Thursday, August 4, 2011

New version - Canadian Naturalization Database Online

Just received this press release -

(Ottawa, August 4, 2011) Library and Archives Canada (LAC) is pleased to announce the release of a new version of the online database Canadian Naturalization 1915–1951.

The nominal index has been extended with the addition of more than 91,000 names and now covers the years from 1915 to 1936, inclusively. Work is ongoing to extend the nominal index to 1951, and volunteers are welcome to help. Those interested should write to Cdn-Nat-Coord@jgs-montreal.org.

This database is one of the few Canadian genealogical resources specifically designed to benefit researchers having roots other than British. The reference numbers indicated in the database can be used to request copies of the original naturalization records, which are held by Citizenship and Immigration Canada.

The database is available at the following address:
www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/databases/naturalization-1915-1932/index-e.html

Library and Archives Canada would like to thank the Jewish Genealogical Society of Montreal [http://jgs-montreal.org/] and its volunteers, especially Mrs. Ruth Diamond, without whom this project would not have happened.

For more information, please contact webservices@bac-lac.gc.ca.

Resources for Discovering First Nations Heritage

Back in May, the British Columbia Genealogy Society http://www.bcgs.ca/Index.htm had a special speaker Laura Cooke, and she spoke about "Resources for Discovering First Nations Heritage".

In her talk she noted that "First Nations ancestors is not something covered in most genealogy books. Whether you are exploring your heritage, you need to prove your genealogy for First Nations status, or you are following up on an aboriginal ancestor in your family story, finding out about specialized resources can be a good first step".

I just checked the BCGS "What's New" http://www.bcgs.ca/news.htm website, and found that on July 19th, they put the handout of Laura's talk on the Internet at http://www.bcgs.ca/Documents/Metis%20Research.pdf

It is a 5-page handout with websites, books, and other information available to you if you have First Nations ancestors.

Stirling-Rawdon Genealogical Fair

Lewis Zandbergen, President of the Stirling-Rawdon Historical Society of Stirling, Ontario told me yesterday that the Genealogy Fair which is usually held towards the end of August has been cancelled this year.

Scheduling conflict of both the vendors, and speakers necessitated the cancellation. But Lewis tells me that we can check the local newspapers in Stirling-Rawdon next year for the 2012 Genealogy Fair.