Today in Canadian History

On this day back in 1985, artist Jessie Oonark passed away in Churchill.

After a manhunt that lasted over one month, the man known only as "The Mad Trapper" is killed in Canada's North.

Acclaimed Canadian painter Alex Janvier was born on this date back in 1935. To learn more we spoke with the Manager of the Alex Janvier Art Gallery in Cold Lake, Alberta.

The original Bluenose spent it's last day sailing above water. The famous schooner went down off coast of Haiti in 1946.

Martha Louise Munger, the second woman ever elected to Canadian Parliament, was born. We spoke with Frances Backhouse, author of "Women of the Klondike".

The Battle of Ogdensburg occurred on this day back in 1813. To learn more about the legacy of the war of 1812, we spoke with Mark Zuehlke, Canadian Historian and author of "For Honor's Sake: The War of 1812 and the Brokering of an Uneasy Peace".

To learn more about the Second Boer War and the Battle of Paardeburg we spoke with Professor Emeritus at Mcgill University as well as author of "Canada's Little War: Fighting for the British Empire in Southern Africa 1899-1902" Dr. Carman Miller.

After a manhunt that lasted over one month, the man known only as "The Mad Trapper" is killed in Canada's North.

We attended a citizenship ceremony on February 15th, 2011 to speak with Citizenship Judge Joan May Way and some new Canadians.

To learn more about the expulsion of Acadians from Canada's maritime provinces, we spoke with the Senior Editor of Canada’s History Magazine, Nelle Oosterom.

Workers at a mine in Asbestos Que., walked off the job on this day back in 1949 triggering a violent four month strike. To learn more about the strike and its impact on the Quiet Revolution I spoke with Dr. Damien-Claude Bélanger of the Université d’Ottawa and author of "Prejudice and Pride: Canadian Intellectuals Confront the United States, 1891-1945".

Patrick James Whelan was executed on this day back in 1869 for the assassination of Thomas D'Arcy McGee.

The first ship carrying almost 400 war brides from England arrived in Halifax on this day back in 1946. To learn more, we spoke with Melynda Jarratt author of "War Brides : The Stories of the Women Who Left Everything Behind to Follow the Men They Loved".

Chipewyan leader Matonabbee set off with explorer Samuel Hearne to find the headwaters of the Coppermine River in 1770.

This rare event took Canadians by surprise back in 1913.

Posses of Canadian and American lumber workers clashed over the definition of the New Brunswick-Maine border at the outset of the Aroostook War. To learn more I spoke with Patrick Michaud of Fort Ingall.

Canada became the first nation in the world to officially commission war artists on this day back in 1918. To learn more we spoke with Dr. Laura Brandon, a historian of war and art at the Canadian War Museum in Ottawa.

The oil tanker Arrow went down off the coast of Nova Scotia.

On a 12-day tour of Latin America in 1976, Prime Minister Trudeau met with Cuban Prime Minister Fidel Castro. To learn more we spoke with, Nino Ricci, author of "Extraordinary Canadians: Pierre Elliot Trudeau."

The Wiarton Willie Festival was founded back in 1956. One of the nation's most popular groundhogs.

On this day back in 1920 the The North West Mounted Police merged with the Dominion Police to become the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. To learn more about the history of the NWMP we spoke with Dawn Lauder, the Site Manager of the Fort Museum in Fort McLeod, Alberta.

Ian Fleming once claimed Sir William Stephenson to be the inspiration for James Bond. Stephenson passed away on this day back in 1989. To learn more we spoke with Gary Solar, President of the Intrepid Society.

On January 28th Manitoba became the first province to grant women the right to vote. This was in so small part due to the efforts of suffragette Nellie McClung. To learn more, we spoke with Bette Meuller of the Nellie McClung Society.

Neurosurgeon Dr. Wilder Penfield was born on this day back in 1891. To learn more we spoke with Dr. William Feindel who worked with Dr. Penfield at the Montreal Neurological Institute back in the 1950s.

Did you know that Lucy Maud Montgomery wrote most of her books while living in the town of Leaskdale, Ontario? To learn more we spoke to Barbara Pratt of the Lucy Maud Montgomery Society of Ontario.