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Craig Baird - Canadian History Ehx Profile picture
@CraigBaird
May 7, 2023 • 5 tweets • 3 min read • Read on X
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It is #AsianHeritageMonth and this is the story of Larry Kwong!

Kwong was born in Vernon, B.C. on June 17, 1923, two days before Canada enacted the Chinese Exclusion Act, which prohibited Chinese immigrants from entering Canada.
As a child, Kwong often faced racism.

🧵1/5 Image
At one point, he was denied service at a barbershop because of his ethnicity.
Kwong began playing hockey on the frozen ponds around Vernon & became one of the top players in the area.
He began to play for the Trail Smoke Eaters, who had recently won the World Championship

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While other players were given high-paying jobs at the local smelter, Kwong was denied this & worked as a bellhop at a hotel.
In 1946, Lester Patrick saw Kwong play and was impressed and he signed him to the New York Rangers farm team, where he became a star player.

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On March 13, 1948, Kwong became the first person of Chinese heritage to play in the NHL.
He played one minute in the NHL & was sent back down, never to be called up to the NHL again.
Despite his skill, other players were selected for call ups instead of him.

🧵4/5 Image
Kwong continued to play hockey & found a great deal of success. With the Valleyfield Braves of the QSHL from 1948-1955, he averaged a point-per-game & led the team to the Alexander Cup, the top senior hockey trophy in Canada.
Kwong died in Calgary on March 15, 2018.

🧵5/5 Image

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More from @CraigBaird

Craig Baird - Canadian History Ehx Profile picture
Jun 9
On July 12, 1855, some drunk clowns got into a massive brawl with a bunch of firefighters at a Toronto brothel.
By the next day, several firefighters were beaten and the circus was burned to the ground.
This is the story of Toronto's Firemen And Clown Brothel Riot.

🧵1/8 The image depicts a vintage scene inside a circus tent, featuring several individuals dressed in colorful, theatrical costumes. A central figure, a clown with a white face, red nose, and green-and-pink ruffled outfit, stands holding a small mirror. Surrounding the clown are other performers, including a man in a maroon outfit adjusting his appearance, another clown in a blue-and-red costume, and a person in a top hat and formal attire. In the foreground, a performer in a yellow-and-red outfit is working with a large black cloth or costume piece. The background shows additional circus perfor...
In 1855, Toronto was a bustling city in between its two terms as the capital of the Province of Canada.
On July 12 of that year, the Star Troupe Menagerie and Circus arrived in the city for a series of shows.

🧵 2/8 The image is a black-and-white aerial view of a densely packed town or city from an earlier era, likely the 19th century. The scene features numerous closely built houses and buildings with pitched roofs, many of which have chimneys. The architecture includes a mix of brick and wooden structures, with some buildings showing multiple stories. In the background, a church steeple rises above the rooftops, serving as a focal point. The streets are narrow and winding, and the overall atmosphere is hazy, suggesting industrial activity or fog. The image has a historical, vintage feel, typical of e...
After giving a sold-out performance that night, the clowns in the circus decided to celebrate. After drinking for awhile, the clowns made their way to a brothel located at King and Jarvis. This also happened to be a favourite place for local firefighters.

🧵 3/8 The image is a black-and-white aerial view of a densely packed town or city, likely from the 19th century. It features numerous closely built houses and buildings with pitched roofs and chimneys, constructed from brick and wood. A prominent church steeple rises in the background, standing out against the hazy skyline. The streets are narrow and winding, and the overall scene has a historical, vintage feel typical of early photography, with a mix of residential and possibly industrial structures.
Read 9 tweets
Craig Baird - Canadian History Ehx Profile picture
Jun 5
Coming Out was a groundbreaking documentary series that aired in Canada in 1972.
It was the first Canadian television program to target the LGBTQ community.
It became a landmark series that is mostly forgotten today.
This is its story.

🧵1/4 The black-and-white photo captures a group of people participating in a gay rights protest on a city street, likely during a pride event. The crowd holds various signs with messages like "REPEAL ALL ANTI-GAY LAWS," "GLAD TO BE GAY," "MANY OF YOU ARE GAY TOO!," and "CANADIAN GAY PRIDE WEEK," advocating for gay rights and visibility. Some signs feature symbols like the lambda, associated with gay liberation. The protesters are dressed in casual clothing, with some wearing tank tops and others in jackets, reflecting the era's fashion. The background show...
In 1972, only three years after homosexuality was decriminalized in Canada, Maclean-Hunter's cable community channel in Toronto launched Coming Out.
The series was targeted specifically to an LGBTQ audience, running for 13 episodes in total.

🧵2/4 The black-and-white photo depicts a group of people marching in a gay rights parade on a city street. The participants carry signs, including one that reads "GAY PRIDE" and another partially visible sign ending in "LINE." The group is diverse, with individuals dressed in 1970s-style clothing such as striped shirts, vests, and jackets, some with fringed details. One person wears sunglasses, and another has an afro hairstyle, reflecting the era's fashion. The background shows brick buildings and storefronts, with signs like "THE WALLACE" visible, indicating an ur...
Focused on the gay community of Toronto, it premiered on Sept. 11, 1972.
It was hosted by Paul Pearce and Sandra Dick of the Community Homophile Association of Toronto.
The show provided a positive portrayal of the LGBTQ community that was rare at the time.

🧵3/4 The black-and-white photo captures a group of people marching in a gay rights parade on a city street. A large banner held by two participants prominently reads "GAY PRIDE," leading the procession. Other signs in the crowd include messages like "GAY IS GREAT," "WOMEN LOVE WOMEN," and "PEACE," advocating for acceptance and equality. The marchers are dressed in 1970s-era clothing, such as bell-bottom pants, tank tops, and casual shirts, with some wearing striped patterns. The street is lined with trees and buildings in the background. The atmosphere is ...
Read 4 tweets
Craig Baird - Canadian History Ehx Profile picture
May 29
Canada has over 8,500 named rivers that have helped shape our landscape, culture and history.
Some rivers are short, some are very long, but where do they begin?
Every great river starts as a trickle of water.
These are the sources of some of our major rivers.

🧵1/15 Image
The Mackenzie River is the longest river in Canada at 4,241 kilometres long. Its drainage basin is 1.7 million square kilometres, second in North America to only the Mississippi.
That all begins at Great Slave Lake, the source of the Mackenzie River.

🧵2/15 This satellite image shows a section of Great Slave Lake in Canada, with a focus on environmental changes. The main image highlights the lake's icy surface, labeled "Lake ice," and surrounding land. A "Burn scar" is marked in the upper central area, indicating a region affected by a wildfire. The image also shows a river or channel flowing into the lake, with a green box labeled "Detail" zooming in on this area. The inset detail reveals a closer view of the water and land interface, likely showing changes in ice or water levels. The image includes a scale bar i...
The Yukon River is the second longest river in Canada, running for 3,185 kilometres.
It stretches from British Columbia, through Yukon, and into Alaska.
The source is generally believed to be the Llewellyn Glacier at Atlin Lake in BC (or maybe Lake Lindeman).

🧵3/15 The photo depicts a dramatic, remote landscape featuring a glacier flowing from snow-capped mountains into a valley. The mountains in the background are rugged, with steep slopes covered in snow and ice, showing deep crevasses and ridges. The glacier, a vast sheet of ice with a blue-gray hue, extends into the foreground, terminating in a silt-laden, milky river that winds through the valley. The surrounding terrain is barren, with dark, rocky hills and sparse vegetation, emphasizing the harsh, cold environment. The sky is overcast, casting a muted light over the scene, which enhances the st...
Read 15 tweets
Craig Baird - Canadian History Ehx Profile picture
May 28
For a time in the 1930s, five sisters were the biggest tourist attraction in Ontario, surpassing even Niagara Falls.
But behind the scenes, they were exploited by everyone around them, including the Ontario Government.
This is the story of the Dionne Quintuplets.

🧵1/16 The photo shows five young girls, the Dionne Quintuplets, dressed in matching sailor outfits. They are wearing white uniforms with dark trim and neckties, along with hats labeled "H.M.S. Tiger." The girls are posing together, with some saluting and others standing with arms crossed or hands on hips, against a plain backdrop. The image has a sepia tone, suggesting it is historical, likely from the 1930s when the Dionne Quintuplets were famous as the first known surviving set of quintuplets.
On May 28, 1934, five girls (Yvonne, Annette, Cecile, Emilie, Marie) were born to Oliva-Édouard and Elzire outside Corbeil, Ontario.
Born premature, they were the first known quintuplets to survive infancy.
They were delivered by local doctor Dr. Allan Roy Dafoe.

🧵2/16 This black-and-white photograph, taken in 1934, shows Elzire Dionne lying in bed next to her newborn quintuplets—the Dionne quintuplets. The five babies are tightly swaddled in white blankets and arranged in a neat row next to their mother, each sleeping peacefully. The image captures a historic moment, as the Dionne quintuplets—Annette, Émilie, Yvonne, Cécile, and Marie—were the first known quintuplets to survive infancy. They were born prematurely in Ontario, Canada, and quickly became a global sensation during the Great Depression. The photo reflects the era's medical and photographic ...
Their total weight at birth was 13 pounds six ounces (6.1 kg). The babies were kept in a wicker basket borrowed from neighbours, covered with heated blankets. They were each massaged with olive oil and given water sweetened with corn syrup.

🧵3/16 describe photo of dionne quintuplets The photo shows five young children, the Dionne Quintuplets, sitting closely together on a blanket. They are dressed in similar light-colored outfits, typical of the 1930s. The image is in black and white, and each child is labeled with their name: Cécile, Marie, Yvonne, Émilie, and Annette. They appear to be around one year old, with some holding or sitting near small beach balls. The background includes a crib, suggesting a nursery setting. The overall tone of the photo reflects the historical context of their early fame as the first known surviving s...
Read 17 tweets
Craig Baird - Canadian History Ehx Profile picture
May 25
Since 1947, the Canadian Rangers have provided a military presence in the Canadian North.
Experts in wilderness survival, they cover areas of Canada that are not practical for conventional Army units.
Considered to be "always on duty", this is their legendary story.

🧵1/10 The photo shows a group of individuals standing in a line, all wearing red hoodies and matching red caps. The hoodies feature a logo with the text "CANADA RANGERS" and an emblem including crossed rifles and a maple leaf. They are dressed in green pants and appear to be in a formal or organized setting, possibly a ceremony or group gathering. The background features a scenic landscape with a body of water, mountains, and a cloudy sky, suggesting a remote or northern location. The ground they are standing on appears to be a paved or gravel surface near the water's edge.
The origin of the Canadian Rangers dates back to the Second World War and the Pacific Coast Militia Rangers. The PCMR monitored the British Columbia coast for a Japanese attack. The militia was made up of self-sufficient loggers, trappers and fishermen.

🧵2/10 The photo is a black-and-white image of a group of soldiers posing together outdoors in a wooded area. They are dressed in military uniforms typical of the early 20th century, including wide-brimmed hats and coats, and many are holding rifles. The group is arranged in two rows, with some soldiers standing and others kneeling or sitting on the ground. The background consists of bare trees and dense foliage, suggesting a rural or forested setting, possibly during a military campaign or training exercise. The overall mood appears serious and formal, reflecting the era's military context.
After the war ended, the force was disbanded.
Two years later, with Cold War tensions increasing, the need to have a military presence in the Canadian North became apparent.
Rather than station regular troops in the Arctic, the Canadian Rangers were formed.

🧵3/10 The photo depicts a formal outdoor ceremony involving the Canadian Rangers. A group of individuals in red hoodies and caps, with "CANADIAN RANGERS" logos on their uniforms, are lined up on a grassy field, holding rifles in a salute position. Two people in the foreground, also in red hoodies and camouflage pants, are walking past the line; one is carrying a ceremonial sword and wearing a white belt, while the other has medals pinned to their hoodie. In the background, military personnel in dress uniforms, including one in a peaked cap with insignia, stand at attention. The setting ...
Read 11 tweets
Craig Baird - Canadian History Ehx Profile picture
May 17
Elijah Harper was a Member of the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba, little known outside of the province.
But when he refused to accept the Meech Lake Accord and voted against it while holding an eagle's feather, he became an icon of resistance.
This is his story.

🧵1/12 The black-and-white photo shows Elijah Harper seated at a desk, wearing a suit with a patterned tie and a large circular pendant. He holds an eagle feather in one hand, with an earpiece visible, and a microphone on the table in front of him, suggesting a formal or parliamentary setting.
Elijah Harper was born on March 3, 1949 at Red Sucker Lake, Manitoba.
As a young man, he studied at the University of Manitoba and then worked as a community development worker and program analyst for the Manitoba Department of Northern Affairs.

🧵2/12 The photo shows Elijah Harper in a suit, with his hair tied back, seated against a backdrop of vertical wooden panels. A microphone is partially visible on the left, suggesting a formal or speaking event.
In 1978, he was elected Chief for Red Sucker Lake Band, serving for four years.
In 1981, he was elected as an NDP MLA to the Manitoba Legislature. He was the first Treaty Indigenous to be elected.
In 1990, the Meech Lake Accord was being debated in Canada.

🧵3/12 The photo shows Elijah Harper wearing a traditional headdress with white feathers, yellow accents, and blue diamond patterns. He is dressed in a fringed leather jacket with a beaded necklace over a collared shirt, standing against a plain white background.
Read 13 tweets

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