Tag: Canadiana
The war of 1812: A native hero named Norton
Canada is a country so vast that too often, it seems, our history is lost inside our geography. A striking example is our country’s First Nations, whose long, rich history is well-preserved by them, but seldom gets the same attention on a broader scale, even when their stories affect us all. Consider Mohawk chief John [...]
A short, chilly history of Canadian winters
How often in winter do we cringe at hearing the dreaded question, “Is it cold enough for ya?!” True, it is a conversation opener, and we Canadians do speak volumes about our weather. In Canada, winter is a part of our community to the extent that it defines us in the global consciousness. It also [...]
Eugene Forsey: bringing Canada’s political history to life
“I can remember many people who go a long, long way back in our history,” my father told an interviewer in 1970. “I remember one man who was elected to Parliament in 1867, half a dozen who were elected in 1874 … Sometimes [with] classes in Canadian government, I’m able to say, ‘Oh, no you’ve [...]
Canada’s first Olympic gold-medalist
On the official Olympic Games website, there are two records concerning George Orton at the Paris Olympics in 1900. The records show he won a bronze medal in the 400-metre men’s hurdles and a gold medal in the 3000-metre steeplechase. The records note his country as Canada, making George Orton the first Canadian to win [...]
Yonge Street: Governor Simcoe’s military road
By Laura Neilson Bonikowsky I have ascertained by a Route hitherto unknown but to some Indian Hunters, that there is an easy Portage between York and the Waters which fall into Lake Huron of not more than thirty miles in extent…. and hope to compleat (sic) the Military Street or Road the ensuing Autumn.” ~ [...]
Win, lose or draw? Mythology of the War of 1812
Two hundred years after the War of 1812 began, the war, and the question of who won, remains lodged in the Canadian tendency toward cultural mythologizing. The war was fought between Great Britain and the United States and involved Upper and Lower Canada (today Ontario and the southern portion of Quebec, respectively) and many First [...]
God save the Queen — and other royal visitors
This summer’s visit to Canada of Prince William and his bride, Catherine, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, continues a long tradition of royal visits to this country. That Canada was chosen as the destination for their first official visit as a couple reflects Canada’s importance within the Commonwealth — an importance that has made [...]
From Russia with love, the Doukhobors set sail
Bewildered spectators watched as 700 men, women and children trudged through the port city of Batum, Russia, in pairs, carrying boards on their shoulders. It was December 1898 and they were volunteers from a large group of Doukhobors preparing for the largest single migration across the Atlantic to North America. They were bound for Canada [...]
Thomas Chandler Haliburton, aka Sam Slick
Thomas Haliburton was an upper-crust Tory, a successful lawyer and businessman who was appointed to Nova Scotia’s Supreme Court and held office in England after his retirement. He was wealthy, respected and influential — and deeply frustrated. As a member of the conservative elite, Haliburton could not freely express his progressive opinions in Nova Scotia [...]
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