Monday, January 16, 2017

Canadian Week in Review 16 January 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 

“Father of Confederation” is born 

On 11 January 1815, John A Macdonald was born in Scotland, and in 1820, the family emigrated to Kingston, Ontario where they joined a number of family members, who had immigrated earlier.

He died in 1891 from the effects of a stroke, and was buried in Kingston.

Canadian held a number of birthday parties on Saturday, and one of them was held on the Natrel skating rink in Old Montreal on Saturday afternoon.

Read about it at http://montrealgazette.com/news/local-news/kilted-skaters-celebrate-sir-john-as-birthday-at-old-port-rink

The Fuller Brush Man 

On 13 January 1885, Alfred C. Fuller from Nova Scotia was born, and he started the Fuller Brush Company after he moved to Hartford, Connecticut in 1906. 

It was a door-to-door company, and I remember as a child, salesmen coming to our house selling personal care as well as commercial and household cleaning products.

For more information, go to http://www.rcinet.ca/en/2017/01/13/canada-history-jan-13-1885-the-fuller-brush-man/ 

To see his home in Yarmouth, Nova Scotia, go to the shttp://www.yarmouthcountymuseum.ca/index.php/other-sites/pelton-fuller-house





Social Media 

Video: Union Point Church: History and heart along Highway 75
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/union-point-church-manitoba-1.3926647

For drivers heading down Highway 75 to the American border, there's one welcome sign they are headed in the right direction — a tiny white church perched between two lanes of high-speed traffic.

But how did it end up perched so precariously? The answer dates back to the days of steamboats and river travel. 

Newspaper Articles 

Nova Scotia

Hants History: Jan. 9, 2017 edition

http://www.hantsjournal.ca/community/2017/1/12/hants-history--jan--12--2017.html

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

Don't leave Lunenburg in the lurch, mayor urges feds eyeing new heritage sites
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-scotia/lunenburg-wants-funds-from-feds-eyeing-new-nominees-unesco-1.3924484

Before the federal government accepts nominations for a new slew of UNESCO World Heritage Sites, the mayor of Lunenburg says it should provide more support for those it already has.

Rachel Bailey says Old Town Lunenburg's designation has been very much a blessing, raising the town's profile not only provincially, but nationally and worldwide.

Prince Edward Island

Heritage group hopes to preserve historic estate, brick by brick

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/prince-edward-island/pei-glenaladale-estate-1.3924896

The heritage trust trying to preserve the Glenaladale estate, built in the late 1880s in Tracadie Bay, has launched a Buy a Brick campaign to encourage Islanders to invest in the property.

The group says it has until March 31 to raise another $700,000 it needs to buy the three-storey brick home, which it hopes to turn into a small conference/ education centre. 

Why P.E.I. is celebrating 150 years — again and again

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/prince-edward-island/pei-150-years-sesquecentennial-celebration-history-1.3924693

Yes, it was just two years ago that P.E.I. wrapped up a year of exhaustive province-wide celebrations on which federal, provincial and municipal governments collectively spent $26 million and 161 community groups partied with the nearly $5 million from the P.E.I. 2014 Fund — so Islanders can be forgiven for a bit of dejà vu when they hear that Canada is celebrating 150 years of nationhood in 2017.

Quebec 

From the archives: Success of ice railway to South Shore in 1880 was short lived

http://montrealgazette.com/news/quebec/from-the-archives-success-of-ice-railway-to-south-shore-in-1880-was-short-lived

It was one of the most bizarre rail accidents in Montreal’s history and also one of the least auspicious. Bizarre, because the rails were laid not on terra firma but on ice across the frozen St. Lawrence. And inauspicious, because the accident came on the very first day of operations that winter. 

Ontario 

Scientists map beaver genome as gift for Canada's 150th birthday

http://www.ctvnews.ca/health/scientists-map-beaver-genome-as-gift-for-canada-s-150th-birthday-1.3240007

Throughout Canada's history, the industrious, humble beaver has gone from near-extinction at the height of the fur trade to becoming the official symbol of our nation.

Now, Canadian researchers are hoping that the furry rodent can also become a science hero by helping them better understand human disorders like autism.

Dufferin County offering funds for Canada 150 events, legacy projects
http://www.orangeville.com/news-story/7062800-dufferin-county-offering-funds-for-canada-150-events-legacy-projects/

Municipalities planning something special for this year’s Canada 150th celebration may be eligible for funding from Dufferin County.

Kicking off Canada 150

https://www.barrietoday.com/local-news/kicking-off-canada-150-505028

Springwater is kicking off its Canada 150 Celebrations with a new art exhibit at the Township Administration Centre.

The Canada 150 Maple Leaf Mosaic was created by the BaySide Artists and features sixteen 12”x12” paintings of Canadian historical figures and events. The paintings are designed to be hung together as a mosaic of the Canadian flag, and each panel commemorates one aspect of Canada’s rich history from landmarks, to people, to moments in time.

Manitoba

Nominees Sought For Manitoba Historical Preservation Efforts
http://mytoba.ca/featured/nominees-sought-manitoba-historical-preservation-efforts/

Lt.-Gov. Janice Filmon is encouraging the public to nominate a worthy Manitoban who has provided prolonged and meritorious service in the preservation and promotion of Manitoba history for an award, presented in consultation with the Manitoba Historical Society.

Celebrating the 150th anniversary in St. Boniface

http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/our-communities/lance/Celebrating-the-150th-anniversary-in-St-Boniface-410125305.html

The building which Le Musée de Saint-Boniface Museum currently occupies is 20 years older than Canada itself, and is the oldest building in Winnipeg. The building has a rich history, starting as the convent for the Grey Nuns in 1847, later serving as the first hospital in Western Canada.

Alberta

CIUS Digital Archive Project website is launched

http://www.ukrweekly.com/uwwp/cius-digital-archive-project-website-is-launched/

Developed in close cooperation with the University of Alberta Libraries and the Arts Resource Center, the Digital Archive Project of the Canadian Institute of Ukrainian Studies (CIUS) aims to digitize, systematize and describe the core publications of the institute that have been produced over the last 40 years – essentially, since its founding in 1976.

Alberta

Stettler’s history book in limbo due to lack of volunteers

http://www.stettlerindependent.com/news/410436335.html

When president of the P&H Elevator Preservation Society, Stan Eichhorn and Jack Schultze decided to initiate and back the project – intrinsic to many small communities in Alberta, a history book recording and documenting our town – little did they know some of the stumbling blocks they would be facing.

East Coulee school Museum receives grant for roof

http://www.drumhellermail.com/news/29347-east-coulee-school-museum-receives-grant-for-roof

The East Coulee School Museum has received a grant that will help restore the roof of its building.

The East Coulee School Museum has been making steady progress in maintaining and refurbishing the recognized historical site. It was successful installing a new boiler to heat the facility and the next project for the organization is to replace the roof. 

British Columbia

B.C. marks Canada 150 with cultural legacies
http://www.voiceonline.com/b-c-marks-canada-150-with-cultural-legacies/

TO mark the 150th anniversary of Canada’s Confederation, the Province is launching a funding program to celebrate B.C. communities and their contribution to Canada. The Government of British Columbia will invest $8 million in museums and heritage sites throughout the province.

Monument to Chinese unveiled in Cumberland
http://www.comoxvalleyecho.com/news/410696365.html

A commemorative monument unveiled today in the historic Cumberland Chinese Cemetery recognizes the contributions of Chinese Canadians to B.C.'s rich cultural, historical and economic mosaic. 

'Prestigious log house' added to heritage registry in Prince George

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/prestigious-log-house-added-to-heritage-registry-in-prince-george-1.3928387

A "prestigious log house" and Dutch Colonial-style residence have been added to the City of Prince George's heritage register.

While the designation doesn't come with any protection for the buildings, it does draw attention to the homes' unique value, said Trelle Morrow, a retired architect and member of the Heritage Commission.

Taking a look at history of Okanagan soldiers

http://www.vernonmorningstar.com/lifestyles/409946625.html

The Greater Vernon Museum & Archives’ first presentation of the 2017 Speaker Series is to be given by UBC Okanagan history professor Dr. Jim Wood. 

Wood has taught history at several post-secondary institutions across Canada and is a well-published military history writer, as well as an Army reserve officer in the British Columbia Dragoons.

Canada Stories this Week 

"Gretna Green" places for Canada 

I must credit J Paul Hawthorne, a genealogist from San Diego, for bringing this phenomenon to my attention – Gretna Green Marriage Places for North Americans, on his site at https://www.facebook.com/jphawthorne?pnref=lhc.friends and it includes Canadians. This is something I did not know! 

Some of the places were New York, Erie, Buffalo; New York, Niagara for Ontario Canada; St. Lawrence, Ogdensburgh, New York for Ontario and Quebec, and Michigan, St. Clair, Port Huron for Lambton County, Ontario and all Ontario. 

So you should check these places in the United States if you have people in your family that you can't find their marriage records, they may have been married in the states! 


FamilySearch - More Free Historic Records 

FamilySearch has great planes for 2017! 

One of the six things to look for in 2017 will be “Over 330 FamilySearch digital camera teams worldwide will digitally preserve 125–150 million historical records in 2017 for free online access. Another 200 million images will be added from FamilySearch's microfilm conversion project that uses 25 specialized machines to convert its vast microfilm collection at its Granite Mountain Records Vault for online access. Over 30 percent of the 2.4 million rolls of microfilm have already been digitized and published online. The digital collections can be located in the FamilySearch catalog online and by perusing collection lists by location”. 

And they are doing the passenger lists, border crossings, and naturalization petitions, and I am interested to see these records. 


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, January 9, 2017

Canadian Week in Review 09 January 2017


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 

Ice Storm 1998

05 January 1998 - The Ice Storm of 1998, caused by El Niño, hit southern Ontario and Quebec, resulting in widespread power failures, severe damage to forests, and a number of deaths.

(That day will live with me forever. I was awoken in the early morning by our dog to hear crashing noises as transformers blew. I went to the front door, and the sky was lit up by by the lights as the power went off, and the days of unrelenting freezing rain continued. We were without power for four days. And we went under another freezing rain alert again this past week and lost more limbs off of trees once again, including a big branch from our beautiful giant Fir.) 


Newspaper Articles 

Newfoundland 

Letter: Honouring Alcock and Brown 

On Saturday, June 14, 1919 British Royal Air Force officers Arthur Whitten Brown and John Alcock took off from a bumpy field in St. John’s, Newfoundland and soared into history as the first to fly the Atlantic Ocean non-stop. The takeoff site was christened “Lester’s Field” by Brown for the family that owned the property. 

Nova Scotia 


CFTA Tantramar Community Radio and the Tantramar Radio Players are taking to the airwaves to present The 1867 News. The show will begin later this month and feature daily newscasts from 150 years ago, when Canadians were preparing to enter into the federation known as Canada. 


A Canada 150 project from Annapolis Royal, N.S., weaving the rich history of the region into a traditional Scottish tartan has a Cochrane connection. 

Kimberly Gunn, who lived in Cochrane for 10 years before moving to Nova Scotia five years ago, has a strong link to the community. She and her husband come back to visit as often as they can, were bagpipers in the Cochrane Pipe Band, and Gunn continues to publish the Cochrane Visitors' Guide.

Neglect, corruption and the history behind Halifax's deadliest fire. 

The devastating fire broke out just before midnight at a Halifax institution, consuming everything in its path and taking the lives of 30 vulnerable people who had been asleep in their beds. 

More than a century later, a local author is delving into the shady history of the Halifax Poor House fire, which remains the deadliest blaze to ever occur in the city. 

Quebec 

From the archives: Awarding of a gold-headed cane to the first ship of the year started in the 1840s
http://montrealgazette.com/news/quebec/from-the-archives-awarding-of-a-gold-headed-cane-to-the-first-ship-of-the-year-started-in-the-1840s 

For most of Montreal’s long history, it was far different. Winter ice made the river impassable to sailing ships at least from mid-December to mid-April, and the advent of more powerful steam-driven ships in the middle of the 19th century didn’t extend the season by much.  

From the archives: Bonsecours was a market with style — and pretensions of grandeur — in 1847
http://montrealgazette.com/news/quebec/from-the-archives-bonsecours-was-a-market-with-style-and-pretensions-of-grandeur-in-1847  

On Jan. 6, 1847, Bonsecours Market still was not finished. Sharp eyes could see workers’ tools and supplies lying about. The police station in one of the building’s wings and the weighing station in the other — “superseding the wretched looking place now occupied for that purpose,” as the Gazette put it — were far from complete. 


Have you ever dreamed of being the sheriff of an old-timey frontier town? Perhaps you’re looking for a place to hitch your wagon? Or maybe you just wished you lived like a pioneer? Well, for the tidy sum of $2.8 million, you can turn those fantasies into reality in southern Quebec.

Ontario 

Canadian symbols on display at Museum London
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/windsor/canadian-symbols-museum-london-1.3921529

From the beaver and the moose to poutine and maple syrup, Canadian symbols will be on display at Museum London next week in preparation for the country's 150th birthday celebration.

The museum collected a host of artifacts, images and artwork that have become known as symbols of Canada's national identity, according to Amber Lloydlangston, the museum's curator of regional history.

Laid to rest: Identifying unknown Canadian soldiers who fell in battle in Europe
http://www.metronews.ca/news/canada/2017/01/04/laid-to-rest-identifying-unknown-canadian-soldiers-who-fell-in-battle-in-europe.html

It was a construction crew working on a hospital expansion that first came across human remains in 2010 near the pastoral French town of Vendin-le-Vieil — remains that would later prove to be those of an unknown Canadian soldier.

Over the six years that followed, the remains of 18 more missing Canadians would be found in the same area, either in small groups or alone where they fell nearly a century earlier.

Project adds Indigenous names to Canadian history
http://www.cbc.ca/radio/thecurrent/the-current-for-january-3-2017-1.3918513/project-adds-indigenous-names-to-canadian-history-1.3918516

They were called "Eskimo," "half-breed" or "squaw." The collection of photos of Indigenous people in the collections of Library and Archives Canada extends into the thousands — but often the Indigenous people in the photographs were not named, just labelled with words that sound offensive to modern ears.

Col. John McCrae gets the comic book superhero treatment
https://www.sootoday.com/local-news/col-john-mccrae-gets-the-comic-book-superhero-treatment-501435

Col. John McCrae is teaming up with six other lions of Canadian history to help save the world in a new comic book.

The Guelph author of In Flanders Fields is the central character in a work of historical comic book fiction by a pair of Guelph residents titled Group of 7.

Canada to celebrate Tamil Heritage Month in January
http://www.colombopage.com/archive_17A/Jan02_1483366672CH.php

Canada for the first time will celebrate the Tamil Heritage Month throughout January following its declaration by the Canadian House of Commons last year

Saskatchewan

History Matters: Grader operator unearths two ancient sites in Saskatoon landfill
http://thestarphoenix.com/opinion/columnists/history-matters-grader-operator-unearths-two-ancient-sites-in-saskatoon-landfill

It started out as a typical day for Charles Gowen, a heavy-equipment operator at the Saskatoon landfill. It was his job to scrape away dirt from a borrow pit and layer it over the trash. 

But on Sept. 1, 1977, when his grader had dug down about a metre, Gowen noticed that the colour of the soil was much darker, not its normal light sandy brown. Stopping to take a closer look, he found bone fragments and other organic material. 

Canadian Stories this Week 

New Year's Resolutions 

Well, have you made your New Years's Resolution, or do you call them something else, like goals for 2017? I prefer goals myself. I find that goals are more attainable, and I mention my goals in last week's newspaper http://genealogycanada.blogspot.com/2017/01/canadian-week-in-review-02-january-2017.html what I hope to attain in 2017. 

I found that The Genealogy Weekly January 4 2017 from Boston has in its weekly survey resolutions for 2017, and the most popular was organizing research papers, files, and photographs; followed closely by sharing genealogical information with other members of my by family, and sharing family history with our younger generations of my family.

That sounds familiar, doesn't it? I wonder what the success rate will be?

Something new at the Library and Archives Canada

I received a blog post from the Library and Archives Canada (LAC) entitled Introducing LAC’s guest curator blog series and our upcoming exhibition! 

They tell us to watch the LAC website at http://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/Pages/home.aspx because there will be new and exciting blog articles, and upcoming exhibition - Canada: Who Do We Think We Are? And this is in recognition of the 150th anniversary of Canadian Confederation.

The exhibition opens on June 1, 2017, while the year-long blog series starts in January 2017.

The blog says that we will hear from the staff who helped develop the exhibition, including anecdotes about their work at LAC. The series also includes articles by scholars, experts and ordinary Canadians, who all depend upon LAC’s collection, from across Canada—and even the other side of the globe!

Visiting the exhibition

And be sure to visit the physical exhibition in downtown Ottawa where you can see these, and many other Canadian treasures, in person. Canada: Who Do We Think We Are? will be on display free of charge at the LAC headquarters at 395 Wellington Street between June 1, 2017, and March 1, 2018.

It sounds great and worth the visit.  

Be sure to tell your friends about us.

BTW, did you know that we celebrated our 9th blogiversary last week? We've been around since 02 January 2008! <http://genealogycanada.blogspot.com/2008/01/welcome-to-genealogy-canada-blog.html>

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)2017 All rights reserved
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Monday, January 2, 2017

Canadian Week in Review - 02 January 2017


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

John Cabot

It is written that John Cabot reached the island of Newfoundland, which he claimed for England, in December 1497. He was born c1450 and died c1500. 

To mark the Canadian celebration of the 500th anniversary of Cabot's expedition in 1997, the Canadian and British governments both accepted a widely-held conclusion that the landing site was at Cape Bonavista, Newfoundland. 

 
Quebec City
 

The troops of Richard Montgomery and Benedict Arnold are defeated before Quebec City on 31 December 1755. 

Richard Montgomery and Benedict Arnold led a force of about 1,200 American army forces and Canadian militia in a multi-pronged attack on the city, which, due to bad weather (there was a blizzard) and bad timing, did not start well, and ended with Montgomery dead, Arnold wounded, and Daniel Morgan and more than 400 men captured. The battle was the first major defeat of the war for the Americans. 


Prince Edward Island Railroad

All rail service was terminated in Prince Edward Island after Canadian National Railway abandons its historic rail lines in the province. 

The railway ran from Tignish in the west to Elmira in the east, with major spurs in the capital in Charlottetown, Montague, and Georgetown and the original eastern terminus at Souris. 

The line officially closed on 31 December 1989, and the rails removed between 1990 and 1992.


Social Media

(Photos) Hants History: Dec. 26, 2016 edition
http://www.hantsjournal.ca/community/2016/12/28/hants-history--dec--26--2016-edition.html

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

Newspaper Articles 

Ontario

The Royal Canadian Regiment Museum will tweet out its history as nation marks its 150th
http://www.lfpress.com/2016/12/28/the-royal-canadian-regiment-museum-will-tweet-out-its-history-as-nation-marks-its-150th 

As Jan. 1 marks the start of sesquicentennial celebrations in Canada, it’s also a milestone date for those who safeguard Canada’s military heritage in London. 

Jan. 1, 1888 was the day the infantry school on Oxford Street was declared open, following two years of construction on a budget of $30,000. 

The Royal Canadian Regiment Museum plans to commemorate Canada’s 150th birthday year with tweets detailing 150 significant events in the RCR’s history. 

Black community celebrates Viola Desmond as new face on $10 bill
http://windsorstar.com/news/local-news/black-community-celebrates-viola-desmond-as-new-face-on-10-bill 

Selecting Viola Desmond as the new face on the $10 bill will finally raise the national profile of Canada’s Rosa Parks. 

Many are familiar with Parks’ famous refusal to give up her seat to a white passenger on an Alabama bus in 1955, an act that helped spark the civil rights movement in the U.S.

Students learn indigenous history by reenacting colonization in unique blanket exercise
https://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2016/12/26/students-learn-indigenous-history-by-reenacting-colonization-in-unique-blanket-exercise.html

Three dozen high school students in stocking feet wander quietly over colourful blankets spread across the floor. They are roaming their land. It is centuries ago, and they inhabit a vast place that will one day be known as Canada.

Cobourg 2017 events celebrate Canada 150
http://www.northumberlandtoday.com/2016/12/26/cobourg-2017-events-celebrate-canada-150

Canada 150 is becoming big news, as Jan. 1 of the nation’s sesquicentennial year draws near.

Cobourg is planning its own version, with an amazing string of 2017 events, thanks to its own Cobourg 2017 committee (co-chaired by Nicole Beatty and Peter Delanty).

Early Falconbridge films now at Sudbury archives
http://www.thesudburystar.com/2016/12/25/early-falconbridge-films-now-at-sudbury-archives

A few years ago, Charlie Stafford of British Columbia was researching the history of his hometown of Falconbridge, Ont., in the hopes of writing a book about the town.

While researching, he discovered the City of Greater Sudbury Archives, located in the heart of Falconbridge, and began encouraging former residents who were helping him with his book to donate records to the archives.

Saskatchewan

History Corner - Some immigrants to the Canadian West came from a well-to-do background
http://www.yorktonthisweek.com/news/local-news/history-corner-some-immigrants-to-the-canadian-west-came-from-a-well-to-do-background-1.5759842 

The photo features Henri Rudolph Roosmale Nepveu — the man standing beside the horse, on his horse ranch near Yorkton in 1889. Henri, who was a banker in his native Netherlands, came to the Yorkton area in 1888, and within a year, had erected this log house and a horse ranch.

British Columbia

Royal B.C. Museum calls on Indigenous people to submit stories about relics
http://www.cbc.ca/news/entertainment/indigenous-belongings-1.3916430

An Indigenous artist and writer says First Nations artifacts in museums are not simply cold, hard objects, but are rather the belongings of families and communities.

The Royal B.C. Museum in Victoria has brought in Francine Cunningham as the guest editor for the spring issue of its digital magazine, Curious, which will focus on Indigenous peoples' relationship to the museum's collections.

Cherryville artist seeks First World War internment camp stories
http://www.vernonmorningstar.com/entertainment/408429436.html

A Cherryville-based artist is seeking help in providing information and stories on a dark chapter in Canadian history.

Kerri Parnell is working with the Canadian First World War Internment Recognition Fund to create a series of paintings for a travelling art exhibition that will depict the internment of Ukrainian and Eastern Europeans in Canada during the First World War.

Murals help heal scars of history
http://www.vernonmorningstar.com/news/192597121.html

The dark past of internment in Vernon, which has long been buried under shame and guilt, is coming to life.

Between 1914 and 1920, more than 96,000 Ukrainians and Europeans living in Canada were imprisoned behind the barbed wire fences of internment camps. They were forced to work for free, carving out highways. 

Canadian Stories this Week 

Social Media
Are you a social media person? Do you want to publicize the Ontario Genealogical Society (OGS) 2017 Conference? Then you should read the press release put out by the OGS last week. 

“Our goal is to help promote Canadian bloggers, social media gurus and the genealogy community. The official OGS Conference 2017 website will have a sidebar where your blog postings will be shared as they are posted. 

There will be a Social Media Team Haven at the conference where we can meet, write our blog entries and post to social media. You will be accredited with an official media tag, as well as get the chance to help promote one of the largest genealogy conferences in Canada”. 

Have you joined? My application is going in today!

If you are interested please send your name, blog name and URL, Twitter handle, and email address to: blog.conference2017@ogs.on.ca.

Applications close on 20 January 2017. Notifications will be sent by 25 January 2017. 

2017
The year 2017 is looking to be a great one, with all of the things going on in Canada, as our country celebrates its 150th birthday. 

As for myself, I look forward to finishing my Professional Development Certificate towards receiving my PLCGS certificate in 2018 from the National Institute for Genealogical Studies; entering my 7th year as editor of the Ontario Genealogical Society's journal, Families; and continuing on with my genealogical research business, www.ELRS.biz, which will celebrate its 4th year in March.

So it will be a full year, and. hopefully, as successful as 2016!

Meanwhile, speaking of celebrations and successes, please be sure to tell your friends about us here at www.GenealogyCanada.blogspot.com. Our blog is celebrating its 9th blogiversary today!

With over 2,300 posts since the blog's inception on 02 January 2008, there is much to read. Simply use the search box located on the right side of the page to find your favourite tidbit(s) of news and resources on Canadian genealogy, history, and heritage.

Please take a moment to write us a quick note at genealogycanada@aol.com to say "Hi!", to let us know about something that you or your group is doing, or even to suggest a good news tip we may have missed. We'd love to hear from you, our readers!

If you would like to subscribe for your e-copy of the latest blog post, please send your email to genealogycanada@aol.com 

Wishing you and yours all the best for 2017!
 
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)2017 All rights reserved.
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Friday, December 30, 2016

Happy New Year!


Are you ready for 2017? We think we are!

It will be an exciting year with Canada having its 150 year old anniversary of becoming a country, and we will be right in the center of it – here in Ottawa! 

And genealogically-speaking, the OGS Conference will be held here this year from June 16 to 18 at Ottawa's Algonquin College. So keep that on your calendar as something to attend. We will be there. 

May 2017 be the best ever!
Happy New Year!
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Monday, December 26, 2016

Canadian Week in Review 26 December 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.

Social Media  

(Video) Queens (Nova Scotia) seeking keeper for historic lighthouse

http://thechronicleherald.ca/novascotia/1426448-queens-seeking-keeper-for-historic-lighthouse

Want to operate a lighthouse? Here’s your chance — with a tourism twist.

It has been four centuries since Samuel de Champlain landed at the site of what is now the Fort Point Lighthouse, and the Region of Queens Municipality is looking for an entrepreneur to welcome modern-day explorers to the historic Liverpool beacon. 

Newspaper Articles 

Newfoundland 

Diving into the mysteries of WW II Bell Island shipwrecks

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/newfoundland-labrador/bell-island-shipwreck-study-1.3899921

Memorial University archaeology student Daniel Rees, whose great-grandmother nursed the injured sailors, was awarded a JR Smallwood Foundation research grant to study the shipwrecks.'  

Heritage Foundation Launching Course to Conserve Untold History
http://vocm.com/news/heritage-foundation-launching-course-to-conserve-untold-history/ 

The Heritage Foundation of Newfoundland and Labrador is launching a folklore and oral history interviewing course to help those interested in conserving the province's untold history. 

Nova Scotia 


Nova Scotians have the chance to shape a collection of 150 artifacts from across the province, put together to represent our region’s history in 150 years of Confederation. 

This uniquely Nova Scotian effort allows residents to curate a historical collection that truly represents who we are. 

Time capsule to be 'a snapshot' of the Halifax Explosion 


Ninety-nine years after the Halifax Explosion, with "virtually no survivors left," historian Janet Kitz wants people to bring forward their stories about the wartime accident that changed the city forever. 

Nova Scotia black history course a first in Dal's 198-year history 

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-scotia/dalhousie-university-black-history-nova-scotia-1.3905078

For the first time in its 198-year history, Dalhousie University in Halifax will offer a course about the black experience in Nova Scotia.

"Dalhousie really has never had a dedicated course to African-Nova Scotian history," said Isaac Saney, a Dalhousie history professor who developed, and will teach, the course. 

Sydney Mines Heritage Society struggling to maintain museums

http://www.capebretonpost.com/news/local/2016/12/21/sydney-mines-heritage-society-struggling-to-maintain-museums.html

Every year it’s a struggle for the Sydney Mines Heritage Society to keep its museums open, and this year is no different, according to curator Dr. Stuart Critchley. 

Prince Edward Island 

Feds putting up new buildings for World Acadian Congress 

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/prince-edward-island/pei-world-acadian-congress-acoa-1.3905460

ACOA and Heritage Canada are putting up money to build new infrastructure in P.E.I.'s Evangeline region in preparation for the coming of the World Acadian Congress in 2019. 

Quebec 

Quebec diocese: On the cusp of change?

http://www.anglicanjournal.com/articles/quebec-diocese-on-the-cusp-of-change

In many ways, the diocese of Quebec contains, in microcosm, the whole diversity of the Anglican Church of Canada, and the tensions and challenges that come with it.

While its headquarters are in Quebec City, the diocese includes the rural farmlands of the Eastern Townships, the fishing outports of the Lower North Shore, Gaspé and Magdalen Islands, the remote Naskapi community of Kawawachikamach in the northern part of the province, and the growing university city of Sherbrooke.

Ontario 

Naismith’s rules & the 10 most iconic moments in Canadian basketball history

http://www.sportsnet.ca/basketball/nba/naismiths-rules-10-iconic-moments-canadian-basketball-history/

Insulin. The zipper. The telephone. The electric wheelchair. The pacemaker.

Canada has been at the forefront of some of the most important innovations in modern history. Also: Basketball.

Canadian memories of First World War’s forgotten Christmas truces 


It was Christmas morning near Ypres, and the men of the Toronto Regiment were waking up in their chilled, fetid trenches.  

Swells of chlorine gas had floated across no man’s land a few days earlier. Shells and sharpshooters’ bullets before that. 

But on this mild Christmas Day, there was only the sound of young voices singing “The Maple Leaf Forever” — in German accents. 

LOCAL HISTORY: Ambassador for peace

http://www.orilliapacket.com/2016/12/23/local-history-ambassador-for-peace

The Huron made Huronia their home because it was a major crossroads in central North America. But they didn't blink at long journeys taken out of Huronia for trade, war, socializing, or diplomacy. 

Mantissa 

Our History: A recipe book for Christmas, with a dash of history

http://www.manitobacooperator.ca/country-crossroads/our-history/our-history-a-recipe-book-for-christmas-with-a-dash-of-history/

If you were looking for a Christmas present in 1954, one suggestion was a ring-bound recipe book, which also contained short histories of many Manitoba co-operatives. 

Saskatchewan 

History Matters: The baby in the Depression photograph

http://thestarphoenix.com/opinion/columnists/history-matters-the-baby-in-the-depression-photograph

On Oct. 17, 2016, the Saskatoon StarPhoenix carried an obituary for 82-year-old Peter O. Fehr of Warman, Saskatchewan. 

Peter might not have been widely known, but in June 1934, he was captured on film — in his mother’s arms — in one of the most famous photographs in Canadian history. 

British Columbia

Royal BC Museum seeks stories from people in First Nations communities

http://www.wltribune.com/news/407791496.html

The Royal BC Museum and Archives invites submissions from First Nations community members from across British Columbia for the 2017 spring issue of Curious. 

Canadian Stories this Week 

A Canadian Innovation 

Louis Kessler, a Winnipeg genealogist and a DNA person, has invented a genealogy tool titled the Double Match Triangulator (DMT). 

He explains it as a "combines two different people's Chromosome Browser Results files from FamilyTreeDNA to provide Double Match and Triangulation data that can be used to help determine genealogical relationships. It loads the results into an Excel file along with a colorful map that helps the researcher visualize the matches and help to identify Triangulation Groups made up of people who could share a common ancestor, helping you to map your DNA segments to your ancestors". 

And he has successfully entered the RootsTech Imnovtation Summit, and last week was chosen one of the semi-finalists. Good luck, Louis, we hope you win! 

The winners will be decided on Friday, February 10, 2017 and you can vote for the winner by using your phone.

For more information, go to https://www.rootstech.org/innovator-summit

To read more about Louis's innovation , go to
https://devpost.com/software/double-match-triangulator-dmtrs

To download a copy of his freeware program, go to http://www.beholdgenealogy.com/dmt.php

Growing Our Family 

There are six more days till the end of December to take advantage of Ontario Genealogical Society's half-price 2017 membership drive. They are offering full membership at $31.50 CDN. A great membership deal you don't want to miss. 

There are lots of extras – 

  • Free membership to FindMyPast, after you become a member 

  • Access to 34 OGS branches, and their Member's-Only webpages 

  • Access to the journal - Families 
  • Access to the newsletter – NewsLeaf  

  • And it goes on and on ...
If you want to become a member, go to https://www.ogs.on.ca/ 

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, December 23, 2016

Merry Christmas/Happy Holidays


Both Mario and I would like to wish everyone the very best of the Holiday, and the Canadian Week in Review (CWR) will be in your mail box Monday morning, as usual.
 
If you would like to receive the CWR in your mailbox, just subscribe to genealogycanada@aol.com to be added to the mailing list.
 
Merry Chistmas and Happy Holidays!


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Monday, December 19, 2016

Canadian Week in Review 19 December 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

First Newspaper in New Brunswick
On 17 December 1783, the first issue of the newspaper, The Royal Saint John Gazette and Nova Scotia Intelligencer, was printed for the first time.

You can access this newspaper on the New Brunswick Archives site at http://archives.gnb.ca/ResearchTools/NewspaperDirectory/Default.aspx?culture=en-CA&Tab=5 

Thomas Chandler Haliburton

On 17 December 1796, Thomas Chandler Haliburton, a Nova Scotian author, judge, and politician, was born. 

He wrote the adventures of Sam Slick in the Clockmaker series that had first appeared in the Nova Scotia newspaper, the Novascotian. 

He later settled in England, and died there in 1865. 

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


 Second World War
On 14 December 1944, during the Second World War, Canada called for conscription in fighting the war.

Prime Minister Mackenzie King called for the conscription of 16,000 more men, and this stirred up resentment and opposition in Quebec.

You can read about conscription in the newspapers of the day at http://www.warmuseum.ca/cwm/exhibitions/newspapers/canadawar/conscription_e.shtml




Social Media 

(Video) What are you at? Darryl Chislett's vintage model ships

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/newfoundland-labrador/what-are-you-at-model-ships-1.3890872

Darryl Chislett of the Kilbride area of St. John's says building model ships requires a keen interest in history.

"A good model ship builder knows his time period, knows his history, knows how history affected [the ship]," said Chislett.

(Photos) Simcoe County history

http://www.bradfordtimes.ca/2016/12/09/simcoe-county-history#

One of the most famous explorers in Canadian history based one of his first major expeditions out of Huronia.

Samuel de Champlain was known for his map-making skills, his toughness, and his organizational skills, as well as his ability to remain optimistic during even the most trying times. In addition, unlike most Europeans, he was relatively progressive in his ideas about natives – as long as he saw them as allies.

Newspaper Articles

Nova Scotia

Desmond announcement uplifting for African Nova Scotians

http://www.guysboroughjournal.com/article1.php?ID=181

Last week Finance Minister Bill Morneau and Bank of Canada Governor Stephen Poloz announced that the first Canadian woman to be featured on the $10 bill would be Viola Desmond, a civil rights activist from Nova Scotia.

Exploring the Black experience in Nova Scotia

https://www.dal.ca/news/2016/12/16/exploring-the-black-experience-in-nova-scotia.html

A new Dalhousie University course launching this winter will take students on a voyage through more than 400 years of African Nova Scotian history.

Dalhousie professor Isaac Saney says the course will help fill a gap for students interested in studying the African experience in Nova Scotia — a topic that also holds broader national significance.

Ontario

From Chinese to Canadian: Archive Project documents the integration of Chinese immigrants into Canada's mainstream

http://www.torontosun.com/2016/12/10/from-chinese-to-canadian

From the beginning, Chinese immigrants to Canada had an arduous odyssey of grudging tolerance and outright racism as cheap (usually the cheapest) labour in the 1800s.

Rare views of Japanese-Canadian internment: 19 images remembering one of Canada’s darkest hours

http://news.nationalpost.com/news/canada/rare-views-of-japanese-canadian-internment-19-images-remembering-one-of-canadas-darkest-hours

Last week was the 75th anniversary of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. Amid commemorations of the Americans killed in the attack, as well as the brutal war that followed, also came a solemn remembrance of how the United States interned coastal Japanese-American populations that it wrongly believed were a dangerous fifth column.

New register will help with Brooklin family history research

http://www.durhamregion.com/opinion-story/7008774-new-register-will-help-with-brooklin-family-history-research/

Genealogy is one of the biggest reasons people visit archives. This is true for archives as big as the Archives of Ontario and as small as the Archives at the Whitby Public Library. 

How a Canadian Invented Basketball

http://www.history.com/news/how-a-canadian-invented-basketball

Unlike sports such as baseball, football and hockey that evolved slowly into the games fans know today—basketball sprung forth from a singular inventor’s imagination. Find out how a Canadian with just a pair of peach baskets, an old soccer ball and 13 typewritten rules invented one of America’s favorite pastimes, and find out how different the original sport was to the one played today.

Abhayjeet Singh Sachal wins prestigious Vimy Pilgrimage Award

http://www.voiceonline.com/abhayjeet-singh-sachal-wins-prestigious-vimy-pilgrimage-award/

ABHAYJEET Singh Sachal from Delta’s Seaquam Secondary School is among the 17 high school students and the only Indo-Canadian to have won the prestigious Vimy Pilgrimage Award. He will travel to Europe in April to learn about Canada’s First World War legacy and participate in the commemorations for the centennial of the Battle of Vimy Ridge.

Manitoba

From the Archives: Manitoba farmers vote to strike

http://www.producer.com/2016/12/from-the-archives-manitoba-farmers-vote-to-strike/

The Western Producer takes a weekly look at some of the stories that made headlines in issues of the paper from 75, 50, 25 and 10 years ago. 

Saskatchewan

Clark wants committee to have final say on civic names

http://thestarphoenix.com/news/local-news/mayor-clark-wants-committee-to-have-final-say-on-civic-names

What’s in a name?

Saskatoon’s new mayor wants to change who has the final say on the city’s civic naming process to allow for better community representation in the names of city streets and facilities.

British Columbia

Finally, some respect for women in Canadian history

http://www.cfjctoday.com/column/551698/finally-some-respect-women-canadian-history

We have long failed to recognize the contributions of Canada’s women to our rich history, just as we have failed to recognize the contributions of many of our First Nations leaders.

Unique collection of rare artifacts reveals Vancouver's history

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/unique-collection-of-rare-artifacts-reveals-vancouver-s-history-1.3888352

Pieces of people's lives, memories and experiences currently on display at the Museum of Vancouver are offering a rare century-old glimpse into the city's past.

The objects are part of the Major James Matthews collection, and they present a snapshot of what Vancouver was like before it was even incorporated.

Column: New banknote helps illuminate our history

http://www.theprogress.com/opinion/406575476.html

I’m not sure what’s more disturbing: the fact I didn’t know who Viola Desmond was until last week, or that I was unaware that Canada had racially segregated movie theatres as recently as 1946. 

Canadian Stories this Week 

This Week in New Brunswick History 

Do you know that New Brunswick (Canada) has website devoted to putting the province's history online in a time line? 

For instance, this week there is 1873 right up to 1911. An example, it says that on the 23rd of December 1915, the “Collège de Caraquet” in Caraquet is destroyed by fire. 

And that's not all, you can search 2,271 historical images of New Brunswick by simply putting in a search word, say, the capital city of Fredericton. 

So to read more of what this site has to offer, go to http://www1.gnb.ca/0131/en/heritage/thisweek-e.asp 

Have you ever gone to the site OurDigitalWorld?

There are many older newspapers online that you should be aware of, and they are searchable. On their website, they say that they have the “Largest collection of Ontario Community Newspapers online, from 1810 to present day”.  

This month they have put on a complete set of newspapers from Clarington, Ontartio which now joins 150,000 pages from Orono, Bowmanvile!

And coming soon there will be more Kawartha Lakes 150,000 pages from Lindsay to Bobcaygeon and Omemee!

This is a fantastic place to go to when you need to read about your ancestor's lifes in the villages and towns in Ontario.

Their website is https://ourdigitalworld.net/ and to go directly to the newspapers, go to https://ourdigitalworld.net/what-we-do/digital-newspapers/  

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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