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Is Canada dishonouring the very folks they have chosen to honour?

8/1/2021

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On the 26th of July, and for a few days beyond, I was helped by many friends and family in the celebration of my 72 birthday. A somewhat more important event took place back at Canada's capital city of Ottawa on that same day.

That was the very day that Mary Simon, 2 years my senior,  became "Her Excellency, the Governor General of Canada.
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Mrs Simon  has, for many decades served her county and beyond at the highest levels. Much can be read about this work and her incredible accomplishments on the net.

The Governor General (shown above) was born in Northern Quebec at either one or the other of the two very similarly named locations shown in the map below.
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Her Excellency became Canada's 30th Governor General since Confederation, and is the very first Governor General coming from Canada's Indigenous community.

In her acceptance speak in the Senate Chamber the Governor General included the remarks that... 
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After leaving the Senate Chambers her Excellency then went to the Tomb Of the Unknown Soldier and laid flowers honouring Canada's War Dead, received a 21 gun salute and inspected a Guard of honour.
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You may have noticed Her Excellency wearing a badge of some sort over her left chest. This is the Order of Canada, the second highest award a civilian can received from the Canadian Government. Here is a better image of the award... 
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The Order of Canada has five different levels and medals are slightly different in each case. Of the bottom 3 levels the highest is that of a Companion, then comes an Officer and finally those at the Member level.

But above these three is the the Chancellor and Principal Companion of the Order. This is awarded to the Governor General. Above these of course is the  Sovereign of the medal, the King or Queen.

Shown above is the Order of Canada awarded to the Governor General. Below this is the very medal worn by the last GG, who resigned about 5 months ago under rather interesting circumstances.

Some 39 years ago my mother was awarded the Order of Canada at the member level. At about that time I recall that My father contacted me while living in Nova Scotia, a brother and sister living in  Ontario, a sister in Alberta and another sister in BC to join efforts in an exciting project.

We were all asked to share with him the costs of purchasing a gorgeous memorial Order of Canada plate like the one below. We were all thrilled with the idea and the plate is still in the family as a treasured keepsake. A reminder to all of us and those visiting our homes  of the pride we all have in our mother's accomplishments over many decades in Canada and abroad resulting her being awarded the Order of Canada. Here is a picture of one of those precious gold trimmed plates... 
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I shall return on Sunday to continue with this story.

Hope you will join me then,

Bart

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updates

7/25/2021

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Still waiting for information sought for next blog. Hopefully it will be in next week, so until then I shall enjoy my birthday week.

Will return next Sunday.

Bart
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There's an Old Saying...Part ll

7/11/2021

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Joe's story in this space, left off a few weeks ago with him taking illness while serving in the US Navy, being sent to a military hospital in DC for further treatment and dying there.

His story, much covered in earlier blogs,  told of his grave with the misspelled surname of NOEL, instead of NOIL... and thus... lost to history for over 130 years. So too, the fact that he was a recipient of the US Medal of Honor for his bravery in saving a fellow sailor from drowning.

With incredible irony, of the 5,000 or more graves at DC's St Elizabeth's Hospital, (2,000 being veterans) they had only one marker identifying a Medal of Honor recipient. But it was not Noil. It was someone whom, after much research, was verified  by this blogger to be buried not in the DC area but in fact in  Florida.

So the true lone Medal of Honor recipient at this grave yard went unmarked for over 130 years whist another was incorrectly  so marked for many decades.

After seven years of work on my part, aided by several others, the  DC grave was verified to be Joe's final resting place. A few more years would pass but finally in 2016 a new marker with the correct spelling and noting his status as a Medal of Honor recipient was unveiled at the hospital  cemetery.
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Here we see the Noil  corrected grave marker. Also shown is the brochure noting the unveiling ceremony. The image came from a navy recruiting poster that featuring Black Medal of Honor recipients about 1970. And lastly, the 3rd picture, according to the US Navy is part of the Powhatan crew. They believe  the fellow in the white jacket may well be, (but not confirmed) Joseph Noil.

Noil was a Black man. He was one of the few Blacks in the entire history of the Medal of Honor, some 3,500 strong, to be awarded this most prestigious award. But the Blacks were so discriminated that their total numbers getting the medal would be about 90. That's less than 3 percent in the medal's 156 year history.

And Noil was not an American. He was among the one in five throughout the medal's history that was a foreigner. In Civil War days that number rose to one in 4. Medal recipients came from no less than 48 different countries.

Of these, British North America (Canada) was I believe the third largest contingent fighting in the Civil War with some 50,000 men AND women serving. Figures suggest that Canadian sailors served on about 60 different warships during the Civil War. Thousands from Canada were believed to be Blacks. The Black and White Canadians came home with approximately 120 Medals of Honor. Eighteen of these are believed to have  Nova Scotia connections.

And one of these was Joseph Noil, said to have come from Liverpool NS.

But it is my understanding that there is only one historic marker and, no roads or streets, no schools or parks anywhere in the province or the entire country telling of the incredible significance of the Noil story. Not only being  a MOH recipient... but the only Black MOH recipient from Canada.

His lone entry is on a plaque with 40 other recipients from Canada, and displayed at the Veterans Affairs complex in Charlottetown PEI. A marker that misses more than it includes. (Though in fairness, much of what I have uncovered in this regard over the last 2 decades was not known when this plaque was created.)

On the other hand there are a few grave markers for recipients within the province and a plaque honouring the Miller brothers, both being navy medal recipients.

While the Medal of Honor recipients have basically been ignored for the most part, it seems that a Black man described as a hero has a road named after him and even a panel as part of the Matthieu DaCosta Heritage Trail in Western Nova Scotia.

That man's name is Ben Jackson, who served on several Union ships during the US Civil War. He was a brave man clearly but his bravery was not rewarded with the only medal for bravery at the time... the Medal of Honor.

Ironically another fellow in that same battle and ship as Jackson did get rewarded for his bravery with a Medal of Honor,  as did several others from Nova Scotia, in that and other battles.

One of these, from Halifax actually was on the first ship destroyed by the Confederates during the famous battle between the Monitor and the Merrimack, which gained international fame.

In fact it is the very scene depicted on what was called the Civil War Service Medal. One for the navy and one slightly different for the army. 

It was this "Medal", one for service... not bravery, that Ben Jackson received as did all service members  from the Civil War who applied.
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This is the service medal that Jackson would have received. It shows the Union's Monitor in the foreground and the Confederate's Merrimack in the background. It's fascinating story has appeared here in previous blogs. Use the search  engine on the home page to find this.

Back to Noil, years ago the then serving Minister responsible for black history in NS indicated that he would take steps to see the Noil story be preserved.  The Lt. Governor of the day, two NS Premiers, the minister of finance and others have all indicated a desire to promote Black history.

Yet I still await some action in this regard that includes  promoting the Noil story within Nova Scotia and beyond.

Several recent blogs gave coverage to  numerous accolades given regarding the Viola Desmond story and the importance of keeping her history alive. But I see next to nothing in this regard involving Joseph Noil, the only Black man from Nova Scotia, and indeed Canada, out of tens of thousands who served in the US Civil War, and was awarded, not a campaign medal or service medal, but an actual Medal of Honor. One equal to the British Empire's Victoria Cross.

I shall take considerable efforts over the next year to see some action in this regard. It will then be the 150th anniversary of the Noil award.

I welcome your comments and input regarding this seemingly endless battle to bring these stories to light.

Back in 2 weeks,

Bart
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There's an old saying that... "There are none so blind as those who choose not to see."

6/27/2021

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Without wishing to cast negative aspirations towards the sight impaired, today's blog deals with those, some of whom know  better, who choose to ignore part of history. They seem either unable, or worse yet, unwilling to see the forest because of the trees in front.

Today's story perhaps begins way back in 1862 during the US Civil... or should I say... UNCIVIL  War. That was the year that Joe enlisted in the US Navy at New York City. I have yet to find records regarding his true age but it was probably about 20.

It has been said that for at least 17 of the next 20 years Joe wore the  uniform of a sailor. Slight broken service after some re-enlistments account for the 3 yrs lost time in uniform.

Ten years into his service Joe's name would be recorded  for all eternity as a naval hero, for those interested enough to check it out. It would be just one day after Christmas in 1872 that Joe, now a fully trained seaman would hear his call into the history books.
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Having served on many ships, 1872 found him as a seaman onboard the USS Powhatan, pictured above. This warship was known as a  steam and sail operated side-wheel frigate, was 253 ft long and had a compliment of about 300 officers  and men. The commander at the time was naval Captain Pierce Crosby, who would later reach the rank of  Rear Admiral.

Here is what the Captain had to say about Joe...
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The Captain omitted a few items. He made no mention of others onboard who failed to also dive in, or that Joe probably dived some 18 feet into the frigid waters, said to be about 25 degrees,  and then perhaps as many more feet swimming down to rescue his fellow shipmate. One source says that when rescued the shipmate was sinking and came back onboard... insensible.

Regardless, Joe would  be awarded a Medal of Honor for his heroism. He would be the 2nd of 3 from this vessel that would receive MOH's for bravery during service on this vessel during their time in the  North Atlantic Squadron.

It has been noted in earlier blogs here and  quite often on the net that Joe received the first Medal of Honor awarded after the end of the Civil War.

This has been disproved by my research in the last few weeks. But more on this possibly in a future blog.

On 24 August 1873 the Powhatan got caught up in a hurricane off the coast of Halifax, Some  600 lives were lost, 900 buildings  destroyed and 1,222 vessels lost. The  Powhatan was not lost, but was driven from the Cunard wharf across the inner harbour to the Ordnance Wharf in Halifax Nova Scotia.  On board may well have been Joe and two other MOH recipients at the time.

Joe continued his service and, while sailing on the USS Wyoming, he was sent from there in 1881 to the naval hospital at Norfolk, Virginia in 1881, suffering from paralysis and "starting to lose his mind." By June his case had worsened and he was transported to the Government Insane Hospital at Washington DC. Insanity was the catch all, in those days, for veterans who suffered from  what we now call PTSD.

On 21  March 1882 he passed away there and was buried on site.

Much more on this in 2 weeks.
Bart
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Facta Non Verba

6/21/2021

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Over the past several blogs I have brought you once again the story of Nova Scotian Viola Desmond.

Viola was a black business woman who faced considerable obstacles in pursuing her chosen career as a  beautician. One that concentrated on servicing her black community in the Greater Halifax area.

Seeking professional training and accreditation, local refusals to accept her as such, she  took same in Montreal and New York and then opened up shop back in Halifax. Business grew so much that her specialty products were being sought across the province and beyond.

In an attempt to make deliveries to the Cape Breton area, a car breakdown saw her her  stuck in New Glasgow for the night. The rest was History. Or should I saw HERSTORY.

Taking in a show saw her sitting in the white section of a theatre. In short, she was hauled off to jail, spent the night, given no legal advice or counsel, hauled into court and fined. Forced to pay the fine, she  then returned to her business interests.

She would later locate to Montreal and then New York and passed away very early in life. Her remains were returned to Halifax where she rests to this day.

But since death, her story as an entrepreneur and one choosing to not accept the status quo of racism, have been kept alive by those who felt her injustice needed to be dealt with. They were right! 
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Back in February, Black History Month in Canada and also the US, our own Prime Minister, the Right Honourable Justin  Trudeau paid tribute to Viola Desmond (shown above).

He declared  that..."Viola reminds us of the importance of learning about Black experiences and recognizing and addressing injustices." He went on to say that there is..."still more to be done and the government remains committed to this work."

Similar thoughts have been expressed by at least two  Nova Scotia Premiers and several of their cabinet members, officials in new Glasgow, and elsewhere, including from the Lt Governor General of NS.

The interpretation of the Latin motto shown as this blog's title is that... deeds speak louder than words.

Indeed they do. True to the motto, recognizing and commemorating the milestone advocacy of Viola Desmond reached a milestone with the introduction of the  Canadian Stamp issued in her honour back in 2012. (It's description shown in a past blog.)

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This followed the unveiling of a portrait of Viola at the official residence of the Lt Governor of Nova Scotia, at what is known as Government House.

The year 2010 also saw the Lt. Governor granting a Free Pardon to the late Viola Desmond posthumously. This being the first time ever in Canada that a pardon, let alone a FREE pardon was awarded posthumously in the country.

Six years later the transit folks in the Greater Halifax area named a ferry in honour of Desmond. The year 2017 saw Viola being commemorated with the acceptance into the Canadian Walk of Fame at Toronto.

During 2018, after a several year effort by a Victoria woman and so many others, Desmond's image was selected to be put on the Canadian $10 bill. This being the first time ever that a Black and a non Royal female appeared alone on this bill. She appears standing up, so the bill need to be turned on edge to appreciate her standing up for her rights.

That year also saw a Toronto park named in her honour. In the town of New Glasgow Nova Scotia where Viola's arrest was made back in 1946, 2018 saw a significant change.

A street was named in her honour, and the name being changed being suggested by her younger sister. The name.... Viola's Way ... clearly showed that Viola did things HER WAY.

In 2019 a Montreal street was named for Viola, and St Mary's University in Halifax adopted a bursary program for a few students. The amount of each was, most interestingly  set at $1,946. This representing the year of the advocate's arrest.

Not to be outdone, the Canadian Mint jumped in with the unveiling of a sterling  silver $20 coin in her honour in 2019. With the image, it bore the dates...not of circulation, but her birth and death... a most rare event.

And in February of this year, at the suggestion of an Ontario student, the government, having already paid the fine years earlier, now reimbursed  the Desmond family for the original fine so many years earlier. The amount was adjusted for inflation and an amount of $1000 was given to the family who in turn gave it to the University of Cape Breton NS for a one time scholarship to be awarded to a deserving student.

Clearly all of this shows that deeds  rather than verbiage, are all important.

Viola's story and the incredible actions to keep her efforts alive in these deeds, has been an incredible service to the Black community, and indeed all of Canada over these years.

On Sunday next I shall then give a story were there has been almost a 100% failure to recognize another Black for services performed at risk of life.

The event has been oft noted in this space but as of yet actions rather the words, seem completely absent for decades.

But more on that of Sunday,

Please join me then,

Bart
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Jailed, Part V...

6/6/2021

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Last week I brought you part four of the Viola Desmond Story. Information was provided regarding some of the many accolades this late Nova Scotian had received over the years.

I broke away from  these to also note that last weekend was the annual weekend for the remembrance of those in the services of the US military who were killed on duty over the years. This being originally only one day and called Decoration Day, and how it had evolved and is now called the Memorial Weekend. It leads up to Monday, also known as Memorial Day.

The history of the earlier event has been covered in this space several times over the past nine years.

I now would now like to go back to the Viola Desmond story and the ever increasing acknowledgments coming  from her actions   before and after the horrible New Glasgow movie house incident of discrimination of 1946. (For the new reader, see the past several blogs on this icon of black history.) 

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Almost 270 years ago a ferry was commissioned to run the saltwater harbour route between the twin cities of Halifax and Dartmouth Nova Scotia. The ferry is still run today, though a few of the original vessels have probably been replaced... hehe. The 3 KM sailing that lasts  about 15 minutes is the oldest ferry system on salt-waters in North America.

In fact it is even older that the oldest newspaper in Canada. That being the Halifax Gazette, now called the Royal Gazette. It didn't start till a month later.

Today the system is run by the Halifax Transit Authority. Above is no doubt one of its latest vessels. And as you can see, it has been named in honour of Viola Desmond. Its unveiling was in July 2016.

About 6 months later it was announced nationally that Viola Desmond's name had been selected, and she would become  the first woman to stand alone, and of colour and a non Royal figure to appear on our Canadian $10 bill.

About 6 months later, in late June of 2017 news told Canadians from coast to coast to coast that the late Viola Desmond had yet another creditation to add to her ever growing list of accomplishments. She was inducted into  the most prestigious Canadian Walk of Fame in Toronto.

This, not for profit, national organization inspires all Canadians by shinning a light on each individual's extraordinary achievements and successes. On becoming a member, Desmond joined some 270 other Canadians being recognized in a permanent walkway in Toronto that stretches several blocks. The year 2018 saw this group's enjoying their 20th anniversary of recognizing their fellow Canadians.

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The top picture, above shows the maple leaf  image and plaque that would appear as one of the stars along the walk in Toronto.

2018 saw many other events commemorating the Desmond story. On 12 Jan this black rights pioneer was named by Canada as being a National Historic Person.
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On Mar 8 2018 Nova Scotia's Finance Minister Bill Moreau and Stephen Poloz, Governor of the Bank of Canada were at the Halifax Central Library and assisted Viola's younger sister Wanda as she unveiled an image of the  new ten dollar bill, front and back. Below Wanda holds one of the bills with her sister's image for the camera to capture.
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As noted in past blogs, Victoria BC's author and advocate Merna Forster conducted a several year petition to collect thousands of signatures requesting the Canadian government to finally put an image of a Canadian woman of one of our bills of currency. Her successful works resulted in the selection of Viola Desmond.

Above we see Merna unveiling an image of Viola and below we see a picture of Merna and  our former Governor General on her fist official visit to Victoria back on 21 March 2018. On that occasion The Right Honorable Julie Payette presented Merna with the prestigious Meritorious Service Medal, as shown above.

Three months later, and back at Halifax, the plaque and the  two ten dollar bills were either mounted at the Halifax Ferry Terminal or right on the ferry named in honour of Desmond.

And in June of 2018 A Toronto community renamed a park in her name.
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The 6th of July 2018 would have marked Viola Desmond's 104th birthday. Google Canada recognized this and on its search engine page for the day it showed an  image depicting Viola sitting in the jail cell she occupied for some 9 hours before being hauled off to court. The image appears above.

The same day the folks in New Glasgow NS unveiled a new street sign in the town. It was on the corner where the movie house once stood and from which the police arrested Desmond back in 1946.

Sister Wanda has oft told the story that she picked the title of the new street name... as seen above. She said that Viola' s standing up for her own rights as a citizen of Canada could be described best as her doing things her OWN WAY and thus the name... Viola's Way.

Four months would pass and then the actual new ten dollar bills noted above, were put into circulation across Canada.
About 3 month later,  in Feb. of 2019 the Canada Mint released 8,000 mint collector coins made of 99.9% pure silver and marked as $20 coins and bearing, not the usual year of circulation, but her years of birth and passing. Here is that coin...
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Wanda Robson was presented this first coin at a brief gathering at her Nova Scotia home just before the coin was released to the public.

On the release of the coin, The Right Honourable Prime Minister Justin Trudeau noted that Desmond was..."a courageous fighter against racism. " He also noted that it was... "a fantastic choice."

The year 2019 also saw a Montreal street named in Viola's honour.

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Viola's grave, as noted in past blogs, is located at the camp Hill Cemetery in Halifax.. the top image shows the original grave and years ago signs were posted so that visitors may better locate the historic marker. Last fall one of the signs was damaged by the application of racial slurs, but same were quickly removed.

In April of this year an Ontario school board announced that with the hopeful opening of a new school possibly in September, it will be named in remembrance of Viola Desmond.
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While speaking of schools here is a picture of a high school student in an area I policed back in the mid 1970's. Her name is Varishini and she played a most instrumental role in the current story of Viola Desmond.

Several years ago, while in public school an English class assignment was for the students to pick  a person of colour who contributed significantly to the country as a whole. She  chose Viola.

In her studying of the events of 1946 and the ultimate fine she was upset and came to the position quickly that one should not have to pay a fine for a crime they did not commit. She noted that Desmond had received a posthumous Pardon already, and with it clear statements that a crime was not committed.  Varishini then decided to write to the Premiere of NS and ask that the $26 spent on the fine be given back  to the Desmond family. 

She was no doubt quite surprised to hear that during the last week of NS Premiere Stephen McNeil's reign in office, he agreed to return the $26, but it today's dollars, due to inflation. The amount of $358.29 was also increased to a full amount of $1,000, and same was turned over to Viola's sister Wanda. It was then sent to the  Cape Breton University as a one time scholarship for a student of that University.

The Premier would later state that... "Viola was a trailblazer whose story continues to affect the lives of many people." He added that... "We must continue to acknowledge and recognize the incredible people of African decent, like Viola, who have made significant contributions to our society."

The Honourable Tony Ince, then serving as the African Nova Scotia Affairs Minister would also go on record regarding the Desmond story, and the rebate of funds to the family after the Pardon was issued.

He stated that..."Young people across our country are shinning examples of those who refuse to settle for the status quo. It is through them that positive transformation is taking place so that we as a country can connect more deeply with each other through equality, inclusiveness and empathy.

The minister added that   Varishini's request is a symbol of the bright future before us.

Many groups and individuals at the national, provincial, regional and municipal levels and politicians at all levels have had their say about the Viola Desmond story. Without them, much of her work would have gone unnoticed in our minds and in our history books for future generations to read, learn from and be inspired to continue to advance the causes of all walks of life in Canada.

Sadly all of these positive traits have been thrown out the window regarding another case. One which you have read about in the past in this space. And one in which at least one of the above politicians had committed in the past to keep nurturing.

But as I see it Zilch has been done in the form of follow up.  And this story is as important as Viola Desmond's.

I will again bring it back to the fore in my next blog.

Hope to see you then... two weeks from now.

Bart
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Jailed, Part IV

5/30/2021

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The last blog brought you the 1946 story of how Viola Desmond (shown above) was treated in a Nova Scotia theatre that had seating  for blacks and whites, but each was segregated from the other. The seating for the blacks cost 1 cent  less than for whites when you factor in the taxes involved in the sale of the ticket.

Viola tried to buy the more expensive ticket and wanted to sit downstairs. But the agent refused to sell her the more expensive ticket, and instead sold an upper deck ticket.

Regardless, she sat downstairs!

Soon an employee came along to say that she did not have a ticket. She then showed her's. He then went away and got the manager who demanded she leave the area. Viola refused, and he left, only to return shortly with an officer.

The two then physically dragged the black entrepreneur out of her seat and the theatre and took her to the town jail where she was forced to spend the night in a locked cell. Near-bye where several men in another.

She was taken to the courthouse the next day, without being given an opportunity to make any calls or get a lawyer. She was charged, tried and convicted and forced to pay a fine of  $26.00, about $375.00  in today's dollars.

In the years to follow she would continue with her work and eventually move off to Montreal. During a visit with friends in New York in Feb of 1965 she passed away. Her remains where returned to Nova Scotia and laid to rest at Halifax's Camp Hill Cemetery, where she rests today.
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Here is Viola Desmond's grave.

Over the years many groups and individuals  in the New Glasgow area, in Halifax, across Nova Scotia and indeed Canada had been making more and more calls. They wanted some form of recognition given to this pioneer woman who set the higher standards for all to follow, and doing so without proper recognition.

But almost 1/2 century later... in Mar of 2010 this would start a chain of events that continues right up to this year  through-out Nova Scotia. And indeed throughout Canada.

It began with Darrell Dexter, the 2010  serving Premiere of Nova Scotia. In a  most impressive ceremony he would declare that all Nova Scotian's ... "find the event offensive and intolerable." Such no doubt would have been shared by Canadians across the country.

This came about only after considerable  work was done by Viola's younger sister... Wanda Robson and a professor from Nova Scotia's Cape Breton University. Each had the aim of clearing Viola's name once and for all.  Their efforts and others culminated with a ceremony at the Nova Scotia Legislature in April 2010.

At this most impressive ceremony Wanda was presented with a very formal document approved by Premiere Dexter and his government. And with the approval and indeed Royal signature of the Honourable Mayann Francis, the first ever African Nova Scotia woman Lt. Governor in the province's history.
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Here we see Wanda holding the Grant of a Free Pardon. Note the most thoughtful and personal signature on the Lt. Governor on this copy of the actual document, and a keepsake for the Robson family.

A pardon is awarded to forgive some event. Acceptance of the Pardon is in itself an act of admission that a crime was committed. A FREE PARDON is different and does not acknowledge that some crime was committed.

Apparently this  Free Pardon awarded to Viola Desmond and presented to her surviving sister marked the first time ever in Canada that such a document was issued posthumously.

In November of 2012 another honour was bestowed on the Desmond family.
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Here we see the unveiling of a gorgeous portrait of Viola that was commissioned by the Lt. Governor and the people of the town of New Glasgow, where the " crime" took place back in 1946.  The Hon. Lt. Governor  is at right and joining her in the unveiling was the then serving NS Justice Minister, the Honorable Ross Landry.
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In Feb., 2012 Canada Post issued 2.5 million stamps commemorating this black history icon. With her image, in upper right corner is a poster advertising the movie playing at the theatre that had her arrested. It was called the Dark Mirror and staring Olivia De Havilland playing a double role, of two identical sisters. One being a murdered the other not.   Below that is a partial image of the free pardon given to Viola's sister 2 years earlier.

I will now break away from this story for what I think is an important announcement. I shall return to Viola's impressive accolade's on Sunday next, that is Sunday June 6th and hope you will join me for that part of the story at that time.

In the mean time, yesterday, today and tomorrow  are celebrated in the US as the Memorial Day Weekend with Monday, being the last Monday of the month, being the actual MEMORIAL DAY.

In the US Remembrance Day is set aside to honour ALL THOSE who served, but Memorial Day is to honour only those serving who gave their lives for their country. 

Past blogs in this space have told you about the commander of the Grand Army of the Republic starting the Memorial  Day back just a few years after the Civil War.

He chose the last Monday of May as it was felt that all across the country the flowers would be in bloom. And he wanted the members to pick a few of these and go to a grave of a service member who was killed in action, and never got to come home to family and friends ever again.

He called the day...Decoration Day..and the flowers were to decorate these graves.

Over 600,000 lost their lives in the Civil War. Some say as  many as 7000 were either Canadian or from British North America.

US Gov sources today say that as many as a million Americans live in Canada. That's  one for every 37 Canadians. Stats also suggest that going in the other direction, almost 800,000 Canadians live in the US.

Tomorrow at 3 p.m. across the US the population has been asked to stop whatever they are doing at 3 and give one minute's silence in remembrance of those that served their country at the cost of their very lives.

THAT'S ONE MINUTE FOLKS.  NOT TOO MUCH TO ASK I'D SAY!

Drop me a line and tell me where you were on Monday and what you did for your one minute of remembrance.

Thanks and see you on June 6th I hope.
Bart

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Jailed, Part lll

5/23/2021

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Addition facts needing verification have  delayed publishing today's blog. I shall return, complete with update, on Sunday May 30th. 

Hope you will join me then.

Bart
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Jailed  for Alleged Theft of One Cent, Part ll

5/16/2021

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A recent blog told of being absent from this space for a few months. One of those months being February...Black History Month (or similarly named)  across Canada, and the US as well. A few recent blogs noted some related matters and 2 weeks ago I brought the lead-up to issues I wanted to cover during that important and historic month in North America.

Though mentioned in years gone by,  I again wish to bring to your attention the important story of a victim of racial abuse that resulted in a 9 or 12 hour stay, (depending on sources) against her will in a Nova Scotia Jail back in 1946.

Her name was Viola Desmond, A person that has received lots of notice by this blog in years past.

Viola  spent her earlier days watching her father in his barbed shop in Halifax. Soon she would join in and, in time,  would become involved in serving the women in the Halifax and area Black women's community with her specially designed products.

Seeking more formal training, which was denied her locally, she took off to Montreal and then New York. There she sought the formal training and experience that the industry in Nova Scotia refused her.

Soon she'd bring her talents back home and started to create the products Black women sought. Local deliveries soon expanded throughout the province and beyond.

One such delivery led to her making history, or should I say, those dealing with her,  making history not to be proud of.

En-route to North Eastern Nova Scotia her car broke down in the New Glasgow area. She was told repairs would result in the vehicle not being serviceable till the next day. She'd best get a hotel for the night. So she did, but it was early and so she decided to take in a movie.

And, as they day, the rest is history... or should I say herstory!

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Above is an earlier photo of Viola Desmond and an image of some of the products she made for her clients.

After checking into her hotel for the night, she decided to wander about town. Seeing the advertisement at the Roseland Theatre for the thriller called The Dark Mirror, she decided to buy a ticket and watch the show then head off to the hotel for a good night's sleep.  But destiny had other plans.

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The Roseland Theatre, like many other places in the province, had areas segregated for the white patrons and another set off for the Blacks.

Viola purchased a ticket and went to a lower seat. Soon she realized that she had been sold an upper balcony ticket and returned to teller to get the right ticket and was told that they could not sell tickets to lower area to people "like her".. ie Blacks. So she just returned to the lower seat anyway.

Soon an employee came and asked her to move saying she did not have a ticket. Yet she did, and showed him the ticket.  But clearly it was for an upper seat. 

Nevertheless, she was tired, wanted to be nearer the screen and refused to move. Soon the manager manager came along and also asked for her to relocate to the upper seats. When she refused, he went away but returned with a law enforcement officer. He arrested her and the two men then dragged her out of her seat and the theatre, her breaking a shoe and losing her purse, (later retrieved). She was taken to the local jail. There she was put in a barred cell alone. Near-bye was another with several male prisoners in it.

The next day she was taken to court, without counsel, and tried for the creative charge of trying to defraud the federal provincial treasury of one cent, that being the difference in the taxes due below versus the charges for the balcony. She was found guilty and had to pay the fine of $26. Six of these going to the theatre manager as he was acting as prosecutor for the government at the trial.

While this all occurred on 8/9 November 1946, It would many a year later become known as the Rosa Parks story  of Canada. But when truth be known, the Rosa Parks story of refusing to take a bus seat at the back of the bus and leaving the forward seats to the whites, noted in past blogs, did not occur until 1955... nine years AFTER the Viola Desmond  story. In reality the Americans should be remembering Rosa Parks as the Viola Desmond of the US.

Viola continued working and teaching the business to other Blacks and would venture off to Montreal and then New York. She passed away there in 1965. Her remains were returned  to Halifax and laid to rest at the famed Camp Hill Cemetery.
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While at rest, her story certainly isn't. Much more on this on Sunday 23 May.

Hope you join me then.

Bart
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Jailed For Alleged Theft Of One Cent!

5/2/2021

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Gone for another year is Black History Month in Canada. This was our 25th year of such a celebration. Earlier years celebrated weeks of like ceremony in various parts of the country.

Often noted in this space, a call has been put out for the Black communities and women's groups to honour and celebrate several individual groups and citizens. Those who have have come forth, and those hopefully that have yet to join in efforts to remember and give today's communities the support needed to preserve the heritage left us by those non whites and the women of the country who have done  so much to the pave the roads we now walk.

On Feb. 1 of this year Prime Minister Justin Trudeau issued a release sharing his view that ..."Black people have helped  shape our history and collective identity, and stood proud as leaders  in communities across the country."  His statement..."reminds us of the importance of learning about Black experiences in Canada,  (and) recognizing and addressing injustices."

His release noted as well that.... "more stills needs to be done and the government  remains committed to this work."  He went on to ask Canadians to ... "reflect on the challenges and accomplishments  of Black Canadians, and to learn more  about the vital roles they continue to play in building a stronger, fairer, and more  inclusive country."
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Here we see the two Right Honourables.' Our current Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and below, his father the RH Pierre Elliott Trudeau. The later was one of Canada's longest serving Prime Minister's. In 1979 he lost the national election to PM Joseph Clarke, who served one of the shortest periods as Canadian Prime Minister.

Here are two snipets not well known by most Canadians.

Pierre Trudeau was born on 18 October 1919. Ten years later... to the day, Lord Sankey, the Lord Chancellor for Great Britain handed down the decision in Canada's famous Persons' Case.

In early days women were not permitted to membership in  the Canadian Senate, relying on antiquated law dated back centuries, when women were considered chattels of men and were in fact... not actual Persons in the eyes of the law. And as such not allowed to hold a seat in the Canadian senate which only allowed PERSONS to be so appointed.

For a decade if not more, women fought this line of reasoning, and for several of the later years five Alberta women .... the Famous Five, AKA the Alberta Five, written about in earlier blogs in this space, fought with various levels of government and the courts and,  as a last appeal, to Britain for a decision on the matter.

Fifty years later  Pierre Elliott Trudeau lost his seat to a new government headed by Joe Clarke.

And it was PM Joe Clarke who took the matter to England to create a medal for women, celebrating this earlier case, and ultimately the creation of the Persons Award. For unknown reasons, years later the name morphed into the Governor General's Award in Commemoration of the Persons Case.
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Above we see the picture of the Right Honourable Joe Clarke, former Canadian PM, proudly adorning his Order of Canada lapel pin. Below this is the Persons Award. The first versions were suspended by a white ribbon, one of which my mother was proudly awarded back in 1979. The image depicts five women... but is not a likeness of any of the Alberta Five.

With the creation of the award a decision was made to annually select five, and sometimes 6 or 7 recipients and formally present each the award by the Governor General at Ottawa.

I believe only 230 awards have been presented since inception. I can only find four coming to Victorians. University of Victoria Professor Cecile Benoit was one of the four, receiving her's in 2016.

For reasons yet to be satisfactorily explained, I have yet to discover why no  further Persons Awards have been awarded or presented since 2018. A matter that I hope would be addressed by the honourable Richard Wagner, former Chief Justice of Canada's Supreme Court, as soon as possible. As Chief Justice he was also  the Deputy Governor General of Canada. 

The day after the Right Honourable Julie Payette's resignation as GG, Wagner was sworn in with the title of Administrator of Canada. Presumably, in time he may well be Canada's next Governor General.

He appears below as Chief Justice.
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Women's groups across the country should organize a movement to request our new Honourable Administrator to not only hold a proper ceremony to present Persons Awards this year, but to also induct the selected recipients for the years our former Governor General failed to recognize with this most coveted award.

I will return on Sunday May 16th to continue with this story and the penny causing jail time.

Please join me then,
Bart
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    Author;
    Bart Armstrong, C.D.,
    Recipient, Sovereign's Medal for Volunteers 

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