Tag: Canadians

Orange Shirt Day

Wear an orange shirt to school on Friday, September 26

September 30th is Truth and Reconciliation Day in Canada. Our school will be closed that day as the nation takes time to face the truth of our history and considers a path forward of reconciliation. As a school community, we continue to learn more about Truth and Reconciliation. At Lord Tweedsmuir Secondary, we encourage all students and staff to wear an orange shirt in school on Friday, September 26, as well as on September 30th.

source: Province of British Columbia

The National Day for Truth and Reconciliation was established as the Canadian government’s formal recognition of the importance of Orange Shirt Day, observed on September 30 over most of the last decade, as part of the overall effort of raising awareness and provoking discussion about the impact of Residential Schools in Canada, and finding the path toward reconciliation.

Asian Heritage Month

May is Asian Heritage Month in Canada.


Millions of Canadians trace their roots to Asia and the many different nations, people groups and ethnicities of that vast continent. Asian Heritage is an incredibly diverse tapestry of history, art, religion and many other cultural pieces that have enriched our concept of what it means to be Canadian. Come down to your school library throughout the month of May to learn more.

Lincoln Alexander Day

Lincoln Alexander was born on this day in 1922 in Toronto. He would go on to become Lt. Governor of Ontario.

Mr. Alexander was the son of immigrants from Jamaica and St. Vincent and the Grenadines. He would grow up in Toronto, serve in the RCAF during World War Two, earn degrees from McMaster University and York University, and eventually go on to practice law. In the 1960’s he entered politics, and in 1968 was elected to the House of Commons, the first Black Canadian to become a Member of Parliament. He would later become the first Black Canadian to become a Cabinet Minister, serving in the brief Joe Clark government of 1979. In 1985 Lincoln Alexander became the Lt. Governor of Ontario, a post he held until 1991, again the first Black Canadian to hold a vice-regal position. Mr. Alexander died in 2012. In 2015 the government of Canada established January 21 as Lincoln Alexander Day.

Find out more:

The Canadian Encyclopedia

Parliament of Canada

Province of Ontario

Lt. Governors of Ontario

CBC.ca

Orange Shirt Day

Wear an orange shirt to school on Thursday, September 26

September 30th is Truth and Reconciliation Day in Canada. Our school will be closed that day as the nation takes time to face the truth of our history and considers a path forward of reconciliation. As a school community, we continue to learn more about Truth and Reconciliation. At Lord Tweedsmuir Secondary, we encourage all students and staff to wear an orange shirt in school on Thursday, September 26, as well as on September 30th.

source: Province of British Columbia

The National Day for Truth and Reconciliation was established as the Canadian government’s formal recognition of the importance of Orange Shirt Day, observed on September 30 over most of the last decade, as part of the overall effort of raising awareness and provoking discussion about the impact of Residential Schools in Canada, and finding the path toward reconciliation.

May is Asian Heritage Month

Join us in your School Library as we celebrate Asian Heritage Month in May. Canada is a country filled with people who have backgrounds and heritage from all over the globe, including the vast landmass we call Asia. Canada has a long history of immigrants coming from such places as China, India, Korea, the Philippines, Vietnam and the many other nations of Asia, including places in the west of the continent such as Syria, Iraq, Georgia, Israel and Palestine. Be sure to visit us, both in person and online, to find out more.

Learn About Some Black Canadians

From Canada.ca, here are introductions to just a few noteworthy Black Canadians that perhaps you haven’t learned about yet. “Read the biographies of some notable Black people in Canada who have helped shape Canadian heritage and identity, and who have made and continue to make enormous contributions to the wellbeing, and prosperity of our country.” Read the entire post at Black History Month: Noteworthy Figures

February is Black History Month. Find out more by visiting us in person, or online at tweedsmuirlibrary.ca

Lincoln Alexander Day

Lincoln Alexander was born on this day in 1922 in Toronto. He would go on to become Lt. Governor of Ontario.

Mr. Alexander was the son of immigrants from Jamaica and St. Vincent and the Grenadines. He would grow up in Toronto, serve in the RCAF during World War Two, earn degrees from McMaster University and York University, and eventually go on to practice law. In the 1960’s he entered politics, and in 1968 was elected to the House of Commons, the first Black Canadian to become a Member of Parliament. He would later become the first Black Canadian to become a Cabinet Minister, serving in the brief Joe Clark government of 1979. In 1985 Lincoln Alexander became the Lt. Governor of Ontario, a post he held until 1991, again the first Black Canadian to hold a vice-regal position. Mr. Alexander died in 2012. In 2015 the government of Canada established January 21 as Lincoln Alexander Day.

Find out more:

The Canadian Encyclopedia

Parliament of Canada

Province of Ontario

Lt. Governors of Ontario

CBC.ca

Margaret Atwood

Canadian writer Margaret Atwood was born on this day in 1939 in Ottawa. Atwood is a prolific writer of dozens of titles, including fiction, non-fiction, poetry, graphic novels and children’s books. Margaret Atwood is best known for 1985’s The Handmaid’s Tale, a dystopian novel that is perhaps even more relevant today than it was when it won the Governor-General’s Award in 1985 and the Arthur C. Clark Award in 1987, and was a finalist for the Booker Prize. Atwood did go on to win the prestigious Booker Prize, for best English language novel, in 2000 for The Blind Assassin, and was a co-winner in 2019 for The Testaments, a much celebrated sequel to The Handmaid’s Tale.

Louis Riel

On this day in 1885, Louis Riel was hanged for High Treason by Canadian authorities. Riel was a Metis leader who led the resistance of his people against the Canadian government in the Red River Rebellion of 1869 and the North-West Rebellion of 1884. Few Canadians can come even close to Riel as a divisive figure in Canadian history. Riel was portrayed as an enemy of Canada by the government of John A. Macdonald, a view that was held by many anglophone Canadians for many years, and still by some today. On the other hand, Metis was a hero to the Metis, to indigenous people in general, and to many French Canadians, and anglophone Catholics. To them Riel represented those that would stand up against the elites whose vision of Canada was dominated by white people, English speakers, and Protestants of Anglo-Saxon heritage. Today more Canadians look favourably upon Riel, a complex figure whose life is entwined with so many problematic issues from Canada’s history that still challenge us today.

Find out more:

Orange Shirt Day

Wear an orange shirt to school on Friday, September 29

September 30th is Truth and Reconciliation Day in Canada. Our school will be closed on Monday, October 2. As a school community, we will take Friday, September 29 as an opportunity to learn more about Truth and Reconciliation. At Lord Tweedsmuir Secondary, we encourage all students and staff to wear an orange shirt in school on Friday, September 29, as well as on September 30th.

source: Province of British Columbia

The National Day for Truth and Reconciliation was established as the Canadian government’s formal recognition of the importance of Orange Shirt Day, observed on September 30 over most of the last decade, as part of the overall effort of raising awareness and provoking discussion about the impact of Residential Schools in Canada, and finding the path toward reconciliation.

Alex Trebek

source: jeopardy.com

Canadian legend Alex Trebek was born on this day in 1940. For 37 seasons Trebek was the host and face of “Jeopardy,” the greatest quiz show in television history. Trebek passed away in 2020 at the age of 80.

Find out more:

Order of Canada

Canada’s Walk of Fame

Jeopardy.com: Alex Trebek

Biography.com

CBC.ca

Jeopardy.com: News

May is Asian Heritage Month

Join us in your School Library as we celebrate Asian Heritage Month in May. Canada is a country filled with people who have backgrounds and heritage from all over the globe, including the vast landmass we call Asia. Canada has a long history of immigrants coming from such places as China, India, Korea, the Philippines, Vietnam and the many other nations of Asia, including places in the west of the continent such as Syria, Iraq, Georgia, Israel and Palestine. Be sure to visit us, both in person and online, to find out more.