ontario-church-safe-found-ineast-quebec-ditch-1.3302387

As I reported last month on a number of churches had been broken into, they have found the safe in a ditch of the l'Église de Saint-Joachim, in the small town of Chute-à-Blondeau, a the safe was unopened.

Ontario

THE JOY OF GENEALOGY: 5 websites to search for an elusive Canadian veteran

http://www.insidetoronto.com/news-story/6082617-the-joy-of-genealogy-5-websites-to-search-for-an-elusive-canadian-veteran/

Nov. 11 is Remembrance Day, a national day that marks the anniversary of the end of the hostilities of the First World War (Nov. 11, 1918).

Province launches 'virtual museum' highlighting Franco-Ontarian heritage

http://windsorstar.com/news/local-news/province-launches-virtual-museum-highlighting-franco-ontarian-heritage

History buffs, teachers, parents and students are among the targeted audiences for a new Virtual Museum of Franco-Ontarian Heritage. The website www.mon400.com was unveiled Thursday to more than 300 delegates at the opening of the 44th annual Ontario Museum Association conference in Windsor.

Manitoba

Manitoba government celebrating Women's History Month

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/manitoba-government-celebrating-women-s-history-month-1.3292238\

The Manitoba government is celebrating Women's History Month today, as it looks ahead to the centennial of the province granting some women the right to vote.

Alberta

Day in History, Nov. 7, 1910: 75 per cent of men applying to Canadian navy suffer from 'motion picture eye'

http://edmontonjournal.com/news/local-news/day-in-history-nov-7-1910-75-per-cent-of-men-applying-to-canadian-navy-suffer-from-motion-picture-eye

A story out of Ottawa reported 75 per cent of men applying to the Canadian Navy being rejected because of motion picture eye and cigarette heart

Day in History, Nov. 6, 1910: New post office opens without ceremony

http://edmontonjournal.com/news/local-news/day-in-history-nov-6-1910-new-post-office-opens-without-ceremony

Although the city’s first post office building, it was actually Edmonton’s eighth main post office in 30 years.

Staff moved into the city’s largest building at the time, “under cover of darkness,” the story said.

Canadian news stories this week

 

I am going to join them …

Just like James Tanner* and Randy Seaver** said in their blogs this week, fewer people, in fact, less than 10% are blogging every day, and I have decided to pull the plug on my daily news blog. BUT, I am not totally going away. I will still be doing the Canadian Week in Review (CWR), and it will be published every Monday, as usual.

Given my commitments of finishing a certificate course through the National Institute for Genealogical Studies, the editorship of the OGS Families, and an increase in my research services, I had to cut back somewhere – and the daily blog is the thing which was let go.

 Meanwhile, I have added Upcoming Events to the news, and I will highlight a genealogical events or events that is taking place somewhere is Canada.

At this time, I would like the thank everybody who supported me since I started my newsletter which later turned into a blog, and I hope to see you every Monday morning reading the Canadian Week in Review (CWR). 

*What is the future of genealogical blogs? James Tanner http://genealogysstar.blogspot.com/2015/11/what-is-future-of-genealogical-blogs.html

* *Three Days of Genealogy Blogging Statistics by Randy Seaver
http://www.geneamusings.com/2015/11/three-days-of-genealogy-blogging.html

 And that was the week in Canadian news!

===========================================================================

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

If you missed last week’s edition, it is 

at http://genealogycanada.blogspot.com/2015/11/canadian-week-in-review-cwr-02-november.html

 

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

 

It has been published on a continuous basis every Monday since April 2012!

Ancestry.ca is offering free access to its Second World War records

Ancestry.ca is offering free online access to its entire collection of global military records from November 6 to November 11, 2015. 

It includes attestation forms, medical history forms and correspondence to family members back in Canada. Digitized records detail the brave service of more than 29,000 Canadian soldiers killed in action in WWII.

It contains over 29,000 records of Canadian military personnel killed in action during the conflict. The collection, consisting of more than two million images, includes a variety of different documents for each soldier. From attestation papers, to medical history forms and even correspondence to family members back in Canada, this collection can help tell a more in-depth story of what these war heroes were like during their time in conflict.

Each service file contains an average of 52 pages of personal information.

"The most incredible part about this new collection is the sheer amount of detail revealed about these individuals. Records of promotions or tributes written by comrades help bring to light the true heroism of these soldiers during an incredibly terrifying time, and will undoubtedly instill pride among living relatives of these brave souls today,” says Kevin James, PhD, Professor, Department of History at University of Guelph. “The other benefit of this collection is that it can help shed light on what life in Canada was like during the war. From hand-written letters, to telegraphs informing Canadians at home that a family member was missing in action, these records provide fascinating insight into the life and times of the WWII era.”

The records, digitized and archived by Ancestry, were originally compiled by Library and Archives Canada as part of the Canadian school curriculum, and will be available to search for free online from November 6 to November 11, along with Ancestry’s entire collection of military records - which includes more than 4.4 million records pertaining to Canada alone.

The Ancestry.ca site is at http://www.ancestry.ca/

===========================================================================

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

If you missed last week’s edition, it is 

at http://genealogycanada.blogspot.com/2015/11/canadian-week-in-review-cwr-02-november.html

 

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

 

It has been published on a continuous basis every Monday since April 2012!

Naturalization Records 1915 1951 updated at Library and Archives Canada

Library and Archives Canada (LAC) is pleased to announce the release of a new version of the online database – Naturalization Records 1915 to 1951.

The nominal index has been extended with the addition of more than 68,000 names and now covers the years from 1915 to 1944, inclusively. Work is ongoing to extend the nominal index to 1951, and volunteers are welcome to help. Those interested should write to Cdn-Nat-Coord@jgs-montreal.org.

This database is one of the few Canadian genealogical resources specifically designed to benefit researchers having roots other than British. The reference numbers indicated in the database can be used to request copies of the original naturalization records, which are held by Citizenship and Immigration Canada.

Library and Archives Canada would like to thank the Jewish Genealogical Society of Montreal and its volunteers, without whom this project would not have happened.

The database is at http://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/discover/immigration/citizenship-naturalization-records/naturalized-records-1915-1951/Pages/introduction.aspx

The website of the Jewish Genealogical Society of Montreal is http://jgs-montreal.org/

===========================================================================

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

If you missed last week’s edition, it is 

at http://genealogycanada.blogspot.com/2015/11/canadian-week-in-review-cwr-02-november.html

 

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

 

It has been published on a continuous basis every Monday since April 2012!

The National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation (NCTR) opens to the public today

The National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation (NCTR) was created to preserve the memory of Canada’s Residential School system and legacy - not just for a few years, but forever.

The National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation (NCTR) at the University of Manitoba will be home to millions of records, including statements from survivors, photos, videos and government documents and records that the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) has collected.

Most of these records are digital, and the physical centre has a ceremonial space, reading room, computers to access the material, a meeting room, library and physical items of the collection, such as artifacts from residential schools.

The Internet access is at http://umanitoba.ca/nctr/

For the history of the Residentail Schools, go to http://umanitoba.ca/centres/nctr/overview.html

===========================================================================

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

If you missed last week’s edition, it is 

at http://genealogycanada.blogspot.com/2015/11/canadian-week-in-review-cwr-02-november.html

 

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

 

It has been published on a continuous basis every Monday since April 2012!

Bring the long-form census back in time for 2016!

In 2010, the long-form census was done away with, and we went with a volunteer form. Now that the governmemt has changed during the last election (October 19th), a call has come from the people to reinstste the long-form census, and once again to make it mandatory.

But from what the experts say, it must be done right away, so a petition has been put on at https://evidencefordemocracy.ca/en/save-the-census, and you may sign it if you wish. Although I have found through other campaigns that we have had over the years, that a letter to your minister can be a more effective way to go.

===========================================================================

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

If you missed last week’s edition, it is 

at http://genealogycanada.blogspot.com/2015/11/canadian-week-in-review-cwr-02-november.html

 

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

 

It has been published on a continuous basis every Monday since April 2012!

Waterloo Region Branch of the Ontario Genealogical Society will be an e-presence only



As has been reported by bloggers over the past day, the Waterloo Region Branch of the Ontario Genealogical Society is going to re-invent itself as "an e-presence only, with a new website and the creation of a Facebook group. The new website will have a members only section and an e-store. Queries will be handled via this on-line presence”. 

 

The press release that was issued as part of the OGS e-Newsletter on Saturday, said that “Since this Branch is modeled on that of our on-line based Special Interest Groups, the fee, as decided by the Branch, is a bargain of $4 for the first year due to the website being "under construction" as members and the TSIC Committee of OGS work to place items, prior to January 1st, 2016, in the members only section related to research in the County of Waterloo. The same as with other OGS Branch members only sections on websites, the "stocking" of the section will be ongoing. There will be no newsletter, no physical Branch meetings and no postal mailing address”.

 

The OGS says that that this is a “pilot project authorized by the Board in order to explore alternatives when the volunteer base for a Branch becomes too small to provide all of the services that have been provided in the past”. 

 

So is this the way for the future of the OGS as members disappear? The membership has been decreasing for years, and something had to give, so to speak, and this looks like it may be a solution. What do you think? And this news comes a day after the 2016 re-membership drive starts. It will be interesting time ahead, I think. 

 

As of this morning, the Waterloo Branch still has a website at http://www.waterlooogs.ca/ with limited information. They still have cemetery CDs at for sale at http://www.waterlooogs.ca/cemeteries.htm, and the following family CDs - Bauman/Bowman Family, Bechtel, Bergey, Biehn, Bricker, Eby, Erb, Groh, Hallman, Hoffman, Lichty, Martin, Snyder, Shantz, Wanner and Weber are available for $20 each. 

 

Happy Researching!!

===========================================================================

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

If you missed last week’s edition, it is 

at http://genealogycanada.blogspot.com/2015/11/canadian-week-in-review-cwr-02-november.html

 

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

 

It has been published on a continuous basis every Monday since April 2012!

 

Canadian Week in Review (CWR) 02 November 2015

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

This Week in Canadian History

In 1918, Canadian aviator William George (Billy) Barker won the Victoria Cross during the First World War. The Dauphin, Manitoba, native downed four German planes despite being wounded three times himself. Barker died in a 1930 training accident.

If you wish to learn more about William George (Billy) Barker, go to
http://www.biographi.ca/en/bio/barker_william_george_15E.html

In 1971, La Presse, the largest French-language daily in North America, announced the suspension of publication in Montreal. The paper, with a circulation of 225,000, shut down because of the threat of increasing violence in a labor dispute. It resumed publication in February, 1972.

To be brought up on the latest news about La Presse, go to http://montrealgazette.com/business/local-business/montreal-la-presse-to-end-weekday-printed-paper-in-new-year

Social Media

(Photos) Stayner students plant tulips to create Dutch-Canadian Friendship Garden

http://www.simcoe.com/news-story/6034620-stayner-students-plant-tulips-to-create-dutch-canadian-friendship-garden/

A piece of shared Dutch and Canadian history has been honoured at Stayner’s high school.

(Video) This Week in History: A Royal BC Museum photograph exhibition in Guangzhou, China

http://www.cheknews.ca/this-week-in-history-a-royal-bc-museum-photograph-exhibition-in-guangzhou-china-120108/

Lieutenant Colonel John Frederick Crease (1836 – 1907) was mastering the art and science of photography, and captured various images of Canton, China immediately following the Anglo-French bombardment of the city.

Now, 156 years later, these photographs are being presented in Guangzhou (formerly Canton) as part of an exhibition: “Guangzhou to British Columbia – The Chinese Canadian Experience.”

(Video) Ireland pays tribute to Maritimes' help during Great Famine

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/new-brunswick/nb-famine-commemoration-1.3285452

 Ireland's Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht is visiting New Brunswick this week as part of this year's International Famine Commemoration.

(Video) Artist rolls into Saskatoon as part of ambitious photo project

http://www.thestarphoenix.com/artist+rolls+into+saskatoon+part+ambitious+photo+project/11461518/story.html
What does Canada look like?

Artist Tim Van Horn is trying to answer that question with his Canadian Mosaic Project.

With a goal of taking photos of 54,000 Canadians ahead of the nation's 150th birthday in 2017, Van Horn has already captured 42,000 citizens with a camera. On Thursday, he stopped to collect Saskatoon faces.

(Photos) HANTS HISTORY: Oct 29 edition

http://www.hantsjournal.ca/Opinion/Columnists/2015-10-29/article-4325713/HANTS-HISTORY%3A-Oct-29-edition%26nbsp%3B/1

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

(Video) Historical Second World War DC-3 aircraft unloaded in Saskatoon

http://globalnews.ca/news/2307814/historical-wwii-dc-3-aircraft-unloaded-in-saskatoon/

It was retired several years ago but this week an old DC3 Second World War airplane was on the move again. Jackie Wilson tells us about this historical craft and where its final resting place will be.

Newspaper Articles

Nova Scotia 

Heritage Trust asked town for time on BMO building

http://www.cumberlandnewsnow.com/News/Local/2015-10-26/article-4322641/Heritage-Trust-asked-town-for-time-on-BMO-building/1

Heritage Trust Nova Scotia has asked Amherst to give it some time to come up with an alternative to demolishing the former BMO building in the downtown.

Stewiacke cheers as schooner hand-built by Densmore cousins launches

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-scotia/schooner-stewiacke-cousins-hand-built-1.3290534

Five years of commitment was tested today when two cousins from Stewiacke launched their 24-metre wooden schooner.

Evan and Nick Densmore's ship sat on the banks of the Stewiacke River waiting for the tide to rise. The Densmores had hoped the new moon tide would lift the boat safely over sandbars and shoals into the water — and it did.

Quebec

Exploring Quebec City's Musee de la Civilization

http://www.travelpulse.com/opinions/blog/exploring-quebec-citys-musee-de-la-civilisation.html

But I discovered one rainy afternoon that the Musee de La Civilisation is where natives head when they can't enjoy outdoor attractions.

Ontario

Recalling the not-long-ago battle of Canadian suffragists

http://www.guelphmercury.com/opinion-story/5974266-recalling-the-not-long-ago-battle-of-canadian-suffragists

Canadian history books and classes concentrated primarily on political and military events, neglecting to offer information on how women have impacted our nation and have thus been impacted by our nation.

THE JOY OF GENEALOGY: Five ways to celebrate Family History Month

http://www.insidetoronto.com/news-story/6048119-the-joy-of-genealogy-five-ways-to-celebrate-family-history-month/

The leaves are falling and genealogy is calling, so let’s celebrate Family History Month in North America.

Whose Mother would this monstrous monument be?

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/globe-debate/editorials/whose-mother-would-this-monstrous-monument-be/article26957709/

The first is the controversial Memorial to the Victims of Communism, planned for a prime piece of Ottawa’s parliamentary real estate near the Supreme Court of Canada – a site long designated for a new Federal Court building, and the second is the Mother Canada statue, a privately promoted expression of monumentality proposed for an evocative coastline site in Cape Breton Highlands National Park.

Alberta

Group using old bricks for new memorial honouring Edmonton's First World War history.

http://edmontonjournal.com/news/local-news/group-using-old-bricks-for-new-memorial-honouring-edmontons-first-world-war-history

A community group wants to incorporate bricks from the recently destroyed Leamington Mansion apartments in a new memorial honouring Old Strathcona’s First World War history.

Calgary tour digs deep into city's past

http://calgaryherald.com/life/calgary-tour-digs-deep-into-citys-past

A new full-day tour of Calgary delves deep into the city’s past. The Herald asked Judy Uwiera of Lifetime Adventures Travel to talk about the new offering for visitors and residents alike.

British Columbia

Coffee with: New city archivist loves opening windows into the past

http://www.richmond-news.com/community/coffee-with-new-city-archivist-loves-opening-windows-into-the-past-1.2094067

When Jennifer Yuhasz took her first steps into the world of documenting history, she didn’t have to go very far. As a grade schooler, she simply explored her grandparents’ yard on the family cattle and wheat farm two hours southeast of Regina, Saskatchewan.

Canadian news stories this week

Canadian Women on our banknotes, please!


I see where the town of Oakville, Ontario has joined a chorus of voices calling for Canadian women to be pictured on Canadian currency.

The Oakville council voted unanimously recently to encourage the Bank of Canada and federal Minister of Finance to add prominent Canadian women to Canadian bank notes.

Did you know that in 2004, the Bank of Canada circulated a $50 bill honouring the contributions of Therese Casgrain, first woman to lead a political party in Canada, and The Famous Five - Nelly McClung, Emily Murphy, Irene Parlby, Bouise McKinney and Henrietta Edwards?

This $50 bank note was eventually taken out of circulation in 2011 and replaced with one featuring the Prime Minister William Lyon Mackenzie King and an icebreaker.

There is an online petition at https://www.change.org/p/bank-of-canada-add-women-from-canadian-history-to-canadian-bank-notes

So far has more than 64,000 supporters and other municipalities have passed similar motions.

And that was the week in Canadian news!

===========================================================================

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

If you missed last week’s edition, it is 

at http://genealogycanada.blogspot.com/2015/10/canadian-week-in-review-cwr-26-october.html

 

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

 

It has been published on a continuous basis every Monday since April 2012!

The Ministry of Tourism, Culture, and Sport (MTCS) will be holding province-wide meetings

The Ministry of Tourism, Culture, and Sport (MTCS) will be holding province-wide meetings so as to
establish a vision for culture across the province, and they want to know which aspects of Ontario’s culture are valuable to you and your community.

The press release says “One of the most valuable cultural resources in Ontario is our heritage sector. All across the province, not-for-profit organizations such as historical societies, museums, archives, and other heritage organizations and institutions are working to preserve and promote our diverse history. Activities such as cemetery tours, historical walks, community bike tours, plaque unveilings, archaeological digs, and visits to museums and historic sites are just a few examples of how Ontarians participate in culture by connecting with their heritage. Many of Ontario’s grassroots heritage organizations also work tirelessly to protect our natural history—which is a vital part of both our cultural identity, and our tourism industry.

Since government funding to heritage organizations was both cut, and frozen, in the mid-1990s, the groups who provide these services to their communities have been forced to do more with less. These are the people restoring our train stations, preserving our lighthouses, defending our cemeteries, protecting our genealogical resources, and telling our stories through lectures, films, publications, and exhibitions. Despite all their valuable work preserving our historical landmarks and cultural landscapes, government funding to these not-for-profit organizations remains incredibly low”.

The deadline for public submissions to the MTCS is December 7, 2015, and they are looking for your ideas.

Go to https://talk.ontario.ca/culture/?_ga=1.252357641.1845137880.1418760706 for more information.

And to see the places where the meetings are to be held, go to https://www.ontario.ca/page/ontarios-culture-strategy?_ga=1.214450967.1845137880.1418760706

===========================================================================

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

If you missed last week’s edition, it is 

at http://genealogycanada.blogspot.com/2015/10/canadian-week-in-review-cwr-26-october.html

 

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

 

It has been published on a continuous basis every Monday since April 2012!

Do you know that Halloween has Celtic origins?

In pre-Christian times, many people believed that spirits from the underworld and ghosts of dead people could visit the world of the living on the night of October 31.

To avoid beimng taken back to the underworld by the spirits, people started dressing up as ghosts and spirits if they left their homes on October 31. They hoped that this would confuse the ghosts and spirits, and they wouldn't be touched.

Now, I am not so sure when that get confused with the children knocking on doors and asking for treats, and if not received, then there would be treat visited upon the house, but the Halloween traditions were brought to Canada by Irish and Scottish immigrants.

Happy Researching!!

===========================================================================

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

If you missed last week’s edition, it is 

at http://genealogycanada.blogspot.com/2015/10/canadian-week-in-review-cwr-26-october.html

 

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

 

It has been published on a continuous basis every Monday since April 2012!