麻豆影视

W5
W5

    • Remembering the secret Black military unit that had to fight to serve Canada

    Share

    Blair Dixon looks frail: a tall, thin, slightly stooped 86-year-old, his fingers gnarled by rheumatoid arthritis. But when he speaks, even with a quiver in his voice, you hear the overwhelming pride he feels for his dad, George Dixon, and his contribution to Canada鈥檚 war effort.

    In an interview with CTV鈥檚 W5, Blair recalled when his father marched down the street in Saint John, N.B. on Remembrance Day in 1941. 鈥淗e marched with pride .. proud to be a Canadian,鈥 and having served his country.

    In an interview with CTV鈥檚 W5, Blair Dixon recalled when his father, George Dixon, marched down the street in Saint John, N.B. on Remembrance Day in 1941. 鈥淗e marched with pride .. proud to be a Canadian,鈥 and having served his country.

    But life wasn鈥檛 always kind to the Dixon family. Blair鈥檚 grandparents were the descendants of slaves who fled Louisiana for Nova Scotia in the late nineteenth century, to escape racism and hatred, only to experience prejudice in Canada.

    George was raised in what was then called Africville, outside Halifax. The segregated community has since been demolished.

    At age 21, in 1916, at the height of the First World War, George tried to enlist in the Canadian Armed Forces. While there was no official policy discriminating against Black men, many were simply turned away.

    As war raged in Europe, and Canadian soldiers died, the military was desperate for more boots on the ground. Lobbying by mainly Black social activists led to the creation of the Number 2 Construction Battalion, or the Black Battalion, and some 600 men were shipped overseas.

    Even with a regiment of their own, the soldiers encountered racism, as labourers engaged in back breaking construction work, in support of their white counterparts, who in turn abused them, denied them services and medical treatment.

    Members of the all-Black No. 2 Construction Battalion are shown in this historic photo. (Submitted by the Black Cultural Centre of Nova Scotia)

    Blair says his father never spoke of the bad times. 鈥淗e didn't say anything..It's hard to believe鈥ut It's literally nothing.鈥

    For George Dixon, it came down to service, something he instilled in Blair, who after growing up poor in Saint John, as one of 11 children, went on to spend 15 years in Canada鈥檚 military, along with five of his brothers.

    Blair also experienced hate in the military, but says he was able to walk the other side of it because, as his father taught him, 鈥淏e proud to be Canadian and be proud of who you are; Black and healthy. 鈥

    The Black Battalion is one of Canada鈥檚 best kept military secrets, the contribution of the regiment largely unknown and unmarked by history.

    In July 2022, after pressure from the Black community, the Canadian government apologized for the wrong Black soldiers experienced in the military, in the early 1900s.

    鈥淔or the blatant anti-Black hate and systemic racism that denied these men dignity in life and in death, we are sorry, 鈥 said at a sombre ceremony in Truro, N.S.

    While Blair Dixon says he can鈥檛 speak for his father, he doesn鈥檛 think George would understand or appreciate the apology, because, 鈥淢y father had a tough life鈥t was tough when I was young. But I grew out of that. Papa didn't have a chance to grow out of that.鈥

    Blair does get emotional when he recalls his father shining his shoes and laying his uniform on the bed, getting ready to march with other soldiers in Remembrance Day parades in Canada.

    He hopes his dad鈥檚 story will inspire Canadians to think of the men of the Number 2 Construction Battalion on this November 11, as Canadians mark Remembrance Day; a time also to hold the government accountable to a promise to purge hatred and discrimination from today鈥檚 military and make true to the phrase, etched on the gravestones of those who served.

    鈥淟est We Forget鈥.

    CTVNews.ca Top Stories

    A body has been found in the vicinity where a woman went missing on the Ottawa River near Pembroke, Ont. while kayaking Tuesday night, according to the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP).

    Unusual flippered feet are making their way into the Saint Lawrence River this weekend. Led by underwater explorer and filmmaker Nathalie Lasselin, volunteer divers are combing the riverbed near Beauharnois in Mont茅r茅gie to remove hundreds of tires that have been polluting the aquatic environment for decades.

    A man is facing numerous drug trafficking charges after Dufferin OPP seized a large assortment of drugs and weapons in Orangeville earlier this week.

    Canada

    • A man is facing numerous drug trafficking charges after Dufferin OPP seized a large assortment of drugs and weapons in Orangeville earlier this week.

    • The London Police Service (LPS) is currently investigating a suspicious death in the east end.

    • A body has been found in the vicinity where a woman went missing on the Ottawa River near Pembroke, Ont. while kayaking Tuesday night, according to the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP).

    • A Calgary family on a trip to Chinook Centre experienced the lows and highs last week, when a stuffie went missing.

    • Unusual flippered feet are making their way into the Saint Lawrence River this weekend. Led by underwater explorer and filmmaker Nathalie Lasselin, volunteer divers are combing the riverbed near Beauharnois in Mont茅r茅gie to remove hundreds of tires that have been polluting the aquatic environment for decades.

    • The 75-year-old building, formerly the Waskesiu Chamber of Commerce building, was relocated to the Parks Canada compound on the edge of the townsite.

    World

    Politics

    Health

    Sci-Tech

    Entertainment

    Business

    Lifestyle

    • Tattoos are becoming more common in today's society and, as a result, appear to be more acceptable in the workplace than they used to be.

    • How to win the fight with kids over phone use

      The end of the day 鈥 when school, extracurricular activities and homework are (hopefully) finally done 鈥 is the window that many kids have for downtime. It can be a struggle to convince them not to go on their phones.

    • While slang may come and go, experts say the phenomenon behind them, which constantly churns out brand-new bon mots, is as old as language itself.

    Sports

    • Kiefer Sherwood spent several nights last spring chasing Quinn Hughes around the ice and generally pestering the Vancouver Canucks.

    • Cole Haas is more than just an avid fan of the F.W. Johnson Wildcats football team. He's a fixture on the sidelines, a source of encouragement, and a beloved member of the team.

    Autos

    Local Spotlight

    Cole Haas is more than just an avid fan of the F.W. Johnson Wildcats football team. He's a fixture on the sidelines, a source of encouragement, and a beloved member of the team.

    Getting a photograph of a rainbow? Common. Getting a photo of a lightning strike? Rare. Getting a photo of both at the same time? Extremely rare, but it happened to a Manitoba photographer this week.

    An anonymous business owner paid off the mortgage for a New Brunswick not-for-profit.

    They say a dog is a man鈥檚 best friend. In the case of Darren Cropper, from Bonfield, Ont., his three-year-old Siberian husky and golden retriever mix named Bear literally saved his life.

    A growing group of brides and wedding photographers from across the province say they have been taken for tens of thousands of dollars by a Barrie, Ont. wedding photographer.

    Paleontologists from the Royal B.C. Museum have uncovered "a trove of extraordinary fossils" high in the mountains of northern B.C., the museum announced Thursday.

    The search for a missing ancient 28-year-old chocolate donkey ended with a tragic discovery Wednesday.

    The Royal Canadian Mounted Police is celebrating an important milestone in the organization's history: 50 years since the first women joined the force.

    It's been a whirlwind of joyful events for a northern Ontario couple who just welcomed a baby into their family and won the $70 million Lotto Max jackpot last month.

    • A six-year-old girl who was reported missing in northern B.C. earlier this week remains unaccounted for, and "significant resources from across the province" have joined in the search, police said Saturday.

    • A sea lion swam free after a rescue team disentangled it near Vancouver Island earlier this week.

    • A man who was found dead behind a curling rink in Nanaimo, B.C., earlier this month was the victim of a homicide, police confirmed.

    • A 23-year-old man has been arrested after one person was found dead at a home in Richmond Hill Saturday morning.

    • Toronto police say they have now identified a third person who they believe was involved in a shooting that left two men dead in North York earlier this week.

    • A man is fighting for his life in hospital a day after a vehicle smashed into several others in and around an intersection in Milton before flipping over.

    • The water coming from your taps might be a bit murky Saturday, but Calgary remains on schedule to end all water restrictions on Sunday.

    • A Calgary family on a trip to Chinook Centre experienced the lows and highs last week, when a stuffie went missing.

    • An estimated 8,000 volunteers mobilized across the city Saturday as the Calgary Food Bank went door-to-door collecting food and funds.

    • A body has been found in the vicinity where a woman went missing on the Ottawa River near Pembroke, Ont. while kayaking Tuesday night, according to the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP).

    • The Taste of Wellington 2024 wraps up Saturday in Ottawa.

    • A joint police operation to promote safe driving on Highway 417 in the Ottawa area has resulted in laying dozens of charges in three hours Friday, according to the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP).

    • Montrealers can get used to taking a stroll on several car-free streets during the summer in the years to come thanks to a new commitment from the city.

    • Three men were injured after trying to subdue a man armed with a knife during afternoon prayers at a Montreal-area mosque Friday afternoon.

    • Unusual flippered feet are making their way into the Saint Lawrence River this weekend. Led by underwater explorer and filmmaker Nathalie Lasselin, volunteer divers are combing the riverbed near Beauharnois in Mont茅r茅gie to remove hundreds of tires that have been polluting the aquatic environment for decades.

    • The Edmonton Police Service is looking for a person of interest in connection with a suspicious fire that destroyed a multi-unit building and damaged several townhomes earlier this week.

    • Tattoos are becoming more common in today's society and, as a result, appear to be more acceptable in the workplace than they used to be.

    • Two people have been charged after a daylight shooting in Red Deer earlier this week.

    • Halifax Regional Police warned the public of a series of high-value thefts targeting retail stores Friday.

    • Pictou County District RCMP is investigating a fatal crash that occurred in Thorburn, N.S., Saturday.

    • A proposal for additional parking to accommodate upgrades at the Irving Pulp & Paper Mill in Saint John, N.B., would add an estimated 500 parking spots at Wolastoq Park.

    • The search for a missing six-year-old boy in Shamattawa is continuing Friday as RCMP hope recent tips can help lead to a happy conclusion.

    • A herd of dogs paid visit to patients and residents at Riverview Health Centre during an annual event that lifts spirits and wags tails.

    • While slang may come and go, experts say the phenomenon behind them, which constantly churns out brand-new bon mots, is as old as language itself.

    • The last two months after losing her daughter Bella have been extremely difficult for Kyla Thomson.

    • Regina police arrested three youths in connection to a bear mace incident at a Regina high school on Friday.

    • Heading into Friday's game against the Calgary Stampeders, quarterback Trevor Harris said he and his Saskatchewan Roughriders were "ready to rock."

    • The Cambridge Professional Fire Fighters鈥 Association held their annual Muscular Dystrophy Boot Drive on Saturday.

    • Protests were held in front of Kitchener City Hall on Friday, both for and against LGBTQ2S+ inclusive education and queer rights in schools.

    • Police said the pedestrian, a 52-year-old man, was taken to an out-of-region hospital with life-threatening injuries and the driver of the vehicle failed to remain at the scene.

    • The 75-year-old building, formerly the Waskesiu Chamber of Commerce building, was relocated to the Parks Canada compound on the edge of the townsite.

    • Saskatchewan RCMP major crimes unit is investigating after a man鈥檚 body was found on Sweetgrass First Nation.

    • Heading into Friday's game against the Calgary Stampeders, quarterback Trevor Harris said he and his Saskatchewan Roughriders were "ready to rock."

    • A motorcyclist has died following a serious collision that took place in London鈥檚 south end on Friday afternoon.

    • The London Police Service (LPS) is currently investigating a suspicious death in the east end.

    • The St. Thomas police is asking the public for help locating a missing man.

    • The Barrie Skateboard Association (BSA) hosted a unique competition at the City's Skate Park on Saturday to celebrate its 25th anniversary, which showcased the park's importance and the growth of skateboarding in the region.

    • A man is facing numerous drug trafficking charges after Dufferin OPP seized a large assortment of drugs and weapons in Orangeville earlier this week.

    • One person is in hospital after an e-bike crash in Orillia on Thursday.

    • The Amherstburg Freedom Museum is celebrating a year of festivities in anticipation of its 50th anniversary in 2025.

    • The St. Clair College golf teams were successful at the Niagara Knights Invitational tournament on Friday.

    • A LaSalle high school is celebrating its emerald anniversary this weekend, with everyone who has ever walked its halls invited to return.

    • A man who was found dead behind a curling rink in Nanaimo, B.C., earlier this month was the victim of a homicide, police confirmed.

    • A six-year-old girl who was reported missing in northern B.C. earlier this week remains unaccounted for, and "significant resources from across the province" have joined in the search, police said Saturday.

    • The British Columbia election campaign is set to officially start today, with Lt.-Gov. Janet Austin issuing the writ for the Oct. 19 vote.

    • A pair of runaway pigs are in the custody of an animal sanctuary in the Okanagan after evading police and volunteers for hours earlier this week.

    • The Red Bridge, a historic landmark in Kamloops, B.C., was completely destroyed by fire early Thursday morning.

    • Animal protection officers in British Columbia have rescued three pit bulls 鈥 including one that gave birth to 10 puppies 鈥 from a rat-infested home in Kelowna.

    • Despite the heavy rain, plenty of muscle turned up for United Way鈥檚 annual Pull the Bus fundraiser in Lethbridge Friday.

    • Lethbridge County has rescinded its fire restriction as a result of the recent cool, wet weathr.

    • The Lethbridge Hurricanes kicked off the 2024-25 season on a winning note Friday night, defeating the Edmonton Oil Kings 3-1 in a game played at VisitLethbridge.com Arena.

    • Following an outbreak of COVID-19 on its continuing care floor and just ahead of the flu season, St. Joseph鈥檚 General Hospital in Elliot Lake has opted to re-introduce a universal masking policy until further notice.

    • A 26-year-old driver from Surrey, B.C., has been charged with three counts of criminal negligence causing death and bodily harm in a crash that killed two youths in northern Ontario last year.

    • Ontario Provincial Police say three suspects from southern Ontario have been charged and drugs worth $300,000 have been seized following a traffic stop Sept. 16.

    N.L.

    Shopping Trends

    The Shopping Trends team is independent of the journalists at 麻豆影视. We may earn a commission when you use our links to shop.聽Read about us.

    Stay Connected
    Follow 麻豆影视