History from the podium
As Hitler attacked the Jews in the 1930s many of them sought refuge in other countries, including Canada. This country turned them away. That was deeply painful to A. A. Heaps, a CCF MP from Winnipeg, who rose to criticize the government’s inaction. Heaps was one of the few Jewish Members of Parliament. "Never have... Continue Reading →
In 1917, there was a divisive debate in Canada over military compulsory conscription. It was led by Conservative cabinet minister Arthur Meighen, who had drafted the legislation. That bill became the centrepiece of the bitterly contested "khaki election" which occurred in December 1917. The Conservatives won the election but divided the country. Brilliant, opinionated, and... Continue Reading →
Nellie McClung was prominent in advocating for women to get the vote in Manitoba. When she and others met with Premier Rodmond Roblin in 1914, he refused their request. The following evening that meeting was turned into a piece of guerrilla theatre. McClung played the premier’s role and mimicked his inflated rhetoric in a mock speech.
