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Canadian Confederation (6)
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Alexander Galt: The Stubborn IdealistJulian Biggs 1962 27 minFor Alexander Galt it was the middle of the road, until he saw some hope for his dream of a united Canada. What was he like, this stubborn idealist? How did he measure up to other political strongmen of his time? In this film you sense the personal clashes and the interplay of political ambitions that left their mark on history. -
DannyJustin Simms & William D. MacGillivray 2014 1 h 23 minDanny Williams was the charismatic and unflinching Premier of Newfoundland and Labrador from 2003 to 2010. By the time he left office, he had become the most popular—and controversial—Canadian politician of his era.
Laced with humour and revealing back-room anecdotes, Danny is the story of how Williams turned a “have not” into a “have” province. Known as a fighter, Williams famously took on prime ministers and Big Oil to ensure that benefits from the province’s abundant natural resources flowed back to its people. His mantra “no more giveaways” was key to his unprecedented popularity, but pride in his province made Williams a hero to its people. -
The Musical Ride1954 19 minThis 1954 documentary short presents the famous Musical Ride of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. In a display of brilliant horsemanship, scarlet-coated Mounties take their horses through the many intricate patterns of the Ride, performed to the accompaniment of band music.
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Newfoundland: Atlantic ProvinceSydney Newman & Roger Morin 1949 18 minWith simple ceremony on Parliament Hill, Ottawa, Newfoundlanders are welcomed as fellow-Canadians. Prime Minister St. Laurent starting off the carving of Newfoundland's coat of arms in the tenth and formerly blank shield over the entrance to the Parliament Buildings, writing in stone another chapter of Confederation. So begins this survey of Canada's tenth province, Newfoundland, its resources and how its people live. The film takes us to St. John's, Corner Brook, Bell Island, and includes a visit to Labrador where we see the giant airport at Gander.
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Our Constitution - The Law of the LandJane Churchill 1990 28 minMost Canadians have heard a lot about the Constitution, but don't understand what it is or how it works. Using clear language, this film explains that the Constitution is made up of laws, court decisions and conventions. Together, they guide our legislatures and Parliament, delineating federal and provincial jurisdictions, and protecting citizens from abusive legislation.
Our Constitution - The Law of the Land touches on key moments in the Constitution's history, from the 1867 British North America Act (Constitution Act), to the 1982 repatriation of the Constitution and the Charter of Rights, to continued efforts at constitutional change. (Grades 6-12 civics and social studies.) -
The PeacekeepersPaul Cowan 2005 1 h 23 minIn this documentary, Paul Cowan delivers unprecedented access to the United Nations Department of Peacekeeping, and the determined and often desperate manoeuvres to avert another Rwandan disaster, this time in the Democratic Republic of Congo (the DRC). The film cuts back and forth between the United Nations headquarters in New York and events on the ground in the DRC. We are with the peacekeepers in the 'Crisis Room' as they balance the risk of loss of life on the ground with the enormous sums of money required from uncertain donor countries. We are with UN troops as the northeast Congo erupts and the future of the DRC, if not all of central Africa, hangs in the balance. As Secretary General Kofi Annan tells the General Assembly at the conclusion of The Peacekeepers: "History is a harsh judge. The world will not forgive us if we do nothing." Whether the world's peacekeeper did enough remains to be seen.
