Historica Canada is a Canadian
charitable organization
A charitable organization or charity is an organization whose primary objectives are philanthropy and social well-being (e.g. educational, Religion, religious or other activities serving the public interest or common good).
The legal definitio ...
dedicated to promoting the
country's history and
citizenship
Citizenship is a "relationship between an individual and a state to which the individual owes allegiance and in turn is entitled to its protection".
Each state determines the conditions under which it will recognize persons as its citizens, and ...
. All of its programs are offered bilingually and reach more than 28 million Canadians annually.
A registered national charitable organization, Historica Canada was originally established as the Historica-Dominion Institute following a 2009 merger of two existing groups—the Historica Foundation of Canada and The Dominion Institute—and changed to its present name in September 2013. Anthony Wilson-Smith has been president and CEO of the organization since September 2012, with the board of directors being chaired () by
First National Financial-co-founder Stephen Smith.
Some of the organizations best-known programs include its collection of ''
Heritage Minutes
''The Heritage Minutes'' is a series of sixty-second short films, each illustrating an important moment in Canadian history. The ''Minutes'' integrate Canadian history, folklore and myths into dramatic storylines. Like the Canada Vignettes of t ...
''—60-second
vignettes
Vignette may refer to:
* Vignette (entertainment), a sketch in a sketch comedy
* Vignette (graphic design), decorative designs in books (originally in the form of leaves and vines) to separate sections or chapters
* Vignette (literature), short, i ...
re-enacting important and remarkable incidents in Canada's history—and ''
The Canadian Encyclopedia
''The Canadian Encyclopedia'' (TCE; french: L'Encyclopédie canadienne) is the national encyclopedia of Canada, published online by the Toronto-based historical organization Historica Canada, with the support of Canadian Heritage.
Available fo ...
''. Historica Canada regularly conducts public opinion polls and creates educational videos, podcasts, and learning tools. It also operates the Ottawa-based
Encounters with Canada youth program.
Current programs
Canada During COVID-19
To commemorate the era of
COVID-19 in Canada for future generations, Historica Canada launched Canada During COVID-19, a "living archive" of the Canadian experience during the coronavirus pandemic beginning in 2020.
Historica Canada invites people to add to this grassroots project in any form—be it through photograph, video, GIF, music, art, or writing—using the project's hashtag and tagging the project's page on Instagram (and Historica Canada itself on other social media).
Indigenous Arts & Stories
Indigenous Arts & Stories, on hiatus for the 2019/2020 year, is the largest art and
creative-writing competition for
Indigenous
Indigenous may refer to:
*Indigenous peoples
*Indigenous (ecology), presence in a region as the result of only natural processes, with no human intervention
*Indigenous (band), an American blues-rock band
*Indigenous (horse), a Hong Kong racehorse ...
youth in Canada. Starting in 2005 as exclusively a writing competition, the contest expanded to accept arts submissions in 2010–2011.
The program invites
First Nations
First Nations or first peoples may refer to:
* Indigenous peoples, for ethnic groups who are the earliest known inhabitants of an area.
Indigenous groups
*First Nations is commonly used to describe some Indigenous groups including:
**First Natio ...
,
Métis
The Métis ( ; Canadian ) are Indigenous peoples who inhabit Canada's three Prairie Provinces, as well as parts of British Columbia, the Northwest Territories, and the Northern United States. They have a shared history and culture which derives ...
, and
Inuit
Inuit (; iu, ᐃᓄᐃᑦ 'the people', singular: Inuk, , dual: Inuuk, ) are a group of culturally similar indigenous peoples inhabiting the Arctic and subarctic regions of Greenland, Labrador, Quebec, Nunavut, the Northwest Territories ...
artists aged 11 to 29 to interpret an aspect of their culture and heritage through literary and visual arts. The winning submissions are reviewed and selected by a jury (one for arts and another for stories) of accomplished Indigenous authors, artists, and community leaders. The contest was born out of a joint project of the Dominion Institute and
Doubleday Canada
Doubleday Canada is an imprint of the publishing company Penguin Random House Canada. The company used to be known as Forboys. It was incorporated in 1936, and since 1945 it has been known as Doubleday Canada Limited. In 1986 parent company Doubl ...
: ''Our Story'', a short story compilation that brings together 9 leading Indigenous authors, including
Thomas King,
Tomson Highway
Tomson Highway (born 6 December 1951) is an Indigenous Canadian playwright, novelist, and children's author. He is best known for his plays ''The Rez Sisters'' and ''Dry Lips Oughta Move to Kapuskasing'', both of which won the Dora Mavor Moore ...
, and
Tantoo Cardinal
Tantoo Cardinal CM (born Rose Marie Cardinal; July 20, 1950) is a Canadian actress of Cree and Métis heritage. In 2009, she was made a member of the Order of Canada "for her contributions to the growth and development of Aboriginal performing ar ...
. In its 15-year run, more than 5,500 youth have participated in the Indigenous Arts & Stories program.
Jury members include
Bonnie Devine
Bonnie Devine is a Serpent River Ojibwa installation artist, performance artist, sculptor, curator, and writer from Serpent River First Nation, who lives and works in Toronto, Ontario.[Brian Maracle Brian Maracle (also known as Owennatekha;Laura Neilson Bonikowsky"Brian Maracle" ''The Canadian Encyclopedia'', April 23, 2013. born 1947) is a Mohawk writer and broadcaster from Canada. He is most noted as a two-time nominee for the Writers' Trust ...]
,
Drew Hayden Taylor
Drew Hayden Taylor (born 1 July 1962) is a Canadian playwright, author and journalist.
Life and career
Born in Curve Lake, Ontario, Taylor is part Ojibwe and part Caucasian. About his background Taylor says: "I plan to start my own nation. Bec ...
,
John Kim Bell John Kim Bell (born October 8, 1952) is Canada’s first Indigenous symphony-orchestra conductor, the founder of the country’s precedent-setting National Aboriginal Achievement Foundation (today known as Indspire) and the National Aboriginal Achi ...
,
Kent Monkman
Kent Monkman (born 13 November 1965) is a Canadian First Nations artist of Cree ancestry. He is a member of the Fisher River band situated in Manitoba's Interlake Region. He is both a visual as well as performance artist, working in a variety ...
,
Lee Maracle
Bobbi Lee Maracle (born Marguerite Aline Carter; July 2, 1950November 11, 2021) was an Indigenous Canadian writer and academic of the Stó꞉lō nation. Born in North Vancouver, British Columbia, she left formal education after grade 8 to tr ...
,
Maxine Noel
Maxine Noel (born 1946) is a Canadian First Nations artist from the Santee and Oglala heritage. She was given the Sioux name Ioyan Mani ("walk beyond").
Biography
She was born on the Birdtail Reserve in southwestern Manitoba. A self-taught art ...
, and
Rachel Qitsualik-Tinsley
Rachel Attituq Qitsualik-Tinsley is a Canadian writer. She was a winner of the Burt Award for First Nations, Métis and Inuit Literature in 2015 for ''Skraelings'', which she cowrote with her husband Sean Qitsualik-Tinsley. The book was also a ...
, among others. Honorary Patrons of the program have included
Assembly of First Nations
The Assembly of First Nations (AFN) is an assembly of Canadian First Nations (Indian bands) represented by their chiefs. Established in 1982 and modelled on the United Nations General Assembly, it emerged from the National Indian Brotherhood, wh ...
National Chief
Perry Bellegarde
Perry Bellegarde (born August 29, 1962; Little Black Bear First Nation) is a Canadian First Nations advocate and politician who served as National Chief of the Assembly of First Nations from December 10, 2014, to July 8, 2021. ,
Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami
Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami, (Inuktitut syllabics: , meaning "Inuit are united in Canada") previously known as the Inuit Tapirisat of Canada (Eskimo Brotherhood of Canada), is a nonprofit organization in Canada that represents over 65,000 Inuit acro ...
President Terry Audla, and
Métis National Council
The Métis National Council (french: Ralliement national des Métis) is the representative body of the Métis people of northwestern Canada. The MNC represents the Métis Nation both nationally and internationally, receiving direction from the el ...
President
Clément Chartier
Clément Chartier (born 1946) is a Métis Canadian leader. Chartier served as President of the World Council of Indigenous Peoples between 1984–87 and vice-president between 1993 and 1997.
Born in Île-à-la-Crosse, Saskatchewan, Chartier g ...
.
Citizenship Challenge
The Citizenship Challenge allows participants to test their Canadian knowledge by studying for and writing a mock citizenship exam in English or French. Presented by Historica Canada and funded by
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC; french: Immigration, Réfugiés et Citoyenneté Canada)Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada is the applied title under the Federal Identity Program since 2015; the legal title is Departm ...
, the Citizenship Challenge has tested of over 1.05 million people . As a studying resource for both the challenge and for actual citizenship tests themselves, Historica Canada offers a "Citizenship Collection" through the ''Canadian Encyclopedia''.
The Canadian Encyclopedia
The ''Canadian Encyclopedia'' is a free bilingual online resource that offers the largest collection of authored and continuously-updated articles focused on Canada and
Canadiana
Canadiana is a term used to describe things (e.g., books, historical documents, and artifacts), ideas, or activities that concern or are distinctive of Canada, its people, and/or its culture, especially works of literature and other cultural pro ...
.
It is the only established national
encyclopedia
An encyclopedia (American English) or encyclopædia (British English) is a reference work or compendium providing summaries of knowledge either general or special to a particular field or discipline. Encyclopedias are divided into articles ...
of its kind in the world,
in that it is a bilingual national edition of an encyclopedia produced by, for, and about the people of a single country, charting its events, culture, history, and landscape.
Established in 1985, the Encyclopedia began in print form before transitioning to
CD-ROM
A CD-ROM (, compact disc read-only memory) is a type of read-only memory consisting of a pre-pressed optical compact disc that contains data. Computers can read—but not write or erase—CD-ROMs. Some CDs, called enhanced CDs, hold both comput ...
, then moving to a digital format in 2001. In 2003, the Encyclopedia incorporated the content of the ''
Encyclopedia of Music in Canada
''The Canadian Encyclopedia'' (TCE; french: L'Encyclopédie canadienne) is the national encyclopedia of Canada, published online by the Toronto-based historical organization Historica Canada, with the support of Canadian Heritage.
Available for ...
'', which included around 3,000 articles and 500 illustrations. In October 2013, the Encyclopedia released its present "enhanced digital interactive" version online, with multimedia augmented through acquisition and partnerships with
''Maclean’s'' magazine and
The Canadian Press
The Canadian Press (CP; french: La Presse canadienne, ) is a Canadian national news agency headquartered in Toronto, Ontario. Established in 1917 as a vehicle for the time's Canadian newspapers to exchange news and information, The Canadian Pre ...
.
These interactive features include "curated content exhibits, interactive timelines,…and a user-generated content map" that allows users to "share their stories," as well as classroom resources, quizzes, and themed study guides for teachers and parents to use.
With its online format, the Encyclopedia is now able to be updated on a daily basis—also allowing for immediate updates to important events—as well as having a staff of six full-time editors regularly write and commission new articles.
As of 2021, the Encyclopedia's collection consists of more than 20,700 bilingual articles by more than 5,000 authors including
David Suzuki
David Takayoshi Suzuki (born March 24, 1936) is a Canadian academic, science broadcaster, and environmental activist. Suzuki earned a PhD in zoology from the University of Chicago in 1961, and was a professor in the genetics department at th ...
,
Margaret Atwood
Margaret Eleanor Atwood (born November 18, 1939) is a Canadian poet, novelist, literary critic, essayist, teacher, environmental activist, and inventor. Since 1961, she has published 18 books of poetry, 18 novels, 11 books of non-fiction, nin ...
, ,
Natasha Henry,
Pierre Berton
Pierre Francis de Marigny Berton, CC, O.Ont. (July 12, 1920 – November 30, 2004) was a Canadian writer, journalist and broadcaster. Berton wrote 50 best-selling books, mainly about Canadiana, Canadian history and popular culture. He also wr ...
, and
Tim Cook
Timothy Donald Cook (born November 1, 1960) is an American business executive who has been the chief executive officer of Apple Inc. since 2011. Cook previously served as the company's chief operating officer under its co-founder Steve Jobs.
...
.
Learning resources
Historica Canada produces numerous learning tools for educators and students through the ''Canadian Encyclopedia''. Some examples include: Women in Canadian History; Residential Schools in Canada; Indigenous Perspectives Education Guide; Official Languages Act; and Black History in Canada Education Guide.
Historica Canada also provides some of its content through
iTunes University, where users can browse materials organized in course collections along such themes as Women in Canadian History and Asian-Canadian History.
Encounters With Canada (Closed August 2020 due to COVID-19 Pandemic)
Encounters with Canada was a bilingual program for teenage students (14 to 17 years old) in which participants spend a themed week in Ottawa to meet other young people from across Canada, and explore future career pathways. With over 113,000 youth having participated in the program, EWC was Canada's largest youth forum.
EWC was established in 1982, originally as a program of the
Canadian Unity Council. Its first year was held at the Terry Fox Canadian Youth Centre, offering 11 weeks, from September to early December, with six themes: Arts & Culture, Science & Technology, Canadian Studies, Natural Resources & Environment, Law, and the Economy. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the program closed in August 2020.
Heritage Minutes
The ''Heritage Minutes'' is a collection of 60-second short films, each recreating or depicting a significant person, event, or story—those of great importance, accomplishment, tragedy, and bravery—in
Canadian history
The history of Canada covers the period from the arrival of the Paleo-Indians to North America thousands of years ago to the present day. Prior to European colonization, the lands encompassing present-day Canada were inhabited for millennia by ...
. Shown on television, in cinemas, and online, some topics covered by the ''Heritage Minutes'' include
Terry Fox
Terrance Stanley Fox (July 28, 1958 June 28, 1981) was a Canadian athlete, humanitarian, and cancer research activist. In 1980, with one leg having been amputated due to cancer, he embarked on an east-to-west cross-Canada run to raise money ...
; the
Asahi Baseball team;
Lucy Maud Montgomery
Lucy Maud Montgomery (November 30, 1874 – April 24, 1942), published as L. M. Montgomery, was a Canadian author best known for a collection of novels, essays, short stories, and poetry beginning in 1908 with '' Anne of Green Gables''. She ...
; the
Acadian Deportation; the invention of
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams, most commonly of five players each, opposing one another on a rectangular Basketball court, court, compete with the primary objective of #Shooting, shooting a basketball (ball), basketball (appr ...
;
residential schools;
Viola Desmond
Viola Irene Desmond (July 6, 1914 – February 7, 1965) was a Canadian civil and women's rights activist and businesswoman of Black Nova Scotian descent. In 1946, she challenged racial segregation at a cinema in New Glasgow, Nova Scotia by refu ...
;
Jennie Trout; and
Winnie the Pooh
Winnie-the-Pooh, also called Pooh Bear and Pooh, is a fictional Anthropomorphism, anthropomorphic teddy bear created by English author A. A. Milne and English illustrator E. H. Shepard.
The first collection of stories about the character w ...
.
[Reid, Emily. July 14, 2013.]
Heritage Minutes
" ''The Canadian Encyclopedia''. Toronto, ON: Historica Canada (last updated November 14, 2018).
The ''Minutes'' were first released in 1991 by The CRB Foundation and re-launched by Historica Canada in 2012. With the
tagline
In entertainment, a tagline (alternatively spelled tag line) is a short text which serves to clarify a thought for, or is designed with a form of, dramatic effect. Many tagline slogans are reiterated phrases associated with an individual, so ...
"A part of our heritage", the ''Minutes'' themselves have since become a piece of
Canadian culture
The culture of Canada embodies the artistic, culinary, literary, humour, musical, political and social elements that are representative of Canadians. Throughout Canada's history, its culture has been influenced by European culture and traditi ...
and have featured appearances over the years by some of Canada's best-known actors, including
Jared Keeso
Jared Keeso ( ; born July 1, 1984) is a Canadian actor, screenwriter, and producer. He is best known for creating and starring in the comedy series '' Letterkenny'' (2016–present), which won a Canadian Screen Award for Best Comedy Series in 20 ...
,
Michael Shanks
Michael Garrett Shanks (born December 15, 1970) is a Canadian actor, writer and director. He is best known for his role as Daniel Jackson in the long-running military science fiction television series ''Stargate SG-1'' and as Charles Harris on ...
,
Calum Worthy
Calum Worthy (born January 28, 1991) is a Canadian actor, writer, and producer, known for his roles as Dez on the Disney Channel series '' Austin & Ally'', Alex Trimboli in the Netflix series ''American Vandal'', Nicholas Godejohn in the Hulu ser ...
,
Colm Feore
Colm Joseph Feore (; born August 22, 1958) is a Canadian actor. A 15-year veteran of the Stratford Festival, he is known for his Gemini-winning turn as Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau in the CBC miniseries '' Trudeau'' (2002), his portrayal of G ...
,
Dan Aykroyd
Daniel Edward Aykroyd ( ; born July 1, 1952) is a Canadian actor, comedian, producer, musician and writer. He was an original member of the "Not Ready for Prime Time Players" on ''Saturday Night Live'' (1975–1979). During his tenure on ''SNL'' ...
, , and
Kate Nelligan
Patricia Colleen Nelligan (born March 16, 1950), known professionally as Kate Nelligan, is a Canadian stage, film and television actress. She was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for the 1991 film ''The Prince of Tide ...
. Voice-over end narration for the Heritage Minutes has been provided by such recognizable voices as
Peter Mansbridge
Peter Mansbridge (born July 6, 1948) is a British-born Canadian retired news anchor. From 1988 to 2017, he was chief correspondent for CBC News and anchor of '' The National,'' CBC Television's flagship nightly newscast. He was also host of CB ...
,
k.d. lang
Kathryn Dawn Lang (born November 2, 1961), known by her stage name k.d. lang, is a Canadian pop and country singer-songwriter and occasional actress. Lang has won Juno Awards and Grammy Awards for her musical performances. Hits include the s ...
,
Adrienne Clarkson
Adrienne Louise Clarkson (; ; born February 10, 1939) is a British Hong Kong, Hong Kong-born Canadian journalist who served from 1999 to 2005 as Governor General of Canada, the List of Governors General of Canada#Governors General of Canada, 1 ...
, and
Lloyd Robertson
Lloyd Robertson (born January 19, 1934) is a Canadian journalist and former news anchor who is special correspondent on CTV's weekly magazine series, '' W5''. Robertson served as the chief anchor and senior editor of CTV's national evening new ...
.
The Memory Project
The Memory Project is a volunteer
speakers bureau
A speakers bureau is a collection of speakers who talk about a particular subject, or a company, which operates to facilitate speakers for clients requiring motivational speakers, celebrity appearances, conference facilitators, or keynote speakers. ...
that arranges for
Canadian Forces
}
The Canadian Armed Forces (CAF; french: Forces armées canadiennes, ''FAC'') are the unified military forces of Canada, including sea, land, and air elements referred to as the Royal Canadian Navy, Canadian Army, and Royal Canadian Air Force.
...
members and Canadian veterans (including those of
World War I
World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...
,
WWII
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
, the
Korean War
, date = {{Ubl, 25 June 1950 – 27 July 1953 (''de facto'')({{Age in years, months, weeks and days, month1=6, day1=25, year1=1950, month2=7, day2=27, year2=1953), 25 June 1950 – present (''de jure'')({{Age in years, months, weeks a ...
, and
peacekeeping
Peacekeeping comprises activities intended to create conditions that favour lasting peace. Research generally finds that peacekeeping reduces civilian and battlefield deaths, as well as reduces the risk of renewed warfare.
Within the United N ...
missions) to share their stories of military service at school and community events across Canada.
The Memory Project Digital Archive is an extensive online collection of the oral histories and digitized artefacts & memorabilia of veterans and Armed Forces members, providing over 3,000 firsthand accounts, 10,000 photos, and 1,500 other original artifacts (letters, memorabilia) that chronicle Canada's military heritage.
Reaching over 3 million Canadians since 2001, the Project is an initiative of Historica Canada made possible with the federal government's Departments of
Veterans Affairs
Veterans' affairs is an area of public policy concerned with relations between a government and its communities of military veterans. Some jurisdictions have a designated government agency or department, a Department of Veterans' Affairs, Minist ...
and of
Canadian Heritage
The Department of Canadian Heritage, or simply Canadian Heritage (french: Patrimoine canadien), is the Ministry (government department), department of the Cabinet of Canada, Government of Canada that has roles and responsibilities related to init ...
.
The Project also partners with the
Royal Canadian Legion
The Royal Canadian Legion is a non-profit Canadian ex-service organization (veterans' organization) founded in 1925. Membership includes people who have served as military, Royal Canadian Mounted Police, provincial and municipal police, Royal ...
, Korean Veterans Association of Canada,
Canadian War Museum
The Canadian War Museum (french: link=no, Musée canadien de la guerre; CWM) is a national museum on the country's military history in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. The museum serves as both an educational facility on Canadian military history, in a ...
,
Library and Archives Canada
Library and Archives Canada (LAC; french: Bibliothèque et Archives Canada) is the federal institution, tasked with acquiring, preserving, and providing accessibility to the documentary heritage of Canada. The national archive and library is th ...
,
Concordia University
Concordia University ( French: ''Université Concordia'') is a public research university located in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Founded in 1974 following the merger of Loyola College and Sir George Williams University, Concordia is one of the t ...
Centre for Oral History and Digital Storytelling, and
Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre
Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre (SHSC), commonly known as Sunnybrook Hospital or simply Sunnybrook, is an academic health science centre
An academic medical centre (AMC), variously also known as academic health science centre, academic healt ...
.
Past and commemorative programs
Beyond its core programs, Historica Canada also offers commemorative programs tied to specific events. Past, including commemorative, programs of Historica Canada include:
* 101 Things was a ranked list of 101 people, places, symbols, events, and innovations that survey respondents believed to define Canada. The project was initiated in spring 2008, when Historica Canada (then the Dominion Institute) commissioned
Ipsos Reid to undertake a large national survey asking Canadians what they believe to be the country's most defining cultural touchstones. Participants included over 3,000 Canadians, as well as educators and
Order-of-Canada recipients from across Canada.
* Asia-Canada was a project featuring numerous articles regarding
Asian Canadians
Asian Canadians are Canadians who were either born in or can trace their ancestry to the continent of Asia. Canadians with Asian ancestry comprise both the largest and fastest growing group in Canada, after European Canadians, with roughly 19 ...
, including a timeline of key events, profiles of various Asian cultures in Canada,
multiculturalism in Canada
Multiculturalism in Canada was officially adopted by the Government of Canada, government during the 1970s and 1980s. The Canadian federal government has been described as the instigator of multiculturalism as an ideology because of its public emph ...
, and biographies of notable Asian Canadians. The content of the project can now be found on ''
The Canadian Encyclopedia
''The Canadian Encyclopedia'' (TCE; french: L'Encyclopédie canadienne) is the national encyclopedia of Canada, published online by the Toronto-based historical organization Historica Canada, with the support of Canadian Heritage.
Available fo ...
''.
* Black History in Canada was an educational guide for students to gain more knowledge and appreciation of the
Black-Canadian experience, drawing from Lawrence Hill's historical fiction, ''
The Book of Negroes''. The guide is structured around "themes of journey, slavery, human rights, passage to Canada and contemporary culture."
* Diamond Jubilee was an educational site that explores Canada's
constitutional monarchy
A constitutional monarchy, parliamentary monarchy, or democratic monarchy is a form of monarchy in which the monarch exercises their authority in accordance with a constitution and is not alone in decision making. Constitutional monarchies dif ...
and the role of the Queen in Canadian
history
History (derived ) is the systematic study and the documentation of the human activity. The time period of event before the History of writing#Inventions of writing, invention of writing systems is considered prehistory. "History" is an umbr ...
,
identity
Identity may refer to:
* Identity document
* Identity (philosophy)
* Identity (social science)
* Identity (mathematics)
Arts and entertainment Film and television
* ''Identity'' (1987 film), an Iranian film
* ''Identity'' (2003 film), ...
, and
culture
Culture () is an umbrella term which encompasses the social behavior, institutions, and norms found in human societies, as well as the knowledge, beliefs, arts, laws, customs, capabilities, and habits of the individuals in these groups.Tyl ...
. It was created in celebration of the
60th anniversary of Queen Elizabeth II's reign.
* ExploreSesqui was a program that allowed educators and students to engage with ''Horizon'', a
360° film (produced by SESQUI Inc) that gave audiences a virtual cross-country trip, viewing Canada's natural environment and various Canadian ways of life.
* Here's My Canada was a multilingual, nationwide contest in which Canadian participants were asked to express "what Canada means to them" in a 30-second video. It was a
Canada 150
The 150th anniversary of Canada, also known as the 150th anniversary of Confederation and promoted by the Government of Canada, Canadian government as Canada 150, occurred in 2017 as Canada marked the sesquicentennial of Canadian Confederati ...
initiative of Historica Canada, funded by the Government of Canada and the
Bank of Montreal
The Bank of Montreal (BMO; french: Banque de Montréal, link=no) is a Canadian multinational investment bank and financial services company.
The bank was founded in Montreal, Quebec, in 1817 as Montreal Bank; while its head office remains in ...
.
* My Parks Pass was a program made to introduce Canadian youths to the country's natural heritage. The program was created in partnership with
Parks Canada
Parks Canada (PC; french: Parcs Canada),Parks Canada is the applied title under the Federal Identity Program; the legal title is Parks Canada Agency (). is the agency of the Government of Canada which manages the country's 48 National Parks, th ...
,
Canadian Geographic Education, and the
Canadian Wildlife Federation
The Canadian Wildlife Federation () is a Canadian non-profit organization dedicated to wildlife conservation.
History and mission
The Canadian Wildlife Federation was founded in 1961 and chartered in 1962.
The Canadian Wildlife Federation is de ...
.
* Passages Canada was a national storytelling program that invited newcomers and established Canadians alike to share their personal experiences of identity, heritage, and immigration, in order to foster
cross-cultural dialogue and greater appreciation for one another among Canadians. More than 1,000 volunteers participated in this initiative.
* Stories of Sir John A. was a project created to raise awareness about the life and legacy of
Sir John. A Macdonald, a
Father of Confederation
The Fathers of Confederation are the 36 people who attended at least one of the Charlottetown Conference of 1864 (23 attendees), the Quebec Conference of 1864 (33 attendees), and the London Conference of 1866 (16 attendees), preceding Canadian ...
and the
first prime minister of Canada. The project was launched in celebration of Macdonald's 200th birthday in 2015.
* Toronto in Time was a free iOS and Android app that highlighted the
history of Toronto
Toronto was founded as the Town of York and capital of Upper Canada in 1793 after the Mississaugas surrendered the land to the British in the Toronto Purchase. For over 12,000 years, Indigenous People have lived in the Toronto area. The ancesto ...
through "then and now" photos, slideshows, trails, and historical stories for over 150 sites in the city. The app was a joint initiative of Historica Canada, Museum Services of the
City of Toronto
Toronto ( ; or ) is the capital city of the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of Ontario. With a recorded population of 2,794,356 in 2021, it is the List of the largest municipalities in Canada by population, most pop ...
, and
Heritage Toronto Heritage Toronto is an agency of the Municipal Government of Toronto that works to builds a better city by bringing people together to explore Toronto’s shared past and peoples’ lived experiences. It is located in St. Lawrence Hall in the city.
...
; and with funding from the
Ontario Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Sport
The Ministry of Heritage, Sport, Tourism and Culture Industries (previously the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Sport until October 2019), was created on January 18, 2010 when the Ministry of Culture and the Ministry of Tourism were combined un ...
, and the
Department of Canadian Heritage
The Department of Canadian Heritage, or simply Canadian Heritage (french: Patrimoine canadien), is the department of the Government of Canada that has roles and responsibilities related to initiatives that promote and support "Canadian identity ...
.
* War of 1812 was an initiative created to inform students of the
War of 1812
The War of 1812 (18 June 1812 – 17 February 1815) was fought by the United States of America and its indigenous allies against the United Kingdom and its allies in British North America, with limited participation by Spain in Florida. It bega ...
, in commemoration of the
bicentennial of the War. The program included four free education guides (War of 1812 Education Guide, Borders and Boundaries, Aboriginal Peoples, War of 1812: Inquiry Guide) and two ''
Heritage Minute
''The Heritage Minutes'' is a series of sixty-second short films, each illustrating an important moment in Canadian history. The ''Minutes'' integrate Canadian history, folklore and myths into dramatic storylines. Like the Canada Vignettes of t ...
'' learning tools (
Richard Pierpoint
Richard Pierpoint (Bundu – Canada ), also known as Black Dick, Captain Dick, Captain Pierpoint, Pawpine, and Parepoint was a British soldier of Senegalese descent. Brought to America as a slave, he was granted freedom to fight on the side of t ...
, and the
Battle of Queenston Heights
The Battle of Queenston Heights was the first major battle in the War of 1812. Resulting in a British victory, it took place on 13 October 1812 near Queenston, Upper Canada (now Ontario).
The battle was fought between United States regulars wit ...
). During the bicentennial, the program also hosted two national, bilingual competitions: "Make Your own ''Heritage Minute''" and the "War of 1812 Writing and Arts Challenge."
Other multimedia
Along with its core programs, Historica Canada also produces various educational media projects, all of which are created as free content to help promote learning and historical knowledge.
Historica Canada's video collection, in addition to its over-90 ''
Heritage Minute
''The Heritage Minutes'' is a series of sixty-second short films, each illustrating an important moment in Canadian history. The ''Minutes'' integrate Canadian history, folklore and myths into dramatic storylines. Like the Canada Vignettes of t ...
'' shorts, includes more than 150 online educational videos.
''Inspiring Innovators'' (2020) is a four-part animated video series exploring "Canadian innovations that have made the world a better and safer place." Created in partnership with the
Rideau Hall Foundation, the series features stories from a book by Tom Jenkins and former
Canadian Governor General
The governor general of Canada (french: gouverneure générale du Canada) is the federal viceregal representative of the . The is head of state of Canada and the 14 other Commonwealth realms, but resides in oldest and most populous realm, ...
David Johnston
David Lloyd Johnston (born June 28, 1941) is a Canadian academic, author, and statesman who served from 2010 to 2017 as Governor General of Canada, the 28th since Canadian Confederation. He is the commissioner of the Leaders' Debates Commis ...
titled ''Ingenious: How Canadians Made the World Smarter, Smaller, Kinder, Safer, Healthier, Wealthier and Happier''.
Between 2019 and 2020, the organization has produced two brief podcast series:
* ''Record of Service'' — a six-part podcast series presented by Historica Canada's Memory Project that presents interviews with Canada's veterans, ranging from
codebreakers
Cryptanalysis (from the Greek language, Greek ''kryptós'', "hidden", and ''analýein'', "to analyze") refers to the process of analyzing information systems in order to understand hidden aspects of the systems. Cryptanalysis is used to breach C ...
and
code talker
A code talker was a person employed by the military during wartime to use a little-known language as a means of secret communication. The term is now usually associated with United States service members during the world wars who used their k ...
s to medical personnel to
prisoners of war
A prisoner of war (POW) is a person who is held Captivity, captive by a belligerent power during or immediately after an armed conflict. The earliest recorded usage of the phrase "prisoner of war" dates back to 1610.
Belligerents hold priso ...
.
* ''Residential Schools'' — a three-part podcast series hosted by Shaneen Robinson-Desjarlais, created by Historica Canada as part of a broader awareness campaign commemorating the history and legacy of
residential schools, as well as honouring the stories of First Nations, Métis, and Inuit survivors, their families, and communities. The audio from the podcast was also used by Historica Canada for a complimentary collection of animated videos.
In 2020, Historica Canada announced plans for a "Black History Podcast and Video Series," seeking a production company or team to develop a six-episode conversation-style podcast series (15–20 minutes each) and a three-part animated video series that adapts the podcast into visual form (3–5 minutes each), with a total budget of
CA$
The Canadian dollar (symbol: $; code: CAD; french: dollar canadien) is the currency of Canada. It is abbreviated with the dollar sign $, there is no standard disambiguating form, but the abbreviation Can$ is often suggested by notable style g ...
75,000. The series is meant to explore key moments in
Black-Canadian history through notable Black-Canadian scholars, writers, and community leaders in their own words.
Board of directors
See also
*
History of Canada
The history of Canada covers the period from the arrival of the Paleo-Indians to North America thousands of years ago to the present day. Prior to European colonization, the lands encompassing present-day Canada were inhabited for millennia by ...
References
External links
The Historica Canada websiteCitizenship ChallengeThe Canadian EncyclopediaEncounters with CanadaThe Memory ProjectBlack History in Canada Education Guide
{{Authority control
Dominion Institute
Historical societies of Canada
2009 establishments in Canada