Today, the Honourable Steven Guilbeault, Minister of Environment and Climate Change and Minister responsible for Parks Canada, announced 10 designations of persons, places and events of national historic significance under Parks Canada's National Program of Historical Commemoration.
These designations honour the diversity of history in Canada by commemorating a range of subjects, including Indigenous Peoples, women, architecture, technology, and Acadian history. These include:
Places: Tam Kung Temple
Persons: Chanie Wenjack, Samuel Hume Blake, Monsignor Alexandre Vachon, Marie Joseph dite Angélique, Jeanne Sauvé, Geraldine Moodie
Events: Canadarm Deployment in Space, 1981, Caraquet Riot of 1875, Prairie Farm Rehabilitation Administration
Some highlights from today's announcement include:
Jeanne Sauvé Jeanne Sauvé was a pathbreaking Fransaskois woman in journalism and politics. In the 1960s, she was one of the few female journalists to be a political commentator, establishing credibility for Canadian women within the political sphere. Elected to the House of Commons in 1972, she immediately accepted leadership roles at the head of different departments before becoming the Speaker of the House of Commons. As the first woman speaker and as minister she broke barriers for Canadian women in politics and political leadership in the 1970s and 1980s, helping to establish new expectations for inclusion. She shattered another glass ceiling when she became the first woman appointed Governor General of Canada (1984-1990).
Chanie Wenjack: Chanie Wenjack was an Anishinaabe boy from Marten Falls First Nation in northern Ontario who lived for three years at the Cecilia Jeffrey Indian Residential School near Kenora. His life as a student and his death following his escape from the institution are representative of the experiences of thousands of children incarcerated in the Indian residential school system who were driven by loneliness, abuse, and desperation to run away and try to find their way home. In recent years, Indigenous and non-Indigenous artists and organizations have shared the story of Chanie Wenjack's life and death to educate Canadians about the history and legacies of residential schools.
Canadarm Deployment in Space, 1981: The development and construction of a highly sophisticated and manoeuvrable robotic arm know as the "Canadarm," was the culmination of decades of space-age scientific research and cooperation between the Canadian scientific establishment, government, and industry. On its first voyage into space in 1981 aboard the space shuttle Columbia, and in the decades that followed, Canadarm, emblazoned with the word "Canada" and the national flag, served as an inspiration to Canadians. It made a signature contribution to the space programs of Canada, the United States, and the international community by deploying, capturing, and repairing satellites, assisting astronauts with scientific experiments, and moving cargoes in space.
The Government of Canada, through the Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada and Parks Canada, recognizes significant persons, places, and events that have shaped our country as one way of helping Canadians connect with their past. By sharing these stories with Canadians, we hope to foster understanding and reflection on the diverse histories, cultures, legacies, and realities of Canada's past and present.
