Latest news with #CanadianHistory
CTV News
22-07-2025
- General
- CTV News
Sask. Red River cart gives visitors a glimpse into Métis trade history
WATCH: An important piece of Canadian history has been added to the Western Development Museum's artifact list. Damian Smith reports.
CBC
09-07-2025
- Entertainment
- CBC
For a science-fiction thriller, 40 Acres feels remarkably authentic
Social Sharing 40 Acres is the highly anticipated feature film debut from Canadian director R.T. Thorne, whose previous work includes projects like The Porter. Now in theatres, 40 Acres follows a Black-Indigenous family trying to survive in a famine-decimated near future — and protect their farmland against new threats trying to take it. The film has been praised for its performances, and its creative interpretation of Canadian history. Today on Commotion, culture critic El Jones and film critic Jesse Wente join host Elamin Abdelmahmoud to discuss the film's Black-Indigenous themes, and what its release could mean for BIPOC Canadian filmmaking moving forward. We've included some highlights below, edited for length and clarity. For the full discussion, listen and follow Commotion with Elamin Abdelmahmoud on your favourite podcast player. WATCH | Today's episode on YouTube: Elamin: I would have liked to say that as a post-apocalyptic movie, things start to go wrong when the teenage son starts to sneak out to be a teenager. But really, things start to go wrong from the very beginning. We're introduced to the stakes in that opening sequence of they are beset by forces trying to take their land. El, I want to talk about the fact that it's not just set in a dystopian Canadian future. 40 Acres is trying to also do some reminding of history that I think is really difficult to do, right? So the Freeman family here, their roots in this farmland go back to the 1850s, and specifically to the story of an African American ancestor who fled slavery to come to Canada, escaping from a Georgia slave plantation. Briefly, what do you think people should know about the real history of African American migration to Canada before they watch a movie like this one? El: Well, I'm speaking to you from Halifax/Kjipuktuk, Nova Scotia, which of course African Nova Scotians have been here for over 400 years — the first Black settlement and contact in Canada. So of course many people still don't realize the depth of Black contribution and land in this country. Similarly in Alberta, which I think this very closely references, we had many farmers coming up from the U.S. in the same time period; places like Amber Valley have been settled by African American farmers. And then of course in Ontario, people are probably familiar with the Underground Railroad, and those kinds of settlements … that you still see are very close to the States — this history of liberated Black people attempting to find safety in Canada, but then also being met with white supremacy and violence. So I think part of the film is this meditation on, you know, Canada's supposed to be this safe place for Black people, the end of the Underground Railroad. But we know that when Black people came here, as in Nova Scotia, there were race riots against Black people. We have suffered from white supremacist violence, and we've integrated with Indigenous communities as well. So it really does pick up that history, and encourage us to think about what it really means. Elamin: Jesse, the story centres on a blended Black and Indigenous family. How did you feel about the ways that these histories and these two racialized identities, with entirely different relationships to the land, to colonialism — how do you feel like their relationship intersected as one family in this movie? Jesse: Oh, I thought it was really quite beautifully portrayed. It feels like a film that was made for us, by us, in the most generous way. And that's because it's in the subtle things — it's in the use of language, the foods they eat, which I thought was a really fantastic depiction there…. Our histories as peoples are very much intertwined on these lands, both in terms of our experience of colonialism and our continued survival in the face of it, how we resist and what that looks like. And also, our ability to form communities with one another through that shared experience, that I think is in this movie. It's so interesting, Elamin, when you talked about that when the son goes out, things go wrong. In some ways, things start to go right when the son goes out because what happens is they broaden … a sort of insular vision that's really the result of colonial pressures and violence, that has made people like, "We're here, and we're not gonna trust the outside." And yet one of the things we see over the course of the film, through the mother's character and her transformation, is that the son wants to have a bigger community. At the heart of this film (and at heart of a lot of post-apocalyptic films), the apocalypse they're imagining is the end of colonialism and capitalism, these systems. That community is the thing that we will need to both survive this current moment, but also what will allow us to build in the future…. So I loved it in terms of the way they communicated. It all felt so real and lived in, in the best possible way. I thought they nailed that part of the story.
Yahoo
07-07-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
Is water damage covered by your home insurance policy? Learn more about prevention tips and coverage to help protect your home
According to the Insurance Bureau of Canada, 2024 was the costliest year for severe weather-related losses in Canadian history, with $8.5 billion in insured damages due to wildfires, hail and floods. Flooding, in particular, caused $990 million (in July 2024) and $110 million (in August 2024) in insured damages alone. Water damage is one of the most common causes of home insurance claims, and for good reason. Whether it's a leaky roof or a clogged drain, water can wreak havoc in your home leading to extensive damage and expensive repairs. Taking steps to help mitigate potential risks of water damage can go a long way in protecting your home and your wallet. Here are a few tips to help you understand the causes and early signs of water damage and how TD Insurance can help protect your home. What causes water damage and what are the early signs? Water damage can be caused during heavy rainstorms, during which water can seep into your home through your roof, windows, doors or walls. Originating from inside your home, water damage can also be caused by clogged drains, faulty plumbing or malfunctioning appliances. It's important to be aware of and identify the signs of water damage as soon as possible. Things like peeling wallpaper or bubbling paint, a damp or musty smell, buckled or warped flooring or puddles of water in odd places are some early warning signs that water might be causing problems in your home. Other signs can include mold or mildew growth, soft or damp spots on walls or floors, or brown or yellow stains on ceilings. Once you notice the early signs of water damage, it's important to act fast to address the problem and help prevent further damage. Tips for preventing water damage in your home Given the havoc water damage can wreak in your home, it's best to not wait until it happens. Thankfully, there are steps you can take to help reduce your risk: Keep up with roof inspections: Damaged or missing shingles can lead to a leaky roof. Have a professional roofer check your shingles and fix or replace them as needed. Clean your eavestroughs and downspouts: Seasonally clean your eavestroughs and downspouts to remove clogs from leaves, branches and other debris. Another tip is to make sure that your downspouts drain far enough away from your home which will help reduce the chance of water entering your foundation, especially if your grading tilts toward your home. Regularly check your windows and doors: Look for any cracks or gaps in the caulking or sealant round the windows and doors. It's also a good idea to check the foundation for any visible cracks. If you find any gaps or cracks, you may need to replace the caulking or repair the foundation to help reduce the chance of water finding its way into your home. Check your plumbing: Inspect any visible pipes in your home for signs of wear, corrosion or leaks and upgrade old pipes and fittings as needed. Use best practices for landscaping: Ensure that trees aren't planted too close to your home to help limit the risk of roots damaging your foundation or drainage system, and be sure to keep the ground sloped away from your home's foundation. Consider installing a sump pump: A sump pump usually sits below your basement floor and moves water out of your basement if the water level in the sump pit gets too high, which helps to keep your basement dry. It's also recommended to have a backup power source for your sump pump to ensure it continues to work in the event of a power outage. Consider installing a backwater valve: A backwater valve is a preventive device that can be installed on your sewer line to ensure that any excess water or sewage flows out of your house. Consider installing smart home monitoring devices: Get notified if a water leak happens. The ability to monitor and react to the water leak can help you potentially save time, money, and energy to help you feel safe and secure whether you're indoors or away from home. Also, get rewarded with savings on your home insurance for having a connected alarm for water damage. When it comes to water damage, taking proactive, preventative measures can help to decrease the risk of water damage, and with TD Insurance, you can get the coverage you need to help protect what matters most. What's covered by home insurance? Home insurance policies typically include coverage against sudden and accidental water damage from your plumbing system. The standard TD Insurance home insurance policy typically covers water damage caused by: Sudden burst pipe in the bathroom Sprinkling system rupture Plumbing system rupture Heating system rupture Water leaks from a dishwasher, hot water tank¹ or other household appliances and Escape of water from a public water main that carries drinking water While these are examples of scenarios where standard insurance could cover you, additional coverage can provide protection for a wider range of potential issues. TD Insurance offers additional water damage coverage that helps to protect your home in situations that are not be covered by standard home insurance policy, such as: Extended Water Damage Coverage: This coverage provides protection against water damage caused by sewer backup, or ground or surface water from a freshwater source that enters or seeps into your home. It also covers water damage caused by overland water that enters your home due to the rising or overflow of a stream or body of freshwater. Above Ground Water Coverage: This coverage provides protection against water damage caused by water originating from eavestroughs, downspouts, rain leaders or roof drains, as well as rain, snow, melting snow or melting ice that enters or seeps through the roof or above ground walls of the building or an opening. This coverage provides protection against damage caused by water originating from eavestroughs, downspouts, rain leaders or roof drains, as well as rain, snow, melting snow or melting ice that enters or seeps through the roof or above ground walls of the building or an opening. Ice Damming and Roof Drain Back-up Coverage: This coverage protects against water damage caused by ice dams, including water that enters the dwelling through a roof due to the accumulation of ice or snow, as well as the backup, overflow or discharge of water from eavestroughs, downspouts, rainwater leaders or roof drains. Keep in mind, though, that exclusions may apply to these types of additional water damage coverages.¹Water heater tank(s) need to be replaced before the age reaches 15 years or older to avoid an exclusion of coverage. Loss or damage caused by water originating from your water heater tank(s) will not be covered if the manufacturing date is 15 years or older. TD Insurance residential and personal lines automobile insurance policies are underwritten by Security National Insurance Company, Primmum Insurance Company, TD General Insurance Company, and TD Home and Auto Insurance Company, and are distributed by TD Direct Insurance Agency Inc. and Meloche Monnex Insurance and Financial Services. Due to provincial legislation, TD Insurance does not offer personal lines automobile insurance products in British Columbia, Manitoba, or Saskatchewan. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
CBC
23-06-2025
- General
- CBC
'It needs to be part of the Canadian fibre': Victims of 1985 Air India bombing honoured in online archive
Rob Alexander gently takes his father's wallet out of a box that his family has held onto for the past 40 years. It was found on his father's body when it was retrieved from the Atlantic Ocean along with some of the wreckage of Air India Flight 182 months after it was bombed in 1985. "He had such a good reputation ... and he was one of the guys that people would go to to get advice and to get help, and even a bit of direction," Alexander said about his dad, Anchanatt Alexander, a well-known doctor in Hamilton. On June 23, 1985, Air India Flight 182 took off from Toronto en route to Mumbai via Montreal, London, England, and New Delhi. However, the flight disappeared from radar about 45 minutes before it was due to reach London. A bomb in a suitcase in the hold exploded, and the plane broke apart over the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Ireland. Anchanatt Alexander was one of the 329 people who died, most of whom were Canadian citizens. "It was really shocking that it happened to my family," said Rob Alexander. Investigations and a public inquiry exposed major Canadian intelligence and security failures. To this day, it's considered one of the worst attacks in Canadian history, but Alexander says it's not recognized as such. "It's a piece of Canadian history that shouldn't have happened first of all," said Alexander. "It needs to be part of the Canadian fibre." It's a sentiment felt by a number of family members that CBC News spoke with. But one researcher is trying to change that. In a small room and among a few boxes, there's now a place for artifacts like Alexander's wallet to have a permanent home at McMaster University in Hamilton. Chandrima Chakraborty, a professor in the department of English and cultural studies who has no personal connection to the tragedy, decided to create a digital and physical archive dedicated to preserving the memories of those who died. She also sees it as a means of educating those who don't know about the disaster. "The boxes have a history, a history of memories, [a] history of erased stories. Histories of erased grief, but ongoing grief as well. And it also has a history in terms of my own work." Chakraborty works with a small team of students hired to digitize the personal artifacts donated by family members. The items include family photos and personal belongings, along with the badges of the pilot and co-pilots. 40 years for a project like this "It's a gift, but it's a difficult gift because it's a burden to carry. It comes with a lot of obligation because it is a gathering of memories and histories that families have preserved this long. And then they're willing to trust me with those boxes of materials," said Chakraborty. It's taken 40 years for a project like this to be created and is the only one to exist in Canada, says Chakraborty. She was inspired while discovering that not many of her students knew about Air India Flight 182. "The archive might offer some kind of a memory justice for these families ... by bringing into public memory this suppressed history, right?" According to a 2023 Angus Reid poll, nine in 10 Canadians said that they have little or no knowledge of the Air India bombing and most under 35 years of age had never heard of it. (The poll was conducted between June 19 and 21, 2023, with 1,548 Canadian adults and would have a margin of error of +/- two percentage points, 19 times out of 20.) Chakraborty started the archive in 2022 and was able to get it up and running with funding from McMaster, along with private donations. The website officially launched in May. "It should not be just the job of families to keep saying their stories again and again. Many of them are fatigued," said Chakraborty. For right now, it's just a digital archive, but if space and funding are provided, there will be a physical place for these artifacts as well. Chakraborty said she received funding from different sources to get the project up and running, but if more funding doesn't come through, she will run out by the beginning of next year. "It's an obligation to make sure that those records are preserved for perpetuity beyond my and you know, other lifetimes. So as long as McMaster as an institution holds, I hope it will be there." Alexander says the archive will help families, especially having one centralized place that people can turn to. "We've donated some articles and some pictures, but other families have donated a lot more. It will help keep that narrative together," he said. "The fact that Dr. Chakraborty has taken it upon herself to really steward the Air India families and take care of the memories of all the lost loved ones is unbelievable to me." WATCH | Rembering her father: She lost her dad 40 years ago in the Air India bombing 4 minutes ago Duration 2:14 June 23 marks the day 329 people died on board Air India Flight 182 after a bomb exploded on the plane as it flew over the Atlantic. Gaston Beauchesne was among those killed 40 years ago, a death his daughter calls senseless. Susheel Gupta, who lost his mother, Ramwati Gupta, on the flight when he was 12 years old, says his memories of her are fading, but he holds onto those he still has. "I remember she loved to cook. I remember her singing while she would cook. I remember the way she dressed, the way she did her hair or her hand creams, you know, certain smells," said Gupta, of Ottawa. "She worked hard, she played hard, she was a wonderful mom. I wish I just had more time to spend with her." Gupta said that in the same way Canada honours those who fought in various wars, were peacekeepers or made great accomplishments, people like his mother and fellow victims of Flight 182 need to be commemorated. "Canadians never paid attention and it's not remembered at all for those who do.... It's hurtful. It is painful. I'm going to say we still have an opportunity to correct from that and that's what the families are trying to do now," said Gupta. "They deserve to be honoured and respected and remembered." WATCH | Full documentary: Two Suitcases: Anatomy of the Air India bombing: Two suitcases: Anatomy of the Air India bombing | FULL DOCUMENTARY 5 days ago Duration 44:08 On June 23, 1985, Air India Flight 182 took off from a Montreal airport. As it approached Ireland, a bomb in a suitcase exploded in its hold. All 329 people aboard the plane were killed. It's been called Canada's 'worst act of terrorism' and remains the deadliest attack in Canadian history — but an inquiry showed how the investigation into it fell apart.
CTV News
17-06-2025
- Automotive
- CTV News
NAIT students restore antique car used for Princess Elizabeth's 1951 visit to Canada
NAIT autobody students have spent months working on a piece of history, a 1951 Lincoln Cosmopolitan convertible built for Queen Elizabeth II's visit to Canada. Students at NAIT are working on restoring a piece of Canadian history by freshening up a 1951 Lincoln Cosmopolitan convertible built for a royal visit. Queen Elizabeth II, back then Princess Elizabeth, rode in the antique car during her visit to Canada that year. It was one of 60 such cars built in 1951. Students have been giving it new life by putting on new tires, painting the wheels and underbody, adding new hubcaps, polishing and detailing and more. Eighty students have played a role in helping restore the convertible with around 1,500 hours of work since February. 'Being able to go back in time and work on a vehicle of this sort is definitely a cool experience, I didn't think I'd be able to do something like this, especially in school,' said auto body student Svitozar Krynytskyy. He says the history of the car adds the 'coolness factor' of the experience. 'It's something you get to tell your kids one day, you know?' said Krynytskyy. According to NAIT auto body instructor Ryan Pomedli, the car was purchased in 2024 by Ron Lyons, owner of the Legends Golf and Country Club east of Edmonton, who has previously had NAIT students restore other vehicles for the club's Golf Car Museum. 'We're excited to be a part of the ongoing history to be able to move this car forward and hopefully it can last for other generations to be able to see,' Pomedli told CTV News Edmonton. Pomedli said it's very infrequent NAIT's auto body program gets to work on older cars. 'When we heard the history of this car, we wanted to jump on board.' 1951 Lincoln Cosmopolitan The final look of a restored 1951 Lincoln Cosmopolitan ridden by Princess Elizabeth during her royal visit to Canada. (Amanda Anderson/CTV Edmonton) Barry Cochrane's dad is the former owner of the '51 Lincoln Cosmopolitan and had it for more than 30 years. He originally bought it in 1975 at a dealership in Calgary. 'It was really special, my dad was proud of that car and we used it a bit. We didn't use it a lot but we really cherished it,' Cochrane said. He says he's thrilled students are refurbishing it and says the work is fantastic after looking at photos of the progress. The car will be on display at NAIT's annual car show, which runs this Saturday from noon to 4 p.m. at the school's Patricia campus. With files from CTV News Edmonton's Amanda Anderson and Alex Antonyshyn.
