With the 150 anniversary of confederation upon us, many Canadians are reflecting on either their origins in the country we are fortunate to call home and/or on their ancestors or personal journey to the True North. I’ve been reading community submissions to the Red Deer Advocate over the past couple of weeks with great interest, a fact which prompted my search into my own family history.
I am a proud third generation Canadian, as my great grandparents immigrated from Norway and the Netherlands. On my mom’s side of the family, Matt and Olive Anholt came from Norway through North Dakota eventually settling in Outlook, Saskatchewan in 1903, and Oscar and Amelia Hauge (changed to Sampson upon arrival in North America) came from Norway through Minnesota eventually settling in Amisk, Alberta in 1909, both because of poor economic conditions in Norway and the opportunity to homestead in the West.
My dad’s side of the family are the Solberg’s (also Norwegian) and Veer’s (which makes me one quarter Dutch) and while we know less specifics about their arrival to Canada, they homesteaded in Saskatchewan and eventually settled in Alberta as well.
I hope you all enjoy Canada Day and Canada 150 festivities occurring throughout the community throughout 2017. The Red Deer Cultural Heritage Society is planning enhanced fireworks at Bower Ponds on Canada Day, and Canada 150 event details commemorating confederation are available at http://www.reddeermuseum.com/
Above all, I’m grateful to be a “strong and free” Canadian with you.
Mayor Tara Veer