July, 2006 News

(This news feature is divided into topics of Genealogy, Heritage, and History)

Bonus Feature - Website Pick of the Month!

    July 1st is Canada Day!  

    It's Canada's 139th birthday!
    The Honourable Bev Oda, Minister of Canadian Heritage and Status of Women, along with Marcel Beaudry, Chair of the National Capital Commission (NCC), announced the celebrations planned for Canada Day 2006.
    Both Minister Oda and Mr. Beaudry "called upon all Canadians to make Canada's Capitol their destination on July 1st to celebrate our nation's birthday."
    "Since 1984, the NCC, has organized the biggest birthday party in the country, " said Mr. Beaudry.
    The following artists will present shows on Parliament Hill on Canada Day -
     For more information on Canada Day, visit the Canada Day website at <http://www.canadascapital.gc.ca/canadaday>.

"Genealogy News"

Genealogy News and Articles
    Please check my writer's website and blog <http://www.scriptorium.ca> for June, where I talk about "Preserving Your Family History," the seminar we attended June 10th at the LDS in Ottawa, attending the 12th annual fall conference on British Isles Family History in Ottawa, being at the AGM of the Ottawa Genealogical Society meeting on June 20th, and the June 24th AGM of the Media Club of Ottawa.
    Check the June/July issue of the Family Chronicle <http://www.familychronicle.com> for my article "Your Ancestors at a Glance: Surname Profiling." Discover how you can follow migration patterns of a surname from Great Britain to North America. The article is on pp 46 to 47.
    If you need to know about Ontario genealogy, read my article called "Tending the Roots of an Ontario Family Tree" in the May/June issue of Everton's Genealogical Helper <http://www.evertons.com>. Read how you can do Ontario genealogy by following six different 'genealogical helpers' - Census, Church Records, Cemeteries/Obituries, Land Records, Local Histories, and Queries. The article is on pp 17 to 22.
"Heritage News"

Museum of Civilization
    There are three virtual exhibits at the Museum of Civilization website <www.civilization.ca> and they are: "Gateway to Aboriginal Heritage"; "Marius Barbeau: A Glimpse of Canadian Culture (1883-1869)"; and "Crossroads of Culture: 200 Years of Canadian Immigration".
    The Gateway to Aboriginal Heritage highlights Canada's First Nations, Métis, and Inuit peoples.
    There are 30,000 historical images and artifacts to view at your leisure, ranging from stone tools to clothing.
    Please visit the Gateway's virtual exhibit online at <http://www.civilization.ca/tresors/ethno/index_e.html>.
    The exhibit of Marius Barbeau—who was born in Sainte-Marie de Beauce, Quebec, and worked at the museum until his retirement until 1949—is very interesting.
    His research interests included the culture of the Huron and the French Canadian. He collected some 400 French-Canadian folk tales, 7,000 songs, and over 2,000 artifacts. He wrote over 1,000 books and articles, and left 12 linear metres of manuscripts and more than 30 linear metres of research notes.
    He was named a "person of national historic importance" by the Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada.
    See the exhibit of Marius Barbeau at <http://www.civilization.ca/tresors/barbeau/index_e.html>.
    The other virtual exhibit traces the evolution of immigration to Canada. Called the "Crossroads of Culture: 200 Years of Canadian Immigration", the exhibit documents three areas of immigrants - the Hungarian Immigrants; Italian Immigrants; and a general overview of immigrants.
    There are photos and papers in this exhibit at <http://www.civilization.ca/tresors/immigration/index_e.html>.
"History News"
Ottawa and France Commemorate Battles of the Somme and Beaumont-Hamel
    Canada will honour the 90th anniversary of the Battle of the Somme and the Battle of Beaumont-Hamel during World War I. They will also honour the Newfoundlanders who fought there.
    More than 24,000 Canadians—as well as 700 Newfoundlanders—were killed, wounded, or went missing in the Somme Region in 1916.
    The ceremony will start at 8:45 a.m. on Saturday, July 1st at the National War Memorial in Ottawa. Along with Prime Minister Harper, wreaths will be laid by the Governor-Genearal and representatives from both the Royal Newfoundland Regiment and the Newfoundland and Labrador RCL to mark the anniversary of these battles.
    There is a website at <http://www.vac-acc.gc.ca/general/sub.cfm?source=memorials>.

The Korean Conflict
    This year marks the 56th Anniversary of the Korean Conflict Armistice.
    Of the more than 33,000 Canadians who served in Korea, both in the war and during the cease-fire, 516 lost their lives.
    They are remembered in the Korean War Book of Remembrance. Read the book at <http://www.vac-acc.gc.ca/general/sub.cfm?source=collections/books/bkorea>.
    Read the article I wrote on the Korean Coflict when a memorial was dedicated in Ottawa to those who died. Entitled "The Forgotten War", it can be found online at <http://www.genealogytoday.com/ca/connect/031106.html>.
    The Korean Veterans Association of Canada is on the Internet at <http://www.kvacanada.com>.

World War II Memorial - Perth and Collegiate Institute
    Men from the Perth and Collegiate Institute who died while serving during WW II are to be honored with a memorial, but Tim Zander would like to know if you have any more information about them.
    The list is as follows-
     If you notice any errors in the list, misspelled names, or if someone should be included and was not, or if someone was included, but should not have been, please notify Tim at <tim.zander@ucdsb.on.ca>.


Website Pick of the Month!

Ontario Plaques
    Ever drive down a road in Ontario and see a historical plaque beside the street, but are too much in a hurry to stop and read it? Now, you can take all the time you need to read the plaque on the Interent, and see a picture of it, to boot!
    Alan L. Brown has put together this website <http://www.ontarioplaques.com> and has gone around the province to take photos of 1,100 plaques that commemorate people, places, and events in Ontario's heritage.
    You can search for the plaque by the subject or location. There are link to other sites, comments, and a history of the plaque program.
    You may email Alan at <alanlangford@gmail.com>.

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