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Craig Baird - Canadian History Ehx Profile picture
@CraigBaird
Jun 9, 2023 • 6 tweets • 3 min read • Read on X
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It is #PrideMonth and this is the story of Operation Soap.

On Feb. 5, 1981, Toronto Police raided four gay bathhouses in Toronto. Nearly 300 men were arrested in the largest mass arrest since the 1970 October Crisis.
The event is often called Canada's Stonewall.

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Tensions with Toronto Police and the gay community was especially bad at the time.
In 1979, the Toronto Police Association newsletter published an essay called "The Homosexual Fad" that portrayed gay men as militant deviants who recruited children into their lifestyle.

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In the raids, undercover police wore red dots on their clothing so police could "know who are the straights."
When the men were arrested, police used homophobic slurs & references to gassing homosexuals in Nazi death camps.

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Police compiled personal data on the men including who were married, their jobs, work superiors and the names and phone numbers of wives.
Of the 286 arrested, only 20 were charged. The bathhouses also suffered $50,000 in damages from police during the arrests.

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The next evening, 3000 people marched through Toronto to protest the arrests. As they approached Queens Park, they were met by 200 police officers. Violence broke out, leading to 11 arrests and several injuries on both sides.
Public outcry of the arrests continued.

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Despite the public outcry, the raiding of bath houses in Toronto did not stop.
Further raids would occur in 1981, 1983, 1996 and 2000.
Despite this, the Toronto Pride community continued to grow & be accepted. Today, Pride is one of Toronto's biggest annual celebrations.

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More from @CraigBaird

Craig Baird - Canadian History Ehx Profile picture
Dec 21
On June 23, 1611, Henry Hudson, his son and six others were put into a boat in Hudson Bay by mutineers and cast adrift. From that point, they disappeared from history.
So what happened to Henry Hudson?
Let's explore the mystery :)

🧵1/14 The image depicts a scene with three individuals on a wooden boat surrounded by icy waters and towering icebergs. The background features snow-covered mountains under a cloudy sky. One person is seated on the left, wearing a fur-lined garment and a red hat, appearing to be in contemplation or conversation with the others. Another individual, dressed in dark clothing, sits in the middle, holding the hand of a child who is seated on the floor of the boat. The child is dressed in warm, colorful clothing.
Henry Hudson was a celebrated explorer during the early-1600s.
In 1607 and 1608, he made two attempts to find the Northeast Passage. His explorations of North America laid the foundation for Dutch colonization of the present-day New York region.

🧵2/14 The image depicts a person dressed in historical attire, specifically from the Renaissance or Elizabethan era. The individual is wearing a dark, possibly black, doublet with buttons down the front and a large, white, ruffled collar, characteristic of the fashion during that period. The background is plain and neutral, which helps to focus attention on the attire.
In 1610, he began an expedition to find the Northwest Passage. He became the first European to see Hudson Strait and Hudson Bay.
Entering Hudson Bay, he believed he had found the passage to the Pacific. He soon realized this was wrong but by then winter had set in.

🧵3/14 The image is a black and white illustration of a person wearing historical attire from the Renaissance or Elizabethan era. The individual is dressed in a dark doublet with buttons down the front and a large, ruffled, white collar, typical of the period's fashion. The illustration style is reminiscent of old engravings or woodcuts, giving it a classic, historical feel.
Read 15 tweets
Craig Baird - Canadian History Ehx Profile picture
Dec 21
Elf is a beloved Christmas classic.
Like with many other Christmas movies, there are quite a few Canadian connections to it. From a haunted former mental hospital in BC to the famous Buddy burp...all Canadian!
So let's learn more about Elf and Canada!

🧵1/10 This image depicts a person dressed in a green elf costume, complete with a hat that has a yellow band and a red feather. The costume includes a jacket with white fur trim on the cuffs and collar, and a black belt with a gold buckle. The background features a light blue sky with white snowflakes, suggesting a winter or Christmas theme.
While the main cast is made up of Americans, and it was directed by an American, much of the supporting cast and the shooting locations are Canadian.
For the North Pole scenes, The Pacific Coliseum in Vancouver was used as the filming location due to the large size.

🧵2/10 The image is split into two sections: Top Section: This shows a film set designed to look like a snowy landscape with Christmas trees and a small igloo-like structure. There are several people on the set, some dressed in costumes resembling elves, and various pieces of film equipment, including cameras and lighting rigs, are visible. The scene is being set up for what appears to be a winter or Christmas-themed production. Bottom Section: This shows an empty arena or stadium with tiered seating surrounding a flat, open space. The arena appears to be in the process of being set up or broken ...
One of the major filming spots for the movie was the closed Riverview Hospital in Coquitlam, BC.
The former psychiatric facility was also used for filming Walter's Office at Greenway Press, the police station, the Hobbs apartment and the orphanage scene.

🧵3/10 The image is a collage of four different scenes: Top Image: A large, historic-looking building with red brick walls, white columns, and a symmetrical facade. The building is surrounded by trees and greenery, suggesting it might be part of a university or a significant public institution. Bottom Left Image: A person in a suit pointing towards the camera. The image has the "Canadian History Ehx" logo in the bottom left corner, indicating it might be related to a historical or educational context. Bottom Middle Image: A scene from a movie or show where several people are playing car...
Read 11 tweets
Craig Baird - Canadian History Ehx Profile picture
Dec 19
It is most famous postal code in Canada, and each year thousands of letters are sent to Santa Claus using that postal code. But what is the history of H0H 0H0?
Let's learn more!
*Canada Post has confirmed all letters sent this year by Dec. 23 will get to Santa in time*

🧵1/8 The photograph shows a child holding an envelope addressed to "Santa Claus, North Pole." The address on the envelope reads "123 Main St, Anytown, USA 12121" and is written in red crayon. The child's hands are clad in a red sweater, and there is a red crayon placed on the table next to the envelope. The envelope also has a stamp in the top right corner. The scene evokes a festive, holiday atmosphere, likely related to the tradition of writing letters to Santa.
Everything started back in 1973 when a few Canada Post employees in Vancouver began to answer the letters that were sent to Santa. These letters went to Canada Post's undeliverable mail office headquarters.
That year, 4000 letters were received.

🧵2/8 The image depicts a person dressed as Santa Claus, complete with a red suit, white beard, and glasses, reading a letter. The letter is addressed to "Santa Claus, North Pole, Canada, H0H 0H0." The setting includes a decorated Christmas tree in the background and other festive decorations, suggesting a holiday-themed environment. The scene captures the traditional image of Santa reading letters from children, a common representation during the Christmas season.
There was nowhere for the letters to go, so the employees decided to reply to the children themselves.
Typically the letters were simply addressed to “Santa Claus, North Pole”. This small volunteer effort soon began to spread among Canada Post employees.

🧵3/8 The image shows a red, shiny box labeled "Letters to Santa" with a slot for dropping in letters. On top of the box, there is a sign with the address "Santa Claus, North Pole, Ho Ho - OHO, Canada," indicating where the letters are intended to be sent. The box is placed on a speckled floor, and the background includes some shelves or cabinets, suggesting it might be in a public place like a school or shopping center where children can drop off their letters to Santa.
Read 9 tweets
Craig Baird - Canadian History Ehx Profile picture
Dec 18
On this day in 2012, police began arresting people involved in The Great Maple Syrup Heist.
And with the release of The Sticky, now is the perfect time to explore what actually happened in that famous heist (and the things The Sticky changed)
Let's learn more :)

🧵1/18 The image depicts a large warehouse filled with numerous barrels used for storing maple syrup. The barrels are neatly stacked in rows, both on the floor and on shelves. The warehouse has a high ceiling with exposed beams and is well-lit, indicating a spacious and organized storage facility. The barrels are white and appear to be uniform in size, suggesting they are specifically designed for the storage of maple syrup or other similar products. This setup is typical for large-scale storage and distribution of goods, ensuring efficient use of space and easy access for inventory management.
The story of The Great Maple Syrup Heist begins way back in 1966.
It was in that year that a group of maple syrup producers began to work together to market their maple syrup.
This led to the formation of the Federation of Quebec Maple Syrup Producers.

🧵2/18 The image features the logo for "Québec Maple Syrup Producers." The logo consists of an orange outline of a maple leaf on the left side, with the text "Québec Maple Syrup Producers" to the right of the leaf. The text is written in a bold, orange font, complementing the maple leaf design. This logo likely represents an organization or association dedicated to the production and promotion of maple syrup in Québec, Canada, known for its high-quality maple syrup production.
Now known as the Quebec Maple Syrup Producers (QMSP), the organization set quotas on the production and sale of Quebec's maple products.
In 2000, it established the Maple Syrup Strategic Reserve. By 2012, this reserve was worth $30 million.

🧵3/18 The image shows a large warehouse filled with stacks of metal barrels used for storing maple syrup. The barrels are organized in rows and stacked on top of each other, with some barrels being silver and others painted in colors like blue and red. The warehouse has a high, open ceiling with exposed beams and is well-lit with fluorescent lights. The floor is concrete, and the space appears to be designed for efficient storage and possibly distribution of goods, with ample room for movement and handling of the barrels.
Read 19 tweets
Craig Baird - Canadian History Ehx Profile picture
Dec 17
If you drive through Watson, Saskatchewan, you are going to see a very large Santa Claus greeting you.
The story of how that came to be goes back to one man who greeted children as Santa Claus at the train station during The Great Depression.
Let's learn more :)

🧵1/7 This image features a large statue of Santa Claus in Watson, a town known for its association with Santa Claus Day. Here are the key elements: Santa Claus Statue: The statue is prominently displayed in a park-like setting, with Santa Claus dressed in his traditional red and white outfit, holding a sack in one hand and waving with the other. Signage: There is a sign in front of the statue that reads "Watson Home of the Original Santa Claus Day" with additional information about the event. Surroundings: The area around the statue is grassy with trees in the background, suggestin...
Back in 1932, Jake Smith, the local hardware store owner, started to have Santa Claus greet children at his hardware store.
With how much the children enjoyed seeing Santa at his hardware store, Smith decided he wanted to expand things.

🧵2/7 This image depicts a large Santa Claus statue in Watson during winter. Here are the key elements: Santa Claus Statue: The statue is dressed in the traditional red and white Santa outfit, standing tall with one hand raised in a wave. Signage: In front of the statue, there is a sign that reads "Watson Home of the Original Santa Claus Day," indicating the town's association with this festive event. Surroundings: The ground is covered in snow, suggesting a winter setting. There are leafless trees in the background, consistent with the winter season. A covered picnic area is visibl...
When he approached local business owners, they were not interested.
So, Jack decided he would just do things himself if they weren't going to help.
In December 1932, he dressed up as Santa Claus and went to the CNR train station to greet children as they arrived.

🧵3/7 The image you provided appears to be a photograph of an older individual, but due to the resolution and size of the image, it's difficult to provide specific details about the person or the context of the photograph. The attire, including a tie and what seems to be a suit jacket, suggests a formal or professional setting.
Read 8 tweets
Craig Baird - Canadian History Ehx Profile picture
Dec 16
On Christmas Eve (sometimes New Year's Eve) in many French-Canadian homes, there is the celebration of Réveillon.
Dating back centuries, what began as a dinner for nobles was adopted by families in Canada to celebrate the season. Let's learn more :)

🧵1/9 That's a delicious-looking slice of tourtière, a traditional Canadian meat pie dish originating from the province of Quebec. It's typically made with minced pork or beef, onions, potatoes, and a blend of spices, all encased in a flaky pastry crust. Tourtière is often enjoyed during Christmas réveillon and New Year's Eve meals, but it's also a staple at many family gatherings throughout the year.
Réveillon was first documented in the 1600s in France. At the time, it was a night-long dinner party held by French nobles with lots of food and treat.
In New France and Quebec, it was adapted into a Christmas Eve/New Year's Eve celebration by families.

🧵2/9 This image depicts a luxurious, historical dining scene, likely from the 18th or early 19th century, given the style of clothing and decor. The setting is opulent, with a large chandelier illuminating the room, ornate candelabras on the tables, and richly dressed individuals, suggesting a gathering of high social standing or nobility. The men are in formal attire, possibly tailcoats or suits of the period, and the women in elaborate dresses with intricate designs, indicative of the fashion of that era. The scene captures a moment of dining, with tables laden with food and drink, surrounded...
It became an important time for family to get together and to enjoy each other's company as Christmas Day dawned. With all that family coming out, it meant there was a lot of food.
The dish most often associated with Réveillon is Tourtière.

🧵3/9 This image is a vibrant illustration titled "Le Temps des Fêtes en Nouvelle-France," which translates to "The Holiday Season in New France." It depicts a festive scene from the period of New France, which was the area colonized by France in North America during the 16th to 18th centuries, primarily what is now parts of Canada. The scene is set in what looks like a communal or family gathering, likely around Christmas or another significant holiday, given the festive atmosphere. People are dressed in period clothing typical of the 17th or 18th century, engaging in variou...
Read 10 tweets

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