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Craig Baird - Canadian History Ehx Profile picture
@CraigBaird
Mar 21 • 11 tweets • 5 min read • Read on X
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From 1928 to 1972, the Alberta Eugenics Board imposed sterilization on individuals deemed by an appointed board to be "mentally defective".
In that time, 2,832 sterilizations were conducted, the vast majority without consent.
This is the story.

🧵 1/10 Black-and-white photograph of four adults posed outdoors in front of leafy trees. Two people stand in the back row: a woman on the left wearing a light-coloured dress with a cloche-style hat and a corsage pinned to her chest, and a man on the right in a suit and tie with his hands clasped in front of him. In the foreground, two men sit on the ground. The man on the left sits with one knee raised and his arm resting casually on it, while the man on the right sits beside him wearing round eyeglasses and a suit. Both are smiling slightly. The setting appears to be a garden or park, with dens...
In the early-1900s, eugenics was growing in popularity. By the early-1920s, eugenics supporters began to lobby Alberta's ruling party, the United Farmers of Alberta, to implement eugenics legislation. On March 25, 1927, the UFA introduced a sexual sterilization bill.

🧵 2/10 Black-and-white illustration of a large tree labeled Eugenics, with the word displayed prominently across a banner at the top of the tree. The trunk and roots spread outward, with various fields labeled along the roots, including biology, psychology, genetics, anthropology, history, geology, and archaeology. Text on either side of the tree reads Eugenics is the self direction on the left and of human evolution on the right. Additional labels appear among the roots, such as statistics, genealogy, sociology, education, and religion. A caption at the bottom reads Like a tree eugenics draws i...
The bill was opposed by the Conservative and Liberal parties and did not reach second reading. It was reintroduced on Feb. 23, 1928 and passed one month later.
The Act formed the Alberta Eugenics Board, which was chaired by Dr. J.M. MacEachran.

🧵 3/10 Black-and-white close-up portrait of a man outdoors. He is shown from the shoulders up, wearing a suit jacket, collared shirt, and tie. His hair is short and neatly combed, and he has a slight smile. The background is softly blurred with foliage, suggesting a garden or park setting.
Between 1928 and 1972, the board had 21 board members and held 398 meetings. MacEachran was the chair until 1965. He was succeeded by Dr. R.K. Thompson who served until the board was disbanded in 1972. The board first met in January 1929.

🧵 4/10 Black-and-white newspaper clipping with the headline School Board Votes Favoring Sterilization Mentally Unfit printed in large bold text across the top. Below the headline is a subheading stating While Not Accepting U.F.A. Motion in Full, Principal is Favored—Committee Named to See Government. The body of the article consists of several paragraphs in smaller print, describing a decision by the Edmonton Public School Board to support the principle of sterilization under certain conditions and outlining the formation of a committee. The text is arranged in narrow newspaper columns, with sli...
The board looked at the medical, family and sexual history of individuals, along with criminal records, ethnicity, religion and IQ scores. On average, only 13 minutes were spent reviewing each case. At first, consent was required for any sterilization.

🧵 5/10 Black-and-white newspaper headline reading Amendment to Sterilization Bill Sought in large, bold capital letters. The text is centered and printed in a serif font, with slight grain and wear visible in the image, consistent with aged newsprint.
In 1937, the ruling Social Credit Party removed the need to get consent. By that year, 400 people had been sterilized. In 1942, another amendment was passed to include individuals who were diagnosed with syphilis, epilepsy, and Huntington's Chorea.

🧵 6/10 Black-and-white newspaper clipping with the heading Thirteenth Bill at the top. The text below explains that the 13th bill to be introduced in the legislature that session is a measure to amend the Sexual Sterilization Act, sponsored by Hon. Dr. W. W. Cross, identified as minister of health. It notes that the bill was given first reading on Friday and that the amendments were described as technical, with further explanation to be provided at second reading. The article is printed in narrow columns with small serif text typical of historical newspapers.
Between 1929 and 1972, 4,785 cases were presented to the Alberta Eugenics Board. Of those, 99% were approved. Of the approved cases, 2,832 saw the sterilization of adults and children. About 89% of the cases were without the person's consent.

🧵 7/10 Black-and-white table titled Sterilizations approved and performed in 5-year periods by the Alberta Eugenics Board. The table has three columns labeled Years, Cases passed, and Operations performed. It lists data by time period: 1929–1933: 288 cases passed, 206 operations performed 1934–1938: 995 cases passed, 438 operations performed 1939–1943: 638 cases passed, 273 operations performed 1944–1948: 548 cases passed, 211 operations performed 1949–1953: 426 cases passed, 246 operations performed 1954–1958: 577 cases passed, 367 operations performed 1959–1963: 559 cases passed, 454 operation...
In 1972, the recently elected Progressive Conservatives repealed the Sexual Sterilization Act after passing the Alberta Bill of Rights. From the 1990s to today, 850 people have filed lawsuit and received $142 million in damages.

🧵 8/10 Black-and-white newspaper clipping with the headline Alberta Plans to Repeal Sexual Sterilization Act at the top. The article begins with a dateline from Edmonton and reports that Alberta’s Sexual Sterilization Act is being repealed due to concerns that it violates basic human rights. It references comments by Dave King, identified as a provincial politician, speaking in the legislature about the bill to repeal the act, which had originally been passed in 1928. The text describes how the act allowed for the sterilization of individuals deemed mentally ill or otherwise unstable, and notes ...
British Columbia had sterilization legislation and did 200 to 400 sterilizations from 1933 to 1973. While Tommy Douglas wrote a thesis on eugenics, by the time he was Premier of Saskatchewan had abandoned the concept in favour of therapy and vocational training.

🧵 9/10 Black-and-white photograph of a man standing at a podium indoors, speaking into a vintage-style microphone on a stand. He is wearing a dark suit, white dress shirt, and tie, and has short, neatly combed hair and glasses. He holds a folder or papers in one hand and looks slightly to his left with a focused expression, mouth slightly open as if mid-speech. Tall curtains hang behind him, and the background appears to be a formal interior setting with soft lighting and indistinct figures or shapes further back.
I hope you found the story of the Alberta Eugenics Board interesting.

If you enjoy my Canadian history content, you can support my work with a donation at 👇


*sources in next post*

🧵 10/10buymeacoffee.com/craigu
*sources*

Canadian Encyclopedia: buff.ly/b6KJTXN
Human Rights History: buff.ly/lBI4DJU
CBC: Alberta apologizes for forced sterilization Image

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More from @CraigBaird

Craig Baird - Canadian History Ehx Profile picture
Mar 15
In pre-colonial Canada, the First Nations established many prominent settlements.
Two of the most famous were Hochelaga and Stadacona, located on the sites of Montreal and Quebec City.
These two villages were home to nearly 4,000 people.
This is their story.

🧵 1/9 Overhead view of a detailed scale model showing a circular fortified settlement surrounded by a wooden palisade wall. Inside the enclosure, numerous long, oval-shaped bark-covered longhouses are arranged across an open central area. Narrow pathways run between the buildings, and small figures are placed throughout the village. Outside the palisade, dense forest with green, yellow, and red foliage surrounds the site, suggesting an autumn landscape.
It is not known when Hochelaga first appeared.
Historians believe the village was established at some point between 1200 CE and 1500 CE. The village apparently sat at the base of Mount Royal, and was surrounded by farmland.

🧵2/9 Historical illustration showing a gathering of Indigenous people and European men near a wooden structure in a village setting. In the foreground, a woman wearing a long patterned garment bends toward a small child standing beside her. To the right, a man stands on a ladder leaning against a wooden wall while another woman stands nearby. In the middle distance, a European man in a blue coat holds a flag with white cross symbols while other men stand behind him carrying flags and staffs. Around them, numerous Indigenous men and women stand or walk through the scene, many wearing traditional ...
The size of the village varied by the time of year. When Jacques Cartier arrived in 1535 it had between 1000 and 3000 people.
Within the village there was at least 50 homes, according to Cartier.
Each home measured 15 metres in length and 3.5-4.5 metres in width.

🧵3/9 Colour historical illustration depicting a meeting between European explorers and an Indigenous community in a large village. In the foreground, a bearded European man in armor kneels and speaks with an Indigenous man seated on the ground while other Indigenous men sit nearby watching. Behind them stand European soldiers in helmets and armor holding flags and weapons. The background shows rows of longhouses enclosed by a tall wooden palisade, with many people gathered throughout the settlement. Forested hills rise in the distance under a pale sky.
Read 10 tweets
Craig Baird - Canadian History Ehx Profile picture
Mar 15
There is a unique dialect of the Irish language that evolved in Newfoundland and became forever linked with the island.
It is called Newfoundland Irish and many work to keep the language alive.
This is the story.

🧵 1/7 Coastal landscape showing several red wooden buildings scattered across grassy terrain near the water. A small red house with white trim stands in the foreground on the right, while additional red sheds and houses sit farther back along the shoreline. Wooden fences run through the grass, and a couple of small white boats rest upside down on the ground. In the distance, more houses line the opposite side of the inlet under a clear sky with warm evening light.
Irish immigrants arrived on the island to work in the late-1600s. Over the next 200 years, the Irish language was used heavily on the island, and became its own dialect. Church services were even done in Newfoundland Irish on the island.

🧵2/7 Black and white engraving showing a crowded dockside scene with dozens of men, women, and children gathered near a large steamship. People wear 19th-century clothing including shawls, long skirts, coats, and brimmed hats. In the foreground, a woman bends toward a small child beside a basket while another woman holds a baby. A young boy sits on the ground holding a bundle. Around them, families stand with bags, baskets, and crates of belongings. In the background, more people cluster along the dock with the ship’s masts, rigging, and smokestack rising above the crowd.
Irish poet Donnchadh Ruadh Mac Commara sailed around the island and used Newfoundland Irish in his Irish language poems. By the 1780s, the Irish were the dominant ethnic group of St. John's and by 1815, 19,000 Irish lived in Newfoundland.

🧵3/7 Illustrated coastal scene showing a small settlement beside a narrow inlet. In the foreground, a small house with a fenced yard stands near several wooden sheds and simple buildings along the shoreline. Wooden fences run across grassy slopes leading down to the water. A sailing ship sits in the inlet with its masts leaning slightly, while steep hills rise on both sides of the harbour. Scattered houses and structures appear along the hillside, and a small fort-like building stands on a distant point overlooking the water. The scene is rendered in muted tones with soft shading and fine line d...
Read 8 tweets
Craig Baird - Canadian History Ehx Profile picture
Mar 11
Father David Bauer loved the game of hockey.
A gifted player, he turned down playing pro hockey to become a priest.
But hockey never left him.
He mentored many players and created Canada's men's national hockey team program.
This is his story.

🧵 1/12 Father David Bauer stands facing the camera against a plain backdrop, smiling while holding a large hockey trophy mounted on a wide wooden base. He wears a dark clerical suit with a white Roman collar. The trophy has two ornate handles and a central cup, with small hockey player figurines positioned on the base near the front. Numerous engraved plaques are attached around the wooden base beneath the cup.
David Bauer was born on Nov. 2, 1924 in Waterloo, Ontario. The youngest 11 children, his family loved hockey. His brother Bobby went on to play in the NHL, winning two Stanley Cups on his way to the Hockey Hall of Fame. David hoped to one day play in the NHL.

🧵 2/12 A young Father David Bauer posed for a studio portrait, facing the camera with a neutral expression. He has short, neatly combed dark hair parted to one side. He wears a hockey sweater with a large block letter “M” on the chest and darker sleeves. The background is a softly blurred studio backdrop.
When he was 15, he attended a training camp for the Boston Bruins. They offered him a contract to play for their farm team but he turned it down as his father believed he was too young and needed a proper education. While attending school, he kept playing hockey.

🧵 3/12 Father David Bauer sits on a hockey bench during a game, leaning forward with his chin resting on his gloved hand. He wears a dark jacket and looks out toward the ice with a focused expression. Several players sit beside and behind him, and a hockey stick stands upright near the front of the bench. The background shows a crowded rink with spectators and players visible beyond the boards.
Read 13 tweets
Craig Baird - Canadian History Ehx Profile picture
Mar 7
On Aug. 17, 1923, the 71-branch Home Bank of Canada failed.
Faced with public outcry over constant bank failures, the government acted.
Since 1923, two Canadian banks have failed, while 17,000 have failed in the USA.
This is the story of Home Bank of Canada

🧵 1/12 A black-and-white photograph shows a group of men standing in front of a small wooden building with a sign reading “HOME BANK OF CANADA” above the entrance. The building has large front windows and a simple rectangular structure. Several men stand in a row near the doorway while one man sits on the ground in front. They wear early 20th-century clothing such as shirts with suspenders, jackets, and hats. Pieces of wood and debris lie scattered on the ground in the foreground, and open land with a few structures appears in the background.
For the first half century of Canada's existence, the only safeguard that customers had with their banks was the competency of management and the hope that assets covered deposits. It was not a good system and by 1923, 40% of Canadian banks had failed.

🧵 2/12 A long line of people stands along the sidewalk outside a bank building on a city street. The crowd, made up of men and women wearing coats, hats, and long dresses typical of the early 20th century, stretches past the corner of the building. Large windows and stone walls frame the entrance, where signage related to the bank is posted on the glass. Streetcar tracks run along the road in the foreground, and two utility poles stand near the curb. The photograph is in black and white and shows the line extending around the corner as people wait outside the bank.
Finance Minister W.S. Fielding, who assumed the post in 1896, saw nine bank failures by 1910. Many Canadians, and even industry leaders like H.C. McLeod, the GM of the Bank of Nova Scotia, wanted to have government inspections to prevent fraud in Canada's banks.

🧵 3/12 A black-and-white studio portrait of a middle-aged man with short light-colored hair and a full mustache with a small pointed beard. He faces slightly to the left while looking toward the camera. He wears a dark suit jacket, a white shirt, and a patterned tie. The background is softly blurred, creating a faded vignette around the edges typical of early studio photography.
Read 13 tweets
Craig Baird - Canadian History Ehx Profile picture
Mar 6
Every Canadian province and territory has a capital.
The names of those capitals come from many different sources.
Sometimes it is royalty, and sometimes it is an Indigenous name.
Here is how each capital received its name.

🧵 1/15 A simplified map of Canada showing the country divided into its provinces and territories, each shaded in different pastel colours. The large northern territory of Nunavut occupies much of the Arctic region with numerous islands extending into the surrounding ocean. The provinces stretch across the southern part of the country from British Columbia on the Pacific coast to the Atlantic provinces in the east. The surrounding oceans are coloured blue, while neighbouring land areas outside Canada are shown in gray.
Victoria, British Columbia:

The site the city sits on was called Camosack by the local Indigenous, meaning "rush of water". In 1843, Fort Albert was founded but it was soon after renamed to Fort Victoria in honour of Queen Victoria.

🧵 2/15 A waterfront view of the British Columbia Parliament Buildings in Victoria at dusk. The large historic building with a central dome and smaller domes is outlined with rows of decorative lights. In the foreground is the Inner Harbour, where sailboats and small boats are moored at docks with tall masts rising above them. Wooden kiosks and walkways line the water’s edge, and flags hang along the harbor promenade. A tall evergreen tree stands on the lawn in front of the parliament building, while warm lights reflect off the calm water.
Edmonton, Alberta:

The Cree called the area amiskwacîy (Beaver Hills). The current name comes from Edmonton, Middlesex, England, which was the hometown of the Lake family. The Lake family were influential in the Hudson's Bay Company.

🧵 3/15 Image
Read 15 tweets
Craig Baird - Canadian History Ehx Profile picture
Mar 1
When John Diefenbaker cancelled the Avro Arrow, he announced that Canada would purchase 56 Bomarc Missiles from the USA.
When the public learned the missiles were only effective if tipped with nuclear warheads.
it sparked the Bomarc Missile Crisis.
This is the story.

🧵 1/12 A white missile is mounted upright on a pedestal outdoors against a blue sky. The plane is displayed vertically with its nose pointed upward and its wings extended horizontally. Roundels with a red maple leaf inside a blue circle are visible on each wing. Low industrial-style buildings with flat roofs stand behind the aircraft.
During the Cold War in 1957, Canada and the United States created NORAD to handle continental air defence against the Soviet Union. As part of NORAD obligations, Prime Minister John Diefenbaker Canada was pressured to put Bomarc missiles on its soil.

🧵 2/12 Black-and-white photograph of John Diefenbaker seated at a desk in an office. He wears a dark suit, white shirt, and tie, with a folded pocket square visible. He holds an open book or document in both hands and looks toward the camera with a serious expression. Papers, notebooks, and writing instruments are arranged on the desk, along with glass inkwells and a pen holder. A telephone sits to one side. Behind him, a fireplace with a decorative mantel and a closed door are visible.
The plan was to have the missiles deployed near La Macaza, Quebec and North Bay, Ontario. Both sites would have storage and launch facilities, and quarters for US personnel. Diefenbaker's plan was to have the missiles replace the Avro Arrow program.

🧵 3/12 Black-and-white photograph showing a missile mounted vertically outdoors with their noses pointed upward. The missile displays Royal Canadian Air Force roundels with a maple leaf inside a circle on the wings, and the letters “RCAF” are visible along the fuselage. The planes are positioned on pedestals behind low, flat-roofed structures. A tall flagpole stands between the buildings, and the sky above is overcast.
Read 13 tweets

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