IRISH COMMUNITY SUMMER PARTY

The Federation of Irish Societies invites you to a Cross Community Get Together and the Special Guest will be Dr. Ray Bassett, Ambassador of Ireland to Canada

Bring your friends and meet new ones. There will be traditional Irish music and it will be provided by SIAMSA. Happy hour prices and complimentary finger food.

It will take place on Tuesday, June 25 at 5:30 p.m. at the The Irish Embassy Pub & Grill, 1234 Bishop Street, Montreal (on the back patio).

The website of the United Irish Societies of Montreal is www.montrealirishparade.com/gallery/index.php

Their Facebook page is www.facebook.com/pages/United-Irish-Societies-of-Montreal/102884813130606

Ancestry.ca - Life Before Canada

Ancestry.ca has just released Life Before Canada, in which their “collection of Canadian Pre–Confederation Records can help paint a picture of life in the years leading to the birth of our nation. Remarkable in their detail, you may even find out what your ancestor looked like! Learn about officers and soldiers in the British Army and Navy, early emigrants from Ireland, Scotland and England, Rideau Canal workers in the first years of Bytown (Ottawa) and prisoners of the War of 1812”.

Get to know the history of Canada through Canadian Pre–Confederation Records and discover even more about the country you call “home”.

Go to www.ancestry.ca/150years?o_xid=55887&o_lid=55887&o_sch=Email

to start searching.

Contest - Your Canadian Brick Walls

To celebrate Canada Day on July 1^st — the 146^th anniversary of Canada as a country — I am running a contest to do a free research consultation for each of the winners.

All you have to do it to submit one of your Canadian brick wall questions to me at genealogyresearch@aol.com

I will choose four lucky winners to help breakdown that brick wall. It must concern your Canadian genealogy, from anywhere in Canada, and at any time, and, of course, contain a Canadian ancestor.

Please note that having an ancestor land and/or pass through Canada also counts, as my research speciality is inter-migration between Canada and the United States, and also immigration to Canada from “across the Pond”.

For more information on my research business, please visit www.elrs.biz  

So, why am I picking four winners?

Well, because you must first answer this skill-testing question – name the four provinces that made up the country of Canada on July 1^st, 1867, the date of Canada’s Confederation.

So send me your Canadian brick walls now, and on July 1^st, I’ll choose four of them to work on.

Good luck!

Elizabeth

Update on the 1921 Canadian Census

It is being reported that the Canadian House Of Commons has adjourned for the summer as of this morning.

http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2013/06/18/house-of-commons-adjourns_n_3462799.html?ref=topbar

Also, word has been received that Heritage Minister James Moore has gone on leave until June 24th.

Do not despair, and keep writing those letters and making those phone calls to Minister Moore over the summer, to see if we can get this census released as soon as possible.

His contact information is available here - http://genealogycanada.blogspot.com/2013/06/breaking-news-1921-census-of-canada.html

Meanwhile, I would like to thank all my readers who have written, called, and sent emails to his office so far. The response has been outstanding.

And my thanks, as well, to all those who have shared, or will share, this valuable information.

Please keep posted for further updates as I receive them.

Summer schedule at QFHS

Susan writes to tell us about the summer hours at the QFHS -

The Quebec Family History Society in Montreal is gradually assuming our summer

schedule, please note the following open and closure dates.

The library and office will now be closed on Sundays until after Labour Day - Sept 2nd.

The library and office will be closed Monday, June 24 for the St. Jean Baptist holiday, and Monday, July 1 for Canada Day holiday.

Our complete summer schedule will start Tuesday, June 25,(with the exception of the above mentioned holidays) the Quebec Family History Society will be open weekdays, Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday from 10:00 am to 3:00 p.m.

For full details of our fall schedule of events please refer to our Fall issue of our journal, Connections, or refer to the Events page at QFHS website.

Have a safe and happy summer.

The website is at www.qfhs.ca

Breaking News - 1921 Census of Canada

A reliable source from the LAC has just phoned me to ask that I inform my readers, genealogists, and others interested in their Canadian families, that the 1921 Canadian Census has already been digitized, and has been ready for release since last Wednesday, 12 June, but it is being held back by the federal government before it is released.

So if you want the census released NOW, it has been suggested that you write the Heritage Minister, The Honourable James Moore, and ask that the 1921 Canadian Census be released now.

Minister Moore’s mailing address is: The Hon. James Moore, Minister of Canadian Heritage & Official Languages, House of Commons, Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0A6.

His telephone number is 613-992-9650, and his fax number is 613-992-9868.

He can also be reached online at www.pch.gc.ca/pc-ch/minstr/moore/cntct/index-eng.cfm, or by direct email at james.moore@parl.gc.ca

Remember, there is no postage required for sending snail-mail to Members of Parliament in Canada from within Canada.

Canadian Week in Review for 17 June 2013

17 June 2013

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

Websites

There has been an update forwarded to me by Glenn Wright about last week’s story re the archival facility at Conrad Grebel University College. The Waterloo Region Record is reporting that the federal government has announced that they are providing “the college with $150,000 through the Canada Cultural Spaces Fund. The funding will support new specialized equipment used in preserving and exhibiting archival materials. The Mennonite Archives collects, preserves and exhibits historical records about the lives and experiences of Mennonites”.

Thank you, Glenn.

The story is in the Waterloo Region Record and is entitled Mennonite Archives receives $150,000 funding; Federal investment for new equipment and is at www.therecord.com/news-story/3832396-mennonite-archives-receives-150-000-in-federal-funding

Blogs

One Gnarled Tree http://siemsgenealogy.blogspot.com This is a new blog where the blogger is researching family members in Ontario through the Random Person of the Day.

Trials and Travails of My Forebears  www.andrewdaft.com This is also a new blog, and the blogger is trying to connect his family from Pacific Northwest back to Canada, and back to Germany.

Facebook- YouTube – Video

Eva Brook Donly Museum & Archives www.facebook.com/evabrookdonly Lynn Palermo

sent me a notice about this Facebook page, and if you are from this area, or have ancestors who were from this area, this is a very informative page. Thank you, Lynn.

The Ireland Special Interest Group  www.facebook.com/groups/535155983215111 John Noble writes that “This group provides another means for those interested in Irish Research to share their stories and challenges, and at the same time seek out those who may have the same interests as they do”.

Newspapers

Cemetery discovery brings history to life

www.ottawacitizen.com/news/ottawa/Cemetery+discovery+brings+history+life/8501835/story.html

A Pembroke, Ontario man uncovered the graves of three brothers, all veterans of the War of 1812.

Underwear exhibit stripped from the schedule of Canadian Museum of Civilization

www.vancouversun.com/travel/Underwear+exhibit+stripped+from+schedule+Canadian+Museum/8523198/story.html "Undressed," the title of an exhibition which goes through the 350 years in the history of underwear, has been taken off of the museum's schedule as it shifts its focus to Canadian history.

Manitoba Museum to begin sharing artifacts www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/story/2013/06/14/mb-manitoba-museum-sharing-artifacts.html

The Manitoba Museum and the museum in Hull, Quebec, signed a partnership agreement in Winnipeg. There is an expectation that there will be hundreds of similar agreements signed with museums across Canada.

Story of the Week

Celebrate Canada

Celebrate Canada is a ten day celebration that takes place from June 21 to July 1.

There are a number of holidays which takes place within this 10 day period, and they are -

National  Aboriginal Day on June 21

Celebrated on the date of the summer solstice, the longest day of the year, it is the National Aboriginal Day.

Saint-Jean-Baptiste Day on June 24

This is a French-Canadian holiday, where they express their cultural pride and rich heritage through colourful parades and lively parties.

Canadian Multiculturalism Day on June 27

Canadian Multiculturalism Day is a day on which Canadians celebrate our diversity and our commitment to democracy, equality, and mutual respect.

Canada Day

On October 27, 1982, through an act of Parliament, July 1st—which was known as "Dominion Day"—would now become known as "Canada Day".

Every year, we celebrate Canada Day, and for us in Ottawa, that usually means that we go to Parliament Hill to enjoy a day of music (and speeches), and we usually stay for the fireworks at night. It’s a fun day!

The next Canadian Week in Review will be issued Monday June 24, 2013.