Jane Harris-Zsovan’s Weblog

I know. Blogs are supposed to have regular posts.  And I’ve been silent for weeks. But I promise to be more prompt with posts in future .  

You see, I’ve been waiting to make an announcement. And here it is:

Hot Apple Cider: Stories to Warm the Heart and Stir the Soul is published.  So get yourself a warm cuppa’, sit down and enjoy a big helping of inspiring writing by some of the best Canadian authors around.

My author’s copies arrived the other day .  But I don’t expect them to last long.    

Hot Apple Cider: Stories to Warm the Heart and Stir the Soul has contributions from over 30 of Canadian authors.  Their stories will inspire and energize you.  And while the book is aimed at the Christian market,  I  think HAC is going to have a big impact on Canada’s publishing industry.  I see this book crossing over into mainstream markets.

This inspirational anthology appeals to readers who just want to sit down and enjoy a good read.  Most chapters can be read in less than half an hour. And these days, who has more than 30 minutes at a stretch to sit down and relax with a book?

I’m very excited to see my chapter Jessie’s Generation: Canada’ s Firebrands of Justice and Mercy  included in this superb anthology of writers.  My chapter’s about Canadian women who turned their  world right side up without money, jobs or even a vote!  Check out www.hotapplecider.ca

And oh yeah, Stars Appearing: The Galts’ Vision of Canada  is available at www.visionofcanada.com. 

(I’ll post an update of retail locations and signings for both books in the next few days.)  I’m also working on brand new book — more to come! Talk to you soon.

Jane HZ

Does politics reflect culture? Or obliterate it? In the Province of Alberta, many poltical scientists love to talk up the American influence on this part of Canada. They manage to get on just about every national newscast where the topic of Alberta's role in Canada comes up. And they often trounce and complain about our political system. But they seem oddly unaware of the basic elements of our history.

In particular, they seem to lack understanding that Central Canadians and Representatives of the Crown encouraged the independent streak they laud as unique. They insist it's an American influence. Or a perspective based on alienation from political elites in Ottawa. But our independent streak is clearly rooted in our family ties (not our grievances) to the Crown and to Central Canada:

Take a look at our symbols: The Province's motto Liber and Fortis (Strong and Free) was granted by the Crown. It’s a British as you can get.

There's more: Alberta was named by a Governor General, The Marquis of Lorne, in honour of his wife. Louise Caroline Alberta, a princess with an independent streak, Queen Victoria's youngest daughter. And she was the only one of Victoria's daughters to refuse a political marriage to foreign Prince. Alberta (Lorne preferred to call her Alberta or Alba) insisted on choosing her own husband.

More than that, Louise Caroline Alberta may be the only 19th Century Princess to have had her own career -- she trained in Berlin as a sculptor and painter. She also cooked, cleaned and ironed. And snuck out to public lectures without her bodyguards. Oh and she did temperance and social justice work. So did Lorne. 

Lord Lorne insisted on calling this NWT territorial district a province in the 1880's. It wasn't a province, but he knew it would be.  And he knew it would be a rich one with a key role to play in Confederation.

The Cross of Saint George still soars above the mountains and wheat fields on the Province's Coat of Arms. Clear testimony to the allegiance of our early legislators.  

Our first five premiers, often touted as rebels against Ottawa, were born in Ontario. And reformers like the Famous Five sought to bring legal changes to the whole British Empire. They saw the Crown and our imperial connection as a guardian of their rights. Which it turned out to be!

But most Albertans know little about this heritage. That's really too bad, because if you don't know where you've been, you can't chart where to go. Or imagine all the things you can accomplish. Worse yet, the pundits can get away with saying almost anything. No one will question them. And as people lose their identity, they do become disenfranchised. Remember the low voter turnout in the last provincial election? Could it be that the obliteration of our symbols and constant denigration of our heritage by pundits and politicians be a factor?  

Greetings! I’m a Canadian journalist and author of Stars Appearing: The Galts’ Vision of Canada.  This blog is about Canadian history, faith, politics and interesting people I meet in my work. I hope it gives Canadians a better idea of what they can accomplish in the world. And I hope it gives the world a glimpse into the rich history and gifted people and ideas that inhabit this rich and vital country.  

Welcome to WordPress.com. This is your first post. Edit or delete it and start blogging!