Canada is internationally recognized for its role as a peacekeeping nation. But Canadian soldiers have seen their share of battle and their heroism is not forgotten.
Around the world, the tragedy of war is often remembered through a beautiful and haunting poem, written to commemorate those who died in World War I. John McCrae wrote “In Flanders Fields” following his experiences in the trench warfare around Ypres, Belgium.
It was Canada that proposed a UN Peacekeeping Force in 1956. When he was a Brigadier-General, Jacques Dextraze, one of Canada's most distinguished peacekeeping commanders, led missions to rescue NGO personnel in the Congo.
Sergeant-Major John Osborn and Andrew Mynarski both died while valiantly trying to help others. Sergeant-Major Osborn protected his company by throwing himself on a live grenade. And Andrew Mynarski attempted to save his comrade after their Lancaster Bomber was hit by enemy fire. They were posthumously awarded the Victoria Cross for their heroic acts.
Mona Parsons from Wolfville, Nova Scotia, was the only Canadian female civilian to be imprisoned by the Germans during World War II. She and her Dutch husband were convicted for attempting to repatriate downed Allied airmen.
These Minutes pay homage to Canada's military history.
Centuries ago the Iroquois nations found a way to establish peace and unity among themselves. The Great Peace, dramatized in Peacemaker, can be traced back more than 1,500 years and has lasted to the present day.
The Inuit peoples of the Arctic have hunted and fished the vast Canadian arctic for thousands of years. During their summer hunts Inuit families sometimes built stone piles, often in the shape of humans with outstretched arms. They called these sculptures "inukshuks." On the wild arctic landscape they are often the only sign that humans have passed through, a symbol of the traditional Inuit way of life.
Louis Riel, Métis leader and founder of Manitoba, remains a controversial figure. Even after a century, Riel and his fate excite political debate, particularly in Québec and Manitoba.
These Minutes dramatize the trials and triumphs of Canada's aboriginal peoples.
Centuries ago the Iroquois nations found a way to establish peace and unity among themselves. The Great Peace, dramatized in Peacemaker, can be traced back more than 1,500 years and has lasted to the present day.
The Inuit peoples of the Arctic have hunted and fished the vast Canadian arctic for thousands of years. During their summer hunts Inuit families sometimes built stone piles, often in the shape of humans with outstretched arms. They called these sculptures "inukshuks." On the wild arctic landscape they are often the only sign that humans have passed through, a symbol of the traditional Inuit way of life.
Louis Riel, Métis leader and founder of Manitoba, remains a controversial figure. Even after a century, Riel and his fate excite political debate, particularly in Québec and Manitoba.
These Minutes dramatize the trials and triumphs of Canada's aboriginal peoples.
Centuries ago the Iroquois nations found a way to establish peace and unity among themselves. The Great Peace, dramatized in Peacemaker, can be traced back more than 1,500 years and has lasted to the present day.
The Inuit peoples of the Arctic have hunted and fished the vast Canadian arctic for thousands of years. During their summer hunts Inuit families sometimes built stone piles, often in the shape of humans with outstretched arms. They called these sculptures "inukshuks." On the wild arctic landscape they are often the only sign that humans have passed through, a symbol of the traditional Inuit way of life.
Louis Riel, Métis leader and founder of Manitoba, remains a controversial figure. Even after a century, Riel and his fate excite political debate, particularly in Québec and Manitoba.
These Minutes dramatize the trials and triumphs of Canada's aboriginal peoples.
When Prime Minister Lester Pearson vowed to create a distinctive Canadian flag in 1964, some of his advisors warned him that it would be ‘political suicide' to tamper with the country's most important national symbol. But Pearson wanted a flag that “would not be mistaken for the emblem of any other country.”
Whether it's our national flag, our national anthem, our famous Bluenose schooner, or a mascot named Winnie, we understand ourselves through our symbols.
These Minutes look at some of the people and events that helped emblemize Canada.
Centuries ago the Iroquois nations found a way to establish peace and unity among themselves. The Great Peace, dramatized in Peacemaker, can be traced back more than 1,500 years and has lasted to the present day.
The Inuit peoples of the Arctic have hunted and fished the vast Canadian arctic for thousands of years. During their summer hunts Inuit families sometimes built stone piles, often in the shape of humans with outstretched arms. They called these sculptures "inukshuks." On the wild arctic landscape they are often the only sign that humans have passed through, a symbol of the traditional Inuit way of life.
Louis Riel, Métis leader and founder of Manitoba, remains a controversial figure. Even after a century, Riel and his fate excite political debate, particularly in Québec and Manitoba.
These Minutes dramatize the trials and triumphs of Canada's aboriginal peoples.
