Canadian History

Feared by settlers and natives alike, the Shawnee tribe have been misunderstood by people throughout history. Who were these conservative people? What was their daily life like? How were their villages organized? This informative book will answer these questions and more in the first volume of the We are Shawnee series.

James Marsh tells of his evolution from a troubled childhood to a long career in publishing that culminated in the creation of The Canadian Encyclopedia—what one reviewer called “the intellectual equivalent of the building of the CPR.” Through friendships, curiosity, the insights of a charismatic psychiatrist, his passion for books, and the intimate encounters with the authors he met, he championed a diverse and inclusive view of Canada, which was used to draw the great minds of an impossible nation together in a common national enterprise.

Beckles Willson was a journalist at the front during World War I (1916). In this book he relates the story of Canadians as they fought against a massive German attack, and then mounted a counterattack during the battle of the Ypres Salient.

In late 1936, as Franco’s armies stormed toward Madrid, Stalin famously termed the defence of Spain “the common cause of all advanced and progressive mankind.” As a German emigrant to Winnipeg, Hans Ibing recognized the importance of the Spanish Civil War to the struggle against worldwide fascism in a way that most people in Canada did not - joining the International Brigades in their fight to defend the Spanish Republic was his “chance to fight Hitler.”

James Naismith was a man of many talents. He was a physician, an innovator, a Christian chaplain, a physical educator, and a coach. But he is best known for being the inventor of today’s most widely played sports game - the basketball. Listen about the man who invented basketball. Learn how the game changed the sports landscape, first in North America and the world.

Let’s learn from the story of Sir Frederick Banting, who was never satisfied with knowledge. It was Sir Frederick who first mentioned a bodily substance that might be the cure for diabetes. He spent years looking for an answer until he, together with his lab partners, discovered insulin. Sir Frederick’s story is that of an unrelenting pursuit for knowledge. Listen to his story today.

Brasileiros, quando pensam no Canadá, vislumbram uma terra de gelo e neve, com rios e lagos repletos de salmões saltitantes. Um lugar de florestas muito frias, imensas massas verdes que se estendem até o horizonte e terminam em geleiras. Um país de cidades limpas, organizadas e seguras, com policiais educados dando orientações aos transeuntes perdidos...

Joey Jacobson, a young Jewish man from Westmount on the Island of Montreal, trained as a navigator and bomb-aimer in Western Canada. On arriving in England, he was assigned to No. 106 Squadron, a British unit tasked with the bombing of Germany. Joey Jacobson’s War tells, in his own words, why he enlisted, his understanding of strategy, tactics, and the effectiveness of the air war at its lowest point, how he responded to the inevitable battle stress, and how he became both a hopeful idealist and a seasoned airman.

One of rock music's most fascinating personalities, Neil Young has persistently charted his own career, ignoring pop fashions, creating innovative music ranging from folk classics like "Heart of Gold" to rock-and-roll anthems like "Down By the River". Don't Be Denied charts Neil Young's formative years, from his high school days in Winnipeg, Manitoba, through his adventures in Toronto's Yorkville district to his ultimate successes with Buffalo Springfield, Crazy Horse, Crosby Stills Nash and Young, and as a solo performer.

The Second World War had been under way for a year when Marie and John Williamson welcomed two English brothers to join them and their two children in their small house in north Toronto for the duration of the conflict. Marie wrote over 150 letters to the boys’ mother, Margaret Sharp, imagining that she could make Margaret feel she was still with her children. She shepherded the boys through education decisions and illnesses, eased them into a strange new life, and rejoiced when they embraced unfamiliar winter sports.

Father David Bauer changed lives - at the rink, in the classroom, and at the pulpit. Bauer's dream created the first truly national Canadian hockey team. In 1963 that unique group represented Canada abroad and were committed to both country and to Father Bauer. Whether shepherding the hockey program at St. Michael's College in Toronto or the men's national team out of the University of British Columbia, Bauer was both spiritual leader and trailblazer.

Sir Oliver Mowat served as a Christian lawyer, politician, premier of Ontario, and was one of the Fathers of Canadian Confederation. He was known by all his contemporaries as being a godly man who sought to do what was right in the sight of God, and who believed passionately in the proclamation and defense of the gospel, and the administration of its graces. Near the end of his life, he published two works on Christianity and its evidences and Christianity and its influence as his contributions to the development of a holistic Christian apologetic.

In A History of Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce, Volume 5: 1973-1999, the story of CIBC unfolds amidst a backdrop of world-changing events, economic booms and busts, and memorable moments in Canadian history. This era of the bank saw challenges such as the OPEC crisis and recession-driven collapses of iconic companies like Massey Ferguson, Dome Petroleum, and Olympia & York.

Que peut bien raconter le concierge d’un évêché, dans le Témiscamingue ontarien des années soixante ? Pas mal de choses, en vérité, quand il est un observateur sagace de la réalité qui l’entoure, quand il est amateur d’histoire régionale, quand il a un passé riche et diversifié, quand il a une personnalité forte et un verbe truculent, quand il a un auditeur privilégié en la présence d’un jeune qui ne demande pas mieux que de le faire parler !

Les carnets de guerre de deux observateurs français. Après avoir notamment couvert la guerre en Libye, Liseron Boudoul et Charles d’Anjou décident, en février 2022, de partir en Ukraine pour témoigner de ce qui se passe dans le Donbass prorusse. C’était deux semaines avant le début de cette guerre fratricide entre l’Ukraine et la Russie, que personne autour d’eux n’imaginait.

Entremêlant chansons d’enfance, témoignages d’une autre époque et photos d’archives, ce documentaire fait un portrait touchant du quotidien des enfants au travail entre 1850 et 1950. À la ferme, dans les mines, à l’usine, les conditions étaient très difficiles !

Since our nation was first conceived, Canadian athletes have been involved in some of the weirdest moments in sport. Learn facts that will astound, confuse and make you laugh.

Êtes-vous de ceux qui déshabillent leurs Whippet avant de les manger ? Ou encore faites-vous partie de ceux qui font exploser la coque de chocolat avant de les déguster ? Peu importe la technique, le Whippet demeure le deuxième biscuit le plus vendu au Québec. Inventé et produit en sol québécois, il est un fleuron de la culture québécoise selon plusieurs. Le biscuit causera une commotion quand l’usine qui le fabrique sera délocalisée à l’extérieur du Québec en 2020. Un abandon selon certains… dont il ne restera que des miettes.

Lucky soldiers who could sing a song, perform a skit or pass as a “lady” were taken from the line and put onstage for the benefit of their soldier-audiences. The intent was to bolster morale and thereby help soldiers survive the war. The Dumbells’ popularity was not limited to troop shows along the trenches. The group also managed a run in London’s West End and became the first ever Canadian production to score a hit on Broadway. Touring Canada for some 12 years after the war, the Dumbells became a household name and made more than 25 audio recordings.