Monday, October 19, 2015

Canadian Week in Review 19 October 2015


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 

In 1841, Queen's College (now Queen's University in Kingston, Ontario) obtained a royal charter as a Presbyterian institution of higher learning. 

For more information, go to 

In 1914, Canada's first contingent in the First World War reached Plymouth, England.

The fleet entered Plymouth Sound off the south coast of England on the evening of 14 October 1914. Censorship about the arrival of the Canadian Armada had been so strictly controlled that the fleet was completely unexpected by the local people of Plymouth and Devonport.

To read more about this, go to http://www.greatwar.co.uk/westfront/armies/britishunits/1cdndiv.htm


Social Media

(Facebook) Kingston Genealogical Society Branch of the Ontario Genealogical Society has a new Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/ontgensoc/permalink/907795835980762/

Newspaper Articles

Newfoundland 

A grave discovery: Portuguese fishermen return to honour White Fleet

Forgotten grave found and restored in honour of lost fishermen

Tilt Cove, Canada's smallest town, a big draw for tourists


Tucked away in a small corner of Newfoundland's Baie Verte Peninsula, the minuscule town of Tilt Cove is hiding a whole lot of history.

At first glance you would never be able to guess that this was a mining boomtown — not once, but twice — nor imagine what used to be here. 

Nova Scotia

Halifax Farmers' Market celebrates 265 years


The Halifax Farmers' Market, now known as the Halifax Seaport Farmers' Market, is celebrating 265 years last weekend. They say that they are the longest running farmer's market in North America. It was established by royal decree in 1750, a year after Halifax was established itself. 

Welcome To Vonetta’s museum centre 


Vonetta’s Museum Centre features Nova Scotia’s heritage and of Maritime country music.

Prince Edward Island

Anne of Green Gables characters increase visits to historic site 


Parks Canada says there has been an increase in the visitors at the Anne of Green Gables museum because of the interactive programming and the introduction of costumed characters at the museum.

Quebec

Top 10 Places To See In Quebec


These are ten best places to see in Quebec!

Ontario

16 resources to help you research your Canadian ancestry


The state on Maine has 16 pointers id you are looking for your Canadian ancestors. 

Manitoba

Manitoba Museum gets $10M from province for renewal


The Manitoba Museum is embarking on its largest-ever renewal and received a big boost Thursday with a $10-million donation from the province.

Canadian news stories this week

October 18th was Persons Day in Canada


The decision to include women in the legal definition of "persons"u was handed down by Canada's highest court of appeal – the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council of Great Britain – on October 18, 1929. This gave women the right to be appointed to the Senate of Canada. 

The five women who pursued the case have become known as the Famous Five and they are Emily Murphy, Nellie McClung, Irene Parlby, Louise McKinney and Henrietta Muir Edwards.


October is Mi'kmaq History Month in Nova Scotia 

It was officially proclaimed in 1993 by then Premier John Savage and Mi'kmaq Grand Chief Ben Sylliboy as an initiative to promote province wide awareness about Mi'kmaq culture and heritage. 

It always starts with Treaty Day in recognition of the Treaty of 1752 that designated Oct. 1 as the date the Crown would present gifts to the Mi'kmaq as a sign of good faith.

Here is a timeline of Mi'kmaq history in Nova Scotia - 

• 12,000 years ago: Modern scientific evidence shows Aboriginal People lived in North America since at least the last major ice age and most likely crossed a land bridge over what is now the Berring Strait.

• 1500s: Mi'kmaq begin to have contact with Europeans.

• 1610: Mi'kmaq Grand Chief Kjisaqmaw Maupeltuk becomes first indigenous North American to be baptized and becomes known as Henri Membertou.

• 1617: Mi'kmaq population is reduced from an estimated 35,000 to less than 9,000 after warriors return from Maine with disease.

• 1713: Treaty of Utrecht cedes French Acadia to England, but Mi'kmaq land claims are ignored and relations with British are strained.

• 1780s: United Empire Loyalists from United States arrive in Maritimes and outnumber the Mi'kmaq.

• 1801: Nova Scotia government creates 10 Mi'kmaq Reserves.

• 1868: Indian Act becomes law. Amendments state that Natives must give up status to become Canadian. Aboriginal ceremonies, festivals and rituals become unlawful.

• 1900: Mi'kmaq flag is raised for first time.

• 1914: More than 150 Mi'kmaq men enlist to fight in First World War.

• 1926: Mi'kmaq forced from Kings Road Indian Reserve to present-day Membertou.

• 1930-1967: Atlantic Canada's only Indian residential school operates in Shubenacadie.

• 1951: Revisions to Indian Act remove ban on performing traditional ceremonies.

• 1971: Membertou's Donald Marshall, Jr. wrongly imprisoned for murder. Freed in 1982 and receives apology and monetary compensation from province in 1990. Marshall Jr. dies in 2009.

• 1991: Donald Marshall, Sr. dies at age 66 as serving 27 years as Mi'kmaq Grand Chief.

• 1993: Newly-appointed Grand Chief Ben Sylliboy and then Nova Scotia Premier John Savage decree October as Mi'kmaq History Month

To read more about the mi’kmag culture, go to http://mikmaqhistorymonth.com/ 

And that was the week in Canadian news!

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Check the Canadian Week in Review (CWR) every Monday morning for the latest in Genealogy, Heritage, and History news in Canada.

If you missed last week’s edition, it is 


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