When Cree and Inuit Transformed Modern Canada

Forty-six years ago, in November 1973, Superior Court Judge Albert Malouf set off a shock wave by finding in favour of a demand by Inuit and Cree. The decision forced the Quebec government to interrupt construction of hydroelectric dams at James Bay, and to negotiate. The ruling was greeted with… Read More

The Official Languages Act: The Early Years (1969–1977)

The Official Languages Act, adopted and coming into effect in 1969, was a milestone in Canadian history, but it did not put an end to debates that had endured for more than a century. It is one thing to put a piece of legislation on the books, but quite another… Read More

The Official Languages Act: A Difficult Birth (1962–1969)

“The English and French languages are the official languages of Canada for all purposes of the Parliament and Government of Canada, and possess and enjoy equality of status and equal rights and privileges as to their use in all the institutions of the Parliament and Government of Canada.” —Excerpt from… Read More

 The struggle for inclusion: The perspective of Asian Canadians

May is Asian Heritage Month, a time to reflect on the contributions made by Canadians of Asian heritage to Canada, often in the face of discrimination. The new Canadian History Hall offers important insights into the complex story of Canada’s growing ethnic diversity in the 20th century. One of… Read More

Symbol of change

Around 200 years ago, this pendant was given by the Hudson’s Bay Company (HBC) to an Aboriginal chief to signify his importance to the fur trade. Large and heavy, with a beaver and the intertwined letters “HB” engraved on one side, the pendant was a conspicuous symbol of status within fur-trade society. Read More

Renewing a living church

St. Onuphrius Ukrainian Catholic Church is one of the “can’t miss” features of the new Canadian History Hall. From the mezzanine space of Gallery 3 and throughout most of Gallery 2, its dome rises majestically toward architect Douglas Cardinal’s beautifully curved ceiling in the Canadian Museum of History, making… Read More

The October Crisis: A Personal Experience

Each year, the month of October, with its cooler weather and greyer skies, brings to mind the events that shook Montréal and Canada in October 1970. The infamous October Crisis began on October 5, 1970, when a cell of the Front de libération du Québec (FLQ, Quebec Liberation Front), a… Read More

Sealed and Delivered

Bale seals, which resemble small lead coins, are unassuming artifacts. You’ll have to look carefully to find them in Gallery 1 of the new Canadian History Hall, and even more carefully to make out the tiny images impressed on them. Despite their size, these seals tell the story of… Read More

Fille du roi family tree stands tall

The new Canadian History Hall tells Canada’s story from the dawn of human habitation to the present day. Of course, when you set out to present 15,000 years of history in 4,000 square metres (40,000 square feet), some challenges will undoubtedly arise. However, as Creative Development Specialist Nathalie Rheault recounts, it… Read More

Viola Desmond challenges racial segregation

Viola Desmond. Nova Scotia Archives 1946 In 1946, Viola Desmond, an African-Canadian woman, purchased a ticket to a movie theatre in New Glasgow, Nova Scotia. Although she had requested a more expensive main floor seat, she was sold a ticket to the balcony because the theatre had a… Read More