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11 October 2007
The Chestnut Set of pipe tunes
In response to a question on the Sinclair-Discussion list about what
pipe tunes we might recognize, Rory Sinclair has recorded a medley of
five tunes he calls The Chestnut Set. This medley is available
as an MP3 file on our website — go to Rory's Music for more information.
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25 September 2007
Calton Swamp dedicated to Dr Duncan Sinclair
Ducks Unlimited Canada has dedicated the Calton
Swamp in Elgin County, Ontario to its former president
Dr Duncan Sinclair, according to an article today in
the Tillsonburg News.
Known as an advocate for conservation and stewardship
at all levels of government, the Aylmer physician was
president of DUC in 1989–1990.
In Ontario, he stressed youth programs and was co–founder
of the Ontario volunteer council. At the dedication
ceremony, Dr Sinclair recalled that he hunted
the swamp with his father over 60 years ago, and
said he was proud to see it still associated with hunting
and youth.
"Dunc" Sinclair is the third generation of
physicians in Aylmer, following his father and grandfather.
His brother is a fish biologist in Campbell River BC and their
sister Mary Sinclair Stickel of Kaslo BC is the founding president
of Clan Sinclair Association (Western Canada).
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20 September 2007
CAD at par with USD again
For the first time since 25 November 1976, the Canadian dollar is back
to par with the American dollar. When they were last at par, Canada was
still using $1 and $2 bills — the loonie was introduced in 1987,
and the toonie in 1996.
The Canadian dollar traded below 90¢ American from February 1978
until May 2006.
Canada's only land borders are with the USA, and 75% of the Canadian
population lives within 100 miles (160 kilometres) of the border, so
cross–border shoppers are expected to cause long lineups at
the highway border crossings.
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03 August 2007
Castle Sinclair Girnigoe Work Continues
In Caithness, the Young Archaeology Club will
dig at the Castle
Sinclair Girnigoe ruins near Wick
for the first time on 9–10 August, according
to an article
at the John O Groats Journal and
Caithness Courier website, then there
will be a community dig on weekdays
from 13 August until 7 September.
The work is organized by the Caithness Archaeological
Trust and supervised by the York–based Field Archaeology
Specialists Ltd. The Earl of Caithness, Chief Executive of
the Clan Sinclair Trust which owns the castle, says everyone is welcome
to join in: "No previous experience is needed and
if anyone is interested in helping for some or all of
the time please contact Emma Sanderson, the
CAT archaeologist, on 01593 731269."
Their aim this summer is to investigate whether the
castle had a south barbican
protecting its sea entrance.
Archaeologists continue to work on other areas of the castle site.
Later this year, a new bridge will be installed, and next year, part
of the castle will be open to the public.
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20 July 2007
Canadian Checkers Champion
Nobody can beat Chinook
at checkers! Chinook is a computer program developed at
the University of Alberta that knows all the moves in checkers –
or draughts, as this board game is called in the UK.
As reported on the BBC website, an earlier, heuristic
version of Chinook was extremely successful, winning the
World Checkers Championship in 1994, but still it lost some games.
"Chinook now contains all the information needed to predict
the best move to play in every situation of a game."
This is the result of years of analyzing the outcomes of all possible
moves — 500,995,484,682,338,672,639 different play positions
according to an article at The Scotsman
— together with consultation with top checkers players;
Chinook's latest version can win or draw every game.
To try your hand in a game against the 1994 World Champion,
click here.
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15 July 2007
Honoured Members
At the 2007 quadrennial business meeting of the Clan Sinclair Association
of Canada, which was held during the Gathering in Prince Edward Island, there
were two honorary appointments.
Long–time CSAC member Ian A. Sinclair
of Richmond Hill, Ontario, was appointed an Honorary Life Member
of the Association. Ian was an attendee at the historic 2000 Gathering
of Clan Sinclair, in Scotland. The citation recognized his meritorious service, namely
his many articles and book reviews for our newsletter Roslin O Roslin,
his four years (2003–2007) as Secretary — "a job which
he performed with spirit and great reliability" — and many other
services rendered to our Association.
Founder member John G. "Jack" Sinclair of Halifax, Nova Scotia,
was appointed Honorary President of the Association, succeeding the late
Mac Sinclair of Kingston, Ontario. Jack is a brother of the CSAC Past President,
Bill Sinclair. A prime mover and founder member of both Clan Sinclair Canada
and the Clan Sinclair Society of Nova Scotia, Jack Sinclair was CSAC President
1987–1991 and was also "prime mover and main organizer of
the 1998 Celebration of the 600th Anniversary of the arrival on our shores
of Prince Henry Sinclair in 1398."
The citations presented to both honoured members were signed by
the Clan Chief as well as the CSAC President, Secretary and Treasurer,
and the editor of Roslin O Roslin. Our sincere thanks and heartiest
congratulations to both Ian and Jack!
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14 July 2007
Guardian Article on PEI Gathering
Clan Sinclair members from "Australia, Oklahoma,
South Carolina, Texas, California, Georgia, New Hampshire,
British Columbia, Ontario, Quebec and throughout the Maritimes"
have joined the clan chief at the CSAC Gathering on Prince Edward Island, according
to an article in The Guardian
newspaper of Charlottetown, PEI.
![Four Sinclairs - click for The Guardian article [photo Heather Taweel]](../shared/pei2007-4sinclairs_sm.jpg)
The Gathering, of close to 125 clan members, includes about
60 Islanders with Sinclair connections. One of those is Roger Sinclair,
President of the host Clan Sinclair Society of Nova Scotia and CSAC VP
for the Maritimes — "the great, great, great
grandson of the brother of John Sinclair, who is believed to be the first
Sinclair to settle in P.E.I., when he came from Scotland in 1776 to call
what is now Malpeque his home."
To read the whole article on The Guardian's website,
click here.
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30 June 2007
Loonie turns 20
Canada's new $1 coin, officially released 30 June 1987, has now
been in circulation for 20 years. With an initial release of 80 million coins, the loonie replaced
less durable one-dollar bills, so was expected to save the country
250 million dollars in the first 20 years.
The new coin featured a water bird design by Robert-Ralph Carmichael
from the Ontario community of Echo Bay, which is near Sault Ste Marie,
and Echo Bay has erected a monument
in his honour on Highway 17.
That iconic loon (huard in French) led to the coin's popular name,
the loonie. Slightly larger than a quarter, but smaller than the traditional silver dollar,
the loonie has eleven sides; it is gold-coloured, but actually made of aureate bronze
(8.5%) plated onto pure nickel (91.5%).
One year after the loonie's introduction, the Royal Canadian
Mint discontinued distribution of $1 bills. Then
nearly nine years later — on 19 February 1996 —
the Mint released a $2 coin, which quickly became known
as the toonie. The $5 bill is now the smallest denomination
Canadian bill in wide circulation.
Canada was not the first Western country to change from a bill
to a coin for its unit of currency. The United Kingdom had introduced
£1 coins in 1983, and Australia, $1 coins in 1984.
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11 March 2007
Sinclairs at theCanada Winter Games
"Ottawa's Sinclair clan has made the Canada Winter
Games in Whitehorse a family affair." reports CBC Sports.
Suzanne Sinclair is a volunteer at the Games, which were held
this year in the Yukon
capital, and son Alexander is in the National Artists' Program. But the Sinclairs
are a curling family....
Younger son Neil, 17, is skip of the Sinclair rink, which took
the men's curling silver medal. His father Graham Sinclair is their team
coach. And daughter Jamie, 15, is third with the Rachel Homan rink,
which took home a gold in women's curling for Team Ontario.
The 2007 Canada Winter Games ran from 23 February
through 10 March. For full results, go to http://cwg2007.kimik-it.gl.
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03 March 2007
Registration for 8th CSAC International Gathering
Every four years since 1979, the Maritimes has hosted
an International Gathering for the Clan Sinclair Association
of Canada. Clan members, relatives and friends from Canada,
the USA and abroad are invited to attend.
This year, the Eighth International Gathering will be
in Prince Edward Island on the third weekend
of July, hosted by the Clan Sinclair Society of Nova Scotia.
Early reservations are required, and so registration
is requested by mid–May.
Full information on the 2007 Gathering, as printed in
the CSAC newsletter Roslin O Roslin, is available
here as .PDF files:
- Click here for information
on 2007 Gathering events.
- Click here for the
registration form.
[These files require the Adobe Reader from Adobe.com.]
Click on the PEI provincial flag above to be connected
to the visitors guide for Prince Edward Island. If you have
any further questions regarding the 2007 Sinclair Gathering,
please contact Roger Sinclair or
Glen Manthorne.
As CSAC President Rory Sinclair said,
"We all would love your attendance —
gonna be a grand party!!!"
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