Canadian Institute for Historical Education

The CIHE is a non-partisan, not-for-profit research organization dedicated to promoting historical literacy and civic understanding in Canada.

[Canadian Institute for Historical Education @CdnInst4HistEd]

At the Canadian Institute for Historical Education, our mission is to foster thoughtful, informed discussion about Canada’s history — in all its colour, complexity, context, and humanity.

We welcome diverse opinions, but we also believe every discussion should be rooted in respect and evidence.

That’s why we’ve published our Community Guidelines, which outline what we expect from those engaging with us — and what you can expect from us in return.

✅ Respect others
✅ Base your comments on evidence and credible sources
🚫 No hate speech, harassment, misinformation, or personal attacks

We actively moderate to maintain a safe, constructive space for everyone. Please take a moment to read our full guidelines here:
👉 https://t.co/PFX5UN3DCv

Together, we make history — respectfully.

#CIHE #CommunityGuidelines #CanadianHistory

[Canadian Institute for Historical Education @CdnInst4HistEd]

Who actually passed the Indian Act?

Many Canadians immediately think of John A. Macdonald. But in this clip, historian Bill Waiser explains why the historical record points elsewhere.

The Indian Act of 1876 was passed under Liberal Prime Minister Alexander Mackenzie, whose government also negotiated several of the numbered treaties on the Prairies. Waiser explores the contradictions between treaty promises and federal policy during this formative period in Canadian history.

Bill Waiser is the author of Cheated: The Laurier Liberals and the Theft of First Nations Reserve Land.

🎥 Full presentation available here:
https://t.co/aOiUe6aKk7

#CanadianHistory #FirstNations #IndianAct #HistoryMatters #CIHE

[Canadian Institute for Historical Education @CdnInst4HistEd]

The event is tomorrow.

Join CIHE and historian John Boyko for an evening exploring the life and legacy of Sir Sandford Fleming — the engineer, thinker, and nation builder best known for standardizing time zones and helping shape Canada’s railway age.

Based on his new book, In Pursuit of Tomorrow, this talk examines how Fleming’s ideas influenced the development of modern Canada.

📍 Cameron Hall @ Yorkminster Park Church
📅 Tomorrow @ 7 p.m.
🎟 Free admission — donations welcome
💻 Attend in person or online

Last-minute registration is still open:
RSVP at https://t.co/UkvQQsOtI2

#CanadianHistory #TorontoEvents #HistoryTalks #CIHE #JohnBoyko

[Paul W Bennett @Educhatter]

Upcoming Presentation: Preparing to Present at CHA 26 UPEI on "Education Under Siege: The Erosion of the History Curriculum in Canada's Schools" on Tuesday June 2 at 1:30 pm (KMB 210) @CdnInst4HistEd @CHEA_ACHE @SMArts_SMU #cdnhist

[Canadian Institute for Historical Education @CdnInst4HistEd]

For millions of Canadians, history entered the living room for the first time.

On June 2, 1953, Queen Elizabeth II was crowned in a ceremony watched around the world. Across Canada, families gathered around television sets in homes, department stores, and public spaces to witness one of the first truly shared media moments in Canadian history.

Television ownership surged as Canadians rushed to experience the Coronation. The broadcast was so important that film of the ceremony was flown across the Atlantic to ensure Canadians could watch it the same day.

In the years after WWII, the Coronation was more than a royal ceremony—it became a moment that helped shape Canadian media, culture, and identity.

Question: What modern event comes closest to uniting Canadians around one screen?

#TodayInHistory #CanadianHistory #QueenElizabethII #HistoryMatters #OnThisDay

[Canadian Institute for Historical Education @CdnInst4HistEd]

Join us for the Toronto Book Launch of John Boyko's new book about Sir Sandford Fleming, In Pursuit of Tomorrow !

Event Details:
📍 Cameron Hall @ Yorkminster Park Church
📅 Wednesday @ 7 p.m.
🎟 Free admission — donations welcome
💻 Attend in person or online

Last-minute registration is still open:
RSVP at https://t.co/Qa2mjdE00K

#CanadianHistory #TorontoEvents #HistoryTalks #CIHE #JohnBoyko

[Canadian Institute for Historical Education @CdnInst4HistEd]

At the time, Britain still largely managed foreign policy for its dominions. But under Prime Minister Wilfrid Laurier, Canada took a step toward having its own diplomatic voice.

This was not full independence.

But it was the beginning of Canada acting more deliberately in international affairs — building the institutional capacity to represent itself abroad.

Sovereignty does not appear overnight.

It develops through institutions.

1909 marked one of those quiet but consequential steps.

[Canadian Institute for Historical Education @CdnInst4HistEd]

Why did Canada refuse to join the Iraq War when many allies said yes?

The answer wasn’t simple—it was shaped by law, strategy, and public opinion.

Canada prioritized multilateralism, arguing that the invasion lacked authorization from the United Nations. At the same time, doubts were already emerging about claims of weapons of mass destruction—claims that would later prove unfounded.

And with Canadian forces already deployed to Afghanistan, opening a second major conflict raised serious concerns.

Even at home, most Canadians opposed joining the war without UN backing.

In the end, Canada said no—but that didn’t mean it stayed completely out.

👉 Follow for Part 3 — Canada’s lesser-known role in the conflict.

#Canada #ForeignPolicy #IraqWar #HistoryExplained #CIHE

[Canadian Institute for Historical Education @CdnInst4HistEd]

Today in History — May 29, 1914

In the early hours of May 29, 1914, the RMS Empress of Ireland sank in the St. Lawrence River after colliding with the Norwegian coal ship Storstad.

In just 14 minutes, over 1,000 lives were lost, making it one of the deadliest maritime disasters in Canadian history.

It’s a tragedy few remember today, overshadowed by World War I, which would erupt just weeks later.

But for the families who boarded that ship, this was Canada’s Titanic moment - sudden, devastating, and largely forgotten.

[Canadian Institute for Historical Education @CdnInst4HistEd]

Did you know the Rideau Canal was originally built for defence—not leisure?

Constructed in the aftermath of the War of 1812, the canal linked Bytown (now Ottawa) to Kingston as a secure inland transportation route for British North America.

By avoiding the vulnerable St. Lawrence River, troops, weapons, and supplies could move safely between key military centres in the event of another conflict with the United States.

What is now one of Canada’s most iconic waterways began as a strategic military project.

Image: 1845 painting of the Rideau Canal and Lower Town by Thomas Burrowes.

[Canadian Institute for Historical Education @CdnInst4HistEd]

John A. Macdonald is often remembered in discussions about Indigenous policy—but some of the largest reserve land surrenders in Canadian history happened under Wilfrid Laurier.

In this clip, historian Bill Waiser discusses whether Laurier understood the full scope of what was happening during his government’s reserve surrender policies, and how powerful ministers and officials shaped events behind the scenes.

Waiser is the author of Cheated: The Laurier Liberals and the Theft of First Nations Reserve Land, a book examining how and why these land surrenders occurred.

🎥 Watch the full CIHE presentation:
https://t.co/aOiUe6aKk7

Follow CIHE for historically grounded discussions on Canada’s past.

#CanadianPolitics #IndigenousHistory #WilfridLaurier #CanadianHistory #CIHE

[Canadian Institute for Historical Education @CdnInst4HistEd]

Why does Canada still celebrate a Queen born in 1819?

On May 18, Canadians marked Victoria Day, a holiday rooted in the legacy of Queen Victoria, whose reign helped shape the very foundation of modern Canada. It was during her era that Confederation took hold, institutions were built, and a distinctly Canadian identity began to emerge — one still tied to the Crown, but evolving on its own terms.

From colony to country, Canada’s relationship with the monarchy has never stood still. Today, King Charles III remains Canada’s head of state, a reminder that history isn’t just something we study, it’s something we still live with.

So Victoria Day isn’t just about the past. It’s about understanding how Canada’s British roots continue to shape its present and future.

#VictoriaDay #CanadianHistory #HistoryMatters #Canada #Monarchy

[Canadian Institute for Historical Education @CdnInst4HistEd]

Canada took a major step toward democracy: women were granted the right to vote in federal elections.

But it wasn’t universal.

The Act to Confer the Electoral Franchise upon Women extended voting rights primarily to women of British and European descent—while many others, including Indigenous women, were still excluded for decades.

This wasn’t the end of the fight.
It was a turning point.

Women like Nellie McClung and the Famous Five had pushed the issue into the national spotlight—forcing Canada to confront who counted as a citizen.

The vote wasn’t simply granted.
It was demanded. Organized. Won—step by step.

[Canadian Institute for Historical Education @CdnInst4HistEd]

Canada said no to the Iraq War—but it wasn’t that simple.

In 2003, as the United States prepared to invade Iraq, Canada faced intense pressure to join its closest ally. Instead, Prime Minister Jean Chrétien refused—arguing that military action required approval from the United Nations Security Council.

When that approval didn’t come, Canada stepped back.

But behind that decision was a deeper debate about international law, alliances, and Canada’s role in the world.

History isn’t just about what countries do—it’s about why they choose to act.

👉 Follow for Part 2 — what drove this decision inside Canada.

#Canada #CanadianHistory #IraqWar #CIHE #HistoryMatters

[Canadian Institute for Historical Education @CdnInst4HistEd]

Just announced: historian and bestselling author John Boyko joins CIHE for a special evening on Sir Sandford Fleming.

Best known for helping standardize time zones, Fleming also played a major role in shaping Canada’s railway expansion and national development during the 19th century.

Drawing from his new book, In Pursuit of Tomorrow: The Inventive Life of Sandford Fleming, Boyko will explore the life, ideas, and legacy of one of Canada’s most influential — and often overlooked — nation builders.

📍 Cameron Hall @ Yorkminster Park Church
📅 Wednesday, June 3 @ 7 p.m.
🎟 Free admission — donations welcome
💻 Attend in person or online

RSVP at https://t.co/UkvQQsOtI2

#CanadianHistory #TorontoEvents #HistoryMatters #CIHE #CanadianHistoryEvents

[Canadian Institute for Historical Education @CdnInst4HistEd]

Louis Riel helped shape the future of Western Canada—but his legacy remains deeply contested.

As Métis communities faced growing pressure from Canadian expansion into Rupert’s Land and the Prairies, Riel emerged as a political leader demanding recognition for Métis land, language, and rights.

His leadership during the Red River Resistance helped lead to the creation of Manitoba in 1870. Fifteen years later, the Northwest Resistance ended in conflict, trial, and execution.
To some, Riel was a rebel who defied the Canadian state.

To others, he was a visionary who fought for the recognition of his people within Canada.

More than a century later, the debate over Louis Riel’s legacy still reflects larger questions about identity, nation-building, and reconciliation in Canadian history.

🎥 Watch the reel and join the discussion.
Follow CIHE for more Canadian history with context.

#LouisRiel #CanadianHistory #MetisHistory #Canada #CIHE

[Canadian Institute for Historical Education @CdnInst4HistEd]

The history of Prairie reserve land surrenders is not just a story of the past — it continues to shape Canada today.

Many First Nations that lost reserve land during the Laurier years later brought claims before the Specific Claims Tribunal, arguing that treaty agreements had been violated when reserve lands were reduced or transferred.

In this clip, historian Bill Waiser explains why these historical land disputes remain so significant and why understanding them matters in the broader conversation around reconciliation and Canadian history.

🎥 Watch the full discussion at https://t.co/UkvQQsOtI2.

#CanadianHistory #IndigenousHistory #Treaties #Reconciliation #CIHE

[Canadian Institute for Historical Education @CdnInst4HistEd]

ALBERTA SEPARATION? THE HISTORY RUNS DEEPER THAN PROVINCIAL BORDERS.

This week, an Alberta court blocked a proposed separation referendum, ruling that First Nations were not properly consulted. The judge’s reasoning pointed to something many Canadians may not realize: Alberta isn't just bound by Confederation. It is also bound by treaties that predate the province itself.

The ruling specifically highlighted Treaties 7 and 8, signed in 1877 and 1899, long before Alberta entered Confederation in 1905. These agreements were made not with the Province of Alberta, but with the Crown.

Treaty 7 covers much of southern Alberta and includes the Siksika, Kainai (Blood), Piikani, Tsuu T’ina and Stoney Nakoda nations. Treaty 8 stretches across northern Alberta and beyond, involving Cree, Dene, Beaver and Chipewyan peoples. Their terms included land-sharing arrangements, reserve lands, hunting and fishing rights, annuities, education promises, and a continuing relationship with the Crown. These are not historical footnotes. They are constitutionally protected agreements.

And the issue may extend further. Treaty 6 nations, covering much of central Alberta, have also argued that separation threatens treaty obligations and Section 35 constitutional protections.

History reminder: Confederation wasn't simply lines drawn on a map. Canada was built through overlapping agreements: provinces, constitutions, and treaties. Any debate about separation inevitably raises a larger question:

Can a province leave Canada if it also sits on treaty relationships that were never its own to undo?

History still matters.

#Canada #History #ContextMatters

[Canadian Institute for Historical Education @CdnInst4HistEd]

Since Confederation in 1867, every Canadian-born Governor General has come from just 6 provinces: Ontario, Quebec, Alberta, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, and New Brunswick.

That means:
• British Columbia
• Nova Scotia
• Prince Edward Island
• Newfoundland and Labrador

have never been the birthplace of a Governor General of Canada.

Quebec has produced the most, including Georges Vanier, Jules Léger, Julie Payette, and Mary Simon.

It’s another reminder that Canada’s vice-regal history reflects not only our political evolution, but also the changing geography and identity of the country itself.

Governors General of Canada Since 1867 (Birthplace)

1. Viscount Monck (1867–1868): Templemore, Ireland
2. Lord Lisgar (1869–1872): Bombay, India
3. Earl of Dufferin (1872–1878): Florence, Italy
4. Marquess of Lorne (1878–1883): London, UK
5. Marquess of Lansdowne (1883–1888): London, UK
6. Lord Stanley of Preston (1888–1893): London, UK
7. Earl of Aberdeen (1893–1898): Edinburgh, Scotland
8. Earl of Minto (1898–1904): London, UK
9. Earl Grey (1904–1911): London, UK
10. Duke of Connaught (1911–1916): London, UK
11. Duke of Devonshire (1916–1921): London, UK
12. Lord Byng of Vimy (1921–1926): Hertfordshire, UK
13. Viscount Willingdon (1926–1931): Ratton, UK
14. Earl of Bessborough (1931–1935): London, UK
15. Lord Tweedsmuir (1935–1940): Perthshire, Scotland
16. Earl of Athlone (1940–1946): London, UK
17. Viscount Alexander of Tunis (1946–1952): London, UK
18. Vincent Massey (1952–1959): Toronto, Ontario
19. Georges Vanier (1959–1967): Montreal, Quebec
20. Roland Michener (1967–1974): Lacombe, Alberta
21. Jules Léger (1974–1979): Saint-Anicet, Quebec
22. Edward Schreyer (1979–1984): Beausejour, Manitoba
23. Jeanne Sauvé (1984–1990): Prud'homme, Saskatchewan
24. Ray Hnatyshyn (1990–1995): Saskatoon, Saskatchewan
25. Roméo LeBlanc (1995–1999): Memramcook, New Brunswick
26. Adrienne Clarkson (1999–2005): Hong Kong
27. Michaëlle Jean (2005–2010): Port-au-Prince, Haiti
28. David Johnston (2010–2017): Sudbury, Ontario
29. Julie Payette (2017–2021): Montreal, Quebec
30. Mary Simon (2021–2026): Kangiqsualujjuaq, Quebec
31. Louise Arbour (2026 - ): Montreal, Quebec