UPDATED: Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba & Saskatchewan Update (revised)

The following cemeteries have been revised on the GenWeb Canada website - 

ALBERTA

Camrose:

- Greenview / Rosalind United Church / Methodist Church Cemetery

Edmonton:

- Westlawn Memorial Gardens & Edmonton Crematorium

Mountainview:

- New Bergthal Mennonite Cemetery

Stettler:

- Red Willow Cemetery

BRITISH COLUMBIA

Central Kootenay Regional District:

- Edgewood Cemetery

Cowichan Valley Regional District:

- Ladysmith Indian Cemetery

Peace River :

- North Rolla Lutheran Church Cemetery

- Sorenson / Carpio Cemetery

MANITOBA

Fisher RM:

- Sylvan Public / Transfiguration Ukrainian Catholic Cemetery

Franklin RM:

- Holy Trinity Roman Catholic Cemetery

- Ridgeville / South Ridge Cemetery

Harrison RM:

- Holy Ghost Ukrainian Catholic (New) Cemetery

Ritchot RM:

- St Joseph's Catholic / St Norbert Koscio sw Jozefa Cemetery

- St Norbert Blessed Virgin Mary Ukrainian Catholic Cemetery

Rockwood RM:

- Polsen St Mary's Roman Catholic / Chapel of the Assumption Roman Catholic Cemetery

- St George's Cemetery

- St Michael's Cemetery

- Windsor Cemetery

St Andrews RM:

- Blessed Virgin Mary Ukrainian Catholic Cemetery

West St Paul RM:

- Riverside Holy Family Ukrainian Catholic Cemetery

Winnipeg City:

- St James Anglican Cemetery

SASKATCHEWAN

Excelsior RM # 166:

- Rush Lake Cemetery

Remembers to say your “Thanks” to Marilyn Whiting, Cheyenne Kepke, Patricia Green and Julia Adamson for help indexing, and to Carol Wilkinson, Cheyenne Kepke, Chris Pfeifle, Dennis Schultz, Grace Peters, Henry Martin Hamm, Ian Coupland, John Berger, Marilyn Whiting, Myron Masnyk, Patricia Green, Susan Severdija, and Walter Smelski for photos & transcripts.

You may go to http://canadacems.blogspot.com/2013/07/alberta-british-columbia-manitoba_7.html

Canadian Week in Review - 08 July 2013

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

Websites

Quebec, Catholic Parish Registers, 1621-1979 

https://familysearch.org/search/collection/1321742
This is a FamilySearch.org web site that is added to every so often. Baptisms, marriages and burials of the Catholic Paris Registers. It also includes some confirmations and some index entries for Montréal and Trois-Rivières

Schürch Family Association www.schurchfamilyassociation.net/Schurch_Family_Association/Home.html

The family register also extends to Ontario. The web site says that “The surname spellings were anglicized over time with the predominant ones being SHIRK, SHERK, and SHERRICK. The purpose of our web site is to help Schürchs learn their ancestry and to facilitate networking with each other”.

Waterloo Region Generations http://generations.regionofwaterloo.ca

Have you seen this site before? It contains about 250,000 people with over 1,000,000 source citations. They say that the people are in context of how “they relate to community members, businesses, buildings, organizations and places”

Blogs

Oshawa Journal http//:www.oshawajournal.com

A new blog about Oshawa, Ontario. The site says it “contain timelines, news clippings, birth/marriage/death/grave records, photos and stories of the people I am researching, as well as the history of streets and houses in the village of Oshawa”.

Facebook, Videos, You Tube

No sites for this week.

Newspapers Articles of  the Week

Latest Update: It appears that the library and archives building in Lac Megantic, in the Eastern Townships in Quebec, has been destroyed by fire in the run away train accident that occurred early Saturday morning.

Up-to-date news is available at www.cbc.ca/news

Which province has the largest land size? and other questions about Canada

www.brandonsun.com/lifestyles/breaking-news/which-province-has-the-largest-land-size-and-other-questions-about-canada-213374611.html?thx=y In case you missed this last week when Canada celebrated its 146th birthday on July 1^st, here are some questions about the country. How many did you get correct?

Halifax artist, soldier chronicles her time at war

www.cbc.ca/news/arts/story/2013/07/04/ns-soldier-art.html  

A new exhibit at Halifax's historic Citadel Hill is teaching people about the war in Afghanistan through the eyes of a young soldier and artist who there - Bombardier Jessica Wiebe.

Federal government partners to create Terry Fox exhibit www.bramptonguardian.com/news-story/3881585-federal-government-partners-to-create-terry-fox-exhibit

The Friends of the Terry Fox Collection and the future Canadian Museum of History have reached an agreement where an exhibit will open at the museum in 2015, in memory of the 35th anniversary of the Marathon of Hope.

Jet Aircraft Museum launches campaign "Save Voodoo 006" http://skiesmag.com/news/articles/19365-jet-aircraft-museum-launches-campaign-quot-save-voodoo-006-q.html

The Jet Aircraft Museum at London, Ontario is excited that it is going to transport and restore a CF-101 Voodoo from the air base at Greenwood, Nova Scotia. This is one of the Royal Canadian Air Force's most important  Cold War fighters – the Voodoo 006.

Story of the Week

Calgary Stampede

The Calgary Stampede can trace its beginning back to 1886 when the Calgary and District Agricultural Society held its first fair. In 1912, American promoter Guy Weadick organized his first rodeo and festival, known as the Stampede.

He returned to Calgary in 1919 to organize the Victory Stampede in honour of soldiers returning from World War I. It became an annual event in 1923 when it merged with the Calgary Industrial Exhibition, and the Calgary Exhibition and Stampede was created.

This year’s stampede is still going on despite the flood which has occurred there the past couple of weeks.

Did you know that they have an archive? They do, and it is called The Calgary Stampede and Libraries and Cultural Resources, and it is housed at the University of Calgary.  

 The archives include - photographic images, board and committee minutes, annual reports, daily programs, and souvenir programs. It also includes people associated with the Stampede - all rodeo and chuck wagon contestants, the winners of those events dating back to 1912, and the sponsors and prizes.

In addition, the archives contain Stampede collectibles such as posters, Stampede Post Office cachets, letterhead stationery, invitations, souvenirs, prize trophies and many other historical items.

You can also visit their online archives where you will find digitized images of Stampede posters, thousands of photographs, databases of rodeo and chuck wagon contestants and collections of corporate publications such as annual reports and souvenir programs.

Go to www.ucalgary.ca/stampede

Reminder: Check out Canadian Week in Review every Monday for the latest in Genealogy, Heritage, and History news in Canada. The next post will be 15 July, 2013

Brant OGS Golf Fundraiser

This is a really neat idea!

On Saturday, August 31, 2013, there will be a golf fundraiser held at a local club called Fescue’s Edge, 18 Hagan Rd., Brant at 11:00 am Shotgun Start.

The cost will be $80 and it includes cart, lunch and donation to Brant OGS (Receipt for donation will be provided), and the deadline to register will be August 20, 2013.

You can contact brantogsgolf@gmail.com, or go to the web site at www.ogs.on.ca/brant

Winners of the Canada Day Brick Wall Contest

The four winners of the Canada Day Brick Wall Contest held by GenealogyCanada, and sponsored by ELRS at www.elrs.biz on Canada Day are –

• Lois E.
• Phyllis C.
• Heather K.
• Jennifer L.

There were dozens of entries in all, with the four winners being picked by random.

I would like to thank everyone who took the time to send in their brick walls, all of which were interesting and daunting. It was a pleasure to have had the chance to read them.

Elizabeth

Reminder: Check out Canadian Week in Review every Monday for the latest in Genealogy, Heritage, and History news in Canada.

Historic Acadian Families of Summerside, PEI

If you have Acadian roots or connections in Summerside, PEI, your family may go back several centuries, and you should attend the Historic Acadian Families of Summerside, which is a summertime series of talks by Jean Bernard (presented in English). The eight most familiar Acadian family names of Summerside are Arsenault, Aucoin/Wedge, Bernard, DesRoches, Gallant, Gaudet, Poirier/Perry and Richard.

Genealogist and author Jean Bernard will speak on these family histories at the Lefurgey Cultural Centre, 205 Prince Street on Wednesdays July 10, 17, 24 and 31 and Thursdays July 11, 18, 25, and August 1. All presentations will be in English and begin at 10:00 a.m. lasting for 60 to 90 minutes with lots of time for questions and answers.

Each talk will feature a 'primary concentration' on a surname and the talks will be presented in 'alphabetical order'. Invariably the discussion will 'stray' onto other connected names, but the intention is as follows:

July 10 is primarily about Arsenault

July 11 is primarily about Aucoin/Wedge

July 17 is primarily about Bernard

July 18 is primarily about DesRoches

July 24 is primarily about Gallant

July 25 is primarily about Gaudet

July 31 is primarily about Poirier/Perry

August 1 is primarily about Richard

Space is limited. Please contact Fred Horne at 432-1332 fredhorne@wyattheritage.com for more information or if you wish to reserve a seat. Admission is by donation.

Presentations hosted by Culture Summerside's MacNaught History Centre and Archives in response to Mr Bernard's generous offer to share his knowledge of Acadian family history

The Culture Summerside's MacNaught History Centre and Archives is at  www.wyattheritage.com/mainsite3/macnaughthouse.asp

Save Our Heritage Lighthouses

                                Seal Island Lighthouse Replica

Lisa Bastien—the Constituency Assistant–Outreach of the Office of Malcolm Allen, NDP M.P. for Welland, Ontario—asked for my help yesterday in spreading the word about saving out heritage lighthouses.

The message says, in part - “In 2010 the Conservative Government identified nearly 1000 lighthouses across Canada as surplus – meaning that these lighthouses are not active or they could be replaced by a simpler structure such as pole with a light on top as a cost-saving measure.

The Department of Fisheries & Oceans gave the provinces and communities groups 2 years to send in petitions and submit business plans to save their local lighthouses. As of May 2013, only 128 plans have been received, and the future of over 800 lighthouses are unknown. There are lighthouses in every province and territory at risk."

We think that the Conservatives need to stand up and protect our Maritime Heritage and work with the provinces/territories and local community groups to ensure that these lighthouses remain as beacons of navigation and history along our coastlines rather than downloading the coast onto others.

If you would like to know if there is a surplus lighthouse in your riding, please contact our office at 905-788-2204, or at malcolm.allen.c1a@parl.gc.ca".

A PDF copy of the petition is available by writing me at genealogycanada@aol.com. (I received a copy of the original Word file, but I can't post it for download from my blog.)

Personal Note: Lighthouses are dear to me because my great-great-grandmother spearheaded the project of building the lighthouse on Seal Island off of the southwest coast of Nova Scotia. Her name was Mary Hitchens.

In later years, her descendant, Walter Hichens, from Bethel, Maine, spent many summers on Seal Island, and eventually had one lighthouse built at Barrington Passage. You can visit it today, and learn the story of Mary Hitchens.

And, I'm pleased to note, the Canadian Coast Guard named a ship after her.

Family History Conference

The LDS Family History Centre in Brampton, will hold their  4th Annual Family History Conference called One World - One Family — Discover Your Family Roots. The conference will be held on Saturday, August 24th 2013, from 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m

The cost: $20 (includes box lunch).

It will be held at the LDS Family History Centre, 10062 Bramalea Rd, Brampton, Ontario

To see who the presenters will be and their subjects that they will talk about, go to   www.oneworldonefamily-theevent.com

For their Facebook page, go to www.facebook.com/pages/One-World-One-Family/140879625925281

The St. Lawrence River

Retrace this river’s historic path with the exhibition Moving with the River at the Museum of Civilization in Ottawa from June 21, 2013 to March 23, 2014.

When one thinks of the settlements along the river from Quebec City to Montreal, to Brockville, and to Kingston, it is the “Birthplace of the first colonies and passageway to the Great Lakes and the Canadian West for millions of immigrants, the St. Lawrence River played a fundamental role in the building and settling of Canada.

 The exhibition retraces the river’s historic path with the Iroquois' thousand-year presence on the land, Franco-Aboriginal alliances, growth of a French settlement in the St. Lawrence Valley and multiethnic European immigration for which Québec served as a gateway”.

An exhibition developed by Parks Canada and presented in collaboration with the Canadian Museum of Civilization.

The audience is open to adults, children, family, youth, young adults, and teens.

You can go to www.civilization.ca/plan-your-visit

Reminder: Check out my Canadian Week in Review every Monday morning for the latest in Genealogy, Heritage, and History news in Canada

Historica-Dominion Institute to be named Historica Canada.

A press release has been released by the Historica-Dominion Institute of Toronto, in part it says -

TORONTO, July 2, 2013 - Stephen Smith, Chairman of the Board of The Historica-Dominion Institute, announced today that effective September 3, 2013 , the organization will change its name to Historica Canada.

'The new bilingual name will clearly and concisely reflect our focus on building awareness of our history and the values of Canadian citizenship, " said Mr. Smith. "These continuing priorities have formed our mandate since our two founding organizations, The Historica Foundation of Canada and The Dominion Institute, merged in 2009, and will continue to do so."

Based in Toronto with activities across the country, the organization's programs include the making of the popular Heritage Minutes - 60-second vignettes on Canadian History; The Memory Project, which provides audio, video and live platforms for the country's war veterans to relate their experiences; Passages to Canada, which gives newcomers to Canada a similar platform; the annual Aboriginal Writing and Arts Challenge; and Encounters with Canada, which brings more than 1,000 high school students from across Canada into Ottawa each year for a week of learning about their country. The organization is also presently building new interactive enhancements to its widely-used Canadian Encyclopedia, with those features slated to be unveiled this fall.

The new name will not take formal effect until the fall in order to allow for legal and logistical steps to be completed. In the run-up to the change and beyond, the present phone numbers, e-mail addresses, website and overall contact points for the organization will remain the same.

The webpage is www.historica-dominion.ca

British Columbia Genealogical Society Library Week

The annual BCGS Library Week will be held this year from July 15th to 21st, 2012. The Library Open House from 2-4 pm is on Sunday, July 15th. 

Library Week is a FREE event, and refreshments will be served.

From July 16 to 21st, the Library will be open each day from 10 am to 3 pm. Volunteers will be available to assist you in searching the Library collections and there are talks scheduled each day on various topics – Scottish, Irish, English. Canadian, US and Australian research, and on using Ancestry Library Edition and our BCGS website and more.

The schedule will be -

Monday: Scottish

Tuesday: Irish

Wednesday: English

Thursday: Canadian

Friday: United States

Saturday: Europe

There will also be sessions available on using Ancestry Library, the Genealogical Research Library and the American Ancestors on-line databases, and Geni.com – and this BCGS website

For more information, go to www.bcgs.ca/?page_id=1563

UPDATED: Ancestry.ca

The following record groups have been updated –

Ontario, Canada, County Marriage Registers, 1858-1869 This database is an index to approximately 3.2 million marriages recorded in Ontario, Canada between 1801 and 1928

Go to http://search.ancestry.ca/search/db.aspx?dbid=8510

Toronto Star Obituaries, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, 1999 - April 2000, February 2001This database is an index to over 2 million deaths that were registered in Ontario, Canada, between 1869 and 1938

Go to http://search.ancestry.ca/search/db.aspx?dbid=3888

Canadian Genealogy Index, 1600s-1900s The majority of these records are from city directories, marriage records, land records, and census records.

Go to http://search.ancestry.ca/search/db.aspx?dbid=7920

You should check Ancestry at least every three months to see if the records have been updated. 

Happy Canada Day!

Lennoxville-Ascot Historical and Museum Society

There is an exhibit called Old But New to Us at the Lennoxville - Ascott Historical  and Museum Society.

It will range from sports equipment, clothing and artwork to toiletries and household items dating as far back as the 18th century. 

The exhibit will continue until December 15th, 2013.  Guests are invited to visit from Tuesday to Sunday between 10 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. Admission is free! 

Visit the exhibit at 9 Speid Street, Sherbrooke, Quebec

For more information, please visit our website www.uplands.ca or contact us at 819.564.0409.

UPDATE: 1921 Canada Census Petition

I have just received word from Bill Robinson, that over 1,849 people have signed the petition to release the 1921 census.

Thanks to all of my readers for doing their part in making sure that the census is released, so that indexing can begin.

Thank you, Bill, for the update.

To sign the petition, go to https://www.change.org/en-CA/petitions/the-honourable-james-moore-release-the-1921-census-now

Town of Plympton-Wyoming, Ontario to establish a museum

The Lambton County Branch of the OGS is helping the Town of Plympton-Wyoming to establish a museum in the lower level of the Camlachie Library [former Camlachie United Church].

One way they are doing this, is publishing the fact that the people of Plympton-Wyoming are looking for information about World War I and World War II Soldiers.

The names on the Camlachie Cenotaph are -

World War I                                                       

Sam Norwood                                                      

Thomas Powell                                                    

George Richie                                                      

George Gray

World War II

Martin Anderson

Leslie Collinson

John Stewart

Editor’s Note: A George Ritchie, who claimed Mrs. Thomas Maloney of Camlachie as his next of kin, was born 16 June 1881 at Point Edward, Ontario and died 15 August 1917. His name is on the Vimy Memorial. Does this information connect with anyone’s family tree?

Are any of these people your ancestors?

If you wish to help form the local historical society and museum contact Mayor Lonny Napper at 226-307-0523 or Don Poland at 519-869-4909 or dpoland1@cogeco.ca

Malpeque Historical Society, Prince Edward Island

Once again the Malpeque Historical Society is pleased to offer a roster of speakers for the 13th season of summer talks at Keir Museum.

The presenters will cover a variety of topics which are generally about the history of Malpeque and the surrounding area.

The talks will be held each Wednesday at 10:00 a.m. on the dates listed below.

There is no admission but donations are gratefully accepted. Come join them and bring a friend!

The events will be as follows -  

July 10 - Streetscapes of Princetown/Malpeque by Sally Hooff

July 17 - Growing up in Princetown by Olive Bryanton

July 24 - Tales from the Dead by Linda Jean Nicholson

July 31 - Horse Magic by Marian Bruce

Aug.7 - Stories of the Past by Friends of Keir Museum

Aug.14 - The Sad Tale of Maggie MacGee by Dutch Thompson

Contact Ruby Cousins for more information - rcousins@isnhighspeed.ca

The website is www.malpequebay.ca/keirmuseum.htm

Arthur Child Heritage Museum, Gananoque, Ontario

They have a lot of things going on this summer at the Arthur Child Heritage Museum, in Gananoque, Ontario, right next to St. Lawrence River. 

On Canada Day, the museum will start serving cake at noon on July 1, and they will continue as long as cake is available.

On July 3, 17 and 31 the featured treat at the museum will be an old-fashioned lemonade stand with fresh made lemonade at one dollar per glass.

The museum will offer heritage teas on July 10 and 24 from 2 to 3 p.m., and they hope to offer alternating tea and lemonade events in August.

They are redesigning the website and it will be called Our Story Preserved. The website will hopefully be available soon.

To visit the website, go to www.1000islandsheritagemuseum.com

Dick Eastman is coming to Nova Scotia

There is word out that Dick Eastman is coming to Halifax, Nova Scotia to give a full day of talks at the Genealogical Association of Nova Scotia (GANS) on Saturday, October 19, 2013.

Enjoy a day with Dick Eastman, as he present four lectures -

The Organized Genealogist

A look at various methods of organizing record keeping by use of digital techniques. The talk focuses on converting paper based record keeping to all digital records.

Cloudy, with a Chance of Genealogy

A simple and down to earth explanation of what the cloud is and how genealogists can use cloud computing to simplify their own computer usage.

Putting the Genes in Genealogy

A look at the possibility that today’s genealogists may become the lifesavers of family and loved ones in the near future.

Conservation: Keeping up with Technology

How to make sure that your genealogy data is still readable by future generations.

Cost for the Eastman Lectures:

$45.00 for members   includes lunch

$75.00 for nonmembers   includes lunch

Email info@novascotiaancestors.ca to sign up and arrange payment.

The website of GANS is www.novascotiaancestors.ca

The website of Dick Eastman is http://blog.eogn.com

Lower Canada Census 1831

The Library and Archives Canada has just sent this notice out –

“The LAC is pleased to announce that the Census for Lower Canada, 1831 database is now available online. The Census for Lower Canada, 1831 is partly nominal and therefore only contains the names of heads of family, their occupation, and the number of residents for each family.

Users can search this new database by the name of heads of family, as well as by geographical information such as district and sub-district names”.

It is available at www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/census/1831/Pages/1831.aspx

Free Access to Ancestry.ca

This just came across my desk this afternoon from Ancestry.ca –

TORONTO (June 25, 2013) – Ancestry.ca, Canada’s largest family history resource, is celebrating Canada Day with the launch of a collection of historical records that pre-date Confederation. Dating back to 1743, these are some of the oldest records ever to become available and be fully searchable online. In addition, Ancestry.ca is offering free access, from June 27 through July 2, to more than 40 million Canadian historical records from some of its most popular collections

Among the records being made available for free from June 27 through July 2 are some of the most popular collections on Ancestry.ca, including:

·         Canadian Passenger Lists and Ocean Arrivals – These collections consist of all records of immigration to Canada by ship or overland from the United States between 1865 and 1935, a period of 70 years that saw the largest influx of immigration into Canada ever, from all parts of the world.

·         The 1871 Census of Canada – the first census Canada conducted as a nation, which gives a snapshot of the lives of the people living at the time, including their ages, their jobs, the birthplaces of their parents, their neighbours and more.

·         Soldiers of the First World War – This collection contains the Attestation papers of all 600,000+ men enlisted in the Canadian Expeditionary Force and includes information about the soldier’s birthplace, next of kin, regiment number and more.

To check out the new Pre-Confederation records please visit www.ancestry.ca/150years and to search the records being made accessible for free in time for Canada Day, visit www.ancestry.ca/canadaday.

Happy Canada Day!

UPDATE: Petition for 1921 Canadian Census

Today, I offer two new items related to the 1921 Canadian Census. One is an editorial by Canadian genealogist (www.cangenealogy.com) Dave Obee, and the other is a new online petition by blogger Bill Robinson.

First, there has been further clarification on the release of the census, as well as other news from the Library and Archives Canada, compliments of Dave Obee in his editorial in the Times Colonist newspaper in Victoria, British Columbia entitled, "Don’t let politics interfere with data access" at

www.timescolonist.com/news/b-c/dave-obee-don-t-let-politics-interfere-with-data-access-1.325155

I noticed that he said, “Back to the 1921 census. Volunteers are lined up, ready to start indexing the 8.8 million names as soon as the images are placed online. Last year, after the 1940 United States census was put on the Internet, volunteers compiled an index of its 132 million names in just four months”.

Have you been approached to be a volunteer?

In the meantime, we await the release of the census so that the LAC can put it online.

According to my sources, there might be something happening in about two weeks’ time.

It seems that the pressure has been felt.

From the comments on my blog and emails, and from other blogs, websites, and listservs I follow, your continued individual and collective efforts put forth in the "trenches" in letting the Heritage Minister and others know how genealogists everywhere feel about the current stance on the non-release of the 1921 Canadian Census ARE being noticed!

In the meantime, fellow blogger, Bill Robinson, http://robinsonb.blogspot.com, has started an online petition, and you are encouraged to read it and add your name to it at https://www.change.org/en-CA/petitions/the-honourable-james-moore-release-the-1921-census-now

Thank you, Bill, for this initiative.

Where this will lead is anyone’s guess, but I suspect that we will find out sooner rather than later.

As for the Heritage Minister, the Honourable James Moore, he can be contacted through his constituency office at www.jamesmoore.ca/EN/contact_us

To look at my past posts on the 1921 Canadian Census, just type in “1921 Census” in the search box on the right-hand side of the main page. Here are screenshots of the search and results boxes, below.

And please take a moment to check out the comments – they are interesting, supportive, and informative. Thanks to all who have written.

_______________________________________________

Canadian Week in Review 24 June 2013

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

Websites

No new websites this week.

Blogs

No new Blogs this week

Facebook- YouTube – Video

Ottawa Branch, Ontario Genealogical Society https://www.facebook.com/pages/Ottawa-Branch-Ontario-Genealogical-Society/173536239339341 This Facebook page is very good. There is nothing fancy about it, but there is a timeline of history on it, meetings that are held in Ottawa at the OGS are also on it, and news about Canadian genealogy.  

Newspapers

Historic canoe route recreated on St. John River http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/new-brunswick/story/2013/06/16/nb-historic-canoe-trip-recreated.htmlA New Brunswick couple are paddling the 460-kilometre route of the St. John River to recreate a historically important waterway.

It was the route travelled by generations of the Maliseet and Mi`kmaq, and the French and British also relied on it to travel from an area near the St. Lawrence River in Quebec to the Bay of Fundy. It later became called the Grand Communication Route, which was used before it was surpassed by rail and the car.

Weekend in Honour of Veterans of the Korean War launched at the Canadian War Museum

 www.menafn.com/9636eb7d-fc46-41d5-8ce3-57e4fe800e35/Weekend-Honour-of-Veterans-of-Korean-War-launched-at-Canadian-War-Museum?src=main

Korea 60 is an exhibit of a selection of photographs “that depict Canada's role in the war and subsequent ceasefire, and illustrate the conflict's enduring legacy”. Many of these are personal photographs taken by Canadian soldiers. The exhibit will be on display until January 5, 2014 at the Museum of War in Ottawa.

UNESCO defers decision on heritage bid for Manitoba-Ontario forest   www.ctvnews.ca/canada/unesco-defers-decision-on-heritage-bid-for-manitoba-ontario-forest-1.1337400#ixzz2X3ITw0SJ Although UNESCO did recognize the Red Bay Basque Whaling Station in Labrador, it deferred it’s decision on the Boreal forest because it still has unanswered questions about whether “the area is unique enough to warrant a designation as a world heritage site”.

To read more about the Red Bay Basque Whaling Station in Labrador, read the article that the CBC has at www.cbc.ca/news/canada/newfoundland-labrador/story/2013/06/22/nl-red-bay-labrador-world-heritage-site-622.html

Stolen bell to become living history www.thestarphoenix.com/Stolen+bell+become+living+history/8564065/story.html

The Bell of Batoche is coming home! It has been stolen from Manitoba after the defeat by the  Northwest Rebellion in 1885 and displayed at the Legion hall in Millbrook, Ont. until it was stolen again in 1991. It is going to be displayed Saturday, July 20, during the Back to Batoche celebrations.

NS diocese concerned heritage status could affect sale of church http://globalnews.ca/news/657035/ns-diocese-concerned-heritage-status-could-affect-sale-of-church A Roman Catholic diocese in Nova Scotia is concerned that one of its churches which may be listed for sale, may be designated a municipal heritage property.  The church is St. Joseph’s Roman Catholic Church in Lingan and it was one of the oldest churches in Nova Scotia, having been built in 1723.

Story of the Week

Canada History Week

With Canada in the midst of the 1921 Canada Census debacle last week, the government has decided to “mark the launch of Canada History Week, which will run every year from July 1 to 7. Canada History Week is an opportunity to reflect on our great country, learn about our history, explore a museum, visit one of our national historic sites, or join in a local event that celebrates the history of your community.

Our history is full of exciting people, places, and events. For example, in 2013 we are commemorating the 100th anniversary of the first major Canadian scientific expedition to the Arctic. The Canadian Arctic Expedition's groundbreaking work contributed to Canada's scientific, social, and cultural knowledge of the Arctic, deepening our understanding of each other and unifying our country”.

This is according to the Honourable James Moore, Minister of Canadian Heritage and Official Languages who announced this on June 11^th, and it will include

•A Canada History Fund will connect youth to their history through the first ever Government of Canada History Awards, which will honour outstanding students and teachers who show an interest in celebrating Canadian history. The awards will be administered by Canada’s History, an independent national organization with a mandate to make our nation’s past relevant and accessible to all Canadians.

•The Harper Government will partner with the Historica-Dominion Institute to create two new Heritage Minutes per year between now and Canada’s 150th birthday in 2017.

•Existing programs at Canadian Heritage will be strengthened to improve access to funding for local organizations that wish to promote Canadian history in their communities, including local museums and youth groups.

•Starting in 2013, July 1 to 7 will become Canada History Week, an opportunity for Canadians from coast to coast to coast to get actively involved in learning about our country’s history.

Read more about Canada History Week at www.sacbee.com/2013/06/21/5514485/statement-by-the-honourable-james.html#storylink=cpy

The next Canadian Week in Review will be issued Monday July 08, 2013.  There won’t be one for Monday July 1^st, because it will be Canada Day.

Research: Information needed on abandoned or deserted buildings

Esther Pilon, a journalist and researcher from Quebec, is working on a documentary series produced by Baroque (a production company in Quebec), and she wants information on abandoned or deserted buildings in the province. The series will be broadcasted on the Historia channel in 2015.

She is looking for abandoned or deserted buildings that have either been closed recently or for some time some examples are: farms, houses, factories, country homes, chapels or churches, stores etc…

Her goals is to hopefully be able to show these places in their historic and anthropological perspective. The documentary series will present these places with the input of antique specialists and historians. Also, she would like to meet and talk with people who have worked as employees in the factories or lived in the houses and or country homes, or know the places as past clients, student or attended the churches. 

For every abandoned place there are human stories.

This documentary series is a project of Baroque, a documentary producer from Montreal. Their recent projects include a history of taverns that will be broadcasted on Historia in 2014.

To send your information or to contact Esther, please either write to her at  6255 St-Vallier, Montréal, H2S 2P6, or at estherpilonrecherchiste@gmail.com . Her  . telephone number: 514-967-9541.

Historia TV Channel is at www.historiatv.com

UPDATE: TONI (The Ontario Name Index)

Since last reporting on TONI (The Ontario Name Index) earlier this spring, nearly 2 ½ million entries have been added.

TONI, as an index, is FREE for everyone the world over. In order to access information found in the databases you must pay a small fee. All proceeds from those fees support Ontario's heritage community.

Go to www.ogs.on.ca/integrated/toni_database1.php to read more about TONI, and to see if the name who are researching, is there.

IRISH COMMUNITY SUMMER PARTY

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

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

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

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

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

Ancestry.ca - Life Before Canada

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

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

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

to start searching.

Contest - Your Canadian Brick Walls

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

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

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

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

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

So, why am I picking four winners?

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

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

Good luck!

Elizabeth

Update on the 1921 Canadian Census

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Please keep posted for further updates as I receive them.