Flying and Spying

Chinese-Canadian Kam Len “Doug” Sam served in the air force in the Second World War. Shot down in France, he gathered critical information as a spy for the Allies.

Posted November 4, 2021
Please note that this video has some French speaking parts. Turn on captions if you require subtitling.
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This episode is the first of a new animated web series called History Bits. The series explores a diverse range of topics, from overcoming racism in Africville, Nova Scotia, to the historic fight for women’s voting rights, to the struggle to survive the dustbowl era of the Dirty Thirties. Each action-packed episode highlights the courage, creativity, and perseverance of Canadians from the past.

Supplemental Lesson

Flying and Spying: The Life of Kam Len Douglas Sam

Through exploring the life of Kam Len Douglas Sam, students will discover why Sam was the most decorated and highest-ranked Chinese Canadian in history.

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Watch the series

No Votes For Men!

Nellie McClung and a group of devoted suffragists stage their mock parliament to make a point about women’s equality.

Remembering Africville

The city of Halifax bulldozes a Black settlement that had stood for 150 years, destroying a community but not its spirit.

Railway Men

Ride the rails across Canada with Black sleeping car porters as they fight for labour rights and civil rights.

Dust and Depression

Prairie families in the 1930s watch their farms — and hopes — blow away while they wait for rain.

Wildfire

Meet Tom Longboat, an Onondaga long distance runner who becomes a world-class athlete.

Marathon of Hope

On April 12, 1980, amputee Terry Fox set out on a run across Canada with the goal of raising $1 from every Canadian for cancer research.

Fighting for Fairness

Union organizer Madeleine Parent fights for better working conditions in Quebec.
You can help share stories of Canada’s diverse history

Thanks to Section 25 of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, Canada became the first country in the world to recognize multiculturalism in its Constitution. With your help, we can continue to share voices from the past that were previously silenced or ignored.

 

We highlight our nation’s diverse past by telling stories that illuminate the people, places, and events that unite us as Canadians, and by making those stories accessible to everyone through our free online content.

 

Canada’s History is a registered charity that depends on contributions from readers like you to share inspiring and informative stories with students and citizens of all ages — award-winning stories written by Canada’s top historians, authors, journalists, and history enthusiasts.

 

Any amount helps, or better yet, start a monthly donation today. Your support makes all the difference. Thank you!

Yes, I'd like to make a difference!

History Bits was inspired by comics that appear in Kayak: Canada’s History Magazine for Kids, written by Kayak editor Nancy Payne and illustrated by Alex Diochon, and published by Canada’s History Society.

 

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