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Samuel de Champlain founds Port Royal
Samuel de Champlain and his company founded and constructed the first European settlement north of Florida; Port Royal. The idea was to make Port Royal the capital of New France and turn it into France's primary fur trading port. Port Royal is left in the care of Pierre de Gua, Sieur de Monts. -
First Acadian settlers and my ancestors arrive in Port Royal
A small expedition of French settlers sails to Port Royal to begin the King's project of "Habitation at Port Royal". These settlers were meant to build the infrastructure necessary to establish Port Royal as a year-round fur trading post with a port to transport profits back to France. These settlers are the first 12 to 13 French families that settled Acadia, among these families were the Bernard's, my maternal Grandmother's ancestors. -
Samuel Argall destroys Port Royal in the name of England
At the time Port Royal was founded by the French, Samuel Argall and the British were constructing Jamestown, Virginia. During this period, as has always been the case, Britain and France were in constant competition to build a larger empire than the other. As a result, Samuel Argall burned the only French settlement in order to give the British the trading monopoly in the area. The French settlers, including my
ancestors, were stranded and had to live with the local Mìkmàaq aboriginal tribe. -
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Reconstruction and recolonization of Port Royal
After Samuel Argall's attack, the Acadian settlers and my family moved Port Royal 8km upstream and began reconstruction. French military forces were stationed at the new Port Royal and it became the first fort and largest trading post under French command in North America, Port Royal was fully established as the capital of Acadia, and held that title until the French built Halifax in 1749. However, by that time, Port Royal was part of the British Empire. -
Creation of the Hudson's Bay Company
This was a British venture that was designed to give Britain an economic upper hand over the French with regards to the fur trade. The Company, in coordination with the Conquest of Acadia forced French Canadians to work for the British due to a lack of French trading infrastructure and an irrevocable trade monopoly. This lead my family away from fur trading and they began farming in New Brunswick under heavy British taxation. -
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Conquest of Acadia and the Great Expulsion
After six British attacks, Port Royal was finally captured on October 13th 1710. The French citizens of Port Royal including my family lived under British rule for 45 years, until the Great Expulsion of the Seven Years War. Over 11'500 Acadians were deported from Nova Scotia and one third of them died of disease or drowning during the Expulsion. This deportation scattered the Bernard family and my relatives can now be found in Quebec, New Brunswick, PEI, Maine, Louisiana and Texas. -
WW1 Great Grandfather enlists in Canadian Expeditionary Force
My great grandfather enlisted in the CEF at the beginning of the war. His regiment was exclusively English speaking and he was forced to learn the language and English traditions in order to fit in with his comrades and be able to understand orders. Over the course of the war he forgot most of his French, while at home, his children were forced to attend English school; as a result, upon his return the family decided to speak English only, and they lost touch with most of their Acadian culture. -
"Seventy years ago we pledged to provide health care for every man, woman and child, regardless ofrace, colour or financial status... and by God we're going to do it!"
Universal Healthcare is a great example of the core values of Canadian Identity. It represents equality, social security and recognition of human rights. With the great expense attributed to medical treatment, the vast majority of Canadians would not be able to pay for a major illness, however as a nation we can support the ill. Medicare has played an important role in my family history; at birth my brother had a tumour on his neck, he needed a month hospitalization which was government funded. -
My Mother's Birthday
Louise Notley was born to Tom Feeney and Geraldine Bernard in Hamilton, Ontario. She is believed to be the 12th generation of the Bernard family currently living in Canada.
