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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
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
Craig Baird - Canadian History Ehx Profile picture
May 17
When King George VI and Queen Elizabeth arrived in Canada on May 17, 1939, one of the biggest events in Canadian history began.
This is the story of the 1939 Royal Tour of Canada.

Listen to my episode about it here 👇


🧵1/15 pdst.fm/e/chtbl.com/tr…The black-and-white photo shows Queen Elizabeth and King George VI in an open car. Queen Elizabeth, wearing a light-colored dress and a wide-brimmed hat, waves with a smile. King George VI, in a suit, sits beside her, looking forward. A top hat and flowers are visible in the foreground.
Prior to 1939, various members of the Royal Family had visited Canada but no reigning monarch had ever done so.
The idea for a Royal Tour was started by Governor General Lord Tweedsmuir who saw it as something that could foster Canadian identity.

🧵2/15 The black-and-white photo depicts Lord Tweedsmuir in a formal suit with a tie and a pocket square. His hair is neatly combed back, and he stands against a plain, dark background, giving the portrait a classic, dignified appearance.
At the coronation of King George VI in 1937, Prime Minister William Lyon Mackenzie King consulted the monarch about a possible tour of Canada. He told the King it would bolster trans-Atlantic support for Britain in the event of war.

🧵3/15 The black-and-white photo captures King George VI's coronation, showing the royal family on a balcony. King George VI, in a crown and ornate robe, stands prominently. Queen Elizabeth, also crowned and adorned with pearls, is beside him. Others, including young princesses in tiaras and ceremonial attire, join them against a stone backdrop.
Read 16 tweets
Craig Baird - Canadian History Ehx Profile picture
May 14
Until 1969, homosexual acts in private or public in Canada were listed under the Criminal Code as "gross indecency".
A person caught in a same sex relationship faced jail time. That all changed (somewhat) with the Criminal Law Amendment Act of 1968/69.

🧵1/12 A black-and-white photograph shows a group of people marching on a wet street, holding banners and signs. Prominent banners read "TORONTO GAY ACTION" and "CANADA TRUE NORTH STRONG & GAY," while another sign says "WE DEMAND FREEDOM TO LOVE." Some participants hold umbrellas, and a large building is visible in the background, suggesting an urban setting during a rainy protest.
Since colonization began in Canada, laws prohibited sexual relations between two men. In 1892, a law made what was termed "gross indecency" between men illegal. That included touching, dancing and kissing.
The gross indecency law extended to women in 1953.

🧵2/12 A black-and-white newspaper clipping with the headline "Homosexuals haven't grown up" in bold, large font. The text below reads: "Another cause for worry is homosexuality, which is far more widespread than many older people ever dream. Homosexuals are simply fixated at a more immature stage in emotional development." The font and style suggest an older publication.
Up until 1869, two men engaging in sexual relations would be put to death. This was later commuted to imprisonment.
Things began to change in the 1965 after George Klippert was convicted on 18 charges of gross indecency and sentenced to four years in prison.

🧵3/12 A person in a light blue shirt holds a rotary phone receiver to their ear while sitting in a room. Behind them, an open closet reveals hanging clothes and shelves with items, including a pink bottle. A wall chart or map is partially visible on the right, and the setting has a vintage feel with wooden doorframes and a coiled phone cord.
Read 13 tweets

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