Canadian Identity (CHC2D)

Below you'll find a variety of Heritage Minutes & other short videos from Historica Canada that are categorized by theme. They cover the time period of 1914 - present. Some videos fit into more than one theme so you'll see them twice!

Battles & Conflicts

WWI

Vimy RidgeMajor-General Arthur Currie discusses the plan of attack on Vimy Ridge with General Julian Byng (1917).

Mary Riter HamiltonMary Riter Hamilton painted the battlefields after the First World War as a testament to its devastating cost. She would suffer mental and physical illnesses as a result of documenting the experiences of Canadian soldiers.

Halifax ExplosionTrain dispatcher Vince Coleman sacrifices his own life to save a train from the Halifax Explosion.

John McCraeAuthor, artist and physician during World War I, John McCrae pens In Flanders Fields (starring Colm Feore as McCrae), a poem that is still recited across Canada on November 11th.

Valour RoadThree men from Pine Street in Winnipeg are awarded the Victoria Cross in World War I, and the street's name is changed to Valour Road in their honour.

WWII

Juno BeachBroadcaster Johnny Lombardi entertains his comrades in the field during a respite of the World War II D-Day taking of Juno Beach by Canadian forces.

D-DayOn June 6, 1944, Canadian Forces landed on Juno Beach.

Liberation of the NetherlandsBetween 1944 and 1945, the Canadian Army was given the important yet deadly task of liberating the Netherlands.

Andrew MynarskiA young Canadian gunner, Andrew Mynarski, stays behind to save his friend in a flaming Lancaster bomber and dies in the attempt (1944).

Osborn of Hong KongSergeant Major Osborn of Winnipeg protects his company by throwing himself on a live grenade during the Battle of Hong Kong (1941).

Tommy PrinceA eulogy is given for Tommy Prince, Canada’s most-decorated Indigenous war veteran.

Marion OrrThe ferry command pilot delivers fighter planes to Britain during the Second World War, and plans her post-war career as Canada's first female flight school operator (1943).

Post-WWII

Dextraze in the CongoGeneral Jacques Dextraze of the United Nations Peacekeeping Force rescues a group of hostages from Katangan rebels (1963).

Technological Developments

The Discovery of InsulinScientists Banting, Best, Collip and Macleod at the University of Toronto as they race for a treatment to cure 13-year-old Leonard Thompson of his life-threatening diagnosis of diabetes.

Canada History Week 2018: The Discovery of InsulinFor many years scientists believed that some kind of internal secretion of the pancreas was the key to preventing diabetes and controlling normal metabolism.

Water PumpMennonite communities in Southwestern Ontario serve as inspiration in the design of tools and practices of sustainable development for developing countries (1980).

Joseph-Armand BombardierA boyhood fascination with tinkering evolves into a career as innovator and entrepreneur (1920).

Elsie MacGillElsie MacGill was the world’s first female aeronautical engineer and Canada’s first practicing woman engineer.

Avro ArrowCanadian aerospace scientists design and test the world's fastest and most advanced interceptor aircraft (1953).

Jacques PlanteA Montréal goalie challenges hockey's conventions by wearing his invention, the hockey mask, during an NHL game (1959).

Marshall McLuhanThe world-renowned communications theorist fascinates students with his insights about mass media (1961).

Le RéseauBell Canada's Thomas Eadie leads the construction of a trans-Canada microwave network to carry television broadcasts and telephone calls across the country (1953).

Canada History Week 2018: Ursula FranklinUrsula Franklin was a physicist, educator, feminist and social activist who pioneered the development of archaeometry, which applies modern techniques of materials analysis to archaeology.

Health Crises & Outbreaks

Terry FoxTerry Fox inspires the nation with his Marathon of Hope, a cross-country run to raise money for cancer research (1980).

Wilder PenfieldA Montréal neurosurgeon makes groundbreaking advances in the treatment of seizure disorders (1934).

Clement Ligoure: The Unsung Hero of the Halifax ExplosionThe first Black doctor to practice in Nova Scotia, Clement Ligoure tended to hundreds of patients in the aftermath of the Halifax Explosion.

Canada's Growing Independence

Vimy RidgeMajor-General Arthur Currie discusses the plan of attack on Vimy Ridge with General Julian Byng (1917).

D-DayOn June 6, 1944, Canadian Forces landed on Juno Beach.

Juno BeachBroadcaster Johnny Lombardi entertains his comrades in the field during a respite of the World War II D-Day taking of Juno Beach by Canadian forces.

Liberation of the NetherlandsBetween 1944 and 1945, the Canadian Army was given the important yet deadly task of liberating the Netherlands.

John HumphreyA Montréal lawyer drafts and wins support for the United Nations' Declaration of Human Rights (1947).

FlagsMP John Matheson, a member of the parliamentary committee to choose a national flag, surveys the many designs proposed for consideration (1964).

Expo '67Montréal's Expo rises from the depths of the St. Lawrence River to give Canada a dazzling 100th birthday party (1967).

French/English Relations

Paul-Émile BorduasPaul-Émile Borduas, Québec's voice of the Quiet Revolution, reflects on the impact of his writing and art in his Paris studio (1957).

Canada History Week 2019: The Asbestos Strike

Social Programs

J.S. WoodsworthPolitical pressure from opposition parties, led by J.S. Woodsworth, led to the creation of the Old Age Pension in 1927.

Myrnam HospitalThe struggle of one small Alberta community to care for its residents during the Great Depression marks a tiny step in the evolution of Canada's universal health care system (1937).

Heritage Minute: Edwin A. BakerAfter losing his sight during the First World War, Edwin A. Baker co-founded the Canadian National Institute for the Blind.

Labour Issues & Rights

Canada History Week 2019: Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters

Canada History Week 2019: The Winnipeg General Strike

Canada History Week 2019: The Asbestos Strike

Government Wrongdoings & Apologies

Home from the WarsAfter WWII, veterans confront a politician about the lack of shelter, launching the construction of 10,000 units of Veterans' Housing.

Environmental Issues

The woman who revolutionized environmental educationMarcelle Gauvreau introduced a hands-on educational approach to natural science decades before environmental studies was included in the curriculum.

Canada History Week 2018: Joey AngnatokJoey Angnatok, a community leader and fisherman from Labrador adapted his boat, the MV What’s Happening into an offshore marine research vessel.

Sports

Norman KwongOur newest Heritage Minute celebrates Norman Kwong, the first CFL player of Chinese heritage and 4x Grey Cup winner.

Mary “Bonnie” BakerThis Heritage Minute celebrates Saskatchewan’s Mary “Bonnie” Baker, an all-star catcher in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League and a pioneer for women in sports.

Tom LongboatThis Heritage Minute follows the life of Onondaga long-distance runner Gagwe:gih, whose name means “Everything.” Known around the world as Tom Longboat, he was one of the most celebrated athletes of the early 20th century.

Vancouver AsahiFrom 1914-1941, the Vancouver Asahi were one of city’s most dominant amateur baseball teams, winning multiple league titles in Vancouver and along the Northwest Coast.

Edmonton GradsThe Grads challenge the self-proclaimed 'world champions' the Cleveland Favorite Knits to a two game tournament in 1923.

Winnipeg FalconsA team of Icelandic-Canadians serve in the First World War before bringing home the very first gold medal in Olympic hockey.

Jackie RobinsonMontréal Royals players and fans welcome the first African American player, marking the beginning of the end of baseball's colour barrier (1946).

Maple Leaf GardensAn arena that will come to be known as Canada's "cathedral of hockey" is built in Toronto (1931).

Jacques PlanteA Montréal goalie challenges hockey's conventions by wearing his invention, the hockey mask, during an NHL game (1959).

Maurice "Rocket" RichardAfter moving his family from one end of Montréal to the other, the hockey legend scores 5 goals toward a 9–1 victory against the Detroit Red Wings (1944).

Pop Culture: Music, Television, & Film

Oscar PetersonThis Heritage Minute follows Canada’s most honoured jazz musicians from his humble beginnings in the Black neighbourhood of Little Burgundy in Montreal to his rise to fame.

Nat TaylorAn enterprising Canadian cinema operator invents the modern multi-screen movie theatre (1972).

La BolducMary Travers, whose songs cheered les Québécois during the Great Depression, pays for her first recording session (1930).

Jackie ShaneAs a pioneering trans soul singer in the 1960s, Jackie Shane’s unapologetic and authentic presence in Toronto contributed to the local R&B music scene and made her an enduring queer icon in Canada.

Joe Trouillot: Cultural Influencer and Champion of the Haitian-Canadian communityJoe Trouillot’s career spanning more than sixty years, with more than 300 original songs in five languages, earned him the title of the Patriarch of Haitian music.

Portia White: The African-Canadian contralto singer who won international acclaimPortia White was a teacher and singer, and the first African-Canadian contralto to win international acclaim.

Pop Culture: Art, Literature, & Theatre

Mary Riter HamiltonMary Riter Hamilton painted the battlefields after the First World War as a testament to its devastating cost. She would suffer mental and physical illnesses as a result of documenting the experiences of Canadian soldiers.

John McCraeAuthor, artist and physician during World War I, John McCrae pens In Flanders Fields (starring Colm Feore as McCrae), a poem that is still recited across Canada on November 11th.

Lucy Maud MontgomeryLucy Maud Montgomery battled depression, rejection, and sexism to become known around the world for Anne of Green Gables and 19 other novels. This Heritage Minute tells her story in her own words, as drawn from her journals.

Kenojuak AshevakA founding member of Cape Dorset’s famed printmaking co-op, Kenojuak Ashevak introduced Inuit art to the world (1927-2013).

StratfordTom Patterson’s vision transforms a quiet railway town into a world-renowned cultural destination (1953).

Emily CarrThe British Columbia painter discovers the artistic muse that will drive her life's work (1871–1945).

SupermanToronto cartoonist Joe Shuster describes the comic book hero he created (1931).

WinnieA Canadian soldier's bear becomes the object of adoration and inspiration for a young boy and his father, A.A. Milne (1915).

PNIAI: The artists collective that championed Indigenous art and culture in CanadaProfessional Native Indian Artists Inc (PNIAI) was a collective of Indigenous artists from across Turtle Island that brought awareness and appreciation of Indigenous art in Canada.

Rose Ouellette: The Québécoise director and performer with an 80-year careerBest known as her character La Poune, Rose Ouellette was the first female director of two theatres in North America.

Mitiarjuk Nappaaluk: The Inuk author who championed Inuit language and cultureMitiarjuk Nappaaluk was an Inuit author, teacher, and historian best known for writing the first novel in Inuktitut.

The Fight for Equal Rights // Recognition of Contributions of Communities and Groups in Canada

Indigenous Peoples

The Anishinaabe woman who walked for water rightsIn 2003, Josephine Mandamin began walking around the Great Lakes to raise awareness about water pollution.

Canada History Week 2018: Joey AngnatokJoey Angnatok, a community leader and fisherman from Labrador adapted his boat, the MV What’s Happening into an offshore marine research vessel.

Mitiarjuk Nappaaluk: The Inuk author who championed Inuit language and cultureMitiarjuk Nappaaluk was an Inuit author, teacher, and historian best known for writing the first novel in Inuktitut.

Tom LongboatThis Heritage Minute follows the life of Onondaga long-distance runner Gagwe:gih, whose name means “Everything.” Known around the world as Tom Longboat, he was one of the most celebrated athletes of the early 20th century.

Chanie WenjackThe story of Chanie "Charlie" Wenjack, whose death sparked the first inquest into the treatment of Indigenous children in Canadian residential schools.

Kenojuak AshevakA founding member of Cape Dorset’s famed printmaking co-op, Kenojuak Ashevak introduced Inuit art to the world (1927-2013).

InukshukAn RCMP officer watches an Inuit family build the Northern landmark, a sign of human activity on the vast arctic landscape (1931).

PNIAI: The artists collective that championed Indigenous art and culture in CanadaProfessional Native Indian Artists Inc (PNIAI) was a collective of Indigenous artists from across Turtle Island that brought awareness and appreciation of Indigenous art in Canada.

Chief Joe Capilano: The Squamish leader who inspired a century of activismIn 1906, Chief Joe Capilano led a delegation of Chiefs to England to meet with King Edward VII and ask for justice for Indigenous peoples.

Canada History Week 2020: Canada’s first and only mixed World Heritage SiteIn the Anishinaabemowin language, Pimachiowin Aki means “the Land that Gives Life.”

Minority Groups

Norman KwongOur newest Heritage Minute celebrates Norman Kwong, the first CFL player of Chinese heritage and 4x Grey Cup winner.

PaldiThis Heritage Minute introduces the mill town of Paldi, BC, through the eyes of a Sikh woman, Bishan Kaur.

Jackie ShaneAs a pioneering trans soul singer in the 1960s, Jackie Shane’s unapologetic and authentic presence in Toronto contributed to the local R&B music scene and made her an enduring queer icon in Canada.

Oscar PetersonThis Heritage Minute follows Canada’s most honoured jazz musicians from his humble beginnings in the Black neighbourhood of Little Burgundy in Montreal to his rise to fame.

Vancouver AsahiFrom 1914-1941, the Vancouver Asahi were one of city’s most dominant amateur baseball teams, winning multiple league titles in Vancouver and along the Northwest Coast.

"Boat People" RefugeesA family escapes persecution in Vietnam, traveling by boat to a Malaysian refugee camp before finding a new home in Montreal (1980).

Viola DesmondThe story of Viola Desmond, an entrepreneur who challenged segregation in Nova Scotia in the 1940s.

Jackie RobinsonMontréal Royals players and fans welcome the first African American player, marking the beginning of the end of baseball's colour barrier (1946).

Tommy PrinceA eulogy is given for Tommy Prince, Canada’s most-decorated Indigenous war veteran.

Kensington MarketNeighbourhoods like Toronto’s Kensington Market have helped shape our country by providing newcomers a first stop in Canada.

Portia White: The African-Canadian contralto singer who won international acclaimPortia White was a teacher and singer, and the first African-Canadian contralto to win international acclaim.

Canada History Week 2019: Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters

Violet King: The Professional Trailblazer Who Broke Down BarriersThe first Black woman to become a lawyer in Canada, Violet King spoke out about racism and sexism in the workplace.

Joe Trouillot: Cultural Influencer and Champion of the Haitian-Canadian communityJoe Trouillot’s career spanning more than sixty years, with more than 300 original songs in five languages, earned him the title of the Patriarch of Haitian music.

Clement Ligoure: The Unsung Hero of the Halifax ExplosionThe first Black doctor to practice in Nova Scotia, Clement Ligoure tended to hundreds of patients in the aftermath of the Halifax Explosion.

LGBTQIA2S+ Communities

Jackie ShaneAs a pioneering trans soul singer in the 1960s, Jackie Shane’s unapologetic and authentic presence in Toronto contributed to the local R&B music scene and made her an enduring queer icon in Canada.

Jim EganPioneering gay activist Jim Egan publicly challenged a culture of rampant homophobia in the press starting in the late 1940s, when it was dangerous to speak out.

Canada History Week 2017: We DemandWe Demand was a 13-page document that called for changes to discriminatory federal laws and policies concerning gays, bisexuals, and lesbians in Canada.

Women

Mary “Bonnie” BakerThis Heritage Minute celebrates Saskatchewan’s Mary “Bonnie” Baker, an all-star catcher in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League and a pioneer for women in sports.

Edmonton GradsThe Grads challenge the self-proclaimed 'world champions' the Cleveland Favorite Knits to a two game tournament in 1923.

Elsie MacGillElsie MacGill was the world’s first female aeronautical engineer and Canada’s first practicing woman engineer.

Marion OrrThe ferry command pilot delivers fighter planes to Britain during the Second World War, and plans her post-war career as Canada's first female flight school operator (1943).

Nursing SistersNursing Sisters serve at the No. 3 Canadian Stationary Hospital in France during the First World War.

Mona ParsonsMona Parsons, a partisan World War II Allied agent in the Netherlands escapes execution and later imprisonment by the Nazis.

Lucille TeasdaleOne of the first female surgeons in Canada, Lucille Teasdale devotes her life to health care in Uganda (1962).

Emily MurphyThe Famous Five secure the rights of women as persons throughout the Commonwealth (1929).

Agnes MacphailThe first woman to be elected to the Canadian House of Commons, Agnes Macphail fights for penal reform.

Nellie McClungDespite resistance from Premier R.P. Roblin, the famous suffragist fights for Manitoban women's right to vote (1916).

Violet King: The Professional Trailblazer Who Broke Down BarriersThe first Black woman to become a lawyer in Canada, Violet King spoke out about racism and sexism in the workplace.

Canada History Week 2019: The Winnipeg General Strike

Canada History Week 2018: Ursula FranklinUrsula Franklin was a physicist, educator, feminist and social activist who pioneered the development of archaeometry, which applies modern techniques of materials analysis to archaeology.

Looking for more information about any of the topics above?

Check out the Canadian Encyclopedia!

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