Time Warp

This week, Kate goes back to when Canada Day was to the late 1800's-early 1900's when it was known as Dominion Day, and the celebrations that took place in Minden and elsewhere in Haliburton County. Plus, as part of the mini-series on the sometimes troubled path of Canadian Confederation, Paul has the story of British Columbia. And how things could have gone quite differently. Kate Butler is the D...

This week, Kate has the story of 1860's pioneers in Haliburton County - the Hartle family and the dramatic survical story of William Hartle on a trapping expedition. Plus, Paul has the continuing story of how the story of Canadian Confederation was never a foregone conclusion or an easy road. This week it's New Brunswick where Confederation was resoundingly rejected, and then ressurected a year la...

This week, Kate talks about Haliburton County Fairs, some that have been in existence since 1864. Originally with agricultural roots, many have adapted to remain relevant as society and communities change. And yet they are still reminiscent of a an earlier, gentler time. Plus, Paul has a brief overview of Canadian Confederation. Many have a nostalgic view of Confederation as being easily achieved...

This week, it's two founding stories, one about a Haliburtonian named Joseph Paull who Kate describes as a Haliburton treasure. Plus, Paul has the story of the Louis Hebert and his wife Marie Rollet who are credited as the first true European settlers, as opposed to merchants and contract workers, in Canada. And that was before the Pilgrims arrived in the US. They were the first Europeans to clear...

This week, Kate has the story of Dysart's (Dysart et al is a municipality within Haliburton County) first Reeve - Captain John Lucas. John was a sea captain in the mid 1800's who eventually came to settle in Haliburton. He was an entrepreneur, was the first Reeve when the community was established, and he and his family became significant to the community. Plus, Paul has the story of Captain Nicho...

This week, has the story of Victoria Day and the long weekend when Canadians celebrate the UK's Queen Victoria's birthday. Spoiler alert - apparently Canada is the only country in the world that still celebrates her birthday. Plus, Canada has at least 3 unique breeds of horses that originated here, with histories that go as far back as the 1600's. New France's Canadian breed; the Lac La Croix Indi...

This week, Kate the story of Kinmount. Existing just outside of Haliburton County, Kinmount is still often seen as an honorary member of the County. Plus, it's the wrap-up....the third episode of 3 episodes about the evolution of Canada's interior from a territory created by the early fur trade; the development of the Metis people with a presence in both the European and Indigenous communities; to...

This week, Kate has some tales about farmyard animal pranks and hijinks in pioneer Haliburton County. Plus, today Paul is building on the westward expansion of Canada in the 1860's. Last episode dealt with the amalgamation of the Hudson's Bay (HBC) and North West fur trading companies. Essentially the HBC, a private company, now governed a huge territory in central Canada. But it didn't take into...

This week, Kate talks about early bridges - and those that built them. In a rural pioneer county crossed by lakes and rivers, bridges were an absolute necessity that we now take for granted. But back then it would have been pretty tough to get around without them. Plus, Paul has the origin, growth, and competition between the fur trading Hudson's Bay Company and the North West Company that devolve...

This week, the Spring season has almost sprung and Kate is using it as an opportunity to talk about early maple syrup production. Plus, in the late 1700's Captain Cook's exploration of Canada's west coast led to a boom in sea otter pelts. Sea otter pelts were the world's softest and most luxurious furs, and some people were willing to pay a small fortune to acquire them. Canada's North-West fur tr...

This week, Kate Butler is the Director of the Haliburton Highlands Museum. Paul Vorvis is the host of the Your Haliburton Morning Show 7 - 9 a.m. Fridays on Canoe FM 100.9 and streaming on your devices. Haliburton County is in cottage country about 2 1/2 hours north of Toronto. You can contact us at timewarp@canoefm.com

This week, Kate has the country of origin of many of Haliburton County's pioneers. Ironically, although there's many community names that are Welsh in origin there weren't necessarily that many Welsh settlers in the County. Regardless, there were settlers from England, Scotland, Ireland, and eventually Italy among other countries. Plus Paul has the story of the first synthetic fabric - nylon - cre...

This week, Kate was thinking about International Women's Day and that brought her to musing about it in terms of the contributions of pioneer women in Haliburton County. Plus, Paul has the story of the first oil well and commercial operation in North America. It's sort of a "coming up from the ground came a bubbling crude" story. It wasn't in western Canada or the prairies, it was a quiet corner o...

This week, Kate has the story of the life of a charming little church that was built in Haliburton in 1875 for the local Presbyterian congregations. Plus, Paul has the tale of early Soviet spying in Canada before and just after WW2.Today's episode introduces 2 men who never met but who's actions are often cited an opening moment in the outbreak of the Cold War. The first man is the spymaster Sam C...

This week, Kate has an anecdote about life in the winter lumbercamp - this one revolves around celebrating Lent. Plus, Paul has the story of J. Blair Seaborn, a Canadian diplomat who participated in secret missions to Vietnam in the 1960's to try and mediate between the U.S. and the North Vietnamese. Kate Butler is the Director of the Haliburton Highlands Museum. Paul Vorvis is the host of the You...

This week, it's an all-Valentine's episode. Kate has love in the pioneer Highlands while Paul has a a light look at how Canadians have tended to have a more laid-back attitude about Valentine's Day then maybe some other countries where it's seen as a time to make grander more extravagant demonstrations of affection. Maybe it's the influence of our British origins? Kate Butler is the Director of th...

This week, Kate is back with more love & romance stories from pioneer Haliburton County. Makes one wonder what she has up her sleeve for next week with Valentine's Day coming up. Plus, Paul has the story of the founding of the Hudson's Bay Company that recently folded after 355 years of existence - making it historically the world's longest living corporation. It goes back to two French fur tr...

Haliburton County recently hosted a fur trapping workshop and it got Kate thinking about historical fur trapping when it was more significant in the community. Plus, Paul went down a rabbit hole thinking about all the kitschy "world's biggest" road side attractions that were part of road trips when people starting driving the roads on family vacations. For example there's the world's biggest lobst...

This week, Kate has a prelude for Valentines Day coming up soon - it's love & romance in the Highlands. Plus, Paul has the story of the 1993 Battle of the Medak Pocket - Canada's largest military engagement since the Korean War. And it wasn't supposed to happen since it was a UN Peacekeeping Mission. The Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry was the unit assigned to monitor a ceasefire b...

This week, Kate has some stories of mourning practices during pioneer times where things were more formality and social practices surrounding the loss of a loved one than today. But there was still room to let your hair down and engage in....antics. Plus, Paul has the history of beer brewing in Canada from a domestic kitchen staple that everyone including kids drank because you couldn't trust wate...

This week, Kate has the story of a local doctor in pioneer Haliburton in the late 1800's. Plus Paul has the story of an American invasion of Canada in 1775, early in the Revolutionary War. It was a 2-prong attack, one led by Benedict Arnold, that had the goal to capture Quebec from the British. Part of the planning was the assumption that the French inhabitants would join them in a popular revolt...

This week, Kate talks about early Haliburton Highlands Christmases plus Paul has 'Christmas on the edge of the world'. Early Hudson Bay trading posts wereisolated, snowbound, frozen places with the clerks, traders, and labourers far from home and their normal family-oriented festive traditions. So how did they adjust? They adapted in ways that created new northern Christmas traditions that have la...

This week, Kate brings some more early childhood memories from early Haliburton County history. Plus, Paul has some stories of early Canadian Christmas traditions and their origins. They include "is Santa Claus Canadian?"; "the annual Christmas tree that Nova Scotia donates to Boston"; and "the world's first Santa Claus parade". Kate Butler is the Director of the Haliburton Highlands Museum. Paul...

This week, Kate'dips her toes' into some Christmas cheer and a tale of childhood sledding. Plus, Paul has the tale of Giavannie Caboto, an Italian navigator who came to be known as John Cabot. Cabot came to age at a time when Europe was speculating that there might be a route to Asia by sailing west into the Atlantic. He tried to convince Spain to take a chance on him, but lost out to Christopher...

Haliburton County has a well known reputation as an arts and culture centre. This week, Kate has the story of some of the early origins of theatre in Haliburton County going back to 1907. Plus, Paul has the history of the North American Air Defense Command (NORAD), a post-WW2 binational partnership between the US and Canda. It was designed during the Cold War as an early warning system in case of...