Celebrate Canada 150 by Learning about Canada's History

How much do you really know about Canada and its history? 

If you're don't remember much from your high school Canadian History class,  don't worry! Now there is a fun, interactive way to get your daily dose of Canadiana with #OnThisDay. 

As the name suggests, every day the webpage will feature a different event from Canada's past. You can learn more about our country, one day at a time!

Here is look at today's #OnThisDay:

January 18, 1904

At the First Annual Banquet of the Canadian Club of Ottawa, the Prime Minister of Canada, Sir Wilfrid Laurier, delivers a famous speech on the future of Canada.

“Canada has been modest in its history, although its history … in my estimation, is only commencing. It is commencing in this century. The nineteenth century was the century of the United States. I think we can claim that it is Canada that shall fill the twentieth century.”

#OnThisDay was launched by Library and Archives Canada in celebration of the 150th anniversary of Canadian Confederation. To learn more about this project, please click here.

On January 11, Canada will celebrate Sir John A. MacDonald Day in honour our first Prime Minister and one of the architects of Confederation.

Sir John A. MacDonald lived a remarkable life - one marked by triumph and tribulation. His political shrewdness, ingenuity, and grit led to the formation of our nation, the construction of the CPR railway, and the protective tariffs which help us to gain economic and political independence from the United States.

His overriding national preoccupations were unity and prosperity. An 1860 speech summed up his lifelong political creed and political goals: "One people, great in territory, great in resources, great in enterprise, great in credit, great in capital." (http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/sir-john-alexander-macdonald/)

MacDonald’s leadership was not without black marks, though, (the Pacific Scandal and the execution of Louis Riel, for example). MacDonald and the Canadian government were also responsible for excluding Asian Canadians from voting and placed a head tax onto Asian immigrants entering the country.  As Prime Minister and as the Indian Affairs Minister, MacDonald’s policies were responsible for the creation of the residential school system.

[The] two primary objectives of the residential school system were to remove and isolate children from the influence of their homes, families, traditions and cultures, and to assimilate them into the dominant culture. These objectives were based on the assumption Aboriginal cultures and spiritual beliefs were inferior and unequal. Indeed, some sought, as it was infamously said, “to kill the Indian in the child.” Today, we recognize that this policy of assimilation was wrong, has caused great harm, and has no place in our country. (Prime Minister Stephen Harper, official apology, June 11, 2008. http://indigenousfoundations.arts.ubc.ca/home/government-policy/the-residential-school-system.html ) 

The celebration of Sir John A. MacDonald is a chance for all Canadians not just to remember our first Prime Minister but also the politics and policies that created this country.  Were it not for Sir John A. MacDonald, there would be no Canada and at the same time there would not have been residential schools. Sir John A. MacDonald and his policies were products of their time.  Since that time, Canada has grown to be a multi-cultural country that includes people from every part of the planet. We still have many challenges to overcome, but as a nation, we need to look back and learn from our past injustices while celebrating our accomplishments and the things that unite us as Canadians. The most wonderful thing about Canada is our democracy and our freedom to change.  For that, we can thank John A. MacDonald, who set us on a path towards national independence. 

Illustrated History Challenge for Kids

Start writing your exciting Canadian History tale and you could be on your way to Ottawa for the 2014 Governor General's History Awards. The award is open to Canadian kids between the ages of 7 and 14. Students are invited to create their own illustrated story based on any element of Canada’s past they find of interest. The deadline for entries is June 14th, 2014!

Stories should be between 500–1200 words in length and should include 1–3 illustrations or archival photographs to accompany the story. Comic Strip formats are eligible; students should keep in mind a 5-page comic typically entails 500 words. Stories can be written in either English or French.

Stories will be evaluated by a panel of judges on the following basis:

• Creativity and originality
• Content and story composition
• Grammar, spelling and quality of writing
• Use of illustrations to support the story

The top two writers, one French and one English, will receive a $1000 RESP and a trip to Ottawa. The top twenty-five stories will be published on our website and awarded a complimentary subscription to Kayak: Canada's History Magazine for Kids. All participants will receive a special certificate commending them on their participation.

 The contest deadline is June 14, 2014.

For more information, visit http://www.canadashistory.ca/Kids/Contests/Kayak-Illustrated-History-Challenge 

Today is Vimy Ridge Day

Did you know that April 9th is Vimy Ridge Day in Canada?

The Battle of Vimy Ridge began on April 9, 1917, during the First World War. This marked the first time all four divisions of the Canadian Corps, men from across Canada, went into battle together. 

At Vimy Ridge, the Canadians did what no other Allied forces could not: they took Vimy Ridge. Previous assaults on the area had failed with over 100 000 casualities. To capture this difficult position, the Canadians carefully planned and practiced their assault.  The success came at a cost, however, as 3 598 Canadians were killed and over 7 000 were wounded.

The capture of Vimy Ridge was more than an important battlefield victory. It is viewed as the defining moment in Canadian history as the moment Canada broke free from the shadows of England and the Empire. The Canadian success earned Canada a separate signature on the Treaty of Versailles peace treaty in 1919.

In 1922, France donated a large portion of the land of Vimy Ridge to Canada for use as a memorial. The Vimy Monument now stands on top of Hill 145, the most important and strategic part of the ridge.