Archive for the ‘History’ Category

OBITS – JUL 8, 2010

Obituaries for July 8th, 2010

Elizabeth ‘ Betty’ (Robertson) Atkinson

Published July 8th, 2010

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Madonna ‘Donna’ Muller

Published July 8th, 2010

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Robert Joseph Murphy

Published July 8th, 2010

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OBITS – JUL 7, 2010

Obituaries for July 7th, 2010

OBITS – JUL 6, 2010

Obituaries for July 6th, 2010

Kathleen ‘Kay’ Chiasson

Published July 6th, 2010

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Rita (Murphy) Ruckle

Published July 6th, 2010

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Rhobena Sampson

Published July 6th, 2010

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Thelma Dicks

Published July 6th, 2010

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Ann McInnis

Published July 6th, 2010

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OBITS – JUL 5, 2010

Obituaries for July 5th, 2010

Alice Stone

Published July 5th, 2010

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Donald MacDonald

Published July 5th, 2010

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Marie (Schaller) Pittard, PhD

Published July 5th, 2010

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Ethel Alice (Nadler) Webber

Published July 5th, 2010

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Grace Leone (MacPherson) Read

Published July 5th, 2010

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Louise Matilda Muise

Published July 5th, 2010

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Elizabeth Winnifred ‘Winnie’ (Roper) MacLeod

Published July 5th, 2010

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Kenneth Wayne Green

Published July 5th, 2010

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Sister Catherine LeBlanc

Published July 5th, 2010

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Nina (MacLean) Iannetti

Published July 5th, 2010

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CHETICAMP

Acadian Culture in the Cheticamp Area

   Welcome to the section on Acadian culture.Wewill try togive you a glimpse of the way of life in

the Chéticamp area.
The community has almost 4,000 residents, a

large number

 of whom are Acadians and speak French natively,

 as well as

English. Together with its smaller neighbour,

Saint-Joseph-du

-Moine, Chéticamp makes up the largest Francophone

 enclave

on Cape Breton Island.

 
 The culture had its humble beginnings in the French countrysidewhence cametheir ancestors. Due to the fact that they were soisolated, those ancestors were careful to hold on to their culture,

and to this day it is very much alive. Come listen to the unique

French pronunciations, savour the succulent dishes, experience t

he Mi-Carême, sing and dance! Simply said, “Come on down and

 have fun!”This web page will explain only those aspects of the

Acadian culture which have had, and continue to have, the

greatest impact on their life as Acadians: Religion, Music,

Language, Cuisine, Festivals and Tapestry (Hooking)

  ReligionThe original Acadian settlers of Cheticampwere

devout catholics. Their life revolved around the

 parish and

the parish priest. The church was their principal

meeting

 place and even when there were no priests, they

would

still meet for prayers and songs. The priests deserve

 credit

for having been at the origin of school and hospital

construction and of recruiting French-speaking

teachers

 and nurses. Learning was not limited to academic

 subjects but also included music and singing.

Paroisse

 Saint-Pierre (left), a large sandstone church

built in

1893 with a central tower, open belfry and

rounded

apse at the rear, is a prominent structure

which can

 be seen at some distance.

 MusicMusic has always been a very importantcomponent of Acadian life in Chéticamp.

It reflects our attachment to religion,

language, culture, entertainment

and history.

The first songs to come to Chéticamp were most likely brought

 to the region by settlers coming from France or Québec and

were sung from memory. Sometimes, the sound of the violin

would accompany the singers, but, more often than not,

the songs were sung a capella,(without accompaniment).

Even though most people could not afford luxuries such as

record players, they made their own music and somehow

managed to pass on their songs from generation to generation.

Luc Lacourcière, the Acadian folklorist, describes Acadian

as one of the richest in the world. Père Anselme Chiasson

and Père Daniel Boudreau have been instrumental in s

aving our Acadian music. They compiled an enormous

collection of French songs in books known as Chansons

d’Acadie. These songs have been and are still sung today

 as part of Acadian festivals, concerts, or parties. Many

have been recorded by local groups or individuals as

well as by other Acadian or Canadian singers.

Co-existence with the Scottish and Gaelic cultures

surrounding Cheticamp would quickly bring a new

form of music into our homes: the fiddle tune. Our

neighbors had also mostly memorized tunes they

had heard elsewhere, and the lively nature of the

jigs and reels won over many a Cheticamp musician

 into their ranks. Country music was introduced

when radio became popular…way back when.

Country songs, both English and French, became

very popular and were soon being sung everywhere.

Certain musicians in the region are well-known for

keeping tradition alive today. Sylvia LeLièvre and

Ronnie Bourgeois have both made their mark on the

 music scene with their own compositions. They are

indeed the pride of the Acadian community of Chéticamp

along with Wendell Roache and Glen Roache, who

have also released cds of excellent quality. Gérard

Romard, Chéticamp’s ‘musical ambassador’ to the

Magdalen Islands, continues to entertain locals and

visitors with his repertoire of old traditional songs.

Although music has always been an important part

of this community’s social life, it is only of late that

 local musicians have begun recording their own

songs and albums. The wave of recordings ‘Made

in Cheticamp’ can be directly attributed to the

 presence of a strong cultural influence: our

community radio station. The Coopérative

 Radio Cheticamp (CKJM) has been in existence

since the early 1990’s and the mix of traditional

 and contemporary Acadian, as well as Scottish

 fiddle tunes, has served to strengthen the cultural

 presence in our region. CKJM enjoys the reputation

 of promoting our local artists at every opportunity.

 It has also encouraged a new generation to pick up

musical instruments and play. Many of these have

 become well-known and quite popular in the region:

 Jeannine Chiasson, Marc Boudreau, Nathan LeLièvre,

 Andrea LeBlanc, the Tremblay family and the group

Anonym, have just begun to delight audiences in

Chéticamp and elsewhere. It is quite evident that an

abundance of musical talent is ready to entertain you

when you visit our Acadian region of Chéticamp.

   Les Trois PignonsA ‘must see’ for

Acadian culture,

the history of Chéticamp and

visitor

 information services. Visit the

 museum,

 genealogy resource cent

re and library. Prominent in the

 exhibits are

examples of tools and demonstrations

 of

 techniques used by the world-renown

Chéticamp rug hookers. Élizabeth

 LeFort’s most beautiful pieces

 are on permanent exhibition

 here.

 


LanguageEven though the French language spoken in our Acadiancommunities

is not

 exactly the same as that

spoken by our ancestors of the 17th & 18th centuries,

you will still hear phrases and shades of meaning which co

me from Aunis, Saint-Onge, Poitou and other French

countrysides. Father Charles AuCoin, in an article

which appeared in Volume 5, #2 of the Genealogical

and Historical Bulletin, speaks of certain characteristics

 of our language, for example, our tendency to pronounce

the “c” like the English “ch”, which sounds like “tch”.

This is, however, not always the case. Father AuCoin e

xplains that rules of grammar are very rigid and one

 must learn when to pronounce what. When we speak

about a cat we pronounce “chat”, but when we refer

(in Acadian language) to a mess or to a wad of chewing

tobacco, we pronounce “tchat”.Here are a few examples

of the way we pronounce certain words:

“Coeur or choeur” is pronounced “tchoeur”
“Tien” is pronounced “Tchin”
“Cuillère” is pronounced “tchuére”
“Culottes” is pronounced “tchulottes”
“Cultiver” is an exception
“Quai” is pronounced “tchais”
“Queue” is pronounced “tcheue”
“Quoi” is an exception.
“Quelques” becomes “tcheuc”
“Lequel” becomes ” letcheul”

Our conjugations also have their distinctive features.

In the Indicative present, we conjugate as follows:

J’chante, Tu chantes, I’chante, J’chantons, Vous

chantez, I’chantont. The same rule applies to the

auxiliary verbs: ex: J’aurions …j’étions

In front of certain doubled consonants, the o becomes

ou such as in “J’mangions des bounes poumes”

Due to the fact that Chéticamp is primarily a fishing

village, certain terms relating to the sea have been

 adopted and are being used quite freely. We will say

 “On embarque” in a car as well as on a boat, and we

 “amarre” our shoes instead of “lacing” them

( French = lacer).

Certain words such as “boucane” (smoke) and “mashkoui”

 (birch bark) were probably borrowed from the Mi’kmaqs.

During your visit, you will no doubt hear many English

 words or English derivatives, but you will also realize

that we have managed to inherit and conserve a

vocabulary and a way of expressing ourselves that

 come from the old country of France.


CuisineHowever simple might have been our Acadian cuisine , it has

become known

 for its succulence. We must remember that

our ancestors were poor folks whose main fare consisted of fresh

 meat and fish during the summer and salted meat and fish

during the winter. The garden contained many vegetables that

were relatively easy to keep for at least part of the winter.

Meat preparation was quite simple. Since there was usually

only one large pot in the house, meat or fish, and vegetables

cooked together slowly. Berries, which grew wild in the fields,

were consumed by everyone.The following are examples of

some of the Acadian dishes still being served in local restaurants.

Fricot – a kind of soup made with pieces of red meat or

chicken which have been fried before adding them to

diced potatoes, onions, etc.

Chiard – a kind of stew made up of potatoes, vegetables

and sometimes pieces of meat which cook together slowly.

Tchaude – fish or seafood chowder.

Pâté à la viande – meat pie: made up of chicken & pork or

beef & pork, cooked slowly together and then placed between

 two crusts.

Morue en cabane – potatoes and cod cooked together slowly.

Crêpes au râpage – pancakes made from grated potatoes, and

cooked by frying.

Croquettes au poisson – fish cakes made with mashed potatoes

and fish, and then fried.

Sauce au boudin: blood pudding – made from meat, onions &

spices which are cooked together before adding pork blood and

 then left to cook slowly for some time.

Poutine aux raisins: raisin pudding – contains raisins &

 spices – placed in a bag and steam-cooked.

Come enjoy these delicious dishes!


 Festivals

Besides observing
regular holidays,
Acadians love to
celebrate other
days in the way
 their ancestors
 did.
La Chandeleur –
 Candlemas: Years
 ago, the feast of
 Candlemas, on
February 2, began
 in church with
the blessing of
the candles and
was followed by a supper and an evening of music and dance. A
 few days prior to February 2, a group of people from the
community would go from house to house in search of food
for Candlemas. This group was led by an individual dressed
 up for the occasion and holding a long cane decorated with
 ribbons of various colours. Where food was given out, the
group would dance the Escaouette as a way of thanking the
 householders. We called this activity “courir la Chandeleur”
 (running the Candlemas). On the day in question, people
would get together at a pre-designated location, where
 
they would have supper and spend the evening singing
and dancing. Today, all that is left is the supper and
dance in a community hall.
Mardi Gras – In the past, we called “Shrovetide” the
 three days preceding Ash Wednesday, during which
time all work came to a halt. It was time to party.
Friends and family visited each other; evenings
were spent playing cards, or dancing if there was
 music. Today, we observe Shrove Tuesday only
and we do it with a pancake supper followed by a
 dance at a community hall. The yearly Mardi
 Gras festivities in Southern Louisiana originated
with the Acadians who brought the custom with
them to the U.S. when they settled there following
 their expulsion from Nova Scotia.
Mi-Carême – For our ancestors, Lent was a time of
sacrifice during which time no amusement of any
kind was permitted. In order to have a break from
the monotony of this 40 day period, on the Thursday
marking the exact half time of Lent, people began

 to disguise themselves and go from house to house

while trying to keep their identity a secret. The

 householders would try to guess who was behind

the mask and costume. With time, the Mi-Carême

was extended to cover the whole third week of Lent.

 The festivities now begin on Sunday with an

evening called “Laissons entrer les mi-carêmes”

(Let the mi-carêmes in), which takes place in the

 community centre.. The evening consists of musical

 entertainment, dancing, goodies, and of course,

mi-carêmes!. The Mi-Carême is officially started!.

We “run” the Mi-Carême every day and every nigh

t of that week and the whole thing comes to a close

with another social evening on Saturday night.

Feast of the Assumption – It was in 1881, at an

Acadian congress in Memramcook, N.B., that our

ancestors designated August 15, feast of the Assumption

 of the Blessed Virgin, as the national feast of the

Acadians. Today, we start the day with mass

where we sing “Ave Maris Stella”, the national

anthem of the Acadians, and we end the day

with an evening of celebration “à l’Acadienne”


Tapestry (Rug Hooking)We call “hooking” the makingof wool or ragrugs on burlap.

The burlap is stretched

 tightly on a wooden frame, and the hook is a simple nail

 with a curved tip attached to a wooden handle. With a

 hook held in the right hand, the wool or rag (held

underneath the burlap with the left hand) is pulled

 to the surface of the burlap. Although rag rugs are

still being produced, our attention here will focus

on our wool rugs.

Nearby Beach

Originally, these

 hooked rugs served

as throw rugs to

cover the cold floors

 in winter or to

exchange with

 traveling salesmen for mechandise not available locally.

The turning

point of the rug industry came when in 1927, Lillian Burke,

 an artist

 from New York as well as a friend of the Bell family of Baddeck,

visited

this area. She became interested in these works of art

 which she

 introduced on the U.S. market. Profit was still

 minimal

 for the

rug “hookers” and because of that, a few women began

 operating

their own boutiques. Today you will find many of these

boutiques,

 where friendly staff await to serve you.

The name “Élizabeth LeFort” immediately comes

to mind

when one speaks about rug hooking. Like most others,

 Mrs.

 LeFort started her career by hooking sceneries,

but the

turning point came when her talent for hooking

 portraits

was discovered. Referred to as “Canada’s artist in Wool”,

Mrs. LeFort was awarded an Honorary Doctorate Degree

 from the Université de Moncton, as well as the Order

of Canada. Her works may be admired at various places

 throughout the world, i.e. at the Vatican, Buckingham

 Palace, the White House and at the Museum of Civilization

in Ottawa. You can feast your eyes on many of her

tapestries while visiting the gallery which bears her

 name, at the Trois Pignons, in Chéticamp.

Cheticamp Harbour

In January 1998,

a group of rug

hookers from

Chéticamp,

under the

 skilled direction

of Marie-Claire

 Doucet, undertook the task of hooking a large rug (15ft x10ft) destined

 for the Canadian Room at Rideau Hall, residence of the Governor

General of Canada in Ottawa. The finished product of this venture is,

 like many before, a real masterpiece.

OBITS – JUL 3, 2010

Obituaries for July 3rd, 2010

Neil McKinnon

Published July 3rd, 2010

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Mary Vassalo

Published July 3rd, 2010

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William Cordy

Published July 3rd, 2010

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Grace Read (nee MacPherson)

Published July 3rd, 2010

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Olga Hrynick

Published July 3rd, 2010

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SHIRLEY CARR

       Shirley Carr Passes

Shirley Carr, first woman CLC president, dies at 81

‘Shirley moved women’s rights to the top of the labour agenda and she was a determined opponent of apartheid.’

Ottawa (27 June 2010) – Shirley Carr, the first woman to become president of the Canadian Labour Congress (CLC), the country’s largest labour body, has died at age 81 in Niagara Falls.

Carr led the 2.3-million member congress from 1986 to 1992 after serving 12 years prior to that as executive vice-president. She passed away on June 24.

She was praised by Ken Georgetti, the current CLC president, as a labour pioneer who blazed a trail for women activists in Canada and fought fearlessly against apartheid in South Africa.

“We are all saddened to learn of the death of Sister Shirley Carr,” Georgetti said.

“Shirley moved women’s rights to the top of the labour agenda and she was a determined opponent of apartheid,” Georgetti says.

In 1992 she was awarded Venezuela’s prestigious Order of Diego de Losada, First Class, for her work against apartheid and in defending trade union rights around the world.

Carr came from a family of Nova Scotians and was fiercely proud of her roots. She first became active in the labour movement in 1960 with the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) and served in various capacities at the local, provincial, regional and national levels.

Carr was active at the international level as well, serving as a member of the Governing Body of the International Labour Organization (ILO) from 1980 to 1985. She chaired the Workers’ Group of the Governing Body Committee on Discrimination and the International Labour Conference Committee on apartheid. She also served as vice-president of the International Confederation of Free Trade Unions (ICFTU) and was chairperson of the Commonwealth Trade Union Council.

Carr was awarded Honorary Doctorates of Law from several universities and in 1980 she was named an Officer of the Order of Canada.

NUPGE

The National Union of Public and General Employees (NUPGE) is one of Canada’s largest labour organizations with over 340,000 members. Our mission is to improve the lives of working families and to build a stronger Canada by ensuring our common wealth is used for the common good. NUPGE

Obituary for Shirley Carr

CARR, Shirley G.E.
On Thursday June 24, 2010, at the age of 81, in Niagara Falls, Ontario . Shirley was predeceased by her husband Bruce (1998). Her brothers Jackie, William, Douglas, Fredrick and her sister Grace. Her parents, Jack and Mary Boutilier. Survived by son, Larry and his wife Bonnie. Grandchildren, Adam (Kristy), Laura and David, great grandson James Bruce and her brothers Gordon, Kenneth and Harry Boutilier.
As President of the Canadian Labour Congress, Shirley traveled on peace and human rights missions from Ottawa to Whitehall in the United Kingdom, to the White House in the USA, to the Kremlin in the former USSR. With strong beliefs in equality and genuine compassion for her fellow citizens, she fought relentlessly to better the lives of others.
Shirley first became active in the labour movement in 1960, when she joined the Canadian Union of Public Employees and served in various capacities at the local, provincial, regional, and national levels. In 1974 she was elected Executive Vice President of the CLC, a position she held until 1984 when she was appointed Secretary Treasurer. She was elected President of the Canadian Labour Congress in 1986 and in so doing became the first woman in the world ever to be elected as leader of a national labour body.
Alongside her work at the CLC, Shirley was an active participant in the international labour movement. From 1980 to 1985 she was a member of the governing body of the International Labour Organization, and acted as Chairperson for the Workers’ Group for the Committee on Discrimination and the Committee on Apartheid. She also served as Vice President of the International Confederation of Free Trade Unions, Chairperson of Commonwealth Trade Union Council, and Vice President of the ILO United Nations Agency.
Shirley received numerous awards for her work. She was appointed an Officer of the Order of Canada in 1980, and an Officer of the Order of Ontario in 1995. She received the Centennial Medal for Exemplary Contribution to Vocational/Technical Education (1980), the Commemorative Medal for the 125th Anniversary of Canadian Federation (1992), and the Governor General’s Award in Commemoration of the Persons Case (1994).
Shirley graduated from Stamford Collegiate Vocational Institute in Niagara Falls, Ontario. She went on to receive seven Honourary Doctorates for her work, from McMaster University, University of Western Ontario, University of Victoria, Brock University, Acadia University, York University, and the University of Northern British Columbia. She was also named a Fellow of Ryerson University in recognition of her outstanding work in the Canadian and international labour movements.
Private funeral arrangements. Those who wish may make a memorial donation to the Alzheimer’s Society and can do so through Morse & Son Funeral Home, 5917 Main Street, Niagara Falls. Please sign the on-line guest register http://www.morseandson.com
Thank You to the staff at Queenston Place
Thank You to the staff at Bella Senior Care Residence
Thank You, Gail

(This story of a grand lady with her genes firmly beginning in Cape Breton Island was contributed by Melvin (Dewey) Pearo and his daughter Jenny Pearo.)

My dad Melvin received a call a few nights ago telling him of the death of his cousin Shirley (Boutilier) Carr.  Living in Ontario, you are probably aware of her name and what she stood for regarding unions and women’s rights.   She has been described as a “labour pioneer who blazed a trail for women activists in Canada and fought fearlessly against apartheid in South Africa.” (NUPGE, 2010) She was named to the Order of Canada in 1981 and, as written in her obituary, “Shirley traveled on peace and human rights missions from Ottawa to Whitehall in the United Kingdom, to the White House in the USA, to the Kremlin in the former USSR. With strong beliefs in equality and genuine compassion for her fellow citizens, she fought relentlessly to better the lives of others.”

Although Shirley lived her entire life in Ontario, very few people know that her father, John James (Jack) Boutilier, was born and raised in Sydney Mines and came from a family of coal miners who worked in the local coal pits.   Actually, my father’s grandmother, Matilda Boutilier Rice was Shirley’s aunt.  Shirley had a very strong connection with Cape Breton and many of her cousins still reside in Sydney Mines today.

 

 

OBITS – JUL 2, 2010

Obituaries for July 2nd, 2010

William ‘Bill’ Reid

Published July 2nd, 2010

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Norman Leslie MacAskill

Published July 2nd, 2010

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Viola McCarthy

Published July 2nd, 2010

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Stephen Irwin Moore

Published July 2nd, 2010

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Neil Bernard McKinnon

Published July 2nd, 2010

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Mary Elva Vassalo

Published July 2nd, 2010

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OBITS – JUN 30, 2010

Obituaries for June 30th, 2010

Mary MacPhee

Published June 30th, 2010

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Annabelle Adams

Published June 30th, 2010

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Christine Trimm

Published June 30th, 2010

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Lola (Jessinghouse) Cameron

Published June 30th, 2010

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Alexander MacInnis

Published June 30th, 2010

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Michael Christopher MacLean

Published June 30th, 2010

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Michael Paul McKenzie

Published June 30th, 2010

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James E. ‘Jim’ Connolly

Published June 30th, 2010

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JUNO BEACH – NORMANDY

 

 

 

 

 

                      Juno Beach Park

 

                        Juno Beach Museum

 

 

 

In a recent discussion with Ed McCready, my brother-in-law married to my sister Judy, we discussed the Juno Beach Centre which is the only Canadian Museum at Normandy. In the course of our discussions, Ed mentioned that he looked but didn’t find any memorabilia recognizing the North Nova Scotia Highlanders, the outfit that his father Vincent McCready served in during WWII. Although Vincent was not there he later served in Holland, his outfit the North Nova Scotia Highlanders were however at Normandy. After returning to Canada from their vacation Ed prepared a package including his father’s uniform and gas mask and forwarded the package to Marie-Josée Lafond, the Program Manager, for inclusion in the Centre Juno Beach.

     Pte Vincent McCready’s uniform & gas mask

Juno Beach – The Canadians On D-Day

On D-Day, June 6, 1944, “Operation Overlord”, the long-awaited invasion of Nazi-occupied Europe, began with Allied armies from the U.S., Britain and Canada landing on the coast of Normandy. On D-Day, the 3rd Canadian Infantry Division landed on Juno Beach. The Canadian assault troops stormed ashore in the face of fierce opposition from German strongholds and mined beach obstacles. The soldiers raced across the wide-open beaches swept with machine gun fire, and stormed the gun positions. In fierce hand-to-hand fighting, they fought their way into the towns of Bernières, Courseulles and St. Aubin and then advanced inland, securing a critical bridgehead for the allied invasion. The victory was a turning point in World War II and led to the liberation of Europe and the defeat of Nazi Germany.

Fourteen thousand young Canadians stormed Juno Beach on D-Day. Their courage, determination and self-sacrifice were the immediate reasons for the success in those critical hours. The fighting they endured was fierce and frightening. The price they paid was high – the battles for the beachhead cost 340 Canadian lives and another 574 wounded. John Keegan, eminent British historian who wrote Six Armies in Normandy, stated the following concerning the Canadian 3rd Division on D-Day: “At the end of the day, its forward elements stood deeper into France than those of any other division. The opposition the Canadians faced was stronger than that of any other beach save Omaha. That was an accomplishment in which the whole nation could take considerable pride.”

This short story is a tribute to the men and women who served in the Canadian Army during D-Day and World War II. To these people, we owe the freedom that we take for granted. Let us never forget their sacrifice. God bless them one and all.

The Juno Beach Centre is a museum and cultural centre, which opened at Courseulles-sur-Mer, France on June 6, 2003. The Centre presents the war effort made by all Canadians, civilian and military alike, both at home and on the various fronts during the Second World War, as well as the manifold faces of contemporary Canadian society.

The Juno Beach Centre was established in Canada as a non-profit organization. A Board of Directors based in Burlington, Ontario runs the Association. The President is Garth Webb, a D-Day veteran.

The Minister of Canadian Heritage has designated the Juno Beach landing site to be a site of national historic significance to Canada.

Note: It comes to mind that many families across Canada not unlike Ed’s case, have stored away in the attic or in trunks long forgotten items of kit, uniforms, medals, letters, etc., that could be donated in memory of their parents and grandparents, uncles and aunts who had served in WWII.  GTF