The Icelandic Canadian - 01.12.1961, Qupperneq 67

THE ICELANDIC CANADIAN
65
Lord Dufferin wrote in his booh
about Uncle John Taylor and mention-
ed his neices, and how they rowed him
out to his ship in their small boat.
Some people spoke badly of uncle
John for taking them to Gimli. Mo-
ther told of how he loved those (Ice-
landic) people, and how he cried when
the smallpox came. Then uncle John
adopted a little Icelandic girl, and I
had the pleasure of meeting her in Tor-
onto some years ago—a dear little Ice-
landic lady. She died shortly after I
was there. What wonderful stories she
could tell of the pioneering days.
Well Flora, the rest you know. Car-
oline met and married Sigurdur. I
have read somewhere that my father
was the first Icelander to marry a Can-
adian girl.
This is some of what I have heard
about Kenny’s grandparents.”
— Delightful stories, such as this one,
are of inestimable value in providing
material for an “Islandica” of the Ice-
landic settlers in North America.
Others should follow in the footsteps
of Susie..
S. Halldorson
Conference of Ethnic Press Editors
On December 4th and 5th, on the
invitation of the Minister of Citizen-
ship and Immigration, Hon. Ellen L.
Fairclough, over seventy ethnic press
editors from coast to coast assembled
in Ottawa. The conference was called
for the purpose of discussing basic
rights and privileges of Canadian
citizenship, and also for the purpose
of giving the editors a sort of a bird’s
eye view of departments of govern-
ment in action. Mrs. Ingibjorg Jonsson
and Judge W. J. Lindal were present
representing Logberg - Heimskringla
and The Icelandic Canadian respect-
ively. Judge Lindal appeared also in
his capacity as President of The Can-
ada Ethnic Press Federation.
Hon. Ellen Fairclough presided and
at the opening of the conference called
upon the Rt. Hon. John G. Diefen-
baker who addressed the meeting and
at the conclusion of his remarks pre-
sented Judge Lindal, as the represent-
ative of the other editors, with an il-
luminated parchment on which was
written, in artistic lettering, a copy of
the Canadian Bill of Rights. The chair-
man then called upon Judge Lindal
to thank the Prime Minister for the
scroll, a copy of which is being sent
to each delegate at the conference.
Three of the citizenship court judges
were present, including Judge George
Chapman of Winnipeg, who was the
first one of the three to be called on
to discuss some phase of the ceremonies
where newcomers take the oath of al-
legiance, and are presented with Certif-
icates of Canadian Citizenship.
About a dozen Deputy Ministers and
top-ranking officials discussed subjects
such as, emergency measures organiz-
ation, defence preparation, health and
public welfare, seasonal unemploy-
ment, agriculture, veterans allowances,
loans to small businesses, etc. A brief
question period followed each address.
Copies of the material used was dis-
tributed to all present at the confer-
ence.
The conference closed Tuesday even-
ing, by a reception at Government
House by Their Excellencies The
Governor-General and Madame Vanier.