A few months ago I wrote about having the great fortune to discover that Heritage Minutes are available for viewing online. Canadians of almost any age will remember this series of history videos that began airing on television in 1991. Each Minute depicts a significant moment, person or event that influenced Canadian history and they left many a viewer (including yours truly) transfixed back in the day.
If you didn’t grow up watching Heritage Minutes, you likely a) are not Canadian and b) have no idea that history can be interesting enough to make you anticipate commercial breaks. If either of those options apply to you, dear reader, I am truly sorry. While I can’t help you with the first issue, you should check out this post to resolve the second issue. I’ll wait for you to come back…
…okay, now that we’re all on the same page about history commercials being cool, you should brace yourself because the Historica Dominion Institute is bringing Heritage Minutes back!! How great is that?! And because I waited long enough to write this post, they’ve already released the first new Minute. Rather than tell you what it’s about, I’ll let you check it out for yourself:
In order to help inform the comeback of the series, the Historica Dominion Institute commissioned a survey to answer a number of questions related to Heritage Minutes. Not surprisingly, Wayne Gretzky and William Shatner are among the celebrities Canadians would most like to see depicted in a Minute. And while favourite videos differ by age and region, the resounding least favourite Minute is about Québécois painter Paul Emile Bourduas. Interesting, no? To check out the Heritage Minute survey results for yourself, click here.
Considering this new video comes a decade after the most recent Heritage Minute release, you’re probably itching to check out the old ones for nostalgia’s sake. As luck would have it, you can access all of the Minutes on the Historica Dominion Institute’s website by clicking here. Happy viewing!
Cultural Quirks 