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 1855, a suspension bridge was opened across the Niagara Rive r at Niagara Falls, Ont.
For more information, go to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Niagara_Falls_Suspension_Bridge
In 1867, the British parliament passed the British North America Act. The act received royal assent on March 29 and Queen Victoria set July 1 as the date for Confederation. On this date 115 years later, in 1982, the British Commons passed the Canada Bill for patriation of the Constitution.
For more information, go to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_North_America_Acts
In 1939, Sir Henry Pellatt, the millionaire who built Casa Loma in Toronto, died. Pellatt had the castle built between 1911-14 at a cost of $2 million. Based on European designs, it had about 50 rooms. Pellatt suffered financial losses in the 1930s and lost Casa Loma, which is now a tourist attraction.
For more information, go to http://www.ontario-travel-secrets.com/casa-loma-toronto.html
Articles
Newfoundland
Newfoundland’s early Welsh settlers seldom recognized
http://www.thetelegram.com/News/Local/2015-03-13/article-4074872/Newfoundlands-early-Welsh-settlers-seldom-recognized/1
The history books are wrong when it comes to the early days of Newfoundland — the Welsh had a much larger presence here in the 1600s than most people realize.
Nova Scotia
Poster removed from Nova Scotia high school over slavery depiction of black man in chains
http://metronews.ca/news/halifax/1307213/poster-removed-from-nova-scotia-high-school-over-slavery-depiction-of-black-man-in-chains/
The Tri-County Regional School has removed a contest-winning student poster that depicted a black slave in chains from the halls of Shelburne Regional High School.
ED COLEMAN HISTORY: Cornwallis River - why not change the name?
http://www.kingscountynews.ca/Opinion/Columnists/2015-03-09/article-4070241/ED-COLEMAN-HISTORY%3A-Cornwallis-River---why-not-change-the-name%3F/1
Just over a decade ago - on Sept. 24, 2004 to be exact – I wrote about the various names the Cornwallis River has been known by, suggesting that historically, the Mi’kmaq Chijekwtook or the Acadian Riviere St. Antoine (and also Riviere des Habitants) might be more appropriate.
Quebec
Marie-Louise Sirois-Cloutier, the strongest woman in the world?
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/montreal/marie-louise-sirois-cloutier-the-strongest-woman-in-the-world-1.2986318
Quebec strongwoman, born in 1867, could lift more than a tonne on her back
Ontario
Lake Ontario: The Hwy. 401 of the past
http://www.durhamregion.com/news-story/5467799-lake-ontario-the-hwy-401-of-the-past/
The lakes used to be bustling with shipping, activities in the early days.
A brief history of the women's movement in Toronto
http://www.blogto.com/city/2015/03/a_brief_history_of_the_womens_movement_in_toronto/
Toronto has a long history of feminism and activism going back over a hundred years, and in celebration of International Women's Day, here is a look back at how this city was central to the women's movement in Canada, and how early feminists worked to improve the lives of Torontonians.
Prime ministers removed from library
http://www.saultstar.com/2015/03/08/prime-ministers-removed-from-library
Black and white portraits of the country's leaders, including Lester B. Pearson, was displayed for more than 40 years, were taken down from a lower-level wall in August because of concerns about their poor condition
Niagara-on-the-Lake library rich in local history
http://www.niagarathisweek.com/news-story/5462124-niagara-on-the-lake-library-rich-in-local-history/
In addition to what’s available on site, the library also has an extensive digitized collection of artifacts, available for perusal on the library’s online heritage portal, http://vitacollections.ca/notlheritage/search.
Kellogg’s final Canadian cereal box discovered in Timmins
http://metronews.ca/news/canada/1306187/kellogs-final-canadian-cereal-box-discovered-in-timmins/
Read about what Stephane Gaudette did with the last cereal packed at the Kellogg’s plant on London, Ontario.
Historicist: Scarborough’s Bombshell Beauties
http://torontoist.com/2015/03/historicist-scarboroughs-bombshell-bomb-girls/
Thousands of women work in Scarborough's munitions plant during World War II.
Manitoba
Manitoba Museum gets $5.3M for expansion project
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/manitoba-museum-gets-5-3m-for-expansion-project-1.2981582
The Manitoba Museum is getting a multi-million-dollar expansion to the space it uses for touring exhibits, nearly doubling the size of Alloway Hall.
The space for the gallery will increase to 9,700 square feet, giving the museum greater capacity to bring large world-class touring exhibitions to the province.
Saskatchewan
History Corner - Hudson’s Bay stores in Canada
http://www.yorktonthisweek.com/news/local-news/history-corner-hudson-s-bay-stores-in-canada-1.1790699
The cover of “The Beaver” magazine of August 1922 shows eleven department stores of the Hudson’s Bay Company in Western Canada. These structures — all elaborate are located in Victoria, Vancouver, Vernon, Kamloops, Nelson, Calgary, Edmonton, Lethbridge, Winnipeg, Saskatoon and Yorkton.
Landmark feed mill to come down: Parrish and Heimbecker plans demolition
http://www.thestarphoenix.com/Landmark+feed+mill+come+down/10866512/story.html
The vacant elevator and feed mill near Riversdale - a Saskatoon landmark for 105 years - will be torn down "as soon as possible," its owner says.
Group prepares offer to save Saskatoon's historic Lydia's building
http://ckom.com/story/group-prepares-offer-save-saskatoons-historic-lydias-building/540525
Hundreds of people have signed an online petition asking two Saskatoon chiropractors to save the Lydia's building on Broadway Avenue, but a group of business owners is ready to put their money where their mouth is in order to prevent the historic building from being demolished.
British Columbia
Our History: Empress a witness to disaster
http://www.timescolonist.com/our-history-empress-a-witness-to-disaster-1.1785800#sthash.t0HT4EVb.dpuf
In this excerpt from her 2012 book, Finding Japan,Anne Park Shannon
scenes from the Great Japan Earthquake of 1923 are described through eyewitness accounts of Canadian businesspeople stationed in Yokohama and Tokyo at the time - See more at: ???????????
Check out Revelstoke’s impressive new Land of Thundering Snow historical website
http://revelstokemountaineer.com/check-out-revelstokes-impressive-new-land-of-thundering-snow-historical-website-2808
Revelstoke residents were the driving force behind a new national virtual museum exhibit unveiled here on Mar. 4 that explores the history of avalanches, avalanche science and avalanche safety
Protecting the pass: Military fires shells into mountains to limit avalanches
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/british-columbia/protecting-the-pass-military-fires-shells-into-mountains-to-limit-avalanches/article23368022/
Every year since 1961, from November to April, the artillery task force is deployed in the pass with 105-mm howitzers modified for precision firing from roadside gun platforms.
The shells are fired into rock formations to reduce natural avalanches.
Prince George, B.C., history you probably didn't know
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/prince-george-b-c-history-you-probably-didn-t-know-1.2983933
The city that invented the beer can once had the most millionaires per capita in the country.
News Stories of the Week
Are genealogists less than generous?
I read a lot of blogs every day, and one of my favourite blogs written by Jill Ball of Australia and it is called GeniAus at http://geniaus.blogspot.com/.
Jill claims in her blog entitled Going out on a limb (Sunday, March 8, 2015) says, and I quote her here ‘One aspect of sharing in the genealogical community that I found disappointing at the recent FGS/Rootstech conferences was the unwillingness of some presenters to allow attendees to take photos of their slides’.
This statement made me stop and think.
If I have paid my money, and I am there to learn, and the person who is giving the lecture is there to teach me, then I see nothing wrong with it. That is why I take notes, isn’t it – either manually or electronically.
I am not there to ‘copy’ the presentation, but to learn from it, and if take pertinent information to supplement the handouts, or to jot does a quick note on something that has interested me – not to copy the whole presentation, or to take pictures of every screen.
I agree with Jill. You should tell the person you would like to take a picture of certain slides, but it is for your personal use, not for publication, and I think the presenter will approve of it.
She ends her blog by saying ‘We should be discussing the issue of how we use the notes we take at the events we attend not the means we use to collect those notes’.
So what do you think? Is this going outside of copyright laws?
That was the Canadian genealogy, history and heritage news in Canada this past week!
Check the Canadian Week in Review 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/2015/03/canadian-news-in-review-09-march-2015.html
It’s the ONLY news blog of its kind in Canada!
It has been a regular post every Monday morning since April 23, 2012
Need help in finding your Canadian ancestors?
Susan I. of Toronto, Ontario says –
"With her wonderful suggestions, including provincial and local archival holdings, books, and local church records, I was delighted to uncover a marriage certificate naming my paternal great, great grandparents and their original county in Ireland.If you do, go to Elizabeth Lapointe Research Services and see how I can help you find that elusive Canadian ancestor.
Elizabeth also mentored me regarding further educational opportunities. I was delighted with her services."
The next Canadian Week in Review will be posted 23 March 2015.
