Canada’s folk hero Stompin’ Tom Connors has died at age 77. His songs of Canadian life, from Sudbury nickel miners to P.E.I. potato farmers and the joys of a good snowmobile, paint a picture of his great love for Canada. In his last letter to fans, Stompin’ Tom credits Canada’s beauty and inspiration as the source “driving me to keep marching on and devoted to sing about its people and places that make Canada the greatest country in the world.” Rest in Peace, Tom. [StompinTom]

There have been many tributes to Stompin’ Tom Connors since the news of his death, but one story in particular, from Canada’s History, caught our eye for highlighting Stompin’ Tom’s total dedication to promoting homegrown musical talent. It was 1978 and Stompin’ Tom had just sent back his Junos in protest, believing that Junos were too often awarded to artists who had left Canada to work and live in the U.S. or elsewhere. “I feel that Junos should be for people who…are working toward the recognition of Canadian talent in this country,” he said before sending back his six Juno awards. [Canada's History]

Sir John A. Macdonald had family ties to the slave trade according to a recent collection by the University College London. The collection reveals that Macdonald’s father-in-law received compensation from the British government in return for freeing around 100 slaves in 1833. Macdonald’s situation is hardly unique. Academics estimate that “somewhere between 10 to 20 percent of Britain’s wealthy can be identified as having had significant links to slavery.” Upon hearing the news, Sir John A. Macdonald tweeted, ”Am I my Father-In-Law’s keeper?” Touché. [Globe & Mail]

What kind of history excites Canadians? According to a new survey, neither the War of 1812 nor the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee are of much interest to Canadians. However, human rights milestones like the Charter of Rights and Freedoms and women getting the vote are interesting, with a respective 47.1% and 46.5% of respondents saying they would support events marking their anniversaries. [CBC]

A page from the 1963 Liberal colouring book: “This is a Canadian fighter pilot. He flies for NATO. All the other NATO pilots have planes that fight good. The Canadian pilot doesn’t. Colour him highly embarrassed.”

An unusual piece of Canadian political ephemera has come to light – not a keychain or a bumper sticker, but a colouring book from the historic 1963 election! Issued by the Pearson Liberals, it mixes cheeky black and white cartoons with tongue-and-cheek colouring instructions that would be charming if they weren’t so politically loaded. For example, beneath a cartoon of a grumpy, block-headed protester are the words, “This is an NDP party. They are discussing their platform. They are against just about everything. Sometimes they are even against themselves. Colour them black and blue.” [CTV]

Mountains of sand have been transformed to tell the story of the War of 1812. In Niagara Falls, sculptors have been busying themselves creating intricate sand sculptors that depict the events, characters and structures of the War of 1812 like the Peace Tower and the treaty that ended the war. The results look truly sand-tastic! [CHCH]

A fascinating exhibit in Hong Kong tells the story of Chinese immigrants who left home in the late 19th century to help settle communities in British Columbia, like Barkerville in the foothills of the Cariboo mountains. “While most of us know that the Chinese played a part in the early gold rush, I don’t think very many [people] realize the scale and the scope of their contributions,” said John Massier, chair of the Barkerville Heritage Trust. [CBC]