FLP Film Launch: Meet the Panelists

Friday night's launch of A Struggle to Remember: Fighting for our Families will be followed by a Q&A session and panel discussion which will commence at 8:10 p.m.

Meet the Panelists:

Aaron Floresco of Past Perfect Productions is a distinguished documentary filmmaker who has received awards here and in other countries. Based in Winnipeg, he has a national profile, and among other projects, did the tribute film for Jack Layton’s funeral.

Rosemary Warskett is a professor of Law at Carleton University. She is a progressive, and formerly worked for a union. Her fields of study include early feminist unions in B.C., including their pioneering work in paid maternity leave.

Jean-Claude Parrot was President of the Canadian Union of Postal Workers, and Vice President of the Canadian Labour Congress. He led his union on an epic 42 day strike which won paid maternity leave.

Arthur Carkner is a former union rep and an active member of the Workers History Museum. He was a strike leader and later a bargaining team member for the CR group in the Public Service Alliance of Canada during critical rounds of negotiations for family leaves.

Naomi Gadbois (Moderator) is a labour educator and an active member of the Canadian Auto Workers. She  is Vice President of the Workers History Museum.


Disclaimer: Pleased be advised that Friday's panel discussion will be filmed and posted online as part of the WHM's virtual programs. Audience members may be videotaped.


We look forward to seeing old and new faces this Friday, October 19 at the Galerie SAW Gallery (67 Nicholas Street). Doors open at 7:00 p.m.  

Admission is free so bring a friend!

Almonte Train Wreck 1942

On a snowy December night in 1942, the town of Almonte, Ontario's Christmas celebrations were cut short when a train transporting Canadian troops rear-ended an Ottawa-bound passenger train that was waiting at the station platform. The collision killed 36 people and injured more than 200. It is considered one of the worst train wrecks in Canadian history.

Tickets are now on sale for our upcoming event Trolley Cars & Steam Whistles in the Park featuring the Ottawa Storytellers who will present us with a live re-telling of this great tragedy.  

Join us on November 29 at 7:30 p.m.  at the Ron Kolbus Centre located in Ottawa's beautiful Britannia Park. 
To order tickets email: info@workershistorymuseum.ca


Watch this short video of eye witness accounts of the wreck created for the Canadian Cultural Video Library.

Yesterday and Today: The Almonte Train Wreck. Copyright:1987 for the MTREX 11 Collection:

 

Follow this event on Twitter @WorkersHistory #Almonte1942

Family Leave Documentary Launches October 19th

Canada has the best paid maternity leave and general family leave provisions in the world, due to the combined efforts of unionists, feminists and political progressives. Preserving their voices and honouring their achievements were big motivations in the Workers History Museum’s Family Leave Project.

We are pleased to announce that after three hard-working years the documentary, A Struggle to Remember: Fighting for our Families is finally ready to launch!

Join Us for the Launch and Panel Discussion:

Date: Friday October 19, 2012

Doors Open at: 7:00 p.m.

Location: SAW Gallery (67 Nicholas Street, Ottawa, ON)

Tickets: FREE!

The film runs for 20 minutes and will be screened in both English and French. The screening will be followed with a panel discussion featuring film director Aaron Floresco and producer Arthur Carkner; former CUPW president Jean Claude Parrot, and Carleton University law professor Rosemary Warskett.

This event is open to the public. There will be complimentary refreshments and a Cash Bar during this event.

Watch the official trailer NOW! 

Reviews from the Edmonton Pre-Screening:

The film had an early screening in Edmonton on June 13, 2012 at the Alberta Labour History Conference. It was shown in a historic theatre with several other labour-themed documentaries to an enthusiastic audience of 160 participants.

Dr. James Weir (History Department, University of Alberta) who attended the film night, reported that there were many positive comments for the film following the screening, and no negative ones. A number of attendees came up after to discuss future distribution with him and with Aaron Floresco (the video’s director) of PastPerfect Productions in Winnipeg.

Oneil Carlier, an audience member, said he enjoyed the video a lot and was particularly interested in the mix of current and historic union leaders and activists portrayed seamlessly in the same struggle.

Buy the DVD:

The film is available in both English and French.

Price: $20.00

To pre-order a copy of the DVD email info@workershistorymuseum.ca

Follow the progress of the documentary and screening dates on Twitter using hashtag #FamilyLeaveFilm

For more information on Aaron Floresco and Past Perfect Productions visit: http://pastperfectpro.com/ 

Tell us your memories of Britannia Park

Photo from the City of Ottawa Archives

 

Established in 1900 by the Ottawa Electric Railway as a "Trolley Park,” Britannia Park has been a fixture in the social and cultural life of Ottawa for over a hundred years. We are now collecting its history and need your help. 

Did you attend dances, concerts, church or company picnics at the park?  Did you learn to swim at the beach?  Which big bands did you see in the old " Annex"?   What events did you attend at "Lakeside Gardens"?  What stories do you have to share about riding those old trolley cars to the park?

We are looking to collect your stories, photos and artifacts of the park's past.  If you would like to share these memories with us we would love to hear from you.

Workers History Museum

Post Box 4461, Station E Ottawa, ON K1S 5B4 

info@workershistorymuseum.ca

Photo from the City of Ottawa Archives

 Racontez-nous vos souvenirs du parc Britannia

Créé en 1900 par la compagnie de chemin de fer électrique d’Ottawa comme «parc à trolley», le parc Britannia fait partie depuis plus d’une centaine d’années maintenant de la vie sociale et culturelle de la ville d’Ottawa. Nous préparons ces jours-ci son historique, et à cette fin nous avons besoin de votre aide.

Avez-vous assisté dans le parc à des bals, concerts, pique-niques de votre église ou  entreprise? Avez-vous appris à nager à la plage du parc? Quel orchestre avez-vous vu dans la vieille «Annexe»? À quels spectacles ou événements avez-vous assistés dans les «Jardins Lakeside»? Quelles histoires pouvez-vous partager avec nous sur vos voyages à bord des vieux trolleys pour vous rendre au parc?

Nous faisons appel à votre aide pour recueillir des histoires, photos ou objets sur le passé de ce parc. Si vous avez quelque chose à contribuer, alors faites-nous signe!

Musée de l'histoire ouvrière

Case postale 4461, Succ. E, Ottawa (ON) K1S 5B4 

info@workershistorymuseum.ca

WHM volunteers in the news...Lebreton Dig

On August 21, three of our volunteers attended the unveiling at City Hall of the finds discovered during an archeological dig which took place at Lebreton Flats over the summer as part of the environmental assessment of the City of Ottawa’s new Light Rail Transit System.

The most interesting item was an 18^th century cavalry sword that was found under what would have been a back porch. WHM volunteer and heritage advisor Ken Clavette did an interview for CBC Television (watch it now) and Metro News (read it now) regarding the dig.

Here are some photos from the event.

Photos by: Ken Clavette. Copyright 2012.