1. The Wanuskewin Restaurante – First Nations Food with a Modern Twist

One of the first things you’ll notice as you walk into the Visitor Centre is the clean and beautiful decor of the building. However, you’ll soon be distracted by the second thing you’ll notice. The food! The Wanuskewin Heritage Park has it’s very own restaurante which serves an assortment of traditional and non traditional first nations food. They serve everything from Rabbit Stew, to Wild Rice Salads, or if you want to play it safe, try their incredibly delicious Bison Burger. But don’t forget to order a plate of Bannock to spread an unhealthy amount of butter and jam on. What better way to start a hike & a tour than on a full stomach.

2. The Historical First Nations Artifacts & Art Pieces

The museum & gallery in the Visitor Center of Wanuskewin has a variety of beautiful and incredibly fragile pelts. The art and craftsmanship that went into every day to day item used by the First Nations people is astounding. Each item has this strange ability to take you back to a time when these items were necessary for survival. When these historical items were designed and built, I’m sure the First Nations had no idea they would end up on display. They were tools, yet here they are behaving very similar to how I see the art hanging on the walls. It’s easy to forget there’s more to Wanuskewin than old items & ornate pieces of first nations art.

3. The Bison Pounds

It’s been long known in the First Nations community that Wanuskewin was a place of gathering and of spiritual healing. In the 1980′s archeologists began to confirm these findings with a multitude of incredible finds. One of my personal favourites was the remnants of several Bison Pounds. A Bison Pound is essentially a wooden gate that First nations hunters would use to hunt bison with. Thousands upon thousands of wild bison would stampede, and upon seeing these wooden gates, would be confused and disoriented. In an attempt to go around these blockades they would be guided to their fate at the bottom of a Buffalo Jump. I don’t care how many animals you’ve skinned, even the bravest warrior had to have been scared trying to herd stampeding buffalo off a cliff.

4. The Traditionally Built Tipis

Wanuskewin has several large tipis errected around the park which allow visitors to see what it would have been like to live in one. They’re an incredible piece of human ingenuity. Knowing that the tradition and knowledge of how to build Tipis has been preserved and handed down throughout the years, despite the pain and suffering the First Nations have gone through, is heart warming. If you plan your visit to Wanuskewin appropriately, you can actually get the opportunity to watch an elder setup a tipi as well.

 5. The Trails to Archaeological Finds

There are 4 very scenic trails you can take as you exit the Wanuskewin Visitor Center; however, if you have an extra couple of hours in your day I highly recommend doing them all. They can easily be done as long as you’re in relatively good shape. I confess I did have sore legs after the entire hike; but nothing I wasn’t able to walk off. The scenic trails include

“The Trail of Discovery”

which takes you from the ampitheatre to the first bison pound and the Tipi Village. As you continue uphill, you’re given a scenic panorama of the Opimihaw Creek which includes seeing almost the entire Wanuskewin Park. As you finish the Trail of Discovery you’re able to connect to the “Path of the People” for a few minutes, which then turns into the “Trail of the Bison” (My personal favourite) as you climb uphill in an eastern direction.

“The Trail of the Bison”

On the “Trail of the Bison” you’ll see this massive Bison Rubbing Stone along with some of the most beautiful grasslands. Further on you’ll see several small cliffs that drop down to the Saskatchewan River. The vista at the top of this trail is breathtaking to say the least. The prairie harsh winds make it difficult to stay up there long, but the view is second to none. As you loop around the “Trail of the Bison” you’ll reconnect with the Path of the People.

“The Path of the People”

This path gives you the opportunity to explore the lush vegetation along the Opimihaw Creek and take in the dry valley walls. This leads eventually to the Juniper Flats, a dry desert like area that seems oddly foreign after walking through the flatlands then a lush wetland. The Path of the People eventually leads to the “Circle of Harmony”

“The Circle of Harmony”

This particular trail leads to some incredible archeological finds and some more great views of the area. Expect to find a tipi ring, a medicine wheel, and another bison pound. There’s a very interesting history behind the tipi rings and medicine wheel (or sacred hoop). If you’re really into the spiritual side of history, this will no doubt be a great place to stop and absorb your surroundings.

6. First Nations Hoop Dancers

As you finish the last of the trails you’ll no doubt be aching to sit down for a bit, which gives you the perfect opportunity to learn about and witness the famous First Nations Hoop Dance. This dance is incredibly old, and has been past down from generation to generation. The skill and finess behind it is simply amazing, words really don’t do it justice. If you’re brave enough the kind dancers will even show you some of the basics.

Have you ever been to Wanuskewin? Leave your thoughts in the comments below!

For more information on Wanuskewin be sure to check out their website!

6 Reasons You Should Visit Wanuskewin Heritage Park in Saskatchewan is a post from: I Backpack Canada

So allow the tire pumping to begin!

Sunday Canadian Travel Video: What is Canada to the United States of America? is a post from: I Backpack Canada

Driving through the Saskatchewan prairies can at times feel like you’re completely alone in the world. You begin to notice things. Things you might have overlooked, things you might take for granted. You notice your head swivelling slowly, scanning the horizon and looking for something, but you’re not sure what. When your eyes spot it, you pull over. Jutting out of the miles of flatlands is a wooden skyscraper.

The Saskatchewan Grain Elevators

While they may not break any world records for building height, and they sure aren’t the most sophisticated pieces of architecture. They’re different. And they’re disappearing one at a time. The Grain Elevators of Saskatchewan are an endangered species. What was once a common sight across Saskatchewan has now become an opportunity to see an era fade into the history books. Something people may someday see in pictures but never get the opportunity to see with their own eyes.

Chasing Prairie Skyscrapers

During my recent travels throughout Saskatchewan I made an effort to find as  many of these dying creatures as I could. The Grain Elevators of Saskatchewan offer a unique look at an important time in human civilization. These wooden castles helped feed the world. Before elevators, grain was hauled in bags and towed by horse and carriage. The idea of modern farming we see today didn’t begin until the late 1800′s with the invention of the Grain Elevator.

Wood Mountain Elevator

The Elevators are in my blood

My Grandpa was one of the thousands of labourers who helped construct the Grain Elevators in Saskatchewan throughout the mid 1900′s. He died at a fairly young age due to lung complications caused by breathing in mass amounts of grain dust throughout his life. This was a danger that was unknown back in those times. While I never really got to know him, I do know that some of the elevators built with his hands still stand today. Others he worked on have met their fate on the ground which they proudly stood over for decades.

The Grain Elevators Are Vanishing

In the 1930′s there was said to be over 3,300 grain elevators in Saskatchewan. That number has plummeted to roughly 450 in recent years. It’s my hopes that more will be done to protect and preserve these unique pieces of Saskatchewan history. Unfortunately they’re being demolished at an alarming rate due to concerns for safety and cost of maintenance. Some call them Tinder Boxes, others call them an Eye Sore; however, there is growing support to save them. Many communities are coming together to protect them.

Protecting the Prairie Elevators

It’s an uphill battle, but the local Saskatchewan community is coming together to try their best to protect the grain elevators. The Western Development Museum in North Battleford currently has a working 1920′s elevator on display. Several small communities have also converted their elevators into museums and restaurantes. Rural communities with a strong enough voice continue to partner with the Saskatchewan Heritage Foundation to save their local elevator. This problem of the disappearing elevators isn’t unique to Saskatchewan. Alberta & Manitoba face the exact same problems.

Morse Elevators

The Prairie Skyline is Changing

Time is running short for the prairie skyline. Most of the wooden-cribbed grain elevators are showing wear and tear. The province of Saskatchewan is changing fast. Rural areas are growing smaller and smaller while the 5 urban city centres of Saskatchewan continue to grow each year. In response to this exodus, ghost town’s continue to be born.

I fully understand that there is no way for all of the elevators to be saved. Times will always be changing, and newer elevators are needed in order to meet the demand of a growing population. However, these elevators are a piece of the past, and a past that in my eyes is worth preserving. There is really no time like the present to see and photograph what’s left of the Prairie Skyscrapers. Chasing them can become an addiction and can easily be the basis to one of the greatest Saskatchewan road trips you’ll ever take.

For more about the problems facing the Grain Elevators check out the National Film Board’s documentary “Death of A Skyline“. I managed to find it online on Vimeo, and while it’s a little dated, you do learn a lot more about the locals plight. Be sure to check out some of the demolition videos, its oddly depressing to see them fall.

Chasing Prairie Skyscrapers across the flatlands of Saskatchewan [Photo Essay] is a post from: I Backpack Canada

Natalie Taylor (of Near Afar) and I were there gathering research for our trip up to Algonquin Park at this world famous Art Collection. For those unaware of the McMichael, it is a treasure trove full of rare and valuable Canadian Art, including pieces by Frank Carmichael, Lawren Harris, A. Y. Jackon, and Tom Thomson. Surrounded by all of these amazing pieces of Canadian Art I couldn’t help but think how much I wish I had a photo of this.

As I was taking in the museum experience, I saw this young lady snapping photos like crazy. I laughed thinking to myself “This chick is crazy! Security is going to jump her for sure!”. Our tour guide, Avril, warmly asked if she had permission to take photos.

Natalie & Corbin - Photo by Sabrina Savoy

Jupiter’s moons must have been lined up, or maybe we just got lucky. It turned out this young lady was taking photos for Ontario Tourism. When we told her we were doing some work with Ontario Tourism about the history and adventure in Algonquin Park she kindly agreed to snap a few photos of us. Turns out she needed some people in her shots to make the shot more lively anyways so it worked out great.

A Tom Thomson - Photo by Sabrina Savoy

I’m extremely grateful I was able to come out of the McMichael Art Collection with more than memories & a new intrigue into the Group of Seven. Big thanks goes out to Sabrina Savoy for being awesome and sharing these photos with us, and extra big thanks to Avril, our tour guide in the McMichael. Her knowledge of Canadian Art & the nature the inspired the Group of 7 movement was astounding.

Photo Du Jour – Tom Thomson Paintings at the McMichael Art Collection is a post from: I Backpack Canada

Photo by Natalie Taylor

I had never ridden a Segway before. But safety comes first with Segway Of Ontario, followed shortly thereafter by Teamwork. Our Segway Guide “Chris”, a charming, and dare I say “awesome” fellow took us through how to properly drive these units, even going so far as setting up an obstacle course to navigate. I must admit, I was worried my Toronto “street cred” would be harmed if I were caught riding this contraption. Thankfully he threw in a few Segway tips for looking extra cool while wearing a helmet.

• Wave at as many ladies as you can
• Make engine noises
• Make brake noises when turning sharp or coming to a stop

Outfitted with Segways and wise words, my friend Natalie Taylor (of Near Afar) and I were off with our new favourite guide. We did one quick lap to get comfortable, then we went deep into history. Not the polished type of history where everyone lived in rich Victorian houses and sat around drinking tea all day. We went 100% into the history of the Distillery District.

Photo by Natalie Taylor

Now I spoke to my friend Natalie about whether or not I should include much about this part of the tour. By all means, the history amped up the tour quality from a 10 to an 11, but I worry that I might give away too much. Basically I’m trying to prevent you from becoming that guy or girl at the comedy club who knows every ones routine.

Natalie Taylor Learning To Segway

So in sheer respect to the ruggedly awesome guide Chris and the fellows at Segway Ontario, all I will reveal is that the tour involves sampling Mill Street Beer (award winning stuff!), locally made Chocolate, and learning about the true old Toronto. Chalk full of alcoholism, immigration, labour rights, and the history behind what was once North America’s largest distillery.

No cliches with people in costumes pretending to be from some old era, no boring flashbacks to those old history classes you “sometimes” went to in high school. Just pure, unadulterated fun on a segway in one of Toronto’s most historic areas.
Segway Of Ontario also does off-road Segway Tours through Horseshoe Valley and even offers Winter Segway Tours for you warm blooded types.

Give them a call at (416) 642-0008 / 1-866-405-8687 or chat them up on Twitter @SegwayOntario

Get Fast & Geeky with Segway Tours in Toronto is a post from: I Backpack Canada

$50 Dollar Bill

Let’s start big (well, as big as I could hide from myself). The 50 Dollar Bill, aka “Big Red”, due to its prominence of red hues.You can sometimes find these guys spitting out of ATMs; however, you’re more likely to find its lesser-brother, the Twenty being dispensed from those Bank Robots.

The most recent Canadian 50 dollar bill features a portrait of William Lyon Mackenzie King, the Canadian Coat of Arms, along with picture of the Parliaments famous “Peace Tower”. As you can see, a Canadian Note wouldn’t be Canadian without a couple Maple Leafs thrown in there.

$20 Twenty Dollar Bill

Next up, The Twenty Dollar Bill. Hands down the most common Canadian Bill. This one (or should I say Twenty) should be easy to acclimatize with as it’s Green. The portrait on this particular note is of Queen Elizabeth the Second, and features some famous Canadian Art by Bill Reid along with a quote from Gabrielle Roy. The most recent 2004 edition of the Canadian $20 was also given the “prestigious” award of “Bank Note of the Year” by the International Bank Note Society. Go 20!

$10 Dollar Bill

The 10 dollar bill is one of my personal favourites, just due to the cool colour of purple. This sweet piece sports an awesome portrait of the late Sir John A. Macdonald, and a picture of Canadas famous Library of Parliament. The theme behind this bill is remembrance, and features images of war, along with a portion of John McCrae’s poem “In Flanders Fields”. That poem deserves a post on I Backpack Canada, so thank you Tenner for inspiring me.

$5 Dollar Bill

The Canadian Five-Dollar Bill is the smallest bill you’ll find in Canada. This one’s another fan-favourite as it is blue, and features the Eerie portrait of Sir Wilfrid Laurier, along with the West Block of the Parliament Buildings. If you flip the Bill you’ll see some very Canadian themes, including Tobogganing, Skating, and some Ice Hockey! If you look close you’ll also notice a quote from Roch Carriers story “The Hockey Sweater”.

If you’re lucky, you might come across a Spock Five. I wrote about this little phenomenon a while back. Basically people from all over Canada will modify the face of Sir Wilfrid Laurier into the image of Spock. (The famous Star Trek Character played by Leonard Nimoy) Hilarity at its best.

$2 Dollar Coin a.k.a “The Toonie”

To understand the strange nomenclature behind the Toonie, one has to look at the $1 Dollar Coin, which is called the Loonie, due to the fact that it features one of Canada’s iconic birds, the Loon. When they released the $2 dollar coin, it wasn’t long before everyone was calling it a Toonie.

The Toonie features the popular Bi-Metallic look that other countries have adopted as well. One side of the coin features Queen Elizabeth II while the other features an image of a Polar Bear, which Canada named “Churchill”. A nifty little reference to Winston and due to the many sightings of Polar Bears in the Churchill Manitoba area.

$1 Dollar Coin a.k.a “The Loonie”

The Loonie, kind of a goofy name for a Dollar, but it works. As I mentioned earlier, it inspired the name of Canada’s Two-Dollar-Coin. Something kind of cool that a lot of people may not know about, is that if it weren’t for the Courier Service losing the original Master Dies, the Loonie would not exist. The One-Dollar-Coin was meant to have a Voyageur type theme, with Canada’s famous “Coureur Des Bois”. Thankfully that minor mishap saved us from potentially calling our Dollar Coin something even more strange.

The Pocket Change

For die hard coin collectors, this is where the magic can happen. For me, its where I get bored and laugh at myself, wondering “What am I doing writing about a 5c piece…my time has to be worth more than that…” Well, apparently not. I typically am the first to tell the cashier to keep the change, mainly because I don’t have a change compartment in my wallet, but also because I just find it to be more of a pain than its worth. So forgive me if the detail on the following Canadian coins suffers a bit.

The Canadian Quarter – 25 cent piece

Biggest in size next to the loonie & toonie. This coin that sees most of its action in drinking games features a Caribou & The Queen. Fun fact – 4 of these puppies makes a dollar. Neat eh?

The Canadian Dime – 10 Cent Piece

A thin, wimpy looking coin which looks like it could get blown away in the wind. Which maybe was the inspiration behind including the famous Nova Scotian sail boat, the Bluenose Schooner on the front. As with all Canadian coins, Mrs. Queeny is hanging out on the other side.  As far as size goes, this is the smallest coin we have.

The Canadian Nickel – 5 cent piece

Perhaps I’m a little childish in my thinking. But this particular Canadian coin makes want to give high fives and make jokes about the Queens Beaver. However, since I’m a respectable “writer”, I’ll refrain myself. This coin features The Canadian Beaver on one side, and the Queen on the other. The Beaver was tossed on there as it was such a huge part of Canadian history, what with the fur trading and all. In terms of size, the Nickel is “Medium” in size.

The Canadian Penny – 1 cent piece

The penny features a couple Maple Leaves along with the Queen. It’s slightly less than Medium in size. Some argue that this coin should be taken out of commission, similar to the way Australia operates. I have to say I agree, the Penny completely sucks! Its worth almost nothing and always seems to trick me into thinking I have enough for a coffee. I can’t count how many times I’ve pulled out all the change from my pocket to say to the Tim Hortons girl “Guess I gotta use debit on this Double Double…sorry!” I’d personally rather see the expense of making pennies go into something a little more beneficial to all Canadians. Not just the penny-savers.

Whatever your thoughts are on this guy, its legal tender whether we like it or not. Which means you should expect to experience the classic elderly lady or gentleman paying for their fuel, coffee, or groceries with all pennies. Always worth a smile.

Monopoly Money Ain’t So Bad

Seeing Canadian tender laid out like this is sort of strange. It’s rare that Canadians give much more than a glance at what they’re handing over or receiving. There are some unique stories & pieces of art behind the design of our money. Sure, it might be a little monopoly-esque compared to our American brethren, but talk about being easier to identify.

I’ve always been a fan of how countries all over the world portray significant events in their history through the medium of money. They can be a great starter for learning more about any country, and Canada holds true to this pattern. The Royal Canadian Mint, located in Winnipeg, Manitoba should be commended more often for their coin & cash creativity. Keep up the great work guys, and if you need anyone to sample your goods ahead of time, don’t hesitate to call.

What’s the weirdest piece of money you’ve seen? Have you got a favourite Canadian piece?

Canadian Money – How to Understand & Identify our Monopoly Bills is a post from: I Backpack Canada

How old is Canuck?

The word “Canuck” is thought to have been coined in the early 19th century, but historians and linguists are still at odds as to who started it. So just to cover my own derriere, know that these are all just educated guess’s by a bunch of Smartie Pants’. While most Canadians will tell you “It just means a Canadian”, the meaning behind the word appears to have evolved a bit over the years.

Before Canadians started being called, and calling one another “Canucks”, it is thought that the word typically was meant for plaid wearing, tree cutting, lumberjacks. The history behind who started it all though is still up the air. There are 4 working theories behind the origin of the word “Canuck“.

The Language Mish-Mash theory

Some linguists and scholars say there’s a good chance Canuck derived from the Iroquian word “Kanata”, the word for “Village” used by the Iroquois, with some linguists saying the Algonquian suffix “uc” was added to the word later on. Clearly plausible, as settlers continued out west, they likely brought along many new words from other First Nations tribes and shared them.

The Frozen Lips theory

Its a well known fact that in the frigid winters of Canada, moving your lips becomes rather difficult after being exposed to the elements for hours on end. Some historians say that the French-Canadians were known to utter the words “Quelle canule!” off to Americans & commanders during the American Revolution. Apparently that translates off to “How Boring”. The theory is that the French-Canadians were shivering so much & had lost a lot of mobility in their lips that the “L” in Canule may have been misheard as a “K”. Also plausible.

The Scots Did It theory

Another theory is that the term “Quell Canule!” became so widely used that many immigrants from Scotland began saying the phrase. If you’ve ever had a drink or two with a Scot you’ll know it can sometimes be hard to catch every word. Some say that their rolling “L” may have been misheard as a “K”.

The Hawaiian Theory

One of the newer theories of the bunch. Some say that the term started during the Klondike Gold Rush or the Fraser Valley Gold Rush. Hawaiian prospectors were known to be in the region, and racist slurs & nicknames were known to be handed out like cavities in those days. The theory has it that rather than calling the Hawaiians the proper “Kanaka” (which translates to ‘people’ or ‘person’, used by various Polynesian people), people began abbreviating their name to “Kanuks”. As caucasian prospectors wandered back home (typically empty handed), they brought with them a new slang word and shared it across Canada.

The origins behind the word Canuck may never be fully known. Regardless, its safe to assume that the word has evolved to encompass all Canadians. There are no prerequisites to calling someone a Canuck, so long as they call Canada home; however, the more “Canadian” someone behaves does help. Listen for a strong use of the word “eh”, or watch for a profound love of plaid, beards, hockey, beer, tuques, and nature. Chances are calling that guy or girl a “True Canuck” will earn you a smile, a thanks, and maybe even a beer.

Want more Canuck?

Johnny Canuck is a persona that the Vancouver Canucks have adopted, he was originally a political cartoon slash comic, but has since found skin. If you follow the NHL at all, you’ll probably have a laugh. Curious what they’ll do with him now; as we all know, the Bruins won the Cup.

I also found this semi-okay recording of a CBS piece on the origin of the word Canuck. They don’t exactly go over all the working theories, but they do cover a bit of the history behind the Vancouver Canucks. Worth a watch if you have a couple minutes & can deal with the fact that it was cam-corded from some guys TV.

What is a Canuck? The History behind the Canadian Nickname is a post from: I Backpack Canada

The weather was hovering around 25 degrees celcius all weekend, I needed to get out of my cramped apartment, and was itchin’ to see something new. After getting lost a couple times and nearly dieing as I struggled up every hill, I finally managed to find it. Point Pleasant Park.

One might wonder, how Pleasant is this Park? Well, as a matter of fact, I can proudly vouch for the name, this park is all sorts of pleasant. As soon as you walk through the first couple hundred feet of the footpaths, you begin to forget how close you really are to downtown Halifax, to the hustle and bustle of life in a metropolitan city.

The first thing I noticed upon walking into the park was the fragrance of the woods and flowers, combined with the chirping sounds of birds and the occasional blast of warm air, I began to wonder how in the hell this park had escaped me for this long.

After making a quick stop at Blackrock Beach, I was fortunate enough to catch one of the massive cargo ships leaving the Halifax Harbour. This was by far one of the coolest things I’d seen that day, however it was clear that myself and the cute asian girl standing a few feet away were the only ones who thought so, on account of us being the only two people snapping pictures and starring at this massive piece of machinery gracefully float back out to sea.

After hiking further through the park I began to find a whole bunch of WWI and WWII memorials. It was a surreal sight seeing people bathing in the sun just a few feet from this massive 25 foot Cross with the names of hundreds of men and women etched in it. Unsure of whether this was disrespectful or not, I made sure to pay a few minutes of attention to the memorial before grabbing a piece of grass and laying starfish as I watched the clouds go by.

Once my imagination gave out and the clouds began to simply look like clouds again, I hiked further into the park. After coming across a “You are here” sign, I began to realize how little of this park I had seen so far, despite spending almost 2 hours in it already. Turns out this monstrous park I was just meandering through is a total of 186 acres. So I decided to make use of what little energy I had left to see a little more of it. The canons only a few hundred feet from me, seemed like the next stop.

Hiking turned into walking, which then turned into “Holy crap I’m out of shape“. Thankfully I found the right trail that lead to somewhere I could rest. Price of Wales Tower. From far away it didn’t look like much, but as I got closer it became apparent how well made this thing was.  As I snapped some pictures, I did a quick 360 to see if I was getting in the way of somebody else’s picture. Turned out I was the only one in this part of the park. This gave me plenty of time to walk around this big brick tower and read all the signs before carrying on. Turns out this giant brick tub-stopper was built in 1794 through to 1799 as a means to protect the Halifax against seaborne attack  from the Northwest Arm. It must have worked, because Halifax still exists today. Thank you Tower.

As I finished the last of my water, I realized how incredibly hungry I was. I never argue with my stomach, so I decided to call it quits for the day. Point Pleasant Park was a great place to spend a hot spring day, and is well worth more than just a quick stroll through. You can’t beat the price (Free), and if you’re a history buff, I’m sure you’ll find something that interests you. If you’re a nature lover, the wooded areas and scenic vistas will make you right at home, and for those just in need of a quiet place to unwind, theres a good hundred acres or so for you to find a spot of your own.

Getting to Know Halifax: Point Pleasant Park is a post from: I Backpack Canada

For more unique Canadian films check out NFB.

How to Build an Igloo is a post from: I Backpack Canada

For those who don’t know much about the Halifax Explosion, it was the world’s largest man-made explosion before Hiroshima. The explosion happened on December 6th, 1917 in the Halifax harbour. The explosion was caused when a Belgian relief vessel and a French munitions carrier collided during World War I. 1600 Buildings were destroyed, 12,000 houses damaged, and 6000 were left homeless.

The Belgian vessel was leaving the Halifax harbour, heading for New York, when the French Munitions ship was on it’s way to wait for a convoy when the ships collided at approx 8:45am. The French munitions vessel was carrying picric acid, gun cotton, TNT, and the top deck was carrying benzol. For roughly 20 minutes, crowds began to gather near the Halifax Harbour to watch the fire and sparks. While they were watching, the crew of the Mont Blonc rowed for their lives to warn people to run. Unfortunately it was too late. The French munitions vessel had drifted and rammed Pier 6. The Halifax explosion flattened everything within 800 metres. Rumour has it the explosion was heard as far away as Prince Edward Island. To add insult to injury, the following day one of the worst blizzards ever recorded in Halifax began and lasted for an astonishing 6 days.

If it wasn’t for the aid given by Boston, many more would have died. This years tree was a 49 foot (15 metre) white spruce, donated by the Shatfords from Fox Point, Lunenburg County. The tree has been on this property for almost sixty years. Hundreds of elementary school children were present for the cutting of the tree, and another large group of children awaited it’s arrival on the Boston Common.

Chalk one up for heartwarming history lessons.

Nova Scotia says ‘Thank You’ to Boston is a post from: I Backpack Canada

The song Un Canadien Errant (A Wandering Canadian) was written in 1842 by Antoine Gérin-Lajoie after the Lower Canada Rebellion, which took place between 1837 and 1838. Many of the rebels were executed, others were exiled to the United States, forced to never see their homeland again. Antoine Gérin-Lajoie wrote the song after a friend told him stories about the rebellion and how much pain the exile caused him. The song has since become an anthem for Canadians who’ve experienced the pain of exile and the longing for a loved one. The song held great importance for the rebels of the Upper Canada Rebellion, and for the Acadians who suffered mass deportation from their land during the Great Upheaval which took place between 1755 and 1763.

Throughout history there have been several different versions recorded, including several English versions, however, I honestly feel the original French version portrays the meaning behind the song the best. Even if you can’t understand French you’ll see (or hear) what I mean.

The song I posted here was very hard to find, after much digging I was able to find it. However, this copy is extremely hard to come by. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.

“Un Canadien Errant”
Performed by Melissa McClelland and Luke Doucet
Published by Einstein Bros Music, Deloris Music, Ellchris Music, Melissa McClelland
Melissa McClelland appears courtesy of Nettwerk Management
Luke Doucet appears courtesy of Six Shooter Records
Arranged by Andrew Lockington
Produced by Andrew Lockington and Jody Colero
Recorded by Alex Bonenfant at the Orange Lounge

The history behind ‘Un Canadien Errant’ is a post from: I Backpack Canada