The Distant Early Warning (DEW) Line was a radar defence network in Canada’s Arctic. It was a Cold War engineering marvel, but it had terrible effects on the land and Inuit communities. With Arctic defence once again a topic of concern, Canada's History Society CEO Melony Ward interviews experts about the DEW Line and its impact. 

The Distant Early Warning Line

From Black stevedores in the American Deep South, to Hawaiian Inuit dances, to folk singers on Canada's East Coast music scene -- discover the fascinating world of sea shanties in a special episode by Canada's History contributor Jonah Grignon. With music recorded live by the Bytown Sea Shanty Collective. 

Music credits:

Traditional shanties performed by the Bytown Sea Shanty Collective, used with permission of the artists

"Heave Away," traditional, performed by Roger McGuinn, licensed from freemusicarchive.org

"Hawaiian Ciribiribin" composed by Alberto Pestalozza, recorded in 1919 by Louise and Ferera, public domain https://publicdomainreview.org/collection/hawaiian-ciribiribin-1919/

"Medley of sea songs," traditional, recorded in 1913, public domain https://www.loc.gov/item/jukebox-133664/

"Medley of sea chanties," traditional, recorded in 1914, public domain https://www.loc.gov/item/jukebox-649564/

Heave Away! Why sea shanties bring the world together

The victory at Vimy Ridge, France, remains Canada’s most storied attack of the First World War. Beginning on April 9, 1917, all four Canadian divisions advanced side-by-side for the first time in a single attack. But the victory came at a cost: During four days of fighting, Canada suffered more than ten thousand casualties. Today, war letters offer a window on that long-ago time. Here, in their own words, are the stories of the soldiers who fought, and the loved ones back home who cherished them.

Music credits: 

 * Stories Behind the History theme music: "The Red River Jig" performed by Alex Kusturok, licensed from the artist. 
 * Opening Theme: “The Planets, Op. 32; Jupiter,” by Gustav Holst, 1914–1916
 * William Bell: “Keep the Home Fires Burning,” by Ivor Novello, lyrics by Lena Guilbert Ford, 1914
 * B.R. Empey: “Symphony No. 3; A Pastoral Symphony,” by Ralph Vaughan Williams, 1922
 * Maurice Bracewell: “The Planets, Op. 32; Saturn,” by Gustav Holst, 1914–1916
 * George Broome / Violet Moyer: “Symphony No. 9 in E minor, Op. 95; From the New World,” by Antonín Dvořák, 1893
 * Sydney Winterbottom: “Good Luck to the Boys of the Allies,” by Morris Manley, 1915
 * Sydney Winterbottom: “Scotland the Brave” – Traditional, Early twentieth century
 * Frank J. Whiting: “Variations on an Original Theme, Op. 36; Var. IX – Nimrod,” by Edward Elgar, 1898–1899
 * Frank J. Whiting: “The Last Post” – Military, seventeenth century
 * End Credits: “The Lark Ascending,” by Ralph Vaughan Williams, 1914 (Revised 1920)



Voices of Vimy

In 1948, the people in the British colony of Newfoundland faced a choice. They could become an independent country within the British Commonwealth. Or, they could vote to join Canada in Confederation. In this special series of episodes we travel to St. John’s, Newfoundland, to interview four prominent Newfoundlanders about their memories of the Confederation debate, and ask if they think Newfoundland made the right choice when  it joined Canada. In Episode 3, Life after Confederation, our guests discuss the consequences of Newfoundland's big decision. 

Guests: Former Newfoundland Premier Clyde Wells, artist Kathleen Knowling, writer Bernice Morgan, and former federal MP Richard Cashin.

Host: Canada's History magazine senior editor Kate Jaimet

Art:"Malcolm Rogers' house is towed by a 40hp motor boat from Fox Island to Flat Island during resettlement," Newfoundland, August 1961. Photographer: Bob Brooks. Library and Archives Canada, National Film Board Fonds. Copyright expired.

Sound credits:

"Ode to Newfoundland" – licensed under Creative Commons – wikimedia - https://en.wikipedia/org/wiki/File:Newfoundland_and_Labrador.ogg

"The Red River Jig" performed by Alex Kusturok, licensed from the artist

"The Gloom of my Soul" by Harpo Marks, licensed from PremiumBeat.com



How did Newfoundland Join Canada? | Life after Confederation

In 1948, the people in the British colony of Newfoundland faced a choice. They could become an independent country within the British Commonwealth. Or, they could vote to join Canada in Confederation. In this special series of episodes we travel to St. John’s, Newfoundland, to interview four prominent Newfoundlanders about their memories of the Confederation debate, and ask if they think Newfoundland made the right choice when  it joined Canada. In Episode 2, The Confederation Debate, we hear the voices of Confederation's most ardent supporter, Joseph Smallwood, and its most vocal advocate of independence under responsible government, Peter Cashin. And our guests weigh in on their memories of the debate that rocked Newfoundland.

Guests: Former Newfoundland Premier Clyde Wells, artist Kathleen Knowling, writer Bernice Morgan, and former federal MP Richard Cashin.

Host: Canada's History magazine senior editor Kate Jaimet

Art:"Malcolm Rogers' house is towed by a 40hp motor boat from Fox Island to Flat Island during resettlement," Newfoundland, August 1961. Photographer: Bob Brooks. Library and Archives Canada, National Film Board Fonds. Copyright expired.

Sound credits:

Ode to Newfoundland – licensed under Creative Commons – wikimedia - https://en.wikipedia/org/wiki/File:Newfoundland_and_Labrador.ogg

"The Gloom of my Soul" by Harpo Marks, licensed from PremiumBeat.com

Snare drums: Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution non-commercial license from zagi2 on Freesound.org. https://freesound.org/people/zagi2/sounds/673466/

All archival audio from the National Convention: Public domain. Provided by The Rooms Provincial Archives Division.

Second World War Prosperity (00:00:44 - 00:06:17)

The Great Confederation Debate (00:06:17 - 00:17:16)

The Votes Are Cast (00:17:16 - 00:24:19)

A New Era for Newfoundland (00:24:19 - 00:25:29)



How did Newfoundland Join Canada? | The Confederation Debate

In 1948, the people in the British colony of Newfoundland faced a choice. They could become an independent country within the British Commonwealth. Or, they could vote to join Canada in Confederation. In this special series of episodes we travel to St. John’s, Newfoundland, to interview four prominent Newfoundlanders about their memories of the Confederation debate, and ask if they think Newfoundland made the right choice when  it joined Canada. In Episode 1, Life in a British Colony, we explore life in Newfoundland in the 1930s and 1940s, the years leading up to the Confederation debate.

Guests: Former Newfoundland Premier Clyde Wells, artist Kathleen Knowling, writer Bernice Morgan, and former federal MP Richard Cashin. 

Host: Canada's History magazine senior editor Kate Jaimet

Art:"Malcolm Rogers' house is towed by a 40hp motor boat from Fox Island to Flat Island during resettlement," Newfoundland, August 1961. Photographer: Bob Brooks. Library and Archives Canada, National Film Board Fonds. Copyright expired. 

Sound credits: 

Ode to Newfoundland – licensed under Creative Commons – wikimedia - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Newfoundland_and_Labrador.ogg

Rule Brittania (MP3 file) – public domain – Free Music Archive https://archive.org/details/RuleBritannia/rule_britannia.mp3

Wearing of the Green (Volume V-10) – John McCormack, Licensed under Creative Commons from musopen.org https://musopen.org/music/43921-john-mccormack-compilation/

Keep the Home Fires Burning – public domain – Library of Congress National Jukebox - https://www.loc.gov/item/jukebox-15093/

Wearing of the Green - public domain – Library of Congress National Jukebox - https://www.loc.gov/item/jukebox-121183/

"The Gloom of my Soul" by Harpo Marks, licensed from PremiumBeat.com

How did Newfoundland Join Canada? | Life in a British Colony

In 1948, the people in the British colony of Newfoundland faced a choice. They could become an independent country within the British Commonwealth. Or, they could vote to join Canada in Confederation. In an upcoming series of episodes we travel to St. John’s, Newfoundland, to interview former Premier Clyde Wells, artist Kathleen Knowling, writer Bernice Morgan, and former MP Richard Cashin about their memories of the Confederation debate, -- and to ask them if they think Newfoundlanders made the right choice when they joined Canada. 

TRAILER - How did Newfoundland Join Canada?

Wilhelm Rahn was a 19-year-old German naval ensign when his U-boat was torpedoed by a British submarine off the coast of Corsica in 1943. Plucked from the water by the submarine's helmsman, he ended up in a POW camp in the backwoods of Canada. Join Rahn's grandson Sebastian Koester and historical researcher Bernard Wood for a discussion of life in a Second World War Canadian prisoner of war camp.

Sound credits: Claude Debussy, “Dialogue du vent et de la mer,” performed by US Air Force band, licensed under creative commons: https://musopen.org/music/14381-la-mer/ 

Scream “Hilfe!” made by Phantastonia, licensed under creative commons attribution license: https://freesound.org/people/phantastonia/sounds/615018/

Scream, licensed under creative commons: https://freesound.org/people/RutgerMuller/sounds/104030/

Waves, North Sea, licensed under creative commons: https://freesound.org/people/inchadney/sounds/129454/

Theme music, “Red River Jig,” from the album Métis Fiddling for Dancing, performed by Alex Kusturok, licensed from the artist.

Behind Barbed Wire: A German POW in Canada

The war in Ukraine has reinvigorated NATO as a bulwark against Russian aggression. But has NATO been a force for peace, or for military escalation?  Historian Timothy Sayle digs into the alliance's 75-year history and explores its role in the world today. 

Episode graphic: copyright NATO

Theme music: "Red River Jig" by Alex Kusturok 

Music & soundclip credits: All soundclips courtesy NATO except the following:

00:00 - Peer Gynt Suite No. 1, Op. 46 - II. Aase's Death – Edvard Grieg - Czech National Symphony Orchestra – Public Domain / creative commons license / https://musopen.org/music/777-peer-gynt-suite-no-1-op-46/

00:48 - Chiselling – freesound.org / creative commons license / https://freesound.org/people/acostadelgado/sounds/200803/

00:50 - Outdoor crowd – freesound.org/ creative commons license / http://www.freesound.org/people/klankbeeld/

06:41 - Peer Gynt Suite No. 1, Op. 46 - II. Aase's Death – Edvard Grieg - Czech National Symphony Orchestra – Public Domain / creative commons license / https://musopen.org/music/777-peer-gynt-suite-no-1-op-46/

06:45 –– Dwight Eisenhower report to a joint session of Congress on the war in Europe and Africa, June 18, 1945 / US National archives (38.15)  / unrestricted use https://catalog.archives.gov/id/2363636

08:48 – Soviet Anthem / Wikimedia commons / creative commons attribution – share alike license / https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Soviet_Anthem1955_vocals.ogg

21:58 – Beethoven Moonlight Sonata, Op. 27 No. 2 / performed by Paul Pitman / public domain / creative commons license / https://musopen.org/music/2547-piano-sonata-no-14-in-c-sharp-minor-moonlight-sonata-op-27-no-2/

22:05 – President Ronald Reagan – speech at the Berlin Wall – 1987-06-12 / White House Television Office /  public domain - https://ia801907.us.archive.org/5/items/ReagansSpeechAtTheBerlinWall/President%20Ronald%20Reagans%20Speech%20at%20the%20Berlin%20Wall%201987-06-12.mp4

29:34 – Tchaikovsky 1812 Overture – Skidmore College Orchestra – Creative Commons licence - https://musopen.org/music/5072-1812-overture-op-49/

30:28 - Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev, speaking at a joint press conference with U.S president George H.W. Bush, July 31 1991 / public domain / George Bush Presidential library / https://bush41library.tamu.edu/audiovisual/videos/77

NATO vs Russia: 75-year standoff

Gather 'round the campfire with Mi'kmaw poet Julie Pellissier-Lush for spine-tingling tales of the supernatural. Reclusive river sprites, ice-hearted ogres, and  a storm-summoning giant lynx stalk the wilderness in this storytelling session with additional guest author Amir Aziz and hosted by Canada's History magazine senior editor Kate Jaimet. Image illustration: Axana Zasorina

Mi'kmaw Myths & Canadian Lore

Join renowned historians and witnesses to history for a deep dive into Canada's storied past, from Indigenous cultures and the fur trade to the world wars and much more. Because history lives in all of us. Produced by the award-winning team at Canada's History magazine.

Theme music: Red River Jig by Alex Kusturok.

Stories behind the history