Canada Day reflections: on accrediting, Western Canadian genealogy, and diverse ideas for celebrating

This is a three-part post. In part one, I reflect on the journey of accreditation. In part two, I think about the challenges to genealogy in Western Canada with regards privacy and recency, and studying the subject at the macroeconomic level. In part three, I think about joining fellow Canadians in commemorating Canada’s 157th birthday by seeking events that actively celebrate diversity.

The long road to accrediting (2020-24)

Level 1: the study

It’s been one heckuva journey. Back in Jan 2020, as I was finished my first Salt Lake Institute of Genealogy course, Kelly Summers encouraged me to consider genealogy accreditation with the International Commission for the Accreditation of Professional Genealogists (ICAPGen).¹

“Me?” I said. It was so far from my radar I was dumbfounded. It seemed unattainable. There are three levels: a thesis, examinations, and an oral review. A few months later, covid had us all in lockdown and I reconsidered. What if I tried for it? What if I did a Chinese family? What if I succeeded? It would be a challenge… and I can’t resist a challenge.

My newly created accreditation region would be Western Canada: the provinces of British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba.² Two and a half years later, I’d drafted and edited my study, “The Lee, Cumyow, Won Family of British Columbia (1823-2018),” so often that only stubbornness kept me going. When it was passed as my Level 1 project, I knew I’d achieved something important. The next stage in accrediting was writing the Level 2/3 exams.

The mentors

But let me step away from my story for a moment to recognize the people who helped me get to this point. Kelly mentored my study’s progress for a year before I joined the Spring 2022 Level 1 ICAPGen Study Group, led by Torhild Shirley and Dayna Jacobs.³ I submitted my study that summer, then enrolled in the fall Level 2/3 Study Group, led by Alice Childs and Lisa Stokes. I owe the leaders, mentors, and fellow students my gratitude.

Much has happened since completing the last study group.

2023 – a year to remember

2023 – the year we recognized the centenary of Chinese exclusion on an international scale – was a huge year for our community. And for me. Even to list the highlights reads like fiction: the opening of the Chinese Canadian Museum in my family’s historic home,⁴ the Senate Commemoration of the Centenary of Chinese Exclusion,⁵ the Yip Family Reunion,⁶ and dozens of invitations to interview and speak. On a personal note, I will share that our family was also managing not one but two serious health crises.

This quote from Charles Dickens’s David Copperfield sums it up: “It was the best of times. It was the worst of times.”

Level 2/3 – the exams

In 2024, I was approved to write my Level 2/3 exams June 21 and 22. Exams are held at the FamilySearch Library in Salt Lake City. To prepare, I created a census lookup page⁷ and a historic maps page,⁸ logged 118 hours of study, travelled to Winnipeg to visit the Hudson’s Bay Company Archives,⁹ and finished my Regional Reference Guide. To stay healthy, I’ve been connecting with my therapist, hitting the pilates studio 4-6x/week, and taking my supplements. This feels like a marathon and I’ve been struggling with burnout. When I met the proctors, they confirmed I’m the first one to write the exams for Western Canada.

Stay tuned with me while I await my results.

What I’ve learned about genealogy in Western Canada

Aside from teaching me invaluable tools, I’ve gained insights on the subject of Western Canadian records at the macroeconomic level. My questions are simple: where are our records? Who or what created them? How can they be used for genealogy? Criss-crossing archives across Western Canada, Ottawa, and Salt Lake City, I have gained a glimpse of the whole.

How privacy and recency affect Western Canadian genealogists

The thing is, Western Canadian researchers are up against the twin walls of privacy and recency. Let’s start with privacy.

About privacy laws

According to ChatGPT, the main federal laws governing privacy are the Privacy Act, 1983, and Access to Information, 1983. The former restricts personal information in federal records for twenty years after decease, or one hundred years from the date of the record, whichever is earlier. The latter provides the public the right to access government records. We genealogists dance between the two. There’s a lot more on this subject because each province also has its own laws regarding privacy, but the main point is that the genealogical records we most want are generally restricted. Here’s a table I created to compare the availability of records for five jurisdictions in Canada: BC, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, and Ontario.

About recency

Now we can discuss recency.

Canada is an old a land as the US, but its history as first Indigenous land, then a British/French colony, then largely the hunting ground of the Hudson’s Bay Company,¹⁰ then its s-l-o-w adoption of Confederation, all means that the foundational records we genealogists need – census and vital statistics records – are quite recent. Here’s a table comparing dates of Confederation. Notice how it’s only been twenty-five years since Nunavut joined?

How privacy and recency mash up

Let’s look at how privacy, recency, and in this case, record-keeping practises, collided in Saskatchewan to make genealogy extra-spicy. SK became a province in 1905. Prior to that, it was part of the Northwest Territories. It was as a territory that SK first began registering vital events: marriages (1878) and then births and deaths (1888).¹¹ Many events were not registered until 1920. If we consider that SK’s privacy laws only allow access to births over one hundred years ago,¹² and that regular record-keeping began one hundred four years ago, there are only four years of reliable birth registrations available. In Western Canada, we work between the barriers of privacy and recency. There are other resources, among them church and Hudson’s Bay Company records, to push the research back centuries (but these records favour white settler populations).

Final thoughts on accrediting

In the past four years, the accrediting process has challenged me to the limits. My questions – where are our records, who or what created them, and how can they be used for genealogy – are the foundations of my work. Digital records are fabulous. More are coming online every day. All that is true, and yet I’d estimate for every record online, there are nine that are not. With the greatest respect, I’d say Canada funds its archives minimally. We in Western Canada, with our challenges of privacy and recency, need to understand our archives, because not every archive can afford subject matter experts. To answer the question of where are the records, I have made visiting archives a priority. This year I completed my sweep of the western provincial archives with visits to Surrey, BC, and Winnipeg, MB. My dance card now includes:

British Columbia

• British Columbia Genealogical Society Library, Surrey, BC
• Chung Collection, UBC, Vancouver, BC
• City of Vancouver Archives, Vancouver, BC¹³
• Nikkei Museum, Burnaby, BC
• Royal BC Museum & Archives, Victoria, BC¹⁴
• United Church of Canada Archives, Vancouver, BC¹⁵

Alberta

• Calgary Public Library, Main Branch, Calgary, AB¹⁶
• Provincial Archives of Alberta, Edmonton, AB¹⁷

Saskatchewan

• Archives of Saskatchewan, Regina, SK¹⁸
• Museum of Military Artifacts, Saskatoon, SK
• Saskatchewan Genealogical Society Library, Regina, SK

Manitoba

• Centre du patrimoine (Métis), Winnipeg, MB
• Hudson’s Bay Company Archives, Winnipeg, MB¹⁹
• Manitoba Archives, Winnipeg, MB
• Manitoba Genealogical Society (SE & Winnipeg Branch), Winnipeg, MB

Outside Western Canada

• Canadian War Museum, Ottawa, ON
• Library and Archives Canada, Ottawa, ON²⁰
• FamilySearch Library, Salt Lake City, UT

I might be the first one to write the Western Canada exams with ICAPGEN, but I won’t be the last. Where will this path take me? Let’s find out. [Click on the images to see them larger.]

[From top left] FamilySearch Library, Salt Lake City, UT (Jan 2020); Canadian War Museum Archives, Ottawa, ON (Aug 2023); MB Genealogical Society, SE & Winnipeg Branch, Winnipeg, MB (May 2024); [Second Row] Archives of MB / HBC Archives, Winnipeg, MB (May 2024); historic HBC maps with archivist Ashley and Kendra Gaede, HBC Archives, Winnipeg, MB (May 2024); Research Room, Library and Archives Canada, Ottawa, ON (Jun 2023); [third row] Royal BC Museum and Archives, Victoria, BC (Aug 2022); United Church of Canada Archives, Vancouver, BC (May 2022); [fourth row] the author with a Chinese Immigration ledger, LAC, Ottawa, ON (Jun 2023); City of Vancouver Archives, Vancouver, BC (2023); Provincial Archives of Alberta, Edmonton, AB (2018); entryway to the archives, Royal BC Museum and Archives, Victoria, BC (2018).

Diverse things to do on Canada Day in Western Canada

I’m always going to be aware of the double-barrelled meaning of what July 1st means to Canada, and what it means for my community, of both celebration and exclusion. On Canada Day, 2024, the 101st commemoration of the Chinese Exclusion Act, I recommend “One year at the museum,” Chinese Canadian Museum, Vancouver; and Live Music: Senyuè, at the Chinese Canadian Museum, Victoria. What else is there? To answer that question, I asked ChatGPT for a list of Canadian events that embraced diversity. Here’s a curated selection.

Vancouver, BC

• Drum is Calling Festival: A celebration of Indigenous arts and culture featuring performances, workshops, and traditional ceremonies, Larwill Park.
• Vancouver Multicultural Fair: Showcasing the diverse cultures of Vancouver with performances, food stalls, and interactive activities from the Asian, Black, and Muslim communities. Canada Place.
• Canada Day by the Bay. A family-friendly event with multicultural performances, including traditional Indigenous ceremonies, Asian dance and music, and African drumming. West Vancouver.

Victoria, BC

• Lekwungen Traditional Dancers: A performance by local Indigenous dancers sharing traditional songs and dances. Inner Harbour.
• Intercultural Day at Centennial Square: A day of activities celebrating the multicultural communities in Victoria, including performances from Asian, Black, and Muslim groups. Centennial Square.

Regina, SK

• Indigenous and Newcomer Family Celebration: A family-friendly event that brings together Indigenous and newcomer communities through music, dance, and storytelling. Victoria Park.
• Asian Heritage Day: Celebrating the contributions of Asian Canadians through performances, food, and cultural displays. Conexus Art Centre.
• Canada Day at Wascana Park. Celebrate with multicultural performances, including Indigenous drumming and dancing, as well as music and dance from Asian, Black, and Muslim communities. Wascana Park.

Saskatoon, SK

• Saskatoon Canada Day. A day of festivities featuring performances from local Indigenous groups, Asian cultural showcases, and African and Caribbean music and dance. Diefenbaker Park.
• Indigenous Powwow and Cultural Showcase. Experience traditional powwow dances, drumming, and Indigenous arts and crafts. Wanuskewin Heritage Park.

Brandon, MB

• Brandon Canada Day Celebrations. A day of cultural performances, including Indigenous drumming and dancing, Asian cultural showcases, and musical performances from the Black and Muslim communities. Riverbank Discovery Centre.
• Indigenous Storytelling and Art Display. An event featuring Indigenous storytellers and artists showcasing their work. Art Gallery of Southwestern Manitoba.

Winnipeg, MB

• Forks National Historic Site Celebrations: Featuring performances and activities that celebrate Indigenous, Métis, and Inuit cultures alongside other multicultural communities. The Forks.
• African-Canadian and Caribbean Street Festival: Experience vibrant music, dance, and cuisine from Winnipeg’s African and Caribbean communities.
• Canada Day at Assiniboine Park. A multicultural event with performances from Indigenous, Asian, Black, and Muslim communities, family-friendly activities, and food vendors. Assiniboine Park.

Enjoy the long weekend! I’m taking a break. See you in a few weeks.

Thank yous

In addition to the mentors listed above, I’d like to thank the legions of volunteers in genealogy and history societies around the world. I’ve see the work you are doing, invisible and unsung. Take a bow, everyone, from President to Member-at-Large. Happy Canada Day. Let’s all go celebrate the patchwork quilt we are making together.

References

¹Linda Yip, “Top 10 things I learned at SLIG (the Salt Lake Institute of Genealogy) 2020,” 30 Jan 2020, blog, Past-Presence.com, accessed 30 Jun 2024; ICAPGEN, “Why Become an AG® Professional,” 2023, website, ICAPGEN, accessed 30 Jun 2024.

²“Testing Regions & Regional Resources,” 2023, website, ICAPGEN, accessed 30 Jun 2024. At the time of writing, the region of Western Canada has yet to have a Regional Resources guide.

³“ICAPGen Study Groups,” 2023, website, ICAPGEN, accessed 30 Jun 2024.

⁴Chinese Canadian Museum, 2024, website, Chinese Canadian Museum, accessed 30 Jun 2024; Linda Yip, “When my house became a museum – celebrating the new Chinese Canadian Museum,” 12 Jul 2023, blog, Past-Presence.com, accessed 30 Jun 2024.

⁵Her Excellency the Right Honourable Mary Simon, Governor General of Canada, “100th Anniversary of the Chinese Exclusion Act,” 23 Jun 2023, website, Governor General of Canada, accessed 30 Jun 2024.

⁶Christopher Cheung, “The Yips Are in the House Again,” 24 Jul 2023, newspaper, The Tyee, accessed 30 Jun 2024; also see this article honouring Chris’s Gold for Best Arts and Culture Storytelling, Digital Publishing, “Christopher Cheung and Zoë Yunker Win Digital Publishing Awards,” 10 Jun 2024, newspaper, The Tyee, accessed 30 Jun 2024.

⁷Linda Yip, “Western Canadian Censuses,” 19 Jun 2024, blog, Past-Presence.com, accessed 30 Jun 2024.

⁸Linda Yip, “Historic Maps of Western Canada,” 1 May 2024, blog, Past-Presence.com, accessed 30 Jun 2024.

⁹Linda Yip, “Exploring the Hudson’s Bay Company Archives with the surprisingly detailed story of Thomas Thomas (1766-1828), governor of HBC,” 26 May 2024, blog, Past-Presence.com, accessed 30 Jun 2024.

¹⁰See the vast range of HBC posts at Canada, Hudson’s Bay Company Archives, museums and archives, Winnipeg, Manitoba, “Hudson’s Bay Company Archives – HBC Fur Trade Post Map,” (undated), Manitoba Archives, accessed 4 May 2024.

¹¹FamilySearch, “Saskatchewan Civil Registration,” wiki, FamilySearch, accessed 30 Jun 2024.

¹²eHealth Saskatchewan, “Genealogy,” undated, website, eHealth Saskatchewan, accessed 30 Jun 2024.

¹³Linda Yip, “True crime, the Wing Sang Co., and police records: A trip to the City of Vancouver Archives,” 12 Jun 2022, blog, Past-Presence.com, accessed 30 Jun 2024.

¹⁴Linda Yip, “What you need to know to visit the BC Archives today (Sep 2022),” 5 Sep 2022, blog, Past-Presence.com, accessed 30 Jun 2024.

¹⁵Linda Yip, “A trip to the United Church of Canada Archives, Vancouver,” 6 Jun 2022, blog, Past-Presence.com, accessed 30 Jun 2024.

¹⁶Linda Yip, “Chinese Canadian Resources List (Alberta)” created Jul 2022 and updated Jul 2023, downloadable resources PDF, Past-Presence.com, accessed 30 Jun 2024; this list was created for Historic Calgary Week and surveys every Alberta archive that may be of interest to the Chinese Canadian genealogist.

¹⁷Linda Yip, “A trip to the Archives #2 – the Alberta edition,” 30 Sep 2018, blog, Past-Presence.com, accessed 30 Jun 2024.

¹⁸Linda Yip, “A trip to the archives #3 – the SK edition,” 21 Oct 2018, blog, Past-Presence.com, accessed 30 Jun 2024.

¹⁹Linda Yip, “Western Canadian migration before the CPR: Tracing the voyage of the Princess Royal, London to Fort Victoria (1858-59),” 19 May 2024, blog, Past-Presence.com, accessed 30 Jun 2024.

²⁰Linda Yip, “Get ready to visit Library and Archives Canada, Ottawa,” 2 Apr 2023, blog, Past-Presence.com, accessed 30 Jun 2024.