June 22, 2010




THREE-PART PUBLICATION TELLS STORY OF MANITOBA'S DIVERSE ETHNIC HERITAGE

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Multiculturism Shaped Province as Immigrants Forged New Lives: Marcelino, Howard





In celebration of Canadian Multiculturalism Day on June 27, Culture, Heritage and Tourism Minister Flor Marcelino and Labour and Immigration Minister Jennifer Howard today launched the first part of a three-part publication entitled Ethnicity Series - a Demographic Portrait of Manitoba.



“Throughout history, generations of immigrants have arrived in Manitoba to forge a new life,” said Marcelino. “Multiculturalism is alive and celebrated in our communities as new immigrants and a large number of Manitoba-born residents continue to identify with their ethnic origins and contribute to our province’s rich multicultural mosaic.”



“This series of publications helps to capture the essence of Manitoba’s diversity by outlining current trends in Manitoba’s regions as well as Winnipeg’s community areas,” said Howard. “By having more detailed information about the makeup of Manitoba’s communities, service providers and agencies we will be in a better position to plan and target their activities.”



The three-part series provides readers with Manitoba-specific demographic information:

· Volume 1 presents the population by country of birth. It focuses on the foreign-born population and its recent regional distribution across Manitoba and Winnipeg.

· Volume 2, to be released later this year, will present the mother tongues of Manitobans.

· Volume 3 will provide details about visible minority groups in Manitoba and will show census responses about ethnic origins of Manitobans.



This unique series is the first of its kind in Manitoba. Copies of the publication will be available online on the Manitoba Culture, Heritage and Tourism website at www.gov.mb.ca/chc and the Manitoba Labour and Immigration website at www.immigratemanitoba.com.

Celebrating Black History - Diversity

Celebrating our Diversity - Black History Month

February is Black History Month

Proud of our History

Each February, the Government of Canada invites Canadians to take part in events that commemorate the legacy of black Canadians. The month was officially recognized by the Parliament of Canada in December 1995.
This year, the theme for Black History Month is “Proud of our History” and will celebrate the historic contributions of three black Canadians:

William Hall (1821 – 1904) was the first black person, the first Nova Scotian, and the first Canadian sailor to receive the Victoria Cross.

Harriet Tubman (1822 – 1913) was a runaway slave from the United States who led hundreds of slaves to freedom along the Underground Railroad and guided many further north into Canada.

Mifflin Wistar Gibbs (1823 – 1915) was an example of successful black immigrants in British Columbia, both as a prosperous merchant and a member of the Victoria City Council.
Background on Black History Month

Click on the links below to find out about:
Background
1807 – Abolition of the Slave Trade in the British Empire
Mathieu Da Costa Challenge
Preserving and Promoting: Black Cultural Heritage in Canada

Historic events

The British Imperial Act of 1833 – the Act to Abolish Slavery in the British Empire

People – past and present

Demographics

Games and quizzes

Photo gallery

Other links