Chronology home ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() 1930s ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
date | event | tags | firsts | |
1999 (In the year) | The publication of Angus: From the Heart: The life of Counsellor Angus Cowan by Pat Verge. It was published by Springtide Publishing, in Cochrane, AB. Two editions of this book were published in 1999. | Patricia Verge; Angus Cowan; * Publications; Cochrane, AB | ||
1998 Ridván | The National Convention was held in the Bahá'í Shrine in Montreal the location of the first National Convention 50 years previous. Those elected were: : Husayn Banani, Glen Eyford. Judy Filson, Margot Leonard, Susan Lyons, Karen McKye. Reginald Newkirk, Louise Profeit-Leblanc, and Enayat Rawhani. [CBN Vol 11 No 3 Jul 1998 p11] | National Convention; National Spiritual Assembly, election of; Husayn Banani; Glen Eyford; Judy Filson; Margot Leonard; Susan Lyons; Karen McKye; Reginald Newkirk; Louise Profeit-LeBlanc; Enayat Rawhani; Montreal, QC | ||
1998 8 Apr | The passing of Florence Virginia Wilson Mayberry (b. 18 September 1906 in Sleeper, Missouri) in Marshfield, Missouri. She became a Bahá'í in 1941 in Reno, Nevada. From 1954 to 1959 she served on the first Auxiliary Board for North America covering the Western States and Canada. While serving as an Auxiliary Board member, Florence was elected to the National Spiritual Assembly of the United States in 1959. Shortly after the Mayberry family pioneered to Mexico in 1961 where Mrs. Mayberry was elected to serve on the National Spiritual Assembly of that country and participated in the first International Bahá'í Convention in 1963. In 1968 she was appointed to the Continental Board of Counsellors for North America, then in 1973 she was appointed as one of three Counselors of the newly established International Teaching Center where she served for 10 years.
[BW26p275]
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In Memoriam; Florence Mayberry; Auxiliary board members; Continental Board of Counsellors; International Teaching Centre; National Spiritual Assembly; Sleeper, MO; Marshfield, MO | ||
1997 9 Jul | The passing of Ronald James Parsons (b. 8 May, 1926, Moose Jaw, SK).
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Ron Parsons; In Memoriam; Rita Parsons; Moose Jaw, SK; Claresholm, AB | first Christian minister to resign to become a Bahá'í | |
1997 24 Mar - 16 May | The nine member First Nations Travel Teaching Trip to the South Pacific, called "The Journey of Teech-ma" consisted of Canadian Bahá'ís from Kwakiutl, Nuu-Cha-Nuth, the Ojibway First Nations, a Yupik Bahá'í from Alaska and three non-Native Canadian friends. They shared their culture and their Faith with the Maori, other New Zealanders, the Aborigines and other Australians as well as the ne-Vanuatu peoples. See entry for 1994 (Summer). [SDSC370] | First Nations; Travel Teaching; Pacific; Maoris; Aboriginal people; Indigenous people; New Zealand; Australia; Vanuatu; Canada | ||
1997 March | The passing of Noel Wuttunee. Mr. Wuttunee was the first Native Canadian to accept the Faith in Canada. He passed away in Seattle, WA. He was well-known in the mid-fifties and early sixties for his evocative artwork and his ability to teach the Faith to his people. He was taught the Faith by fellow artist Gerda Christofferson, whom he later married. Mr. Wuttunee had lived in the United States since the mid-sixties. [BC vol 9 issue 3 Sept 1996 p27]
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Noel Wuttunee; Gerda Christofferson; Seattle, WA; Calgary, AB | the first Native Canadian to accept the Faith in Canada | |
1997 (In the year) | The publication of In the Path of the Wind: Recollections of Monserrat by Larry Rowdon. It was published by September House in Osgood, ON. It would appear that the book is no longer available.
The book is biographical and recounts some of the memories of Margaret and Larry Rowdon during their 6 years of pioneering (1986-1992) on the island. |
Larry Rowdon; In the Path of the Wind (book) | ||
1996 13 Jul | The passing of Novella Rose Hyde at home in Courtney. She was buried at the Courtenay Civic Cemetery. Novella was the wife of Eric Hyde and the mother of Karyne, Sharle and Valery. [Comox Valley Obituaries 1986-2008]
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Novella Hyde; In Memoriam; Comox, BC | ||
1996 10 Jan | The passing of Ruth Eyford in St. Albert, AB. (b. Ruth Monk 12 June, 1930, NS). [Find a grave]
She became a Bahá'í in Montreal in 1956 and married Glen Eyford in 1957. She and Glen served in Iceland and in India. Returning to Canada she served as an Auxiliary Board Member and as chair of the National Spiritual Assembly as well as a number of local and national committees. [BW1995-1996p313] |
Ruth Eyford; In Memoriam; Births and deaths; Pioneering; Auxiliary board members; St. Albert, AB; Montreal, QC; Canada; India; Iceland | ||
1996 7 Jan | The passing of Knight of Bahá'u'lláh Mary Zabolotny McCulloch (b. 9 November 1918 in The Pas, MN). As a single woman she had fulfilled the difficult goal for the Ten Year Crusade in Anticosti because the entire territory was under the control of the Wayagamack Pulp and Paper Company and residence on the island would necessitate employment by that company. She was only able to stay for a few months but nonetheless won the accolade. She visited the island on three occasions in later years.
She married Ken McCulloh in 1958 and they settled in Baker Lake in 1958 where Ken had been pioneering. They stayed until 1979 [BWIM277] |
Mary Zabolotny McCulloch; Knight of Bahá'u'lláh; In Memoriam; Winnipeg, MB; The Pas, MB; Baker Lake, NU | ||
1996 (In the year) | The publication of The Origins of the Baha'i Community of Canada, 1898-1948 by Will C. van den Hoonaard. It was published by the Wilfid Laurier University Press.
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Will C. van den Hoonaard; The Origins of the Bahá'í Community of Canada; Mike McMullen | ||
1996 (In the Year) | To Diffuse the Fragrances was the unpublished memoir of Bahá'í life in the Arctic completed in 1994 and written by Ken and Mary McCulloch. [Bahá'í Community of Canada: A Case Study in the transplantation of Non-Western Religious Movements by Dr Will C. Van den Hoonaard, bibliography] | To Diffuse the Fragrances; Ken McCulloch; Mary McCulloch; Bahá'í House; Baker Lake, NU; Canada | ||
1995 Apr | The publication of When Your Patient is a Bahá'í; An information sheet for health care professionals by the Baha'i Medical Association of Canada. | Bahá'í Medical Association of Canada | ||
1994 (In the year) | The founding of the Nancy Campbell Collegiate Institute in Stratford. [Bahaipedia] | Nancy Campbell; Nancy Campbell Academy, Canada; - Bahá'í inspired schools; Stratford, ON | ||
1994 (Summer) | A Maoris teaching team visited British Columbia, Canada. The visit was reciprocated by The Journey of Teech-ma, the First Nations Travel Teaching Trip to the South Pacific. See entry for 24 March, 1997. [SDSC370] | First Nations; Maoris; Indigenous people; Travel Teaching; British Columbia, Canada; Canada | ||
1995 May | The National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of Canada presented a paper entitled A Bahá'í Perspective on the Future of Canadian Foreign Policy to the Special Joint Parliamentary Committee reviewing Canadian Foreign Policy. [A Bahá'í Perspective on the Future of Canadian Foreign Policy] | Foreign Policy; - National Spiritual Assembly, statements; - Statements; Ottawa, ON | ||
1994 13 Mar | The passing of Gladys Isabel McLean (b 8 June 1912 Edmonton, AB) in hospital in Edmonton. She first heard of the Faith in 1944 in a talk given by Anita Ioas. After being admonished by Florence Mayberry for "sitting on the fence" for ten years she declared her faith. She will be long remembered for her travel teaching trips and for her service at the Temple in New Delhi. She was survived by her daughter Felicity Enayat. [BahaiWorld In Memoriam p133-136] | In Memoriam; Gladys McLean; Edmonton, AB | ||
1994 (In the year) | The publication of Hidden Bounties: Memories of Pioneering on the Magdalen Archipelago by Larry Rowdon. It was published by Nine Pines Publishing in Manotick, ON.
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Larry Rowdon; Margaret Rowdon; Ayn Rowdon; Hidden Bounties (book); Nine Pines Publishing; Magdalen Islands, QC | ||
1994 (In the year) | The publication of and The Trees Clapped Hands - Stories of Baha'i Pioneers compiled by Claire Vreeland. It was published by George Ronald of Oxford. | Claire Vreeland; Pioneering | ||
1993 (Summer) | The founding of the Ottawa Creative Writers' Group by Larry Rowdon, Bruce Filson, and Linda O'Neil, soon followed by David Erickson, Jim Desson and Jack McLean. Writers who have participated were: Damian Firth, Peter Brady, Don Bourque, Heather Cardin, Paul Touesnard, Michael Harris, Joyce Loeffelholtz, Chuck Rae, J.P. Quinn, Jeannette Lajoie, Barbara Pope, Anne Chadwick, Margaret Malloch Zielinski, Stephen Thirlwall, Carol Gravelle, Sylvie Nantais, Maryl Weatherburn, and Barbara Rager. Every second year or so a beautiful chapbook showcasing members' work is published. [Ottawa Community Newsletter 25 March 2019] | Ottawa Creative Writers Group; Ottawa, ON | ||
1993 Ridván | The Processes of the Three Year Plan 1993-1996
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Three Year Plan; - Teaching Plans | ||
1993 10 Apr | The passing of Roger White, writer, editor and "poet laureate" of the Bahá'í community, in Richmond, British Columbia (b. in Toronto on 2 June 1929).
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Roger White; In Memoriam; Richmond, BC | ||
1993 21 Mar | The presentation of the first Race Unity Award by the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of Canada.
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National Spiritual Assembly; Race unity; Race | first Race Unity Award | |
1993 9 Jan | The formation of the Spiritual Assembly of LaPêche, QC by joint declaration. Members were: Stephen and Leslie Hanks: Roxanne Lalonde; Sandra Briand; Mike and Jen (Litzgus) Sianchuk; Marilee and David Rhody, and Lillian Chaffers. Because Lillian was in the senior's residence in Masham the other members went there and formed the Assembly in her presence. [from an email from David Rhody dated 28 May 2022]
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Local Spiritual Assembly, formation; Stephen Hanks; Leslie Hanks; Roxanne Lalonde; Sandra Briand; Mike Sianchuk; Jen Litzgus; Marilee Rhody; David Rhody; Lillian Chaffers; Daniel O'Connell; Outaouais Cluster; LaPêche, QC | first Spiritual Assembly in LaPêche, QC | |
1993 (In the year) | The publication of Fire in Many Hearts, an autobiography by Doris McKay with Paul Vreeland. It was published by Nine Pines Publishing.
Doris McKay was born in New York state in 1894. She married Willard McKay in 1923 and took up residence on a successful fruit farm. The greatest adventure of Doris and Willard's lives began two years later, when they embraced the Bahá'í Faith through the teaching efforts of Howard and Mable Ives. This book tells the story of that adventure — of Doris and Willard's work and warm friendships with people such as the Ives, Grace and Harlan Ober, Louis Gregory, May Maxwell, Martha Root, Dorothy Baker, and other early American Bahá'ís. It tells the story of the McKay's work in the racial amity field and their eventual pioneering move to Eastern Canada in the 1940's. Doris tells her story with clear-sightedness, zest, and love. This book provides an intimate glimpse into the spiritual life of a dedicated Bahá'í teacher and the development of the Bahá'í Faith in America. The book was republish in 2021 under a new title, Fires in Many Hearts; Memoirs of an early American believer by George Ronald Publishers. |
Doris McKay; Paul Vreeland | ||
1992 Dec | The formation of the Ottawa Regional Baha'í Choir. It traces its roots to the mass choir that was created to perform at the Bahá'í World Congress in New York City in November of 1992. Three Ottawa Baha'is were in that choir, and they brought back with them a body of specially commissioned choral arrangements for Baha'i sacred music. They were joined by several others, eager to sing this "new music" that they had seen performed at the Congress. Over the next few years, other choir members attended choral workshops in Green Acre Baha'i School and elsewhere, further expanding the Ottawa choir's repertoire. Members of the Ottawa Regional Bahá'í Choir have always come from both sides of the Ottawa river, from Gatineau, QC. They have been Bahá'ís and their friends, with different levels of singing experience. There are no auditions for the choir and those new to singing are encouraged to learn as they go. The membership generally has fluctuated between 10 and 16, but has been as large as 24 and is currently 20 members strong. Over the lifetime of the choir, as about 200 members have participated, choir direction has changed hands, often rotating between members. [Ottawa Community News 28 September 2017] |
Ottawa Regional Bahá'í Choir; Ottawa, ON; Gatineau, QC | ||
1992 11 Nov |
The passing of Doris McKay (b. Doris Henrietta Hill 29 September, 1894) in Charlottetown.
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In Memoriam; Doris McKay; Fire in Many Hearts; Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island; Montreal, QC; Moncton, NB; Hamilton, ON; Toronto, ON | ||
1992 23 - 26 Nov | The film, 'Abdu'l-Bahá: Mission to America, made by Elizabeth Martin, was prepared for the World Congress program and also used in the Theme Pavilion. [HNWE45] | - Film; `Abdu'l-Bahá: Mission to America (film); Elizabeth Martin; New York City, NY | ||
1992 (In the year) | The formation of The Bahá'í Medical Association of Canada (BMAC). [Canadian Bahá'í News Service 23NOV2007] | Bahá'í Medical Association of Canada | ||
1992 19 - 22 Jun | The ceremonies were held for the thirty-eight members of the first graduating class of the Maxwell International Bahá'í School. More than seven hundred participated in the ceremonies. ["Maxwell Eagle" Sep/Oct 1992 Vol IV no. 1 page 1] | Maxwell International School, Canada; - Bahá'í inspired schools; Shawnigan Lake, BC | ||
1991 14 Nov | In a message from Hand of the Cause A.M. Varqá, the Office of the Trustee, the Institution of the Huqúqu'lláh, to the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of Canada, the formation of the Board of Trustees of the Huqúqu'lláh was announced. Members were Mr. Husayn Banání, Dr. Mohsen Enayat, Dr. Gerald Hanks, Dr. Bill Hatcher, and Dr. Michael Rochester. [CBNJan92 p2] | Huququllah; Firsts, other; Huququllah, Trustees of; Husayn Banani; Mohsen Enayat; Gerald Hanks; Bill Hatcher; Michael Rochester | ||
1991 18 Jun |
The passing of Hand of the Cause of God, Knight of Bahá'u'lláh, John Aldham Robarts at Rawdon, Quebec. He was born in Waterloo, Ontario 2nd of November, 1901. [VV124]
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- Hands of the Cause; Hands of the Cause, Births and deaths; Births and deaths; - Knights of Bahá'u'lláh; John Robarts; In Memoriam; Rawdon, QC | ||
1991 Ridván | Delegates to Canada's 43rd annual National
Convention, held in Charlottetown, PE, have
elected the members of the National Spiritual
Assembly of the Bahá'ís of Canada.
The nine members are Husayn Banani,
Hossain Danesh, Margot Leonard, Ed Muttart,
Reggie Newkirk, Louise Profeit-LeBlanc, Enayat
Rawhani, Michael Rochester, and Ann Wilson. The Canadian Bahá'í community elected 171 delegates at the Unit Conventions, as instructed by the Universal House of Justice. Of the 171 delegates, 164 cast ballots to elect the National Assembly. Of the 164, 155 cast their ballots in person at the Convention. Canada's 43rd annual National Convention will be remembered for many reasons, but especially for its focus on teaching French Canadians and Natives. [BC Vol 4 No 2 June 1991 P3] |
National Convention; National Spiritual Assembly, election of; Husayn Banani; Hossain Danesh; Margot Leonard; Ed Muttart; Reginald Newkirk; Louise Profeit-LeBlanc; Enayat Rawhani; Michael Rochester; Ann Wilson; Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island | ||
1991 | Statistics Canada reported 14,730 Bahá'ís from 1991 census data. [Bahaipedia] | Statistics; Canada | ||
1990 16 Oct | The passing of Dorothy Maquabeak Francis (b. 22 March 1912 Waywayseecappo First Nation) in New Westminster, BC. In 1978 she received the Order of Canada in recognition of her life-long work for First Nations people. Her name, Maquabeak, means "Sitting Bear Woman". [BW20p990-991] | Dorothy Francis; In Memoriam; Order of Canada; New Westminster, BC | ||
1990 5 Sep | The passing of Emeric Sala (Emereich Szalvetz ) (b.12 November, 1906 in Havas Dombrovitza, Hungary (later Romania)). He was buried in Royal Oak Burial Park Cemetery in Victoria, BC. [Find a grave]
He was a founding member of the Montreal Youth Group along with Rowland Estal and George Spendlove, the first organized youth class in the Western Hemisphere. From that youth group came a Hand of the Cause of God, a member of the Universal House of Justice, two members of the Continental Board of Counsellors, three members of National Spiritual Assemblies, and the authors of three Bahá'í books. He and Siegfried Schopflocher were instrumental in purchasing and developing the first Canadian Bahá'í property at Beaulac, north of Montreal. In 1940 he and his wife Rosemary pioneered for one year to Venezuela and served as travelling teachers throughout South America. In 1945 he published This Earth One Country. He wrote about such revolutionary concepts as a "planetary economy", "a supranational community" and a "world plan". [TG86-92] Both he and Rosemary were elected to the National Spiritual Assembly of Canada when it was formed in 1948. In 1953 they tried to pioneer to the Comoro Islands but could not get residential status from the French government so they settled in Eshowe Zululand, now South Africa. When the government would not renew their licence to trade they moved to Port Elizabeth. They returned to Canada briefly in 1963 and pioneered to Guadalajara, Mexico and travelled extensively throughout Central America. Rosemary died at her post in February of 1980. In 1980 he married his second wife, Donya, and together they travelled through the Americas, China, India and Europe until they both passed. [BW20 p993-995; Bahá'ís of Canada] His biography and that of his wife Rosemary, Tending the Garden was written by his niece Ilona Sal Weinstein. This publication is also available in the e-book format. |
Emeric Sala; In Memoriam; Victoria, BC; Montreal, QC; Beaulac, QC; Eshowe, South Africa; South Africa; Gqeberha, South Africa; South Africa; Guadalajara, Mexico; Mexico | ||
1990 22 Feb |
Jalál Kházeh, (b. 24 February, 1897, Tihran) Hand of the Cause of God, passed away in Toronto. He was buried in York Cemetery in Toronto. [BINS219:90] Note: VV123 says it was 20 February. |
Jalal Khazeh; - Hands of the Cause; Hands of the Cause, Births and deaths; Births and deaths; In Memoriam; Hands of the Cause, Appointments; Toronto, ON | ||
1989 (Summer) | The founding of the Maxwell International Bahá'í School. It was a co-ed Bahá'í school located on Shawnigan Lake, British Columbia, Canada. It offered day students and boarding students from many parts of the world instruction from grades 7-12. Its educational philosophy was based on the principles of the Bahá'í Faith. The school was opened in a ceremony with guest of honour Amatu'l-Bahá Rúhíyyih Khánum (Mary Maxwell, daughter of May and Sutherland) and wife of the Bahá'í Faith's Guardian, Shoghi Effendi). A tree was planted in dedication to the opening of the school. In the early 2006-2007 school year, the school board decided to drop "Bahá'í" from its name, changing it to "Maxwell International School". The school closed on its 20th anniversary in 2008. [Wiki] | Maxwell International School, Canada; - Bahá'í inspired schools; Amatul-Bahá Ruhiyyih Khanum; Maxwell International School, Canada; Shawnigan Lake, BC | ||
1989 22 Aug | The passing of Sam Bald Eagle Augustine, (Sam Gitpu), (b. Big Cove, New Brunswick on November 3, 1923) a member of the Mi'Kmaq First Nations.
While enduring a lengthy illness he made a series of recordings called "Talks from the Heart"which he hoped would spread the Message of Baha'u'llah, not only to other Native people, but to the world. [IndigenousBahais.com] |
Sam Bald Eagle Augustine; In Memoriam; Sam Gitpu; Mikmaq First Nations, Canada; Big Cove, NB | ||
1989 (In the year) | The passing of Roberta (Bobbie) Mary Millay Cowan, (b, 1915). She was buried in the Mount View Cemetery in Invermere, BC. [Find a grave] | In Memoriam; Roberta Cowan; Bobby Cowan; Invermere, BC | ||
1988 30 Jun - 3 Jul | The Bahá'í Arts Council, Canada, held the first arts festival, 'Invitation 88: A Festival of the Human Spirit' at the University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario. [BINS179:2] | Bahá'í Arts Council, Canada; London, ON | ||
1988 8 May | The passing of Beatrice Owen Ashton (b. 17 May, 1890, Cleveland). She was buried in the Lake View Cemetery in Cleveland. [BW20p896-899]
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Beatrice Owen Ashton; Beatrice Ashton; Travel Teaching; Summer schools; Lethbridge, AB | ||
1988 Mar | The publication of the first edition of the trilingual quarterly publication The Journal of Bahá'í Studies.
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Bahá'í Studies, Associations for; Journal of Bahá'í Studies; Association for Bahá'í Studies (North America) | ||
1988 18 Jan | The passing of Tlingit elder Johnnie Johns (b. 10 July 1898 at Tagish, YT). He was a member of the Crow clan of the Dieshheetaan house. His Tlingit name was Yeil Shaan which means "Old Crow". He became a Bahá'í in 1968 following the example of his brother Peter.
Following his enrollment, he travelled to Southeast Alaska to teach the Faith. Later, he travelled with Don MacLaren throughout the Yukon to present a Bahá'í brief on Human Rights to all the Chiefs of the Yukon. During his travels, which included a trip to the Philippines along with his daughter Hazel and niece Clara Shinkel, he was able to present the Faith on the radio. He attended the first native council held in Haines, Alaska and was instrumental in the decision made by the Elders at Carcross to pursue the building of a native teaching institute. Hand of the Cause John Robarts and Uncle Johnnie turned the sod for the construction of the Yukon Bahá'í Institute in 1983. Uncle Johnnie participated at the Dedication of the Institute and the naming ceremony for Hand of the Cause John Robarts which was held during the potlatch. His leadership and counsel will be dearly missed by all his Bahá'í family. "The circle is completed". [BC Vol 1 No 1 March 1988 p15] See "Remembering Uncle Johnnie". [BC Vol 1 No 1 March 1988 p24] |
In Memoriam; Johnnie Johns; Tagish; Whitehorse, YT | ||
1987 31 Dec | The passing of Bill Waugh (b. 18 March 1904 Verdun, QC). He was buried in the Cap-aux-Meules cemetery.
Bill was well-known in Quebec and the Maritimes for his ten years of service at the Laurentian Bahá'í School at Beaulac, Quebec, his travel teaching in Nova Scotia and New Brunswick, and his wholehearted participation in regional activities when the Magdalens were a part of the Prince Edward Island teaching region. He served Bahá'í communities across Canada from Saanich, B.C., Beloeil, Quebec, and lastly to the Magdalen Islands where Bill, his wife Percilla and daughter Barbara pioneered for the last fifteen years of his life. [BC Vol 10 No 1 March 1988 p15] |
In Memoriam; Bill Waugh; Laurentian Bahá'í School, Quebec; Magdalen Islands, QC; Verdun, QC | ||
1987 31 Dec | The publication of Tristan; physically and mentally handicapped..socially and spiritually gifted by Suzanne Schuurman.
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Tristan; Suzanne Schuurman; Tristan Schuurman | ||
1987 (In the year) | The film, Heart of the Lotus, made by Elizabeth Martin, documented the dedication of the House of Worship in New Delhi. [HNWE45] | - Film; - Documentaries; Elizabeth Martin; Lotus temple, New Delhi; Mashriqu'l-Adhkár, Delhi; Haifa, Israel; - Bahá'í World Centre; New Delhi, India; India | ||
1986 (Summer) | Margaret and Larry Rowdon pioneered to Montserrat.
The island of Montserrat is in the Leeward Islands, which is part of the Lesser Antilles chain in the West Indies.
They stayed for six years.
In 1989 they experienced a hurricane. Although the eye of the hurricane missed Montserrat, Hugo still produced sustained winds of 140 mph and pounded the island. Nearly every home on Montserrat was destroyed or heavily damaged, leaving 11,000 of the island's 12,000 inhabitants homeless. Larry subsequently wrote a short biography of their time there appropriately titled In the Path of the Wind: Recollections of Montserrat. |
Larry Rowdon; Margaret Rowdon; Montserrat | ||
1986 9 Mar | The passing of Continental Board of Counsellor member Angus Welldon Cowan (b.12 September 1914 in Bishopton, Quebec) at his home in Invermere, BC. [BW19p703–70; BCNS; Find a grave]
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Angus Cowan; In Memoriam; Patricia Verge; Bishopton, QC; Invermere, BC | ||
1986 12 Feb | The National Spiritual Assembly announced the 77 new electoral districts that would be used to elect the 171 delegates the to the National Convention. This was done in consideration of the direction from the Universal House of Justice in its letter of 21 July 1985. [Bahá'í Canada Vol 8 no 1 Feb/Mar 1986 p28] | Conventions, District; Conventions, National | ||
1985 23 Dec | Mrs Angela Sidney was awarded the Order of Canada. She was invested as a Member of the Order of Canada on the 9th of April 1986.
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Angela Sidney; Tagish; Tlingit | ||
1985 22 Nov | The passing of Melba Whetung Loft 'Kinaaj-Kwe' (b. 24 December 1912 Curve Lake First Nation) at the Curve Lake First Nation near Peterborough. She was the first Canadian First Nations person to accept the Faith in Marysville Michigan in 1938. Melba and her husband Jim were buried side by side on the Tyendinaga First Nation were he was born and grew up. [BW19p697; BC Vol 8 No 2 April 1986 p17] | In Memoriam; Melba Whetung Loft; Curve Lake First Nation, ON; Peterborough, ON; Tyendinaga First Nation, ON | first Canadian Indigenous believer | |
1985 21 Jul | Prior to this time, some national communities elected their delegates to the National Conventions on the basis of areas that had Local Spiritual Assemblies, while in other larger national communities, delegates were elected on the basis of electoral units in which all adult believers had the vote. From this time forward, all were to use the Electoral Unit system. There would be no change in the number of delegates elected to attend the National Convention.
Given the wide variety of geography in the Bahá'í world, each National Spiritual Assembly was directed to establish the most effective means for the election of the delegates to its National Convention and for providing for an opportunity for consultation among the electors. [Message 21 July 1985] In its letter of 2 January 1986, the Universal House of Justice referred to ''a new stage in the unfoldment of the Administrative Order," a stage characterized by a "new development in the maturation of Bahá'í institutions" which marks "the inception of the fourth epoch" of the Formative Age of the Faith. |
National Convention; Elections; National Spiritual Assembly, election of; - Bahá'í World Centre | ||
1985 28 Apr | The passing of Samson Knowlton in his eighty-third year. Samson and his wife Rosie, who died in 1981, were among the first six members of the Piikani First Nation (Peigan Reserve), one of the three branches of the Blackfoot tribe, to proclaim their faith in Baha'u'llah. Their acceptance of the Faith in 1958 resulted from a visit to southern Alberta of the Hand of the Cause John Robarts. The Knowltons quickly became effective Bahá'í teachers, assisting in the formation in April 1961 of the first Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of the Peigan Reserve.
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In Memoriam; Sam Knowlton; Rosie Knowlton; Piikani First Nation, AB | ||
1985 | Number of Local Spiritual Assemblies in Canada: 350 Incorporated Local Spiritual Assemblies: 159 Localities where Bahá'í reside: 1,500 Members: 2,100 [from a pamphlet, The Bahá'í Faith and its World Community published by the NSA of Canada] |
Statistics; Canada | ||
1985 7 Mar |
The passing of Continental Board of Counsellor Lloyd Gardner. [Mess63-68p660]
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In Memoriam; Lloyd Gardner | ||
1985 (In the year) | The publication of The Bahá'í Faith; The Emerging Global Religion by William Hatcher and Douglas Martin. It was first published by Harper and Row, San Francisco and has seen numerous reprints. {BEL 7.1143 p87]
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The Bahá'í Faith; The Emerging Global Religion; William Hatcher; Douglas Martin | ||
1984 Nov | The International Bahá'í Refugee Office, responsible for coordinating efforts to resettle Iranian Bahá'í refugees, was established by the National Spiritual Assembly of Canada at the request of the Universal House of Justice. [BW19:50]
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International Bahá'í Refugee Office; Refugees; Canada | ||
1984 9 Jul | The dedication of the Yukon Bahá'í Institute. Close to 500 people gathered at the Yukon Bahá'í Institute at Lake Laberge near Whitehorse. It wa s one year to the day since the sod-turning ceremony launched the construction. Again Hand of the Cause of God John Robarts and Counsellor Loretta King were in attendance. Other distinguished guests attending the dedication ceremonies were Hand of the Cause Dr. Varqa , Counsellor Angus Cowan. Canadian National Assembly members Dr. Jane Faily, Ed Muttart and Husayn Banani, Alaskan National Assembly Member and native elder Eugene King and Auxiliary Board Member Peggy Ross. The dedication was well attended by native elders and distinguished native Bahá'ís-Melba Loft, Johnny Johns, Charlotte Sydney, Pete Sydney, Paul George and Doris Wedge, to name a few. Attendance from the Bahá'ís of Alaska was high with six National Assembly members. four members of the National Teaching committee and representatives from 26 local Spiritual Assemblies and others making a total of at least 100 Alaskan Bahá'ís participating. [BC Vol6 no 2 June-September 1984 p37 |
Bahá'í Institutes; Yukon Bahá'í Institute; Lake Labarge, YT | ||
1983 28 Nov | National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of Canada presented a brief to The Special Parliamentary Committee on the Participation of the Visible Minorities in Canada.
They considered "remarkable" the recently enacted of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms (also known as the Constitution Act of 1982), and the Multiculturalism Policy of 1971, as well as Canada's contribution to human rights accords on the international level and steps towards the creation of single global society. The National Assembly shared the measures taken in its own community for the advancement of the rights of women, for more understanding between the Anglophone and Francophone populations, to assist the settlement of immigrants and measures taken to increase participation of the indigenous friends in society at large by establishing a variety of events. Some of there were "unity gatherings" , "native councils", "summer and winter schools", "Unity feasts", and conferences, all of which have served to bring together in social and administrative activity anglophone, francophone, and native Canadians. They included with the brief a copy of A Violence Free Society by Dr Hossain Danesh and several submissions made by the Bahá'í International Community to various United Nation agency on the question of human rights and minorities as well as an article taken from the publication "Refuge" describing the Iranian Bahá'í refugee program. In this submission, they emphasized the necessity of educational programs. They asked that careful consideration be given to the idea of holding a national conference on education focussed on this question of minority participation in Canadian society. |
Presentations; Social action | ||
1983 21 - 23 Nov | A brief entitled The Future of Canada: A Bahá'í Perspective was presented to The Royal Commission on the Economic Union and Development Prospects of Canada on behalf of the Canadian Bahá'í Community through the National Spiritual Assembly in Saskatoon. [The Future of Canada: A Bahá'í Perspective]
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Social action; Ethics; Economics; Consultation; Agriculture; Women; Indigenous people; Elderly; Education; Presentations; Saskatoon, SK | ||
1983 4 - 7 Nov | The eight annual conference for the Association for Bahá'í Studies was held in Palmer House in Chicago. The Executive Committee for the ABS was Bill Hatcher; Jane Goldstone; Christine Zerbinis; Douglas Martin; Peter Morgan; Glen Eyford; Nasser Sabet; Richard Gagnon; Hossain Danesh with Firuz Kazemzadeh and Dorothy Nelson as United States representatives.
The 8th annual conference of the Association for Baha' Studies was held in Chicago with over 500 participants came from all parts of North America, Europe, the Middle East, Latin America, the Caribbean Islands, Australia, India and several African countries. Hand of the Cause of God Mr. Khadem attended as well as a number of representatives of the Institution of the Continental Board of Counsellors, members of many National Spiritual Assemblies, and a host of internationally reknowned scholars. A unique event at the conference was a special session held at the House of Worship, focussing on the situation of the Bahá'ís of Iran.
The first plenary session of the conference focussed on the theme "New Dimensions in Development", and comprised of three presentations: Dr. Glen Eyford, Professor of International Development, spoke on "Strategies-for Social Change", Dr. Joanna Macy, "A Spiritual Approach to Social Change" and Gustavo Correa's presentation was "FUNDAEC: Case Study of an Alternative for Rural Development". The second session: "Integrating Personal and Social Change —The Baha'i Paradigm" hosted the following speakers: Dr. Ervin Laszlo, "The Coming Transformation of Global Society and Today's Action Imperative", Shelia Banani, "Unity: The Ultimate Paradigm Shift" and Dr. Hossain Danesh, "Integrating Personal and Social Change". Hand of the Cause of God, Mr. Khadem, presented the awards to the winners of the best papers: John and Helen Danesh, High School Category; Shirin Sabri, General Category; Susan Stiles, University Category. The theme for the third session was: "Elimination of Violence as a Prerequisite for World Peace". Dr. Udo Schaefer, spoke on "Justitia Fundamentum Regnorum: On the Future of Penal Law", followed by Mr. Brad Pokorny who spoke on "Disarmament and the Baha'i Faith". The advances made by the Association during the year were highlighted; the establishment of branches of the Association for Bahá'í Studies in India, Colombia, Ireland, Austria and Switzerland and the finalization of plans for opening chapters of the Association at universities to take the place gradually of the existing Bahá'í Clubs. A proposed draft of the constitution for the campus charters has been prepared and is now under review by the World Centre. [CBN Vol 5 No 6 November/December 1983 p14] |
Bill Hatcher; Jane Goldstone; Christine Zerbinis; Douglas Martin; Peter Morgan; Glen Eyford; Nasser Sabet; Richard Gagnon; Hossain Danesh; Firuz Kazemzadeh; Dorothy Nelson; Mr Khadem; Joanna Macy; Gustavo Correa; Ervin Laszlo; Ervin Laszlo; Shelia Banani; John Danesh; Helen Danesh; Shirin Sabri; Susan Stiles; Udo Schaefer; Brad Pokorny; Chicago, IL | ||
1983 1 Sep | In a message addressed to the National Spiritual Assembly of Norway the Universal House of Justice included a six-point summary of 'the essential requisites for our spiritual growth'. Written on behalf of the House of Justice, this significant letter expressed its confidence that if the believers practised the suggested disciplines they would penetrate the 'miasma of materialism' impeding the growth of the Faith in Europe. The suggestions have been gleaned from the Writings of Bahá'u'lláh and were stressed again and again in the talks and Tablets of 'Abdu'l-Bahá. The points were:
They also suggested that in their private meditation the believers use the repetition of the Greatest Name, Alláh-u-Abhá, ninety-five times a day which, although at that time it was not yet applied in the West, it was among the Laws, Ordinances and Exhortations of the Kitáb-i-Aqdas. |
Meditation; Spiritual Growth; Materialism; - Bahá'í World Centre | ||
1983 May | Seyed Mahmoud arrived in Lethbridge, Alberta — his original assigned city – and where he has resided every since. (Alberta Baha'i Council 2015 "Mohsen and Donna Seyed Mahmoud biography"). | Mohsen Seyed Mahmoud; Donna Seyed Mahmoud; Lethbridge, AB | ||
1983 Ridván | In 1983 the institution of the National Convention went through another of its periodic bouts of growing pains. Attendance again was limited to the delegates and the members of the two participating Institutions, the Board of Counsellors and the
National Spiritual Assembly, although members of the Auxiliary Board were also welcome as guests and observers.
Prior to the Convention, the National Spiritual Assembly had sent to all delegates a list of questions on which it felt the incoming membership of the Assembly would most urgently need the delegates' advice. In the same mailing, the delegates received the Annual Report from the National Assembly and reports from each one of the national committees.
Those elected to serve on the National Spiritual Assembly were: Douglas Martin (sec'y), Hossain Danesh [chair), Jane Faily, Ed Muttart (treasurer and ass't sec'y), Ruth Eyford, Michael Rochester (vice), Glen Eyford, Husayn Banani, and William Hatcher. [CBN Vol5 Issue3 July/Aug 1983 p23; CBN Vol5 Issue 2 May/Jun 1983 p20] |
National Convention; National Spiritual Assembly, election of; Douglas Martin; Hossain Danesh; Jane Faily; Ed Muttart; Ruth Eyford; Michael Rochester; Glen Eyford; Husayn Banani; William Hatcher; Guelph, ON | ||
1983 (In the year) | The film Heritage of the Martyrs, made by Elizabeth Martin, documented the fate of the Bahá'ís in Iran. [HNWE45] | - Film; Elizabeth Martin; Heritage of the Martyrs (film); Elizabeth Martin; Toronto, ON | ||
1982 2 – 5 Sep |
Bahá'í International Conference to mark the fiftieth anniversary of the passing of the Greatest Holy Leaf was held in Montreal, Canada, attended by 9,400 Bahá'ís from 101 countries. [BW18:100; VV61; BC Vol 3 No 8 p3-16]
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Conferences, Bahá'í; - Conferences, International; Bahiyyih Khanum (Greatest Holy Leaf); Jim Heidema; Elizabeth Martin; Montreal, QC | ||
1982 30 Aug - 2 Sep | The Seventh Annual Conference of the Association for Bahá'í Studies was held at the Chateau Laurier Hotel in Ottawa and was attended by some 650 people, among them, Hand of the Cause of God John Robarts. The Conference theme, "The Bahá'í Option," was explored in a variety of addresses and papers, and in workshops and symposia on scholarship, curricula, health, and international development.
Also among the Conference participants were Dr. Farzam Arbáb, a member of the Continental Board of Counsellors for the Americas; three members of the National Spiritual Assembly of Canada, Dr. Hossain Danesh, Glen Eyford and Douglas Martin; and three members of the U.S. National Spiritual Assembly, Dr. Wilma Brady, Judge Dorothy W. Nelson and Judge James F. Nelson. Also attending were Counsellor Raul Pavón; Dr. Victor de Araujo, the representative of the Bahá'í International Community at the United Nations; and Dr. Betty J. Fisher, general editor of the U.S. Bahá'í Publishing Trust. This year's Hasan Balyúzi Lectureship was delivered by Gayle Morrison, a Bahá'í historian and educator from Hawaii who is the author of To Move the World, a biography of the Hand of the Cause of God Louis G. Gregory. Mrs. Morrison's topic was "A New Creation: The Power of the Covenant in the Life of Louis Gregory." [BC Vol 3 No 8 February 1982 p17-17] |
Bahá'í Studies, Associations for; Ottawa, ON | ||
1982 Ridván | The first closed National Convention was held. In addition to the delegates, those who attended included Hands of the Cause William Sears and John Robarts, Counsellor Lloyd Gardner, and some Auxiliary Board Members.
In addition to the open style of the agenda and the Thursday supper, another new feature of the Convention was Friday's lunch at which everyone had a chance to discuss particular issues at differently designated tables. The closed nature of the Convention permitted the delegates, along with the Hands of the Cause, Counsellor, Board Members, and National Assembly members to get together for talks and discussions over meals and at breaks without getting caught up in the always festive, often overwhelming atmosphere of recent National Conventions which have seen upwards of one thousand participants. Elected to the National Spiritual Assembly were; Glen Eyford, Douglas Martin, Elizabeth Rochester, Michael Rochester, Edmund Muttart, Husayn Banani, Ruth Eyford, Jane Faily, and Hossain Danesh. [CBN Vol14 No 3 July/Aug 1982 p22] |
National Convention; National Spiritual Assembly, election of; Glen Eyford; Douglas Martin; Elizabeth Rochester; Michael Rochester; Edmund Muttart; Husayn Banani; Ruth Eyford; Jane Faily; Hossain Danesh | ||
1982 10 - 11 Apr | Bahá'í International Health Agency was established as an affiliate of the Association for Bahá'í Studies. [BW18:201; VV25] | Bahá'í Studies, Associations for; Health and healing | ||
1982 20 Jan | The passing of Mabel Harriet Pine (b. 1882 Bristol, England) in the Norword Auxiliary Hospital in Edmonton. [Bahá'í Canada Vol 4 No3 July/Aug 1982 p46]
As a young woman born into a privileged class she was a suffragette and a reformer. She worked as a nursemaid and governess then moved to Algiers and then Chile. After returning home she decided to emigrate to Canada and lived first in Vancouver and then in Edmonton where she trained as a nurse and married. [With thanks to Allion Stecyk for her tribute to her mother Mabel Harriet Pine: Unsung Heroine of Canada and to Joan Young for her research assistance.] |
Mabel Pine; In Memoriam; Mabel Pine; Claudia Coles; Allison Stecyk; Joan Young; Mary Fry; Esther Rennels; Edmonton, AB; Scollard, AB; Vermillion, AB; Calgary, AB; Armstrong, BC; Vernon, BC; New Westminster, BC | ||
1982 (In the year) | Canadian Bahá'í International Development Service was established. [BBRSM154] | Development | ||
1981 29 May - 3 Jun | The International Conference on Marriage and the Family was held May 29-June 3 was held in Ottawa concurrent with the ABS conference to hear papers presented by scholars on various aspects of Bahá'í studies.
Just as Amatu'l-Bahá Rúḥíyyih Khánum had ended the Association's annual conference, so she opened the three days of its International Bahá'í Conference on Marriage and the Family, speaking first about the problem of divorce, endemic among the Bahá'ís as it is in the world at large, and a source of great concern at the World Centre. Although marriage, she said, is not in itself a commandment, it is essential that Bahá'ís obey and take seriously the Bahá'í laws on marriage. One of the speakers at the International Bahá'í Conference on Marriage and the Family, sponsored by the Association for Bahá'í Studies was Mrs Yoshiko Nomura, a housewife from Tokyo, Japan, who was the founder and executive director of the Center for Lifelong Integrated Education. Other speakers included Kerry Mothersill, A.M. Ghadirian, Khalil A. Khavari, Michael Bruwer, Jane Faily, Frank Haendel, Hossain Danesh, Eric Frost, Sandra Roberts, N. Peseschkian, Ruth Eyford, and Anne McGillivray. [BN Issue 607 October 1981 p7] |
Conferences, Marriage and Family; Conferences, Bahá'í; - Conferences, International; Amatul-Bahá Ruhiyyih Khanum; Kerry Mothersill; `Abdu'l-Missagh Ghadirian; Khalil A. Khavari; Michael Bruwer; Jane Faily; Frank Haendel; Hossain Danesh; Eric Frost; Sandra Roberts; Nossrat Peseschkian; Ruth Eyford; Anne McGillivray; Ottawa, ON | ||
1981 29 - 31 May | The 6th annual Conference of the Association for Bahá'í Studies was held in Ottawa and was attended by some 350 Bahá'ís.
This year, with the approval of the Universal House of Justice, the name of the Association was changed from the Canadian Association for Studies on the Bahá'í Faith to the Association for Bahá'í Studies in recognition of its increasingly international character. Also, the Association recently purchased a modest house on the campus of the University of Ottawa to serve as a Center for Bahá'í Studies and as an administrative headquarters for the organization. The presentations included: "The Psychological and Spiritual Aspects of Personal Growth," by Hossain Danesh, a member of the National Spiritual Assembly of Canada who is a practicing psychiatrist; a discussion of the use of computers in indexing the Bahá'í Writings, presented by Edward Fox, a doctoral candidate in computer science at Cornell University; "John the Baptist—The Forgotten Manifestation," by Jack McLean, a doctoral candidate in religious studies at the University of Ottawa; and a presentation on the life and works of Mishkín-Qalam, the famous Bahá'í calligrapher, by Gol Aidun of Brandon, Manitoba. Also included in the conference was the second annual Ḥasan Balyúzi Lectureship—given this year by Douglas Martin, secretary of the National Spiritual Assembly of Canada, who spoke on the persecutions of the Bahá'ís in Iran under the Pahlavi regime, and by Glenford E. Mitchell, secretary of the National Spiritual Assembly of the United States, who discussed the reaction of people in the West to the current wave of persecutions in Iran. The last presentation of the conference was that of Amatu'l-Bahá Rúḥíyyih Khánum who had recently arrived in North America after several months in Central America. Although not entirely recovered from an illness acquired during her travels, she spoke vigorously—although, uncharacteristically, while seated. Her principal theme was the corrosive effects of the prejudice of the educated toward the illiterate, though she stressed the importance of the contribution of the educated in the Faith and in society. She also urged the Bahá'ís to redouble their efforts, citing a passage pointed out to her by the beloved Guardian, Shoghi Effendi, in which Bahá'u'lláh, while still in Baghdád, had said that if the Bahá'ís had busied themselves with what He had commanded them to do, "now the entire world would be clothed in faith." [BN Issue 607 October 1981 p7; BCVol 3 No 5 July/August 1981 p5] |
Bahá'í Studies, Associations for; Hossain Danesh; Edward Fox; Jack McLean; Gol Aidun; Douglas Martin; Glenford Mitchell; Amatul-Bahá Ruhiyyih Khanum; Association for Bahá'í Studies (North America); Ottawa, ON | ||
1981 Apr | Canadian Association for Studies on the Bahá'í Faith was renamed the Association for Bahá'í Studies. [BBD202; VV24–5] | Bahá'í Studies, Associations for; Association for Bahá'í Studies (North America); Ottawa, ON | ||
1981 - 2002 |
Persian-language Bahá'í quarterly journal entitled `Andalíb was published from 1981 to 2012 under the auspices of the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of Canada. From issue no. 69, responsibility for the publication was moved to the Association of Bahá'í Studies in Persian (an agency of the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of Canada).
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* Publications; Andalib (journal); Association of Bahá'í Studies in Persian; Thornhill, ON; Ottawa, ON | ||
1981 (In the year) | The Department of Immigration signed an agreement with the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of Canada permitting that body to sponsor the immigration of several hundred Iranian Bahá'ís. Iranian Bahá'ís were also named specifically by the Minister in his December 1982 submission to the House of Commons on the 1983 quota for Government sponsored refugees. Some 2,300 Iranian Bahá'í refugees arrived in Canada and settled in all of the provinces and territories. [The Future of Canada: A Bahá'í Perspective; A Symposium on the Iranian Bahá'í Refugee Movement to Canada, 1981-1989]
This cooperative partnership between the Bahá'í Community and the Department of Immigration became a model for some 25 other countries.
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Presentations; Saskatoon, SK | ||
1981 (In the year) | The founding of the Canadian Bahá'í International Development Agency (CBIDA). It takes on projects in areas like education, sustainable development through agriculture, and community development that aim to enrich the social and spiritual life of the community. The CBIDA supports its partners usually by means of providing access to funding, often in collaboration with the Canadian International Development Agency, as well as assisting with project design and monitoring and helping to build organizational capacity. [CBNS 1 November 2006] | Canadian Bahá'í International Development Agency; CBIDA | ||
1980 13 Jul | The execution by firing squad of Dr. Faramarz Samandari as well as another Bahá'í by the name of Yadollah Astani, a reputable Tabriz merchant. Dr Samandari had been arrested on April 22nd along with a number of other Bahá'ís in Tabriz who had gathered to discuss what could be done about the Bahá'ís who had been expelled from government employment. Raised in Babol he had studied medicine in Tehran, completed his military service then left for England to study English and then Canada. After completing his studies in which he trained as an otolaryngologist (ear, nose and throat specialist), he returned to Iran. His Canadian fiancee, Anita, followed and they were married in 1971. She and their three children, all under the age of seven, left Iran after the Revolution on the advice of the Canadian Embassy. He was 48 years old at the time of his execution and was considered one of the top microscopic ear surgeons in the world. He was an innovator who devised a new method of ear surgery for the treatment of deafness. The method, now used in a modernized form around the world, allows a surgeon to implant a small hearing aid behind the ear of a hearing impaired person in a way that cannot been seen. [Iran Wire] |
Persecution, Iran; Yadollah Astani; Dr. Faramarz Samandari; Babul (Barfurush), Iran; Tabríz, Iran; Iran | ||
1980 2 - 4 Jun | Fifth Annual Conference of the Association of Bahá'í Studies was held in Ottawa.
A group of lectures were given on the life and work of Hand of the Cause Mr. Hasan Balyuzi. Dr. Abbas Afnan and Dr. Muhammed Afnan, both of whom are relations of Mr. Balyuzi and belong to the family of the Blessed Bab, talked about Mr. Balyuzi's illustrious lineage. Hand of the Cause of God, Mr. John Robarts provided an appreciation of Mr. Balyuzi's service as a member of the Institution of the Hands of the Cause. Mr. Douglas Martin gave the final talk of the lectureship session reviewing the immense work of Mr. Balyuzi as an historian. The Association has established a continuing lectureship in Bahá'í history, in Mr. Balyuzi's honour. Another new feature of the annual conference was the presentation of awards for the three best essays and research on Bahá'í studies. Catherine Nelson-McDermott of British Columbia was the recipient of an award for the best essay in the high school category for her paper, "Tahirih". Alanna Robertson of Prince Edward Island was chosen in the univer- sity category for her essay entitled; "Music: Its Influence on the Spirit". Robert Stockman of Rhode Island received the award for the best research in the individual category for his work, "'A History of the Rhode Island Baha'i Community". Each winner was the guest of the Association, presented his/ her paper during the conference, and received a commemo- rative plaque. The presentations on the theme of history were very well received. Dr. Alan Ward's talk, "'Abdu'1l-Bahá and the American Press", set the tone of the conference, with ease, humour and clarity. Gol Aidun recounted the relationship of Manakji Limji Hataria, an historical figure in the Zoroastrian community, with the Bahá'í Faith. Stephen Whitney's paper entitled "The Second Century", reviewed the condition of the major religions in their second century of existence and compared their history to the second century of the Bahá'í Faith. A major presentation by Dr. Jean-René Milot of the University of Montreal entitled "L'Origine de la foi baha'i sur l'arriére plan shi'ie", was given. This talk by an invited guest speaker enabled the friends to witness the accuracy and fairness with which truly informed non-Baha'i scholars could view the Bahá'í Faith. The panel presentation on ''Baha'i Scholarship" was inaugurated this year and was very successful. A special addition was a presentation by Mr. Richard St. Barbe Baker en- titled ''The Founding of the Men of the Trees". News of the decision to proceed at once with the planned purchase of a building to house the offices of the Association and gradually expand into a Centre for Baha'i Studies gave a final note of excitement and confirmation to the year's proceedings. [BCVol 2 No 12 September/October 1980 p29] |
Bahá'í Studies, Associations for; Abbas Afnan; Muhammed Afnan; John Robarts; Douglas Martin; Catherine Nelson-McDermott; Alanna Robertson; Robert Stockman; Alan Ward; Gol Aidun; Stephen Whitney; Jean-René Milot; Jean-René Milot; Ottawa, ON | ||
1980 2 - 4 Jun | Immediately following the ABS Conference, and under the sponsorship of the Association for Bahá'í Studies, the first International Bahá'í Conference on Health and Healing was convened. It was open to Bahá'í s only. The aims of the conference were (1) to further enhance research and study on various Writings of the Bahá'í Faith as they pertain to health and healing; (2) to provide a forum for individuals to share their scientific findings and the results of their clinical activities; and (3) to initiate collaborative research and service projects on an international scale.
The conference began with a presentation by Dr. Victor de Araujo entitled, "Health: A Global Perspective". Dr. Hossain Danesh then presented a review of the historical relationship between religion and science in general and the science of medicine in particular. These two talks set the tone and direction of the conference. For the remaining two and a half days, the participants were treated to an array of challenging, informative and well-researched presentations such as: "Mind, Body and Soul" by Dr. Faraneh Khadem; "The Baha'i Revelation and Lifestyle Alternation" by Dr. David Smith; "Adolescent Quest for Tranquility: the Dilemma of Drug Abuse" by Dr. A. M. Ghadirian; ''Scientific Method of Search for Truth" by Dr. Peter Morgan; "Total Stimulation for Children Recovering from Malnutrition" by Linda Gershuny; "Nutrition: Key Factor in High-Level Wellness" by Dr. S. Raman; "Music Therapy" by Jocelyn Boor; "Healing Relationship in Marriage" by Ruth Eyford and Helgi Eyford; and "The Importance for a Physician to turn to God" by Dr. Agnes Ghaznavi. There were four very successful workshops: "Smoking and Exercise"; ''Alcoholism, Drug Abuse, and Youth"; "Baha'i Life" and ''Baha'i Approach to Sexuality". The participants also had the pleasure of attending the performance of Ballet Shayda on the theme of "Women in Motion''. . The closing addresses were given by Hand of the Cause John Robarts and by Florence Altass, a 96 year old Bahá'í from England, who due to a recent and severe illness, was not able to attend the conference but sent a paper and taped message. Throughout the conference, Mr. Robarts greatly encouraged the friends, showered them with his love and guided them with his remarks. He reminded Bahá'í health professionals of the importance of prayer and turning to God for assistance at the time of dispensing treatment. It was through his closing remarks, quoting from the Writings of the Faith, that the audience caught a glimpse of the unity of religion and science which will no doubt characterize the medical sciences of the future. [BC Vol 2 Issue 12 September/October 1980 p30] |
Conferences, Bahá'í; Conferences, Health; - Conferences, International; Victor de Araujo; Hossain Danesh; Faraneh Khadem; David Smith; `Abdu'l-Missagh Ghadirian; Peter Morgan; Linda Gershuny; S. Raman; Jocelyn Boor; Ruth Eyford; Helgi Eyford; Agnes Ghaznavi; John Robarts; Florence Altass; Ballet Shayda; Ottawa, ON | 1st International Bahá'í Conference on Health and Healing | |
1980 2 May | The first Bahá'í International Conference on Health and Healing was held in Ottawa, Canada, under the sponsorship of the Association for Bahá'í Studies. [BW 18:201] | Bahá'í Studies, Associations for; Conferences, Bahá'í; Conferences, Health; - Conferences, International; - First conferences; Ottawa, ON | first Bahá’í International Conference on Health and Healing | |
1980 Apr | Those elected to the National Spiritual Assembly were: Jameson Bond, Glen Eyford, Husayn Banani, Hossain Danesh, Michael Rochester, Edmund Muttart, Elizabeth Rochester, Ruth Eyford, and Douglas Martin. [Baha'i Canada, vol. 2, no. 10, May/June 1980]
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National Convention; National Spiritual Assembly, election of; Jameson Bond; Glen Eyford; Husayn Banani; Hossain Danesh; Michael Rochester; Edmund Muttart; Elizabeth Rochester; Ruth Eyford; Douglas Martin | ||
1980 20 Feb | The passing of Rosemary Sala (b. Mary Gillies Glasgow, Scotland 1906) at her pioneer post in Guadalajara, Mexico. She was a member of the Montreal Youth Group in the early years of the Faith and a member of the first National Spiritual Assembly of Canada as well as the Regional Assembly of South and West Africa. She and her husband Emeric pioneered to South Africa, Venezuela and Mexico and travelled throughout America, China, India and Europe. [TG211; Bahá'ís of Canada; BW18 p713]
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In Memoriam; Guadalajara, Mexico; Mexico | ||
1980 (In the year) | The film Jubilee, commissioned by the Universal House of Justice and made by Elizabeth Martin, documented the dedication of the cornerstone for the House of Worship in Samoa.
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Jubilee (film); - Film; Elizabeth Martin; Blessed is the Spot (film); The Bahá'ís (film); Toronto, ON | ||
1979 28 - 30 Dec |
In June of this year the executive office of the Canadian Association for Studies on the Bahá'í Faith moved to Ottawa. After consultation on the message to Canada from the Universal House of Justice which stated to ''... further develop the Canadian Association for Studies on the Bahá'í Faith'', the executive committee decided to lower membership rates to encourage wider membership. It was also decided to renew memberships each Naw-Ruz. Four regional conferences were held in this, the 4th year of the Association for Bahá'í Studies, in Halifax, Toronto, Saskatoon and Vancouver, all on the same dates. [BC Vol 2 No 3 July/August 1979 p9] |
Bahá'í Studies, Associations for; Halifax, NS; Toronto, ON; Saskatoon, SK; Vancouver, BC | ||
1979 2 Oct | The passing of Thomas Peigan, one of Canada's early native believers. He was known for his devotion and steadfastness. [CBNOct1979] | Thomas Peigan; In Memoriam; Piikani First Nation, AB | ||
1979 25 Sep | The passing of Allan Raynor (b. 31 August, 1910 in Toronto)
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Allan Raynor; In Memoriam; Assistants; Toronto, ON | ||
1979 Ridván | [CBN No 315 June/July 1978 p5] | |||
1979 | The news of the formation of the first Spiritual Assembly of the Tyendinaga brought the Universal House of Justice great happiness, A letter written on behalf of the House of Justice to Evelyn Loft states: 'The steadfastness of your parents in remaining at their post is indeed exemplary and fully demonstrates the spirit of true pioneering." [BW19p699] | Local Spiritual Assembly, formation; Tyendinaga First Nation, ON | ||
1978 Ridván | The 50 minute film Retrospective was made in tribute to Hand of the Cause John Robarts and the occasion of his fortieth anniversary as a member of the Bahá'í community. It was commissioned by the National Spiritual Assembly and made by CINÉ BAHÁ'Í. [CBN No 313 Mar/Apr 1978 p3] | - Film; Retrospective; John Robarts; Toronto, ON | ||
1978 Ridván | A number of Assemblies formed after Ridván: Gordon's Reserve, SK, Ermineskin Reserve, AB, Glendale-Cobequid, NS, Pasqua Reserve, SK, Kimberly, BC, North Battleford, SK, Uxbridge Township, ON
As of the 26th of June, 1978, the total number of local spiritual assemblies in Canada were 229. Indications were that the formation of an Assembly in Stratford, ON was imminent. [CBN No 315 June/July 1978 p5] |
Local Spiritual Assembly, formation; Statistics; Gordons Reserve, SK; Ermineskin Reserve, AB; Glendale-Cobequid, NS; Pasqua First Nation, SK; Kimberly, BC; North Battleford, SK; Uxbridge Township, ON; Stratford, ON | ||
1978 Ridván | [CBN No 315 June/July 1978 p5] | Local Spiritual Assembly, formation | ||
1978 Ridván | The formation of the first Spiritual Assembly of Merrickville, ON. The founding members were: Linda Smith, Anne Shuster, Barbara Mayo, Sam Morgulis, Michel Seguin, Mary Cooper, Karen Dingwell, Zilda Milne, and James Milne. | Local Spiritual Assembly, formation; Linda Smith; Anne Shuster; Barbara Mayo; Sam Morgulis; Michel Seguin; Mary Cooper; Karen Dingwell; Zilda Milne; James Milne; Merrickville, ON | ||
1978 Ridván | The formation of the Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of Summerside, PE. The members were: Lana Quinn, Brian Quinn, Vivian O'Neill, Pat O'Neill, Louise Polland, Paul Vreeland, Jane Anthony, Sharon Dyas, Nora Holland. [CBN No 315 June/July 1978 p5] | Local Spiritual Assembly, formation; Lana Quinn; Brian Quinn; Vivian Main; Pat O'Neill; Louise Polland; Paul Vreeland; Jane Anthony; Sharon Dyas; Nora Holland; Summerside, Prince Edward Island | ||
1978 Ridván | The formation of the Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of Summerland. The members were: Marjorie Pearson, Ilene Ross, Constance Bergstrom, Howard Miners, Marguerite Miners, Mary Cecilia Malins, Bonnie Olson, Gary Arnold, Robert Olson. [CBN No 315 June/July1978 p5] | Local Spiritual Assembly, formation; Marjorie Pearson; Ilene Ross; Constance Bergstrom; Howard Miners; Marguerite Miners; Mary Cecilia Malins; Bonnie Olson; Gary Arnold; Robert Olson; Summerland, BC | first spiritual assembly of Summerland, BC | |
1978 Ridván | The National Convention was held in Fredericton. Those elected to the National Spiritual Assembly were: Glen Eyford, Michael Rochester, Hossain Danesh, Husayn Banani, Jameson Bond, Elizabeth Rochester, Douglas Martin, Ruth Eyford, and Ed Muttart. [CBN No 315 June/July 1978 p7] | National Convention; Glen Eyford; Michael Rochester; Hossain Danesh; Husayn Banani; Jameson Bond; Elizabeth Rochester; Douglas Martin; Ruth Eyford; Ed Muttart; Fredericton, NB | ||
1978 Apr | Dorothy Francis (b. 22 March 1912) was named to the Order of Canada for her outstanding service to the Aboriginal population of Western Canada. From the Saulteaux tribe she was born on the Waywayseecappo First Nation near Russell, MB and she and her husband became Bahá'ís in 1960 in Calgary. She helped found the first Friendship Centre in Regina and in Winnipeg. The preservation and the enrichment of First Nations culture and tradition led her to spearhead the organization of several First Nations Cultural Clubs. She received her metal of the Order of Canada in Ottawa and was the subject of a 30 minute film during the presentation. [BW17:103; VV29; BW20p990–991]
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Dorothy Francis; Order of Canada; Waywayseecappo First Nation, AB; Calgary, AB | ||
1978 14 Jan | The establishment of the first local spiritual assembly in Fort McMurray, AB. The members were: Jim McHugh, Ray Baxter, Don Kirby, Farhad Naderi, Lois Naderi, Ann Baxter, Beth Kirby, Vicki Pruden, and Laurie Wright. CBN No 313 Mar/Apr 1978 p5] | Local Spiritual Assembly, formation; Jim McHugh; Ray Baxter; Don Kirby; Farhad Naderi; Lois Naderi; Ann Baxter; Beth Kirby; Vicki Pruden; Laurie Wright; Fort McMurray, AB | ||
1977 30 Dec - 1 Jan | The third Annual Bahá'í Studies was held at Rosemary Heights, in Surrey, BC. A record 168 registrants attended the 12 formal presentations and many viewed an art display arranged for the Association by local Bahá'í artists.
The Annual Meeting is composed of three distinct elements: 1) The membership meeting, during which the executive of CASBF, appointed by the National Spiritual Assembly, reviews the budget and consults with the membership on the aims and direction of the Association. 2) A forum for the formal presentation of original papers and reviews of subjects pertinent to the Faith. Peer review of submitted manuscripts and scheduled discussion of designated papers are intended to maintain a high level of scholarship. 3) The opportunity for Bahá'ís with scholarly interests to meet and informally discuss their own studies and the work of the Association. This year's meeting was marked by the active participation of Bahá'í youth, many of whom came from the Pacific Youth Conference on Vancouver Island. The National Spiritual Assembly recently assigned CASBF a membership goal of 200 youth, and has consequently encouraged Canadian youth to become involved in its work. The executive also underlined the need for more input from Association members with regard to the possibility of establishing courses on the Faith in specific institutions of higher learning, and in identifying reference materials which contain statements about the Faith. Formal presentation of the following 12 papers. 1) "Health and Healing", by Dr. Hossain Danesh (presented by Dr. Peter Morgan). 2) "A Review of Maitrya-Amitabha Has Appeared", by Jane Nishi-Goldstone. 3) "The Rise and Fall of the Russian Bahá'í Community: An Historical Sketch", by Anthony Lee. 4) "In Search of a New Visual Myth", by Keith Bloodworth. 5) "The World Centre of the Bahá'í Faith: An Analysis of the Sacred Landscape", by Ken Goldstone. 6) "Nazorean/Ebionaean Christianity and the Emergence of Historical Theology", by Christopher Buck. 7) "Zarathustra and the Bahá'í Faith", by Alan Coupe [no 'r'; later Doug Couper]. 8) "Towards a Universal Auxiliary Language", by Kay Balser. 9) "Erikson and the Worldwide Crisis of Identity", by Dr. Anne Schoonmaker. 10) "The Legal Personality of Baha'i Assemblies", by Richard Heiser. 11) "The Dispersion of the Baha'i Faith in North America", by Michael Vermilyea and Spike Hampson. 12) "Human Rights as God-given Rights", by William Barnes. [BC Issue No 312 February 1978 p5] . |
Bahá'í Studies, Associations for; Hossain Danesh; Peter Morgan; Jane Nishi-Goldstone; Anthony Lee; Keith Bloodworth; Ken Goldstone; Christopher Buck; Alan Coupe; Kay Balser; Surrey, BC | ||
1977 20 Nov | A new directive from the Universal House of Justice regarding assembly formation was announced.
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Local Spiritual Assembly, formation; - Bahá'í World Centre | ||
1977 9 Jul | "The first new Spiritual Assembly since Ridván this year was formed in Hull-Ouest, Québec, on July 9. The National Spiritual Assembly warmly commended them on this victory of "establishing a new pillar of the Cause in so important a region of the country." The inaugural members were: Denys Laurin, Yves Charbonneau, Pierre Dagenais, Martel L.F. Piché, Jean-Guy Galipeau, Bill Lemmon, Phoebe Anne Lemmon, Robert Chaffers, Kaye Chaffers. [CBN Issue 306 July 1977 p11; from an email 4 November 2022 from National Archivist Ailsa Hedly Leftwich]
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Local Spiritual Assembly, formation; Hull-Ouest, QC; Hull-Ouest, QC; Chelsea, QC; Outaouais Cluster; Denys Laurin; Yves Charbonneau; Pierre Dagenais; Martel L.F. Piché; Jean-Guy Galipeau; Bill Lemmon; Phoebe Anne Lemmon; Robert Chaffers; Kaye Chaffers; Hull-Ouest, QC; Chelsea, QC | first Spiritual Assembly in what is now called Chelsea, QC | |
1976 31 Dec - 1 Jan | The second annual meeting of the Canadian Association for Studies took place at Cedar Glen, in Bolton, and was attended by some 100 Bahá'ís from all the provinces and a few from the United States.
Three original papers this year were presented by Dr. William Hatcher, Mr. Douglas Martin and Dr. John Hatcher. Two students, Heida Lakshman and John Taylor also presented papers. The Ottawa company, based in Ottawa, Le Ballet Shayda presented their original piece entitled Journey. [BC Issue 300 February 1977 p6] |
Bahá'í Studies, Associations for; Ballet Shayda; William Hatcher; Douglas Martin; John Hatcher; Heida Lakshman; John Taylor; Bolton, ON | ||
1976 6 – 7 Nov | The first Canadian Bahá'í Native Council was held in Tyendinaga, Ontario. [BW17:162] | Tyendinaga First Nation, ON | first Canadian Bahá’í Native Council | |
1976 Oct | Angus Cowan was appointed to the Continental Board of Counsellors where he served until 1986. Angus introduced the Faith to Dorothy Francis who became a Baha'i in 1960. | Angus Cowan; Continental Board of Counsellors; Dorothy Francis | ||
1976 Ridván | The municipalities of Aylmer, Lucerne and Deschenes, QC amalgamated and as a result, the existing Assemblies of Lucerne and Aylmer were united under the new name of the united municipalities-Aylmer. No Assembly had been formed in Deschenes. [email from David Erickson dated 28 May 2022] | Local Spiritual Assembly, formation; Outaouais Cluster; Aylmer, QC; Lucerne, QC; Deschenes, QC | ||
1976 1 - 4 Jan | On the weekend of January 1—4, the newly-formed Canadian Association for Studies on the Bahá'í Faith held its first annual meeting at Cedar Glen, a conference centre 30 miles north of Toronto. The postal strike had made it impossible for the executive committee to provide adequate notification to the members, and this together with the very bad weather, suggested that attendance would be quite small. The committee, therefore, reserved space for only 50 people. No fewer than 80 participants turned up. Moreover, they came from every province in Canada, except Prince Edward Island, and from as far north as the Yukon. Fifteen local Spiritual Assemblies each sent a representative, and of course a number of the members of the Association were present in a dual capacity as representatives either of their own Spiritual Assembly or of a campus club.
Seven speakers presented papers in a wide range of academic disciplines. The speakers were: A decision was taken to begin the publication of Bahá'í Studies. In addition, the "Ballet Shayda" presented a group of three dances on Saturday evening. [BC Issue 291 February 1976 p6] |
`Abdu'l-Missagh Ghadirian; Bahá'í Studies, Associations for; Ballet Shayda; `Abdu'l-Missagh Ghadirian; Douglas Martin; Luc Dion; Hossain Danesh; William Hatcher; Don Rogers; Otto Rogers; Glen Eyford; Cedar Glen, ON | first annual meeting of Association for Bahai Studies; first student to present a paper at the ABS; first French paper presented at the ABS; | |
1976 (In the year) | Elizabeth Martin with Chris Lyons made a film called Retrospective, a memoir of Hand of the Cause John Robarts. It included his reminiscences of the Guardian and of the early days of the Faith in Canada. [HNWE36] | - Film; Retrospective; Elizabeth Martin; Chris Lyons; - Hands of the Cause; John Robarts; Toronto, ON | ||
1976 - 1977 | In the International Survey of Current Bahá'í Activities of the Bahá'í World special mention was made of the marathon voyage of Mohsen and Felicity Enayat, travelling teachers from Canada, who for nearly two years travelled across the length and breadth of West Africa, touching almost every country in the zone. Their love, devotion and humility coupled with their deep knowledge and creative methods of teaching and deepening, made them especially effective wherever they went. [BW17p149]
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Mohsen Enayat | ||
1975 22 Sep | The formation of the Local Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of Gatineau, QC. The founding members were: Pierre Dagenais (Chairman), Jack McLean (Vice Chairman), Helen Michelin (Secretary), Richard Gordon (Treasurer), Brigitte McLean, Renée Dagenais, Nahid Gordon, Tony Panalaks, and Kamal Toeg. [from an email from archives@bahai.ca to Jack McLean (A121577) 11 July 2022] iiiii | Local Spiritual Assembly, formation; Outaouais Cluster; Jack McLean; Helen Michelin; Pierre Dagenais; Richard D. Gordon; Brigitte McLean; Tony Panalaks; Renée Dagenais; Nahid Gordon; Kamal Toeg; Outaouais Cluster; Gatineau, QC | the formation of the first Spiritual Assembly of Gatineau, QC | |
1975 7 Sep | The official opening of the National Centre at 7200 Leslie Street in Thornhill Ontario. [from an invitation to the event] | Haziratul-Quds (Bahá'í centres); Toronto, ON | ||
1975 c. Aug | Auxiliary Board Member Angus Cowan announced the appointment Mrs Stuart Hanks as Assistant for the province of Manitoba, Mr Don Rogers as Assistant for the province of Saskatchewan and Mrs Joyce McGuffie as Assistant for the First Nations communities. Auxiliary Board Member David Smith announced the appointment of Mr Douglas Wilson as Assistant for the territory of Central and Eastern Ontario. [CBN No 287 Aug/Sep 1975] |
Auxiliary board members; Assistants; Angus Cowan; David Smith; Stuart Hanks; Don Rogers; Joyce McGuffie; Douglas Wilson; Canada | ||
1975 21 Jul | The passing of Fred Graham (b. 26 August, 1913 Rose Valley, PE) at his cottage, KirKonKotta, near Kincardine. He was buried in the small cemetery in Tiverton near a grove of six pine trees.
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Fred Graham; In Memoriam; Rose Valley, Prince Edward Island; Kincardine, ON | ||
1975 4 - 8 Jul | The Ridván Message contained the phrase, "EVIDENCES GATHERING CLOUDS WIDESPREAD OPPOSITION" and the Universal House of Justice called together all the 'high ranking officers' and 'senior administrative bodies' of the Faith in North America for special consultation on the future protection of the Cause" to be held in Wilmette. It was attended by the three Hands of the Cause for North America, Mr Sears, Mr Robarts and Mr Zikrullah Khadem; the four members of the Board of Counsellors, Velma Sherrill, Lloyd Gardner, Sarah Periera, and Edna True; all the members of the National Spiritual Assemblies of Alaska, Canada and the United States as well as representative of the National Assembly of Hawaii; all of the Auxiliary Board Members in North America and special guest, Counsellor 'Azíz Yazdí of the International Teaching Centre.
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- Conferences; - Hands of the Cause; Protection; Continental Board of Counsellors; Auxiliary board members; Wilmette, IL | first continental conference in North America | |
1957 Jul | Hand of the Cause Dhikru'llah Khádem met with the National Spiritual Assembly. He had come from Central America and was visiting in the United States and Canada before returning to Haifa. He, his wife, and their daughter spent ten days in Canada and visited the friends in Hamilton, Toronto, Montreal, Ottawa, and London. [UC68] | Hands of the Cause, Activities; Dhikrullah Khadem; Hamilton, ON; Toronto, ON; Montreal, QC; Ottawa, ON; London, ON | ||
1975 (In the year) | The release of the film entitled Invitation produced under the auspices of the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of Canada by Elizabeth Martin, with the help of Chris Lyons. It was a memoir of Amatu'l-Bahá Rúhíyyih Khánum incorporating footage from Khánum's Andean trip along with memories of her childhood years in Montreal. [HNWE36]
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- Film; Invitation; Elizabeth Martin; Chris Lyons; Amatul-Bahá Ruhiyyih Khanum; Toronto, ON | ||
1975 (In the year) | Association for Bahá'í Studies was founded in Canada, in 1975, to promote the systematic study of the Bahá'í Faith and its application to the needs of humanity.
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Bahá'í Studies, Associations for; Association for Bahá'í Studies (North America); Ottawa, ON | ||
1974 Ridván | The formation of the Local Spiritual Assembly of Aylmer, QC. The inaugural members were: Rick and Margo Blake, Linda O'Neil and John Dickie, Belinda and David Erickson, Jane Ginsberg, Pyer Vaillancours, and Michael McKenny. [from an email from David Erickson dated 28 and 29 May 2022; [from an email 4 November 2022 from National Archivist Ailsa Hedly Leftwich] iiiii | Local Spiritual Assembly, formation; Rick Blake; Margo Blake; Linda O'Neil; John Dickie; Belinda Erickson; David Erickson; Jane Ginsberg; Pyer Vaillancours; Michael McKenny; Outaouais Cluster; Aylmer, QC; Gatineau, QC | First Spiritual Assembly in Aylmer, QC | |
1974 1 Feb |
The passing of Daoud Toeg (b. Baghdad, Iraq in 1897) in Hull, Quebec (now Gatineau).
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Daoud Toeg; In Memoriam; Auxiliary board members; Hull, QC; Baghdad, Iraq; Sulaymaniyyih, Iraq; Kurdistan; Iraq | ||
1973 22 May | The passing of Alfred "Jim" Loft (b. 13 July 1908 in Hiawatha, Ontario) on Tyendinaga First Nation [BW16p514-516]
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In Memoriam; Jim Loft; Roger White; Tyendinaga First Nation, ON; Hiawatha, ON | ||
1973 | Number of Local Spiritual Assemblies in Canada: 200 Incorporated Local Spiritual Assemblies: 65 Localities where Bahá'í reside: 950 Members: 7,500 [from a pamphlet, The Bahá'í Faith and its World Community published by the NSA of Canada] |
Statistics; Canada | ||
1973 09 Feb | Jalál performed with the Saskatoon Symphony Orchestra (73 musicians) at the Centennial Auditorium. The band had been commissioned in late 1972 to write an orchestrated work to perform with the symphony orchestra conducted by Dwaine Nelson. Their work was in two parts; the first was called 'Prologue', and the second 'Love is the Mystery of Divine Revelation'.
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Jalal (musical group); Dwaine Nelson; Saskatoon, SK | ||
1972 (Summer) | The last usage of the property known as "Beaulac" that was used as both a summer school and a winter school. The property had been expropriated to build a divided highway.
See Memories of Beaulac by Priscilla Waugh for a brief history. |
Priscilla Waugh; Beaulac, QC | ||
1971 Ridván |
The election of the first spiritual assembly in Prince Rupert, BC.
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Local Spiritual Assembly, election; Fletcher Bennett; Robert Lee; Lynn Whitehouse; Elinor Bennett; Joan Kauth; Justine Stenset; Elsie Dryer; Irene Harris; Local Spiritual Assembly, formation; Prince Rupert, BC; Kitwancool Nation, BC | Irene | |
1971 11 Feb | Montreal Municipality issued a permit recognizing the Maxwell home as a Bahá'í Shrine after nine years of negotiations and delays. With this struggle came a hidden blessing. For years the Shrine had been used as a Bahá'í Centre by the Montreal community, open also to friends of the area as a place to hold public meetings, open Feasts, and certain activities not always suited to it as a Shrine. The realization was made that it was a National Bahá'í Shrine and as such should not be used as a centre. [CBNApril1971p10] | Montreal Shrine; Recognition (legal); Montreal, QC | ||
1971 9 Jan | The passing of Albert (Bert) Rakovsky (Radowsky). [CBN No 247 February 1971] | In Memoriam; Albert Rakovsky | ||
1970 Dec | One of the goals of the Canadian Bahá'í Community was to prepare its "daughter" community, Iceland, to achieve National Assembly status by Ridván 1972 with incorporation by 1973. To facilitate these goals the National Spiritual Assembly assigned Douglas and Elizabeth Martin to the project with Elizabeth as the principal executive. The opening phase of proclamation was launched at a Victory Conference which resulted in the enrollment of thirty people in January, 1971 thus doubling the numbers in Iceland.
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- Conferences; Victory Conference; Elizabeth Martin; Douglas Martin; Gudmundur Bardarson; Anna Maggy Palsdottir; Baldur B. Bragason; Margret Bardardottir; Svana Einarsdottir; Janina Njalsdottir; Reykjavik, Iceland | ||
1970 19 Oct | Mr. Olinga departed Whitehorse for Alaska. [CBN244Nov1970p2] | - Hands of the Cause; Enoch Olinga; Whitehorse, YT | ||
1970 18 Oct | Mr. Olingo gave an address at the Whitehorse Flats Indian Village and another in the Elk's Hall in the evening. [CBN244Nov1970p2] | - Hands of the Cause; Enoch Olinga; Whitehorse Flats Indian Village, YT | ||
1970 17 Oct | The Hand of the Cause of God was greeted at the Whitehorse airport by 60 Bahá'ís. Later that evening there was a meeting in the Masonic Hall. [CBN244Nov1970p2] | - Hands of the Cause; Enoch Olinga; Whitehorse, YT | ||
1970 Oct | Mr. Olinga visited the Gleichen Reserve and attended a meeting in a private home. | - Hands of the Cause; Enoch Olinga; Gleichen Reserve, AB | ||
1970 Oct | Mr. Olinga visited the Blood Reserve near Cardston, AB. Six persons declared their Faith from the Reserve alone. [CBN244Nov1970p2] | - Hands of the Cause; Enoch Olinga; Blood Reserve, AB | ||
1970 11 Oct | Mr. Olinga attended the Alberta Regional Convention at Red Deer. He spoke of the essential spiritual nature of the Native people and how they will become strong teachers if visited on the reserves regularly to increase their knowledge of the Faith. [CBN244Nov1970p1-2] | Hands of the Cause, Activities; Enoch Olinga; Conventions, District; Red Deer, AB | ||
1970 9-10 Oct | Mr. Olinga was warmly received by about 200 people, mostly drawn from surrounding Reserves, in Fort Qu'Appelle. The next day he took part in a Feast for the Dead then the passing of the pipe and was presented with a beaded necklace by Dorothy Francis. [CBN244Nov1970p1] | - Hands of the Cause; Enoch Olinga; Fort Qu'Appelle, SK | ||
1970 Oct | After a stopover in Toronto Mr. Olinga visited the community of St. James-Assiniboia. [CBN244Nov1970p1] | - Hands of the Cause; Enoch Olinga; Toronto, ON; St. James-Assiniboia, MB | ||
1970 (Early Oct) | Hand of the Cause of God Enoch Olinga arrived in Halifax. The next day he gave an address at the Cherry Brook High School. [CBN244Nov1970p1] | - Hands of the Cause; Enoch Olinga; Halifax, NS | ||
1970 26 Sept | The passing of Florence Evaline (Lorol) Schopflocher (b.1886 in Montreal. QC) in the Green Acre area. She was buried at the Mount Pleasant Cemetery in Eliot, Maine [Find a grave]
A radiant star went from the West to the East.[BW15p488-489] |
Lorol Schopflocher; Siegfried Schopflocher; Births and deaths; In Memoriam; House of Bahá'u'lláh (Baghdad); Montreal, QC; Eliot, ME | ||
1970 30 Apr - 3 May | The National Convention was held in Glendon College at York University in Toronto. Those elected to the National Spiritual Assembly were: Glen Eyford, Rowland Estall, Don Glen, Tom Anaquod, Michael Rochester, Husayn Banani, Angus Cowan, Douglas Martin, and Ed Muttart. [UC175] | National Convention; National Spiritual Assembly, election of; Glen Eyford; Rowland Estall; Don Glen; Tom Anaquod; Michael Rochester; Husayn Banani; Angus Cowan; Douglas Martin; Ed Muttart; Toronto, ON | ||
1970 Ridván | The formation of the first Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of Hull. In announcing the formation, Mr M. E. Muttart, General Secretary of the National Spiritual Assembly stated:
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Local Spiritual Assembly, formation; Marjorie Merrick; Paul Hanbury; Winnifred Harvey; Lucille Leboeuf; Daniel Caillaud; Danielle Coinon; Paule Medori; Michel Larin; Janet Braithwaite; Outaouais Cluster; Hull, QC | first Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of Hull | |
1970 1 Apr | The Local Spiritual Assembly of Nepean Township achieved incorporation status. Members of the Assembly were: Lily Ann Irwin, Danielle Vafai, Wayne Irwin, Elizabeth Kerr-Wilson, James Atack, Johnny Jolly, Arthur Irwin, John Kerr-Wilson, and Monir Vafai. [CBN Dec 1970 p2] | Local Spiritual Assembly, incorporation; Lily Ann Irwin; Danielle Vafai; Wayne Irwin; Elizabeth Kerr-Wilson; James Atack; Johnny Jolly; Arthur Irwin; John Kerr-Wilson; Monir Vafai; Nepean, ON | ||
1970 12 Jan | An animated presentation entitled "The Community of Baha'u'llah" made its initial presentation at the Art Centre in Ottawa. They had just come from their trial run in St. Lambert, Quebec and had a plan to visit Oshawa, Hamilton, Guelph, North Bay, Fort William (Thunder Bay), Winnipeg, Brandon, Regina, Saskatoon, Edmonton, Lethbridge, Kelowna, Vancouver, Nanaimo and Victoria before doing their final presentation in Toronto just before the National Convention.
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Proclamation; The Community of Bahá'u'lláh; Al Houdek; Gerry Bourrassa; Leslie Houdek; Sandra Kostaschuk; Gary Berteig; Garry Brown; Valerie Berteig; Dick Stanton; Fred Ward; Gale Bundy; Bob Kingdon; St. Lambert, QC; Ottawa, ON; Oshawa, ON; Hamilton, ON; Guelph, ON; North Bay, ON; Fort William, ON; Thunder Bay, ON; Winnipeg, MB; Brandon, MB; Regina, SK; Saskatoon, SK; Edmonton, AB; Lethbridge, AB; Kelowna, BC; Vancouver, BC; Nanaimo, BC; Victoria, BC; Toronto, ON | ||
1972 Jan | Jalál was founded by three members of the Mozart Group, Larry Brown, Rodney Konopaki, and Garry Brown, and then joined by keyboardist Jack Lenz in July of the same year. After having toured across Canada for nine months and the group eventually settled in Toronto. [Facebook posting THE SPARK: 1967 - 1973 9 FEBRUARY 2020] | Jalal (musical group); Mozart Group; Larry Brown; Rodney Konopaki; Garry Brown; Jack Lenz; Saskatoon, SK; Toronto, ON | ||
1970's? | Bijan Asdaghi was one of the first Persian Baha'is to immigrate to Canada prior to the Iranian revolution. [Edmonton Bahá'í History] | Bijan Asdaghi; Immigration, Iranian | ||
1969 24 Nov | The Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of Halifax achieved incorporation status. The members were: Shirley MacDonald, Ruth McClung, John Edmonds, Joyce Edmonds, Fran Maclean, A. Russell McClung, Sarah Lynk, Keye Walford and Audrey Rayne. [BN July 1970 p 9] | Local Spiritual Assembly; Incorporation; Shirley MacDonald; Ruth McClung; John Edmonds; Joyce Edmonds; Fran Maclean; A. Russell McClung; Sarah Lynk; Keye Walford; Audrey Rayne; Halifax, NS | ||
1969 27 Jul | In a cable from the Hands of the Cause in the Holy Land it was announced that Mason Remey had been expelled from the Faith. [CBN No 128 September 1960 p1; MoC223]
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Covenant-breakers; Mason Remey | ||
1969 23 - 24 Jun | Dorothy Francis made a teaching trip to Spokane, WA. Her visit was preceded by articles in two local papers and announcements of her itinerary. During her time there she has two television interviews and excellent press coverage as well as public service announcements promoting the meeting at which she spoke. [Bahá'í National Review Issue 21 September 1969 p6] | Dorothy Francis; Spokane, WA | ||
1968 May | The National Convention was held in Regina and was delayed by the fact that the members of the National Assembly were attending the International Convention in Haifa. Those elected to the National Spiritual Assembly were: Jameson Bond, Ronald Parsons, Douglas Martin, Michael Rochester, Donald Glen, Angus Cowan, Tom Anaquod, Rowland Estall, and Lloyd Gardner.
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National Convention; National Spiritual Assembly, election of; Jameson Bond; Ronald Parsons; Douglas Martin; Michael Rochester; Donald Glen; Angus Cowan; Tom Anaquod; Rowland Estall; Lloyd Gardner; Regina, SK | ||
1969 Apr | The incorporation of the Spiritual Assembly of Yellowknife. This marked the first time that a Local Spiritual Assembly had been granted incorporation status by the government of the North West Territories.
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Local Spiritual Assembly, incorporation; Bernice Boss; Rose Mary Thrasher; Henning Jensen; Dan Kelly; Virginia Evans; Eileen Boyd; Helen Kelly; Jack Boyd; Noland Boss; Yellowknife, NT | ||
1969 Mar | As of this date, the Auxiliary Board Members in Canada served in the following areas: Mr. R. Ted Anderson; Yukon and McKenzie Territories, Alberta, British Columbia, and shared Franklin District with Peggy Ross. Mr. Fred Graham; Ontario, Quebec, The Maritimes Mrs. Peggy Ross; Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Keewatin District, and shared Franklin District with Ted Anderson. [Bahá'í National Review Issue 15 March 1969 p3] |
Auxiliary board members; Ted Anderson; Fred Graham; Peggy Ross; Canada | ||
1969 Feb | The National Spiritual Assembly announced that a favourable offer was received for its Cummer-Bayview Temple property and their offer for a property for the Temple and the Hazírratu'l-Quds in Markham Township had both been concluded on the 15th of October, 1968. The new property was "just over 16 1/2 acres, beautifully contoured and wooded with large open areas, including and exceptionally fine house surrounded by landscaped grounds." [CBN No 224 November, 1968 p1; CBN No 26 January, 1969, p7-8]
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Haziratul-Quds (Bahá'í centres); Willowdale, ON; Toronto, ON | ||
1969 1 Jan | The Fredericton Bahá'í community became a registered charitable organization. | Charitable organization; Fredericton, NB; New Brunswick, Canada | ||
1969 (In the year) | Karyne Hyde, the 16 year old daughter of Eric and Novella Hyde of Comox, BC, was awarded a scholarship by the Rotarians to study in Brazil. She was sent to Governador Valadares, a city of about 200,000 located some 900km north of São Paulo and enrolled the first year of study in Normal of Imaculate Conception Institute where all her studies were in Portuguese. During her stay she was billeted with one host family for a period of three months and then was assigned to another Rotarian host family. Living with different families enabled the exchange students to broaden their experience. [CBN No 228 April 1969 Jeunesse Oblige] | Karyne Hyde; Novella Hyde; Eric Hyde; Comox, BC | ||
1968 1 - 3 Dec | 1968 was International Year for Human Rights, which marked the twentieth anniversary of the 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The Canadian Bahá'í Community made a presentation at a conference held in Ottawa titled The Right to an Identity. It was also presented to the federal government and specifically the Department of Indian Affairs and Northern Development.
More than half of the presentation was dedicated to the question of the Indigenous People in Canada, an explanation of their culture and recommendations for action. |
Human Rights; United Nations; Indigenous people; Presentations; Ottawa, ON | ||
1968 28 Oct | The Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of Mississauga achieved incorporation status. The members were: Frederick Thorkildsen, Jacqueline Law, Ernest Barkes, Jean Ziegler, Barry Lavery, Valery Lavery; Isabelle Nikulka, Joyce barkes, and Beatrice Mines. [BN July 1970 p 9] | Local Spiritual Assembly, incorporation; Frederick Thorkildsen; Jacqueline Law; Ernest Barkes; Jean Ziegler; Barry Lavery; Valery Lavery; Isabelle Nikulka; Joyce Barkes; Beatrice Mines; Mississauga, ON | ||
1968 17 Sep | The National Spiritual Assembly announced the result of the by-election held to elect a replacement for Lloyd Gardner, whose appointment to the North American Board of Counsellors made him ineligible for membership on national or local administrative bodies. The new member, elected by postal ballot, by the delegates to our last National Convention, was Mr. Ed Muttart of Fort Qu'Appelle, Saskatchewan. [CBN No 223 September-October 1968 p10] | National Convention; National Spiritual Assembly, election of; Ed Muttart; National Spiritual Assembly, By-election; Fort Qu'Appelle, SK | ||
1968 1 Sep | The marriage of Cynthia Wrate to Reginald Newkirk in Lethbridge, AB. It was the first Bahá'í (only) marriage ceremony performed by the Lethbridge Assembly and the first interracial marriage in Lethbridge. (Source: email from Reggie Newkirk 25Sep2016) | Reginald Newkirk; Cynthia Wrate; Marriage; Lethbridge, AB | the first interracial marriage in Lethbridge. First Bahá'í marriage performed by the Lethbridge Assembly. | |
1968 10 Jul | The passing of Mariette Germaine Roy Bolton (b. 1900 Québec) in New South Wales, Australia. She was buried in the Macquarie Park Cemetery and Crematorium
North Ryde, Ryde City, New South Wales, Australia.
Mariette G. Roy was born into a Catholic French Canadian family of farmers. In 1923 she married Stanley Bolton and the couple emigrated to Sydney, Australia in 1924. She first heard of the Bahá'í Faith from the Dunns in 1925 and she and Stanley declared after meeting Keith Ransome-Kehler in 1931. The Bolton's moved to Detroit in the United States in 1931. Their son Stanley Jr. fell ill and was treated by a chiropractor prompting the Boltons to move to Iowa and study chiropractic at Palmer College in Davenport. They established a chiropractic practice when they returned to Sydney in 1934. In 1936 the Bolton's purchased land in Yerrinbool and built the first Australian Bahá'í Summer School on the property. Siegfried Schopflocher visited shortly after the first building was completed and suggested it be named 'Bolton Place'. The Boltons moved to Yerrinbool in 1943 and both Stanley and Mariette served on the first Yerrinbool Local Spiritual Assembly. Mariette and Stanley managed the Yerrinbool School themselves before turning over administration to the National Spiritual Assembly in 1945. They continued to serve as caretakers of the Summer School property until moving to Orange, NSW in 1963. Mariette and Stanley undertook a teaching trip to New Caledonia in February 1952. Her knowledge of French allowed her to teach the Faith effectively, and at least one local became a Bahá'í during her visit. They were among the first teachers to the Pacific Islands, a process which culminated in the formation of the National Spiritual Assembly of the South West Pacific Ocean, with its seat in Noumea, at Riḍván, 1971. [BN No 255 May 1952 p10; BN No 257 July 1952 p5] In 1953 she travelled extensively with Stanley, attending Intercontinental Teaching Conferences in Stockholm and Delhi, attending the dedication of the American House of Worship as representatives of the Australian National Spiritual Assembly, and making a pilgrimage to the Holy Land. She is believed to be the only French Canadian believer to have met the Guardian. She was a member of the National Spiritual Assembly of Australia and New Zealand serving as secretary from 1948 until 1951. She made teaching trips to the United States and Canada in 1957 and 1963 when she attended the Most Great Jubilee in London in that year. Her last teaching trip abroad was in 1968 when she visited Noumea, New Caledonia a few months prior to her death on July 10. She must surely be recognized as one of the most succesful Bahá'í teachers in Australia. [OBCC100n34; Find a grave; BW15p435-437] |
Mariette Bolton | the only French Canadian believer to have met the Guardian. | |
1968 Ridván | The formation of the Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of Lucerne, QC. The founding members were: Beatrice B Major, Hedda Rakovsky, Hubert Schuurman, Don Dainty, Ron Nablo, Olga M Earwaker, Suzanne Schuurman, Diana Dainty, and Edna Nablo. [from an email 4 November 2022 from National Archivist Ailsa Hedly Leftwich] | Local Spiritual Assembly, formation; Outaouais Cluster; Ron Nablo; Hubert Schuurman; Edna Nablo; Don Dainty; Diana Dainty; Susanne Schuurman; Hedda Rakovsky; Olga M Earwaker; Olga M Earwaker; Beatrice Major; Lucerne, QC | the first Spiritual Assembly in Lucerne, QC | |
1968 Ridván | The members of the twenty-first National Assembly elected were: Jameson Bond, Ronald Parsons, Douglas Martin, Michael Rochester, Donald Glen. Angus Cowan, Tom Anaquod, Rowland Estall, and Lloyd Gardner.
The delegates too the National Convention were asked to elect a replacement for Lloyd Gardiner who was appointed to the newly-created North American Board of Councillors which made him ineligible for membership on national or local administrative bodies. Ballots were sent out to all delegates, but their return was delayed by a mail strike. When the count was finally taken the result was a tied vote and the delegates were required vote again, making their choice between the two people who received the equal number of votes. The deadline for the return of this second balloting was delayed in order to allow time for those attending the Oceanic Conference in Palermo to return to their homes. The deadline was set for September 17th. Mr. Ed Muttart of Fort Qu'Appelle was selected. [CBN No 223 Sep/Oct 196 p9]. |
National Convention; Jameson Bond; Ronald Parsons; Douglas Martin; Michael Rochester; Donald Glen; Angus Cowan; Tom Anaquod; Rowland Estall; Lloyd Gardner | ||
1968 Apr | An article honouring the Centenary of Bahá'u'lláh's Proclamation to the Kings and religious leaders of the world appeared in the April 1968 issue of Ebony Magazine. The article included a number of colour photographs taken during the recent Bahá'í Intercontinental Conference in Kampala, Uganda. Auxiliary Board Member Mrs. Beth McKenty was instrumental in getting the article and has worked with Ebony on the material.
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Ebony magazine; Proclamation; Beth McKenty; Auxiliary board members; USA | ||
1968 (In the year) | The Ballad of Crowfoot, often referred to as Canada's first music video, was directed by Willie Dunn, a Mi'kmaq/Scottish folk singer and activist who was part of the historic Indian Film Crew, the first all-Indigenous production unit at the National Film Board. The film is a powerful look at colonial betrayals, told through a striking montage of archival images and a ballad composed by Dunn himself, about the legendary 19th-century Siksika (Blackfoot) chief who negotiated Treaty 7 on behalf of the Blackfoot Confederacy. The Indian Film Crew's inaugural release, Crowfoot was the first Indigenous-directed film to be made at the NFB.
This film was made during American filmmaker George Stoney's two-year assignment with the National Film Board of Canada, serving as Executive Producer of the "Challenge for Change" project. Some other films from this project were Cree Hunters of Mistassini and You Are on Indian Land. |
Native Americans; - Film; Willie Dunn; George Stoney | ||
1967 11 Dec | The Bahá'í Campus Club was inaugurated at the University of New Brunswick. | Bahá'í associations; Universities; Moncton, NB | ||
1967 19 Nov | The dedication of the Bahá'í Institute at Ft. Qu'Appelle by Hand of the Cause Tarazu'llah Samandari during a four-day visit to Saskatchewan by him and his son. In honour of the event hand-lettered scroll was made by Barb Wild with the signature of Tarazu'llah Samandari and Mr Samandari penned a rendition of the Greatest Name.
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Tarazullah Samandari; Institutes; Mozart Group; Fort Qu'Appelle, SK | ||
1967 29 Oct | The launch of the Centenary of Bahá'u'lláh's proclamation to the kings and the rulers in Toronto. A 30-minute memorial service for Catherine Huxtable was added to the program that included an eulogy by Michael Rochester. [LNW176-179] | Catherine Huxtable; Michael Rochester; Proclamation; Toronto, ON | ||
1967 25 Oct |
The passing of Canadian pioneer and Knight of Bahá'u'lláh Catherine Huxtable (b. 6 January, 1932 Carlwood, Surrey, England) at her home in Jamestown, St Helena. Her life had been shortened due to muscular dystrophy. She, husband Cliff and son Gavin had arrived on St. Helena some nineteen months before. [LNW169, BW14p313-315]
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Catherine Huxtable; Pioneer; Clifford Huxtable; Gavin Huxtable; In Memoriam; Jamestown, St Helena | ||
1967 30 Jul - 5 Aug | The Western Canada Bahá'í Summer School moved from Banff to the new Bahá'í-owned lakeside chalet Sylvan Lake, AB (100 miles north of Calgary). The was a large camping area, motels, and limited indoor sleeping accommodation. [CBN No 207 April 1967 p7]
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Summer schools; Sylvan Lake, AB | ||
1967 27 - 30 Apr | The site chosen for this year's National Convention was Fort William. The National Assembly felt that, as Expo made Montreal unavailable, the Lake head would provide a location which was as close to the geographic centre of the country as could be secured. In this way travel costs could be kept to a minimum. Fort William had the further advantage of having much less expensive accommodation available.
Those elected to the National Spiritual Assembly were: Douglas Martin (Secretary), Ronald Parsons; Michael Rochester (Vice-chairman), Suheil Bushrui, Rowland Estall, Donald Glen (Treasurer), Lloyd Gardner; Jameson Bond (Chairman), and, Angus Cowan. [CBN No 208 June 1967 p8] |
National Convention; Douglas Martin; Ronald Parsons; Michael Rochester; Suheil Bushrui; Rowland Estall; Donald Glen; Lloyd Gardner; Jameson Bond; Angus Cowan; Fort William, ON; Thunder Bay, ON | ||
1967 Ridván | The first local spiritual assembly was formed in Haines Junction, YT. [Native Conversion, Native Identity: An Oral History of the Bahá'í Faith among First Nations People in the Southern Central Yukon Territory, Canada by Carolyn Patterson Sawin p98] | Local Spiritual Assembly, formation; Haines Junction, YT | ||
1967 Ridván | The formation of the first Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of Comox: The members were: Ed Crainey, Eric Hyde, Joan Stroub, Cliff Gardner, Rosemary Versteegh, Frank Versteegh (chairman) Olive Yorke, Maisie Hyde, and Novella Hyde. [CBN No 214 November 1967 p11] | Local Spiritual Assembly, formation; Comox, BC | ||
1967 24 - 26 Mar | The Arctic Policy Conference was held in Toronto. Present were 16 attendees, Hand of the Cause John Robarts, representatives of the National Spiritual Assembly, the Auxiliary Board, the National Pioneer Committee and individuals involved in the teaching work in the Arctic. It was decided to establish Bahá'í houses in Frobisher Bay (now Iqaluit) in the District of Franklin, Baker Lake in the District of Keewatin and Yellowknife in the District of Mackenzie. [SDSC278]
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Conferences, Teaching; Bahá'í House; Hands of the Cause, Activities; John Robarts; Toronto, ON; Frobisher Bay, NU; Baker Lake, NU; Yellowknife, NT; Iqaluit, NU | ||
1967 (In the year) | Harvey Iron Eagle Saulteaux of the Pasqua First Nation, Saskatchewan, Canada declared as a Bahá'í in 1967. His grandfather was Chief Strong Eagle. [IndigenousBahais.com] | Harvey Iron Eagle; Pasqua First Nation, SK | first to declare Pasqua First Nation | |
1966 12 Oct | The passing of Nosrat Mehdi Firoozi in Geneva, NY. Born in Iran he emigrated to the United States in 1924. Mehdi was a frequent visitor to Canada, often called upon as a lecturer at summer schools and conferences. [Democrat & Chronicle 13OCT1966] | Mehdi Firoozi; Travel Teaching; Geneva, NY | ||
1966 May | The passing of Dr Stanley William Bolton (b. 24 March 1892 North Adelaide Township, ON) in Australia.
Stanley Bolton was conscripted into the Canadian Armed Forces at the beginning of World War I and was wounded in France. After the war and upon release from service he found work with the Fuller Brush Company and met Mariette Germain Roy in 1922. They were married in 1923 and the couple moved to Australia in 1924, arriving in Sydney on September 24. Stanley was still employed by the Fuller Brush Company and worked to establish the business in Australia, travelling across several states in the process. The Bolton's first heard of the Bahá'í Faith when they met Hyde and Clara Dunn in 1925, but they did not become Bahá'ís until they met Keith Ransom-Kehler when she visited Australia in 1931. The Fuller Brush Company had closed down in 1929 due to Australian import restrictions and the Boltons moved to the United States in 1931, settling in Detroit where they assisted the local Bahá'í community. They were introduced to chiropractic because of the illness of their son. Both Stanley and Mariette became qualified chiropractors and established a practice in Sydney when they returned to Australia in 1934. In 1936 the Bolton's bought three acres of land in Yerrinbool to be used to host Bahá'í Summer Schools. Hyde Dunn laid the cornerstone of the first building on the site on the 11th of October 1936. Siegfried Schopflocher visited the property shortly after the first building was completed and suggested that it be named Bolton Place. The property was officially opened at a ceremony chaired by Stanley during the second Australian and New Zealand National Convention on May 2nd, 1937. The Bolton's did not live on the property, but Stanley or Mariette traveled from Sydney to Yerrinbool every Wednesday from 1940 to 1943. The first Australian Bahá'í Summer School was held on the property from the 8th to the 23rd of January 1938, and has been held there every year since. Stanley served as Chairman of the Summer School and both he and his wife delivered talks during sessions. Stanley and Mariette personally managed all of the affairs of the Summer School until 1945 when they transferred the responsibilities of management to the National Spiritual Assembly of Australia and New Zealand. Stanley continued to serve as Secretary of the Summer School after the transfer, and he and Mariette were caretakers of the property until they left Yerrinbool, moving to Orange, in 1963. In 1949 the Bolton's began proceedings to legally transfer ownership of the Yerrinbool property to the National Spiritual Assembly, which were completed in March 1963. In August 1943 the Bolton's moved to Yerrinbool, and began hosting Summer School attendees in their home. They served as inaugural members of the Local Spiritual Assembly of Yerrinbool when it was established in 1948. In 1947 the Bolton's invited Frank Khan, a prominent member of the Australian Muslim community, to give a talk on Islam at the Summer School. Frank's family became the first Australian Muslims to become Bahá'í's in December 1948. His service included the Local Teaching Committee, the Summer School Committee, Temple Construction Committee or as a member of the National Spiritual Assembly, he was forthright and definite in both thought and deed. Of the twenty years, 1937 - 1958, he served on the National Spiritual Assembly for seventeen, frequently as chairman. He and Mariette attended the dedication of the Wilmette Temple in 1953 as representatives of Australia and New Zealand and had the bounty of going on pilgrimage to Haifa. They returned to Australia with a gift from the Guardian —a cream fez of 'Abdu'l-Bahá [BW14p323-325; Find a grave] |
Stanley Bolton; Knight of Bahá'u'lláh | ||
1965 Early Sep | Ron and Edna Nablo and family opened the locality of Lucerne, QC. This area was later known as Aylmer and still later became Gatineau. The city of Gatineau was formed in 2002 following the amalgamation of the municipalities of Aylmer, Buckingham, Gatineau, Hull and Masson-Angers. [CBN Issue 189 October 1965 p2]
Don and Diana Dainty moved to Lucerne in June of 1967 [email from Catherine Carry dated 28 May 2020] |
Ron Nablo; Edna Nablo; Outaouais Cluster; Don Dainty; Diana Dainty; Lucerne, QC; Gatineau, QC | ||
1965 16 - 18 Jul | International Indian Pow Wow Fort Qu'Appelle, Saskatchewan was the site of an International Indian Pow Wow. This event was jointly sponsored by the Canadian Bahá'í Western Reserves Teaching Committee and the American Indian Service Committee and attracted many participants from both countries: Native and non-Native, Bahá'í and not-yet Bahá'í . [Bahá'í News No. 87 MAY 1965 122BE] | International Indian Pow Wow; Fort Qu'Appelle, SK | ||
1965 Summer | Winnifred Harvey opened the locality of Hull, QC. She moved from Eastview, ON (later Vanier and still later part of the Ottawa community). She immediately immersed herself in an intensive study of French. Hull was a major target in the development of French Canadian teaching. | Winnifred Harvey; Outaouais Cluster; Hull, QC; Eastview, ON; Vanier, ON | ||
1965 Ridván | The first local spiritual assembly in Iceland was formed in Reykjavik. Its members were Asgeir Einarsson, Kirsten Bonnevie, Florence Grindlay, Jessie Echevarria, Carl John Spencer, Charles Grindlay, Liesel Becker, Barbel Thinat and Nicholas Echevarria. [Bahá'í News No 417 10 December 1965 p10]
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Local Spiritual Assembly, formation; Reykjavik, Iceland | ||
1965 25 Feb | Because of the cost of adapting the Mount Pleasant property for Hazira use, the replacement of this property by the premises of the Free Magyar Reformed Church on Huron Street was authorized provided satisfactory financial arrangements can be made. The Temple Grounds Committee reported that no action could yet be taken on their option to purchase land in the Toronto area. | Hazira and Temple Grounds Committee; Haziratul-Quds (Bahá'í centres); Toronto, ON | ||
1964 30 May | Charles W. Ryder - Assiniboine Saskatchewan Bahá'í declared during a Bahá'í sponsored International Powwow on the Red Lake Reservation in Minnesota. Reporting about the Powwow Bahá'í News August 1964 page 15 states: ...the first declaration at Red Lake and the acceptance of the Faith by a visiting Canadian Indian, Charles Ryder, former chief of the Assiniboines in Saskatchewan. In addressing the gathering Mr. Ryder stated that he had been hearing speeches about brotherhood for many years, but had never seen it until this Powwow.[BN No401 August 1964 p15] |
Charles Ryder; Pow-Wow; Assiniboine, SK | ||
1964 (In the year) | The Yukon Territorial Government granted the right to perform legally recognized marriages to the Whitehorse local assembly. [Native Conversion, Native Identity: An Oral History of the Bahá'í Faith among First Nations People in the Southern Central Yukon Territory, Canada by Carolyn Patterson Sawin p98] | Weddings; Recognition (legal); Whitehorse, YT | ||
1963 11 - 18 Aug | The Banff Summer School was held at the Banff School of Fine Arts. The theme was "The Advent of Divine Justice". [CBN No163 Aug 1963 p4] | Summer schools; Banff, AB | ||
1963 June (Mid) | Tom Garraway arrived in Cambridge Bay.
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Pioneer; Tom Garraway; Cambridge Bay, NU | ||
1963 | Number of Local Spiritual Assemblies in Canada: 64 Incorporated Local Spiritual Assemblies: 20 Localities where Bahá'í reside: 285 Members: 2,186 [from a pamphlet, The Bahá'í Faith and its World Community published by the NSA of Canada] |
Statistics; Canada | ||
1963 Ridván | The National Spiritual Assembly announced that there would be no National Convention this year due to the fact that many of the participants would be returning from the historic meetings which were held in Haifa and in London. The National Teaching Committee wanted to make full use of those travellers returning to share the benefit of their experiences. [CBN No158 Mar 1963 p1]
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National Convention; Husayn Banani; Lloyd Gardner; Rowland Estall; Audrey Westheuser; Peggy Ross; Glen Eyford; Angus Cowan; Douglas Martin; Michael Rochester; postal ballot | ||
1963 20 Apr | The end of the Ten Year Crusade
Canada started the Ten-year Crusade in 1953 with 30 local spiritual assemblies, by 1957 there were 19. "Hand of the Cause John Robarts enlisted the Bahá'ís of Canada in one great campaign of prayer and action, and we finished that Crusade with sixty-four Local Spiritual Assemblies." [BCVol 9 No8 October 1987 p18] |
Ten Year Crusade; Statistics; John Robarts | ||
1963 Mar | At this time there were 1,500 enrolled Bahá'ís in Canada, 500 of these were First Nations. [CBN Special Editions May 1963] | Statistics | ||
1962 (Late in the year) | The first Inuit Bahá'í in Canada, David Kabloonak declared his faith in Baker Lake. [CBN No155 1962 p5; contributed by Leslie Cole] | Native Teaching; David Kabloonak; Baker Lake, NU | First Inuit Baha'i in Canada David Kabloonak | |
1962 31 Jul | The first spiritual assembly was formed in Kitchener, ON by declaration. Those on the Assembly were: Elfriede Emde, Elizabeth Rochester, George Marjanovich, Michael Rochester, Ida Borst, Walter Borst, Murat Sokolovie, Douglas Martin and Elizabeth Martin. [CBN No 152 September 1962 p1] | Local Spiritual Assembly, formation; Elfriede Emde; Elizabeth Rochester; George Marjanovich; Michael Rochester; Ida Borst; Walter Borst; Murat Sokolovie; Douglas Martin; Elizabeth Martin; Kitchener, ON | ||
1962 22 May | The first Athabascan Native north of the Arctic Circle to become a Bahá'í, Charley Roberts, enrolled. [BW15:455] | Charley Roberts; Athabascan | first Athabascan Native Bahá’í north of the Arctic Circle | |
1962 10 May | The passing of F. St. George Spendlove (b. 23 April 1897 in Montreal) [BW13p895-899; Bahá'ís of Canada]
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George Spendlove; In Memoriam; Montreal, QC; Toronto, ON | ||
1962 May | Jean Many Bears (b. 1910 – d. 1968) Jean and her husband Edmund were "instrumental in forming the Spiritual Assembly of the Blackfoot Reserve (Native Baha'i)." "In Memoriam: Jean Many Bears." Baha'i World. Volume XIV 1963-1968 page 357-58. | Jean Many Bears; Edmund Many Bears; Blackfoot First Nation, AB | ||
1962 May | The Western Canada Bahá'í School was held at the Banff School of Fine Arts from August 12 – 19. It cost a dollar a day to register and room and meals cost $5.00 to $7.00 per day. Mrs. Betty Putters in Sherwood Park was in charge of registration. (May 1962. Summer Schools. U. S. Supplement. Baha'i News) | Betty Putters; Summer schools; Banff, AB | ||
1962 Ridván | The National Convention was held in Scarborough. [CBN No 146 March 1962 p1] | National Convention; National Spiritual Assembly, election of; Scarborough, ON | ||
1962 Mar | Doris McLean, sister of Shirley Lindstrom, became a Bahá'í. One month later she and her cousin moved to Sitka Alaska to help form the first local assembly there. [Native Conversion, Native Identity: An Oral History of the Bahá'í Faith among First Nations People in the Southern Central Yukon Territory, Canada by Carolyn Patterson Sawin p91-92] | Doris McLean; Yukon, Canada | ||
1962 Mar | Some Statistics as of March, 1962: Montreal; 27 Ottawa: 24 Toronto: 35 Hamilton: 30 Winnipeg: 15 Regina:26 Edmonton:18 Vancouver: 23 Peigan Reserve (Piikani Nation): 27 Pasqua Reserve (Pasqua First Nation):22 Poorman Reserve (Kawacatoose First Nation): 59 {CBN No 146 Mar 1962 p4] Poorman Reserve (Kawacatoose First Nation): 74 This is the largest community in Canada. [CBN No 147 Apr 1962 p2] |
Statistics | ||
1962 (In the year) | Native believer Shirley Lindstrom enrolled in the Faith in the Yukon. Months after becoming a Bahá'í she travelled alone to Yellowknife in the Northwest Territories to help establish the first Local Spiritual Assembly there. Later she move with her family to Saskatchewan where they remained for several year to work with the First Nations people a the Fort Qu'Appelle Bahá'í Institute. [Native Conversion, Native Identity: An Oral History of the Bahá'í Faith among First Nations People in the Southern Central Yukon Territory, Canada by Carolyn Patterson Sawin p97] | Shirley Lindstrom | ||
1961 Oct | Edmund Many Bears (b. 1906 - d.14 March 1968) of the Siksika Blackfoot Nation declared as a Bahá'i. "He was instrumental in forming the Bahá'i.Local Spiritual Assembly of the Blackfoot Reserve in 1962. He served on Tribal Council and was a member of the Brave Dog Society." (Native Baha'i) ("In Memoriam: Edmund Many Bears." BW14p357-358.) | Edmund Many Bears; Siksika Nation, AB; Blackfoot First Nation, AB | ||
1961 Sep | It was reported in the Canadian Bahá'í News that the National Assembly had made application to the Department of National Defence for recognition of the Bahá'í Faith on the list of religious denominations of the Armed Services. They received word that the Faith was so listed with the authorized abbreviation of "BWF" and that this will be used to designate those who wish to be so identified. [CBN No 140 September 1961 p6] | Armed Forces; Military; Recognition (legal) | ||
1961 May |
Hand of the Cause Hasan M. Balyuzi (1908-1980) visited Canada where, in "addition to meeting the friends, he visited a number of Reserves, including First Nations of Ontario, the Poorman Reserve in Saskatchewan where he was honoured by a pow-wow, the Muscowpetung Reserve, the Peigan Reserve in Alberta, and First Nations people of British Columbia. His talks were 'simple and direct', appealing 'to the hearts of the many who came to hear him'. Later he described these meetings as 'very wonderful', commending to British Bahá'ís the initiative of individuals upon whom 'so much depends', and expressing his confidence in the rapid acceptance of the Faith by the Native peoples."[In Memoriam: Hasan M. Balyuzi" BW18p647; BN No 366 September 1961 118BE p9]
https://hdcommittee.wordpress.com/2015/02/23/alberta-bahai-history-project-shareable-resources/
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Hasan Balyuzi; Teaching, Native; Poorman Reserve, SK; Muscowpetung First Nations Reserve, AB; Piikani First Nation, AB | ||
1961 (Spring) | Ron Parsons became a Bahá'í some time before July in 1961. [CBN No 138 July 1961 p3]
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Declaration; Carol Bowie; David Bowie; Ron Parsons; Arthur Irwin; Lily Ann Irwin; Red Lake, ON; Ear Falls, ON; Strathmore, AB | ||
1961 28 - 30 Apr | The fourteenth National Convention was held at the Westbury Hotel in Toronto. Those elected were: Angus Cowan, Rowland Estall, (chair) Glen Eyford, Lloyd Gardner, (vice-chair) Fred Graham, Douglas Martin, Harold Moscrop, (tres.) Peggy Ross, and Audrey Westheuser (sec'y). [CBN No 137 June 1961 p10]
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National Convention; National Spiritual Assembly, election of; Angus Cowan; Rowland Estall; Glen Eyford; Lloyd Gardner; Fred Graham; Douglas Martin; Harold Moscrop; Peggy Ross; Audrey Westheuser; Toronto, ON | ||
1961 Ridván. | The formation of the first spiritual assembly in Nanaimo, BC. [CBN No 149 Jun 1962 p5] | Local Spiritual Assembly, formation; Nanaimo, BC | ||
1961 Ridván | The first Local Spiritual Assembly of Piikani First Nation (Peigan Reserve) was formed with Louise Whitecrow, Charles Strike-With-A-Gun, Rose Knowlton, Sam Yellow Face, Ben Whitecrow, Joyce McGuffie, Dale Olivier, Guy Yellow Wings and Chief Samson Knowlton [Canadian Baha'i News July 1961]. | Louise Whitecow; Charles Strike-With-A-Gun; Rose Knowlton; Sam Yellow Face; Ben Whitecrow; Joyce McGuffie; Dale Olivier; Guy Yellow Wings; Chief Samson Knowlton; Local Spiritual Assembly, formation; Piikani First Nation, AB | first Local Spiritual Assembly of Peigan Reserve | |
1961 23 Jan | Noel Wuttenee visited Piikani First Nation (Peigan Reserve), AB and is reported to have said:
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Noel Wuttunee; Indigenous Teaching; Piikani First Nation, AB | ||
1961 (In the year) | Chief Samson Knowlton, then-chairman of the first Peigan Reserve Bahá'í Assembly, and an elected member of the Band Council for the Peigan Band of the Blackfoot Confederacy along with John Hellson, originally from Cornwall, England were part of a teaching team that visited many Reserves. Over sixty First Nations people became Bahá'ís in 1960-1962. The team carried letters of introduction to the chiefs of all the Six Nations Reserves in Ontario and Quebec and were welcomed with a special ceremony on some of the Reserves. Their itinerary included the following reserves: the Nanaimo Reserve in Nanaimo, B.C., the Squamish Reserve in Capilano, BC, the Mohawk Reserve in Ohsweken in Ontario, the Chippewa Reserve in Kettle Point, Ontario, the Mississauga Reserve in Curve Lake, the Mohawk Reserve in Caughnawaga, Quebec." The teaching team gave copies of the small prayer book, Communion with God, which has "meant much to the new Indian Bahá'ís on the Reserves in Saskatchewan and Alberta (Canadian Bahá'í News July 1961; BN No 365 August 1961 p10)." iiiii | Sam Knowlton; John Hellson; Teaching, Native; Piikani First Nation, AB; Nanaimo Reserve, BC; Squamish Reserve, BC; Mohawk Reserve, ON; Chippewa Reserve, ON; Curve Lake First Nation, ON; Mohawk Reserve, QC | ||
1961 (In the year) | The Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of Whitehorse was incorporated. [Native Conversion, Native Identity: An Oral History of the Bahá'í Faith among First Nations People in the Southern Central Yukon Territory, Canada by Carolyn Patterson Sawin p98] | Local Spiritual Assembly, incorporation; Whitehorse, YT | ||
1960 13 Nov | In preparation for the election of the International Bahá'í Council, in November of 1960 the Hands in the Holy Land sent out voting kits, one for each member of every National or Regional Assembly. They were asked to return the completed ballots to Haifa prior to the counting of the votes on the 21st of April, 1961. The members of the National Spiritual Assembly of Canada cast their ballots during an Assembly meeting and they asked the friends to pray for their guidance. Friends in the Metropolitan Toronto area gathered at the Temple site for this purpose. [MoC245; CBN No 136 May 1961 p4] | International Bahá'í Council; - Bahá'í World Centre | ||
1960 Sep (Later part) | All the communities in the greater Vancouver area united to launch a Promulgation Campaign in their area. [CBN No 129 October 1960 p5]
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Proclamation I; Promulgation Campaign; Doug Crawford; Vancouver, BC | ||
1960 (In the year) | A series of twelve professional advertising mats with graphics and an explanation of the Faith were designed by Rod Willis and made available to all believers across Canada for local newspapers. [UC113] | Proclamation, newspapers | ||
1960 Sep | Peggy Ross, who had been serving as both an Auxiliary Board Member and secretary of the National Spiritual Assembly, had to resign her position as secretary to devote more time to her work as an Auxiliary Board Member. Audrey Westheuser took over the secretarial duties. At this point both she and Rowland Estall were serving on the National Assembly and as Auxiliary Board Members. iiiii | Auxiliary board members; National Spiritual Assembly, election of; Auxiliary board members | ||
1960 12 Jul | The passing of the Hand of the Cause Horace Holley in Haifa.
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Horace Holley; In Memoriam; Haifa, Israel | ||
1960 1 Jul | Ben Whitecow and Louise Many Guns were married in the first Bahá'í marriage legally recognized in Canada in a Bahá'í service by the Spiritual Assembly of Calgary, Alberta. The Canadian Bahá'í News article noted the significance that it was a First Nations couple who had this honour in this unique event. "Thirty people attended from Edmonton, Lethbridge, Regina, Piikani First Nation (Peigan Reserve), AB, and Calgary. This event was unique in that it was the first legally recognized Baha'i marriage in Canada. It is significant that a First Nations couple should have this honour [Canadian Baha'i News 1961]. | Ben Whitecow; Louise Whitecow; Louise Many Guns; Weddings; Recognition (legal); Native Americans; First Nations; Calgary, AB | first Baha’i marriage legally recognized in Canada in a Baha’i service | |
1960 21 May | Hand of the Cause Ruhiyyih Khánum visited the Piikani First Nation (Peigan Reserve), AB during her tour of Canada at the home of Councillor Samson Knowlton. During this visit she had the honour of being given a name by the chiefs of the tribe (Our Blessed Mother). [CBN No 126 July 1960 p5]
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Hands of the Cause, Activities; Amatul-Bahá Ruhiyyih Khanum; Piikani First Nation, AB | ||
1960 18 May | The National Spiritual Assembly made a submission on Native education which was entered into the minute of proceeding and evidence of the Joint committee and the House of Commons on Indian Affairs on this date. [CBN No 126 July 1960 p6] | National Spiritual Assembly, submission; Native Americans; Ottawa, ON | ||
1960 16 May - 2 Jun | 'Amatu'l-Baha Ruhiyyih Khanum was in North America from May 4 to June 5. She made a coast to coast tour of Canada from May 16 to June 2, 1960. She had a TV interview in Regina and was interviewed by newspaper representatives in Ottawa and other cities. In Montreal she gave an address in the Union Church. One of the recurring themes in her talk was the importance of Native teaching. During her tour she visited a Navajo First Nation in the US and the Peigan (Piikani) Reserve in Alberta. In Calgary she spoke to a group that included Native people and members of the Blackfoot First Nation declared his faith. [CBN No 126 July 1960 p5].
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Amatul-Bahá Ruhiyyih Khanum; Hair (general); Archives; Piikani First Nation, AB; Blackfoot First Nation, AB; Relics | ||
1960 May | Amy Putnam on the Six Nations reserve reported that Robert Jameson had become the first resident believer. [CBN No 123 April 1960 p3] | Native Teaching; Amy Putnam; Robert Jameson; Six Nations Reserve, ON; Ohsweken, ON | first Bahá'í on the Six Nations Reserve. | |
1960 May | The Promulgation Campaign moved into the fifth stage. The National Spiritual Assembly approved the participation of Toronto, Scarborough, North York, Etobicoke, York Township, Forest Hill, Montreal, Vancouver, Verdun, Westmount, St. Lambert, Ottawa, Eastview, Kingston, Victoria, Nanaimo, New Westminster, West Vancouver, Penticton and Vernon.
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Proclamation I; Promulgation Campaign; Regina, SK; Moose Jaw, SK; Saskatoon, SK | ||
1960 29 Apr - 1 May | The 13th National Convention was held at the Westbury Hotel in Toronto. It was attended by Hand of the Cause Amatu'l-Bahá Ruhíyyih Khánum and Hand of the Cause John Robarts. The 19 delegates selected the following for service on the National Assembly for the year 117: Peggy Ross, (sec'y) Rowland Estall, (chair) Winnifred Harvey, Hartwell Bowsfield, Harold Moscrop, Lloyd Gardner, (vice-chair) Audrey Westheuser, (treas.) Douglas Martin, and Fred Graham. [CBN No 125 June 1960 p1]
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National Convention; National Spiritual Assembly, election of; Peggy Ross; Rowland Estall; Winnifred Harvey; Hartwell Bowsfield; Harold Moscrop; Lloyd Gardner; Audrey Westheuser; Douglas Martin; Fred Graham; Toronto, ON | ||
1960 Ridván | The first Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of Saltfleet was formed. [UC111] | Local Spiritual Assembly, formation; Saltfleet, ON | ||
1960 Mar | In the March issue of the Canadian Bahá'í News the National Archivist, Hartwell Bowsfield, and the National Library and Archives Committee made a fresh appeal on behalf of the Hands of the Cause in the Holy Land to send all letters received from Shoghi Effendi to the Archives. [CBN No 122 March 1960 p5] | Hartwell Bowsfield; National Archivist; * Shoghi Effendi, letters of; Archives | ||
1960 Mar | As part of their Promulgation Campaign, the Bahá'ís of Saskatoon sent out some 950 letters. Bill Lacey of Minot, ND spoke to an audience of 68 at a public meeting at the University. There was a barrage of opposition from the floor but there were many who responded in defence of the Bahá'ís. At a subsequent meeting with one of those who rose to defend the Bahá'ís came the idea of having an inter-religious meeting. That brought out 32 people of different nationalities, 11 of which gave short talks on their faith. Members of the International Students Club who attended decided to hold a meeting at the University that was attended by some 150 people. Bill Gossen made a presentation on behalf of the Bahá'í Faith. [CBN No 122 March 1960 p6-7] | Proclamation I; Opposition; Bill Lacey; Bill Gossen; Promulgation Campaign; Saskatoon, SK | ||
1960 Mar | Twenty-seven communities in seven provinces participated in the Promulgation Campaign. 12,000 ministers, priests and laypersons received the letter and the newspaper ads reached a total of one million readers. The results could be analyzed in three ways: the spirit of the believers; the response from the churches; and the immediate effect in the teaching work.
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Proclamation I; Opposition; Promulgation Campaign; Saskatoon, SK; Regina, SK; Saint John, NB; Winnipeg, MB | ||
1959 (late or early 1960) | Amy Putnam, a pioneer to Ohsweken on the Six Nations, reported that the first Native believer had declared. [UC107] iiiii
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Amy Putnam; Native Teaching; Six Nations Reserve, ON | first believer on the the Six Nations | |
1959 13 Oct |
Clifford and Catherine Huxtable arrived in the Gulf Islands and were named Knights of Bahá'u'lláh (albeit in 1957 see LNW93). [BW13:457]
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Clifford Huxtable; Catherine Huxtable; - Knights of Bahá'u'lláh; Local Spiritual Assembly, formation; Salt Spring Island, BC | ||
1959 Oct | In the October 1959 edition of the Canadian Bahá'í News it was announced that request from the National Spiritual Assembly to the province of Saskatchewan for authorization for Bahá'í Assemblies to solemnize marriages in the province was accepted. [CBN No 117 October 1959 p2] | Marriage; Saskatchewan, Canada | ||
1959 Sep | Carol and David Bowie pioneered to Ear Falls, Ontario and had to relinquish membership on the National Promulgation Committee. The new membership was: Fred Graham, Douglas Martin, Jeannie Seddon, Donald Dainty and Gail Burland (secretary). [CBN No 127 August 1960 p70] iiiii | Carol Bowie; David Bowie; Fred Graham; Douglas Martin; Jeannie Seddon; Don Dainty; Gail Burland; Proclamation I; Promulgation Campaign; Ear Falls, ON | ||
1959 Sep | Sally Jackson became the first Tlingit Bahá'í at the second annual Yukon Bahá'í Summer School at Jackson Lake. Sally Jackson was from Teslin. [Bahá'í News Apr 1960 p9; CBN No 122 March 1960 p6] | Sally Jackson; Tlingit; Tesllin, YT; Jackson Lake, YT | the first Tlingit Bahá'í; first Native person in the Yukon to become a Baha'i | |
1959 (Late summer) | Douglas and Elizabeth Martin travelled to the Maritimes to introduce the Promulgation Campaign. The Bahá'ís of Halifax, Charlottetown and Saint John participated in the project and over 2,000 letters were sent out from these three centres during the first week of September. Winston Evans, from Nashville, once again participated as a speaker at the meetings. [CBN No 117 October 1959 p4; UC96] | Proclamation I; Promulgation Campaign; Douglas Martin; Elizabeth Martin; Halifax, NS; Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island; Saint John, NB | ||
1959 20 Jun | The passing of Ernest Vernon Harrison (b. 22 November, 1880 in Bengal, India) in Charlottetown.
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Ernest Harrison; In Memoriam; Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island | ||
1959 24 - 26 Apr | The National Convention was held at the Westbury Hotel in Toronto. Those elected were: Lloyd Gardner, Rowland Estall, Hart Bowsfield, Winnifred Harvey, Audrey Westheuser, Harold Moscrop, (tres.) Peggy Ross, (sec'y) and Allan Raynor.
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National Spiritual Assembly, election of; National Convention; Lloyd Gardner; Rowland Estall; Hart Bowsfield; Winnifred Harvey; Audrey Westheuser; Harold Moscrop; Peggy Ross; Allan Raynor; Toronto, ON | ||
1959 (Ridván) | The formation of the first Local Spiritual Assembly in the Yukon in Whitehorse. [CBN No 113 June 1959 p10]
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Local Spiritual Assembly, formation; Lorne Murphy; Georgie Hughes; Jerry Brda; Joan Anderson; Erna Henckel; Margaret Brda; Ted Anderson; Ruth Cunliffe; Glen Hughes; Whitehorse, YT | first Local Spiritual Assembly in the Yukon; the first Tutchone Bahá'í | |
1959 Mar | It was announced in the Canadian Bahá'í News in the March, 1959 issue that the criteria for testing for the Religion and Life Badge for the Canadian Girl Guides and the Boy Scout Association had been established. [CBN No 110 March 1959 p3-4] | Religion and Life Badge | ||
1959 20 Mar | The passing of Jean Graham (b. 1916) in Burlington. She was buried in White Chapel Gardens in Ancaster, Ontario. She and her husband Fred were registered as Bahá'ís on January 5th, 1952.
[UC86-92; CBN No 112 May 1959 p4]
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Jean Graham; In Memoriam; Burlington, ON | ||
1959 Mar | Fred Graham was asked to preside over a name-giving ceremony for Michelle Jamál Bowie, daughter of Carol and David Bowie of Niagara Falls who had been born in December, 1958. [UC88] Mrs Audrey Rayne presided at the name-giving ceremony for the two children of Mr and Mrs K Ross in Halifax. [CBN No 110 March 1959 p3] |
Naming ceremony; Fred Graham; Carol Bowie; David Bowie; Michelle Bowie; Audrey Rayne; K Ross; Niagara Falls, ON; Halifax, NS | ||
1959 The 1950's | The largest year-round Inuit community in Canada was in Hamilton at the Mountain Sanatorium where 332 Inuit patients were being treated. There were 1,578 Inuit being treated in Canadian hospitals in 1953. One-third of the Inuit population of the 1950s was infected with TB and approximately one out of every seven Inuit was in a southern sanatorium.[Contributed by Leslie Cole] | Inuit; Tuberculosis; Mountain Sanatorium, Canada; Hamilton, ON | ||
1959 (In the year) | Hand of the Cause John Robarts visited the Piikani First Nation (Peigan Reserve). [The Distance Traversed a presentation by Bev Knowlton and Joan Young 2022] | John Robarts; Piikani First Nation, AB | ||
1958 16 Dec | The government of British Columbia issued the first certificate of Registration under the Marriage Act which certified that the Chairman of the Local Spiritual Assembly was legally authorized to solemnize marriage. [CBN No 109 February 1959 p4] | Weddings; Recognition (legal); Victoria, BC | ||
1958 9 Nov | A Promulgation follow-up conference was held in Dundas with approximately 40 Bahá'ís in attendance. A campaign was planned to keep the promulgation issue alive in the area. [CBN No 108 January 1959 p5; UC84] | Proclamation I; Promulgation Campaign; Dundas, ON | ||
1958 Oct | The first Spiritual Assembly was formed in Dundas, Ontario. [UC83] | Local Spiritual Assembly, formation; Dundas, ON | ||
1958 Oct | Based on previous experience of a proclamation to Christian clergy in Hamilton and consultation with Winston Evans at the Summer School, the Promulgation Committee launched a proclamation directed to both clerics and the layman. Packages were sent to Christians in Niagara Falls, St. Catharines, Saltfleet, Burlington, Dundas, Campbellville, Ancaster, Georgetown, London, St. Thomas, Ingersoll and Forest. The pamphlet "The Reality of the Return of Christ" was included in all packages with the Catholic priests receiving a copy of the tablet that Bahá'u'lláh addressed to Pope Pius IX and the Protestant clergy were sent the pamphlet "The Lord of the New Age". About 1,400 to 1,500 were sent. Advertisements were placed in the local newspapers announcing that the clergy had received this material and that a speaker would be coming soon to speak about the theme, "Christ and Bahá'u'lláh". The only negative reaction reported was from the town of Forest where the Faith was denounced from the pulpit. [CBN No 107 December 1958 p2; UC80-81]
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Proclamation I; Promulgation Campaign; Niagara Falls, ON; St. Catharines, ON; Saltfleet, ON; Burlington, ON; Dundas, ON; Campbellville, ON; Ancaster, ON; Georgetown, ON; London, ON; St. Thomas, ON; Ingersoll, ON; Forest, ON | ||
1958 Sep | The first Yukon Bahá'í Summer School was held at Jackson Lake, YT and was attended by a "handful" of people. The property had only one small cabin. In 1961 the conference attracted over 70 people from the Yukon, Alaska, British Columbia and Washington State. By 1964 the number of participants had increase to 100 and in 1967 to 135 with an average class attendance of 25 for the adult classes. [Native Conversion, Native Identity: An Oral History of the Bahá'í Faith among First Nations People in the Southern Central Yukon Territory, Canada by Carolyn Patterson Sawin p95] | Summer schools; Jackson Lake, YT | ||
1958 (In the year) | Ken and Mary (Zabolotny) McCulloch (married Aug 1958) moved to Baker Lake where they lived for over 20 years with their daughter Laura. While there they established Bahá'í House, promoted translation of Bahá'í materials into Inuktitut, and, above all, conveyed the spirit and principles of the Faith to their neighbours with tireless devotion. (CBN No109 Feb 1959 p4)
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Pioneers; Mary McCulloch; Ken McCulloch; Bahá'í House; Inuit language; Baker Lake, NU | ||
1958 Sep | Promulgation Conferences were held in St. Catharines and London to initiate the programs being carried out by the Promulgation Committee in Niagara and Western Ontario. [CBN No 106 November 1958 p3] | Proclamation I; Promulgation Campaign; St. Catharines, ON; London, ON; Niagara Falls, ON | ||
1958 2 - 9 Aug | The Ontario Summer School Committee presented three courses at the YMCA Camp Kitchikewana at Geneva Park on Lake Couchiching. Audrey Westheuser presented "Sources of Hidden Power", Beatrice Ashton, "The World Crusade" and Winston Evans, a Bahá'í from Nashville, Tennessee, contributed, "Bahá'í Faith in a Christian World". He suggested that in teaching Christians that they not be considered as a homogeneous group but rather they should be approached with an appreciation of the tenants of eacch particular group. [CBN No 105 October 1958 p5, UC79]
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Proclamation I; Summer schools; Audrey Westheuser; Beatrice Ashton; Winston Evans; Promulgation Campaign; Geneva Park, ON | ||
1958 29 Apr - 1 May | The National Convention was held at the Westbury Hotel, 475 Yonge Street in Toronto. Those elected to the National Assembly were: Hart Bowesfield, Peggy Ross, (sec'y), Winnifred Harvey, Audrey Westheuser, Allan Raynor, Lloyd Gardner, Rowland Estall, Fred Graham, and Harold Moscrop (tres). [CBN No 99 115 April, 1958 p1; CBN No 101 June 1958 p3]
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National Convention; Hart Bowsfield; Peggy Ross; Winnifred Harvey; Audrey Westheuser; Allan Raynor; Lloyd Gardner; Rowland Estall; Fred Graham; Harold Moscrop; National Spiritual Assembly, election of; Toronto, ON | ||
1958 26 Apr | Hand of the Cause John Robarts dedicated the site of the first Mashriqu'l-Adhkar in Canada. In doing so he paid tribute to Hand of the Cause Siegfried Schopflocher. Among his many services to the Cause he left funds to purchase this property. He had been named "The Chief Temple Builder" by the Guardian because of his devotion to the completing of the Mother Temple of the West. [CBN No 101 June, 1958 p1-2]
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* Mashriqu'l-Adhkár (House of Worship); John Robarts; Siegfried Schopflocher; North York, ON | ||
1958 Apr | The Canadian Bahá'í News reported that as of this date 10 Local Assemblies had been incorporated in Canada. They were: Edmonton, Hamilton, Montreal, Ottawa, Scarborough, Toronto, North York Vancouver Vernon, and Winnipeg. [CBN No 99 April 1958 p3] | Local Spiritual Assembly, incorporation; Edmonton, AB; Hamilton, ON; Montreal, QC; Ottawa, ON; Scarborough, ON; Toronto, ON; North York, ON; Vancouver, BC; Vernon, BC; Winnipeg, MB | ||
1958 Mar | Allan Prairie Chicken (Otakkoyiisaapo'p) was the first Backfoot to declare his faith on the Pikuni First Nations (Peigan Reserve) in March, 1958. [IndigenousBahais.com] | Allan Prairie Chicken; Otakkoyiisaapop; Piikani First Nation, AB | the first Backfoot to declare his faith on the Pikuni First Nations | |
1958 Mar | The Indian Teaching Committee (Indigenous Teaching Committee) reported that there were several
studying the Faith in the Piikani First Nation. This committee
had received permission from the Indian (First Nation) Council to
teach on the Reserve. [BN No 341 July 1959 p10]
The photo in this reference shows Indigenous believers of the Peigan Indian Reserve (Piikani First Nation), Blackfoot Confederacy, Alberta, Maggie Prairie Chicken, Rose Knowlton, Louise White Cow, Agnes Yellow Face, Councillor Samson Knowlton, Ben White Cow, Sam Yellow Face, and Allan (Otakkoyiisaapo'p) Prairie Chicken. Allan and Maggie Prairie Chicken were the first declarants of the Blackfoot nation in March 1958. [BN No 342 August 1959 p10] |
Maggie Prairie Chicken; Rose Knowlton; Louise Whitecow; Agnes Yellow Face; Samson Knowlton; Ben White Cow; Sam Yellow Face; Allan Prairie Chicken; Piikani First Nation, AB | first declarants of the Blackfoot Allan and Maggie Prairie Chicken. | |
1958 24 Feb | Judgement was rendered by the Honourable Associate Chief Justice W. B. Scott of the Superior Court in Montreal in favour of the National Spiritual Assembly against the City of Montreal. This achievement was the result of an action commenced on the 5th of October, 1955, to require the City of Montreal to recognize the Bahá'í Faith as an independent religious body and grant exemption to it from Municipal Taxes for the Bahá'í Shrine as a place primarily devoted to religious worship, and eligible for tax exemption under the city's own chart and by-laws.
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Montreal Shrine; Montreal, QC | ||
1958 6 Feb | Hand of the Cause John Robarts arrived in Canada to begin his extensive tour of Canada. He had been sent to Canada by the Hands in the Holy Land because the Guardian had been concerned about the slow progress in the objectives of the 10-year plan in Canada The first stop was in Moncton where a three-day conference was held with Mr. Robarts. [CBN No 98 March, 1958 p2]
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John Robarts; Ericka Janzen; Tom Gossen; Moncton, NB; Montreal, QC; Toronto, ON; Hamilton, ON; London, ON; Ottawa, ON | ||
1958 Feb | The National Spiritual Assembly published a policy statement for the Canadian Bahá'í News. [CBN No 97 February 1958 p4] | Canadian Bahá'í News; Policy | ||
1958 Feb | In an article in the Canadian Bahá'í News the National Spiritual Assembly asked those in the community who formerly were members in a church or a synagogue, to formally withdrew their membership by means of a letter to the minister, priest, rabbi or church board. This will serve two purposes, first to clarify our position as follows of Bahá'u'lláh and secondly, to clarify our legal status with respect to religious and civil authorities. This will ensure protection in any dispute that might occur concerning children, the disposal of property, funeral rites etc. In the eyes of the law, children are deemed to be of the same religious affiliation as their father unless an agreement has been entered into in writing by both parents that the child should be brought up in the faith of the mother or unless the father's will makes provisions for how the child should be educated. [CBN No 97 February 1958 p3] | Membership of other organizations | ||
1958 Jan | Hand of the Cause Amatu'l-Bahá' Rúhíyyih Khánum met the Bahá'ís of Winnipeg during her visit to Canada. [Bloodworth, Grains of Wheat p20] | Amatul-Bahá Ruhiyyih Khanum; Winnipeg, MB | ||
1958 (In the year) | The Bahá'í marriage ceremony was first legally recognized in Ontario. [MoC208 note 9] | Weddings; Recognition (legal); Ontario, Canada | first legally recognized in Ontario | |
1957 6 Dec | In a letter to the National Spiritual Assemblies the Hands of the Cause in America announced the appointment of Peggy Ross as the Auxiliary Board Member for Propagation (Teaching). Rowland Estall, who had served as the ABM in the Eastern part of Canada for several years was reassigned as the Auxiliary Board Member for Protection. [CBN No 97 February, 1958 p4] | Auxiliary board members; Peggy Ross; Rowland Estall | ||
1957 Dec | The National Spiritual Assembly appointed a National Promulgation Committee with a mandate to bring the Bahá'i Faith to the attention of Christian clergy and laymen throughout Canada. The committee members were: Fred and Jean Graham, Douglas and Elizabeth Martin, David and Carol Bowie. Hamilton was chosen as the site for a pilot project. Every minister and priest received the pamphlet, "The Promised Day of God" and a letter with the National Spiritual Assembly letterhead outlining Bahá'u'lláh's claim to be the return of Christ. Every Protestant minister received a copy of the article by Marcs Bach from the Christian Century entitled, "Bahá'í, a Second Look" and every Catholic priest received a pamphlet with excerpts from Bahá'u'lláh's Tablet to the Pope. Archdeacons and Bishops and prominent Presbyterian and United ministers receive a copy of Christ and Bahá'u'lláh. In addition a letter was sent to the local Council of Churches or Ministerial Association outlining Bahá'u'lláh's claim and including a pamphlet and the Christian Century article and offering a speaker if they desired.
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Promulgation Campaign; Fred Graham; Jean Graham; Douglas Martin; Elizabeth Martin; David Bowie; Carol Bowie; Hamilton, ON | ||
1957 9 November | The funeral for Shoghi Effendi was attended by Lloyd Gardner, Peggy Ross, Allan Raynor, Rowland Estall, Hartwell Bowsfield and Winnifred Harvey representing the Canadian Bahá'í community. Hand of the Cause John Robarts, living in Africa at the time, attended in his capacity as a Hand of the Cause. Jameson and Gale Bond also attended. [CBN No 95 December, 1957 Insert p4]
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Shoghi Effendi, Passing of; London, England | ||
1957 04 Nov - 04 Aug | Following the directive from the Guardian following the passing of the Greatest Holy Leaf in 1932, the National Spiritual Assembly called for a period of mourning of nine months in which all Festive Anniversaries were to be replaced by simple gatherings for prayers and administrative gatherings including the 19-Day Feasts were to be held with the utmost simplicity. [CBN No 97 February 1958 p1]
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Shoghi Effendi, Passing of | ||
1957 2 Nov | Hand of the Cause Paul Haney visited the Toronto-Hamilton area and spoke at conferences in both cities and at a fireside in Hamilton. [CBN No 95 Dec 1957 p3] | - Hands of the Cause; Paul Haney; Toronto, ON; Hamilton, ON | ||
1957 1 Oct | A site at 15 Lola Road in Toronto was acquired and occupied on the 1st of October. It served as the National Hazíratu'l-Quds from October 1957 until 1969. [MtC281; CBN No 93 Oct 1957 p2]
See [MtC198-199] for a photo. |
Haziratul-Quds (Bahá'í centres); Toronto, ON | ||
1957 Oct | Acting on a recommendation from the National Convention, the National Spiritual Assembly published an organogram which showed three "departments", Teaching, Properties and Service with sub-committees reporting to them. [CBN No 93 Oct 1957 p7] | National Spiritual Assembly; Toronto, ON | ||
1957 Oct | The National Spiritual Assembly of the United States advised the friends in Canada, particularly local assemblies, to take no steps towards accepting the credentials of any person from Iran who claims to be a Bahá'í, without first communicating with the National Assembly. "Should any individual from Iran, either carring credentials or claiming to be a Bahá'í, appear in your community the matter should be reported immediately to the National Office where the authorizing signature and letter-head from the National Spiritual Assembly of Iran has been registered. It is most important that this procedure be followed with exception, with respect to all individuals from Iran making an appearance in any Bahá'í community." [CBN No 93 Oct 1957 p2] |
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1957 Oct | In a message to the National Spiritual Assembly the Guardian said of the Canadians believers:
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1957 Oct or Nov | At the request of the National Spiritual Assembly, the Department of External Affairs arranged for the British Legation in Sofia, Bulgaria to have a monument erected over the grave of Marion Jack in the British Cemetery. A photo of the grave and Shoghi Effendi's tribute of 29 March, 1954 were printed in the Canadian Bahá'í News. [CBN No 96 January 1958 p5] | Marion Jack; In Memoriam; Sofia, Bulgaria | ||
1957 25 - 31 Aug | Western Canada Summer Conference at the Banff School of Fine Arts. The syllabus included (1) "The Covenant and the Aims, Purposes and Processes of the Administrative Order" (Allan Raynor) (2) "The History of the Faith" (Ted Anderson and Hartwell Bowsfield) (3) "The Fundamental Spiritual Verities" (Florence Mayberry) and "The Bahá'í World Crusade" (Beatrice Ashton). [CBN No 88 May 1957 p3]
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Western Canada Summer Conference; Summer schools | ||
1957 Summer | The Laurentian Summer School was held at Beaulac. The presenters were Margery McCormick, Mehdi Firoozi and Stanwood Cobb. [CBN NO92 September 1957 p4; CBN No 93 Oct 1957 p3]
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Summer schools; Margery McCormick; Mehdi Firoozi; Stanwood Cobb; Beaulac, QC | ||
1957 Aug | In response to a recommendation made at the National Convention, the functions and the staffing of the national committees were published in the August issue of the Canadian Bahá'í News. [CBN #91 August 1957 p6-8]
The October issue included a graphic that illustrated the reporting structure of the national committees. [CBN No 93 October 1957 p7] |
National Spiritual Assembly; Toronto, ON | ||
1957 (Summer) | The Hazira committee continued to have difficulties in finding a suitable property. Zoning regulations precluded the purchase of many sites that were otherwise suitable. Negotiation were underway on one property. One property in north Toronto that might be suitable for the Temple ground was under investigation. [CBN No 91 August 1957 p1] | Hazira and Temple Grounds Committee; Toronto, ON | ||
1957 (Summer) | Hand of the Cause Zikr'u'lláh Khadem visited Central America, then the United States and Canada on way back to Haifa. He was accompanied by his wife and their daughter. Arrangements were made for them to visit a number of Bahá'í communities in Ontario and Québec, Hamilton, Greater Toronto, Montreal, Ottawa, London. [CBN NO 92 September 1957 p4] | - Hands of the Cause; Zikrullah Khadem | ||
1957 Jul | Hand of the Cause Dhikru'llah Khádem met with the National Spiritual Assembly. He had come from Central America and was visiting in the United States and Canada before returning to Haifa. He, his wife, and their daughter spent ten days in Canada and visited the friends in Hamilton, Toronto, Montreal, Ottawa, and London. [UC68-69, 70; MtC269] | Hands of the Cause, Activities; Dhikrullah Khadem; Hamilton, ON; Toronto, ON; Montreal, QC; Ottawa, ON; London, ON | ||
1957 Summer | Pioneer Doris Richardson reported that the first Bahá'í declaration on Grand Manan, Ed Somers, was welcomed. [UC70] | Doris Richardson; Ed Somers; Grand Manan Island, NB | first declarant on Grand Manan Island. | |
1957 Jul | Hand of the Cause Dhikru'llah Khádem met with the National Spiritual Assembly. He had come from Central America and was visiting in the United States and Canada before returning to Haifa. He, his wife, and their daughter spent ten days in Canada and visited the friends in Hamilton, Toronto, Montreal, Ottawa, and London. [UC68-69] | - Hands of the Cause; Dhikrullah Khadem; Hamilton, ON; Toronto, ON; Montreal, QC; Ottawa, ON; London, ON | ||
1957 14 Jun | Winnifred Harvey of Ottawa, recently returned from pilgrimage, undertook a three week travel leaching trip to Western Canada. She stopped at Winnipeg, Brandon then on to Regina and following that, Lethbridge and Calgary. In British Columbia she visited Cranbrook, Penticton, Vancouver and West Vancouver then took a ferry to Nanaimo and then overland to Victoria. From there she travelled south to Seattle to catch a plane for Juneau and then the Canadian goal city of Baranof by seaplane. Venturing back into Canada her next stop was Whitehorse and then on to Edmonton and Yellowknife and Edmonton again. Saskatoon was the next stop then to St. James and finally to Toronto to attend a meeting of the National Spiritual Assembly. [CBN No 92 September 1957 p 3-4] | Travel Teaching; Winnifred Harvey | ||
1957 May | The New Territories Committee had a publication called the "Round Robin". It was written solely for pioneers in the goal areas as a means to share the pleasures and problems, hopes and fears, news and views with the distant members of their pioneer family. [CBN No88 May 1957 p2-3 ] | Round Robin; * Publications; Pioneering | ||
1957 May | About twenty-five different itineraries
were arranged for Canadian
Bahá'í teachers who served on the
Intra-Regional circuits and, in addition,
teaching programmes were arranged
and organized for several visiting
teachers from outside the Dominion,
including Mr. Alan Pringle
from Honduras and Mrs. Meherangiz
Munsiff of the United States. Our
Canadian teachers have included the
following: Mrs. Laura Davis, Mr.
Albert Rakovsky, Mr. Hartwell Bowsfield,
Mr. Rowland Estall, Mr; Alan
Raynor, Mre. !Peggy Ross, Mrs. Lily
Ann Irwin, Mrs. Katherine Moscrop,
Mr. Fred Graham, Miss Nancy Campbell,
Miss Amy Putnam and Miss
Winnifred Harvey. [CBN No88 May 1957 p1]
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Travel Teaching; Alan Pringle; Meherangiz Munsiff; Laura Davis; Albert Rakovsky; Hartwell Bowsfield; Rowland Estall; Alan Raynor; Peggy Ross; Lily Ann Irwin; Katherine Moscrop; Fred Graham; Nancy Campbell; Amy Putnam; Winnifred Harvey | ||
1957 May | The site of the National Hazírratu'l-Quds at 274 Huron Street was expropriated by the University of Toronto. The property was included in the 26 acres taken over in December for the expansion of the campus. The University advised that they will not require the property for some time and that we may rent the building , possibly for several years. [UC66; CBN No 87 April 1957 p3; CBN No 91 Aug 1957 p8; MtC262]
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Haziratul-Quds (Bahá'í centres); George Spendlove; George Smith; Alice Hall; Marjory Merrick; Toronto, ON | ||
1957 26 - 29 Apr | The National Convention was held at the new Haziratu'l-Quds at 274 Huron Street. It was attended by about 100 visitors as well as seventeen delegates who voted in person and two who voted by mail. Those elected were: Hart Bowsfield, Peggy Ross, Winnifred Harvey, Audrey Westheuser, Allan Raynor, Lloyd Gardner, Rowland Estall, Fred Graham, and Harold Moscrop.
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National Convention; Hart Bowsfield; Peggy Ross; Winnifred Harvey; Audrey Westheuser; Allan Raynor; Lloyd Gardner; Rowland Estall; Fred Graham; Harold Moscrop; National Spiritual Assembly, election of; Haziratul-Quds (Bahá'í centres); Toronto, ON | ||
1957 22 - 24 Feb | At its February meeting the National Spiritual Assembly formed a Hazira Location Committee consisting of George Spendlove, George Smith, Alice Hall and Marjory Merrick. They were instructed to look for a property primarily for the National Headquarters use and to meet the requirement for a provisional Hazira set down by the Guardian. [CBN No 87 April, 1957 p1] | Haziratul-Quds (Bahá'í centres); Toronto, ON | ||
1957 2 Feb | Dr Donald Kidd and Mary Campbell, both of Edmonton were married in a Bahá'í marriage ceremony in Calgary. It was the first Bahá'í wedding to take place in the province of Alberta. [CBN No87 April, 1957 p3] | Marriage; Don Kidd; Mary Campbell; Calgary, AB | the first Bahá'í wedding to take place in the province of Alberta. | |
1957 Jan | The Laurentian Bahá'í Winter School was attended by about twenty people. Mary and Andy Andrews of Ottawa were the presenters. [CBN No 85 February 1957 p2] | Winter schools; Andy Andrews; Mary Andrews; Beaulac, QC | ||
1957 (In the year) | The first Temple site was purchased in 1957 in North York, and replaced by the site in Markham Township in 1969. [MtC281] | Purchases and exchanges; Mashriqu'l-Adhkár, Toronto; Toronto, ON | ||
1956 Dec | The passing of Leslie Silversides.
Leslie became a Bahá'í in 1945 and while visiting Emeric and Rosemary Sala became aware of the necessity and urgency of making contact with the Native People. When a new school opened on a Reserve in the fall of 1947 he re-assumed his career as a teacher. Mabel and Leslie Silversides, were the first non-Aboriginal Bahá'ís in Canada to move to a reserve. When a memorial service was held for him on December 16th some 50 or 60 Native people from the Reserve where he had been teaching attended, some walking as far as 10-12 miles. Another service was held on December 17th in Regina, his former community. After his passing his wife Mabel resumed teaching. She passed away in 1992. Both were buried in the Wolseley Cemetery. [Encylopedia of Saskatchewan; CBN No86 March, 1957 p4]
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Leslie Silversides; In Memoriam; Mabel Silversides; Native Teaching; Wolseley, SK | the first non-Aboriginal Bahá'ís in Canada to move to a reserve | |
1956 30 Sep |
The dedication of the new Haziratu'l-Quds of the Bahá'ís of Canada at 274 Huron Street in Toronto. ABM Roland Estall read an address on behalf of Hand of the Cause Horace Holley who was unable to attend due to weather conditions. [CBN No 82 November, 1956 p1-4]
The purchase was made possible because of the generosity of the Canadian believers as well as an "exceedingly generous bequest made to the Canadian Bahá'í Community, on his death, by Fred Schopflocher". [CBNNo 77 June 1956 p4] |
Haziratul-Quds (Bahá'í centres); Toronto, ON | ||
1956 2 - 8 Sep | The Western Canada Bahá'î Summer Conference was held at the School of Fine Arts in Banff. The course material dealt with Bahá'í Administration, The Covenant, and Living the Bahá'í Life. CBN No 78 July 1956 p4]
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Summer schools; Katherine Moscrop; Ted Anderson; Joyce Noble; W R Maclean; Katherine Hamilton; Banff, AB | ||
1956 09 | The National Spiritual Assembly published the policy for the performing of a Bahá'í marriage by a local spiritual assembly. [CBN No 80 September 1956 p4] | Marriage | ||
1956 | The Bahá'í Faith was put on the curriculum in a course on comparative Religions at McMaster University. [UC61] | McMaster University, Ontario; Hamilton, ON | ||
1956 Aug | The Ontario Summer School was held during the long holiday weekends. The first two were held in Dundas and the last two in Forest. sessions. At Forest on Labour Day weekend Nancy Campbell spoke on "Meditation and the Law of Love" and Charles Grindley on "The Science of Teaching". [CBN No 81 October 1956 p2] | Summer schools; Nancy Campbell; Charles Grindley; Dundas, ON; Forest, ON | ||
1956 21 - 28 Jul | The Laurentian Summer School was held in two sessions, 21-28 July and 28 July to the 5th of August. The presenters were: Dr Genevieve Coy spoke on "The Reality of Man", Mehdi Firoozi told stories on the Dawnbreakers and the Hands of the Cause, Ruth Moffet gave her course on the "Spiritual Crusade" and Winnifred Harvey took the theme "Tools of Living", Audrey Westheuser gave a course on Faith in Action and Allan Raynor on "Bahá'u'lláh's Covenant and our Relationship to It". [CBN No 81 October 1956 p2] | Summer schools; Genevieve Coy; Mehdi Firoozi; Ruth Moffett; Winnifred Harvey; Audrey Westheuser; Allan Raynor | ||
1956 21 - 28 Jul | The Laurentian Bahá'í School was held in two sessions, July 21-28 and July 28-August 5. The theme for the sessions was "The Development of The Individual". The teachers for the first session were Mrs. Audrey Westheuser, Dr. Genevieve Coy, Mr. Allan Raynor and from July 28 - August 5, Miss Winnifred Harvey, Mrs. Ruth Moffett and Mr. Mehdi Firoozi. [CBN No74 Mar 1956 p4; CBN No 78 Jul 1956 p4] | Summer schools; Beaulac, QC | ||
1956 (Summer) | David Bowie became a Bahá'í and was soon followed by his wife Carol who was later elected to the National Spiritual Assembly and was appointed to the Auxiliary Board in 1975. [UC61-62] | David Bowie; Carol Bowie; Auxiliary board members; Niagara Falls, ON | ||
1956 16 Jun | A group of friends from the Montreal area gathered at the grave the beloved Hand of the Cause of God Sutherland Maxwell. The purpose of the gathering was to fulfill the instructions of the Guardian to deposit, under the headstone, a piece of plaster from the walls of the prison at Mah-Ku where the Báb had been incarcerated in 1847. The box containing the plaster was placed in a special excavation in the foundation stone under the headstone and attar of roses, sent by the Guardian for the purpose, was poured over the alabaster box which was then permanently sealed with tile and cement in the foundation stone. This was followed by a brief statement on the life of Mr Maxwell and his historic services to the Faith as recalled in the Guardian's cable at the time of his passing. The Guardian had pointed out that another piece of plaster from the same source had been placed under the first golden tile of the dome of the Shrine of the Báb on Mount Carmel. The superstructure of the Shrine of the Báb had been designed by Sutherland Maxwell. [CBN No 80 September, 1956 p2] To pay further tribute Mr Maxwell's contribution as the architect of the Arcade and the Superstructure built over the Sepulchre built by 'Abdu'l-Bahá, the Guardian named one of the eight doors Báb-i-Maxwell. [CBN No 82 November, 1956 p3] |
In Memoriam; Sutherland Maxwell; Montreal, QC | ||
1956 10 May |
The property at 274 Huron Street was acquired for a Haziratu'l-Quds at a cost of $48,000. When this goal was given to Canada in 1953 the Guardian contributed £2,000 towards this undertaking and donations were made by the National Spiritual Assemblies of the British Isles and of Germany. Further donation came from Canadian believers and from the estate of Hand of the Cause Fred Schopflocher. [CBN No 77 June, 1956 p4-5; CBN No 78 July, 1956 p1]
|
Haziratul-Quds (Bahá'í centres); Toronto, ON | ||
1956 27 - 29 Apr |
The 9th National Convention was held in the King Edward Hotel and was attended by over 100 delegates and friends. Those elected were: Audrey Westheuser, (sec'y) Peggy Ross, (treasurer) Winnifred Harvey, Lloyd Gardner, (chair) Don MacLaren, Angus Cowan, Rowland Estall, Allan Raynor, (vice) and Hart Bowsfield.
|
National Convention; NSA; Audrey Westheuser; Peggy Ross; Winnifred Harvey; Lloyd Gardner; Don MacLaren; Angus Cowan; Rowland Estall; Allan Raynor; Hart Bowsfield; National Spiritual Assembly, election of; National Endowment; Toronto, ON | ||
1956 Ridván | The formation of the first local spiritual assembly in St James, Manitoba. [CBN No 76 May 1956 p6] | Local Spiritual Assembly, formation; St. James, MB | ||
Statistics; Local Spiritual Assembly, formation | ||||
1956 18 Apr | After three years of attempts by the National Assembly Mary Zabolotny was able to secure employment on the privately-owned Island of Anticosti and settle there to become a Knight of Bahá'u'lláh. She was only able to stay for several months before she was forced to leave. [CBN No 76 May, 1956 p7]
|
- Knights of Bahá'u'lláh; Mary Zabolotny McCulloch; Anticosti Island, QC | ||
1956 Mar | The course "The Covenant and the Individual, was conducted in British Columbia and consequently was given in every province in Canada. The National Spiritual Assembly requested that the Local Assemblies and Regional Teaching Committees to make certain that prospective believers were familiar with the essential contents of the following books: Will and Testament of 'Abdu'l-Bahá, Tablet of the Branch, Book of the Covenant (Kitab-i-A!hd) and the Dispensation of Bahá'u'lláh. [CBN No89 June 1957 p1] | Covenant; Deepening | ||
1956 Mar | The course "The Covenant and the Institutions" was conducted in BC in March, 1956 and subsequently in every other province.
|
|||
1956 25 Feb | Because of the cost of adapting the Mount Pleasant property for Hazira use, the replacement of this property by the premises of the Free Magyar Reformed Church on Huron Street was authorized provided satisfactory financial arrangements can be made. The Temple Grounds Committee reported that no action could yet be taken on their option to purchase land in the Toronto area. | Hazira and Temple Grounds Committee; Haziratul-Quds (Bahá'í centres); Toronto, ON | ||
1956 (In the year_ | With the growing number of Bahá'ís in the Yukon they were able to send their first delegates to the National Convention. Three of the six delegates elected at the first Yukon Bahá'í Convention were Native: Annie Drugan (later Auston), Shirley Lindstrom and Liz Jackson. [Native Conversion, Native Identity: An Oral History of the Bahá'í Faith among First Nations People in the Southern Central Yukon Territory, Canada by Carolyn Patterson Sawin p98] | Yukon, Canada | ||
1956 Feb | The Canadian Bahá'í News reported that the Local Spiritual Assembly of Winnipeg had been incorporated and that they had approved the incorporation of the Spiritual Assembly of Vernon. [CBN No 73 February, 1956 p2] iiiii | Local Spiritual Assembly, incorporation; Winnipeg, MB; Vernon, BC | ||
1956 7 Jan | The National Spiritual Assembly made arrangements for the erection of a memorial stone on the grave of Marion Jack. [CBN N74 Mar 1956 p2] | Marion Jack; In Memoriam; Toronto, ON | ||
1956 7 Jan | A full report on progress on incorporations and Hazira and Temple Grounds was sent the Guardian at his request. [CBN No74 Mar 1956 p2] | Hazira and Temple Grounds Committee; Toronto, ON | ||
1956 Jan | The National Spiritual Assembly published the policy on membership in Freemasonry.
The Canadian National Spiritual Assembly regards the Guardian's directives as general policy with equal application to Canada. [CBN No 72 Jan 1956p3-4] |
Freemasonry | ||
1956 Jan | The National Teaching Committee launched a teaching campaign directed at the Ukrainian population. For several months they have had weekly advertisement published in a widely read Ukrainian newspaper. The purpose was to introduce the reader to the Faith and ask them to write for more information. They received some 300 inquiries from across Canada, the US and even Central America. The plan was ready to go to the second step, to introduce the contacts to the local community, [CBN No 60 Jan 1956 p2] | Ukrainian teaching | ||
1956 (In the year) | Incorporation papers have been granted to the Assembly in Scarborough, Ontario. [CBN No 78 July 1956 p4] | Local Spiritual Assembly, incorporation; Scarborough, ON | ||
1956 (In the year) | Arthur Bonshaw Irwin (born 6 June 1915 – died 1994) and Lily-Ann Irwin of Calgary, Alberta were the first to take the Bahá'í teachings to the Piikani First Nation (Peigan Reserve).
|
Arthur Irwin; Lily Ann Irwin; Native Friendship Centre; Teaching, Native; Piikani First Nation, AB | the first Native Indian Friendship Centre | |
1955 31 Dec - 1 Jan | Teachers at Beaulac Winter School were Roger White, Ottawa, who led a discussion on "The Way Home" based on the Seven Valleys and Douglas Martin whose course was entitled "The Emphasis is on the Individual". [CBN No 73 Feb 1956 p4] | Winter schools; Roger White; Douglas Martin; Beaulac, QC | ||
1955 Dec | It was reported in the Canadian Bahá'í News that the Hamilton Spiritual Assembly received its official incorporation papers "some little time ago". One of the goal of the Ten-Year Crusade was to have nineteen incorporated assemblies in Canada. [CBN No 71 Dec 1955 p4] | Local Spiritual Assembly, incorporation; Hamilton, ON | ||
1955 Dec | National Spiritual Assembly member Allan Raynor went on pilgrimage. Upon his return to Canada, he travelled across the country sharing his pilgrimage and stressing the importance of the Guardianship and firmness in the Bahá'í Covenant. [UC58] | Allan Raynor; Pilgrimage; Haifa, Israel | ||
1955 25 Nov | Plans for structural changes in the Hazira were approved in principle, and tax exemption, insurance and legal matters dealt with. The Temple Grounds Committee report was considered, and a property purchase approved, replacing previous proposals that could not be implemented. [CBN No 73 Feb 1956 p2] | Hazira and Temple Grounds Committee; Toronto, ON | ||
1955 1 Oct | At the meeting of the National Spiritual Assembly they spent a half day viewing possible Temple sites. It was agreed to make an offer on one site provided that further investigation indicated that it met requirements. Renovations required on the Hazira were discussed; three members were added to the Committee. [CBN No70 No 1955 p2] | Hazira and Temple Grounds Committee; Toronto, ON | ||
1955 Oct | In an article in the Canadian Baha'i News The Indian (First Nations) Teaching Committee quoted Fred Riley of High Prairie, Alberta, someone who has spent 20 years among the Dogrib people whose language he speaks. He explained how the past experiences of the Native People have made them mistrustful of the White man. He suggested the only way to make headway in Native teaching was to start by earning the friendship and trust of a single person and then build from there, [CBN No 69 Oct 1955p3] | Native Teaching | ||
1955 Oct | In an article in the Canadian Bahá'í News the procedure for the "exchanged of cheques" was explained whereby a believer could get a tax receipt for expenses incurred while completing a pre-approved project. [CBN No 60 Oct 1955 p6] | Fund | ||
1955 17 Sep - 15 Mar 1958 | Vicki Rusk of Calgary pioneered to the Yukon. [CBN No 117 October 1957 p1] | Pioneering, Yukon; Vicki Rusk; Yukon, Canada | ||
1955 Sep (or earlier) | Canadian Bahá'í News No 68 Sep 1955 p3 reported that Margaret and Larry Rowdon and family arrived in the Magdalen Islands and settled in Grindstone. | Larry Rowdon; Margaret Rowdon; Magdalen Islands, QC; Grindstone, Magdalen Islands, QC | ||
1955 Sep | It was reported in the Canadian Bahá'í News that the National Spiritual Assembly was encouraged to 'speed up' finding a new Hazíratu'l-Quds as their present site at 539 Mount Pleasant Road was proving not to be suitable for their needs. [UC55]
See Shoghi Effendi's cable of 1 May 1955 and his letter to the National Spiritual Assembly dated 16 July 1955. [MtC220, 222] |
Haziratul-Quds (Bahá'í centres); Toronto, ON | ||
1955 26 Aug | The Winnipeg Spiritual Assembly incorporated. [CBN No72 Jan 1956 p5; Bloodworth, Grains of Wheat p20, 49]
Members at the time of incorporation were: Singe Saxton, Stella Pollexfen, Claire Atwood, Margaret Saxton, Angus Cowan, Bobbie Cowan, Ethel Martens, Moliie Macpherson, and Miron Thom. |
Local Spiritual Assembly, incorporation; Singe Saxton; Stella Pollexfen; Claire Atwood; Margaret Saxton; Angus Cowan; Bobbie Cowan; Ethel Martens; Mollie Macpherson; Miron Thom; Winnipeg, MB | ||
1955 26 Aug | At its meeting of the 26th of August the National Spiritual Assembly arranged to apply to the Province for licence in mortmain to hold in perpetuity the Hazira property. Further directions were given the Hazira management committee regarding its upkeep and use. Since it is now unlikely that the selected Temple site will he available, a Temple Grounds committee was set up to continue the search for a suitable property. [CBN No69 Oct 1955 p3] | Hazira and Temple Grounds Committee; Toronto, ON | ||
1955 21 - 27 Aug | The Summer School on the prairies was held at Valley Centre, Fort Qu'Appelle, SK. [CBN No65 Jun 1955 p6] | Summer schools; Fort Qu'Appelle, SK | ||
1955 30 Jul - 6 Aug | Ontario Summer Conference was held at Geneva Park in Orillia, ON. One presenter, Mrs. Mildred Mottahedeh was unable to attend as planned and so on each day a different camper developed the theme "We Meet a Faith, Choose, Grow Within, Grow Without, Grow Together, Our Future". Mr. Ronald Nablo spoke on "Magnetic Living. The Covenant, and the latent power within us that obedience to it can generate, formed the theme of Ron's course. ln addition to these, Pem Piggott gave two very fine sessions on the technique of teaching. Brenda Piggott had some very helpful suggestions to Bahá'í parents [CBN No65 Jun 1955 p5] | Ontario Summer Conference; Orillia, ON | ||
1955 3 Jul | Over two hundred friends attended a memorial service at the House of Worship in Wilmette to honour the memory of Marion Jack. The service was held on the advice of the Guardian and was prepared by the National Assembly of the USA in association with the National Assembly of Canada and the European Teaching Committee. Laura Davis represented the Canadian community and read the opening prayer.
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Marion Jack; Memorial Service; In Memoriam; Laura Davis; Paul Haney; Horace Holley; Millie Collins; Wilmette, IL | ||
1955 1 - 10 Jul | Ross Woodman presented at the
first Beaulac session, July 1-10, and Mr.
and Mrs. Curtis Kelsey and Mr. Ron
Nablo at the second, Aug. 7-14. The
themes for study were:
|
Summer schools; Beaulac, QC | ||
1955 c. Jul | The National Spiritual Assembly received a reply from R. Rabanni on behalf of Shoghi Effendi regarding the purchase of a site(s) for the Temple and the Haziratu'l-Quds:
He is extremely anxious to have these properties purchased, either together in one-place, or if this is not feasible, then in two separate places, as he has already informed you. Eight of the eleven Temple sites have been purchased, and many of them in very difficult places; and he feels very strongly that it is a great pity that Canada should be behind-hand in this matter, in view of the fact that she is one of the oldest Bahá'í Communities in the world. No doubt the problem is more difficult for you to solve, owing to the special conditions in Toronto and vicinity; but we know that all problems are solvable for the Bahá'ís, with the power of God to help them; and he is eagerly awaiting news of your success." He further clarified that while the Maxwell House was indeed a National Endowment it should not be considered as having fulfilled this objective of the Plan and a second one should be obtained. [MC2p222; CBN No 73 Feb 1956 p2] |
Hazira and Temple Grounds Committee; Haziratul-Quds (Bahá'í centres); Toronto, ON | ||
1955 17 Jun | At its meeting of the 17th of June the National Spiritual Assembly made final arrangements to permit purchase of the Hazira property at 539 Mount Pleasant Road, Toronto, and further reports were heard on the proposed Temple property. [CBN No 68 Sep 1955 p6] | Hazira and Temple Grounds Committee; Haziratul-Quds (Bahá'í centres); Toronto, ON | ||
1955 14 May | At its meeting of May 15-15 the National Spiritual Assembly viewed Several possible Hazira properties and it was decided to make an offer on one df them. An option has also been taken on a proposed Temple site. A maintenance committee for the future Hazira was appointed. [CBN No66 Jul 1955 p2] | Hazira and Temple Grounds Committee; Toronto, ON | ||
1955 12 May | The Ottawa Assembly received its Letters Patent for the incorporation of the Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of Ottawa. [CBN No 66 July, 1955 p4] | Local Spiritual Assembly, incorporation; Ottawa, ON | ||
1955 2 May | In a letter from the International Bahá'í Council that has been entitled Progress at fhe World Centre they give an account of the various plans and projects ongoing at the World Centre. [CBN No65 Jun 1955 p1; BN No292 Jun 1955 p4] | Progress at the World Centre; - Bahá'í World Centre | ||
1955 30 Apr | During the lunch break at the National Convention on Saturday several members of the Assembly visited a property in the St. Clair Avenue district and announced that they had made arrangements to sign an offer to purchase, for the purpose of a Haziratu'l-Quds, provided zoning regulations were met. The chairman of the Hazira and Temple Grounds Committee, Mr. Allan Raynor, also announced that negotiations were pending with regard to a 7 acre piece of property within 9 miles of the heart of Toronto as a Temple site. It is situated on Highway 401. [CBN N065 Jun 1955 p5] | Hazira and Temple Grounds Committee; Allan Raynor; Toronto, ON | ||
1955 29 Apr - 1 May |
The National Convention was held in Toronto with the meetings and the Public Congress held in the King Edward Hotel. Elected were: Lloyd Gardner (chair), Allan Raynor (vice-chair), Audrey Westheuser (secretary), Peggy Ross (treasurer), Rowland Estall, Angus Cowan, Winnifred Harvey, Donald MacLaren, Albert Rakovsky. [CBN No 65 June 1955 p4]
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National Convention; NSA; Lloyd Gardner; Allan Raynor; Audrey Westheuser; Peggy Ross; Rowland Estall; Angus Cowan; Winnifred Harvey; Donald MacLaren; Albert Rakovsky; National Spiritual Assembly, election of; Statistics; Toronto, ON | ||
1955 Ridván | Twenty-three local Spiritual assemblies were formed in Canada. [CBN No 76 May 1956 p6] | Statistics; Local Spiritual Assembly, formation | ||
1955 Apr | The announcement of the enrollment of the first resident believers on the Queen Charlotte Island, William Washburn and John Giegerich. [CBN No68 April,1955 p1] | William Washburn; John Giegerich; Queen Charlotte Island, BC | the enrollment of the first resident believers on the Queen Charlotte Island, William Washburn and John Giegerich | |
1955 Apr | The announcement of the first Bahá'í in the Yukon, Mr Robert Fowler of Whitehorse. [CBN No68 April,1955 p1] | Robert Fowler; Whitehorse, YT | first Bahá'í in the Yukon | |
1955 23 Feb - 21 Oct | Roy and Jean Ziegler of Vancouver pioneered to the Yukon. [CBN No 117 October 1957 p1] | Pioneering, Yukon; Roy Ziegler; Joan Ziegler; Yukon, Canada | ||
1955 17 Feb | Robin Fowler became the first person to declare his Faith in the Yukon. [CBN No63 Apr 1955 p1; CBN No 117 October 1957 p1] | Robin Fowler; Yukon, Canada | first person to declare his Faith in the Yukon | |
1955 c. Feb | A celebration to mark the 10th anniversary in Edmonton of the Friends of the Indians Society was held with some four hundred white and Native people in attendance.
The anniversary meeting of the Society, at which Cree First Nations danced with the skill of professionals, First Nations handicrafts and artifacts were displayed, and a full-blooded Haida spoke. His message was directed to the Native people to take up their responsibilities as citizens, to avail themselves of education and adapt themselves to the encroachment of modern civilization. The Friends of the Indians (First Nations) Society did much during its 10 years of existence to promote its aims, through monthly meetings to which Indians are invited, through representations to government bodies, by enlightening public opinion through press releases, and through direct welfare and charity when needed. Its present executive committee include a Roman Catholic priest, a Unitarian minister, a Mormon elder, a Bahá'í, and others who are able to work together in harmony and unity. {CBN No63 PE 1955 P3] |
Friends of the Indians Society; Edmonton, AB | ||
1955 Feb | The first fireside was held in Hull, Quebec at the home of one of the friends of the Faith. Bert Rakovsky of Westmount was the speaker. [CBN No 63 April, 1955 p2] | Albert Rakovsky; Outaouais Cluster; Hull, QC | the first fireside in Hull, QC | |
1955 8 Jan | At its meeting in Toronto National Spiritual Assembly members examined several proposed Hazira and Temple properties and advised the committee to arrange for the purchase of a property as soon as possible on the basis of the specifications sent the Guardian in December and approved by him. [CBN No62 Mar 1955 p3] | Hazira and Temple Grounds Committee; Toronto, ON | ||
1955 1 - 2 Jan | At Skyloft Lodge north of Toronto 29 Bahá'ís and 30 non-Bahá'ís attended a winter school conference arranged by the Ontario Youth Committee. Canadian communities represented were Toronto, Thoro1d, Kingston, Forest Hill, Pickering, Hamilton, Stratford and Oshawa. Friends were also welcomed from Hamburg and Niagara Falls, N.Y., from Connecticut and from Pittsburg, Pa. The speakers were Miss Nancy Campbell, Hamilton, who spoke on "Living the Bahá'í Life'', which gave much food for thought. Douglas Martin and Elizabeth Manser, each conducted a session. [CBN No61 Feb 1955 p1] | Winter schools; Toronto, ON | ||
1955 1 - 2 Jan | A Winter School was held at Beaulac, QC. Courses included one by Lloyd Gardiner on "Administration", during which the L.S.A.'s of East Beaulac and West Beaulac met to discuss a specific community problem. This workshop method of learning by doing ensured better learning with many an added chuckle.[CBN No 61 Feb 1955 p1] | Winter schools; Beaulac, QC | ||
1955 1 - 2 Jan | Twenty-five Maritime believers met in Saint John for their annual winter conference. With them were the Robarts, Allan Raynor of Toronto, and Easter King Thompson from Calais, Me. Mr. Robarts gave a report on the New Delhi conference which he had attended as Canada's representative. [CBN No 48 January 1954 p4] | Maritime Winter Conference; John Robarts; Saint John, NB | ||
1954 11 Dec | The National Assembly received a message from the Guardian specifying that the Hazira and Temple property should be about 9 miles from the heart of Toronto. The issue was carefully discussed at the Assembly meeting and revised specifications were given the committee who were asked to make every effort to secure a suitable property at an early date. [CBN No61 Feb 1955 p1] | Hazira and Temple Grounds Committee; Toronto, ON | ||
1954 4 Dec | December 4. On this date in 1954, Leroy Ioas wrote "The beloved Guardian has directed me to write you... that the Israel Branch of the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of Canada was to be established, and land on Mount Carmel registered in your name..." iiiii | Israel Branch of the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of Canada; - Bahá'í World Centre | ||
1954 9 Oct | More than 20 believers attended the Maritime Fall Conference held in Charlottetown. Mrs. Peggy Ross of Scarboro highlighted the conference, the theme being "Augmenting the Dynamic Spirit in the Ten-Year Crusade". She discussed bridging the gap between thought and action, saying that a living sacrifice is required these days to prevent giving in to inertia. "Action towards what we believe in is like food in the hands of starving people." She discussed taking on the ways of the new Kingdom by learning the manners and customs of the Faith. [CBN No58 Nov 1954 p3] | Maritime Fall Conference; Peggy Ross; Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island | ||
1954 1 Oct | Land on Mount Carmel, specifically Parcel No. 304, Block 10811, was transferred to the Israel Branch of the Canadian National Spiritual Assembly and registered. [CBN No 61 February, 1955 p1] | Israel Branch of the Bahá'ís of Canada; Haifa, Israel | ||
1954 1 Oct | Auxiliary Board Member Florence Mayberry launched the first weekly fireside effort and the first public meeting when she returned in October, 1956. [CBN No 117 October 1957 p1] | Florence Mayberry; Auxiliary board members; Yukon, Canada | first weekly fireside in the Yukon; first public meeting in the Yukon | |
1954 (In the year) | Canadian Bahá'ís who were studying in other countries this year were Joyce Noble (Devlin), New Westminster, who was awarded the Emily Carr Scholarship, and who was studying in England, Vicki Ogal, Steinbach, MB., who was in California at University, and Bruce and Loretta Francis, Etobicoke, who were doing postgraduate. [CBN No57 Oct 1954 p2] work in Ithaca, N.Y. | Joyce Noble; Joyce Devlin; Viki Ogal; Bruce Francis; Loretta Francis | ||
1954 17 Sep - 6 Nov | Rex King from Tucson, Arizona arrived in the Yukon and stayed until the 6th of November. He also made two brief visits in April and May of 1955. He made the first Bahá'í radio broadcasts in the Yukon. [CBN No 117 October 1957 p1] | Pioneering, Yukon; Rex King; Radio; Yukon, Canada | first radio broadcast in the Yukon | |
1954 12 Sep | Seventy Bahá'ís and their friends attended a picnic at Kappus Farm, near Newfan, N.Y. The day gave an opportunity to renew friendship "across the border". Mr Allan Reed, chairman of the U.S. National Bahá'í Press Service, spoke on "Proclaiming the Faith", with the use of Audio-Visual Aids. Mr A Tichenor, secretary of the U.S. National Audio-Visual Aids Committee, discussed the effective use of special days for attracting attention to the Faith. [CBN No57 Oct 1957 p2] | International picnic; Newfane, NY | ||
1954 11 Sep | A detailed report on the findings of the Hazira and Temple Grounds Committee was sent to the Guardian with a request for further guidance on purchase of a site. [CBN No58 Nov 1954 p3] | Hazira and Temple Grounds Committee; Toronto, ON | ||
1954 Sep | The annual publication of the list of National Committees and their mandates was published in the September edition of the Canadian Bahá'í News [CBN No 54 Sep 1954 p7-8] | National Committees | ||
1954 29 Aug - 5 Sep | A summer school was held at the Banff School of Fine Arts attracting 41 adults and 12 children. Speakers were Florence Mayberry, who spoke on "Spiritual Dynamics", Ron Nablo, Rex King, (who had just recently pioneered to Anchorage. [CBN No 58 November, 1954 p4] | Summer schools; Florence Mayberry; Ron Nablo; Rex King; Banff, AB | ||
1954 18 Aug - 6 Oct | Marjorie Wheeler of Chicago arrived in the Yukon but found it necessary to leave on the 6th of October because of her mother's ill health. [CBN No 117 October 1957 p1] | Pioneering, Yukon; Marjorie Wheeler; Yukon, Canada | ||
1954 31 Jul - 7 Aug | The Ontario Summer Conference was held at Geneva Park in Lake Couchiching. Mr Curtis Kelsey lead a discussion on "The World Order Unfolds", Glen Eyford of Winnipeg gave a course on consultation called "The Living Framework" and Harriet Kelsey spoke on "Essential Principles of the Faith. Mr and Mrs Kelsey commemorated the 27th anniversary of their marriage. [CBN No 51 Apr 1954 p4; CBN No 53 Jun 1954 p2; CBN No 56 Sep 1954 p5] | Ontario Summer Conference; Lake Couchiching, ON | ||
1954 24 Jul | At the meeting of the National Spiritual Assembly some proposed Temple sites were viewed but no final decision reached. The Hazira and Temple Grounds Committee was commended on its work. [CBN No 56 Sep 1954 p2] | Hazira and Temple Grounds Committee; Toronto, ON | ||
1954 14 Jul | The first Bahá'í wedding in Charlottetown took place on July 14, when Muriel Sheppard and Elwood McLeod were united in marriage by Rowland Estall. They spent a nine-day honeymoon on the Magdalen Islands, where they were able to make some friends and visit Mrs. Kay Zinky, the pioneer there. [CBN No56 Sep 1954 p5] | Marriage; Muriel Sheppard; Elwood McLeod; Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island | first Baha'i wedding in Charlottetown | |
1954 Jun | In June of 1954 it was announced in the American Bahá'í News that the following had been appointed to the Auxiliary Board in North America: Gayle Woolson, Margery McCormick, Katherine McLaughlin, Florence Mayberry, Sarah Pereira, and Rowland Estall by the three Hands of the Cause in North America, Corrine True, Horace Holley and Paul Haney.
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Auxiliary board members; Gayle Woolson; Margery McCormick; Katherine McLaughlin; Florence Mayberry; Sarah Pereira; Rowland Estall; Elsie Austin; `Alí Nakhjavání; John Robarts; William Sears; Aziz Yazdi | ||
1954 Jun | Ted and Joanie Anderson wrote the Guardian and asked him who they should teach. They received this reply:
It was through the participation of the Bahá'í in the Yukon Indian Advancement Association that many of the early Native people became Bahá'ís. [ibid p92] |
Ted Anderson; Joan Anderson; Teaching, Native; Whitehorse, YT | ||
1954 May | The National Archives Committee made an appeal to all assemblies and individuals to keep and record all information relative to the early history of the Cause in their area and to forward copies to the National Archives. They repeated their appeal for the friends to send Tablets that had been received from the Master. [CBN No 52 May 1954 p4] | Archives | ||
1954 May - Jun | Rosemary and Emeric Sala departed for their pioneer post in Africa via Cardiff, Wales, Oxford England, and Esslingen, Germany. In Europe they boarded the Kenya Castle and made a stop in Cairo before arriving in Mombassa and taking the train to Nairobi and back. They obtained visas for entry in South Africa in Mozambique, traveled to Durban by bus and then took a bus for the 90 some miles to their destination in Eshowe. [TG122-126]
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Pioneering; Rosemary Sala; Emeric Sala; St. Lambert, QC | ||
1954 30 Apr - 2 May | The. seventh Canadian Bahá'í National Convention was held at Victoria Hall, Westmount, Montreal. followed by a Teaching Conference held Sunday, May 2nd in the Assembly Hall of the YMCA across the street. The following were elected to serve on the National Spiritual Assembly: Lloyd Gardner (chair), Allan Raynor, (vice), Audrey Westheuser (sec'y), Peggy Ross, (treasurer), Rolland Estall, Angus Cowan, Winnifred Harvey, Donald MacLaren, Albert Rakovsky. [CBN No 53 June 1954 p3; CBN No 54 July 1954 p1]
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National Convention; NSA; Lloyd Gardner; Allan Raynor; Audrey Westheuser; Peggy Ross; Rolland Estall; Angus Cowan; Winnifred Harvey; Donald MacLaren; Albert Rakovsky; National Spiritual Assembly, election of; Westmount, QC | ||
1954 Apr | They were unable to obtain visas for the Comoro Islands and so Rosemary and Emeric Sala set their new pioneering destination to Basutoland (Lesotho).[CBN No53 Jun 1954 p2] | Pioneer; Rosemary Sala; Emeric Sala; Basutoland | ||
1954 Ridván | Twenty-six local Spiritual assemblies were formed in Canada. [CBN No 76 May 1956 p6] | Statistics; Local Spiritual Assembly, formation | ||
1954 21 Apr | Bruce Matthew came to Canada in 1951 from Scotland via Hertfordshire and moved to Toronto in 1953 where he encountered the Faith after responding to a newspaper in The Toronto Star. The advertisement was for a talk by Laura Davis at a public meeting at the Bahá'í Centre. Willing to go "anywhere" he was asked to move to Goose Bay, NL and arrived on the 21st of April, 1954, the deadline established by Shoghi Effendi for being named a Knight of Bahá'u'lláh by Shoghi Effendi. Bruce has an interesting story of his miraculous healing just prior to his boarding the plane for Goose Bay. [KoB270-271]
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Bruce Matthews; Knight of Bahá'u'lláh; Goose Bay, NL; Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island; St. Johns, NL; Windsor, ON; Moncton, NB | ||
1954 10 Apr | The National Spiritual Assembly made a careful study of the Hazira and Temple Grounds Committee and new directives to the committee were formulated. [kCBN No 53 Jun 1954 p3] | Hazira and Temple Grounds Committee; Toronto, ON | ||
1954 6 Apr | Shoghi Effendi called upon the Hands of the Cause to appoint, during Ridván 1954, five auxiliary boards to act as their adjuncts or deputies to work with the national spiritual assemblies to execute the projected national plans. [MBW44, BW13p335; CBN No 53 June, 1954 p6; MBW58-60] | Auxiliary board members; Haifa, Israel | ||
1954 Apr | Howard Gilliland, an Air Force captain, arrived in Labrador and was named a Knight of Bahá'u'lláh. Because of housing difficulties his family was not able to join him. He left in February of 1955. [BW13:453; KoB269] | Howard Gilliland; - Knights of Bahá'u'lláh; Labrador, NL | ||
25 or 27 Mar | The passing of Marion Jack (General Jack) at her pioneer post in Sofia, Bulgaria at the age of 87. She was born in Saint John, NB on December 1, 1866. [BWNS385, Never be Afraid to Dare p. 227; BW12p674-677]
|
Marion Jack; General Jack; In Memoriam; Jan Teofil Jasion; Sofia, Bulgaria | ||
1954 Mar - Apr | Albert Rakovsky, a member of the National Spiritual Assembly 1953-1956 was the first Bahá'í to visit Anticosti Island. [MtB192-193] | Albert Rakovsky; Anticosti Island, QC | the first Bahá’í to visit Anticosti Island | |
1954 14 Feb | The National Spiritual Assembly gave the Manitoba Regional Teaching Committee to prepare translations of approved literature into Ukrainian. [CBN No 50 Mar 1954 p2]
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* Translation; Ukrainian; Polish language; Winnipeg, MB | ||
1954 6 Feb | A detailed report on Hazira and Temple properties was presented at the National Spiritual Assembly meeting. A letter from the Guardian requesting purchase by the end of March if possible was discussed. On February 13, three properties were visited and further discussion took place. Suggestions for the Hazira building were examined. It was arranged to send the Guardian immediately a detailed report on progress to date with information on properties believed suitable and on tentative Hazira plans. The Hazira and Temple Committee were asked to prepare additional information on the proposed building and on properties available. [CBN No 50 Mar 1954 p3] | Haziratul-Quds (Bahá'í centres); Toronto, ON | ||
1954 (Early in the year) | A by-election was held to replace National Spiritual Assembly members John Robarts, Rosemary Sala and Emeric Sala who had planned on leaving Canada for the Comoro Islands. The new members selected were: Angus Cowan, Peggy Ross and Alan Raynor. Rowland Estall was elected a chairman of the Assembly and Winnifred Harvey was elected to serve as vice-chair. [CBN No 50 March 1954 p2] | National Spiritual Assembly, election of; Angus Cowan; Peggy Ross; Alan Raynor; Rowland Estall; Winnifred Harvey; National Spiritual Assembly, By-election; Toronto, ON | ||
1954 (Early in the year) | Florence Mayberry made a tour of Eastern Canada with stops in Bellville, Kingston, Montreal, St Lambert, Westmount, Quebec City, Charlottetown, Ingersoll, Hamilton, and Peterborough. [CBN No 51 April, 1954 p5] | Florence Mayberry; Travel Teaching; Belleville, ON; Kingston, ON; Montreal, QC; St. Lambert, QC; Westmount, QC; Québec City, QC; Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island; Ingersoll, ON; Hamilton, ON; Peterborough, ON | ||
1954 14 Jan | Miss Lilian Wyss, a former member of the National Spiritual Assembly of Australia and New Zealand, arrived in Samoa and became an adopted Canadian pioneer. She hoped to obtain employment so that she could remain and hold the goal when Emmanuel Rock's contract expires next January. [CBN No 49 February 1954 p2]
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Samoa; Lilian Wyss; Pioneer; Apia, Samoa | ||
1954 14 Jan | Miss Greta Jankko sailed from Vancouver on the S.S.Oronsay - destination the Marquesas Islands in French Polynesia. [CBN No49 February 1954 p2]
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Pioneer; Greta Jankko; Marquesas Islands, French Polynesia | ||
1954 Jan | It was announced that Angus Cowan had been chosen in a by-election to replace John Robarts on the National Spiritual Assembly. [CBN No 49 January 1954 p3] | Angus Cowan; John Robarts; National Spiritual Assembly, By-election; National Spiritual Assembly, election of; Toronto, ON | ||
1954 Jan | John and Audrey Robarts with their two younger children, Patrick and Tina, left Toronto for their pioneer post in Mafeking (later Mafikeng), Bechuanaland (later Botswana and formerly Bophuthatswana). Older children Aldham and Gerald pioneered to Nigeria and a homefront post respectively. [LOF485-6]
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- Hands of the Cause; John Robarts; Audrey Robarts; Patrick Robarts; Tina Robarts; Gerald Robarts; Auxiliary board members; Canada; Botswana; Nigeria; - Africa | ||
1954 Jan | The Hazira and Temple Grounds Committee called for suggestions and preliminary designs for the Canadian Haziratu1-Quds to be built on the site for the Mother Temple of Canada. [CBN No 48 January 1954 p4] | Haziratul-Quds (Bahá'í centres); Toronto, ON | ||
1954 (In the year) | The passing of Christine Monroe at the age of 94. She was the first Bahá'í in West Vancouver. [CBN No 80 September 1956 p2] | Christine Monroe; West Vancouver, BC | first Bahá'í in West Vancouver | |
1954 (In the year) | The passing of Mrs Christine Monroe, the first Bahá'í in West Vancouver. She passed away at the age of 94. [CBN No 80 September, 1956 p2] | Christine Monroe; In Memoriam; West Vancouver, BC | first Bahá'í in West Vancouver | |
1953 c. Dec | The legal transfer of the ownership of the Maxwell House was transferred to the National Spiritual Assembly. {CBN No 45 October 1953 p2] | Montreal Shrine; Montreal, QC | ||
1953 26 Dec - 3 Jan | A winter session was held at Beaulac. A maximum of 30 people were accommodated. Priority was given to those able to spend the entire week. For those who could not be there full-time, a weekend session was arranged from evening dinner on Dec. 31 to lunch on Jan. 3. [CBN No 47 December 1953 p2] | Winter schools; Beaulac, QC | ||
1953 19 Dec | Rosemary and Emeric Sala resigned from the National Spiritual Assembly and their to go pioneering. The National Spiritual Assembly had to transfer the National Teaching Committee from Montreal to Toronto and make changes to the regional teaching committees in both Ontario and Québec. [CBN No 39 February 1954 p2; CBN No 49 February 1954 p2] | National Spiritual Assembly; Emeric Sala; Rosemary Sala; St. Lambert, QC | ||
1953 20 Nov |
The establishment and legal recognition of the Israel Branch of the Canadian National Spiritual Assembly, known as a 'Religious Society' by the Israeli Civil Authorities. This entity was empowered to hold title to immovable property without restriction in any part of the country on behalf of the parent Assembly. Such arrangements were made for the National Spiritual Assemblies of Britain, Iran, and Australia as well. This was the 7th goal of Canada's part of the Ten Year Crusade. [MtC174, 204, 213; CBN No 61 February, 1955 p1]
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Israel Branch of the Bahá'ís of Canada; Haifa, Israel; - Bahá'í World Centre | ||
1953 7 Nov | At a National Assembly meeting in Montreal the Hazira ·and Temple Committee reported on a proposed purchase was discussed in detail and some questions on it were referred to the Guardian. [CBN No 47 December 1953 p2] | Haziratul-Quds (Bahá'í centres); Montreal, QC | ||
1953 12Oct |
Irving and Grace Geary arrive at their pioneer post on Cape Beton Island and took up residence in Baddeck and later moved to Sydney. They stayed on the island until 1961. They learned of the Faith from Mabel Ives who made a teaching trip to Moncton, NB where they were living in 1937. [KoB280-282]
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Irving Geary; Grace Geary; Frederick Allen; Jeanne Allen; - Knights of Bahá'u'lláh; Cape Breton Island, NS; Baddeck, NS; Sydney, NS | ||
1953 Oct |
John Robarts (1901 – 1991) and Audrey Robarts, who had become Bahá'ís in 1937 in Toronto, pioneered to Bechuanaland (Botswana) with their children, Patrick and Tina. Aldham pioneered to West Africa. [Bahá'í Community of Canada. "John Robarts." Baha'i Historical Figures; CBN No 47 December, 1953 p1]
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John Robarts; Audrey Robarts; - Knights of Bahá'u'lláh; Tina Robarts; Patrick Robarts; Aldham Robarts; Toronto, ON | ||
1953 Oct | Mrs (Alexandra) Ola Pawlowska arrived in St Pierre and was named a Knight of Bahá'u'lláh for Miquelon Island and St Pierre Island. [BW13:454; KoB282-283; CBN No 46 November 1953 p5]
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- Knights of Bahá'u'lláh; Ola Pawlowska; Miquelon Island; St. Pierre and Miquelon | ||
1953 Oct | Florence Mayberry of Santa Paula, California made a tour of Western Canada with stops in Victoria, Vernon, Saskatoon, Winnipeg, Calgary, Regina, Moose Jaw and Brandon. [CBN No 47 December, 1953 p4] | Florence Mayberry; Travel Teaching; Victoria, BC; Vernon, BC; Saskatoon, SK; Winnipeg, MB; Calgary, AB; Regina, SK; Moose Jaw, SK; Brandon, MB | ||
1953 Oct | The National Spiritual Assembly announced that the property that had been purchased the previous year at 188 St George Street West in Toronto had been sold. It proved to be impractical to alter the building to suit the needs.
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Haziratul-Quds (Bahá'í centres); * Mashriqu'l-Adhkár (House of Worship); Toronto, ON | ||
1953 Oct | Noland Boss arrived Yellowknife (MacKenzie District). Noland was one of the first believers to arise during the Ten Year Crusade, and to travel from his home community in the Okanagan Valley north to the frontier town of Yellowknife which was a twentieth century version of a nineteenth century mining camp. Here amidst a floating and ever changing population, Noland found employment and in later years to it he brought his bride. In the years that have followed, Noland and Bernice established their home and raised their family and, with undeviating steadfastness, have remained at their post. Other pioneers to Yellowknife were Ted Blencowe (1954 September) and later his wife, Helen, and Don and Midge Ulery, as well as Arthur and Lily Anne Irwin. [CBN No57 Oct 1954 p1; CBN No 207 Apr 1967 p8] |
Noland Boss; Bernice Boss; Ted Blencowe; Helen Blencowe; Midge Ulery; Don Ulery; Yellowknife, NT | ||
1953 26 - 27 Sep | In Winnipeg, where the conference met in the Cowan home, relaxation from more serious discussion was achieved by a play "The Fireside Wood is Green" presented by the Community Players. [CBN No 46 November 1953 p5] | Conferences, Teaching; Winnipeg, MB | ||
1953 26 - 27 Sep | In Toronto over 70 Bahá'ís from 15 localities registered for the conference. A wall-size map of the province, with the assemblies and goals marked, provided visual aid in grasping the scope of the task facing the Bahá'ís of Ontario. [CBN No 46 November 1953 p5] | Conferences, Teaching; Toronto, ON | ||
1953 23 Sep | Ted and Joan Anderson arrived in Whitehorse, Canada, and were named Knights of Bahá'u'lláh for the Yukon. The first local spiritual assembly was elected in 1959. When they left in 1972 there were some 400 Bahá'ís in the area. [BW13:457; KoB255263; LynnEchvarria2008p57; CBN No46 Nov 1953 p3]
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Ted Anderson; Joan Anderson; - Knights of Bahá'u'lláh; Susan Rice; Marion Jack; Emogene Hoagg; Orcella Rexford; Local Spiritual Assembly, formation; Whitehorse, YT | ||
1953 22 Sep | Kathleen Weston MacLeod moved from her pioneering post in Charlottetown to the Magdalene Islands. She was followed by her husband Ernest. Although she was qualified as a nurse she was unable to work at the Catholic hospital and so took a job as a temporary replacement for the teacher in an English school. The local minister launched a rumour campaign against her and so she called a meeting of the parents of her school to reveal that she was a Bahá'í and to explain the tenants of the Faith. They expressed their overwhelming support for her in oppositions to the minister's efforts to have her teacher's permit revoked and to have her leave the Island. Because she was not able to find employment she departed on the 22nd of December and was replaced by Kay Zinky in February 1954. She was an American from Colorado Spring, Colorado, whose husband, a non-Bahá'í, supported her during her stay of one year, until February 1954. Margaret and Larry Rowdon with their daughter Ayn arrived in the summer of 1954. They stayed until 1969. During this time the rest of their children, Leslie, Ruth, Devin, Karen and Bret were born. [CBN No 49 Feb 1954 p2; CBN No 54Jul 1954 p2] [CBN Vol 18 No 1 May 2005 p24-26; HB25; BW13:453; KoB278-280] The first person to declare on the Magdalens was Carole Bates, originally from Nova Scotia. [HB116] |
Kathleen Weston; - Knights of Bahá'u'lláh; Kay Zinky; Margaret Rowdon; Larry Rowdon; Ayn Rowdon; Carole Bates; Ernest MacLeod; Magdalen Islands, QC | first person to declare on the Magdalens was Carole Bates | |
1953 20 Sep | The North Atlantic Regional International Picnic was held at the Kappus Farm, McClen Road, in Burt, New York. [CBN No 33 September 1953 p2] | International picnic; Burt, NY | ||
1953 17 Sep |
Dick Stanton arrived in Baker Lake on the 17th of September to become a Knight of Bahá'u'lláh for Keewatin. He was forced to leave in November of 1958 but Ken and Mary McCulloch to maintain the post. In the early 1960's Dick pioneered to China for five years. [CBN No 45 October 1953 p2; CBN No 47 December 1953 p1; KoB263-264 ]
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Knight of Bahá'u'lláh; Dick Stanton; Ken McCulloch; Mary McCulloch; Baker Lake, NU | ||
1953 8 Sep | Jameson and Gale Bond arrived in Arctic Bay in the District of Franklin and were named Knights of Bahá'u'lláh. They stayed until 1955. They were in Cambridge Bay from 1955 until 1962 and then Mr Bond served as the Northern Services Officer, the first to hold this government position. [BW13:451, SDSC127; KoB264-268] | Jameson Bond; Gale Bond; - Knights of Bahá'u'lláh; Arctic Bay, NU; Cambridge Bay, NU | ||
1953 5 - 6 - 7 Sep | Maritime Summer Conference was held during the Labour Day weekend at Little Sands on Prince Edward Island. Bahá'ís from three of the Atlantic Provinces attended-with a total of 18 adults and one youth.
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Maritime Summer Conference; - Conferences; Peggy Ross; Ernest Harrison; Amatul-Bahá Ruhiyyih Khanum; - Plays; Spiritual Assembly's Growing Pains (play); Little Sands, Prince Edward Island | ||
1953 2 Sep | Doris Richardson arrived on Grand Manan Island and was named a Knight of Bahá'u'lláh. She remained there until 1974 The first declaration, Arno Chesley, on the island was in 1958. [BW13:452; CBN No 321 November, 1957 p5; KoB276-277; CBN No 45 October 1953 p1] | Doris Richardson; - Knights of Bahá'u'lláh; Arno Chesley; Grand Manan Island, NB | ||
1953 Sep | A list of National committees with their mandates and addresses of the secretaries was published in the Canadian Bahhá'í News. [CBN No 44 September 1953 p5] | National Committees | ||
1953 Sep | Edythe MacArthur arrived at her post in the Queen Charlotte Islands (Haida Gwaii) and took up residence in Tlell. She found employment as a cook on a dude ranch. She was the first pioneer to the Queen Charlotte Islands (Haida Gwaii) In 1954 she asked the Guardian for permission to pioneer to Africa and it was granted. [CBN No 45 October 1953 p2; KoB272-273] | Edythe MacArthur; Knight of Bahá'u'lláh; Queen Charlotte Island, BC | ||
1953 8 - 15 Aug | The annual Ontario Summer Conference was held this year at Geneva Park, Lake Couchiching, a Y.M.C.A. camp. There was an attendance of about 90 for the entire week, with about 120 for the first weekend.
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Ontario Summer Conference; Stanwood Cobb; Violet Wuerfel; Margery McCormick; Gisela Commanda; Lake Couchiching, ON | ||
1953 Aug | Douglas Martin became a Bahá'í. [UC43] | Douglas Martin; Toronto, ON | ||
1953 27 Jul | Siegfried (Fred) Schopflocher, Hand of the Cause of God, passed away in Montreal and was buried beside the grave of Sutherland Maxwell in Mount Royal Cemetery at the Guardian's suggestion. He was born in Germany in 1877. [BW12:664-666, LOF390, TG119, CBNS 24 July 2014, Bahá'í Chronicles, SCRIBD, Schopflocher, Siegfried (1877–1953) by Will C. van den Hoonaard; CBN No 43 August 1953 p4; CBN No 44 September 1953 p2; MtC185-187]
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Siegfried Schopflocher; - Hands of the Cause; Births and deaths; In Memoriam; Hands of the Cause, Second Contingent; Mashriqu'l-Adhkár, Wilmette; Montreal, QC | ||
1953 14 Jul | Gale Keass and Jameson Bond were married in the Maxwell home, the first marriage to be performed there since it was declared a Shrine. [UC43] | Gale Keass; Jameson Bond; Marriage; Montreal Shrine; Montreal, QC | first marriage in the Shrine. | |
1953 10 Jul | The accidental death of Eddie Elliot, the first African-Canadian Bahá'í. He was a hydro-line worker and met his death while working on a high-voltage transformer. [CBN No 45 October, 1953 p4]
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In Memoriam; Eddie Elliot; Montreal, QC | first Black Canadian Baha'i | |
1953 c. Jul | Emmanuel Rock, the first to fill a Canadian post overseas, found employment on a short termcontract as Assistant Audit Officer for the Samoan Government. [CBN No 44 September 1953 p2]
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Pioneer; Emmanuel Rock; Samoa | ||
1953 (Summer) | First Bahá'í w@ddmg in London was solemnized between Dorothy Boys and Bob Smith, the Secretary and Chairman of London Assembly. Friends attended from Toronto, Hamilton and Forest. [CBN No 45 October 1953 p5] | Marriage; Dorothy Boys; Bob Smith; London, ON | first Bahá'í wedding in | |
1953 28 Jun | The Hazira Committee reported that the cost of modification of the building at 188 St. George Street to permit public use under Toronto bylaws was exceedingly high. The Guardian was asked for a decision on the advisability of disposing of it for a less costly centre. [CBN No43 August 1953 p3] | Haziratul-Quds (Bahá'í centres); Toronto, ON | ||
1953 Jun | In a message from the Guardian he stated that of all the objective of the Ten Year Plan for Canada, the purchase of the site of the Mother Temple and the settlement of pioneers in the thirteen virgin territories and islands, eleven of which were situated in North America and two in the South Pacific Ocean, may be regarded as the most important. [CBN No 44 September 1953 p1; MC2p181] | Ten Year Crusade | ||
1953 20 Jun | Shoghi Effendi designated the Maxwell home in Montreal as a Shrine. [MtC179; CBN No 45 October 1953 p1] | Montreal Shrine; Montreal, QC | first Bahá'í Shrine in North America | |
1953 14 Jun | The 12th annual International Picnic was held at Queenston Heights with 300 in attendance. Mrs. Mary Magdalin Wilkin of Youngstown, N.Y., and Bert Rakovsky from Westmount,QC, were the speakers and Arthur Mushlian, Ingersoll, ON., was chairman. Mrs. Stanley Bolton brought greetings from Australia. Through the efforts of the Hambourg Baha'is, the Brass Band of the Six Nations Reserve, Hambourg, N.Y., provided music. The band attracted the attention of other picnickers and between selections manyheard about the Faith from the Bahá'ís. [CBN No 43 August 1953 p2] | International picnic; Queenston Heights, ON | ||
1953 Jun | Hand of the Cause Siegfried Schopflocher made a tour of Western Canada to inform the friends of his trip to Haifa, his talks with the Guardian and his plans for the Ten Year Crusade. Stops were made in Winnipeg, Regina, Saskatoon, Calgary and Edmonton. [CBN No 43 August, 1953 p2] | Hands of the Cause, Activities; Siegfried Schopflocher; Travel Teaching; Winnipeg, MB; Regina, SK; Saskatoon, SK; Calgary, AB; Edmonton, AB | ||
1953 | It was reported that with the arrival of Fran Bachynski in Charlottetown they had a sufficient number to complete their Assembly. [CBN No42 July 1953 p4] | Local Spiritual Assembly, formation; Fran Bachynski; Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island | ||
1953 (Ater the Chicago Conference) | Dr. Stanley Bolton and Mariette Germaine Roy Bolton of Australia visited Canada after the Chicago Conference. Dr. Bolton was the chairman of the National Spiritual Assembly of Australia and he and Mrs. Bolton were both natives of Canada. They visited Toronto and Winnipeg. While in Toronto they addressed two meetings in the Centre and showed pictures of the Australian Summer School, Bolton Place, which was donated to the Faith by the Boltons. [CBN No 42 July 1953 p3-4] | Stanley Bolton; Winnipeg, MB; Toronto, ON | ||
1953 21 May | Ruhíyyih Khánum gave the Maxwell home at 1548 Pine Avenue West in Montreal, to the Canadian Bahá'í Community. [UC41] | Montreal Shrine; Amatul-Bahá Ruhiyyih Khanum; Montreal, QC | ||
1953 17 May |
Following his attendance at the Intercontinental Conference in Wilmette Hand of the Cause Furutan made a tour of Canada with an interpreter, Mr M Anvar. They visited several communities in Western Canada and attended the Feast of Grandeur in Edmonton. [CBN No 41 June, 1953 p3]
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- Hands of the Cause; `Alí-Akbar Furútan; Winnipeg, MB; Edmonton, AB; Ottawa, ON; London, ON; Kingston, ON; Moncton, NB; Saint John, NB | ||
1953 9 or 10 May | Following her attendance at the Intercontinental Conference in Wilmette Ruhiyyih Khanum met with Bahá'í friends in her former home. She discussed the donation of the Maxwell House to the National Spiritual Assembly as a shrine and suggested how it might be suitably used.
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Amelia Collins; Amatul-Bahá Ruhiyyih Khanum; Sutherland Maxwell; Montreal Shrine; Montreal, QC | ||
1953 3 - 4- 5- 6- May | The All-American Intercontinental Teaching Conference was held in Chicago for delifileration on plans designed to establish the Faith in all unoccupied territories of the West and also to adopt measures to assist other National Assemblies. Through the association in this Conference of the four National Spiritual Assemblies of the West, and the consecrated consultation of a great throng of Bahá'ís from Canada, the United States, Central America and South America, the dynamic spirit will be created for the launching of our role in the great World Crusade.
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Conferences, Teaching; Chicago, IL; Wilmette, IL | ||
1953 | The Hazira Committee was replaced by The Hazira and Temple Committee. [CBN No 41 June 1953 p2] | Haziratul-Quds (Bahá'í centres); Montreal, QC | ||
1953 29 Apr - 1 May | The Jubilee Celebration commemorating the Centenary of the birth of the Mission of Bahá'u'lláh was held in the Medinah Temple in Chicago. [CBN No 42 July, 1953 p2]
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* Mashriqu'l-Adhkár (House of Worship); Holy Years; Great Jubilee (1952-1953); Chicago, IL | ||
1953 29 - 30 Apr | The sixth National Convention took place in the Unitarian Church of Forest Hill Village and was attended by sixteen delegates as well as over 100 visitors. Elected were: John Robarts, (chairman), Lloyd Gardner, (treasurer), Rowland Estall, (vice chair), Laura Davis, (secretary), Winnifred Harvey, Emeric Sala, Rosemary Sala, Albert Rakovsky and Audrey Westhaeser. [CBN No 41 June, 1953 p2]
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National Spiritual Assembly; National Convention; John Robarts; Lloyd Gardner; Rowland Estall; Laura Davis; Winnifred Harvey; Emeric Sala; Rosemary Sala; Albert Rakovsky; Audrey Westheuser; National Spiritual Assembly, election of; Toronto, ON | ||
1953 Ridván | Canada and the world embarked on the Ten Year Crusade (1953-1963). See [MtC173-276] for the years 1953-1957.
The objectives of Canada's Plan were:
(signed) Shoghi |
Ten Year Crusade; - Teaching Plans; Israel Branch of the Bahá'ís of Canada; Haziratul-Quds (Bahá'í centres) | ||
1953 (Ridván) | The close of the Second Seven Year Plan that had been pursued by the Bahá'ís of the United States and Canada 1946-1953. Worldwide there were 2,425 localities, 611 Local Spiritual Assemblies, 100 countries,island and dependencies open to the Faith and 12 National Spiritual Assemblies formed. [UC43]
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Second Seven Year Plan; Statistics | ||
1953 Jan | A special edition of the Canadian Bahá'í News focused on the purpose of the Haziratu'l-Quds as a symbol of unity and focus that will contribute to the prestige of the Faith. The Guardian asked other National Communities to contribute to the project. [CBN No 35 January 1953; Bahá'í Canada Summer/Fall 2023 p16] | Haziratul-Quds (Bahá'í centres) | ||
1953 (In the year) | Shoghi Effendi launched the Ten Year Crusade. It called for the settlement of 131 international goal by Canada and the United States. [UC38] | - Teaching Plans; Ten Year Crusade | ||
1953 (In the year) | Spiritual Assemblies were formed in London, Verdum, Saskatoon, Oshawa, St Catharines, Kingston, New Westminster, Westmont, Belleville, Pickering and Etobicoke, the 20th to the 30th to form. [CBN No 46 November, 1953 p2] | Local Spiritual Assembly, formation; London, ON; Verdun, QC; Saskatoon, SK; Oshawa, ON; St. Catharines, ON; Kingston, ON; New Westminster, BC; Westmount, QC; Belleville, ON; Pickering, ON; Etobicoke, ON | ||
1952 26 Dec - 1 Jan | Rosemary Sala spoke about her recent pilgrimage at the Beaulac Winter Session. [CBN No 36 December, 1952 p8] | Winter schools; Rosemary Sala; Beaulac, QC | ||
1952 Dec | Mr. Schopflocher wrote to the Hon. Lester B. Pearson, Minister of External Affairs in Ottawa, to assist us on behalf of Miss Marian Jack, the Canadian pioneer in Sofia, Bulgaria. She would have been 88 years old at this time. Canada did not have diplomatic representation in Bulgaria at this time so, as a Canadian citizen, she came under the responsibility of the British Delegation. NBAD227; [CBN No 36 December 1952 p2] | Sofia, Bulgaria; Bulgaria | ||
1952 Dec | The National Spiritual Assembly announced that the Hazíratu'l-Quds had been purchased at 188 St George Street in Toronto. [UC36; CBNNo 36 December 1952 p2] | Haziratul-Quds (Bahá'í centres); Toronto, ON | ||
1952 8 Oct | The Guardian cabled the the Bahá'í world that he had appointed five Auxiliary Boards, one for each continent, to help the Hands of the Cause in their work. The first Auxiliary Board Members were appointed by the Hands under the direction of the Guardian. They were to serve as adjuncts, deputies and advisers to the Hands and to work closely with the National Spiritual Assemblies. [UC35; MBW44, BW13p335] | Auxiliary board members; Haifa, Israel | ||
1952 Oct - 1953 Oct | Holy Year, "The Great Jubilee", 16 October 1952 to 16 October 1953, was inaugurated. [MBW16-18; BW12:116; DG84; PP409–10; SBR170–1] | Great Jubilee (1952-1953); Holy Years | ||
1952 Oct | It was announced in the Canadian Bahá'í News that Mrs Catherine Jones was the first resident of Saskatoon to accept the Faith. [CBN No 35 November, 1952 p7] | Catherine Jones; Saskatoon, SK | first resident of Saskatoon to accept the Faith | |
1952 25 Sep | The National Spiritual Assembly made a deposit payment of $5,0000 on the purchase of a property at 188 St George Street West in Toronto to become the site of the Haziratu'l-Quds. The full purchase price was $49,500 and they were obliged to by $20,000 by the end of November with the balance mortgaged at 5 1/2% interest for 10 years. [CBN No 34 October, 1952 p2; CBN No 36 December, 1952 p2]
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Haziratul-Quds (Bahá'í centres); Toronto, ON | ||
1952 (In the year) | Alan and Evelyn Raynor made and extensive travel teaching tour throughout Western Canada. [CBN No 36 December, 1952 p2; 4] | Travel Teaching; Alan Raynor; Evelyn Raynor | ||
1952 Aug | The National Spiritual Assembly was actively searching for a property in Toronto to be used as a National Hazíratu'l-Quds. They had $17,000 which included $6,000 that had been a special contribution from the Guardian and other National Spiritual Assemblies. [CBN No 34 October 1952 p2] | Haziratul-Quds (Bahá'í centres); Toronto, ON | ||
1952 Aug | The Ontario Bahá'í Summer School was held at the Blue Mountain Resort in Collingwood. [UC35] | Summer schools; Collingwood, ON | ||
1952 14 May | In a cable to the National Spiritual Assembly the Guardian advised them the he would contribute £2,000 to the future Haziratu'l-Quds. [MtCp153] The National Spiritual Assembly announced that the Hazira Committee would continue its search for a suitable building not exceeding $50,000, [CBN No 31 July 1952 p6] |
Haziratul-Quds (Bahá'í centres); - Bahá'í World Centre; Canada | ||
1952 25 - 29 Apr | The fifth National Convention was held in the Brunswick Hotel in Moncton, NB. Sixteen delegates and twenty-five observers were in attendance. Those elected to the National Spiritual Assembly were: Lloyd Gardener John Robarts, Emeric Sala, Rowland Estall, Laura Davis, Freddy Schopflocher, Rosemary Sala, Winnifred Harvey, and Ross Woodman. [CBN No 28 April 1952 p6; Bahá'í News No 258, August 1952 p10] | National Convention; Moncton, NB | ||
1952 Apr | In an article in the Canadian Bahá'í News by Jameson Bond, instructions were given to locate the direction of the Qiblih using the "Great Circle Route". [CBN No 28 April, 1952 p5] | Qiblih; Great Circle Route; Jameson Bond; Canada | ||
1953 29 Mar |
The funeral for Hand of the Cause Sutherland Maxwell was chaired by John Robarts, the then chairman of the National Spiritual Assembly.
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Sutherland Maxwell; John Robarts; Eddie Elliot; Rowland Estall; Horace Holley; Fred Schopflocher; Montreal, QC | ||
1952 26 Mar` | Shoghi Effendi appointed Ruhíyyih Khánum Hand of the Cause of God to replace her father. [UC34] | - Hands of the Cause; Amatul-Bahá Ruhiyyih Khanum; Haifa, Israel | ||
1952 25 Mar | Sutherland Maxwell, Hand of the Cause of God, passed away in Montreal. (b.14 November, 1874) [DH143; MBW132; PP246]
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Sutherland Maxwell; Fortress of Mah-Ku; Relics; Báb, Shrine of; In Memoriam; Montreal, QC | ||
1952 29 Feb | Shoghi Effendi appointed Siegfried Schopflocher among the second contingent of Hands of the Cause of God. [BW12:375–6; CT202–3 MBW20–1; PP254; ZK47]
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Siegfried Schopflocher; - Hands of the Cause; Haifa, Israel; Montreal, QC | ||
1952 10 Jan | The passing of Honoré Jaxon (b. 1861 as William Henry Jackson in the village of Wingham, ON). He died one month after his eviction from his basement apartment where he hoarded three tons of archival material which he hoped would become a library for the study of the Métis people of Saskatchewan.
See Speechless 4 December 2009 for a chronological biography as well as a bibliography / webliogrphy of other works on him. See NUVO for a photo of his eviction from the New York Daily News archive and a short biography. See as well BFA1p90-93; OBCC18-21, 25-26. |
In Memoriam; Honoré Jaxon; Metis people; New York City, NY | ||
1952 5 Jan |
Fred and Jean Graham were registered as Bahá'ís. They had been closely aligned and were sympathetic to the Faith since 1948. [UC33]
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Fred Graham; Jean Graham; Jeanie Seddon; Orv Seddon; Hamilton, ON | first Bahá'í dynasty in Canada | |
1952 (In the year) | A spiritual assembly was formed in North York, the 19th to form. [CBN No. 46 November, 1953 p2] | Local Spiritual Assembly, formation; North York, ON | ||
1951 26 Dec - 2 Jan | Beaulac Winter School. [CBN No 23 November 1951 p 5]
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Winter schools; Beaulac, QC | ||
1951 24 Dec | Shoghi Effendi appointed Sutherland Maxwell among the first contingent of Hands. [MoCxxiii] | Sutherland Maxwell; - Hands of the Cause; Haifa, Israel | ||
1951 22 Oct | After two preliminary meetings, the Montreal District Youth Group got away to a good start. Under the direction of John Pollitt, of St. Lambert, this group reviewed Prescription for Living. There were plans to do something by way of social activity during the coming season and every effort was made to interest young people in Bahá'í activity. [CBN No 25 January 1952 p8] | Montreal District Youth Group; John Pollitt; Montreal, QC | ||
1951 Oct | An article entitled The Spiritual Significance of the Shrine of the Báb was printed in CBN No 220 October 1951 p1. The following contracts have been made for the completion of the project: $63,000 for the stone work of the octagon, $5,065 for the metal frames for the windows, $130,000 for cement, steel and stone for the remaining portion of the building plus miscellany for total of $203,965. | Báb, Shrine of; - Bahá'í World Centre | ||
1951 Oct | For a list of National Committees complete with their mandates see CBN No 22 October 1951 p6-8.
For a list of functioning local spiritual assemblies see CBN No 22 October 1951 p8. |
National Committees; Local Spiritual Assemblies | ||
1951 8 - 9 Sep | A two-day Teaching Conference was held in West Vancouver and was attended by representative of all BC communities. The visiting speakers were Helen and Charles Bishop of Portland, and Mark Tobey, of Seattle. The topics were Knowledge and Faith. [CBN No 22 October 1951 p5] | Conferences, Teaching; Helen Bishop; Charles Bishop; Mark Tobey; Vancouver, BC | ||
1951 1 - 2 Sep | John Robarts was the guest speaker at the Laurentian Bahá'í School. He stressed the unique privilege Bahá'ís have today of bringing a Divine Plan to a chaotic world. The three letters'---"of the Guardian, "God-Given Mandate", written in 1946, "Challenging Requirements of the Present Hour (1947) and "Citadel of Baha'u'llah (1948) were discussed. Sixteen people from Montreal, Toronto, London and Kingston were present. [CBN No 23 November 1951 p6] | Laurentian Bahá'í School, Quebec; John Robarts; Beaulac, QC | ||
1951 27 - 31 Aug | More than 30 people attended the Banff Conference which was held at Holliday House Mrs. Helen Bishop, of Portland, presented a masterly course on The Book of Certitude, Mr. Bob Donnelly, of Regina, gave some very enlightening information of pioneering, substantiated by carefully prepared maps and diagrams. The children presented "A Child Shall Lead Them", under the guidance of Lulu Barr, of Regina. The Calgary believers were responsible for the daily devotions, and several plays, written by Alan Fraser of West Vancouver, were produced in an impromptu manner. The public meeting, held on the 31st of August, at which Helen Bishop was the speaker, attracted a number of local residents, one cf whom asked the Bahá'ís to hold a monthly fireside in his home. [CBN No 22 Oct 1951 p4] | Conferences, Teaching; Helen Bishop; Bob Donnelly; Lulu Barr; Alan Fraser; Banff, AB | ||
1951 26 Aug - 2 Sep | The Prairie Regional Teaching Conference was held at the Holliday House in Banff. They continued to use this venue until 1967 when the summer school were held at what become to be the Sylvan Lake Baha'i Centre. [CBN No19 April 1951 p13] | Summer schools; Banff, AB | ||
1951 4 - 11 Aug | The Ontario Summer School was held at the Blue Mountain Lodge. The weekly group numbered 37, with many visitors dropping in for a shorter period. Owing to a serious accident to his son, Mr. Curtis Kelsey was unable to be present as originally planned, but Mrs. Margery McCormick, out of her great love for Canada, came directly from Louhellen to give a wonderful course on 'The Seven Valleys". "Administration" was the second major subject, co-ordinated by Lloyd Gardner, with various speakers. An added feature was introduced this year when Nancy Campbell gave three periods on "Platform Technique While Speaking in Public". [CBN No 19 April 1951 p13; CBN No 23 November 1951 p6] | Summer schools; Curtis Kelsey; Rex King; Margery McCormick; Lloyd Gardner; Nancy Campbell; Collingwood, ON | ||
1951 Aug | For a list of Local Spiritual Assemblies and National Committees see CBN No21 August 1951 p4-5. | Local Spiritual Assembly; National Committees | ||
1951 Aug | An anonymous believer provided for a one year scholarship at the University of Saskatchewan for a Bahá'í youth willing to serve as a pioneer in Saskatoon for one year. The scholarship was awarded to Suzanne Pawlowska of Winnipeg. [CBN No 21 August 1951 p2] | Scholarship; Suzanne Pawlowska; Saskatoon, SK | ||
1951 21 Jul - 3 Aug | Reginal King and Lowell Johnson were speakers at the Laurentian Summer School. [CBN No19 April 1951 p13] | Summer schools; Reginal King; Lowell Johson | ||
1951 (In the year) | Ontario's first all-Bahá'í funerals were held for Mrs E J Gill of Toronto and Arthur Lehman of Hamilton. [CBN No 22 October 1951 p4] | E J Gill; Arthur Lehman; Toronto, ON; Hamilton, ON | first all-Bahá'í funerals in Ontario | |
1951 14 Jun | All will note with interest the increasing use of plays and playlets as a teaching medium. The Montreal community produced one entitled "Fireside Chatter", written by Harold Hamwee. They report "The Maxwell Home was crowded for the event, and it was an exciting evening, not only for the audience, but for the 9 Montreal Bahá'ís in the cast, some of whom had never been on stage before, and were rather surprised to find out that in the new era one also ACTS. The play takes place in the home of a couple who had pioneered to a new city and are holding a fireside. The discussion is typical of most Bahá'í firesides where Bahá'u'lláh's remedies for a better world are discussed. The most outstanding character was Alix, whose thinking was obviously mixed up, but who bravely wore a bright red shirt in honour of her ideas. Rena Gordon deserves praise for the character study of this pathetic but comic figure. Alex had prejudice against everything except names. ·She had no difficulty with the word Bahá'u'lláh. "My own name is Yosopovitch", she said, "which does not includemy three middle names!" The play had no dramatic action, but it had continuity and held the attention of the audience. It presented the Baha'i Faith. to new contacts in a more vivid manner than any speaker could have done." [CBN No23 November 1951 p6] | - Plays; Harold Hamwee; Montreal, QC | ||
1951 6 Jun | Palle B. Bischoff, Canada's Greenland pioneer from Copenhagen, arrived in Egedesminde where he took up his duties as manager of a fishing station. [CBN No 21 August 1951 p2; CBN No 23 November 1951 p5]Should in Greenland the fire of the love of God be ignited, all the ices of that continent will be melted and its frigid climate will be changed into a temperate climate-that is, if the hearts will obtain the heat of the love of God, that country and continent will become a divine garden and a lordly orchard, and the souls, like unto the fruitful trees, will obtain the utmost freshness and delicacy. Magnanimity is necessary, heavenly exertion is called for. |
Pioneer; Palle Bischoff; Egedesminde, Greenland | ||
1951 27 - 29 Apr | Canada's fourth National Convention was held in the Vancouver Hotel. Those elected were; John Robarts (chair), Rowland Estall (vice-chair) Laura Davis (secretary), Emeric Sala (treasurer) Rosemary Sala, Lloyd Gardner, Mae McKenna, Winnifred Harvey, and Siegfried Schopflocher.
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National Spiritual Assembly; National Convention; Relics; Amelia Collins; John Robarts; Rowland Estall; Laura Davis; Emeric Sala; Rosemary Sala; Lloyd Gardner; Mae McKenna; Winnifred Harvey; Siegfried Schopflocher; National Spiritual Assembly, election of; Vancouver, BC; Montreal, QC | ||
1951 Apr | The National Archivist, E V Harrison, on behalf of the Canadian National Archives Committee, made an appeal to the friends to donate Tablets from 'Abdu'l-Bahá to the Archives. He also provided this quotation from 'Abdu'l-Bahá:
Verily, know, that the letter of 'Abdu'l-Bahá is a hidden mystery and concealed fact; no one is informed of its greatness and importance at these times. But in the course of time and future centuries, the signs thereof will be made manifest, the lights thereof will dawn. The fragrance thereof will be diffused and the greatness, the importance thereof will be known. The truth I say unto thee, that each leaflet from 'Abdu'l-Bahá will be a widespread Book; nay, rather a glistening Gem on the Glorious Crown. Know thou Its value and hold great Its station.[CBN No 19 April 1951 p9] |
Archives; E V Harrision | ||
1951 21 Jan | The Ottawa community observed World Religion Day by securing a 15-minute slot on CFRA Radio where Rowland Estall read a script that had been prepared by Winnifred Harvey on the significance of the event. In the evening he spoke at a public meeting at the Chateau Laurier. [CBN No 18 March 1951 p12] iiiii | World Religion Day; Rowland Estall; Winnifred Harvey; Ottawa, ON | ||
1951 Apr | The "unofficial" prayer for the Guardian was adopted by the Canadian believers and published in the Canadian Bahá'í News.
will bestow upon Shoghi Effendi all the strength and vigor that will enable him to pursue over a long unbroken period of strenuous labor, the supreme task of achieving, in collaboration with the friends in every land, the speedy triumph of the Cause of Bahá'u'lláh. This was adapted from his letter dated the 14th of November 1923
He also had a prayer for the believers:
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Prayer for Shoghi Effendi; Guardians Prayer | ||
1950 30 Dec - 1 Jan | The National University Teaching Committee sponsored a teaching conference in the home of Audry and Dick Westheuser. Christian, Muslim and Bahá'í students attended. [CBN No 18 March 1951 p4] | Conferences, Teaching; Rice Lake, ON | ||
1950 26 Dec - 1 Jan | A Winter School was held at Beaulac. [CBN 16 November 1950 p7] | Winter schools; Beaulac, QC | ||
1950 26 Dec - 1 Jan | A Winter School was held at Beaulac. [CBN 16 November 1950 p7] | Winter schools; Beaulac, QC | ||
1950 22 Oct | The National Spiritual Assembly met with interested Bahá'ís in the Toronto area to report the slow progress of the Five Year Plan and to solicit ideas and take action to remedy the situation. One of the results of the meeting was the appointment of a Pioneer Training Committee to better prepare volunteers for service. [CBN No 16 November 1950 p3] | Pioneer; Training, pioneer; Pioneer Training Committee; Toronto, ON | ||
1950 Sep | It was reported that Mr E Blair Fuller was appointed as Canada's first pioneer to Greenland and that he was on his way to take up his post. [CBN15 Septmeber 1950] | Pioneer; Blair Fuller; Greenland | ||
1950 26 Aug | Harry Gibson (Ohmilik) became the first Inuit in the Eastern Arctic to hear about the Revelation. His teacher was Jameson Bond on a one-year assignment to Coal Harbour. [CBN No 16 November 1950 p3-4; SDS86-96] | Harry Gibson; Ohmilik; Coral Harbour, NU | the first Inuit in the Eastern Arctic to hear about the Revelation | |
1950 20 - 26 Aug | Bahiyyih and Harry Ford were the guest teachers at the Bahá'í Conference held in Banff and she spoke on the Covenant. Harry's talk dealt with teaching methods. [CBN No 16 November 1950 p3-4] | Summer schools; Bahiyyih Ford; Harry Ford; Banff, AB | ||
1950 12 - 19 Aug | The Ontario Summer Conference was held at Franklin Camp with about 60 persons in attendance. The speaker was John Robarts who spoke on the Covenant and Elsie Austin of Washington DC whose topic was "The Divine Art of Living". [CBN No 14 July, 1950 p14; No 15 September 1950; CBN No19 April 1951 p14] | Summer schools; John Robarts; Franklin Camp, ON | ||
1950 (summer) | The National Public Relations Committee announced that they had obtained the services of a professional publicity agent to assist in a series of campaigns to provide exposure to the Faith Plans included free publicity by radio and press as well a paid advertising by local publicity committees. They also prepared a series of news articles of local press releases. [CBN 15 September 1950 p8] | National Public Relations Committee | ||
Lloyd and Helen Gardner left their home in North York for a travel teaching trip in Western Canada. They cover 7,100 miles and were gone for more than five weeks. [CBN 16 November 1950 p5] | Travel Teaching; Helen Gardner; Lloyd Gardner; North York, ON | |||
1950 22 Jul - 4 Aug | The Laurentian Bahá'í School was held at Beaulac. Speakers were Genevieve Coy and Kenneth Christian. [CBN No 13 May, 1950 p5; CBN 15 September 1950 p5-7] | Summer schools; Genevieve Coy; Kenneth Christian; Beaulac, QC | ||
1950 6 - 9 Jul | The Maritime Summer Conference was held at a tourist home four miles from Wood's Island Ferry with twenty people in attendance. Three courses were given; Laura Davis on the "Thirst for Spirituality" and others by Hedda and Bert Rakovsky on "Character Development" and "Teaching Methods". [CBN15 September 1950 p5] | Maritime Summer Conference; Laura Davis; Hedda Rakovsky; Albert Rakovsky; Woods Island, Prince Edward Island | ||
1950 (summer) | Nan Brandle, formerly of Ottawa, was transferred by the Department of Indian Affairs to their new hospital at Moose Factory, about three miles from Moosonee, ON. The settlement consisted of the hospital, a Hudson's Bay Post, an Anglican Mission, and a Roman Catholic Church. This large hospital will be used as a base for outpost station in the Eastern Arctic. [CBN 15 September 1950 p9]
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Pioneer; Nan Brandle; Ottawa, ON; Moose Factory, ON; Fisher River, MB; Hodgson, MB; Ohsweken, ON | ||
1950 (Summer) | Angus and Bobbie Cowan relocated from Pickering, Ontario to St James, Manitoba. [CBN 15 September 1950 p9] | Pioneer; Angus Cowan; Bobbie Cowan; St. James, MB; Pickering, ON | ||
1950 Jul | The first Bahá'í baby in the Ottawa area, Gloria Joyce Tredennick, was born to Mr and Mrs Irving Tredennick. [CBN 15 September 1950 p9] | Gloria Joyce Tredennick; Ottawa, ON | ||
1950 May | The annual budget for 107B.E. was set at $19,000. [CBN 14 July 1950 p2] | Annual budget | ||
1950 29 - 30 Apr | The third National Convention was held in Toronto at 22 College Street with 19 delegates and a total of 125 in attendance. Those elected to the National Assembly were: Rowland Estall, (vice-chair) John Robarts, (chair), Emeric Sala, Ross Woodman; Laura Davis, (secretary), Winnifred Harvey, Freddie Schopflocher, (treasurer) Mae McKenna and Rosemary Sala. [CBN No 13 May 1950 p2-3]
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National Convention; NSA; Rowland Estall; John Robarts; Emeric Sala; Ross Woodman; Laura Davis; Winnifred Harvey; Freddie Schopflocher; Mae McKenna; Rosemary Sala; National Spiritual Assembly, election of; Toronto, ON | ||
1950 April (Near end) | After much discussion involving Dagmar Dole, Edna True and the European Teaching Committee, the local assembly of Copenhagen as well as the national spiritual assemblies of the United States and Canada as well as Shoghi Effendi, it was agreed that American Pioneer and violinist Nancy Gates would be transferred from Denmark, where she had been for three years, to the Canadian overseas goal in Greenland. [Citizens of the World: A History and Sociology of the Bahá'ís from a Globalisation Perspective
by Margit Warburg p203]
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Pioneer; Nancy Gates; Denmark; Greenland | ||
1950 Ridván | The Spiritual Assembly of Forest Hill was established. Members were: Jameson Bond, Alice Hall, Jessie Manser, Marian Ogden, Stewart Ogden, Mildred LePoidevin, Tom LePoidevin, Audrey Robarts, and John Robarts. It was the 18th spiritual assembly to form. [CBN No 14 July 1950 p15] | Local Spiritual Assembly; Jameson Bond; Alice Hall; Jessie Manser; Marian Ogden; Stewart Ogden; Mildred LePoidevin; Tom LePoidevin; Audrey Robarts; John Robarts; Local Spiritual Assembly, formation; Forest Hill, ON | ||
1950 Mar | At this time there were 13 local spiritual assemblies in Canada. [CBN 13 May 1950 p12] | |||
1950 26 Mar - 10 Apr | The British Community needed 22 declarations to complete the goals of their Six Year Plan. The National Spiritual Assembly of Canada sponsored a trip by John Robarts to lend his assistance. During his 13 day stay he visited London, Manchester, Blackpool, Blackburn, Sheffield, Oxford, Dublin, Belfast, Glasgow and Edinburgh and witnessed 18 declarations. [CBN No 13 May, 1950 p4] | John Robarts; Great Britain, UK | ||
1950's (Early) | The editor of the Canadian Bahá'í News was Miss Vicki Bond of Montreal. [CBN No 13 May 1950] | Vicki Bond; Canadian Bahá'í News; Montreal, QC | ||
1949 8 Oct | Margaret Reid of Toronto re-located to St. John's becoming the first Bahá'í pioneer to that province. [BN No 227 January 1950 106BE p5] | Pioneering; Margaret Reid; St. Johns, NL | ||
1949 11 Aug | The first public meeting ever held in Quebec City with Mrs. Hilda Yen Male as the speaker. Publicity was obtained in four newspapers, and a radio inter· view was arranged during which direct questions about the Faith were asked. [BN No 226 December 1949 106BE p9] | Proclamation; Hilda Yen; Québec City, QC | first public meeting in Québec City | |
1949 19 Jun | Shoghi Effendi, in a letter to the new National Spiritual Assembly made first mention of a Hazlratu'l-Quds and a Mashriqu'l-Adhkár in Canada when he wrote:
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Haziratul-Quds (Bahá'í centres); * Mashriqu'l-Adhkár (House of Worship) | ||
1949 12 Jun | The tenth Annual International Picnic held at Queenston with 250 attending. Visitors from the United States, India, Trinidad, Barbadoes, and England were present to hear talks by Mrs. Edith MacLaren aod John Howe. [BN No 224 October 1949 p10] | International Bahá'í Picnic; Edith MacLaren; John Howe; Queenston Heights, ON | ||
1949 May | The annual budget for 106B.E. was set at $15,000. [CBN 14 July 1950 p2] | Annual budget | ||
1949 30 Apr | The Bill to incorporate the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of Canada was passed by both Houses of the Canadian Parliament, and given Royal assent. The act established the name, named the officers as directors, stated the location of the headquarters, defined the objectives, gave it the right to manage the affairs of the Bahá'ís, to make by-laws and to hold property. It was used as a model for registration/incorporation in other states.
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National Spiritual Assembly, incorporation; Recognition (legal); National Spiritual Assembly, election of; Ottawa, ON | ||
1949 Ridván | The second Canadian Bahá'í National Convention was held in Winnipeg, at Girl Guide House on Osborne Street North. The Winnipeg Bahá'í Community was by then one of seventeen Local Spiritual Assemblies in Canada.
A Public Congress in association with the Convention was held in the Art Gallery in the Civic Auditorium.
An address entitled "Consultation - An Adventure in Mature Discussion" was delivered by Elsie Austin. [CBN No 18 March 1951 p6] In nine years Winnipeg had gone from a Bahá'í goal to the host of the Bahá'í Community of Canada for its National Convention. At that time it had the highest rate of annual growth in the Bahá'í Community of Canada, suggesting a vitality not found in but few other communities. About one quarter of the new converts between 1937 and 1947 went pioneering. [Bloodworth, Grains of Wheat p20; OBCC207-210] |
National Convention; Winnipeg, MB | the first National Convention in Winnipeg. | |
1949 Apr | Find details of the National Convention and election.
An address entitled "Consultation - An Adventure in Mature Discussion" was delivered by Elsie Austin. [CBN No 18 March 1951 p6] |
National Convention; National Spiritual Assembly, election of; Elsie Austin | ||
1949 Jan (Late) | Jim and Melba Loft and their children, Sam, Arthur and Evelyn returned to Tyendinaga First Nation from Marysville Michigan. [RT43] |
Jim Loft; Melba Loft; Sam Loft; Arthur Loft; Evelyn Loft; Tyendinaga First Nation, ON | ||
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