- 1940-06-00 — Winnifred Harvey became the first Bahá'í to enrol in the Faith in Ottawa having learned of the Faith in Winnipeg from Rowland Estall. [OBCC185]
Originally she had been attracted to the Faith by publicity from the New History society but rejected the mixture of "truth and superstition". - 1941-06-28 — First summer School in Canada in Montreal was held in three different homes, the Schopflochers', the Salas' and the Maxwells'. Reports of the number of people attending vary from 17 to 25 to 30. Those attending were from Montreal, St. Lambert, Moncton, Hamilton, Toronto, (among them a new believer named John Robarts), Ottawa Rouyn, and Winnipeg. Three non-Bahá'ís also attended and enrolled shortly thereafter.
The varied program provided daily talks and discussions based on the outline 'Deepening the Spiritual Life'; study of the first part of 'The Promised Day Is Come' (led by Miss Winnifred Harvey); separate talks on 'Bahá'í Administration' (Siegfried Schopflocher, Ragnar Mattson, and Lou Boudler); 'Bahá'í Attitude towards Christianity' (Mrs. Agnes King); and 'Post-War Reconstruction' (John De Mille). Lorol Schopflocher contributed an account of her journeys to Central America and the British West Indies, and Emeric and Rosemary Sala gave us stories of their experiences in Venezuela and Columbia. [OBCC268; BW9:28; TG84; BN No 149 December 1941 p5] - 1942-00-00 —
Lucille C. Gisome, a civil servant, enrolled in the Faith, probably through her friendship with Winnifred Harvey. She was an African Canadian. She was a delegate to the 1942 National Convention. [OBCC186]
- From 1939 to 1940 she worked for the Dominion Bureau of Statistics and subsequently for the Department of Munitions and Supply until 1941 when she left for Toronto. Subject to racism in Canada she settled in Czechslovakia in the late 1940's after living in England and Germany. [OBCC152, 224]
- For a phote see OBCC144.
- 1950-04-29 —
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]
- The budget for the year 107 B. E. was $19,000. [CBN No 14 July 1950 p2]
- All 19 delegates were present. [CBN 13 May 1950 p3]
- 1951-01-21 — 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
- 1951-04-27 —
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.
- For a list of delegates (18) see CBN No 18 Mar 1951 p2. For the agenda see CBN No 19 April 1951 p10-11.
- Amelia Collins attended the Convention and gave the Canadian Bahá'í Community a lock of hair of Bahá'u'lláh as a gift from Shoghi Effendi. In addition, she gave a piece of Burmese alabaster from the Tomb of the Báb, These precious relics were placed in the Maxwell home archives in Montreal. [UC31]
- 1953-04-29 —
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]
- This convention marked the end of the Five Year Plan that had been given to Canada in 1948 upon the formation of the National Spiritual Assembly.
- 1954-02-00 — 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]
- 1954-04-30 —
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]
- On Saturday afternoon, May 1st, the delegates and friends gathered at Victoria Hall in Westmount for a brief commemoration and prayers. [CBN No 63 April 1955, Insert p4]
- A memorial service for Marion
Jack, the beloved Canadian pioneer to
Sofia, Bulgaria, was held. Miss Jack
was born in St. John, N .B. As an artist,
as well as a believer, she was invited to
Haifa to paint many of the scenes there.
She was in Bulgaria during the war and
suffered greatly. Because of this, the
Guardian invited her to leave and return
to Haifa. She decided, however, to remain,
even though the difficulties were
great, and stayed at her post until her
passing March 27, 1954. She is interred
in the British Cemetery in Sofia. [CBN No54 Jul 1954 p1]
- Polly Pollexfen, Ethel Martens and Hart Bowsfield were injured in a motor vehicle accident while travelling from Winnipeg to the National Convention in Montreal. It was a serious accident and recovery was slow. [CBN No57 Oct 1957 p2]
- 1955-04-29 —
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]
- List of delegates. [CBN No 62 March, 1955 p1]
- On May 1st the friends shared in a Memorial Service for Marion Jack. The delegates and other believers gathered in Victoria Hall in Westmount for a brief commemoration and prayers in advance of the main Memorial Service at the Temple. [CBN No 62 March, 1955 from the 4-page insert]
- The Guardian's message to the National Convention dated 17 April 1954 was distributed as an insert to CBN No 54 Jun 1954. The message list recent accomplishments.
- See the National Convention report, the Guardian's supplementary message to the Convention and a letter, Progress at the World Centre from the International Bahá'ií Council. [CBN No65 Jun 1955 p4]
- 1956-04-27 —
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.
- It was announced that Canada's National Endowment had been secured, a beautiful piece of property on the Niagara River in the shadow of Queenston Heights. It had been donated by one of the friends.
- The Public Congress was held in the Royal Ontario Museum Theatre on the evening of Saturday the 28th of April. Over 300 attended. [CBN No 77 June 1956 p2]
- It was learned that Canada's National Endowment had been secured, a beautiful piece of property on the Niagara River in the
shadow of Queenston Heights, which had been donated by one of the friends. [CBN No 77 June 1956 p2]
- 1956-07-28 — 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]
- 1957-04-26 —
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.
- The Public Congress was held in the Royal Ontario Museum Theatre. About 300 persons attended. [CBN No 89 June, 1957 p3-4]
- Photo.
- There were 17 Local Spiritual Assemblies in Canada at this point, a drop from 19 two years earlier. [Bloodworth, Grains of Wheat p20]
- 1957-05-00 —
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]
- Seven weekend
seminars conducted by Allan
Raynor on "The Covenant and
the Individual" were organized
throughout Canada for the deepening,
strengthening and confirming of
believers and close contacts. [CBN No88 May 1957 p2]
- 1957-06-14 — 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]
- 1958-04-29 —
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]
- See [CBN No 101 June 1958, Special Insert] for the Message from the Hands of the Faith in the Holy Land to the National Convention.
- 1959-04-24 —
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.
- For a list of delegates to the 12th National Convention see [CBN No 110 March 1959 p2].
- For the message from the Hands to the Convention see [CBN No 113 June 1959 p1-6].
- 1960-04-29 —
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]
- For the Message from the Hands of the Faith in the Holy Land see [CBN No 125 June 1960 p10].
- For the message from the Hands of the Faith in the Western Hemisphere to the Annual Convention see [CBN No 125 June 1960 p7].
- 1965-07-01 — 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.
- 1970-04-21 —
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:
"We feel that it is of particular interest because the majority of the members are French speaking. Following 'Abdu'l-Bahá's exhortation to teach the French-speaking people of Canada our great hope has been to arrive at a more equitable representation from the two main language groups of this country."
- The members were: Marjorie Merrick, Paul Hanbury, Winnifred Harvey, Lucille Leboeuf, Daniel Caillaud, Danielle Coinon, Paule Médori, Michel Larin and Janet Braithwaite. [CBN Issue 242? July 1970 p 9; [from an email 4 November 2022 from National Archivist Ailsa Hedly Leftwich]
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