Whether you are just starting out on your search for your Canadian ancestors or have been researching for a while, we hope that you will find the information presented in the Canadian Resource Area helpful.

Canada is the second largest country in the world with a long and colourful history that dates back several hundred years. At the same time, though, Canada is still a relatively young nation. Previously under French and English rule, Canada became its own nation on July 1, 1867. Depending on the time period and the part of Canada in which your family lived, this will affect the records that are available for you to search.

Review the basics of Canadian genealogy research to get a feel for the types of records available, then jump into the resources available for your province or topic of interest.

Introduction to Canadian Genealogy

Part of understanding your family’s heritage involves developing an appreciation for the times and places in which they lived. How did their days unfold? Why did they make the decisions that they made? What factors had the greatest influence on their behaviour? It is this understanding that makes your family history come alive.

Through articles, personal experiences, historical documents and accounts and guest lectures and talks, we can explore the lives, times and localities of our Canadian forebears.

• Reminiscences of Newfoundland
• Histories from the Old Cemetery: Linnekin Ancestry
• Lessons from the Courts: Requiem for a Nurse

On almost any night of the week, you could find somebody, somewhere talking Canadian genealogy in the Forum.

The Sunday evening lineup began at 8 p.m. EST in the Ancestral Digs Conference Room [*] with HOST GFS Joy and HOST GFS Janice, formerly hosting a session covering Maritimes resources, from Nova Scotia to New Brunswick to Prince Edward Island.

At 9 p.m. in the Newfoundland Chat Room [*], you could step aboard the Terre Nova and join HOST GFS Janice and HOST GFS Chuck as they set sail on a cruise to discover Newfoundland ancestors.

Sunday evenings at 10 p.m. EST HOST GFS Acadian would greet her Acadian cousins in the Ancestral Digs Conference Room [*]. If you have Acadian blood you were more than likely to meet a cousin in this free-wheeling discussion that focused on Louisiana resources, but also covered the other locations where these unfortunate exiles settled.

Monday afternoons at 2 p.m. EST in the Ancestral Digs Conference Room [*] you would have found the daytime Canada genealogy chat with an open discussion of all things Canadian.

Monday nights at 9 p.m. EST in the Loyalist Chat Room [*] you would have found a discussion of ancestors who remained loyal to King George during the American Revolution. A principle focus was on confirming the identity of Loyalist ancestors through primary sources.

At 10 p.m. EST on Mondays in the Ontario Chat Room [*], you could have joined HOST GFS Susan, an Ontario native, as she explored genealogy research in Ontario.

Parlez vous français? Want to? You could have come to practice your language skills while sharing your experiences and stories of French-Canadian research with HOST GFS Suzanne at 10 p.m. EST each Tuesday night in the Québec Chat Room [*]. English speaking guests were more than welcome too!

If you were a night owl, stay up on Tuesday night after the French chat for the general interest Late Night Canada Chat at 12 midnight in the Golden Gates Conference Room [*] with HOST GFS Susan.

On Wednesday evenings at 9 p.m. EST in the Ancestral Digs Conference Room [*], HOSTGFS Judi, HOSTGFSJOY, and HOST GFS Mar hosted the granddaddy of all the Canadian chats, a broad based, open discussion covering all aspects of Canadian genealogy.

You could have joined HOST GFS Judi and HOST GFS Mar on Thursday nights at 9 p.m. EST in the Golden Gates Conference Room [*] where the discussion focused on ancestors born in France and French Canada.

And finally, on Friday night, join HOST GFS Suzanne, a native of Québec at 9 p.m. EST in the Québec Chat Room [*] to discuss the resources available to those with ancestors from Québec.