Amazing people, events and places which infuse the country with life
Alexander Ross came to Upper Canada as a fur trader in 1804. Plying his trade, he and his family settled on the Red River, creating a higher-class community Aboard the ship Countess of Darlington, 21-year-old Alexander Ross sailed from his homeland of Scotland across the Atlantic, headed for the excitement awaiting him in Canada. Earning […]
Teaching the arts of listening, touching and examining patients, Canadian Dr. William Osler changed the system of training medical students. The skills of touching, viewing or speaking with a live patient were not required modules in medical student training in early Canada. A licence to practice medicine, even surgery, was gained through theory in […]
The first passenger ship to dock at Vancouver from the distant Orient, the SS Abyssinia also set a speed record for the Canadian Pacific Steamship Company. The rail business was good for Canadian Pacific Railway in the mid-1800s, so good that broad expansion was ahead. Carrying freight and passengers, rail service across Canada was a […]
Built in Quebec City’s Place Royale in 1688, L’eglise Notre-Dame-des-Victoires survived burning and threats of demolition, and is now an historic monument. Revering their sacred religious principles, the early European settlers made sure their new Canadian home sites included places for worship. One of the oldest French stone churches still standing is L’eglise Nôtre-Dame-des-Victoires in […]
A battalion of Canadian volunteers joined the British in the South African War. The 10-day Battle of Paardeberg Drift but was bloody, gruesome, and costly The Date: February 18 – February 27, 1900 The Place: Paardeberg Drift, a region on the Modder River in South Africa The Historical Significance for Canadians: One of Canada’s first […]
The Gentleman Bandit, Bill Miner held up stagecoaches and trains with varying success. Spending most of his life in prison, escape was always possible, even in Canada. Banks, stagecoaches and trains, these were ripe for robbery pickings when it came to Bill Miner and his accomplices. The trains were particularly attractive, often carrying large sums […]
Made into pemmican for centuries by Aboriginals, cranberries are now a holiday favourite. The fruit was first farmed in North America on the east coast of Canada and USA Cooked into tangy sauces, squeezed into bright red juice, folded into muffin batter or added to turkey stuffing, the cranberry has a long, delicious history […]
Time for a quick quiz, and here are the clues: this material is produced internationally for the construction industry and at plants across Canada and Ontario. The solid substance is processed into powder and then hardened again. Its uses as versatile building supply are nearly infinite. Any guesses? Lumber? No, good choice but not right. […]
There was no sitting still for Elgin Armstrong. While tending to chores and farm animals after the death of his father, the 14-year-old watched for opportunities. By the time he was in his 30s, Armstrong and his brother Ted were industry leaders in road construction with Armstrong Brothers Construction (called ABC and later, Armbro). Then […]
“The medium is the message,” stated Marshall McLuhan. Philosopher, professor and media theorist, McLuhan was a visionary on perspective and future of media Herbert Marshall McLuhan was born in Edmonton, Alberta on July 21, 1911 to Herbert and Elsie McLuhan. McLuhan’s father was in real estate, his mother a teacher and actress. The McLuhans had […]
The eastern Ontario city of Brockville was home to the Canadian Briscoe Automobile Company, t the sleek Briscoe featuring the choice of a 4 or 8-cylinder engine. An automobile manufacturer in the United States, Benjamin Briscoe came to Canada in the autumn of 1915. He was expanding his business, the Briscoe Motor Corporation, established in […]
Given as thanks for their immediate help after the Halifax Explosion of 1917, a beautiful Christmas tree is delivered to the City of Boston from the province of Nova Scotia. Glittering with festive Christmas lights and sparkling decorations, the Christmas tree grandly positioned in the Commons is an annual delight for the residents of the […]