Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities

Since many of the members of our hobby come from the “senior” sections of society, we probably have more than our share of mobility and other health issues. The Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005 is intended to ensure that all Ontarians, no matter what their level of ability, are able to receive goods and services in a manner that respects their dignity and independence. The Act has been in place for several years but not-for-profits organization like OGS and its branches, must be in compliance by 1 January 2012.

OGS will be providing training to all persons who are providing services to the public in the name of OGS. This includes not only the OGS Board of Directors and office staff but also Branch Executives and other volunteers who meet the public in our name. This training will be rolled out later this fall.  The training is still being refined but should include using the resources to be found in the OGS Member’s Only area and reading various documents that are available from the Government of Ontario. Others can find information at http://www.mcss.gov.on.ca/en/mcss/programs/accessibility/index.aspx. By completing this training OGS can ensure that people with disabilities have the same opportunity to access our goods and services.

In most cases, Ottawa Branch uses facilities such as Library and Archives Canada and the new City of Ottawa Archives, so we have been in compliance with the Act or similar federal regulations for some time. Volunteers at the old City Archives took some training there and the new volunteers will soon get the opportunity. Members and non-members will benefit from the access to genealogical resources.

Timeline Sept 28 to Oct 1

Sept 28
1066  William the Conquerer, the Duke of Normandy, invaded England.
1781  American forces, backed by a French fleet, began the siege of Yorktown Heights, VA, during the Revolutionary War.
1828  St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church in Bytown was formally opened by the Rev. John Machan of Kingston.
1960  The Skyway Bridge between Prescott and Ogdensburg, NY, was opened.
1972  At Moscow in the final minute of the last game of the Team Canada-USSR series, Paul Henderson of Toronto scored the winning goal.

Sept 29
1793  John Graves Simcoe reached Lac Au Claire and renamed it Lake Simcoe in memory of his father.
1827  The ceremony of laying the Rideau Canal two tonne cornerstone at Entrance Bay was presided over by Gov. General Lord Dalhousie.
1878  The Baptist Tabernacle (First Baptist Church), at Laurier and Elgin streets in Ottawa, held its opening service.
1935  Jerry Lee Lewis, Rock singer and musician, was born.

Sept 30
1760  Major Robert Rogers, a famous American frontier soldier, arrived at Fort Toronto. His mission was to capture French posts on the western frontier.
1846  Ether was used as an anesthetic for the first time, at the office of Boston dentist William Morton.
1871  British garrisons throughout Canada were called home to be replaced by Canadian militia.

Oct 1
1884  The first women were admitted to University College, University of Toronto.
1908  Henry Ford introduced the Model T auto to the market. Each car cost $825.
1961  The Canadian Television Network (CTV) was inaugurated.
1962  Johnny Carson debuted as regular host of NBC's "Tonight" show.

Library and Archives Canada digitizes past issues of the Canada Gazette

Library and Archives Canada (LAC) commemorates the 170th anniversary of the Canada
Gazette by making accessible the digitized back issues, from 1841 to 1997, on its website dedicated to this official publication.

Often referred to as “the official newspaper of the Government of Canada,” the Canada Gazette has been an important instrument in the Canadian democratic process for 170 years. It has informed Canadians of the operations of government and encouraged them to participate in the legislative process.

See the announcement at:  http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/whats-new/013-541-e.html

Timeline Sept 25 to 27

Sept 25
1826  John By Burrows became the first white child born at Bytown.
1888  The Ottawa Exhibition opened for the first time.
1892  Gregory Clark, newspaper man and humorist, was born in Toronto.
1932  Glen Gould, child prodigy pianist, was born in Toronto.
1956  The first trans-Atlantic telephone cable went into service

Sept 26
1777  British troops occupied Philadelphia during the American Revolution.
1969  The Centennial Centre of Science and Technology now known as the Ontario Science Centre, was opened in Toronto.

Sept 27
1779  John Adams was named to negotiate the Revolutionary War's peace terms with Britain.
1825  The first locomotive to haul a passenger train was operated by George Stephenson in England.

Timeline Sept 21 to 24

Sept 21
1822  Dr. Solomon Jones, builder in 1921 of "Old Homewood" near Maitland, and one of the first doctors to practice in Upper Canada, died.
1852  Mayor Henry J Friel's request to the Executive Council that Bytown be incorporated as a city and named Ottawa was accepted.
1902  Howie Morenz, named Canada's hockey played of the half-century in a 1950 Canadian Press poll, was born in Mitchell.

Sept 22
1930  The House of Commons passed the Unemployment Relief Bill.

Sept 23
1787  Sir John Johnson concluded a treaty with chiefs of the Mississauga Indians by which they ceded lands extending westward from the Bay of Quinte to the Etobicoke River.
1870  The cornerstone of a new Carleton County courthouse on Nicholas Street in Ottawa was laid by the grandmaster of the Canadian Masons.

Sept 24
1905  James Henry Fleming place a band on the leg of a robin in his garden at Toronto. This was the first wild bird in Canada to be marked with a numbered and recorded band.
1962  The Garden of the Provinces was opened at Ottawa by Prime Minister John Diefenbaker.

Timeline Sept 18 to 20

Sept 18
1679  LaSalle sent his ship Griffon, laden with furs from present-day Green Bay area of Wisconsin to Niagara. It was never seen again. The loss of the ship remained a mystery for 200 years until the wreckage of an old ship - believed to be the Griffon - was found off Manitoulin Island in Lake Huron.
1875  The Supreme Court of Canada was established in Ottawa.
1895  John George Diefenbaker prime minister of Canada from 1957-63, was born in Neustadt.

Sept 19
1891  A tunnel under the St. Clair River, between Windsor and Detroit was opened.
1956  The first Nuclear Power Demonstration Station in Canada, near Ontario Hydro's Des Joachims Generating Station on the Ottawa River, had its official sod turning.
1963  Plans were announced to develop Confederation Square in Ottawa.

Sept 20
1814  American forces burned Colonel Thomas Talbot's mills at Port Talbot.
1828  Hubert Taylor Read, the second Canadian born winner of the Victoria Cross, was born in Perth. He was serving as assistant surgeon with the 61st (South Gloucestershire) Regiment of Foot during the Sepoy Mutiny in India (1857).

BIFHSGO Family History Conference

This conference in taking place in Ottawa today Saturday and also Sunday.

See the following blogs for comments on the conference.

http://anglo-celtic-connections.blogspot.com/

http://kippeeb.blogspot.com/

Come on in and visit the Ottawa Branch OGS table in marketplace.