“The Heritage Minutes collection is a bilingual Canadian legacy project comprised of  60-second short films, each depicting a significant person, event, or story in Canadian history. They are produced by Historica Canada, the not-for-profit organization.” 

This year for Canada Day, The Quickie is taking a trip down memory lane with our top 10 favourite Canadian Heritage Minutes in no particular order. The collection now has over 60 videos and is a source of nostalgia for Canadians from coast to coast. Enjoy our top picks!

Pre-Confederation: The country we know as Canada lived an entire life before confederation. Among the most unknown aspects of that history are the Vikings who settled in Newfoundland as early as the 11th century CE, becoming the first Europeans to land in North America. The only archaeological evidence of Viking presence in Canada was found by Norwegian writer Helge Ingstad in the 1960s. L’Anse aux Meadows was a small Norse encampment in Newfoundland and comprises eight main structures, you can still visit it today. 

Women: Canadian women have made big moves throughout Canadian history, women like Lucy Maud Montgomery, Nellie McClung, Laura Secord, and Viola Desmond. Desmond was a Nova Scotia business owner who was arrested and convicted of an obscure tax offense in 1946 when she refused to sit in the section of the movie theatre designated for black Canadians. Desmond refused to accept the discrimination and her case went on to inspire the Nova Scotia civil rights movement and was pardoned 63 years later. 

In December 2016, the Bank of Canada announced that Viola Desmond would be the first Canadian woman to be featured by herself on the face of a banknote. On November 19, 2018, the $10 bill was released. Viola Desmond was named a National Historic Person by the Canadian government in 2018. 

Arts and Culture: To highlight Arts and Culture in Canada we chose the heritage minute dedicated to Kenojuak Ashevak. Kenojuak was a founding member of Cape Dorset’s famed printmaking co-op and introduced the world to Inuit art. She participated in exhibitions around the world. Throughout her life, she was recognized many times for her accomplishments and received the Order of Canada in 1967. If you are interested in viewing more Inuit Art, click here.

Heroes: Canada is home to many heroes, and we at The Quickie wish we could celebrate them all. This year marks 40 years since Terry Fox began his Marathon of Hope to raise money for cancer research. Fox, born in Winnipeg, MB in 1958 inspired the nation through his battle against cancer and his drive to raise money and awareness for the disease. He ran from St. John’s, Newfoundland to Thunder Bay, ON covering 5,373 km in 143 days, running a marathon a day (that’s 42km a day!!!). He was forced to stop when cancer invaded his lungs and he died just before his 23rd birthday. To this day he inspires millions who participate in the annual Terry Fox Run for cancer research. 

Human Rights: Human rights are enshrined in the Canadian Constitution and the Charter of Rights and Freedoms. The Charter protects every Canadian’s right to be treated equally under the law. The Charter guarantees broad equal rights and other fundamental rights such as freedom of expression, freedom of assembly, and freedom of religion. Many people come to Canada to seek refuge and be protected under these rights, as they face discrimination and threats of violence or even death in their home countries. The “Boat People” Refugees heritage minute follows a family as they escape persecution in post-war Vietnam. Wayne Potoroka, Mayor of Dawson City Yukon once said, “Canadians are born all over the world. It just sometimes takes them a bit of time to get here”. 

Military: Every year on Remembrance Day, Canadians from coast to coast remember the ultimate sacrifices given by the young men and women of our country. During World War 2, Canada was given the task of liberating the Netherlands. More than 7,600 Canadian soldiers, sailors, and airmen gave their lives fighting in the Netherlands. Today, Canada is fondly remembered by the Dutch for ending their oppression under the Nazis. This Heritage Minute commemorates their sacrifice.

Sports: Sports are Canada’s past time and there are so many amazing moments in Canadian history that have happened on the ice, field, and in the gum. Jackie Robinson marked the beginning of the end of baseball’s colour barrier in 1946. Montréal Royals players and fans welcomed the first African American player to professional baseball. A statue of Jackie Robinson stands outside the Olympic Stadium in Montréal, home of the former Montreal Expos. In 2011, US diplomats unveiled a commemorative plaque at 8232 De Gaspé Avenue, the Robinsons’ home in Montréal. 

Science and Innovation: Canadians have always been an innovative bunch but not many innovations have been as transformative as Italian inventor Guglielmo Marconi receiving the first transatlantic radio message on Signal Hill in St. John’s Newfoundland in 1901. Marconi chose the site to experiment to prove that electrical signals could be transmitted without wires (thanks for the wifi)! The signal was sent in Morse code from Cornwall, England. Signal Hill was declared a national historic park in 1958. 

Indigenous History: Canada has a shameful history of residential schools. The schools were government-sponsored religious institutions that were established to assimilate Indigenous children into Euro-Canadian culture. Chanie “Charlie” Wenjack attended a residential school in Ontario and his death sparked the first inquest into the treatment of Indigenous children in Canadian residential schools. Wenjack, an Anishinaabe boy from Ontario, ran away from his residential school near Kenora at age 12, and subsequently died from hunger and exposure to the harsh weather. His story has been told over the years in many art forms, the most recent being told by The Tragically Hip’s Gord Downie (who has since passed) in a multimedia project titled the Secret Path. 

Canada’s Flag: The Canadian Flag, a symbol worldwide of hope, prosperity, and tranquility. The flag was voted on in 1964 after months of debate by a joint committee from the Senate and House of Commons.  MP John Matheson, Lester B. Pearson’s right-hand man on the flag committee brought MPs together to gain consensus for the decision. Over six weeks, the committee held 35 meetings and pored over thousands of suggestions submitted by the public. 

Want to check out some more minutes? Head on over to Historica Canada and check them out. 

Happy Canada Day from all of us at The Quickie!