Right now, the sesquicentennial of Canadian Confederation is being celebrated across the Great White North. On July 1, 1867 Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick and Nova Scotia unified as a loose collection of four provinces controlled by the British Empire. As an American-Canadian dual citizen, this event was bound to pique my curiosity. Check out a number of informative web sites with either a historical perspective, or a description of the many events planned in celebration of the 150th anniversary.
The 150th anniversary of Canada
This site provides an overview of federal initiatives, a description of commemorative currency to be issued, national cultural initiatives, and regional projects to be undertaken in each province.
Canada is celebrating 150 years of… what, exactly?
Looks at Canada's history to identify exactly what is being celebrated. Includes a brief Q&A section scattered on the home page.
Great celebrations planned for Canada's 150th birthday
An interesting listing of events planned throughout the country
How old is Canada anyway?
A reality check on Canada 150, since European settlement is much older than 150 years. Author points out that Indigenous people, New France, or any of the other colonies that existed prior to 1867 are not being celebrated.
Canada turns 150: How the country is preparing to kick off celebrations
A site that describes various festivities that took place across the country during the last 150 days to 2017. The countdown began on August 4, 2016. The designer of the Canada 150 logo is profiled, and a description / interpretation of the logo is noted.
Everything You Need To Know About Canada's 150th Birthday But Were Too Afraid To Ask
A quick history of what is being celebrated along with a participation guide. Notes that 2017 marks Canada's 150th anniversary and also Montreal's 375th anniversary …. and that the latter seems to be stealing the spotlight.
Here's the controversial new symbol of Canada's 150th birthday
This article describes in depth why the symbol is controversial. To the dismay of design professionals, the federal government chose an image crafted by a 19-year-old second-year student in the University of Waterloo’s global business and digital arts program.
Coming soon …. a follow-up blog focusing on biographies of famous Canadians held in the Library collection, mainlly musicians and performing artists. Look for titles about Leonard Cohen, William Shatner, Glen Gould, Neil Young and Joni Mitchell, to name a few.
