A new old book for LAC

Version française

By Meaghan Scanlon

Library and Archives Canada (LAC) recently acquired a copy of the book Relation de ce qvi s’est passé en la mission des pères de la Compagnie de lésvs aux Hurons, pays de la Nouuelle France, és années 1648. & 1649. The acquisition was supported by the Library and Archives Canada Foundation.

Published in Paris in 1650, the book is part of a series of publications known as the Jesuit Relations. The Jesuit Relations are reports written by Jesuit missionaries who were stationed in New France. Published annually from 1632 to 1673, these reports served to update the missionaries’ superiors in France about the progress of the mission. Through their publication, the Relations became widely available and thus also helped build support among the French public for the Jesuit efforts in New France. While the content of the Jesuit Relations must be viewed in the colonial context of their production, the books are nonetheless significant documents of the history of New France. They are a valuable—albeit one-sided and heavily edited—source of information about the Indigenous peoples of the area known as New France and their early interactions with the European settler missionaries.

The item purchased by LAC is the first edition of the Jesuit Relation that details the events of the years 1648 and 1649. The credited author, Paul Ragueneau, was the superior of the Jesuit mission in the territory of the Huron-Wendat people. The report deals with major historical events. These include the conflict between the Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) and the Huron; the resulting destruction of the Jesuits’ mission in Huron territory (Wendake) by the Haudenosaunee; and the deaths of Jesuits Jean de Brébeuf and Gabriel Lalemant, both of whom were later canonized by the Catholic Church.

LAC’s Rare Book Collection focuses on Canadiana published before 1867. (LAC defines published Canadiana as publications produced in Canada, about Canada, or created by people from or with ties to Canada.) Within the Rare Book Collection, LAC has an outstanding collection of about 65 Jesuit Relations. While LAC does not have a copy of the earliest report published in 1632, it does hold at least one copy of one edition for almost every subsequent year.

Today, the Jesuit Relations are considered “important” rare books, but they were likely viewed as more akin to mass market literature at the time of their publication. This historical perception is reflected in the way the copies in LAC’s collection are bound. Several of the books are in “limp vellum” bindings. A limp binding is opposed to a hardcover binding, in which the book’s cover materials are glued to some type of board to create a hard cover. With a limp binding, there are no boards. Think of limp bindings as the historical equivalent to paperback books, except that instead of paper, the covers of older books are usually made of animal skin. In the case of many of LAC’s Jesuit Relations, the specific skin used is known as vellum, hence the term limp vellum.

Just as modern paperbacks are now an economical option, limp bindings would have been less expensive for seventeenth-century book buyers than hardcover books. Another sign of the inexpensive nature of the bindings of the Jesuit Relations in LAC’s collection is that they are also mostly very plain, with no decorations other than the titles handwritten in ink on the spines. Additionally, the books tend to be very small, typically around 20 cm in height.

The new acquisition is so slight, in fact, that the delivery person who brought it to LAC said he was sure he was dropping off an empty box! It too is in a limp vellum binding. Interestingly, its vellum cover is made from an old piece of sheet music that looks as though it could date from the sixteenth or seventeenth century. Historically, it was common for bookbinders to use scrap materials like old manuscript pages in their work. Of course, recycling supplies is a way to save money, and a cover made from reused vellum is perhaps another indication that the book in question was considered “cheap,” for lack of a better word.

However, there are signs that this binding does not date from the time of the book’s publication. The endpapers are made of different, newer paper than the text block of the book. The margins of the book’s pages are also very thin, indicating that the pages were cropped at some point, likely when the book was rebound.

The specific details of what alterations may have been made to this book over its lifespan are a mystery for LAC’s book conservators to attempt to unfold. However, if, as it appears, the volume was rebound at some point in the almost 400 years since its publication, whoever did the work made the effort to use materials and techniques faithful to those that might have been employed during the era when the book was originally published.

Cover of LAC copy 2 of Relation de ce qvi s’est passé en la mission des pères de la Compagnie de lésvs aux Hurons, pays de la Nouuelle France, és années 1648. & 1649, published in Paris by Sébastien Cramoisy, 1650 (OCLC 1007175731).

Additional resources

• Jesuit Relations of Canada, 1632–1673: A Bibliography, by James C. McCoy (OCLC 596865)
• The Jesuit Relations at the National Library of Canada, from National Library of Canada, Bulletin, v. 33 no. 3 (May/June 2001)
• Guest Curator Meaghan Scanlon, by Meaghan Scanlon, Library and Archives Canada Blog

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Meaghan Scanlon is a Senior Special Collections Librarian in the Published Acquisitions Division at Library and Archives Canada.

Discovering my grandfather, Robert Roy Greenhorn, his life in The Orphan Homes of Scotland (Part 3)

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By Beth Greenhorn

This article contains historical language and content that some may consider offensive, such as language used to refer to racial, ethnic, and cultural groups. Please see our historical language advisory for more information.

I would like to thank Mary Munk (a retired colleague from Library and Archives Canada’s Genealogy and Family History); my aunt, Anna Greenhorn; my cousin, Pat Greenhorn; and Steven Schwinghamer (Pier 21) for their help with part 3 and part 4 of this series.

While writing the third article about my grandfather, Robert Roy Greenhorn, I had not located any documents pertaining to his emigration to Canada. I reached out to Quarriers Records Enquiry, but according to the British Home Children in Canada website, the reports kept by Quarrier’s Orphan Homes of Scotland about the children’s progress in their Canadian homes were destroyed, apparently as a result of a miscommunication when the Canadian operation closed in 1938. I had also hoped to track down records regarding his placements with the two host families he lived with after arriving at Fairknowe Distributing house in Brockville, Ontario in 1889, but I have had no such luck to date.

Thus far I have only been able to locate two records specifically related to my grandfather.

The first is this group portrait taken in March 1889 shortly after his arrival to Fairknowe Home. Robert and his brother John are both in this photograph. All the boys’ names are listed alphabetically by first name below the image. I have never seen a childhood photograph of my grandfather, making it impossible to identify him. According to my aunt, Anna Greenhorn (my Uncle John’s wife), my grandfather was tiny for his age. I know from his Passenger List that he was among the youngest boys in his party. I wonder if he was amongst the smallest boys standing in the front row?

“The Siberian Arrival Party,” March 26, 1889, Fairknowe Home, Brockville, Ontario. Photo: William Quarrier- Brockville Ont 7,200 immigrated – BRITISH HOME CHILDREN IN CANADA (weebly.com)

The second reference is a brief statement found on page 43 in Narrative of Facts, William Quarrier’s annual report for 1894. It mentions “…a boy of 9, brother to two taken before and now in Canada doing well. This one has been with a married sister, but he is getting beyond control and although so young has been pilfering, etc.” (Source: untitled (iriss.org.uk)) The nine year old boy is Norval, my grandfather’s youngest brother, and Jeanie, now married, is the sister. Norval left Scotland March 29, 1894. He arrived in Halifax, Nova Scotia on April 16, 1894, before going onto Fairknowe Home in Brockville, Ontario.

In Part 2 of this series, I left off with my grandfather and his brother, John, transferring from the City Orphan Home in Glasgow to the Orphan Homes of Scotland, located at Bridge of Weir, approximately 25 kilometres away. They moved after beds became available following that year’s emigration of boys to Canada. This was June 11, 1886. The Orphan Homes of Scotland would be home to Robert and John for almost three years.

By the time my grandfather and his brother arrived at the Orphan Homes of Scotland, it had grown from two cottage homes that could each accommodate 20 to 30 children, into a self-contained community with just under 600 children in residence (Source, p. 37). Known as “The Village,” the community was made of 16 cottage homes, laundry facilities, workshops and bake houses, a store and post office, a stable and cowshed, a poultry coop, a greenhouse, the Mount Zion Church, classrooms and a house for the superintendent. The central building housed the main hall, school rooms and teachers’ lodgings. There was also the “James Arthur,” a land-locked ship for training boys who would work in the navy.

On March 14, 1889, a special meeting was held at “The Village” to bid the boys bound for Canada a farewell.  Robert and John, along with 128 other boys, departed Scotland the following day. Members of the public from Glasgow and Paisley were invited to the reception. According to a story in the Glasgow Herald titled “Orphan Homes of Scotland: Departure of Children for Canada” (March 15, 1889, p. 8.), several hundreds of vehicles carrying well-wishers arrived at Bridge of Weir Station. I will never know if Robert and John’s older sister Jeanie, who had been working in Paisley in 1885, was among the guests. If she did attend, I hope she had an opportunity to see her younger brothers one last time and give them both a hug goodbye.

Every boy and girl who emigrated to Canada was given a wooden trunk, stamped with their first initial and surname. My cousin, Pat Greenhorn, inherited our grandfather’s trunk, the only memento remaining from his childhood. As mentioned in Part 1 of this series, each child was expected to work, generally as domestic servants for the girls and farm labourers for the boys. Therefore, the trunks were equipped with work clothes fit for the Canadian seasons, an outfit for church, toiletries, a sewing kit for mending socks and clothing and a Bible. Additionally, the children were given a copy of John Bunyan’s Pilgrim’s Progress, a religious allegory about a man named Christian. Ashamed and filled with sin, Christian leaves the City of Destruction for the Celestial City in search of redemption. Undoubtedly, this popular book was chosen for the religious and moralistic teachings to encourage the children as they embarked on their journey and a new life in Canada.

Robert Greenhorn’s trunk from Quarrier Orphan Homes of Scotland. Photograph courtesy of Pat Greenhorn.

Robert and John travelled on the S.S. Siberian, operated by the Allan Line. LAC does not have any digitized images of this ship. It does, however, have a postcard of the S.S. Sardinian, which brought Home Children to Canada beginning in 1875. It is similar to the vessel my grandfather travelled on. The S.S. Sardinian was also featured on the 2010 Canadian postage stamp commemorating Home Children (see Part 1).

The S.S. Sardinian, operated by the Allan Line, ca. 1875-1917 (a212769k).

LAC has the Passenger List for the Quarrier boys, along with the rest of the cabin passengers, departing from Glasgow and Liverpool to Canada on the S.S. Siberian in March 1889. My grandfather, entered as Rob Greenhorn, is among the boys aged nine.

As with the Quarrier’s emigration parties, my grandfather travelled to Canada in steerage, the cheapest fare on long-distance steamer voyages. Descriptions of these living and sleeping quarters sound miserable. Located in the space containing the machinery, the lowest part of a ship, passengers in steerage class were overcrowded and had little fresh air, causing an unbearable stench. (Steerage – Wikipedia). In his 1889 annual report, William Quarrier thanked the Allan Line “for the convenience and comfort of the party,” which was “as usual most liberal and satisfactory.” (1889, p. 24 untitled (iriss.org.uk)) My grandfather’s recollection of the voyage differed from that of Quarrier’s. During a conversation last summer with my Aunt Anna, she recounted Robert’s experience on the S.S. Siberian. According to my grandfather, he and the other boys were packed like sardines, with 14 in a cabin and thick air that stunk. (Source: conversation, Anna Greenhorn and Beth Greenhorn, August 22, 2023)

My grandfather arrived in Halifax, Nova Scotia on March 26, 1889, nine days following their departure. After deboarding the ship, the boys were processed by immigration officials in the cargo shed at Pier 2. This photograph from the Nova Scotia Archives shows what it looked like before fire destroyed it in 1895.

Pier 2 cargo shed, with the Intercolonial Railway Co.’s Elevator in the background, Halifax Harbour, before 1895. Photo: Harry and Rachel Morton Fonds, accession no. 2005-004/004, Longley Album Part 1, no. 40, Nova Scotia Archives.

Prior to 1892, the Immigration Branch was under the jurisdiction of the Department of Agriculture. The immigration facilities in Halifax were rudimentary. In January 1889, three months before my grandfather’s arrival, the Deputy Minister of Agriculture, John Lowe, inspected Pier 2 cargo shed. He concluded it was less than adequate. In a memorandum, dated April 23, 1889, he wrote:

At present the immigrants are landed in the freight shed at the I.C.R. [Inter Colonial Railway] deep water terminus. There is a small room at the corner of this intended for the shelter of women and children, but its accommodation is altogether insufficient for the numbers of immigrants arriving. Great inconvenience arises…in the freight shed and when large numbers come and have to wait for some hours…the hardships inflicted on the immigrants are very severe, serious sickness having in some cases been caused to delicate children. Proper shed accommodation for the use of immigrants arriving at Halifax is, for the reasons stated, are both absolutely necessary and urgent. Another winter should not be allowed to pass without the erection of such accommodation. (RG17, vol. 610, file 69092)

Following the immigration inspection, my grandfather and his party boarded an Intercolonial Railway train bound for Fairknowe Home in Brockville, Ontario. The distance between Halifax and Brockville is 1,730 kilometres (1,074 miles). This would have been another exhausting trip, taking at least several days or more.

In the fourth and last article of this series, Robert Roy Greenhorn’s story will take us to Canada; more specifically, to Fairknowe Home in Brockville, Ontario and later to Philipsville, Ontario, where he would live for the remainder of his life.

Additional Resources

• The Golden Bridge: Home (iriss.org.uk)

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Beth Greenhorn is an Online Content Manager in the Outreach and Engagement Branch at Library and Archives Canada.

Fifty Years after the Mackenzie Valley Pipeline Inquiry: Listening to Voices (Part 2)

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By Elizabeth Kawenaa Montour

This article contains historical language and content that some may consider offensive, such as language used to refer to racial, ethnic, and cultural groups. Please see our historical language advisory for more information.

The Mackenzie Valley Pipeline Inquiry (MVPI), also known as the Berger Inquiry, was enacted fifty years ago in 1974 by the Canadian government. The purpose of the Inquiry was to investigate the potential impacts of the pipeline and report findings, which would be followed by appropriate actions. The final report (Volume One and Volume Two) was published in 1977. Library and Archives Canada (LAC) holds the original collection of Inquiry records, which are managed by the Government Archives Division.

This is part two of a three-part series on the MVPI. This blog will highlight two individuals who were central to the thoroughness of the Inquiry process as well as provide additional search methods for Inquiry records.

Part one presented a glimpse of the people and land of the Yukon and Northwest Territories (NWT) who would be affected by the proposed Mackenzie Valley Pipeline, along with a narrative of events that led up to the enactment of the Inquiry by the Canadian government. The final blog, part three, will focus on more specific searches for the records.

Commissioner Thomas R. Berger and interpreter and Inuk broadcaster Abraham Okpik

The Inquiry to study the potential environmental and socio-economic impacts of the proposed gas pipeline project was headed by Justice Thomas R. Berger. A former Justice of the B.C. Supreme Court, he possessed legal experience in First Nations issues. He had recently represented the Nisga’a and argued the Aboriginal title case Calder et al. v. Attorney-General of British Columbia, [1973] S.C.R. 313. This led to the 1973 Calder decision by the Supreme Court of Canada, which recognized that Aboriginal title to land existed prior to colonization and that Nisga’a land title had never been extinguished.

Abraham “Abe” Okpik, who was born in the Mackenzie River Delta, was an interpreter for the Inquiry in 1974. He also served as a linguistic representative for CBC to report on the Inquiry hearings. Okpik’s language skills combined with his life experiences were crucial for the Inquiry to establish communication and understanding with people from different Arctic communities.

In 1965, Okpik was the first Inuk to sit on the Council of the Northwest Territories (NWT). His legal surname at the time was “W3-554” due to the Canadian government system of using disc numbers to identify people in the North. Okpik eventually chose his new surname and was selected to head Project Surname in 1970. Under this project, Okpik visited Inuit camps and communities in northern Quebec and the NWT to record the surnames people wanted to replace their identification numbers. In 1976, Okpik was awarded the Order of Canada in recognition of his contributions to the preservation of the Inuit way of life and his work on the Berger Inquiry.

Abe Okpik, 1962 (e011212361).

Conclusions of the Inquiry

Commissioner Berger summed up his thoughts in his November 1978 article on the MVPI with comments on industrialization, energy waste, the creation of wilderness parks and whale sanctuaries, and the need for humanity to reflect on its use of resources. He recognized the North as the last frontier and that the pristine and undeveloped areas were critical habitat for many creatures and their continued survival. He writes that in his MVPI report there are two sets of conflicting attitudes and values: “the increasing power of our technology, the consumption of natural resources and the impact of rapid change” versus “the growth of ecological awareness, and a growing concern for wilderness, wildlife resources and environmental legislation.”

The Inquiry concluded that a pipeline along the Mackenzie Valley to Alberta was feasible, but that it should only proceed after further study and after the settlement of Indigenous land claims. Based on this conclusion, a ten-year moratorium on construction was declared.

Voices speaking for land and life

The Inquiry was groundbreaking in its implementation of direct consultation that included hearings with the people of the communities that would be impacted by the project. They were aware that the pipeline would bring change and affect their relationship with the animals and the land. They spoke of their way of life and of knowledge that had been passed to them. Audio recordings of these oral testimonials are culturally invaluable. Their knowledge at that specific moment in time is preserved and available for future generations to hear.

Reindeer taking part in the Canadian Reindeer Project crossing the Mackenzie River, 1936 (a135777).

Fred Betsina, a 35-year-old Dene from Detah Village, NWT, explained at the Detah Community Hearing why he did not want a pipeline. He told how he knew from trapping and hunting caribou that they were not able to jump over a 48-inch pipe—that they can’t jump higher than 12 inches, so instead they need to go around whatever is blocking their path. He stated that he wanted to see the land settlement claims settled before he saw a pipeline. His last comment was, “… us Indians. We got no money in the bank, nothing … The only money we got in the bank is the cash out in the bush … We get our meat from there, and fish is the cash … that’s what you call a bank here…”  He spoke for the wildlife, for his people and for his family’s needs.

The gathering of people from distantly located communities also presented opportunities to forge new friendships and strengthen alliances. The Inquiry gave a space for informal discussion on economic and political subjects.

Discovering MVPI collection materials

The records of the MVPI were transferred to the public archives of Canada in February 1978. All MVPI records are open to the public for research purposes, though not all records are digitally available.

Mackenzie Valley Pipeline Inquiry (multiple media) R216-165-X-E, RG126. Date: 1970–1977 (MIKAN 383).

Additional sources and tips for records searches

The following is to provide more specific guidance on searching for MVPI records in Collection Search.

On the Record Information Page for the Mackenzie Valley Pipeline Inquiry (Reference: R216-165-X-E, RG126), there are three sections: Record information – Brief, Record information – Details, and Ordering and viewing options.

If you open the second section (Record information – Details), you will find a link titled, “View lower-level description(s).” Clicking on that link will open the three main series of records: Transcripts of proceedings and testimony, Exhibits presented to the Inquiry, and Operational and administrative records

Opening one of three series of records above will link to the Record Information Page for that series. To view the lower-level records within each series, open the “Record information – Details” section and click on the “View lower-level description(s)” link.

In Transcripts of proceedings and testimony (R216-3841-6-E, RG126), you will find two lower-level descriptions:

• Transcripts of community hearings (R216-169-7-E, RG126)
• Transcripts of formal hearings (R216-172-7-E, RG126)

In Exhibits presented to the Inquiry (R216-3840-4-E, RG126), you will find four lower-level descriptions:

• Vancouver hearings exhibits (R216-173-9-E, RG126)
• Community hearings exhibits (R216-168-5-E, RG126)
• Submissions of the merits of the Inquiry (R216-166-1-E, RG126)
• Formal hearings exhibits (R216-171-5-E, RG126)

In Operational and administrative records (R216-174-0-E, RG126), you will find six lower-level descriptions:

• Committee for Original People’s Entitlement (R216-174-0-E, RG126, Volume number: 72)
• Correspondence – General (R216-174-0-E, RG126, Volume number: 72)
• Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (R216-174-0-E, RG126, Volume number: 72)
• Canadian Arctic Gas Pipelines LTD (R216-174-0-E, RG126, Volume number: 72)
• Canadian Arctic Resources Committee – Northern Assessment Group (R216-174-0-E, RG126, Volume number: 72)
• Canadian Arctic Resources Committee (R216-174-0-E, RG126, Volume number: 72)

*Please note not all MVPI records are available online digitally. MVPI records that are not digitally accessible online will have to be requested and accessed onsite at LAC. A digitally accessible record will show the digitized image of the record at the top of its Record Information Page.

The final blog in this series will provide detailed strategies to navigate the records.

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Elizabeth Kawenaa Montour is an archivist in the Government Archives Division of the Government Record Branch at Library and Archives Canada.

Sweet Potato Pie: A Timeless Delight from 1909 to Today!

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By Dylan Roy

You probably don’t know me, but you might recognize my hands from previous blog posts in this series by Ariane Gauthier. If you haven’t read the articles yet, I highly recommend doing so. In these baking adventures, I served as the muscle and hand model, guided by Ariane, a far more passionate and skilled baker than I. However, for the sweet potato pie recipe featured in this article, I embarked (mostly) solo into the complex and fascinating realm of baking.

As a novice baker attempting my first-ever baking project, I was initially apprehensive about following a recipe that provided very little guidance. Despite my doubts, my pie turned out quite tasty! I invite you to follow my journey below and try making the recipe for yourself.

Before delving into the culinary endeavours ahead, let’s explore the chosen recipe’s source.

Published in 1909, Culinary Landmarks or Half-Hours with Sault Ste. Marie Housewives was a labour of love by members of the St. Luke’s Woman’s Auxiliary from the Sault Ste. Marie area, in Ontario. It’s the third edition of what was originally known as the Handy Cook Book. The first version was so well received that a second and lengthier third edition were published. The third edition includes the recipe I followed.

The first question an inexperienced baker like myself might ask is: where does one start? The answer lies in following the recipe from Culinary Landmarks or Half-Hours with Sault Ste. Marie Housewives, which can easily be found in Aurora, Library and Archives Canada’s (LAC) library catalogue.

A recipe for sweet potato pie from Culinary Landmarks or Half-Hours with Sault Ste. Marie Housewives (OCLC 53630417).

The ingredients for this recipe are rather simple. You need one pound of sweet potato, three-quarters of a pound of butter, three-quarters of a pound of sugar, six eggs, nutmeg, a bit of whisky, and some lemon zest (along with the components for the pie pastry, which we’ll discuss further below).

Upon reviewing this recipe, you’ll notice that there are no instructions on how to prepare the pie crust. As a rookie baker, this posed a significant challenge for me. Fortunately, I found salvation in a previous article in this series, which explains how to make pie dough.

Ingredients used by the author to make the sweet potato pie recipe from Culinary Landmarks or Half-Hours with Sault Ste. Marie Housewives. Image courtesy of Ariane Gauthier.

Once you’ve gathered all your ingredients, you can start the pie-making extravaganza! The first step involves boiling the sweet potatoes. While the original recipe advises boiling the potatoes with the skin on, I opted to peel them for my own reasons.

After boiling them, I started the arduous task of pressing the still-hot potatoes through a colander. Be prepared for a bit of exertion during this step, but rest assured—it’s a great opportunity for a workout!

Boiling and pressing sweet potatoes. Image courtesy of Ariane Gauthier.

Next, I beat six eggs in a bowl and set them aside. Then, I creamed together the butter and sugar. After that, I mixed in the sweet potatoes, continuing to blend. Finally, I added the eggs until the mixture was homogeneous.

Mixing butter, sugar, sweet potatoes and eggs. Image courtesy of Ariane Gauthier.

While mixing everything together, I must admit it didn’t look appetizing. However, I reminded myself to trust the process and have patience. This baking experience taught me the importance of believing in the recipe and persevering despite initial appearances. So, despite the unappealing look, I remained optimistic and continued on.

Once everything was mixed, I began incorporating the recipe’s flavours: nutmeg, whisky and lemon zest. This step is vital for enhancing the pie’s flavour profile. Initially, I added an ounce of whisky and a small amount of lemon zest and nutmeg. However, upon tasting, I found it lacking. Therefore, I continued to mix while gradually adding more lemon zest and nutmeg. After a few minutes, I achieved the perfect balance. Voilà! The mixture was ready to fill the pie pastry. As for the pastry itself, I baked it for about five minutes before adding the mixture, which may or may not have been a brilliant idea (I’ll leave that for you to discover by trying it yourself!).

Mixing in an ounce of whisky and adding the mixture to the pie crust. Image courtesy of Ariane Gauthier.

Baking the pie for about 30 minutes at 400°F (about 205°C) seemed to do the trick. I was a little worried about the filling puffing up, but I left the pie in the oven, even though it looked like a balloon ready to pop! I utilized some of the leftover dough to create designs on the pie and even had enough mixture left to make pudding. My cooking partner Ariane also made a pie. You can check out our final creations below.

Sweet potato pies and pudding. The author’s pie is on the right, while Ariane’s pie is on the left.
Image courtesy of Ariane Gauthier.

Despite it being my first attempt at baking, I’m pleased to report that my pie turned out to be delicious, a sentiment echoed by my colleagues who sampled it. While the first pie provided valuable lessons on what to do and what to avoid, leading to improvements in the second attempt, the process was not without its trials and errors. Nevertheless, I wholeheartedly encourage you to try your hand at baking this pie and to share your thoughts as you savour a slice of history! With that said, I’d like to conclude this blog with an excerpt from the book that inspired this recipe:

Detail from Culinary Landmarks or Half-Hours with Sault Ste. Marie Housewives (OCLC 53630417).

If you try this recipe, please share pictures of your results with us using the hashtag #CookingWithLAC and tagging our social media: Facebook, Instagram, X (Twitter), YouTube, Flickr and LinkedIn.

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Dylan Roy is a Reference Archivist in the Access and Services Branch at Library and Archives Canada.

Fifty Years after the Mackenzie Valley Pipeline Inquiry: Environmental Impacts in the Northwest (Part 1)

Version française

By Elizabeth Kawenaa Montour

This article contains historical language and content that some may consider offensive, such as language used to refer to racial, ethnic, and cultural groups. Please see our historical language advisory for more information.

The Mackenzie Valley Pipeline Inquiry (MVPI), also known as the Berger Inquiry, was enacted fifty years ago in 1974 by the Canadian Government. The purpose of the Inquiry was to investigate and report findings, which would be followed by appropriate actions. The final report (Volume One and Volume Two) was published in 1977. Library and Archives Canada (LAC) holds the original collection of the Inquiry records, and they are managed by Government Archives Division.

This is the first of a three-part series. Part one will revisit the events prior to the Inquiry and the areas the proposed project would impact. Part two will focus on people who were involved in the Inquiry, and part three will include specific details on how to search through the records of the MVPI.

Coating or taping machine used in laying pipeline during ditching operation for a 24″ pipeline construction job. Photograph presented as evidence to the Mackenzie Valley Pipeline Inquiry by G. L. Williams, 21-22 April 1975 (MIKAN 3238077).

The Mackenzie River is known as “Dehcho” (big river) by the Slavey (Dene), “Kuukpak” (great river) by the Inuvialuk and “Nagwichoonjik” (river flowing through a big country) by the Gwich’in (Dene). The colonial name of “Mackenzie” originated after the explorer Alexander Mackenzie visited the area in 1789.

The Mackenzie River winds through the Northwest Territories (NT), flowing northwest to the Mackenzie Delta. Just past the midway area of the river, immense limestone cliffs known as the Fee Yee (Ramparts) rise from the edge of the Mackenzie River. The river continues until it reaches the Mackenzie Bay at the Beaufort Sea in the Arctic Ocean. To the west of the river in NT and ending in the Yukon is the Mackenzie Mountain Range, a northern extension of the Rocky Mountains.

Fee Yee (The Ramparts), Mackenzie River. Original title: The Ramparts, Mackenzie River (e011368927).

Treaty 11

The Dene had already given the name “Le Gohlini” (where the oil is) to Norman Wells, predating the arrival of colonial visitors. Tar was applied for waterproofing canoes and was made from small amounts of oil obtained from seepages. The sharing of their knowledge of the oil seepages resulted in Imperial Oil’s drilling program in 1919 and 1920. In 1920, oil was struck in the area of “Tutil’a” (“the place where the rivers meet” in Sahtu Dene; “Fort Norman” in English), and the construction of a small oil refinery followed. These events led to the signing of Treaty 11 in 1921 and 1922 by the Crown and representatives of the Dehcho, Tłı̨chǫ, Sahtu and Gwich’in peoples. The area covers 950 000 km² of present-day Yukon, Northwest Territories and Nunavut. The Canadian Government’s interpretation of Treaty 11 secured title of these lands to the Crown, whereas the Dene saw the treaty as a peace and friendship agreement.

S.S. “Mackenzie River” at Norman Wells, S.S. “Distributor” being loaded with barrelled gasoline, M.T. “Radium King” at Norman Wells, Imperial Oil ltd. tanks at Norman Wells, Northwest Territories. Date: 1938 (e010864522).

In 1968, a massive oil strike at Prudhoe Bay in Alaska moved energy investors to create proposals to move the oil and natural gas to southern United States and Canadian markets. The same year, the Task Force on Northern Oil Development was created, which resulted in the development of the federal government’s official northern pipeline guidelines, published in 1970 and expanded in 1972.

A pipeline proposal by Arctic Gas would have construction originating at Prudhoe Bay, Alaska on the Beaufort Sea to cross through the Yukon, Northwest Territories and Alberta and to include transportation of additional gas resources along the way to the United States.

The proposed route for the Mackenzie Valley Gas Pipeline. Map part of: Northern frontier, northern homeland: the report of the Mackenzie Valley Pipeline Inquiry, volume one / Thomas R. Berger. 1977. Publication with map.
Library and Archives Canada/OCLC 1032858257, p. 6

As complex as the planning and construction of the infrastructure to support and build the pipeline was, the same complexity existed for the effects the pipeline would have on the environment, wildlife, and people of the land. The pipeline would also bring additional associated industrial development of an unknown scope. The result was that the Mackenzie Valley Pipeline was never built, although new projects would be proposed in its place.

Discovering the MVPI digitized collection materials

The records of the MVPI were transferred to the public archives of Canada in February 1978. All MVPI records are open to the public for research purposes, though not all records are digitally available. Additional keywords for searches may include “Berger Commission” or “Berger Inquiry”.

To become familiar with using Collection Search and to begin your MVPI records search, use the following links:

• Using Collection Search (canada.ca)

The MVPI collection includes the following digitized transcripts:

• Proceedings and testimony of
  • community hearings of 77 files of textual material dated 1975–1976.
    • Includes proceedings and testimony in 77 volumes (C1-C77)
  • formal hearings of 217 files of textual material dated 1975–1976.

• Exhibits presented to the Inquiry
  • Community hearing exhibits of 700 files of textual records dated from 1975–1976.
    • Each file is a submission with recorded exhibit number, date and author.

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Elizabeth Kawenaa Montour is an archivist in the Government Archives Division of the Government Records Branch at Library and Archives Canada.

Women in the War: the Royal Canadian Air Force at 100

Version française

By Rebecca Murray

Please note that many of the visuals for this article were taken from digitized microfiche; as such, the image quality varies, and individual item-level catalogue descriptions are not always available.

The Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) is celebrating 100 years in 2024. Library and Archives Canada (LAC) holds records from the RCAF’s earliest days through to the 21^st century. From its role in Canadian aviation to operations abroad, the RCAF has an important place in Canadian military history. Other posts on this site address infrastructure like airports (specifically RCAF Fort St. John) and notable moments such as the Avro Canada CF-105 Arrow. This post will focus on the photographic holdings of the RCAF at LAC, specifically the Second World War–era photographs of servicewomen.

HC 11684-A-2 “Great coat with hat and gloves,” 04/07/1941 (MIKAN 4532368).

Another colleague’s post outlines the history of the RCAF Women’s Division (RCAF-WD), so I won’t repeat it here, except to say that it was formed on July 2, 1941 (officially as the Canadian Women’s Auxiliary Air Force, changing its name by early 1942) and would eventually see more than 17,000 women serving within its ranks.

PBG-3143 “Women’s Division—Aero Engine Mech.,” 23/10/1942 (MIKAN 5271611).

The Department of National Defence fonds (RG24/R112) holds photographs of these women and documents their service during the Second World War era. Comprising over 500,000 photographs, this collection is a rich resource for anyone interested in the period as it includes photographs from both Canada and overseas. Over the past six years, I have been working closely with the photographs to find the servicewomen. Some of them are documented clearly and given centre stage in photographs. Others are found on the fringes, sometimes almost indistinguishable at first glance from their male counterparts in group photographs.

RE-1941-1 “Pay and Accounts Section (Crosswinds),” 25/09/1944 (MIKAN 4740938).

The occasion of the RCAF’s 100^th birthday is a fitting moment to share the results of the work with this particular sub-series of photographs while highlighting the role that servicewomen played in the RCAF’s ranks during this period. Composed of 53 sub-sub-series of photographs, usually distinguished by location, the images vary widely—from aerial views of Canada to official portraits to post-war photographs of life and operations at European bases like North Luffenham and Station Grostenquin. The bread and butter of this sub-series, though, for most interested parties, is the imagery that documents the day-to-day operations and lives of servicemen and women during the Second World War, whether at home or abroad.

NA-A162 “WD’s Xmas tree & Xmas dance,” 25/12/1943 (MIKAN 4532479).

At over 160,000 distinct images, this sub-series is a treasure trove for any researcher with an interest in the period! Approximately 1,900 of those images (1%) are of servicewomen, both RCAF-WDs and nursing sisters who served in the RCAF. Servicewomen are best represented within this sub-series in photos from Ottawa, Rockcliffe or Headquarters, with strong representation from those taken at regional bases such as those in Newfoundland, Prince Edward Island and British Columbia.

The photographic collection shows us the WDs (as they were known colloquially) at work and play. They are often shown in groups celebrating holidays or fun moments against the backdrop of a horrific war. Other images suggest levity (see images NA-A162 above and SS-230B below) but also show the serious work being done (see image PBG-3143 earlier in this post). Formal group photographs, such as the nursing sisters shown in G-1448 below, are very common. For many of the more remote or rural bases, especially in the earliest years of the war, nursing sisters are the only women present in the associated photographic records.

G-1448 “[Hospital staff, No. 1 Naval Air Gunnery School, R.N., Yarmouth, N.S.],” 05/01/1945 (a052262).

SS-230B “Sewing Circle (WD’s) Intelligence Officers,” 04/04/1943 (MIKAN 5285070).

Do you want to know more? Did your aunty or grandma serve in the RCAF-WD? Are you interested in knowing more about her service?

Check out LAC’s extensive resources and records related to the Second World War, including information on how to request military service files. Service files for Second World War—War Dead (1939–1947) are available via our online database.

Explore other photographic holdings at LAC, such as the PL prefix—Public Liaison Office sub-sub-series, a fabulous resource for RCAF photographs that sits, archive-wise, just outside of accession 1967-052 (the focus for this particular research project). Any researcher looking for a RCAF aunty or grandma (or grandpa!) in the archives should include these photographs in their search.

There’s more information about the RCAF’s Centennial on the official RCAF website.

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Rebecca Murray is a Literary Programs Advisor in the Programs Division at Library and Archives Canada.

Cheese and walnut loaf from 1924

Version française

By Ariane Gauthier

In 1924, the Department of Agriculture published the booklet Mangeons du fromage canadien : Recettes et menus. It highlights the health, nutritional and economic benefits of cheese, particularly Quebec cheese. Evidently knowledge of the nutritional value of this food has changed a lot since then. At the time, the booklet stated: [Translation] “There is no meal where cheese has no comfortable place, and he who goes to work fortified by this nutritious food will accomplish, with the same zest, the same amount of work as if he had eaten a hearty meat-based meal.”

I found this book in our online Collection Search tool rather than in our Aurora catalog. I was hoping to find something a little more personalized, like a family recipe slipped into an archived letter! Then I discovered a record from the Department of Agriculture on the export of Canadian cheese. Lo and behold, it was hiding the booklet Mangeons du fromage : Recettes et menus in English and French.

Cover page of the booklet Mangeons du fromage : Recettes et menus, [Cheese Recipes for Every Day] published in 1924 (OCLC 937533172). Image courtesy of the author, Ariane Gauthier.

(This booklet can also be found in Aurora, OCLC 937533172. This is the easiest way to access it.)

This little book was tucked away in a pile of interviews, economic reports and photo envelopes about Canadian cheese from 1920 to 1924. It immediately piqued my curiosity.

But that did not stop me from reading the whole file. I learned that at the time, the dairy industry was quite unstable in Canada. Exports to Great Britain remained steady (especially for cheese) thanks to a particularly generous premium, but cheese consumption was declining. The British—our biggest buyers—no longer favoured this food as much, and neither did Canadians.

The Department of Agriculture and the producers were concerned: would Canada lose its place on the international market? In this context, Mangeons du fromage : Recettes et menus was born.

I went through the booklet looking for a recipe. My only criterion was to find something new, so I set my sights on a recipe for cheese and walnut loaf.

Photo of the cheese and walnut loaf recipe (OCLC 937533172). Image courtesy of the author, Ariane Gauthier.

Cheese and walnut loaf recipe [translation]

One cup of cheese, one cup of coarsely chopped walnuts, one tablespoon of lemon juice, two tablespoons of hot sauce, three tablespoons of tomato sauce to moisten, one finely chopped onion, one cup of crumb, one tablespoon of olive oil, salt and pepper to taste.
Place in a well-greased baking pan; roast on low heat and leave in the oven until the top is a perfect golden brown.

I began by gathering the ingredients, making sure to choose a Canadian cheese. I chose a local cheddar made near Ottawa.

The ingredients for the recipe. Image courtesy of the author, Ariane Gauthier.

The recipe called for one cup of crumb. This seemed odd to me, and I looked at the English booklet to compare. To my surprise, Cheese Recipes for Every Day featured completely different recipes. Not a single recipe for cheese and walnut loaf! To avoid wasting a good loaf, I chose to use ready-made breadcrumbs.

The first thing I noticed was the lack of instructions. The ingredients are listed, then it simply says to put everything in a well-greased pan and [translation] “roast on low heat.”

The ingredients in a bowl. The recipe does not say to mix them, but we can guess that this is the next step. Image courtesy of the author, Ariane Gauthier.

In short, the recipe seems to rely on the reader’s common sense, so I stirred the ingredients together. The result was quite dry, probably because of the breadcrumbs. I added a little water, but that did not help much. I stuck with it nonetheless, not daring to change the recipe too much.

The ingredients are added and mixed. The result is more-or-less homogenous. Image courtesy of the author, Ariane Gauthier.

I then poured the mixture into a well-greased mould, which I had lined with parchment paper to make the unmoulding easier. Since no baking temperature was specified, I decided to put it in at 400^oF and keep an eye on the loaf. After about 15 minutes, it had a nice colour and smelled toasty; I removed it from the oven. Here is the result:

Cheese and walnut loaf from 1924, which barely stays together in one piece. Image courtesy of the author, Ariane Gauthier.

The loaf barely held together; it was obviously very dry. It did not survive the journey from my home to 395 Wellington Street, turning into a kind of crumble. Nevertheless, I think my colleagues appreciated the surprising taste, which I would compare to that of vegetarian spaghetti meatballs.

What do you think?

If I had to do it again, I would sacrifice a good loaf of bread to use its crumb; it would surely absorb the mixture better than the ready-made breadcrumbs. I would also use a local cheese with a higher moisture content.

If you try this recipe, please share pictures of your results with us using the hashtag #CookingWithLAC and tagging our social media: Facebook, Instagram, X (Twitter), YouTube, Flickr and LinkedIn.

Additional resources:

• In the same series, on Library and Archives Canada’s blog:
  • A pumpkin pie from 1840 by Ariane Gauthier
  • Cream puffs from 1898 by Ariane Gauthier
  • Dutch Apple Cake from 1943 by Ariane Gauthier
• Twelve Days of Vintage Cooking, YouTube channel, Library and Archives Canada
• Sifting through LAC’s Cookbook Collection, podcast episode, Library and Archives Canada

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Ariane Gauthier is a reference archivist with the Access and Services Branch at Library and Archives Canada.

The Final Charge of the Canadian Cavalry

By Ethan M. Coudenys

Shells were falling, machine guns were firing, and horses were whinnying as the final cavalry charge of the Great War on the Western Front took place at Moreuil Wood. The line had broken, and Field Marshal Douglas Haig called for the Canadian Cavalry Brigade—specifically the Lord Strathcona’s Horse—to charge through the gap in the line to advance further into German-controlled territory. This ill-fated charge would be the last wartime charge for the Canadians in military history.

Sir Alfred Munnings
The Charge of Flowerdew’s Squadron
CWM 19710261-0443
Beaverbrook Collection of War Art
Canadian War Museum

March 30, 1918, was the mid-point of the 100 Days Campaign—a campaign which saw incredible advances through German-controlled lines on the Western Front and the beginning of the final phase of the First World War. At Moreuil Wood, the infantry and artillery attacks had, in the opinion of the generals commanding the attack, broken the German defensive line, and for the first time since 1914, the Canadian Cavalry Brigade would remount and attack.

Between January 1915 and early 1918, cavalry soldiers—referred to as “troopers”—took on the role of infantry personnel. They worked in the same trenches as all the other soldiers and were required to defend and attack using the same tactics as the infantry. For all intents and purposes, they were infantry troops, however, they also had to pack their kits according to their actual designation: cavalry troopers. They were therefore always required to carry their tack, feed and water for their mounts, rations and water for themselves, ammunition, etc. Yet, they were not given the same packs as infantry troops. They were able to hold some of these supplies in their saddlebags, but they had to transport heavy equipment without a proper way of storing it.

Lord Strathcona’s Horse in 1916, moving behind the front line (a000119).

Despite the negligible use of cavalry on the Western Front after the first months of the Great War, the cavalry remained at the forefront of the minds of those planning Allied offensives. In Great Britain, the General Planning Staff was largely composed of cavalry officers, and Douglas Haig was one of them. Cavalry was therefore considered vital to winning the war against the German Empire. Rarely used in battle as actual cavalry troopers, this final charge proved, once and for all, that in modern warfare, the cavalry was of little strategic value.

On that fateful day, Lieutenant Gordon Muriel Flowerdew led the Lord Strathcona’s Horse Company C cavalry group on two charges against a myriad of German defensive positions. Three hundred German infantrymen defended their position. Using the feared MG-08 heavy machine gun and the newly invented light machine gun, they mowed down the advancing cavalry within minutes. Nevertheless, the only surviving trooper remembers Lieutenant Flowerdew shouting “It’s a charge, boys! It’s a charge!” Racing at a full gallop, the squadron met the German Army, but ultimately failed in its attempt to take the position.

This earned Flowerdew the Victoria Cross, the highest award for bravery in the British Commonwealth. However, Flowerdew’s story did not end happily since his squadron lost all but one trooper in the attack.

Today, at Moreuil Wood, a small memorial commemorates the sacrifice made by Company C of the Lord Strathcona’s Horse. The battlefield there is strewn with the remains of the attacking Canadian horses, their men, and the German soldiers who defended their line. This was the last charge of the Canadian Cavalry Brigade. After the Second World War, the Canadian Cavalry Brigade was largely reorganized into armoured, tank and motorized corps. All but a small number of troopers were assigned ceremonial roles in the Royal Canadian Army.

Unfortunately, no wartime photographers were able to capture the final charge of Company C, led by Lieutenant Flowerdew, but the famous British painter, Sir Alfred Munnings, captured the moment and immortalized it in an oil painting completed in the 1920s. The painting is now held at the Canadian War Museum.

Additional resources

• Lieutenant Gordon Muriel Flowerdew, VC, by Emily Monks-Leeson, Library and Archives Canada Blog

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Ethan M. Coudenys is a Genealogy Consultant at Library and Archives Canada.

Summer Student Experience at the Archives

By Valentina Donato

I have always had an interest in artefacts that share a story. Throughout my undergraduate studies at the University of Ottawa, I surrounded myself with history by working at different museums. As a student working at Library and Archives Canada (LAC), I have learned a remarkable amount about archives and preserving the documentary heritage of Canada. I first found the student archival assistant position through the Federal Student Work Experience Program and thought it would be an engaging summer job. The LAC student program has been full of opportunities to gain experience and learn more about LAC itself and other archives in Ottawa. One of my goals coming into this position was to decide if a career in archives was the right path for me, and I focused on networking and learning as much as possible about municipal and federal archives. Additionally, I had the opportunity to participate in many tours of LAC facilities, as well as other archives like the City of Ottawa Archives and the Canadian War Museum Archive. Not only have the tours been interesting and educational, but I also discovered a new side to historical field I had not known about.

Currently, I am working in the Reappraisal team within the Government Records Initiative Division. In this position, I’ve learned a great deal about how reappraisal plays a critical role in the delivery of LAC’s mandate by supporting discoverability of our holdings and by improving access to government records. One focus of the Reappraisal team is to process backlogged material to identify non-archival records, such as duplicate records, and remove them. In doing so, the team processes archival material and incorporates it into the appropriate place in our collection. Another aim of reappraisal work is to improve the quality of existing records by ensuring that they’re accurately described and documented so that researchers can find what they’re looking for. Both priorities improve how accessible LAC’s government archives are for Canadians and those with an interest in Canadian history. This has been extremely interesting to me because of my interest in making Canada’s history more discoverable and accessible to the public.

As a history student, I believe this is crucial to understanding our past, and I was happily surprised to learn how hands-on my job would be. In the first few months of my summer position, I focused on cataloguing, arranging, and writing descriptions of archival records. It was so rewarding to be able to organize and create finding aids because it allowed for me to aid in making the Government of Canada archives far more accessible to people. I have also had the opportunity to work on the Undiscovered Specialized Media Holdings pilot project with senior archivist Geneviève Morin and archivist Emily Soldera, where I have been looking through boxes of textual documents from the Department of Agriculture. This project has helped me put into practice the skills and knowledge I have acquired through my online assessment of records; I’ve seen first-hand the kinds of files I have been cataloguing.

The goal of the Undiscovered Specialized Media Project was to find whether specialized media (such as photographs, posters, or objects) have gone unseen in boxes that were marked as being exclusively textual. The targeted boxes of textual records did reveal many interesting, specialized media finds! To make these finds more discoverable to the public, we tracked our findings and met with the Collection Manager of Government Records, Elise Rowsome. She discussed with us how our new discoveries could be safely stored and preserved.

Fruit and Vegetable Division files, Mikan 134109: RG 17, Volume 4718, File 4718 2-Onions part 1 [Onion print] and RG 17, volume 4717, File 4717 2-carrot part 1 840.3C1 [Carrot packaging]. Note that these files will be temporarily unavailable as work continues ensuring their preservation and rehousing. Image courtesy of the author, Valentina Donato.

Pictured above are some of my favourite finds from the Fruit and Vegetable Division files (Mikan 134109). There were posters, food packaging prototypes, advertisements, labels and more, all tucked away in what was previously filed as textual records. Seeing these everyday packaging items transported me into the past and gave me a glimpse of Canadian society. Some of my favourite advertisements were from Alcan Aluminum c. 1959, which not only included finalized advertisements, but the mockups of ads as well, each depicting food and products that could be stored or cooked with aluminum (as pictured below). What caught my eye with these items (and what my photographs unfortunately cannot fully convey) were the colourful and reflective aluminum details added into the advertisements themselves. Our next steps are to determine how these artefacts will be rehoused, described, and tracked in our cataloguing system to make them available to researchers.

Fruits and Vegtable Divison, Mikan 134109, RG 17, Volume 4734 30-1 part 2 [Alcan Aluminum advertisements]. Note that these files will be temporarily unavailable as work continues ensuring their preservation and rehousing. Image courtesy of the author, Valentina Donato.

Another interesting find was from the Fredericton Potato Research Centre files (Mikan 206115). Not only was there a whole box of negatives and photographic prints, but I also found a slide carousel, a series of small colour photographs that are projected in a specific order, with an audiocassette presentation accompanying it. Through the course of this project, I have learned that different equipment is needed to consult certain types of specialized media. Take the slide carousel, for example: we will have to view the slides safely on a heat-free light table while playing the cassette with an appropriate device. This is done with the aid of preservation experts not only to ensure proper handling but also to learn about its context and benefit to LAC’s archives. In addition to these fascinating specialized media finds, the importance of the Reappraisal team re-examining LAC’s existing holdings comes to light; the work is never complete, as we are retroactively reviewing records previously acquired and enhancing the collection to make it easier for Canadians to navigate. I look forward to undertaking the next steps in this project and to learning how this work progresses.

Fredericton Potato Research Centre files, Mikan 206115, Box 50, Slide Show: Fredericton Research Station. Note that these files will be temporarily unavailable as work continues ensuring their preservation and rehousing. Image courtesy of the author, Valentina Donato.

Overall, the student experience at LAC has been extremely rewarding. I am excited to be able to stay on as a part-time student while I complete my studies; I will get to continue my work in reappraisal with arrangement and descriptive work, as well as see the next steps of the Undiscovered Specialized Media Holdings project. Moreover, being in my fourth year of my bachelor’s program, my experience at LAC has opened my eyes to all the potential career paths I want to explore within the heritage and archives field. I am excited to see where this experience takes me and to possibly learn more about underrated root vegetables.

Additional resources

• RG 17 Department of Agriculture fonds
• Fredericton Research and Development Centre Infographic | Directory of scientists and professionals (science.gc.ca)
• The story of agricultural science – agriculture.canada.ca
• Buttery discoveries at Library and Archives Canada by Rebecca Murray, Library and Archives Canada Blog
• Breaking ground: 150 years of federal infrastructure in British Columbia – Thompson–Okanagan Region: Summerland Experimental Farm by Caitlin Webster, Library and Archives Canada Blog

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Valentina Donato is an Archival Assistant in the Government Record Branch at Library and Archives Canada.

The Great Gabrielle and Young Annik

By Ariane Brun del Re and Stéphane Lang

Did you know that famous novelist Gabrielle Roy, known for Bonheur d’occasion (1945) (published in English as The Tin Flute, 1947), La petite poule d’eau (1950) (published in English as Where Nests the Water Hen, 1951), and Rue Deschambault (1955) (published in English as Street of Riches, 1957) also published children’s books?

Writer Gabrielle Roy in 1946 (e010957756).

In 1976, Gabrielle Roy released Ma vache Bossie, a picture book illustrated by Louise Pomminville. It tells the story of a young girl who receives a funny birthday gift: her father gives her a cow named Bossie so that she can drink milk that’s richer than the milkman’s. But the gift, which was very expensive and cumbersome, does not please her mother. In addition to bothering the neighbours, Bossie produces so much milk that the family no longer knows what to do with it!

In the biography Gabrielle Roy, une vie (1996) (published in English as Gabrielle Roy: A Life, 1999), François Ricard explains that Gabrielle Roy wrote Ma vache Bossie around 1954, at the same time as Rue Deschambault. The text first appeared under the title “Ma vache” in the magazine Terre et Foyer in the summer of 1963. Gabrielle Roy then reworked it around 1974 to include it in Fragiles Lumières de la terre (published in English as The Fragile Lights of Earth, 1982), a book that brings together texts that had already been published elsewhere, but that had become difficult to access. In the end, Ma vache Bossie was removed from the manuscript; the story appeared instead in the form of an illustrated book published by Éditions Leméac. It was also featured in Contes pour enfants (1998), which brought together four animal stories written by Gabrielle Roy. In the meantime, the picture book was translated into English by Alan Brown and was published under the title My Cow Bossie (1988), with the same illustrations as in the French edition.

Cover of the picture book Ma vache Bossie (1976) by Gabrielle Roy, illustrated by Louise Pomminville (OCLC 299347564).

For a long time, we thought that the first edition of Ma vache Bossie, written in the 1950s, had been lost. But then we received an email from Annik Charbonneau, a retired math teacher who was nine years old when Gabrielle Roy wrote Ma vache Bossie. At that time, Annik spent her summers in the Charlevoix area, where Gabrielle Roy also visited. The great writer and the young girl met at the Belle Plage hotel, where Gabrielle Roy and her husband sometimes dined. The owners were friends of Annik’s parents, Fernand Charbonneau and Francine Grignon-Charbonneau.

It was following these meetings that Gabrielle Roy offered the typescript of Ma vache Bossie to young Annik. In the accompanying handwritten letter dated December 10, 1954, the writer explains that she gave Annik this story [translation] “as promised,” “in place of the tales [she would have] liked to tell [her] last summer.” The letter concludes with some valuable guidance: [translation] “Above all, remain caring, with a heart ready to love if you allow me a word of advice; that is the best way to learn to live well and richly.” Sixty-eight years later, Annik Charbonneau contacted us to have these documents preserved at Library and Archives Canada, where the Gabrielle Roy fonds is located.

Handwritten letter from Gabrielle Roy to Annie (actually Annik) Charbonneau accompanying the typescript of Ma vache Bossie (e011414002).

After receiving Annik Charbonneau’s documents, we compared them with the two typescripts of Ma vache Bossie in the Gabrielle Roy fonds, acquired by Library and Archives Canada in 1982. The archivist in charge of the collection at the time determined that both documents were likely written around 1970. We discovered, however, that the first of the two typescripts was identical to Annik Charbonneau’s: it was a carbon copy of the one she had given us (or vice versa).

Two typescripts of Ma vache Bossie. The one on the left was a gift to Annik Charbonneau, while the writer kept the one on the right. The first is part of the Annik Charbonneau collection on Gabrielle Roy, and the second is part of the Gabrielle Roy fonds (e011414003 and e011414004).

Thanks to the accompanying letter from Gabrielle Roy, we were finally able to correctly date the typescript in our possession. Annik Charbonneau’s donation also revealed that Gabrielle Roy sometimes typed two copies of the same text, inserting a carbon sheet between two sheets of paper. What distinguishes the two typescripts are Gabrielle Roy’s handwritten annotations, which are more numerous in the copy she kept than in the one given to Annik Charbonneau, where she simply corrects typos or adds a missing word. The last page of Annik Charbonneau’s typescript bears Gabrielle Roy’s signature, showing her concern to authenticate it before giving it away. In this way, new acquisitions sometimes provide us with contextual elements to better understand the documents already in our collection.

Today, the two typescripts are finally reunited at Library and Archives Canada, but not in the same fonds. The one we recently acquired is part of the Annik Charbonneau collection on Gabrielle Roy. In addition to the typescript and the letter, this collection includes two books by Gabrielle Roy dedicated to Francine G. Charbonneau, as well as a handwritten note and clippings from newspapers and magazines such as Châtelaine and Madame, which were once collected in an album by Annik Charbonneau and her mother. The ensemble reflects the impression that Gabrielle Roy left on the people she encountered in Charlevoix, such as young Annik, to whom she wanted to tell stories.

Additional resources

• Gabrielle Roy: A Life, François Ricard (OCLC 39380923)
• Gabrielle Roy fonds, Library and Archives Canada (MIKAN 3672665)

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Ariane Brun del Re and Stéphane Lang are French-language literature archivists with Library and Archives Canada’s Private Archives and Published Heritage Branch