"Tales of pioneer hardship and deprivation have been told many times. Yet still we remember in wonder, that people accomplished so much with so little; that men and women with simple tools, their bare hands, and their own inventiveness cleared the land, drained the swamps, made their own clothing and provided their own food. Through all these difficulties God was with them and they wanted their children educated intellectually and spritually." from Norfolk Street United Church history
OTTAWA, June 1, 2011 /Canada NewsWire/ - Census interviewers have started going door-to-door to visit households that have not yet completed their 2011 Census questionnaire. If your household has not returned its questionnaire, it's not too late.
Interviewers carry out their door-to-door activities to ensure all households are counted. All interviewers have an identification card that features their photo and census logo.
By law, each household must provide the information requested in the census. By the same law, Statistics Canada must protect the personal information provided by the respondents.
Statistics Canada thanks everyone who has already completed the census.
GUELPH, Ontario May 30, 2011 - University of Guelph News Release
A University of Guelph professor who crafted a made-in-Guelph guitar to share stories about the University and city is now telling the tale of the instrument’s origins — using a more traditional storytelling medium this time around.
In his new book, Storyteller Guitar, Doug Larson discusses how he built an acoustic instrument using items from immigrants, entrepreneurs and researchers who worked around the world but lived in Guelph. The guitar has effectively been billions of years in the making and its materials span the globe, said Larson, a professor emeritus in Integrative Biology who is also a musician and luthier.
“The goal was to build not just a guitar but also a great storytelling device, an instrument to talk about history, art and science.”
Larson believed his lectures would be more effective if students knew the history and stories behind the lessons. He built the guitar between 2006 and 2008.
“Students could pick up the guitar and play it knowing the stories behind the various materials incorporated into the overall instrument.”
He was inspired by the Six String Nation guitar built by Nova Scotia luthier George Rizsanyi from 60 pieces of Canadiana ranging from Pierre Trudeau’s canoe paddle to Lucy Maud Montgomery’s house.
The Guelph guitar parts include bones, fossils and wood from historical trees; most of the relics relate to the University. Even for the pieces he gathered from around the city or beyond, Larson traced their roots to U of G research and scholarship in biology, physical science, social sciences and the arts.
“The message is that these apparently different parts of culture are actually a part of the same human condition,” he said.
For example, the guitar’s back and neck came from a felled sugar maple planted on campus nearly a century earlier. The instrument’s front soundboard is made of Norway spruce, salvaged from a U of G windfall. That tree had been planted by Scottish immigrant William Brown, Guelph’s first professor and field superintendent. On the soundboard, a comma-shaped pick guard consists of turtle shell scutes donated by another biology professor.
“This was the most challenging and fun woodworking project I’ve ever done,” Larson said. “It’s an object that unites art and science, but it's also a lens to history.”
LONDON, Ontario, June 1, 2011 /Canada NewsWire/ - Labatt Breweries of Canada is donating two of Canada's most significant collections of historic corporate materials and art to The University of Western Ontario and to Museum London.
Today, Labatt's President, Bary Benun, officially turned over The Labatt Brewing Company Archival Collection to Dr. Amit Chakma, President and Vice-Chancellor, The University of Western Ontario and the Labatt Material Culture Collection to Brian Meehan, Executive Director and Chief Curator of Museum London at Labatt's brewery in London, Ontario.
Two decades before Canada attained nationhood, with Queen Victoria just a few years into her reign, John Kinder Labatt founded the enterprise that would become the globally recognized brewery that bears his name. This began an historical collection that would grow into the most significant and valuable corporate collections and archives in Canadian brewing industry history.
Bary Benun, President of Labatt, said,
"This is the first historical collection in Canada to represent the brewing industry and we are very pleased to hand over its custodianship to The University of Western Ontario. This means that Labatt's invaluable corporate legacy will be available to academics and the public alike, providing valuable insight into the brewing industry and business in general, industrial relations, the economy, society and work forces and labour relations of the past 164 years."
He continued, "We are also delighted and proud to be able to add our artifacts and original art to the Museum London's renowned collection where it is now accessible to all the people of London and Ontario."
Among the most significant corporate archives donations, the two collections have been examined by the Canadian Cultural Property Export Review Board which determined them to be of "outstanding significance and national importance" and of "historical cultural significance." The collections have been appraised at more than $8.3 million. The Labatt Brewing Company Archival Collection is now stored and managed within the Archives and Research Collection Centre at The University of Western Ontario. The Labatt Material Culture Collection will be available to the public at Museum London.
Until four years ago, the material that Labatt had gathered since its founding in 1847, along with other material (some of it from even earlier) acquired as a result of the acquisitions of various smaller Canadian breweries over the years, resided in tens of thousands of boxes, drawers and filing cabinets throughout the country.
With the help of professional archivists Labatt gathered, catalogued, itemized and organized virtually all its irreplaceable corporate documents. The materials illustrate the evolution of corporate governance and management models and include market research; commercial advertising which mirrors Canadian cultural values and trends; research, technology and engineering materials related to brewing processes and innovations; and iconic images of corporate branding, packaging and memorabilia. The collection also provides interesting and meaningful details on key phases in Labatt's corporate history, including the origins of John Labatt's brewery in London, John Labatt's growth to a national brewer, the diversification of John Labatt Limited, and Labatt's acquisition by Belgian-based Interbrew. The total Labatt Collection material required more than 2,600 boxes.
At the ceremony today, Labatt also donated $200,000 to The University of Western Ontario to assist them in digitizing portions of The Labatt Brewing Company Archival Collection. This will help preserve some of the key content of the collection and make it more accessible.
The material donated to Museum London - the Labatt Material Culture Collection - includes: original art, brewery artifacts and collectibles, and Labatt family memorabilia dating from 1850 to 2005. Each piece in the collection was created, designed or commissioned by Labatt. The original art includes works by renowned Canadian and international artists, photographers, sculptors including: A.J. Casson, Jean Paul Lemieux, Harold Town, Greg Curnoe, Robert Doisneau, Sigmar Polke, Tye Adla, Noah M. Anguhalluq, Barbara Astman, Iain Baxter, Aba Bayefsky, W. Roloff Beny, Brian Boigon, Simon Brascoupé, Robin Collyer, Alasua Amittuq Davidialuk, Mina Sala, Ikseetarkyuk, Suzy Lake, Norval Morrisseau, Neil Newton, Freda Pemberton-Smith, Peter Pitseolak, George Raab, Arnold Shives, Gordon Smith, Serge Tousignant, Bill Vazan, and George Zimbel.
"This is a unique opportunity for Western, especially because we are located in Labatt's home town and have enjoyed a long relationship with the company," said Amit Chakma, President of The University of Western Ontario. "In fact, we have benefited greatly from the generosity of the Labatt family and the corporation ever since the founding of our university in 1878. It is an honour to be associated with one of Canada's oldest companies, and to be entrusted with the stewardship of a rare and historical collection that has been preserved and maintained in such excellent condition."
Brian Meehan, Executive Director and Chief Curator of Museum London said,
"It is generous of Labatt to share their valuable Material Culture Collection with us. We look forward to sharing these works with the patrons of Museum London."
Labatt, The University of Western Ontario and Museum London celebrated the donation with local government officials, The University of Western Ontario students and faculty, Museum London employees, local historians and artists, and current and retired Labatt employees at the John Kinder Labatt Room at the brewery.
About Labatt Breweries of Canada
Labatt Breweries of Canada is one of the nation's longest-established and most successful brewing companies. Today, the company is a proud member of Anheuser-Busch InBev, producing over 60 quality beers, employing 3,000 Canadians, and operating seven breweries from coast to coast.
About The University of Western Ontario
The University of Western Ontario is dedicated to advancing knowledge and transforming lives through teaching excellence and research. With more than 1,400 faculty members and 35,000 full-time and part-time students at 12 Faculties and 3 affiliated University Colleges, Western delivers an exemplary university experience by engaging the best and brightest students, faculty and staff. One of Canada's top ten research-intensive universities, Western is recognized nationally and internationally for its contributions including in the areas of neuroscience, wind engineering, medical imaging, earth sciences and ethics in science that are driving discovery on the world stage.
About Museum London
Museum London is Southwestern Ontario's leading establishment for the collection and presentation of visual art and material culture. Through public and educational programming, special events and exhibitions, Museum London strives to promote the knowledge and enjoyment of regional art, culture and history. At the heart of a great museum is its collection and Museum London is proud to have one of Canada's most important art collections, and one of the most significant historical artifact collections in Ontario.
MONTREAL, May 30, 2011 /Canada NewsWire Telbec/ - Between June 1st and September 4, 2011, the Marguerite Bourgeoys Museum in Old Montreal presents 1754: Bon-Secours Burns. Offered every afternoon from Tuesday to Sunday, this discovery tour shines a light on the terrible fire that destroyed Montreal's first stone chapel, founded by Marguerite Bourgeoys.
Visitors are invited to gather on the archaeological site in the basement of Notre-Dame-de-Bon-Secours Chapel, jewel of Montreal's heritage. On this unique site, they can contemplate the ruins of the 17th-century chapel and a number of artefacts that confirm just how destructive the 1754 fire was. The visit will also include the magnificent 18th-century stone crypt with a fascinating exhibit on the history of the chapel and the surrounding neighbourhood.
During the 1996-1997 dig, the archaeologists were astounded by the quality and quantity of the artefacts discovered. More than 5000 items were uncovered on strata covering a period of over 2400 years. In fact, built on an embankment along the river, the chapel stood right beside a number of First Nations artefacts that were found during the dig. Notre-Dame-de-Bon-Secours Chapel, centre of Montreal's first neighbourhood outside the original settlement, has been closely connected to the history of the city since its beginnings.
Information :
1754: Bon-Secours Burns June 1 to September 4, 2011 French: 1:00, 2:00, 3:00 and 4:00 p.m. English: 1:30, 2:30, 3:30 and 4:30 p.m. Marguerite Bourgeoys Museum 400, rue Saint-Paul Est, Old Montreal (514) 282-8670
Forty kilometres from nowhere and way beyond normal is Corner Gas, an ensemble comedy series about a bunch of nobodies who get up to a whole lot of nothing in the fictional prairie town of Dog River. Starring Saskatchewan native and Gemini winner Brent Butt, Corner Gas is a roadside service station and is also the first original narrative comedy series in Canada. The series, which ran for six seasons and 107 episodes, has been honoured with the numerous awards and nominations.
CTV sitcom Corner Gas has it's very own Census Takers in Hank and Oscar. Enjoy!
If you don't have a Wurlitzer handy, the National Jukebox website is the next best thing. Actually, it's probably the "first-best" thing, as it contains over 10,000 recordings made by the Victor Talking Machine Company between 1901 and 1925.
It is a tremendous endeavor, and one that brings the sounds of another era into the life of anyone with an Internet connection.
First-time visitors should click on the "Making the Jukebox" to get started. Here they can view a slide show of Library of Congress staffers at work selecting the items to be digitized and other shots documenting the entire process.
Next, visitors can listen to the "Playlists of Recordings", which feature playlists compiled by Library of Congress curators and project partners. Currently they include "Early Tin Pan Alley", "The Fox Trot", and "Songs by Irving Berlin".
The interactive "Victrola Book of the Opera" from 1919 is quite a pip, and visitors can use it to read stories of great operas while listening to period recordings. Also, it's a good idea to read up in the "How'd They Do That?" section, found toward the bottom of the homepage, for more behind the scenes information on the project. [KMG]
The history and culture of Newfoundland and Labrador are being preserved through digitization by the Digital Archives Initiative at Memorial University of Newfoundland.
As visitors would expect, there are many collections related to marine life, such as "Marine Institute - Ship Drawings", "Mercantile Navy List and Maritime Directory", and "Among the Deep Sea Fishers".
Visitors who enjoy boatbuilding will enjoy the dozens of audio interviews conducted by David Taylor with local boat builders and fishermen, which can be found in the "Boatbuilding" collection found under "Audio/Video/Images".
Visitors can view the collections on the homepage by type, sponsor, and alphabetically. The "Showcased Collection" on the left side of the homepage is an ever-changing showcase of eye-catching collections. "Bonfire Night" is one such collection, and it features videos of Bonfire Nights in areas throughout Newfoundland, as well as audios of "Fire, Culture, and Festival: A Public Talk on World Fire Traditions" and locals talking about the history of Guy Fawkes Night. [KMG]
OTTAWA, June 1, 2011 /Canada NewsWire/ - Census interviewers have started going door-to-door to visit households that have not yet completed their 2011 Census questionnaire. If your household has not returned its questionnaire, it's not too late. 
