CHC 2PI-01/02CHC 2PI-01/02Portable 1Portable 1

Mr. J. AshleyMr. J. Ashley

My name is Mr. Ashley, My name is Mr. Ashley, I teach at Huron Heights I teach at Huron Heights

and I love Canadian History.and I love Canadian History.

History is not just History is not just something that exists in a something that exists in a textbook or in a lecture or textbook or in a lecture or in this class. It is literally in this class. It is literally

the story of us.the story of us.

Right now, you and I are Right now, you and I are living Canadian History. living Canadian History.

Canadian History has had Canadian History has had or will have an impact on or will have an impact on

your life.your life.

One day, believe it or not, One day, believe it or not, your life will be in the your life will be in the

history books.history books.

When preparing this When preparing this course, I was shocked to course, I was shocked to

see how much of my life is see how much of my life is already there and how already there and how many important things many important things

have happened in my life have happened in my life time. time.

Each generation has their Each generation has their “Where were you When...” “Where were you When...”

moments.moments.

These moments are the These moments are the moments that define a moments that define a

generation. generation.

These moments give These moments give people a collective people a collective

experience as everyone experience as everyone knows where they were knows where they were

when they happened and when they happened and they experienced them they experienced them

together.together.

I was lucky enough to get to I was lucky enough to get to know my great grand-parents know my great grand-parents

well when I was a child.well when I was a child.

My great-grandfather My great-grandfather remembered going to school in remembered going to school in

Austria during World War I. Austria during World War I. He could hear the guns and He could hear the guns and

artillery from his small artillery from his small schoolhouse.schoolhouse.

Like many others, he left Like many others, he left Europe after the war to seek a Europe after the war to seek a

better life for his family in better life for his family in Canada.Canada.

My Grandparents were children My Grandparents were children during World War II.during World War II.

They remember a life before They remember a life before television, computers, and the television, computers, and the

internet.internet.

They were raising young families, They were raising young families, when Russia and the United States when Russia and the United States

almost launched the world into almost launched the world into nuclear war and a year later when nuclear war and a year later when

John F. Kennedy was shot.John F. Kennedy was shot.

They were adults before the They were adults before the Canadian Government created Canadian Government created

Universal Health Care. Universal Health Care.

My parents were in elementary My parents were in elementary school when Neil Armstrong and school when Neil Armstrong and his crew landed on the moon for his crew landed on the moon for

the first time.the first time.

A year later, Prime Minister A year later, Prime Minister Pierre Elliot Trudeau suspended Pierre Elliot Trudeau suspended

civil rights in Quebec after a civil rights in Quebec after a terrorist group abducted two terrorist group abducted two

politicians to try and force Quebec politicians to try and force Quebec out of Canada.out of Canada.

They remember watching the last They remember watching the last and deciding came between and deciding came between

Canada and Russia in the 1972 Canada and Russia in the 1972 Summit Series (Canada won by the Summit Series (Canada won by the

way).way).

The first significant moment in The first significant moment in Canadian History that I Canadian History that I

remember was Canada’s 125remember was Canada’s 125thth Birthday.Birthday.

I was eleven years old and was I was eleven years old and was spending a week with my great spending a week with my great

aunt and uncle in Prescott, aunt and uncle in Prescott, Ontario. My great aunt and I Ontario. My great aunt and I

were participating in an art class were participating in an art class that week in the 1000 Islands.that week in the 1000 Islands.

On July 1On July 1stst, we skipped class and , we skipped class and went to Ottawa, Ontario to went to Ottawa, Ontario to

participate in the festivities and participate in the festivities and see Queen Elizabeth II. see Queen Elizabeth II.

The second significant moment in The second significant moment in Canadian History that I remember was Canadian History that I remember was

the Second Quebec Referendum on the Second Quebec Referendum on separation.separation.

It was a strange concept for a grade It was a strange concept for a grade nine student that the country could be nine student that the country could be

torn apart based on the outcome of one torn apart based on the outcome of one vote. I had travelled to Quebec several vote. I had travelled to Quebec several times as a child and loved the province times as a child and loved the province

and the language.and the language.

The week before the vote, I travelled The week before the vote, I travelled with a group of staff and students from with a group of staff and students from

my school to a rally to try to keep my school to a rally to try to keep Quebec from separating and I Quebec from separating and I

remember watching the results on TV remember watching the results on TV relieved that Quebecers decided to relieved that Quebecers decided to

stay.stay.

The final significant moment in History The final significant moment in History that I remember was the events of 9/11 .that I remember was the events of 9/11 .

I was in my second year of university and I was in my second year of university and had just moved into my first ever had just moved into my first ever

apartment. Classes had just started. I apartment. Classes had just started. I didn’t have morning classes so I decided didn’t have morning classes so I decided

to get a load of laundry done at the to get a load of laundry done at the laundromat down the street. When I laundromat down the street. When I arrived the attendant asked if I had arrived the attendant asked if I had

heard what was going on in New York heard what was going on in New York and that there had been a terrorist and that there had been a terrorist attack. CNN was on the TV and we attack. CNN was on the TV and we

watched in horror as the second plane watched in horror as the second plane hit the Twin Towers.hit the Twin Towers.

It was the first time in my life that I had It was the first time in my life that I had seen an act of war happen in real time.seen an act of war happen in real time.

Not all the moments we Not all the moments we remember are major life remember are major life

changing events.changing events.My Parent’s GenerationMy Parent’s Generation My GenerationMy Generation

History impacts us all and we all History impacts us all and we all play a role in it.play a role in it.

Some of us will be History Some of us will be History makers.makers.

Some of us will be History Some of us will be History observers.observers.

But, we will all be impacted in But, we will all be impacted in some way by the events of some way by the events of

History.History.

Today’s newspaper headlines Today’s newspaper headlines are tomorrow’s History textbook are tomorrow’s History textbook

chapterschapters..

This semester we will start with This semester we will start with the moments that have impacted the moments that have impacted

you and what your kids will be you and what your kids will be reading about you in the future reading about you in the future and then go back in time almost and then go back in time almost

one hundred years to see how we one hundred years to see how we got where we are today.got where we are today.

You will get the opportunity to You will get the opportunity to learn about the past, and to see learn about the past, and to see

how it impacted the present.how it impacted the present.

I look forward to spending this I look forward to spending this semester with you and sharing semester with you and sharing

what it is that makes this country what it is that makes this country one of the greatest with you.one of the greatest with you.