Tuesday, July 19, 2016

Canadian Week in Review 18 July 2016



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

This Week in Canadian History

Wilfrid Laurier

1896 – Wilfrid Laurier was sworn in as Canada’s seventh Prime Minister, succeeding Charles Tupper.  He died in 1919 in Ottawa.  He entered the House of Commons on 26 March 1874, and became the had of the Liberal party in 1887. 



Lord’s Day Act 

1906 – Senate passes the Lord’s Day Act, restricting trade, labour and recreation on Sundays; struck down by Supreme Court of Canada in 1985, Coincidentally, it was Wilfrid Laurier who introduced the Lord’s Day Act in 1906 to the House of Commons.   




Social Media 

(Photos) Still hope for mill 


Stanley MacDonald, who purchased the mill from its last miller, Warren Leard, and donated it to the museum, said it is still his wish to save the building. He admitted, though, the board has been unsuccessful convincing funding partners to jump onboard. 

(Photos) Bringing history to life at Upper Canada Village 


If you had a chance to stop by Upper Canada Village over the weekend, you may have thought you stepped into another world. 

Villagers dressed in traditional 1800s garb and soldiers in British and American uniforms had set up camp in tiny white tents, along with a stable of horses and a military surgeon, for the re-enactment of a battle that some say saved Canada during the War of 1812 -- the Battle of Crysler's Farm. 

(Photos) This Week in Hants History 


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

(Photos) McNabs Island's crumbling historic houses deserve to be saved, guide says 


A private shuttle operator in Eastern Passage, N.S., is calling on the province to repair three historic houses which sit within the boundaries of McNabs Island Provincial Park before they are completely ruined and devoid of historic value. 

‘Postcards From the Train’ debuts at Corner Brook's historic train site Tuesday 


Set at the Railway Society of Newfoundland Historic Train Site on Riverside Drive, the play, which opens Tuesday, will weave through the site as the audience hops on and off the two trains at the site. 

Newspaper Articles 

Newfoundland 

Behind barbed wire

Some cut 12 tons of stone a day at quarries, while others toiled from 4 a.m. until 11 p.m. on farms. 

One soldier describes being locked in a dark room with a window covered in bricks and a barrel by the door to use as a latrine. 

Prince Edward Island 

P.E.I. National Park getting $23M in upgrades 


The federal government announced $23-million in upgrades for P.E.I. National Park Thursday. The improvement include seven different projects 

Beaches rehabilitation: $4.3 million. 

Rehabilitation of park entrances: $5.3 million. 

Trails rehabilitation: $2 million. 

Water and wastewater system improvements: $1.6 million. 

Green Gables rehabilitation: $9.5 million.  

Operational and directional signage: $427,000. 

Ardgowan landscape conservation maintenance: $304,000. 

Charlottetown aims to have Victoria Park bandstand ready for 2017 


Charlottetown wants to start construction on a new bandstand in Victoria Park this fall, so it will be ready for celebrations of Canada's 150th birthday next year. 

Nova Scotia 

Sydney neighbourhood boundaries, history captured in new map

A Cape Breton-centric website has posted a map that attempts to get a handle on the various historic, if unofficial, neighbourhoods in Sydney, N.S. 

Canada’s one and only ‘Black Battalion’ celebrated in parade 


The premier of Nova Scotia and high-ranking military officials gathered in Pictou, N.S. to mark the 100th anniversary of the first and only segregated black military unit in the Canadian history. 

Reminiscing on the Past and Preserving History 


A new project by the Heritage Foundation of Newfoundland and Labrador will help preserve provincial history by recording stories from seniors across the island. 

Ontario 

Historicist: Wicket Little Town 


Due to the limited source material available, it is unclear when the game (cricket) was first played in York. 

Historic PoW site in Ontario to get new lease on life 


The derelict buildings of historic Camp 30, believed to be Canada’s only remaining prisoner of war camp from the Second World War, which were once feared unsalvageable, have emerged victorious against the test of time. 

Manitoba 

Capturing the spirit of early Winnipeg 


The Spirit of Red River exhibit holds photographs, documents, postcards, letters and maps that tell the story of the people and places who contributed to the fabric of the community in the early 1880s. 

Alberta 

Documenting Alberta's quilts 


Become a part of Alberta's quilt history by bringing in your pre-1970s quilts for documentation at the Grande Prairie Museum this weekend. 

The Western Canadian History Program at the Royal Alberta Museum has been working on a research initiative to document the material culture of craft production within Alberta. 

Special day celebrates unique history 


Trick shooting and storytelling are among the day’s events as a Foothills national historic site celebrates its existence this weekend. 

The Bar U Ranch National Historic Site is joining the Canada-wide Parks Day on July 16 to showcase what makes the park unique. 

The ranch, established in 1882, was among a small group of large corporate ranches that operated during the early pioneer days in western Canada. 

British Columbia 

Plaque pays honour to internees

http://www.vernonmorningstar.com/community/386473051.html?mobile=true

Motorists travelling along a section of Highway 6 will be reminded of a dark chapter in Canadian history.

The Father Pandosy Mission Society received funding under the 2013-18 Canada-British Columbia Official Language Agreement on French Language Services. This money will be used to translate promotional material for the Father Pandosy mission heritage site. 

The North 

Postcards from the Canadian North

https://www.newsdeeply.com/arctic 

In June, a group of ambassadors and high commissioners packed their bags and flew north for a nine-day tour of northern Canada. They came from all over the globe – the U.S., the E.U., Africa and Asia – to learn more about the Canadian Arctic, its environment, peoples and cultures. 

Canadian Stories this Week 

Arcadian Tour 2016 

Have you seen the picture that Lucie LeBlanc Consentino from Massachusetts has been putting on her Facebook page about the Arcadian Tour 2016? They are terrific! 

The picture are of New Brunswick and Nova Scotia, and for the past week, she has been leading a bus tour of the different Acadia communities. 

Her Facebook page is https://www.facebook.com/luciemc?pnref=lhc.unseen, and her wensitem the Acadian & French-Canadian Ancestral Home is at http://www.acadian-home.org/frames.html 

Quinte Branch (Ontario Genealogical Society) 

Did you know that the Quinte Branch has a new and unproved Names Index Database and the new Quinte Branch Surname Interest List (SIL), both of them downlaodable lists? 

The older Names Index Database now has 1.35 Million Names, I have had the occasion to use the first database, and have found it very useful for clues in my research. Do not use them as records, but only as clues. 

The website for this database is https://snap360.ca/quinteogs/ 

They sat that “The SIL is comprised of family surnames of interest to our members, past members and library contacts (AKA the providers), based on their research focus in Hastings, Prince Edward, and neighboring Counties.” 

You can look forward it to be updated twice a year - June and December. 



Digitizing of First World War files

The Library and Archives Canada keeps “rolling on” , as it were, with the digitizing project, Soldiers of the first World War: 1914 - 1918 because of July the 15th they have 307,588 of 640,000 files are now available online. 

The latest box which has been digitized is Box 5218 and Knaggs. 

I used a file just this past week, and found the digitizing progress very good. The file is right there, it is free (because it is housed at the Library and Archives Canada), and easy to use. 


And that was the week in Canadian news!

This e-newspaper has been published since April 2012! 

Be sure to tell your friends about us. 

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

Publishers Elizabeth and Mario Lapointe 

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

(c) 2016 All rights reserved.
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Monday, July 11, 2016

Canadian Week in Review 11 July 2016


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

This Week in Canadian History 

Daredevils of Niagara Falls 

In 1930, George Stathakis died when he plummeted over Niagara Falls in a barrel. The turtle he took with him, survived. He wasn't the first person to go over the falls, but he had plans for the money that he would make. He was going to write a book about the secret of life, but it was not to be. 

To read more about George Stathakis, go to http://imaxniagara.com/daredevils-of-niagara-george-l-stathakis/ 

Canadian Wheat Board 

In 1935, the Canadian Wheat Board was established. It marketed all Prairie wheat and barley, and in 1943, the sale of wheat through the board became compulsory. Other grains were later added. The board negotiated sales and then paid farmers based on a system of pooling of prices. In 2012, the government stripped the board of its authority of selling Western wheat and barley sales.

To read more about the Wheat Board, go to https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canadian_Wheat_Board 

Social Media 

(Video) Interview with Iceland's new Canadian First Lady 


Canadian born Eliza Reid is to become Iceland's sixth First Lady in August when her husband, historian Guðni Th. Jóhannesson, is inaugurated as President of Iceland. Iceland Monitor met with Reid at their Reykjavik home to discuss the presidential race, her upbringing in Canada, and bringing four young children to the presidential residence at Bessastaðir. 

Jill Ball, the Australian genealogist, has a Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/geniaus?fref=pb&hc_location=friends_tab&pnref=friends.mutual, and last week, she visited Iceland. Take a minute and look at the many pictures that Jill took. Doesn't Iceland look something like Newfoundland? 

(Video) First World War travelling exhibit a hit in Gander 


A First World War exhibit from Ontario is travelling through Atlantic Canada this summer, and the reviews from families at a stop in central Newfoundland are good. 

(Video) This year's Calgary Stampede parade a colourful display of history and heritage 


With a startling bang of fireworks and a blaring of brass horns, Calgary’s annual summer whoop-up began to wind its way through the heart of the city. 

Newspaper Articles 

Newfoundland and Labrador 

Have a voice in the Collective Memories Project 


The Collective Memories Project aims to have as much as possible spoken aloud, recorded and added to the digital archives at Memorial University of Newfoundland. 

Prince Edward Island 

12 P.E.I. finalists in history video contest 


Vote early, vote often, vote here. Twelve Island students have posted 12 short videos at http://www.canadashistory.ca/Kids/YoungCitizens/Find-a-Young-Citizen.aspx? province=Prince%20Edward%20Island&fairid=&year=2016&name=youngcitizens.ca and they need your vote now. 

Bailey, from Alberton, explores her Mi'kmaq heritage. Karrie Lee, from O'Leary, rocks the legacy of Canadian bluesman Jeff Healey. Basel, from Charlottetown, shares his journey from Syria to Canada. 

Montague's Garden of the Gulf museum re-opens 


The opening is a month later than usual, and the museum will be operating with fewer staff. 

The museum lost a long-time staff person last year, and the board said it took longer than expected to replace them with a new development coordinator. 

6th-annual Adäka Cultural Festival kicks off in Whitehorse 


Half an hour before the the Adäka jigging contest was scheduled to start on Saturday afternoon, the best seats were already filled up. 

Reenactment group sets up camp in Summerside

http://www.journalpioneer.com/News/Local/2016-07-07/article-4581370/Reenactment-group-sets-up-camp-in-Summerside/1

The reenactment regiment was founded in the early 1980s by a group of Nova Scotians who were black powder weapon aficionados. They evolved into what they are today after some of the members took a liking to the pageantry of dressing up in period costumes and discovered that they could make history come alive not only for themselves but for the people around them.

Nova Scotia 

Peggy's Cove recreated at Thai resort 

https://www.theweathernetwork.com/news/articles/peggys-cove-recreated-at-thai-resort/69866/

A resort in Thailand has fashioned itself after the iconic Nova Scotia destination, complete with colourful homes and Martime-inspired food.

The resort, located on Chanthaburi Kung Wiman Beach about 225 km east of Bangkok, offers 38 rooms. Each are designed to look like small fishing houses connected by wharves.

 Room names have Nova Scotia-friendly names like "sea bass" and "trout".

Dartmouth poet remembers No. 2 Construction Battalion with unique quilt 

http://thechronicleherald.ca/artslife/1377588-dartmouth-poet-remembers-no.-2-construction-battalion-with-unique-quilt

Canadian Forces veteran and beloved poet George Borden is now the proud owner of a quilt that commemorates a piece of African Nova Scotian history.

This year, the black community in Nova Scotia is celebrating the 100th anniversary of the No. 2 Construction Battalion, the only all-black battalion in Canadian military history.

History of Whitney Pier celebrated in new mural 

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-scotia/whitney-pier-mural-history-1.3665634

Another mural is being created in the Sydney, N.S., neighbourhood of Whitney Pier.

A mural painted last year celebrates the former Sydney steel plant and those who worked there.

Both murals are a project of the Friends of Neville Park Society, a volunteer non-profit group that showcases events of special interest to people in Whitney Pier and area.

A place in Canadian history: Mi’kmaq canoe built in Keji headed for national museum in Ottawa 

http://www.digbycourier.ca/News/Local/2016-07-07/article-4581194/A-place-in-Canadian-history%3A-Mi%26rsquo%3Bkmaq-canoe-built-in-Keji-headed-for-national-museum-in-Ottawa/1

A birch bark canoe from southwest Nova Scotia is headed for Ottawa and permanent display in the Canadian Museum of History.

New Brunswick 

Local student moves on to national competition with heritage project 

http://www.sackvilletribunepost.com/news/2016/6/30/local-student-moves-on-to-national-competition-with-heritage-pro.html

During the regional heritage fair held this spring in Hillsborough, one of the students at Dorchester Consolidated School was recognized for her great project and her ability to explain her topic

Quebec

Concordia prof looking to find 'lost' stories about Canada's past 

http://montrealgazette.com/news/local-news/concordia-prof-looking-to-find-lost-stories-about-canadas-past

Maybe it’s a quirky snippet you’ve stored in the back of your mind, but if you have a little-known story about Canada’s past you’d like to share, Concordia University history professor Ronald Rudin wants to hear from you.

Ontario 

A Canadian kept blood flowing in WWI. An American got credit

https://www.thestar.com/news/insight/2016/07/09/a-canadian-kept-blood-flowing-in-wwi-an-american-got-credit.html

As British soldiers fought the Battle of the Somme, a Toronto surgeon on the Western Front offered them an idea, hoping to save the wounded.

It was 100 years ago that Dr. Lawrence Bruce Robertson published “The Transfusion of Whole Blood: Suggestion for Its More Frequent Employment in War Surgery” in the British Medical Journal – and he was a Canadian!

My London: Concrete sculptures still ‘play’ well

http://www.lfpress.com/2016/07/08/my-london-cement-sculptures-still-play-well

A chance encounter with some remarkable concrete sculptures in Huron County has illuminated my imagination and memory.

The sculptures are masterpieces by the late George Laithwaite, a Goderich-area farmer. Laithwaite (1871-1956) found inspiration in Canadian history, world events, the Bible and his playful sense of the absurd. He created the folk art sculptures from about 1912 to 1952.

JOY OF GENEALOGY: 8 suggestions to get your genealogy research ready for the fall in just 15 minutes a day this summer 

http://www.insidetoronto.com/news-story/6754119-joy-of-genealogy-8-suggestions-to-get-your-genealogy-research-ready-for-the-fall-in-just-15-minutes/

Check out these 8 suggestions that will take about 15 minutes a day and get you more organized by autumn.

The history of King and Church 

http://www.torontosun.com/2016/07/02/the-history-of-king-and-church

The intersection of King and Church streets in downtown Toronto is one of our city’s most historic.

Government of Canada Announces 13 New National Historic Designations 

http://www.pc.gc.ca/eng/clmhc-hsmbc/ne.aspx

In celebration of Canada History Week (July 1-7), the Minister of Environment and Climate Change and Minister responsible for Parks Canada, Catherine McKenna, announced the designation of 13 new nationally significant persons, places and events that helped define Canada's history.

Re-enactment brings Fenian Raid to life 

http://www.thepeterboroughexaminer.com/2016/07/03/lang-re-enactment-brings-fenian-raid-to-life

A piece of Canadian history was re-enacted at Lang Pioneer Village Museum on Sunday, commemorating 150 years since the Battle of Ridgeway.

On June 1, 1866, the Fenian Brotherhood crossed the Niagara River, seizing the town of Fort Erie. The Fenians, Irish-American patriots, planned to take over the provinces.

Parks Canada designates 88 heritage lighthouses 

http://www.rcinet.ca/en/2016/07/07/parks-canada-designates-88-new-heritage-lighthouses/

The federal government added 13 lighthouses Thursday to its list of federally protected heritage lighthouses as part of it efforts to preserve a key part of Canada’s maritime history.

Alberta 

Cultural tapestry: Prayer rug weaves history of Muslims and Alberta 

http://edmontonjournal.com/news/local-news/cultural-tapestry-prayer-rug-weaves-history-of-muslims-and-alberta

A youth group that created an Alberta-inspired prayer rug to showcase Muslim heritage is hoping the passion project will lead to similar tapestries.

British Columbia 

Four Forgotten BC 'Heritage Moments' for Canada Day 

http://www.thetyee.ca/Culture/2016/07/01/Four-Forgotten-BC-Heritage-Moments/

There are certainly plenty of high-stakes moments to discuss: the Last Spike, Wolfe and Montcalm at the Plains of Abraham, the Klondike Gold Rush. But for every moment that's officially Part of Our Heritage, there are those that have been lost to the mists of history.

Vancouver Island named Canada’s best island by U.S. travel magazine 

http://vancouverisland.ctvnews.ca/vancouver-island-named-canada-s-best-island-by-u-s-travel-magazine-1.2979267

It may come as no surprise to its inhabitants, but Vancouver Island has been named Canada’s best island by a New York-based travel magazine for the second year in a row.

Travel + Leisure Magazine released its annual “World’s Best Awards” this week, providing rankings for categories like “The 15 Best Cities in the World” and “The World’s Best Tour Operators.”

North 

Muslims share colourful array of stories at end of Ramadan in Yellowknife 

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/north/muslims-ramadan-yellowknife-1.3667456

Vibrant pinks, melon greens and sparkling slate-gray hijabs — headscarves worn by some Muslim women — flooded the gymnasium at Yellowknife's William McDonald School on Wednesday

Book of historic Yukon First Nations photos back in print, 40 years later 

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/north/their-own-yukon-photo-book-reprint-1.3671443

When Jim Robb first conceived the idea for Their Own Yukon, more than four decades ago, it was a novel concept — a historic Yukon photo book not about Klondike stampeders, but about the First Nations people whose roots in the territory are far, far deeper.

Canadian Stories this Week 

Library and Archives Canada needs you! 

They are so close to completing the transcription, but you can help them to complete it.

The website reads that “The Coltman Report, 1818–Inquiry into the Offences Committed at the Battle of Seven Oaks is what is being transcribed. On June 19, 1816 the Battle of Seven Oaks broke out, a violent confrontation involving fur-trade rivals—the Hudson’s Bay Company (that employed Selkirk Settlers) and the North West Company (that employed the Métis). It resulted in the deaths of 21 Hudson’s Bay Company men and a Métis man”.

The report is 534 pages long, and there are only a few pages left to go. So how about it?

The website is at http://t8.ourdigitalworld.org/en/1/reel/1

Chinese Canadian Archive: From Chop Suey to Peking Duck and Chinese Canadian artifact inventory makes history with online database 

The British Columbia Museum has a rich treasure chest of true historical significance. British Columbia’s first-ever computerized inventory of Chinese historical records and artifacts is now complete, giving easy access to anyone interested in learning more about the rich cultural history of Chinese Canadians in British Columbia.

You can go to https://news.gov.bc.ca/releases/2016MIT0014-001222

And 

The Toronto Reference Library has gathered together the Chinese-Canadian archives in their library and you can see an explanation of them at http://torontopubliclibrary.typepad.com/local-history-genealogy/2016/07/chinese-canadian-archive-from-chop-suey-to-peking-duck.html

They have divided them up into different parts, and have included the history of the first Chinese man in Toronto - Sam Ching in 1878 to asking people of the Toronto’s Chinese community. If you wish, if you are a member of Toronto Chinese community, you should consider the Toronto Reference Library to be the place to permanently maintain and preserve their precious family records.

Lancashire Diaries 1772-1910 Launched 

The British Isles Family History Society of Greater Ottawa has put the Lancashire Diaries 1772-1910 on their website at http://bifhsgo.ca/cpage.php?pt=319

Although I don't have any ancestor from Lancashire, I read through the information on the website,

Also, their conference will be held September 9 – 11 this year, and I plan to go to the sessions on Saturday, to get the latest news about DNA.

The conference news is at http://bifhsgo.ca/aem.php?eid=5

And that was the week in Canadian news!

This e-newspaper has been published since April 2012!

Be sure to tell your friends about us.

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

Publishers Elizabeth and Mario Lapointe

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


(c) 2016 All rights reserved.
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Tuesday, July 5, 2016

Canadian Week in Review 04 July 2016


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

This Week in Canadian History 

Queen's Plate 

In 1860, the inaugural Queen's Plate was run near Toronto, and was won by "Don Juan." 

The Queen's Plate is the oldest uninterrupted stakes race in North America, having been stated by Sir Casimir Gzowski and Thomas Patteson who, on April 1, 1859, from the Toronto Turf Club, petitioned Queen Victoria to grant a Plate for a race in Ontario … and the Queen's Plate was born! 


Social Media 

(Video) N.L. library closures suspended until review completed 


Newfoundland and Labrador's education minister says he has requested a suspension of the decision to restructure the public library system. 

(Photos) Pictou Academy: Iconic institute remembered for historic presence in Nova Scotia 


One hundred years ago, Pictou Academy was the Crown jewel in the Scottish tradition of Nova Scotia education. 

From Aug. 27-29, 1916, the Town of Pictou rolled out the red carpet for a grand commemoration in honour of the Academy, one of the province’s leading and most influential school institutions 

(Video) Liam, Olivia remain top choices for Alberta baby names as boom continues 


Alberta’s classrooms will be filled with girls named Olivia and boys named Liam if current trends continue  

(Video) Secrets in the attic? Searching for the gallows from Halifax's hanging past 


Wednesday marks the 40th anniversary of the House of Commons vote to abolish the death penalty in Canada. 

The final execution in Halifax took place in 1935. Daniel Sampson was arrested and charged with the murder of two young brothers who had been beaten to death near what's now the Armdale Rotary. 

Newspaper Articles

Newfoundland and Labrador

A poignant return to Beaumont-Hamel 


July 1, 2016 marks the 100th anniversary of The Battle of Beaumont-Hamel. Coinciding with Canada’s national birthday, July 1 represents one of the bleakest days in Newfoundland and Labrador’s history. 

Nova Scotia 

Seawall Trail project in Cape Breton gains support 


The people behind the concept of developing a 50- to 100-kilometre trail in northern Cape Breton have taken a big step towards realizing that goal. 

The Seawall Trail Society was formed in 2014 to explore the idea of creating a wilderness path that would connect Pleasant Bay with Meat Cove. 

History: June 27, 1854-The Canadian inventor who saved the whales 


Some 160 years ago, whales were being actively slaughtered by the thousands in the quest for things like their baleen, used in women’s garments, and for things like fishing rods, umbrella stays, buggy whips, etc. but especially sought after was their “oil”. Around 1850, there were over 700 whaling ships in the US alone. 

100th anniversary of No.2 Construction Battalion 


Why are we commemorating the 100th Anniversary of the No.2 Construction Battalion (Bn)? What is this Bn? For I have never heard of it. Well, let me tell you why, as well as provide some context as to why we are all commemorating and celebrating this unique Unit that is a part of our rich Canadian military history. 

Grande-Anse re-opens museum with new cultural theme 


A museum in Grande-Anse has reopened with a new name and a new theme a year after its transition began. 

The Founding Cultures Museum has replaced the former Popes' Museum that was closed in 2015 after 30 years of operation 

Prince Edward Island 

Canada Day in Ireland: County Monaghan celebrates ties to P.E.I. 


We all know Islanders are big on their St. Patrick's Day celebrations — and now a county in Ireland is drawing on shared connections with P.E.I. and preparing to celebrate Canada Day. 

Ontario  

12,000-Year-Old Campsite and Hundreds of Artifacts Unearthed in Canada 


First Nations archaeologists in New Brunswick, Canada, are unearthing hundreds of artifacts and exposing a campsite where their distant ancestors lived about 12,000 years ago. It is one of the earliest sites in eastern North America, occupied not long after the glaciers started to recede northward. 

Waving flags: Sudbury's Bridge of Nations gets new additions 


Seven new flags will be raised along Sudbury's Bridge of Nations today, representing the heritage of people in the Nickel City from Barbados, Burundi, Egypt, Indonesia, Tunisia and Nepal and Palestine. 

Manitoba 

New park commemorates St. Norbert’s Métis history 


The legacy of one of Manitoba’s early Métis families has been recognized with a new park in St. Norbert. 

On June 16, a newly minted greenspace on the east side of Pembina Highway at Grandmont Boulevard was named Parc Charette Park after the Charette family. 

Stitching their place in history 

http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/our-communities/lance/Stitching-their-place-in-history-384551551.html

A number of Winnipeggers have played their part in the creation of a historic tapestry. 

The Scottish Diaspora Tapestry is currently on tour from Scotland and will be on display on the main floor at the legislative building daily until July 3 from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Admission is free. 

British Columbia 

Evidence Found Supporting the Oral History of Indigenous Tribe 
An archaeological dig, which was started after workers on a construction project at Kamloops Lake in British Columbia, Canada, uncovered evidence of an indigenous settlement; has unearthed evidence supporting the Skeetchestn Indian band’s oral history regarding a pre-contact settlement that was located on the lake hundreds of years ago. 

North 

Order of the N.W.T. welcomes 4 new members 


The Order of the Northwest Territories welcomed its four newest members Thursday in Yellowknife, as Nellie Cournoyea, Jan Stirling, Anthony Whitford and Marie Wilson received the territory's highest honour. 

Eskasoni celebrates 25th powwow that 'revived who we are' 


This weekend is not only celebrating Canada Day but it's also an extremely important holiday in the Eskasoni First Nation. 

The community will be celebrating its 25th annual powwow, the largest in Atlantic Canada. This anniversary year will honour the powwow's founding elders, like Georgina Doucette. 

Canadian Stories this Week 

Archives of Ontario 

The Archives of Ontario (AO) had two new events to mark July – they have started a Facebook page and have a new online exhibit called the Meet the Browns: A Confederation Family. 


The Facebook page is at https://www.facebook.com/ArchivesOntario/, and so far, so good. They are putting on good and interesting stories and photos about Ontario, and hopefully, they will continue. 


Anniversary Celebration

This is a shortened Canadian Week in Review because my husband and myself had an anniversary weekend in the city of Ottawa, and no time was left for the Canadian Week in Review. 

Through the thunderstorm and downpours of rain, we stuck through Canada Day on July 1st but then spent a beautiful Saturday in the Byward Market meeting different people, and enjoying the music that was everywhere. 

I thank Mario for a really cool weekend, and now we look towards Canada's birthday next year, when we will also celebrate our 30th anniversary on July 4th! It's all good! 

And that was the week in Canadian news! 

This e-newspaper has been published since April 2012! 

Be sure to tell your friends about us. 

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

Publishers Elizabeth and Mario Lapointe 

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

(c)2016 All rights reserved.
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Monday, July 4, 2016

Canadian Week in Review 04 July 2016


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

This Week in Canadian History 

Queen's Plate 

In 1860, the inaugural Queen's Plate was run near Toronto, and was won by "Don Juan." 

The Queen's Plate is the oldest uninterrupted stakes race in North America, having been stated by Sir Casimir Gzowski and Thomas Patteson who, on April 1, 1859, from the Toronto Turf Club, petitioned Queen Victoria to grant a Plate for a race in Ontario … and the Queen's Plate was born! 


Social Media 

(Video) N.L. library closures suspended until review completed 


Newfoundland and Labrador's education minister says he has requested a suspension of the decision to restructure the public library system. 

(Photos) Pictou Academy: Iconic institute remembered for historic presence in Nova Scotia 


One hundred years ago, Pictou Academy was the Crown jewel in the Scottish tradition of Nova Scotia education. 

From Aug. 27-29, 1916, the Town of Pictou rolled out the red carpet for a grand commemoration in honour of the Academy, one of the province’s leading and most influential school institutions 

(Video) Liam, Olivia remain top choices for Alberta baby names as boom continues 


Alberta’s classrooms will be filled with girls named Olivia and boys named Liam if current trends continue  

(Video) Secrets in the attic? Searching for the gallows from Halifax's hanging past 


Wednesday marks the 40th anniversary of the House of Commons vote to abolish the death penalty in Canada. 

The final execution in Halifax took place in 1935. Daniel Sampson was arrested and charged with the murder of two young brothers who had been beaten to death near what's now the Armdale Rotary. 

Newspaper Articles

Newfoundland and Labrador

A poignant return to Beaumont-Hamel 


July 1, 2016 marks the 100th anniversary of The Battle of Beaumont-Hamel. Coinciding with Canada’s national birthday, July 1 represents one of the bleakest days in Newfoundland and Labrador’s history. 

Nova Scotia 

Seawall Trail project in Cape Breton gains support 


The people behind the concept of developing a 50- to 100-kilometre trail in northern Cape Breton have taken a big step towards realizing that goal. 

The Seawall Trail Society was formed in 2014 to explore the idea of creating a wilderness path that would connect Pleasant Bay with Meat Cove. 

History: June 27, 1854-The Canadian inventor who saved the whales 


Some 160 years ago, whales were being actively slaughtered by the thousands in the quest for things like their baleen, used in women’s garments, and for things like fishing rods, umbrella stays, buggy whips, etc. but especially sought after was their “oil”. Around 1850, there were over 700 whaling ships in the US alone. 

100th anniversary of No.2 Construction Battalion 


Why are we commemorating the 100th Anniversary of the No.2 Construction Battalion (Bn)? What is this Bn? For I have never heard of it. Well, let me tell you why, as well as provide some context as to why we are all commemorating and celebrating this unique Unit that is a part of our rich Canadian military history. 

Grande-Anse re-opens museum with new cultural theme 


A museum in Grande-Anse has reopened with a new name and a new theme a year after its transition began. 

The Founding Cultures Museum has replaced the former Popes' Museum that was closed in 2015 after 30 years of operation 

Prince Edward Island 

Canada Day in Ireland: County Monaghan celebrates ties to P.E.I. 


We all know Islanders are big on their St. Patrick's Day celebrations — and now a county in Ireland is drawing on shared connections with P.E.I. and preparing to celebrate Canada Day. 

Ontario  

12,000-Year-Old Campsite and Hundreds of Artifacts Unearthed in Canada 


First Nations archaeologists in New Brunswick, Canada, are unearthing hundreds of artifacts and exposing a campsite where their distant ancestors lived about 12,000 years ago. It is one of the earliest sites in eastern North America, occupied not long after the glaciers started to recede northward. 

Waving flags: Sudbury's Bridge of Nations gets new additions 


Seven new flags will be raised along Sudbury's Bridge of Nations today, representing the heritage of people in the Nickel City from Barbados, Burundi, Egypt, Indonesia, Tunisia and Nepal and Palestine. 

Manitoba 

New park commemorates St. Norbert’s Métis history 


The legacy of one of Manitoba’s early Métis families has been recognized with a new park in St. Norbert. 

On June 16, a newly minted greenspace on the east side of Pembina Highway at Grandmont Boulevard was named Parc Charette Park after the Charette family. 

Stitching their place in history 

http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/our-communities/lance/Stitching-their-place-in-history-384551551.html

A number of Winnipeggers have played their part in the creation of a historic tapestry. 

The Scottish Diaspora Tapestry is currently on tour from Scotland and will be on display on the main floor at the legislative building daily until July 3 from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Admission is free. 

British Columbia 

Evidence Found Supporting the Oral History of Indigenous Tribe 
An archaeological dig, which was started after workers on a construction project at Kamloops Lake in British Columbia, Canada, uncovered evidence of an indigenous settlement; has unearthed evidence supporting the Skeetchestn Indian band’s oral history regarding a pre-contact settlement that was located on the lake hundreds of years ago. 

North 

Order of the N.W.T. welcomes 4 new members 


The Order of the Northwest Territories welcomed its four newest members Thursday in Yellowknife, as Nellie Cournoyea, Jan Stirling, Anthony Whitford and Marie Wilson received the territory's highest honour. 

Eskasoni celebrates 25th powwow that 'revived who we are' 


This weekend is not only celebrating Canada Day but it's also an extremely important holiday in the Eskasoni First Nation. 

The community will be celebrating its 25th annual powwow, the largest in Atlantic Canada. This anniversary year will honour the powwow's founding elders, like Georgina Doucette. 

Canadian Stories this Week 

Archives of Ontario 

The Archives of Ontario (AO) had two new events to mark July – they have started a Facebook page and have a new online exhibit called the Meet the Browns: A Confederation Family. 


The Facebook page is at https://www.facebook.com/ArchivesOntario/, and so far, so good. They are putting on good and interesting stories and photos about Ontario, and hopefully, they will continue. 


Anniversary Celebration

This is a shortened Canadian Week in Review because my husband and myself had an anniversary weekend in the city of Ottawa, and no time was left for the Canadian Week in Review. 

Through the thunderstorm and downpours of rain, we stuck through Canada Day on July 1st but then spent a beautiful Saturday in the Byward Market meeting different people, and enjoying the music that was everywhere. 

I thank Mario for a really cool weekend, and now we look towards Canada's birthday next year, when we will also celebrate our 30th anniversary on July 4th! It's all good!

Happy 4th of July


And speaking of anniversaries, last but certainly not least, a big "Happy 4th of July!" shout-out to our American friends, neighbours, and fellow genealogists.

Here's to wishing you and yours all the best on your special day!

(I have many happy memories of  visiting family in the Boston States ...)


And that was the week in Canadian news! 

This e-newspaper has been published since April 2012! 

Be sure to tell your friends about us. 

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

Publishers Elizabeth and Mario Lapointe 

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

(c)2016 All rights reserved.
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Friday, July 1, 2016

Happy Canada Day!!!



Next year will be the 150th birthday of Canada, and we will all celebrate it in our own way, but celebrate we will. Are you starting to plan your Canadian vacation for next year? There are so many places we can choose from - each province has its own historical significance.

One thing we can think about attending now are the genealogical and historical conferences that will be held in 2016. Be sure to keep your eyes open for them!

So happy birthday to us, and we will see you next year as you travel across our country!
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Monday, June 27, 2016

Canadian Week in Review 27 June 2016



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

This Week in Canadian History 

O Canada 
In 1880, “O Canada,” the future Canadian national anthem, was first performed in Quebec City, Quebec. The music had been written in 1880 for St-Jean-Baptist Day, and the lyrics were originally in French, and English version was created in 1906. 

Canada kept the British anthem until 1967, when it was adopted as the national anthem. 

To read more about the anthem, go to http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/o-canada/ 


Social Media 

(Audio) The battle of Vimy- continued in Montreal 


A small greenspace in Montreal, Parc de Vimy (Vimy Park) has become a national issue as city council plans to rename the space after controversial politician Jacques Parizeau 

Newspaper Articles 

Newfoundland and Labrador 

Letter: Give the Beothucks their day 


One of our Province’s statutory holidays is Discovery Day (June 24). It is a commemoration of John’s Cabot’s “discovery” of Newfoundland in 1497. The claim that Cabot discovered this island is problematic. There is no clear documented evidence that he actually came here and even if he did, he was far from the first. 

Prince Edward Island 

P.E.I. museum launches WWI exhibit 


P.E.I.'s Regiment Museum launched a new exhibit in Charlottetown on Saturday. 

The exhibit, called Rally Round the Flag — PEI and the Great War, features photos, artifacts and stories from all the units that served overseas, including nurses, navy and the air force. 

New tourism website maps out culture trail for Island visitors 

Visitors to the Island can better plan their experiences with the help of a new website from PEI Arts and Heritage Trail. 


Nova Scotia 

Monument honouring women a first for Halifax: 'This is a big deal' 


Of the 280 statues in Halifax, fewer than a dozen show women — and virtually all of them are mythical figures, such as fairies and nymphs.That is about to change: A project to recognize the contribution to Canada of real women took a leap forward on Friday 

Polish Church to reopen Sunday 


St. Mary's Polish Church in Whitney Pier, Cape Breton, has risen from the ashes following a spectacular fire that burned the 100-year-old building to the ground in November 2014. 

The doors of the newly rebuilt church will reopen to the community during an open house on Sunday 

New Brunswick 

Sisters meet for first time at Fredericton Airport 


"You're just like me!" exclaimed Sharon Rein, as she and her sister Sharon Dennis held each other for the first time. 

It was an airport moment 56 years in the making. 

With the help of an amateur genealogist and a Facebook group, the biological sisters — who share a first name — spoke on the phone for the first time earlier this year. 

Campsite dating back 12,000 years unearthed by Route 8 


Archaeologists say a campsite unearthed just metres from a new highway in Fredericton could be more than 12,000 years old. 
                                                                 
The campsite includes a fire pit, which was determined by the presence of charcoal. 

Quebec 

Quebec National Assembly to get a $60-million makeover 


The historic monument, designed by Eugène-Étienne Taché in the 1800s, is getting an unprecedented $60.5 million makeover. 

The project is ambitious: to build a 3,800-square-metre underground reception pavilion, just outside the main building, and expand facilities underneath the inner courtyard. Two additional parliamentary committee rooms are being built. 

Ontario 

Canadian shipwrecks on display at the Peterborough Museum and Archives 


An exhibition of shipwrecks has landed at the Peterborough Museum and Archives until September, giving the community the chance to learn the tragic stories of vessels of all sizes, torn apart in Canadian waters. 

CN Tower at 40: Still a magnet for Toronto photographers 


Look up. Look way up — 553.33 metres up to be exact, the crown jewel of Toronto's skyline. 

For a while there, it was the world's tallest freestanding structure and tallest tower. 

Tory MP calls on government to apologize for St. Louis 


An Alberta opposition MP is calling on Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to formally apologize on behalf of the government of Canada for turning away Jewish refugees on board the ocean liner St. Louis in 1939. 

Smiths Falls, Ont., funeral business dissolves the dead into the town's sewers 


Waterworks officials in Smiths Falls, Ont., are monitoring a funeral company that's become the first in Ontario to use an alkaline solution to dissolve the bodies of the dead — and then drain the leftover coffee-coloured effluents into the town's sewer system. 

Island has unique heritage 


About 35 kilometres southwest of Kingston in Lake Ontario, the island was out of view of the prying eyes of prohibition authorities. "It is almost directly north of the city of Oswego, making it an ideal spot for smugglers," said C.W. Hunt in Booze, Boats, and Billions: Smuggling Liquid Gold (McClelland and Stewart, Toronto 1988). "It was here that the rum-runners would lay over, waiting for darkness or better weather before making their dash for the American shore." 

Ajax seeks historic designation for munitions plant 


The Town is seeking a historic designation for the former Defence Industries Limited (DIL) munitions plant. 

Ajax is applying for a National Historic Event, though the Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada (HSMBC). 

Three students compete at Ontario Provincial Heritage Fair 


Winners from the recent Kenjgewin Teg Regional Heritage Fair, representing two Manitoulin area schools, travelled to the University of Toronto recently to share their projects at the provincial level. 

Manitoba 

Street names tell stories of neighbourhood 


Names on the doorways of museums or universities often tell who has donated money or supplies to the institution. On street signs, names tell a different story. 

Manitoba celebrates National Aboriginal Day 


For the 20th year in a row, Manitoba is celebrating National Aboriginal Day with festivities throughout the province that honour the culture, heritage and achievements of Canada’s First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples.

British Columbia 

B.C. demands return of First Nations artifacts 


The province is calling on museums and institutions from around the world to give back artifacts and 'treasures' from British Columbia First Nations. 

Over hundreds of years, items including grave goods, ceremonial regalia, masks and pieces of arts have found their way out of B.C. and into museums and private collections around the world. 

Aboriginal 

Why is First Nations oral history embracing voice, video and paper? 


For centuries, First Nations people recounted the cultures’ histories orally. With decreasing use of traditional languages, the art of oral history is looking to film, audio and paper methods to pass the history on to younger generations. 

North 

New Heritage Minute explores dark history of Indian residential schools 


Making its premiere on National Aboriginal Day, Historica Canada's newest Heritage Minute explores the dark history of Indian residential schools and their lasting effects on Indigenous people. 

Goodbye Great Slave Lake? Movement to decolonize N.W.T. maps is growing 


Behind every name there is a history that moulds a collective consciousness, a narrative that transcends time and ties people to the land and for many, to their ancestors. 

WW I hero Francis Pegahmagabow given Aboriginal Day honour 


His Ojibway name was Binaaswi, translating roughly to "the wind that blows off." 

How apposite it is, then, that a hard wind was blowing off the choppy waters of Ontario's Georgian Bay when the most decorated Indigenous soldier in Canada's history was finally given an honour befitting his story. 

History largely remembers him as Corp. Francis Pegahmagabow — the deadliest sniper and scout of the First World War, credited with 378 kills and 300 captures. 

Canadian Stories this Week 

Users give Library and Archives Canada low marks for public access to collection 

I don't entirely agree with this survey, and the reason I don't agree is that I think the service has improved. It got so bad a couple of years ago, you felt the negative vibes as soon as you would walk in there. But now, the attitude is a lot brighter, and you feel happier when you walk into there – it's all better. 

So to read that people still feel there isn't enough public access, I don't think I agree with that. True, I think they could do a better job on the microfilm that has been digitized and put on Heritage.com, like further explanation, but it can still be worked with – even though it could stand more publicity. 


DPLA and FamilySearch Partner to Expand Access to Digitized Historic Books Online 

FamilySearch International is on the move again – they have partnered with the Digital Public Library of America (DPLA), “the largest genealogy organization in the world, have signed an agreement that will expand access to FamilySearch.org’s growing free digital historical book collection”. 

They also say that “this new partnership, DPLA will incorporate metadata from FamilySearch.org’s online digital book collection that will make more than 200,000 family history books discoverable through DPLA’s search portal later this year. From DPLA, users will be able to access the free, fully viewable digital books on FamilySearch.org”.  

And don't forget, check them often to see the latest books which have been advertised. 


And Ancestry.ca has put on the Canada Homestead Grant Registers, 1892-1930.
They have put the register books online ONLY, not the actual land grant. The archives still has the index and you can still write for the land grant (for a fee), to the archives, Ancestry.ca has just put on the index book.

They have put on With 668,623 records and 78,794 images, Ancestry users can learn about some of Canada’s earliest settlers such as applicants’ names, region, date of application and homestead fee paid. 

The Canada Homestead Grant Registers 1892-1930 Collection is now available on Ancestry at: http://search.ancestry.ca/search/db.aspx?dbid=9209 

And that was the week in Canadian news! 

This e-newspaper has been published since April 2012! 

Be sure to tell your friends about us. 

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

Publishers Elizabeth and Mario Lapointe 

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

(c)2016 All rights reserved.
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