Archive for September, 2010

22 Sep

TODAY – SEP 22, 2010 – IN CANADIAN HISTORY

Posted by CAPER in History.

On This Day

September 22
maple leaf Today's Canadian Headline....
1988 CANADA SAYS SORRYOttawa Ontario – Brian Mulroney 1939- apologizes in the name of the Government of Canada for the World War II internment of Japanese-Canadians, and announces a $300 million compensation package.
1877

Also On This Day...

Blackfoot Crossing, Alberta –
Chief Crowfoot (Isapo-Muxica) 1936-1890 leads the Blackfoot-speaking peoples – the Siksika (Blackfoot), Piikani (Peigan) and the Kainai (Blood), along with their allies the Tsuu T’ina (Sarcee) and their old adversaries the Nakoda (Stoney) – in a meeting with Commissioner David Laird and Lt-Col James MacLeod of the NWMP to make Treaty #7, at So-yo-pow-ahx-ko (Ridge Under Water), today’s Blackfoot Crossing. Canada’s last major first nations treaty is signed the following day; sets aside reserves of 69,039 sq km in the land south of Red Deer River and beside the Rocky Mountains; provides $12 per Indian; schools; farm instruction, social benefits.
1762

And in Today's Canadian Birthdays...

Elizabeth Posthuma Simcoe 1762-1850
governor’s consort, diarist, was baptized on this day at Northampton, England in 1762; died in Devon England Jan. 17, 1850. An orphan daughter of Lt-Col Thomas Gwillim, Simcoe married John Graves Simcoe in 1782, and came with him to Newark [Niagara], Upper Canada in July 1792 when he was appointed Lieutenant Governor, and accompanied him to York [Toronto] to found a new town in 1794. She left a lively diary and watercolours, and had two sons and seven daughters.

Also Louise McKinney 1868-1931
women’s rights activist, MLA, was born on Louise Crummy this day at Frankville, Ontario in 1868; died in Claresholm, Alberta July 10, 1931. McKinney left her teaching job in 1903 to serve as the western organizer of the Woman’s Christian Temperance Union (WCTU), and was President for 20 years. In 1917, she was elected to the Alberta Legislature as the first women legislator in the British Commonwealth, and in 1919, she was one of the Famous Five in the Persons Case, whose appeal to the Privy Council won the right for women to sit in the Senate. She also served as VP of the World WCTU and the IODE.

Also Charles B. Huggins 1901-1997
surgeon, cancer researcher, was born on this day at Halifax, Nova Scotia, in 1901; dies in Chicago Jan. 12, 1997. Huggins researched the relationship between hormones and prostate and other cancers; he received (with Michael E. De Bakey) the 1963 Albert Lasker Award for Clinical Research and (with Peyton Rous) the Nobel Prize in Medicine in 1966.
In Other Events….
1996 Lisbon Portugal – Jacques Villeneuve wins the Formula One Grand Prix of Portugal.
1995 Montreal Quebec – Opening of first Montreal Chamber Music Festival.
1995 Anchorage Alaska – AWACS plane with US and Canadian military personnel crashes on takeoff from Elmendorf Air Force Base, killing all 24 people aboard.
1994 Hollywood California – Ottawa actor Matthew Perry appears in premiere of TV Comedy Friends on NBC-TV.
1992 Ottawa Ontario – World Wildlife Fund says Canada losing 1 sq km of wilderness every hour, due to city sprawl, farming, roads, mining, hydro development; urges setting aside more parkland.
1992 Toronto Ontario – Provincial Round Table on Environment shows true hidden pollution costs of tap water, energy; wants ban on release of persistent toxic chemicals by year 2000.
1992 Ottawa Ontario – Canada Committee formed to support Charlottetown Accord; led by Yves Fortier, June Callwood, Marc Garneau, Robert Stanfield; Ed Broadbent, Bill Davis, Peter Lougheed, Iona Campagnolo.
1992 Saskatoon Saskatchewan – Brian Mulroney 1939- signs land claim deal with Premier Romanow and Federation of Saskatchewan Indians; bands to acquire up to 670,000 hectares in lands entitled under treaties.
1991 Britain – Canadian rocker Bryan Adams’ hit ‘(Everything I Do) I Do It For You’ stays at the #1 spot on the UK pop singles chart for the 12th straight week.
1988 Winnipeg Manitoba – Royal Canadian Mint starts production of a $5 silver Maple Leaf bullion coin.
1987 Orleans Ontario – Quintuplets born to Kim and Lauren Forgie; Canada’s first quints since the Dionnes of 1934.
1985 Champaign Illinois – Canadian performers Neil Young and Joni Mitchell join Willie Nelson, Roy Orbison, John Fogerty and John Mellencamp in the first Farm Aid concert; help raise $10 million for midwest farmers.
1982 Los Angeles, California – Vancouver actor Michael J. Fox debuts in the NBC comedy, Family Ties.
1982 Nepal – Canadian Mount Everest Expedition establishes Camp 2; will make their final climb Oct. 5.
1976 Calgary Alberta – Premier Peter Lougheed opened the new Glenbow Centre, housing the Glenbow Museum, Art Gallery, Library, and Archives; $9 million facility opens with exhibit of western Canadian contemporary art, displays of First Nations cultures, pioneer artifacts, and military history.
1972 Moscow Russia – USSR beats Team Canada 5-4 in Game 5 of the super series before 15,000 fans, including 3,500 noisy Canadians; 13 days since game 4 in Vancouver; Phil Esposito slips on the ice, gets up and bows to the crowd with a big smile on his face during the player introductions; Paul Henderson suffers a mild concussion, but scores on his next shift; leading 3-0 after two periods, Team Canada gives up 5 third period goals on 11 shots, giving the Soviets a 3-1-1 lead in the series.
1970 Quebec – Creation of the Parc de la Mauricie.
1969 Ellesmere Island NWT – Canadian anthropologist Charles Marius Barbeau honoured by naming highest mountain in the Canadian Arctic Mt. Barbeau.
1968 St-Jovite, Quebec – Running of the first Player’s Grand Prix at Mont Tremblant.
1967 Montreal Quebec – Expo 67 breaks attendance record of 42,973,561 set at the 1958 World’s Fair in Brussels.
1966 Ottawa Ontario – Cuban nationalists hit Cuban Embassy in Ottawa with bazooka.
1961 Ottawa Ontario – Founding of the Canadian University Service Overseas (CUSO).
1959 Moscow Russia – Wilder Penfield 1891-1976 made member of Soviet Academy of Sciences; director of Montreal Neurological Institute; with Edgar Steacie 1900-1962, chairman of National Research Council.
1952 New Brunswick – Hugh John Flemming 1899- leads Conservatives to win in provincial election.
1939 Ottawa Ontario – Government sets up censorship bureau under War Measures Act; to examine all political speeches.
1930 Ottawa Ontario – Bennett government passes Unemployment Relief Act at end of special parliamentary session; agrees to increase public works with emergency $20 million grant.
1929 Ste-Foy, Quebec – First vehicle traffic across the new Quebec Bridge.
1914 Montreal Quebec – Assembly of 32,000 volunteers to fight in France.
1906 Fernie BC – Coal miners at Fernie and Michel go on strike; until November 13.
1902 Ottawa Ontario – Pontiac Pacific Junction Railway becomes part of the Ottawa, Northern and Western Railway.
1892 Thetford-Mines, Quebec – Thetford Mines incorporated.
1883 Toronto Ontario – Grand Trunk Railway acquires the 452 mile Midland Railway to Collingwood and points north.
1874 Saskatchewan – Northwest Mounted Police estimate the Plains buffalo herd at one million animals; the last great herd moving south into the United States to be annihilated.
1874 Quebec Quebec – Charles-E. Boucher de Boucherville sworn in as Conservative Premier of Quebec.
1866 Charlottetown PEI – New Brunswick and Nova Scotia offer Prince Edward Island $800,000 support to join Confederation, but are unsuccessful.
1851 Quebec Quebec – Province of Canada capital moves in rotation to Quebec City from Toronto.
1836 Quebec Quebec – Opening of 3rd session of 15th Parliament of Lower Canada; meets until Oct. 4.1836.
1760 Montreal Quebec – William Colville, Lord Amherst divides Canada into the military districts of Quebec, Montreal and three Rivers; Thomas Gage c1719-1787 named military governor of Montreal.
1731 Crown Point, NY – Governor Marquis de Beauharnois starts building Fort St-Frédéric at Pointe la Chevelure (Crown Point) at the foot of Lake Champlain; small stockade for a garrison of only 30 men; replaced in 1736 by a limestone fort for 120 men; by 1742 the largest French fortress outside Quebec, and a centre for the Indian trade with the Abenakis of the St. Francis, the Arundacks of the Ottawa, and the Wyandots of the west.
1653 Quebec Quebec – Marguerite Bourgeoys 1620-1700 lands at Quebec with de Maisonneuve and 100 soldiers to defend Montreal against the Iroquois; Bourgeoys intends to start a school in Montreal, but finds not enough children of school age because of heavy infant mortality.
1583 England – Golden Hind lands in England with sole survivors of Gilbert expedition to Newfoundland; Humphrey Gilbert c1537-1583 drowned in a storm off the Azores when his 10-ton frigate Squirrel went down with all hands.
1538 Paris France – Jacques Cartier receives 50 écus d’or for the instruction of the Indians.

<!– “A truly great book should be read in youth, again in maturity and once more in old age, as a fine building should be seen by morning light, at noon and by moonlight.”
Robertson Davies 1913-1996
Too Much, Too Fast
1962 –>


Today in Canadian History is written, compiled, edited and produced by Ottawa Researchers © 1984-2002

22 Sep

MAJOR FIRE – NORTH SYDNEY

Posted by CAPER in General Interest, Safety.

Downtown Northside threatened by fire

COMMERCIAL STREET FIRE – NORTH SYDNEY 

Police and officials with the fire marshal’s office continue to investigate a fire that extensively damaged a building housing two longtime North Sydney businesses, Bill Black & Son Real Estate and The Hair Lair. Julie Collins – Cape Breton Post

Published on September 21st, 2010

Published on September 21st, 2010

Julie Collins

 NORTH SYDNEY — A fire on Commercial Street that officials say could have wiped out the community’s main street was battled successfully thanks to mutual aid.

Topics :

North Sydney Volunteer Fire Department , Business Improvement Development Association , Sydney Mines , Georges River , North Sydney

“North Sydney Fire Department had most of its equipment tied up fighting a suspicious blaze at a vacant building and in the middle of the business district on a windy night you get a major structure fire — regardless of what caused it — it could have wiped out the whole main drag,” said Paul MacCormick, deputy fire marshal.

The fire, which was called in at 11:45 p.m. Tuesday, gutted a building housing Black & Son Real Estate and the Hair Lair and two upstairs apartments.

When the second call came in at 12:25 a.m., Wade Gouthro, North Sydney Volunteer Fire Department deputy chief, was able to send one unit and requested mutual aid from Sydney Mines, Frenchvale, and Georges River volunteer fire departments.

When firefighters arrived, the building was heavily engaged.

“Fires affect a lot of people. There is a domino effect because you are taking fire protection away from those other communities,” MacCormick said. “In this instance, the police responded first, forced the doors and were able to only get in so far. But it could be the same if a person across the street sees the fire and tries to get in, they are in jeopardy.”

According to Vince Penney, deputy fire marshal, the fire started in the kitchen of one of the two vacant upstairs apartments.

Penney and MacCormick are investigating the fire, along with Const. Dave Kelly of the Cape Breton Regional Police.

“The building is a total writeoff. The whole roof structure is finished and unless they want to make it a single-storey structure, the whole thing will have to come down. The roof is ready to fall down on top of us.”

Penney, who has investigated 10 fires in nine days in the regional municipality, added that because of the high instances of fires, regular inspections of other buildings, including hospitals and daycare centres are on hold.

The buildings on either side of Black & Son may have suffered smoke and water damage, but according to Penney, no structural damage.

Surveying the damage, Bill Black, owner of Black & Son Real Estate, said recent fires are bringing property values down on the Northside, adding that it was only eight or nine months ago he replaced all of the front windows.

Monique Cashin, co-ordinator of North Sydney’s Business Improvement Development Association, said Tuesday’s fire destroyed two more thriving downtown businesses, affecting the employment of at least 13 people.

(jcollins@cbpost.com)

22 Sep

OBITS – SEP 22, 2010

Posted by CAPER in Obituaries.

Obituaries for September 22nd, 2010

21 Sep

TODAY – SEP 21, 2010 – IN CANADIAN HISTORY

Posted by CAPER in History.

On This Day

September 21
maple leaf Today's Canadian Headline....
1896 OPENING OF THE NEW OTTAWA EXOttawa Ontario – Official opening of the Central Exposition in the new Aberdeen Pavilion in Lansdowne Park grounds; known formerly as the Dominion Industrial Exhibition, now the Central Canada Exhibition, Ottawa’s fall fair started in 1879.
1992

Also On This Day...

Ottawa Ontario – The new Ottawa Senators hockey team play their first home exhibition game in the Civic Centre; lose 4-3 in overtime to the Washington Capitals. Ottawa is finally back in the NHL after 58 years; the old Stanley Cup winning Senators moved to St. Louis in 1934.
(Copyright Ottawa Senators Hockey Club Inc.)
1807

And in Today's Canadian Birthdays...

Leonard Cohen 1934-
poet, novelist, songwriter, was born on this day at Montreal in 1934. Cohen came from a wealthy Westmount family that owned a garment factory. He attended McGill and Columbia universities, and has a home in Montreal, but he has lived for extended periods in Greece and Los Angeles, where he is belongs to a Zen Buddhist community. He published his first book of poetry, Let us Compare Mythologies , in 1956, followed by The Spice-Box of Earth (1961), Flowers for Hitler (1964), Selected Poems (1968 – won the Governor General’s Award, but declined), The Energy of Slaves (1972), Death of a Lady’s Man (1978), Book of Mercy (1984), Stranger Music: Selected Poems and Songs (1993). His novels include The Favourite Game (1963) and Beautiful Losers (1966). He issued his first record, The Songs of Leonard Cohen in 1968, followed by New Skin for the Old Ceremony (1974), Recent Songs (1979), Various Positions (1985), I’m Your Man (1988), and The Future (1992). He went on full concert tours of Europe and North America in 1988 and 1993. Other artists have sung his work, including Jennifer Warnes’ Famous Blue Raincoat (1986) and the tribute album I’m Your Fan (1991). In 1993, Cohen was given the Governor General’s Performing Arts Award, and the first academic conference devoted to his work took place in Red Deer, Alberta. For more on Leonard Cohen, check out Sony Music’s Leonard Cohen Web Site or the Internet Movie Database.Also Louis Jolliet 1645-1700
explorer, cartographer, was born on this day at Beaupré, near Quebec, in 1645; died near Quebec in May 1700. Jolliet studied for the priesthood, but left in 1667 to become a fur trader. In 1672, Intendant Jean Talon commissioned him to see if the Mississippi River flowed into the Gulf of Mexico or the Pacific. By mid July 1673, with Jesuit father Jacques Marquette, he had followed the Mississippi River from its confluence with the Wisconsin to the mouth of the Arkansas, far enough south to prove it emptied into the Gulf. In his later years he traded furs in the lower St. Lawrence at Mingan, but was ruined by English raids.

Also Howie Morenz 1902-1937
hockey great, was born on this day at Mitchell, Ontario in 1902; died in Montreal March 8, 1937. Morenz joined the Canadiens in 1923, was the NHL’s leading scorer in 1927 and 1931 and was Hart Trophy MVP in 1928, 1931 and 1932. He was traded to the Chicago Black Hawks in 1934 and then the New York Rangers, where he helped drum up US interest in hockey. He resumed his career with the Canadiens in 1936, but on Jan. 28 1937 he suffered a head injury, and died six weeks later. Thousands of mourners filed past his coffin at centre ice in the Montreal Forum. In fourteen seasons, Morenz had 270 goals and 467 points.

Also John Morgan
comedian, comedy writer, of The Royal Canadian Air Farce, was born on this day in Wales, year unknown.
In Other Events….
1995 Ottawa Ontario – Supreme Court of Canada strikes down 7-year-old federal ban on tobacco advertising.
1995 Winnipeg Manitoba – Royal Canadian Mint issues first Canadian $2 pieces.
1992 Capilano BC – Brian Mulroney 1939- joins Premier Harcourt & First Nations in deal to set up BC Treaty Commission to broker land claims; to ‘fast track’ negotiations.
1992 Montreal Quebec – Pierre Elliott Trudeau 1919- publishes essay in L’Actualité and Macleans calling Quebec nationalists ‘master blackmailers’; urges ‘courage’ to resist Quebec’s demands, suggests No vote is best.
1990 Sarnia Ontario – Nova Corporation sells Polysar division to Bayer AG of Germany for $1.28 billion; Bayer agrees to protect 1,800 jobs at Sarnia.
1971 Canada – Canadian cigarette manufacturers to end broadcast advertising, effective Jan. 1, 1972.
1967 Waterloo Ontario – Peter van Ginkel appointed ‘affiliate artist’ at Waterloo Lutheran University (Wilfrid Laurier University); first such appointment in Canada.
1964 Geneva Switzerland – Blanche Margaret Meagher 1911- elected chairman of Board of Governors of International Atomic Energy Agency; Canadian Ambassador to Austria.
1963 Montreal Quebec – Opening of Place des Arts, despite demonstrations by separatists; new concert hall.
1960 Pakistan – Canada to grant $22,100,000 over 10 years to international fund to develop Indus River in Pakistan.
1957 Hollywood California – Raymond Burr stars in Perry Mason, premiering on CBS-TV; Vancouver-born actor
1944 Rimini Italy – Greeks and First Canadian Corps take Rimini; overall, the Canadians in Italy are bogged down in slow, vicious fighting from one Italian river to another.
1931 London England – Britain goes off the gold standard that Churchill had put them on in 1926; $Canadian hurt; down 25% in New York; TSE & Standard stock exchanges peg share prices.
1929 Calgary Alberta – Gerry Seiberling throws first legal forward pass in Canadian football to Ralph Losie of Calgary Altomah-Tigers in a game against Edmonton.
1928 Ontario – Post office introduces airmail stamps.
1911 Canada –Robert Laird Borden 1854-1937 wins Canada’s 12th federal general election 134 seats to 87, upsetting Laurier with 50.9% of popular vote; on issues of reciprocity and Canadian Navy.
1902 Oil City Alberta – Rocky Mountain Development Company strikes oil at 1,020 feet in the Waterton Lakes; the first oil find in Alberta.
1871 Toronto Ontario – Toronto Stock Exchange members regroup & agree on new rules, regulations & meeting room; cost of seat rises to $250; 34 issues listed.
1854 London Ontario – London gets city charter.
1826 Point Franklin Alaska – Frederick Beechey 1796-1856 explores Arctic coast in the Blossom; sails east of Bering Strait, from Icy Cape to Point Franklin.
1826 Return Reef Alaska – John Franklin 1786-1847 cuts short trek at Return Reef, without meeting Beechey and the Blossom; returns to Fort Franklin.
1826 Hull Quebec – John By 1781-1836 starts to build Rideau Canal; with Thomas MacKay contracting; until 1832.
1815 Ontario – Francis Gore 1769-1852 resumes office as Lieutenant-Governor of Upper Canada until Jan. 6, 1818.
1814 Fort Erie Ontario – Gordon Drummond 1771-1854 calls off British attack on Fort Erie, retreats to Chippewa.
1812 Gananoque Ontario – Benjamin Forsyth leads American riflemen in raid on Gananoque.

“The object of Confederation was not to produce Siamese twins in this nation.”
John George Diefenbaker 1895-1979
Prime Minister
PC leadership convention
September, 1967 –>


Today in Canadian History is written, compiled, edited and produced by Ottawa Researchers © 1984-2002.

21 Sep

OBITS – SEP 21, 2010

Posted by CAPER in Obituaries.

Obituaries for September 21st, 2010

20 Sep

TODAY – SEP 20, 2010 – IN CANADIAN HISTORY

Posted by CAPER in History.

On This Day

September 20
maple leaf Today's Canadian Headline....
1984 POPE HOLDS FINAL MASS IN CANADAOttawa Ontario – Pope John Paul II holds huge outdoor mass on LeBreton flats in Ottawa before returning to Vatican; on 12 day papal visit to Canada.
1807

And in Today's Canadian Birthdays...

Maurice Sauvé 1923-92
businessman and politician, was born on this day at Montreal in 1923; died in Montreal Apr. 13, 1992. Sauvé worked for the Canadian and Catholic Federation of Labour and helped promote Quebec’s Quiet Revolution in the 1950s and 1960s. He was a Liberal MP from 1962-64, but left to work for Consolidated Bathurst. Married to Governor General Jeanne Sauvé (the picture shows them both), he was elected Chancellor of the University of Ottawa in 1985.Also Guy Damien Lafleur 1951-
NHL right winger, was born on this day at Thurso, Quebec in 1951. Lafleur began his hockey career as a gifted junior with the Quebec Remparts, scoring 130 goals while leading his team to the Memorial Cup in 1971. He joined the Montreal Canadiens the following year, and after a slow start, led the NHL in scoring 3 times (1975-78); was 2-time MVP (1977-78), had 6 consecutive 50 goal seasons (including a career-high 60 in 1977-78), was voted Right Wing All Star 1975-80 and played for 5 Stanley Cup winners. He was playoff MVP (Conn Smythe Trophy) in 1977. He retired early in 1984-85 after 14 seasons with the Canadiens, but returned to play with the New York Rangers in 1988-89 after his election that year to the NHL Hall of Fame. He finished his career with the Quebec Nordiques 1989-90 and 1990-91.
In Other Events….
1995 Toronto Ontario – MCI Communications Corp, offers $1-billion (U.S.) for SHL Systemhouse Inc, Canada’s fifth-largest technology company.
1992 Saskatchewan – Royal Bank reports per capita debt in Sask. $14,000; highest in Canada; 75% higher than Quebec”; total provincial debt almost $14 billion.
1991 London England – Fredrick Eaton appointed Canadian High Commissioner to Britain, replacing Donald Macdonald; department store tycoon and major Tory contributor.
1991 Portage La Prairie, Manitoba – Ottawa will spend $165 million over five years to train pilots at military base; to compensate for shutdown of Base Portage.
1991 Toronto Ontario – Bob Rae 1949- proposes social charter in Constitution; medical care, unemployment insurance, education.
1987 Fort Simpson, NWT – Pope John Paul II arrives to hold a mass for the people of Fort Simpson, fulfilling a promise he made Sept. 18, 1984, when fog prevented him from making a planned visit.
1984 Ottawa Ontario – Pope John Paul II holds huge outdoor mass on LeBreton flats in Ottawa before returning to Vatican; on papal visit to Canada.
1983 Alberta – Alberta, Ottawa and Esso Resources Canada agree to scaled-down Cold Lake oil sands project.
1977 Ottawa Ontario – Ottawa starts 3-year program to protect textile and clothing industry from imports.
1977 Ottawa Ontario – Canada and US sign agreement for construction of natural gas pipeline across Yukon; for shipment of Alaska natural gas.
1977 Sudbury Ontario – Inco announces layoffs of 3,500 workers in Canada by mid-1978.
1977 Ottawa Ontario – Ottawa announces removal of wage and price controls, effective April 14, 1978.
1974 Ottawa Ontario – Ottawa raises average US export price of natural gas by 66%; BC then raises price of its natural gas exported to the US by 50%.
1972 Ottawa/Montreal – RCMP bomb squad defuses a letter bomb in a park after removing it from the Israeli Consulate. At the Israeli Embassy in Ottawa, the RCMP find explosives in one of six envelopes arriving from Amsterdam. Arab terrorist group Black September believed responsible; Israeli official in London, England, killed a day earlier after opening a letter.
1968 Ottawa Ontario – Ottawa cancels development of $150 million intense neutron generator (ING).
1966 New Brunswick – Ottawa and New Brunswick agree to spend $114 million to fight rural poverty over next 10 years.
1966 United Nations New York – Paul Martin Sr. 1903- chairs 21st session of UN General Assembly; External Affairs Minister.
1965 Tanzania – Canada and Britain agree to share cost of survey for Zambia-Tanzania railway.
1962 Ottawa Ontario – Mohammad Ayub Khan, President of Pakistan arrives, in Canada for five-day state visit.
1962 Esterhazy Saskatchewan – Opening of potash mine at world’s largest known reserves at Esterhazy.
1956 Ottawa Ontario – George Alexander Drew 1894-1973 resigns as leader of Progressive Conservative Party.
1944 San Fortunato Italy – Canadians take San Fortunato Ridge; Germans fight desperately to hold them back from Po Valley.
1943 Atlantic – German U-boats sink Canadian destroyer HMCS St. Croix using new acoustic torpedo.
1917 Ottawa Ontario – Arthur Meighen 1874-1960 presents Military Voters Act, giving the vote to soldiers and sailors under 21, and serving women; female relatives of servicemen also get the vote.
1917 Ottawa Ontario – Parliament passes new tax on income as a ‘temporary measure’ to help pay for the war effort and post war recovery.
1854 London England – Edmund Walker Head 1805-1868 appointed Governor-General of Canada; serves from Dec. 19, 1854 to Oct. 25, 1861.
1819 Quebec Quebec – James Monk 1745-1826 appointed administrator of Lower Canada; serves until March 17, 1820.
1816 Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario – Opening of first stagecoach line from York to Niagara.
1745 Three Rivers PEI – New England force destroys French settlement at Three Rivers, Prince Edward Island.
1697 Rijswijk Netherlands – France and England sign Treaty of Ryswick, under which England, Spain, Holland and the Holy Roman Emperor make peace with France at the end of the War of the Grand Alliance (King William’s War); all places taken during the war to be mutually restored; France returns York Factory to the Hudson’s Bay Company and Newfoundland to the British in exchange for Acadia.
1656 London England – Thomas Temple c1614-1674 and William Crowne 1617-1682 acquire Charles de La Tour’s rights to Acadia, in return for 5% of products.
1641 Quebec Quebec – Paul de Chomedey de Maisonneuve 1612-1676 arrives in New France to serve as Governor of Montreal.
1603 Paris France – Samuel de Champlain c1570-1635 returns to France to report on his findings; learns of death of de Chaste that May l3; presents Henri IV with map of St. Lawrence [map not found].
1603 Sable Island Nova Scotia – Thomas Chefdostel rescues eleven starving survivors of la Roche colony; convicts presented to Henri IV and pardoned; Norman captain.
1503 Newfoundland – First use of name ‘Newfoundland,’ in Daybooks of King’s Payments; Canada’s oldest place name of European origin.

<!– “I loved watching Guy Lafleur. I can still see him flying down the wing with the sweater flowing behind him.”
Don Cherry
Hockey Commentator –>


Today in Canadian History is written, compiled, edited and produced by Ottawa Researchers © 1984-2002

20 Sep

OBITS – SEP 20, 2010

Posted by CAPER in Obituaries.

Obituaries for September 20th, 2010

19 Sep

DINGWALL – CAPE BRETON

Posted by CAPER in Farming, Fishing, Mining.

Dingwall

 

Enroute to the Blessing of the Fleet – Dingwall

Dingwall is a coastal community of approximately 600 residents in Victoria County,   NS. It is situated just off the Cabot Trail,  northeast of county seat of Baddeck in the federal electrical riding of Sydney – Victoria.

 
 

Overview

Old Norse in origin, the name “Dingwall” comes from Ting (parliament) and Voir (valley).  Dingwall was originally known as “Young’s Cove” until 1883. Among the first settlers and grantees for land was Walter Young in 1827. Later, in the late 1870’s, a Mr. Robert Dingwall who owned the general store in town, made an application for a post office, and suggested to the government that the town be re-named Dingwall. By provincial statute, chapter 55 in 1883, the name of Young’s Cove was thus changed to Dingwall.

Located on northern Cape Breton Island, Dingwall has traditionally been a fishing community, which remains the town’s primary industry, along with tourism. Dingwall is home to a resort called the Markland Coastal Resort, which is a popular tourist destination during the summer months. St. Joseph’s Roman Catholic Church was opened in 1901.

Day of Rest – Dingwall Harbour

Dingwall was once a somewhat booming industrial town in the 1940s and 50’s when it was home to a gypsum quarry, the remnants of which are still quite prominent within the town. Once the gypsum boom had run its course, many residents moved elsewhere to find employment, but Dingwall survived almost exclusively as a fishing community from that time until the present day. One of the town’s primary landmarks for decades were the large Irving Oil storage tanks situated on the harbour, which have since been disassembled and removed by the company.

The town was home to Dingwall Elementary School which closed in 2000 when a new school, North Highlands, was constructed in the neighboring community of Sugarloaf, housing the former students of both Dingwall Elementary and Highland Consolidated.

Swordfishing Fleet in Harbour – Dingwall

Dingwall is blessed with picturesque natural beauty. Located just north of the Cape Breton Highlands National Park, it possesses lush forest areas and is framed by mountains to the north and south, and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. In addition to the approximately 600 permanent residents, many seasonal residents come to Dingwall from the U.S. and Europe during the summer and leave during the winter.

Communications

Demographics

  • Total Population 606
  • Total Dwellings 303
  • Total Land Area 85.3175 km

Swordfishing off Dingwall

Back in the 1930’s, 1940’s and 1950’s Dingwall was a great swordfishing spot and schooners and snapper boats from as far away as Yarmouth and even Boston came in there to overnight. The salient feature of the swordfish is the prolongation of its upper jaw into a long, flattened, sharp-edged[49] and pointed “sword” occupying nearly one-third the total length of the fish. This sword is of itself enough to identify the fish at a glance among all our northern fishes. On a fish 10 feet 10 inches long, which we harpooned on Georges Bank on the Grampus in July 1916, the sword was 42 inches long from its tip to the eyes.

Swordfish –  Mounted

The swordfish is moderately stout of body, only slightly flattened sidewise, deepest just behind the gill openings, and tapering rearward to a slender caudal peduncle, which bears a single strong longitudinal keel on either side. Apart from the sword the head is short; the lower jaw is pointed, and the mouth so wide that it gapes far back of the very large eyes, which are set close to the base of the sword. Swordfish (except young fry) are both toothless and scaleless. The first dorsal fin originates over the upper angle of the gill openings and is much higher than long with deeply concave rear margin. The pectorals are narrow, very long, scythe shaped, and set very low down on the sides below the first dorsal.

While all swordfish are dark above and whitish with silvery sheen below, the upper surface varies from purplish to a dull leaden blue or even to black. The eye has been described as blue. Very young swordfish, like very young tuna, are transversely barred, but none small enough to show this pattern has ever been found within the limits of the Gulf. The colors fade soon after death.

Swordfish grow to a great size. The heaviest definitely recorded from the Gulf of Maine was one caught on Georges Bank in the summer of 1921 by Capt. Irving King and landed at the Boston Fish Pier, that weighed 915 pounds dressed, hence, upwards of 1,100 pounds alive. This specimen was not measured, but the sword was more than 5 feet long, so that the total length of the fish must have approximated 15 feet, and 16 feet seems to be about the maximum length, though fish as long as this are very unusual. The heaviest landed in Massachusetts during 1922 weighed 637 pounds dressed; that is, upward of 750 pounds live weight, while the largest taken in 1931 weighed 644 pounds dressed and was 13 feet long including its sword, which measured 44 inches. One that weighed 925 pounds before it was dressed was landed in 1932; also one weighing 650 pounds dressed, which must have weighed 800 pounds alive; while one of 850 pounds (dressed?), brought in to Halifax, Nova Scotia, was said to have been the largest ever landed in that port. And several, weighing more than 500 pounds, dressed, are reported almost every year.

But the general run are much smaller. Thus the average dressed weights of sundry fares of fish landed in Portland, Boston, and Gloucester in the years 1883-1884, and 1893-1895 were between 200 pounds and 310 pounds, falling to 114-186 pounds for the years 1917, 1919, 1926, and 1929-1930. And general report has it that Block Island fish run smaller than Georges Bank and Cape Breton fish. A 7-foot fish weighs about 120 pounds; 10 to 11-foot fish about 250 pounds; fish of 13 to 13½ feet, about 600 to 700 pounds, as taken from the water.

Mackeral Fishing Off Dingwall

A Mess of Mackeral

Mackeral were and continue to be a staple catch of fishermen out of Dingwall. Atlantic Mackerel are members of a large family of marine fishes known as Scombridae, which inhabit temperate and tropical seas. This family includes members of the Mackerel, Jack, Bonito and Tuna species. They are also referred to as the Common, American or Boston mackerel, Maquereau Bleu(fr.), while immature or young fish are often called Tinkers.

The Atlantic Mackerel occurs on both sides of the North Atlantic. In the western North Atlantic the mackerel ranges from Labrador in the north to as far south as Cape Hatteras, North Carolina. In Canada it occurs seasonally over the continental shelf around Newfoundland and Labrador, the Atlantic coast of Nova Scotia, the Gulf of St. Lawrence and the Gulf of Maine. It occurs less frequently in the Bay of Fundy due to colder seasonal water temperatures.

A Peaceful Scene  – Dingwall

Atlantic Mackerel are one of the smaller members of the Scombridae family, when compared to Blue Fin Tuna which reach sizes in excess of 454 kg (1000 lbs.).

Sizes can range from 25 – 40 cm (8-16 in) in length with the average size angled in Nova Scotia being 32 – 36 cm(12.5- 14 in). Reports of sizes up to 66 cm(23.5 in)have been recorded from the western North Atlantic. Average weights for this species range from 200 to 700 grams with fish more than 650 grams considered large.

The Mackerel have a streamlined body shaped for fast swimming in the open ocean. Large schools commonly travel at high speeds where some individuals can accelerate to 25-30 body lengths per second. The body is slightly compressed with a narrow caudal peduncle and deeply forked tail. There is a keel of small finlets directly behind both the soft dorsal and anal fins. The body colour is blue green on the back with 23-33 black stripes or bars along the sides from the back down to the lateral line. The undersides are silver grey to white with an iridescent sheen.

If Luckey You Might Catch a King Mackeral

Facts About Atlantic Mackerel

 Atlantic Mackerel have no swim bladder and must swim continuously to maintain buoyancy, however this lack of a swim bladder also allows them to change depths rapidly to feed or avoid predation.
 Mackerel can reach speeds in excess of 32 kph, which is necessary for survival because they are pursued by some of the fastest creatures in the sea such as porbeagle and mako sharks, porpoises, bluefin tuna, swordfish and harbour seals.
 Mackerel live up to the age of 14 years, however fish 20 years old have been caught in the North Sea off Europe.
 Mackerel are usually found near the surface but can be found at depths of up to 200 meters.

19 Sep

TODAY – SEP 19, 2010 – IN CANADIAN HISTORY

Posted by CAPER in History.

On This Day

September 19
maple leaf Today's Canadian Headline....
1985 TUNAGATE SCANDAL HITS MULRONEY MINISTEROttawa Ontario – Fisheries Minister John Fraser reverses himself, and orders a recall of 1,000,000 cans of rancid tuna after media reports that some cans contained rotting fish. Fraser resigns Sept. 23 because his Ministry at first refused to recall the Star-Kist product. He is later elected Speaker of the House of Commons.
1980

Also On This Day...

Ottawa Ontario – Terry Fox 1958-1981 invested as a Companion of the Order of Canada. The one-legged cancer victim whose marathon run across Canada raised millions of dollars for cancer research is the youngest so honoured.
1940

And in Today's Canadian Birthdays...

Sylvia Tyson 1940-
folk-country singer, was born Sylvia Fricker on this day in Chatham, Ontario in 1940. She grew up singing in the choir at her family’s church, but at age 15, decided she wanted to be a folk singer, and moved to Toronto after finishing high school. She soon hooked up with coffee house singer and ex rodeo cowboy Ian Tyson, and in 1960 they started performing as Ian and Sylvia, marrying in 1964. In 1961 they cut their first album, and Ian’s song Four Strong Winds became a major international hit. Sylvia’s song, You Were on My Mind was a 1965 hit for the We Five, and was also recorded by fellow Canadians Joni Mitchell and Gord Lightfoot. In 1970 they pulled together their Great Speckled Bird country rock band, and started a CTV network show, Nashville North, later the Ian Tyson show, but their professional and marital lives split under the strain. Sylvia hosted a CBC radio folk show Touch The Earth from 1975-80, cut several solo albums, and recently toured with the a cappella gospel group Quartette.Also Doug Fisher 1919-
politician, journalist, was born on this day in Sioux Lookout, Ontario in 1919. Fisher was known as The Giant Killer after his 1957 defeat of C. D. Howe in Port Arthur for the CCF. He held the seat for the NDP until 1965, when he left politics to work as a syndicated columnist for the Toronto Telegram and Sun newspapers, and host a weekly CJOH-TV Ottawa public affairs show. He was also a Director of Hockey Canada from 1971-78).

Also Don Harron 1924-
journalist, entertainer, was born on this day in Toronto in 1924. Harron worked for the CBC while a student at U of T, joined the Stratford Festival in the early years, and had several stage and film roles in England and Hollywood. He wrote the libretto for the Charlottetown Festival’s musical Anne of Green Gables, and hosted CBC’s Morningside 1977-82, and the Don Harron Show on CTV 1983-85. He also developed the characters of Parry Sound farmer Charlie Farquharson and Toronto matron Valerie Rosedale for the stage, and published Farquharson’s satirical Histry of Canada and Jogfree of Canada, and Debunks Illustrated Guide to the Canadian Establishment.

Also Daniel Lanois 1951-
record producer, singer/songwriter, was born on this day in Hull, Quebec. Lanois moved with his mother and brother to Ancaster, Ontario at the age of 10. By age 17, he was playing in local bands and operating his first studio out of the basement of his parents’ house. In 1974 he and his brother Roger opened the Grant Avenue Studio in Hamilton, and soon attracted such Canadian acts as Martha and the Muffins, The Parachute Club, M&M, Luba, Ian Tyson, Sylvia Tyson and Robbie Robertson, as well as international stars such as Bob Dylan, Peter Gabriel and The Neville Brothers. A few years later, he set up a studio in London, England to work with Brian Eno, U2 and Emmylou Harris, and also began to record his own material. In 1989 he cut his first solo album, Acadie, including the hit Jolie Louise, featured on the TV series Northern Exposure. In 1993 he released his second solo album, For The Beauty of Wynona, and worked with his sister Jocelyne on the music for the Canadian production of Camille. He also wrote the soundtrack to Billy Bob Thornton’s 1996 film, Sling Blade. Find out more at the Unofficial Daniel Lanois web site.
In Other Events….
1996 Ottawa Ontario – CBC/Radio Canada President Perrin Beatty announces 2,500 job cuts must be made in the coming months.
1993 Quebec – Quebec labour group FTQ (Fédération des travailleurs québécois) announces it will support the Bloc Quebecois in the federal election.
1991 Vancouver BC – Kim Campbell announces $236 million support toward building $700 million KAON particle accelerator in Vancouver.
1988 Washington DC – US Senate ratifies Canada-U-S Free Trade Agreement by a vote of 83-9. The vote marked the last step in the American legislative approval process. The agreement, aimed at eliminating trade barriers, began taking effect the following January.
1984 Ottawa Ontario -Pope John Paul II arrives in Ottawa/Hull; holds a mass on LeBreton Flats; meets with the Canadian bishops, and returns to Rome Sept. 20.
1980 Hollywood California – Canadian actor Donald Sutherland stars in ‘Ordinary People’, with Mary Tyler Moore, Judd Hirsch, and Timothy Hutton, opening in movie houses on this day.
1978 Nova Scotia – John MacLellan Buchanan 1931- leads Progressive Conservatives to victory in provincial election; defeating Liberals under Gerald Regan.
1977 Tyuratam, Kazakhstan – USSR launches 4,500 kg Cosmos 954 satellite; will re-enter the atmosphere 4 months later and crash over North West Territories, spreading radioactive debris.
1977 Ottawa Ontario – King Beaudoin of Belgium starts official visit to Canada.
1977 Toronto Ontario – Legislature recognizes Northern Ontario Heritage Party as Ontario’s newest political party.
1970 New York City – Saskatchewan singer Buffy St. Marie appears on Rolling Stones new ‘Performance’ soundtrack LP, with Ry Cooder and Randy Newman.
1969 Ottawa Ontario – Ottawa to reorganize Canadian Armed Forces; 50% cut in NATO manpower; retirement of aircraft carrier HMCS Bonaventure.
1966 Ottawa Ontario – Leopold Senghor, President of Senegal, arrives in Canada for 10-day visit.
1963 Ottawa Ontario – Government starts redeveloping Confederation Square and Union Station area of Ottawa; at cost of $100 million; station becomes the Government Conference Centre.
1962 London England – John George Diefenbaker 1895-1979 opposes entry of Britain into European Economic Community; at Commonwealth Prime Ministers’ Conference.
1960 Calgary Alberta – University of Alberta opens new 130 hectare campus on western outskirts of Calgary; Arts & Education and Science & Engineering buildings the first to open; University becomes fully autonomous in 1966.
1956 Des Joachims, Ontario – Ontario Premier Leslie Miscampbell Frost 1895-1975 turns first sod for Canada’s first nuclear power station at Des Joachims.
1954 Toronto Ontario – Founding of Canadian Actors Equity, the association of professional stage, radio and TV performers.
1953 New York City – Winnipeg’s Gisele MacKenzie takes over as host on NBC-TVÕs Your Hit Parade; her biggest hit song during this stint (1953-57) is ‘Hard to Get’ in June of 1955.
1950 Flushing Meadows, New York – Lester B. Pearson 1897-1972 chairs Canadian delegation at fifth regular session of United Nations General Assembly; until December 15.
1941 Atlantic – German U-Boat sinks Canadian corvette HMCS Levis.
1939 Ottawa Ontario – Norman McLarty becomes Minister of Labour, responsible for Wartime Prices and Trade Board; moved from Postmaster General.
1932 Quebec Quebec – Camilien Houde resigns after four years as leader of the Quebec Conservative Party; succeeded by Maurice Duplessis; MLA for Ste-Marie 1923-27; Mayor of Montreal 1928, but went back to the Assembly in a by-election; lost his seat when his party was defeated in the 1931 general election.
1918 London England – Canadian YMCA sets up the Khaki University of Canada to give vocational training to Canadian troops stationed in Britain and on the continent.
1916 Montreal Quebec – 6th Field battery of Montreal embarks for service in France.
1911 Montreal Quebec – Henri Bourassa hosts a large ‘autonomiste’ meeting in Montreal; to promote Canadian self-reliance in manufacturing.
1907 Paris France – Canada signs commercial treaty with France; near reciprocity on farm, forestry, leather products; ratified February 1, 1910.
1903 Montreal Quebec – Henri Bourassa proposes a free trade treaty with the United States.
1891 Sarnia Ontario – Grand Trunk Railway opens the single track St. Clair Tunnel under the St. Clair River to Port Huron, connecting the Grand Trunk Railroad to lines in Michigan; construction began in 1888.
1889 Quebec Quebec – Rock slide into Quebec City’s lower town kills 45 people.
1876 Ottawa Ontario – Talks begin to set up the Ottawa Football Club; in 1898, it will re-organizes itself as the Ottawa Rough Riders.
1856 Montreal Quebec – Abbé Chiniquy suspended from the priesthood for his liberal ideas.
1842 Kingston Ontario – Louis-Hippolyte La Fontaine 1807-1864 appointed Attorney-General for Canada East.
1841 Kingston Ontario – Governor General Charles Poulett Thomson, Lord Sydenham 1799-1841, dies of tetanus, caused by a fall from his horse two days earlier.
1839 New Glasgow, Nova Scotia – Official opening of the Albion Mines Railway to the Albion Coal Mines; operations began in Dec. 1838 using the Timothy Hackwork steam locomotives Samson, Hercules and John Buddle imported from England.
1838 Montreal Quebec – Lord Durham learns that he is being recalled to London.
1772 New Brunswick – Mathurin Bourg the first Acadian to be ordained a priest.
1770 London England – Walter Patterson c1735-1798 appointed first Governor of St. John Island (PEI); serves to May, 1784.
1747 Quebec Quebec – Roland-Michel Barrin de La Galissonière 1693-1756 appointed temporary Governor after Jonquière’s capture; serves to August 14, 1749.
1665 Quebec Quebec – Germain Morin the first priest to be ordained in Quebec.
1655 Quebec Quebec – Fathers Chaumonot & Dablon leave Quebec to establish mission in Onondaga territory.
1654 Trois-Rivières, Quebec – First Canadian marriage on record, when 11 year old Marguerite Sédilot marries Jean Aubuchon.
1648 Quebec Quebec – Jacques Boisdon opens Quebec’s first licensed tavern; forbidden to open when church services being held.
1542 Quebec Quebec – Ausillion de Sauveterre pardoned by Roberval; the pardon is New France and Canada’s oldest official document extant.
1535 Lac St-Pierre, Quebec – Jacques Cartier 1491-1557 leaves Quebec and sails upriver in L’Emerillon; reaches lake he calls Lac Angoulème on the 28th, then village of Hochelaga (Montreal) Oct. 2.

<!– “Canadian girls are so pretty it is a relief to see a plain one now and then.”
Mark Twain
on a trip to Montreal
Nov, 1881 –>


Today in Canadian History is written, compiled, edited and produced by Ottawa Researchers © 1984-2002.

18 Sep

OPPRESSED AND TENTED AFGHAN WOMEN

Posted by CAPER in Education, General Interest, Military.

This is the type of Progress being made in Afganistan – Voting Sep 18, 2010

Does this look like progress after nine years of war?

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