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Heritage Minutes

The Heritage Minutes is a series of sixty-second short films, each illustrating an important moment in Canadian history. Published by Historica Canada the Minutes integrate Canadian history, folklore and myths into dramatic storylines.[1][2][3] Like the Canada Vignettes of the 1970s, the Minutes themselves have become a part of Canadian culture and been the subject of academic studies as well as parody.[4]

The Minutes were first introduced on March 31, 1991, as part of a one-off history quiz show hosted by Wayne Rostad.[5] Originally distributed to schools,[2] they appeared frequently on Canadian television and in cinemas before feature films, and were later available online and on DVD.[4] "Radio minutes" have also been made.[6] From 1991 to 1995, 50 episodes aired. In 2012, new Minutes were produced in the lead-up to Canada's sesquicentennial (150th anniversary of Canadian Confederation) in 2017.


The Minutes have featured appearances by some of Canada's best-known personalities, including Jared Keeso, Michael Shanks, Calum Worthy, Colm Feore, Dan Aykroyd, and Kate Nelligan. Voice-over end narration for the Heritage Minutes has been provided by such recognizable voices as Peter Mansbridge, k.d. lang, Adrienne Clarkson, and Lloyd Robertson.[7]

The Canadian sketch comedy shows , The Rick Mercer Report, Royal Canadian Air Farce, and Rock et Belles Oreilles, have parodied the Heritage Minute format in sketches, or used the format for satire.[130][131]

This Hour Has 22 Minutes

has aired short parodies titled "Sacrilege Moments".[132]

The Comedy Network

Canadian rapper parodied the Heritage Minute in his music video for the song "O Canada..."[133]

Classified

Canadian cartoonist adapted the Heritage Minute format in a comic about Margaret Trudeau, wife of former Canadian Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau.[134]

Kate Beaton

In 2007, the Internet comedy group celebrated Canada Day by telling the story of the Heritage Minutes in the format of a Heritage Minute.[135]

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In the second episode of of Canada's Drag Race, the main challenge is based on parodying Heritage Minutes as "Her-itage Moments"; the parodied ads were the one on Nellie McClung and the suffragist movement in Manitoba, and the one about Dr. Wilder Penfield's advances in neuroscience research.[136]

season 1

, similar 1970s series about the American Revolution

Bicentennial Minutes

Canadian folklore

Canada: A People's History

Events of National Historic Significance

The Greatest Canadian

Hinterland Who's Who

National Historic Sites of Canada

Persons of National Historic Significance

The Log Driver's Waltz

Historica Canada

- official YouTube channel

Heritage Minutes