Opening August 1, 2024, Emancipation Day
A History Exposed: The Enslavement of Black People in Canada
Little-known by Canadians is what happened before the Underground Railroad when, for over two centuries, the majority of Black people in Canada were slaves. Slavery played a significant role in the early settlement of Canada and its legacy can be seen and felt today.
Created with guest curator Dr. Afua Cooper and in partnership with the Black Cultural Centre for Nova Scotia.
Heterosexism in Canadian Immigration Policy, 1952-1978
In 1952, the Canadian government adopted a new immigration act that explicitly excluded “homosexuals.” This ban emerged in the context of security concerns and increasing criminalization of queer sexualities, but was both driven and challenged from within the immigration branch itself. The outright ban stayed on the books until the 1970s, when a new immigration act was brought in that reflected the rapidly-shifting social and cultural environment, including the struggle for gay liberation.
A Sympathetic Interest in the Plight of Refugees: World Refugee Year in Canada
World Refugee Year (1959-1960) raised global awareness of the desperate plight of refugees and the need to mobilize financial and material resources on their behalf by national governments, organizations, and ordinary citizens. Canadians raised $3.4 million in financial and in-kind contributions on behalf of this international initiative. Canada admitted 3,508 refugees specifically as a result of WRY endeavours.
Monthly Feature
New perspectives: 25 years after our grand opening
Countless Journeys Podcast
Listen in on these original interviews where guests share the obstacles—and the fun—they experienced on their way to building lives in Canada.
