Some OGS Branches Live Stream their meetings

More and more OGS Branches are Live Streaming their monthly meeting.

Niagara Peninsula Branch was the first one to try the new technology couple of years ago, then Ottawa Branch tried it, and then the Lambton County Branch, and the Kent County signed on so. Members at a distance can hear the meeting also, as well as members close at hand. And don’t forget the OGS Conference this year, as it will be Live Streaming some sessions as well. 

I attend the Ottawa Branch Live Streaming monthly meetings held on a Saturday of each month (except July, and August) especially in the winter time, because I can’t get to the meetings during the snowy season. But I don’t miss anything because I can see the PowerPoint presentation, hear the speakers, and have the ability to ask questions – so I am quite satisfied with the process. 

So, if you are a member of any of these societies, be sure to give it a try. 

Here are the meetings to be held in April – 

Niagara Peninsula Branch Meeting

Date: Thursday, April 10, 2014

Time: 7:00 – 9:00 pm

Location: First Grantham United Church, 415 Linwell Rd., St. Catharines

Speakers: Marjorie Stuart & Diane Clendenan

Topic: “Unregistered Cemeteries”

Brief Overview: Marjorie and Diane are the highly respected “Cemetery Ladies” for both the OGS & the Ontario Historical Society

Contact Info: http://www.ogs.on.ca/niagara 

Lambton County Branch Meeting

Date: Tuesday, April 8, 2014

Time: 7:30 – 9:30 pm

Location: 1400 Murphy Road, Sarnia, Ontario

Speaker: Lynn Clark

Topic: Adoption Update. Drop by and learn what’s new when searching for info regarding adoptions in Ontario.

Contact Info: http://www.ogs.on.ca/lambton/index.html 

Kent County Branch Meeting 

Date: Friday, April 11, 2014

Time: 7:00 pm

Location: St. Andrew’s Residence 99 Park St., Chatham, ON

Speaker: Elise Harding-Davis

Topic: BLACK MILITIA OF KENT COUNTY

Brief Overview: Elise Harding-Davis will discuss the involvement of the Black Militia in the War of 1812.

Contact Info: http://ogs.on.ca/kent 

Ottawa Branch Meeting

Date: April 26, 2014

Time: 1:00 pm

Location: City of Ottawa Archives, Room 115,

Topic: Using Social Media for Genealogy Research

Speaker: Ken McKinlay

Brief Overview: Ken will be talking about the various social media sites, such as Facebook, Google+, Twitter and blogs to name just a few places, that can be used to help in your own research through interacting online with others around the world via the world wide web.

Contact information: http://ogsottawa.on.ca

Fort Howe – Fort-Howe on Flickr

Credit: Library and Archives Canada, Acc. No. 1986-19-1
Fort Howe in New Brunswick, during the American Revolution, experienced continuous pressure from American forces including attacks on the colony and its inhabitants. 

After the signing of the Treaty of Paris in 1783, which ended the war between Britain and the United States, there were calls from both the citizens of Saint John and incoming loyalists for better protection of the area, and the existing and damaged fort was replaced by Fort Howe. 

Sir William Howe, replaced General Thomas Gage as Commander-in-Chief of British North America, 1775-1778. He was present at the sieges of Louisbourg, Quebec and Montreal, and he defeated the American rebel forces in Fort Washington, Fort Lee, Brandywine and Gemantown before his resignation in 1778.

Over 200 people have viewed Flickr already. 

You may view it at https://www.flickr.com/photos/lac-bac/sets/72157641274749775

Canadian Week in Review

Check the Canadian Week in Review tomorrow morning for the latest in Genealogy, Heritage, and History news in Canada.

It has the latest news covered in New/Updated Websites, Social Media, and Newspaper Articles. 

It’s the ONLY news blog of its kind in country! 

It has been a regular post every Monday morning since April 23, 2012.

From Aberdeen to Albany: How Our Scott Family Ancestors Became United Empire Loyalists in Canada

The British Isles Family History Society of Greater Ottawa (BIFHSGO) will be holding its monthly meeting next Saturday at the Library and Archives Canada, 395 Wellington Street, Ottawa. 

The meeting will start at 9:00 a.m. with the Before BIFHSGO Education Talk which will be given by Ken McKinlay and he will talk about Using Evernote for Genealogy Research. He will provide an overview of the online tool and how it can help with genealogy tasks.

From 9:30 until 10:00 a.m. you will be able to browse the Discovery Tables and talk to Ken McKinlay about the online tool Evernote. (Since I am a recent covert to Evernote, I will be interested to hear what Ken thinks about this newer research tool for genealogy.)

At 10:00 a.m.. Ken Harley will give a talk in which he will build on an earlier presentation he made to BIFHSGO in December 2009 during which he established how his wife Maxine's family arrived in Manitoba as original homesteaders. The first presentation traced the Scott family roots back to UEL settlers in Prince Edward County. Ontario. 

This talk will track Maxine's GGGG-grandfather's emigration from Inverurie, in Aberdeenshire Scotland through Ireland and on to the American Colonies in the early 1700s. In addition to how William Scott followed his dream, Ken tries to establish why our ancestors would emigrate to what was essentially an unsettled wilderness. 

Dave Cross’s interview with Ken Harley has been added to the BIFHSGO Podcast page. Through this interview, Ken provides you with the structure of his upcoming presentation, a bit about the research he has done with the Scott family and some of the interesting stories which might yet be uncovered.

The podcast is available at http://www.bifhsgo.ca/cpage.php?pt=106 

All monthly meetings are open to the general public, and they are free of charge.

The website is at http://www.bifhsgo.ca 

Free Exhibit - Kids! – Children of the Eastern Townships between 1890 -1930

The Eastern Townships Resource Centre (ETRC) cordially invites you to attend its first photo exhibition Uplands Cultural and Heritage Centre, Lennoxville.

For the first time, the ETRC is opening its archives to share the treasures of several fonds and collections with the broader public. The exhibition showcases a small selection of the thousands of remarkable photographs in the ETRC’s collection. 

Kids! – Children of the Eastern Townships between 1890 -1930 is a photograph exhibition that displays the life of children in the Eastern Townships of Quebec and takes you on a journey back in time. 

The ETRC is thankful for the cooperation with the Lennoxville-Ascot Historical and Museum Society (LAHMS) for giving us the opportunity to display our photographs in this beautiful building. 

The exhibit will be open until June 30, 2014, and it will be held at the Uplands Cultural and Heritage Centre, 9 Speid St., Lennoxville.

The event is free to everyone. 

Also, visit their exhibit online at http://www.historypin.com/collections/view/4010/title/KIDS!%20Children%20of%20the%20Eastern%20Townships%20between%201890%20and%201930/#.Uu-cGQvJS0Q.facebook

LAC to outsource national catalogue

From an article in the Ottawa Citizen by Don Butler comes the news that the Library and Archives Canada is going to outsource its library catalogue called AMICUS to an American company – Computer Library Centre Inc. (OCLC). This also involves 1,300 other libraries across Canada. 

To read the article, go to http://www.ottawacitizen.com/Library+Archives+Canada+moves+outsource+national+catalogue/9687461/story.html

So what do you think? Is this a good or bad move for the LAC? Does it change your opinion of the future of the LAC, or are you not surprised by this move?

La Grande Vague ou la mémoire de l’eau salée (The Great Wave : Or the Memory of Salt Water)

At the Musée des beaux-arts de Sherbrooke located at 241, Dufferin Street, there is an exhibit called La Grande Vague ou la mémoire de l’eau salée which is a monument to the memory of the early Québec pioneers. 

This is an installation of two meters by ten meters representing a wave which symbolizes the crossing of our ancestors from France to America. Constructed from 400 books arranged to show the names of 400 pioneer families sculpted in bas relief -- names still belonging to 3.4 million Québecers -- it is the illustration of a grand voyage integral to the history of Québec and its cultural heritage as well as to that of the individuals who were part of it.

This exhibit will be at the 241 Dufferin, Sherbrooke until May 18, 2014.

For more information, call 819.821.2115 or visit http://mbas.qc.ca/en/la-grande-vague-ou-la-memoire-de-leau-salee

MyHeritage and a Billion Graves start to digitally preserve the world’s cemeteries

Both MyHeritage and its partner a Billion Graves is undertaking a huge project – they want to digitally preserve the world’s cemeteries. 

They say that “The effort is being conducted by both companies free of charge. The hope is to "crowdsource" an effort to digitally preserve every cemetery and gravestone in the world. The companies are working together to providing the content online for everyone to see, free of charge. This project is important and beneficial for genealogists everywhere”.

They have produced a short video at the MyHeritage blog 

http://blog.myheritage.com/2014/03/video-myheritage-team-digitizes-cemetery/

The a Billion Graves blog describing the project at http://blog.billiongraves.com/2014/03/all-billiongraves-users-be-part-of-your-own-success-story-myheritage-shows-you-how

Canadian Week in Review 31 March 2014

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

Websites

CelticGenealogy Website

www.celticgenealogy.org

This website traces the lives of Gillis, Beaton, MacFarlane, Nelligan, MacDonald, Harper, Apper, MacNeil, Gearin, MacMaster, Campell, Robinson, Miller, Gaffney, Hayes, and Hurley in Cape Breton.

Social Media

Celtic Genealogy Blog
http://celticgenealogy.org/blog
Celtic Genealogy also has a blog which is up-to-date.

New Stories

Celebrating 50, 100 and 150
http://www.journalpioneer.com/Living/2014-03-24/article-3660548/Celebrating-50,-100-and-150/1
A full audience enjoyed “The Hundredth Summer”, a National Film Board documentary chronicling the celebrations surrounding the centennial of the Charlottetown Conference.

Researching your ancestral roots requires digging, but it's worth it
http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/arts-and-life/diversions/researching-your-ancestral-roots-requires-digging-but-its-worth-it-251847041.html
Read about how the writer of this article found out about her Métis heritage. 

'Royal' compromise first floated last year
http://thechronicleherald.ca/novascotia/1195395-royal-compromise-first-floated-last-year
The article demonstrates that how one feels about history in Canada can run deep. 

Groups unite to preserve historical landmark
http://www.comoxvalleyrecord.com/community/252052191.html
Mack Laing’s heritage home, Baybrook, stands on the largest forest midden in British Columbia and it is the Comox Valley’s foremost historical landmark of this region. The Comox Valley Nature and Project Watershed members are working to preserve the heritage home. 

Exposed: More photos of the 1870 Wolseley Expedition
http://www.northumberlandnews.com/opinion-story/4430176-exposed-more-photos-of-the-1870-wolseley-expedition
Two more picture have been added to the Wolseley Expedition that was covered by this news summary a number of weeks ago.

Canadian History Project to Present IN HIS NAME, April 23-27
http://www.broadwayworld.com/toronto/article/Canadian-History-Project-to-Present-IN-HIS-NAME-April-23-27-20140326
With a mandate to produce plays set in Canada prior to Confederation, The Canadian History Project is proud to present In His Name-Dollard Des Ormeaux and the Battle of Long Sault in April at the The Array Space, 155 Walnut Avenue, Toronto. 

P.E.I. Father of Confederation leaves lasting legacy
http://www.theguardian.pe.ca/150th-Charlottetown/2014-03-27/article-3666789/P.E.I.-Father-of-Confederation-leaves-lasting-legacy/1
Read how Edward Whalen immigrated from Ireland to Prince Edward Island, and became a publisher, journalist, orator, politician, and one of the Fathers of Confederation.

How Canada became home to some of the world’s more visually stunning — and fun — heraldry
http://news.nationalpost.com/2014/03/27/how-canada-became-home-to-some-of-the-worlds-more-visually-stunning-and-fun-heraldry
Read how Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario became the latest city in Canada to receive it own Coat of Arms.

Story of the Week

National Tartan Day

On October 21, 2010, the Minister of Canadian Heritage officially declared April 6 as Tartan Day. Did you know that the reason it is celebrated on April 6 because it is the anniversary of the signing of Declaration of Arbroath in 1320, the Scottish declaration of independence.

In Canada, Tartan Day originated in the late 1980s in Nova Scotia (my home province), where it was declared an official day by the provincial government. It then spread across the country, with many provinces joining in.

Each province and territory—with the exception of Newfoundland and Labrador—has proclaimed April 6 as Tartan Day. Most provinces and territories in Canada have adopted an official tartan, with the exception of Nunavut, and Quebec, which has an unofficial tartan.

The celebrations usually include parades of pipe bands, Highland dancing and sports, and other community gatherings with Scottish-themed events. And it usually includes a special pipe band with Highland Dancers on Parliament Hill.

The Canadian Maple Leaf Tartan was created in 1964 by David Weiser in anticipation of the 100th anniversary of Canada's confederation in 1967. It was designed to be worn by Canadians from all backgrounds regardless of their ancestry, as a symbol of national pride.

So go out and celebrate Tartan Day, and wear the Canadian Maple Leaf Tartan!

Reminder: Check the Canadian Week in Review next Monday for the latest in Genealogy, Heritage, and History news in Canada. It’s the ONLY news blog of its kind in country! The next post will be on 7 April 2014.

Reminder: Canadian Week in Review

Check the Canadian Week in Review tomorrow morning for the latest in Genealogy, Heritage, and History news in Canada.

It has the most recent news about New/Updated Websites, Social Media, and Newspaper Articles.

It’s the ONLY news blog of its kind in the country!

It has been a regular post every Monday since April 23, 2012.

Family History/Genealogy at The Canadian Jewish Heritage Network (CJHN)

If you have Jewish ancestors, have you checked the latest addition to the genealogical database at http://www.cjhn.ca/en/family-history.aspx

You can search in the following databases -

· Jewish Colonization Association individual farm settler reports from Western Canada and Quebec (1906-1951) This includes a scanned form describing each individual farming family at various points in time.

· Yiddish obituaries from the Keneder Adler (1908-1932) This Montreal-based daily newspaper has been translated and indexed.

· Hebrew Sick Benefit Association of Montreal membership listings from 1897-1945. These records have been transcribed from the membership books, translated from Yiddish.

· Canadian Jewish Casualties in the Canadian Armed Forces These listings include servicemen who died while serving in World War I, World War II, and the Korean War. These records often include additional details such as war stories and photographs. 

· Saint John, New Brunswick Jewish Residents, Businesses, Burials & Obituaries These records contain burial information dating back to 1873, hundreds of full text obituaries, detailed photographs of tombstones, and business and residential directory details about all the known Jewish residents of Saint John from 1863-1999.

· Jewish Immigrant Aid Services client name lists from 1922-1952 The CJHN) say that “The JIAS listings are the only records in this database which do not present all the available data online. Access to this information is restricted to the persons named in the file or, if deceased, their direct descendants. The archival records associated with these listings can contain a single index card to more than a dozen pages. Fees for copying and delivery apply; payment can be made to the CJCCC National Archives via Paypal or Canadian funds cheque”. 

White you are at the site, do not miss their extensive archival materials, digital images, and education material at http://www.cjhn.ca/en 

Hommage à Lac-Mégantic exhibit

There will be an exhibit called Hommage à Lac-Mégantic from March 30th to May 25th, 2014 at the  Uplands Cultural and Heritage Centre, 9 Speid Street, Sherbrooke.

“Following the tragic events in the town of Lac-Mégantic last summer, the Uplands exhibition committee has decided to honour Mégantic artists by mounting an exhibit which will bring together eleven artists of this region. 

The public is cordially invited to come and meet the participants at a vernissage to take place Sunday, March 30, from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.. 

In addition, two “slam” poets, Marie-Pier Landry and Kyra Shaughnessy, will be present at the vernissage to share their poems inspired by the disaster.

Throughout the course of the exhibit, there will be an opportunity to make donations, which will be given to a cultural organization of the Lac-Mégantic region, selected by the participating artists”.

Remember, the Hommage à Lac-Mégantic exhibit will continue until May 25, 2014.

The website of the Uplands Cultural and Heritage Centre is http://uplands.ca

Looking at Canada – 40th Anniversary Symposium

 The Bill Belier Memorial Symposium will take place Saturday, April 26, 2014 at Jackman Hall, Toronto. The AGO will follow the next day Sunday, April 26, 2014 by the 2nd annual Image Show at Branch 101 of the Royal Canadian Legion in Long Branch.

The speakers at the symposium will be Blake Chorley (Mammoth Tintypes), Harry Enchin (Moments in Time), Andrea Kunard (NFB additions), Cassandra Rowbotham (Connon and the panorama camera) and Robert Wilson (Baltzly and BC Landscapes).

To find out about the registration, go to http://phsc.ca/camera/?p=3610

Service Disruptions at the Archives of Manitoba

During the next few months, the Archives of Manitoba, including the Hudson’s Bay Company Archives, will be replacing mechanical equipment and building components in several of the archival storage vaults at 200 Vaughan Street, Winnipeg causing service disruptions. And this disruption will continue over the next one to two years. 

The nature of this work requires the temporary relocation of records stored within the vaults during each phase of the project. This project is necessary to ensure that the environment of the vaults continues to be acceptable for the preservation of archival records.

Services which will be disrupted will be

• times when some records are not available for consultation. 

• delays in retrieval of records may occur. 

• there may be noisy times due to the renovation work. 

Please note that records stored offsite will not be affected by these renovations.

Updates will be posted at the website as the project progresses and you can contact them if you have questions at archives@gov.mb.ca

The website is http://www.gov.mb.ca/chc/archives

Old Stones - from Exploration to Preservation

The Nova Scotia Genealogical Society is having a two-day cemetery conference in Truro where there will be great speakers, all meals and breaks will be included, a networking social, and poster displays. 

The conference will be held May 24 and 25, 2014 at the Nova Scotia Agricultural College Campus, Truro, NS, and there will be six lectures given by Dr. Allan Marble, Gary Wright, Bill Curry, Kevin Bartlett & Sean McKeane, Heather Lawson, and Deborah Trask.

And there will be a field trip to the historic Onslow Cemetery. 

For more information about the conference and a registration packet, contact Dawn Josey at info@novascotiaancestors.ca 

The registration form is at http://www.novascotiaancestors.ca/upload/files/GANS_CemeteryConference2014_Registration.pdf 

The GANS website is at http://www.novascotiaancestors.ca 

The Onslow Cemetery is at www.onslowislandcemetery.ca 

The Onslow Island Cemetery holds the remains of Planters (settlers from New England who came to Nova Scotia in the 1700s), and as such, it is one of the oldest cemeteries in Nova Scotia. 

Last year, the 250th founding of the cemetery was highlighted, and celebrated. Some of the burials at the cemetery are on Find a Grave at http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gsr&GScid=2297634 

LAC’s new code of conduct/ Nouveau code de conduite de BAC

Some good news this morning -

Political pressure sometimes works. In a victory for staff, Library and Archives Canada (LAC) has withdrawn its controversial Code of Conduct put into effect in early 2013. The code contained severe restrictions on staff behavior, both in their public and personal lives.

The restrictions on LAC employees garnered media and public scrutiny and, in the wake of intense public pressure, LAC administrators placed the code under review. In December 2013, a revised Code was introduced.

This new code represents a significant improvement. Employees are still encouraged to report on their colleagues for any failure to comply with the code, a shameful policy that contributes to an unhealthy workplace. However, restrictions on employees’ professional development activities have been substantially reduced and references to discipline for personal opinions expressed in limited access forums have been removed.

At a time when Canadian culture institutions are being decimated, it is easy to become overwhelmed and forget to celebrate our victories, however small. The changes to the LAC code of conduct were only made because we spoke out collectively, an example of how we can make a difference. Our current government may be attempting to rewrite the past, but together we are in control of the future. 

----

Les pressions politiques portent parfois leurs fruits. Bibliothèque et Archives Canada (BAC) a retiré son controversé Code de conduite entré en vigueur au début de 2013, une victoire pour le personnel de l’institution. Le code imposait de sévères restrictions aux activités tant publiques que personnelles des employés. 

Les restrictions imposées aux employés de BAC avaient suscité l’intérêt des médias et du public, et donné lieu à des protestations publiques qui forçaient les administrateurs de BAC à le réexaminer. En décembre 2013, BAC adoptait une version révisée du Code.

Le nouveau code constitue une nette amélioration par rapport à la version antérieure. Les employés sont toujours invités à signaler à l’employeur les activités de leurs collègues contraires au code, une mesure honteuse qui contribue à la détérioration des relations de travail. Cependant, BAC a considérablement assoupli les règles régissant les activités de perfectionnement professionnel des employés et a éliminé toute mention de mesures disciplinaires pour l’expression d’opinions personnelles dans des forums à accès public. 

En cette période où les institutions culturelles canadiennes sont décimées, on oublie facilement, dans notre accablement, de célébrer nos victoires, aussi petites soient-elles. Si BAC a modifié son code de conduite, c’est parce que nous avons protesté collectivement. Voilà un exemple de notre capacité à faire bouger les choses. Le gouvernement actuel peut bien essayer de réécrire le passé, mais ensemble, nous forgeons l’avenir. 

Rosa E. Barker 

Professional Officer / Agente professionnelle 

Canadian Association of University Teachers / Association canadienne des professeures et professeurs d'université 

2705 promenade Queensview Drive 

Ottawa ON, K2B 8K2 

Tel / tél 613-726-5166

Fax/ télé 613-820-7244

barker@caut.ca

Canadian Week in Review 24 March 2014

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

Websites

No new website this week.

Social Media

Reading the Gazette’s slavery ads
http://genealogyalacarte.wordpress.com/2014/03/22/slavery-in-18th-century-quebec
Read about this article on slavery in Quebec that Gail Dever points to in her blog.

Laying down the law: Court of Appeal celebrating its 100th year (with video)
ttp://www.edmontonjournal.com/Laying+down+Court+Appeal+celebrating+100th+year+with+video/9632063/story.html
Read the history of the Court of Appeals in Alberta.

Kent County Ontario Canada Genealogy Blog
http://kentcountyogsblog.blogspot.ca
They have just started this blog. Stay tuned for further developments.

New Stories

Nazi memorabilia sale draws fire
http://www.leaderpost.com/life/Nazi+memorabilia+sale+draws+fire/9624736/story.html
The Saskatoon Gun Club Collector's Show had a show recently where a collector showed German medals and weapons from the First and Second World Wars.

National stamp collection has a new home at Canadian Museum of History
http://www.princegeorgecitizen.com/cmlink/gmg-glacier-media-group/canadian-press/life/travel/national-stamp-collection-has-a-new-home-at-canadian-museum-of-history-1.902322
Some good news! The Canadian Stamp Collection will reappears as a permanent exhibition comprises all 3,000 or so postage stamps issued in Canada from 1851 to the present on March 28 at the Canadian Museum of History.

Canada Post celebrates Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry 100th Anniversary with commemorative envelope
http://www.digitaljournal.com/pr/1794715
The PPCLI was officially authorized as a regiment on the August 10, 1914. Recruiting was completed in eight days!

Explore heritage trails with go!PEI passport
http://www.journalpioneer.com/News/Local/2014-03-17/article-3652915/Explore-heritage-trails-with-go!PEI-passport/1
Forty trails have been identified across PEI, and you can read about each one at http://www.gopei.ca

Search for kin subject of film: Reunion caps story of wartime couple 
hthttp://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/search-for-kin-subject-of-film-250732741.html
Sgt. Peter Partridge from Manitoba served in the Second World War, fell in love with an English girl, an had a son named Peter Ian. Discover how his daughter found her relatives in Manitoba, and a film has been made of her discovery. (Special thanks go to Jackie Corrigan for sending this story to CWR).

Opinion: How does a province say sorry? http://www.vancouversun.com/news/Opinion+does+province+sorry/9642743/story.html
Read the opinion of Dr. Henry Yu is a historian and associate professor of history and principal of St. John’s College at UBC on his views of the treatment of Asians by the BC government and of their inpending apology.

Preserving history in Clarington http://www.durhamregion.com/opinion-story/4419813-preserving-history-in-clarington
More than 100 German prisoners were held at Camp 30 in the 1940s, sent to Canada to keep them an ocean away from the conflict amid fears that Great Britain might fall to the Germans.

British home kids — indentured servants?
http://www.orilliapacket.com/2014/03/21/british-home-kids--indentured-servants
Sandra Joyce, the author of The Street Arab — The Story of a British Home Child, and Lori Oschefski recently spoke on the British home Children at the Orillia Museum of Art and History.

French Canadian Genealogical Society Gains in Membership
http://www.thenorthfieldnews.com/news/2014-03-20/News/French_Canadian_Genealogical_Society_Gains_in_Memb.html
A tip of the hat to our cousins to the south as The Vermont French- Canadian Genealogical Society has announced that they have reached their 1,000th member since its formation in 1996.

Mireille Silcoff: Irish by choice, or, If a Latvian Jew can claim the Emerald Isle, anyone can
http://life.nationalpost.com/2014/03/15/mireille-silcoff-irish-by-choice-or-if-a-latvian-jew-can-claim-the-emerald-isle-anyone-can
Read how a Jew born in Dublin, Ireland dealt with his "Irishness." (Special thanks goes to Gail Dever, Special Correspondent to the CWR).

New Brunswick, Maine, promoting themselves as tourist destinations
http://www.sackvilletribunepost.com/Business/2014-03-22/article-3658946/New-Brunswick,-Maine,-promoting-themselves-as-tourist-destinations/1
New Brunswick is collaborating with the State of Maine to promote themselves as unique Two-Nation Vacation tourist destinations. One thing to note is the holding of the 2014 the Congrès Mondial Acadien, which will take place Aug. 8 - 24.

Story of the Week

May 9th will be a National Day of Honour

Friday May the 9th will be a National Day of Honour when the men and women who served in Afghanistan will be honoured with a parade in Ottawa, and various other events across Canada.

The last of the soldiers who served in Afghanistan - 94 Canadians returned home to their loved ones this past Tuesday March the 18th.

Since the Canadian military mission in Afghanistan began 12 years ago, 158 soldiers have lost their lives - one diplomat, one journalist and two civilian contractors were also killed. More than 40,000 Canadian armed forces members have been deployed to Afghanistan since October 2001.

May the 9th will be quite a day in Ottawa.

There will be the parade that will start at the Canadian War Museum in Ottawa and travel to Parliament Hill, forces members injured during the mission will pass the last Canadian flag flown in Afghanistan from Canadian Forces Base Trenton to the parade in Ottawa, and the flag will journey through six cities in six days. there will be a moment of silence to reflect upon Canada's sacrifices.

As well, the Afghanistan Memorial Vigil, which was constructed by troops in Kandahar and repatriated to Canada, will be on display on Parliament Hill during the parade.

A video timeline has been put together by the CBC at http://www.cbc.ca/news/canadian-soldiers-in-afghanistan-a-video-timeline-1.2568551

Reminder: Check the Canadian Week in Review next Monday for the latest in Genealogy, Heritage, and History news in Canada. It’s the ONLY news blog of its kind in country! The next post will be on 31 Match 2014.

Lost Landscapes: Up the Gatineau! with Google Earth

Join the Gatineau Valley Historical Society as they mark Earth Day with an historical virtual tour up the Gatineau River. Society President, Marc Cockburn, will take you on multi-media voyage from Hull up to Low and beyond, using Google Earth and archival photos and maps to reconstruct how the river’s landscape looked before much of its natural and built environment was flooded in 1927.

The meeting will be held on Tuesday, April 22, 2014 at 7:30 pm, at The Wakefield Centre, 38, ch. Valley, Wakefield, QC

The website of the society is at http://www.gvhs.ca

Wellington County OGS Region III Meeting - Ask the Experts

On Saturday, April 19, 2014, there will be a full-day meeting from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm at the Harriston Community Centre, 111 George Street South, Harriston, ON, and the title of it is Ask the Experts. 

The morning portion will feature three different genealogical professionals who will give presentations on their area of expertise. In the afternoon, the experts will sit on a panel and answer your research questions. 

To get your questions answered, please submit them ahead of time through the branch website, or in person. 

The Experts will be  

• Cindy Preece 

o Archives Administrator, Wilfrid Laurier University Archives & Special Collections

•  Karen Wagner

o Archivist at the Wellington County Museum and Archives

• Expert Panel

o A special presentation on “Preserving Your Family Heirlooms”

The cost will be $20.00 per person for pre-registration or $25 per person at the door, and there will be a $10.00 charge for lunch. 

The territory covered by Wellington Branch encompasses Guelph and Wellington County and its historical townships - Minto, Arthur, West Luther, Maryborough, Peel, Pilkington, Nichol, West Garafraxa, Eramosa, Erin, Guelph and Puslinch.

Their website is http://www.ogs.on.ca/wellington/index.html

Soldiers of Song

The Stirling Festival Theatre in Stirling, Ontario will present the play Soldiers of Song on Sunday April the 12th at 2 pm. 

The play will honour the 100th anniversary of the start of the First World War with a special show that pays homage to one of the most distinctive musical acts in Canadian history – The Dumbells.

The Dumbells were a group of Canadians who were soldiers during the day and entertainers at night during the First World War. 

As the Library and Archives Canada site says “They were a makeshift stage of packing boxes in First World War France to become the toast of the nation for over a decade. They became arguably the most famous of the Canadian Army "concert parties," those entertainment units that were devoted to building the morale of the troops on the front lines”.

Their website is www.stirlingfestivaltheatre.com 

For background information on the Dumbells, go to the Library and Archives Canada site at https://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/gramophone/028011-1007.1-e.html

Canada’s worst mine disaster

There will be an exhibit at the Provincial Archives of Alberta from now until May 31, 2014 and the exhibit is about Canada’s worst mine disaster at Hillcrest Collieries in Hillcrest, Alberta.

On June 19, 1914, 189 miners lost their lives at Hillcrest Collieries in what is still Canada's worst mine disaster. One hundred years later, the Provincial Archives of Alberta reconstructs the events at Hillcrest and their impact on this coal mining community by highlighting important archival documents preserved within its holdings.

Visit the Provincial Archives of Alberta during regular facility hours to view this commemorative centennial exhibit, and the admission is free.

The Provincial Archives of Alberta is located at 8555 Roper Road, Edmonton, Alberta. 

They have a new website and it is at http://provincialarchives.alberta.ca 

Here is a report on the disaster in the Cranbook Herald at http://www.crowsnest.bc.ca/hillcrest.html

History Matters: Canada’s Aboriginal Peoples Past and Present

Heritage Toronto is pleased to present an exploration of the latest archaeological insights into the lives of Indigenous people in Southern Ontario prior to contact with Europeans.

A panel discussion called Before Ontario: Archaeology and the Province’s First Peoples will take place on Wed Apr 02, 2014 at 6:30 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. at the Toronto Reference Library Atrium, 789 Yonge Street, Toronto, ON Phone: 416-395-5577.

Join the editors and some of the contributors to Before Ontario: The Archaeology of a Province (2013) for a panel discussion. Panelists include:

· Dr. Marit Munson

· Dr. Susan Jamieson

· Dr. Anne Keenleyside (Trent)

· Dr. Ron Williamson of Archaeological Services Inc.

· Chief Kris Nahrgang of the Kawartha Nishnawbe First Nation

· Dr. Neal Ferris (Western Ontario)

· Dr. Andrew Stewart of Strata Consulting

The panel will be moderated by Shawn Micallef, a noted journalist and Toronto Public Library’s Writer-in-Residence in Fall 2013.

This panel discussion is presented in collaboration with http://activehistory.ca and Heritage Toronto at http://heritagetoronto.org

Preserving Ireland's Genealogy

This was just sent out from FamilySearch.org on St. Partick’s Day.

Website Gathers St. Patrick's Day and Other Irish Family Stories and Photos by Glen Greener

“St. Patrick died on March 17, 481, but St. Patrick's Day lives on all over the world demonstrating how prolific Irish roots have permeated cultures globally over the years. A sampling of the many areas St. Patrick's day is celebrated in includes: Argentina, Canada, Great Britain, Japan, Malaysia, Montserrat, Russia, South Korea, Switzerland, and the United States. 

FamilySearch.org is celebrating St. Patrick's day by encouraging descendants of Irish immigrants to preserve and share their Irish family memories online through photos and stories. Family historians can also freely search over 30 million historic Irish records online or begin building their Irish family trees.

Ireland provides one of the most interesting and challenging genealogies for family researchers, and there are a lot of them. Over 100 million people worldwide claim some Irish heritage. 

A loss of records by fire and problems recording Irish emigrants who boarded ships after the original departure can seem like barriers to genealogists trying to "get back across the pond." The family histories are often available in the emigrant's new country, but finding the lines back in Ireland can be difficult.

Chris Paton, a former BBC television producer, author, and a professional genealogist, says, "Ireland has probably experienced more tragedy when it comes to the preservation of resources for family historians than any other region of the British Isles. Many of the nation's primary records were lost during the civil war in 1922 and through other equally tragic means." 

There is good news, says David Rencher, Chief Genealogical Officer at FamilySearch. "The government of Ireland now considers genealogy an economic resource. It is one of the main reasons for tourism. In the past five years, more resources have been made available than were in the previous 15 years."

Rencher comes by his love of Irish ancestry naturally. Both sides of his family hail from the Emerald Isle. And he's always fascinated by the traditions of celebrating St. Patrick's Day all over the world.

There are good resources online: FamilySearch.org, findmypast.com, ancestry.com, the public records office of Northern Ireland, and the national archives of Ireland. Counties are coming forward with quality publications of local histories, and the Irish government wants to help those with Irish roots to plan their search. 

Rencher says, "People need to find out specifically where their Irish ancestors hail from. County records are important. Parish records are becoming more available." 

Finding the home town and county of your ancestors is helped by surnames which are often good indicators of where in Ireland someone is from. Employment records in America can contain a birthplace in Ireland. Cemeteries in Ireland are valuable because it was not uncommon for relatives to have a tombstone erected in Ireland although the deceased was buried in another country.

The names of neighbors and friends in a possible village of origin could open up help and hospitality. "The Irish are very generous with their time when people are searching for their Irish roots. Most towns have someone who people regard as the local historian who wants to help. Local libraries are also valuable resources. In any case, people on a pilgrimage to find their family's history in Ireland are welcomed with open arms," Rencher said.

According to Rencher, the best method is to, "Start with what you know and branch out to what you don't know. What artifacts do you have in your home? A Presbyterian Church token has a mark that can tell what congregation in Ireland it's from. Other members of a family might have naturalization certificates or church records. Irish families are so large that artifacts could be with any number of cousins."

It's also important to document the ancestors you find along with any stories or pictures. With 100 million Irish descendants around the world, it's a strong possibility someone you don't know can add details to your history if they can find your photos and stories on free preservation sites likeFamilySearch.org. DNA results can also help identify where others in your family line are located. 

Because of death and emigration to other countries, the population of Ireland was the same in 1900 as in 1800. Irish emigrants went all over the world for many reasons—mostly looking for new opportunity and a new life. Many had to leave when their landlords moved a tenant off the property so a new tenant could pay higher rents. Others went into military service or worked as indentured servants, working for seven years to pay off their costs of emigrating. Many moved to England, Canada, and America to work as miners and laborers. 

Some got a new start in a developing country. If you had to guess the name of a founder and first president of a newly independent nation in South America, would you guess O'Higgins? If you did, you'd be right. Bernardo O'Higgins became the Supreme Director of Chile in 1817.

On St. Patrick's Day, the saying is, "Everybody is Irish for one day," and that might be literally true. Irish is the second most common ancestry in the United States. It's the fourth largest in Canada. Mexico has 600,000 Irish descendants. And this just names a few. 

Whether you're marching in a St. Patrick's Day parade, helping turn the Chicago River green, wearing garish green socks, or just having some corned beef and cabbage at home, take the time to share your favorite Irish family photos and stories online at FamilySearch.org. So even if you don't think you have any Irish in you, it's now a lot easier to double check”.

Canadian Week in Review 17 March 2014

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

Websites

MacMillan Bloedel Limited fonds
http://digitalcollections.library.ubc.ca/cdm/landingpage/collection/macmillan
The records of MacMillan Bloedel Ltd. are part of University of British Columbia Library's Rare Books and Special Collections, and now they have put it online.

Capilano Timber Company fonds
http://digitalcollections.library.ubc.ca/cdm/landingpage/collection/capilano
The Capilano Timber Company Collection forms part of University of British Columbia Library's Rare Books and Special Collections. These are images – photos – that were originally from a single photograph album, and depict the daily operations of the Capilano Timber Company.

Social Media

10 Top Tips for How to Bust Through Your Genealogy Brick Wall
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=33NcRbkm-eQ

This was posted before in RootsTech 2013 news blog, but I think it bears reposting again, because the information given by Dave Obee in this YouTube video is important to those people researching Canadian roots.

News Stories

Nova Scotia-Maine ferry to start in May

http://www.eturbonews.com/43664/nova-scotia-maine-ferry-start-may
It’s good to see ferry service between Yarmouth and Portland again. In my younger years, I took the ferry many a time on our summer jaunts down to the 'Boston States’ to visit relatives.

Historic stick staying in Canada Stick believed to date back to early 1800s pulled from eBay, destined for museum
http://www.canada.com/Historic+stick+staying+Canada/9620247/story.html
Apparently, the so-called “Moffatt Stick,” a curved hunk of maple that experts have confirmed matches the style of sticks used for games of shinny (pond hockey) in eastern North America in the early 19th century, has been sold.

Saint John to become home port for cruise to Portland in 2015 http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/new-brunswick/saint-john-to-become-home-port-for-cruise-to-portland-in-2015-1.2573200
This sounds just wonderful - Blount Small Ship Adventures will offer a 10-day tour of the Bay of Fundy on a 98-passenger ship, with stops in Saint Andrews, GrandManan Island, and Campobello Island.

Irish history in Canada and Quebec is far from timid
http://www.montrealgazette.com/health/Irish+history+Canada+Quebec+from+timid/9619784/story.html
Irish-Canadian history is about a lot more than the Great Famine and coffin ships. Jane McGaughey, a professor of Canadian-Irish studies at Concordia University, is investigating Irish participation in the 1837-38 Rebellions.

Reclaim island airport, install Canadian Air and Space Museum: Shirley Bush’s Big Idea
http://www.thestar.com/bigideas/arts_recreation/2014/03/14/reclaim_island_airport_install_canadian_air_and_space_museum_shirley_bushs_big_idea.html
An interesting article - see how she plans to do this!

Newfoundland’s viking connection: Recreated villages and re-enactors heat up history
http://www.montrealgazette.com/travel/Newfoundland+viking+connection/9613780/story.html
A group of Greenland Vikings emerged around AD 1000 to establish a settlement on the island of Newfoundland. 

Ed Coleman's history: The Irish started the Town of Kentville
http://www.kingscountynews.ca/Opinion/Columnists/2014-03-13/article-3644637/Ed-Colemans-history-The-Irish-started-the-Town-of-Kentville/1
Read the early Irish history of Kemtville, Nova Scotia. 

Alberta offers free admission to museums and heritage sites to recognize military service
http://www.edmontonjournal.com/Alberta+offers+free+admission+museums+heritage+sites+recognize+military+service/9613873/story.html
The free admission will be permitted to past and present members of the Canadian Forces at five major museums, including the Royal Alberta Museum and the Royal Tyrrell Museum, and 14 historic sites and interpretive centres, such as the Ukrainian Village, the Oilsands Discovery Centre, and Head-Smashed-In Buffalo Jump.

Manitoba wants panel to rule on costly census dispute
http://globalnews.ca/news/1202755/manitoba-wants-panel-to-rule-on-costly-census-dispute
Manitoba wants the federal government to appoint a panel to rule on whether Statistics Canada undercounted the population by 18,000 in the last census — costing the province $100 million a year in transfer payments.

A historically significant photograph turns up in Nova Scotia
http://www.ourwindsor.ca/opinion-story/4408086-a-historically-significant-photograph-turns-up-in-nova-scotia
Read what this photo has to say about the 1870 Red River Rebellion when a 1,200-man militia was sent to the Red River district of Manitoba.

Picturesque Lighthouse in the Pacific Northwest Designated under Heritage Lighthouse Protection Act
http://www.digitaljournal.com/pr/1786742
The Nootka lighthouse, located on the ancestral territory of the Mowachaht-Muchalaht Nation on Vancouver Island, BC, is now protected for years to come under Canada's Heritage Lighthouse Protection Act (HLPA).

Council considers historic designation for Hotel
http://www.rmoutlook.com/article/20140313/RMO0801/303139981/-1/rmo08/council-considers-historic-designation-for-hotel
Canmore's town council is officially considering municipal historic resource designation for the Canmore Hotel.

The lost post: Leslieville man finds letters from a WWI soldier under his Bertmount Ave. porch
http://www.thestar.com/news/world/2014/03/15/the_lost_post_leslieville_man_finds_letters_from_a_wwi_soldier_under_his_bertmount_ave_porch.html
Larry McLean hopes to return the stack of old mail discovered during renovations to soldier Leslie Currell’s family.

Montreal Diary: Temporary typhoid hospital helped scuttle 1910 epidemic
http://www.montrealgazette.com/health/Montreal+Diary+Temporary+typhoid+hospital+helped+scuttle+1910+epidemic/9613249/story.html
At the corner of Lucien L’Allier St. and Overdale Ave, Robert N. Wilkins discovered an abandoned building that was used in 1910 as a provisional facility for those who were suffering from typhoid fever. (This story was first seen on Gail Dever’s blog, Genealogy à la carte, at http://genealogyalacarte.wordpress.com).

Story of the Week

I have been in discussions with various people who will have books published this year on the two anniversaries we will be honouring – the centennial of the beginning of the First World War, and the 75th anniversary of the Second World War.

And now I see where the Canadian government has put a new site on the heritage department called Commemorations of the First and Second World Wars. There isn’t much on the site right now, but I am sure more will be added as we get closer to the actual days the wars began.

In the meantime, there are articles starting to appear in the newspapers about the First and Second World Wars, as there will be ceremonies which will take place all over Canada, and on the battlefields in Europe, and the staging stations for the troops as they arrived in Great Britain.

The Heritage Canada website is http://canada150.gc.ca/eng/1389030950562/1389031264299

Reminder: Check the Canadian Week in Review next Monday for the latest in Genealogy, Heritage, and History news in Canada. It’s the ONLY news blog of its kind in country! The next post will be on 24 Match 2014.

FREE Access: Ancestry.ca

Enjoy free access from now until March 17th to more than 41 million historical records to find your Irish roots!

Go to http://www.ancestry.ca/cs/ca/irish

Mocavo offer free access

Cliff Shaw in his blog at Mocavo is offering all Mocavo Basic members free access to all of the premium Mocavo Gold features until Sunday at midnight. 

Over the past few months, he says, “we received so much positive feedback about our free access weekends is offering that we decided to do it again!

Back by popular demand, all Mocavo Basic members can now access all of the premium Mocavo Gold features for free until Sunday at Midnight. This means you can search our entire collection to your heart’s content, upload your tree to receive new discovery alerts, download and print any document you find, and much more”!

During their last free offer, I found a marriage notice of my g-g-aunt Aunt Louisa Barclay (daughter of Andrew Barclay from Shelburne, Nova Scotia) to Caleb Haley of California (formerly of Yarmouth, Nova Scotia) in a New York newspaper. I had been looking for a notice of her marriage for years, because I had been lead to believe they were married in Yarmouth, even though I had known she had taken frequent trip to New York. There is a lesson here - 

The details of the blog is at http://blog.mocavo.com/2014/03/open-access-mocavo-gold-sunday-midnight