Orillia Museum opens first North American exhibit marking Anne Lister
A look inside the new exhibit at the Stephen Leacock Museum in Orillia (KC Colby/CTV News).
The Stephen Leacock Museum in Orillia is now showcasing one of history's most famous code-writers.
"Decoding Anne Lister: History's First Modern Lesbian" is an exhibit that examines the life of Anne Lister, a highly intelligent woman born in England during the late 1700s.
Lister, a successful businesswoman and property owner in her time, was forced to conceal her sexuality as a lesbian.
- Download the CTV News app free to get local alerts on your device
- Get the latest local updates sent to your email inbox
Lister documented her romantic life by developing a complex system of code that she put into more than 5 million words in her diaries.
"We're hoping that people will see that lesbian and queer people have always existed," said Jen Martynyshyn with the Stephen Leacock Museum. "It may have been a secret, but this isn't a modern, new invention that people have always been in the community, and it's always been part of history."
The exhibit will continue at the museum until the start of 2024.
Shopping Trends
The Shopping Trends team is independent of the journalists at CTV News. We may earn a commission when you use our links to shop. Read about us.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Alleged Montreal-area 'Chinese police stations' planning to sue RCMP for $2.5 million
Two Chinese community centres in the Montreal area are planning to launch a $2.5 million defamation lawsuit against the RCMP and the Attorney General of Canada after being accused by the police force of hosting 'alleged Chinese police stations.'
With Canada set to reimpose cap on working hours, international students worry about paying for tuition, living expenses
Canada is set to reimpose the cap on the number of hours that international students can work off campus. But with heightened cost-of-living concerns in Canada, many international students say they're not sure how they'll be able to afford their tuition and living expenses if they can't work full-time.
Inmate stabbed Derek Chauvin 22 times, charged with attempted murder, prosecutors say
A federal inmate was charged Friday with attempted murder in the prison stabbing of Derek Chauvin, the former Minneapolis police officer convicted of murdering George Floyd.
Lawyer in Ali murder trial says 13-year-old B.C. victim was not an 'innocent'
Ibrahim Ali's lawyer says the 13-year-old girl he's accused of murdering in a British Columbia park wasn't the “innocent” depicted in a “rose-coloured” portrayal by the Crown at trial.
'Jumped over their heads': Kangaroo escapes Ontario zoo during overnight stay
The search for a kangaroo that escaped an Ontario zoo will resume on Saturday morning, according to volunteers attempting to catch the marsupial.
Mild, rainy winter expected as Canada warms at twice the global rate
Winter will be unusually warm and rainy across much of the country this year, according to the latest data from Environment and Climate Change Canada.
Paraguay official resigns after signing agreement with fictional country
A Paraguayan government official was replaced after it was revealed that he signed a memorandum of understanding with representatives of a fugitive Indian guru's fictional country, who also appear to have duped several local officials in the South American country.
CSIS to probe B.C. office after allegations of rape, harassment and toxic workplace
Canada's spy agency says it has launched a workplace assessment of its British Columbia office over 'serious allegations' raised by whistleblowers who say they were sexually assaulted and harassed by a senior officer.
Judge rejects Trump's claim of immunity in his federal 2020 election prosecution
Donald Trump is not immune from prosecution in his election interference case in Washington, a federal judge ruled Friday, knocking down the Republican's bid to derail the case charging him with plotting to overturn the 2020 presidential election.
Atlantic
-
3 youths arrested after irritant sprayed inside Halifax-area school
Three youths were arrested after an irritant was sprayed Friday morning at a school in the Halifax area.
-
Woman, 25, charged with murder in Cape Breton homicide
A 25-year-old woman has been charged with murder in connection with a homicide in Cape Breton last week.
-
First heavy snowfall of December likely on Monday for parts of the Maritimes
A low pressure system moving out of the northeastern United States and passing along the Atlantic coast of Nova Scotia is likely to bring parts of the Maritimes the first heavy snowfall for December on Monday.
Montreal
-
Ile-aux-Tourtes bridge to be reduced to one lane each way for weeks: MTQ
Traffic on the Île-aux-Tourtes bridge will be reduced to one lane in each direction "for several weeks" as of Friday night, Quebec's transport ministry has confirmed. The eastbound portion of the bridge will be completely closed for about an hour starting at 11 p.m. Friday to redirect the lanes.
-
Que. teachers' union submits counter-offer, indefinite strike continues
FAE's indefinite strike will continue. Union heads say they've submitted a counter-offer to Quebec as the widespread education walkout stretches into its seventh day.
-
'Last-minute' amendment to Quebec health bill would allow agency to revoke hospital's bilingual status
A new amendment to Quebec's mammoth health-care bill would allow the new Sante Quebec agency to revoke a health-care institution's bilingual status — a move English-rights activists say is shocking.
Ottawa
-
Gatineau, Que. Facebook Marketplace sellers using fake addresses to scam buyers
Residents of a Gatineau, Que. neighbourhood have been dealing with a string of strangers knocking at the doors of their homes looking to pick up their purchased products from Facebook Marketplace, but instead discovering they had been scammed.
-
OC Transpo bus drives off the road following collision in Ottawa's east end
A man was transported to hospital and three people were treated at the scene after a collision involving an OC Transpo bus resulted in the bus driving off the road and onto the sidewalk and grass.
-
Ottawa man, 38, charged with child pornography and extortion offences
A 38-year-old Ottawa man was arrested for allegedly extorting a 17-year-old girl from the United States for child pornography.
Toronto
-
'Jumped over their heads': Kangaroo escapes Ontario zoo during overnight stay
The search for a kangaroo that escaped an Ontario zoo will resume on Saturday morning, according to volunteers attempting to catch the marsupial.
-
Worker dies after falling from home in Toronto's east end
A man is dead after he fell approximately two stories while working on an East York home on Friday morning, police say.
-
Toronto residents raise concerns over empty section of Yonge Street, awaiting demolition since spring
A block of storefronts along a major Toronto road has been sitting empty, covered in black paint and awaiting demolition, since the spring.
Kitchener
-
Alleged victims speak out after a Waterloo, Ont. man posed as a CSIS agent and scammed women out of millions
Several women have come forward claiming they were victims of a romance scam by a Waterloo, Ont. man. Police believe he allegedly defrauded dozens of women out of more than $2 million over 15 years.
-
Male arrested after allegedly shooting at police in Six Nations
Police in Six Nations of the Grand River say no one was hurt after a male barricaded himself inside a home and shot at police.
-
Falcon box comes down as CTV tower removed
The transmission tower beside CTV Kitchener’s old station has been fully dismantled.
London
-
People growing angry over four year long ER closure, Huron mayor says
Four years ago, the temporarily closed sign went up outside the Clinton Hospital’s emergency room.
-
All evidence in at the murder trial of Robert Charnock
Both the Crown and the defence have wrapped up their respective cases at the second degree murder trial of Robert Charnock in London.
-
New multi-million dollar London medical supply plant fits like a glove
Medical supply manufacturer Medicom announced it will build a $165 million plant in London to produce medical grade nitrile gloves — the first plant of its kind in Canada.
Northern Ontario
-
Sudbury Wacky Wings owner ‘heartbroken’ restaurant being expropriated, vows to reopen
While he’s a big supporter of what the city has planned for downtown, the owner of Wacky Wings on Shaughnessy Street says he and his staff are “heartbroken” they are being forced out of their location.
-
DEVELOPING
DEVELOPING Heavy police presence in New Liskeard
Few details are available, but there is a heavy police presence Friday morning near Highway 11 and Bedard Drive in New Liskeard.
-
OPP investigates deadly assault at Orillia long-term care facility
Provincial police are investigating the death of a resident at a long-term care facility in Orillia.
Windsor
-
Few grinches in Windsor — residents most excited for the holidays, survey says
A new survey suggests Windsor is the Canadian city most excited for Christmas as a number of holiday events and festivals take place this weekend.
-
WECHU to cut staffing and programming by about 10 per cent, citing budget restraints
The Windsor Essex County Health Unit (WECHU) says it will be reducing its staff by about 10 per cent in 2024 due to budgetary restraints.
-
Alleged drunk Detroit paramedic crashes ambulance with patient inside
The Detroit Fire Department says a paramedic has been placed on unpaid leave after allegedly crashing an ambulance while impaired.
Calgary
-
40-year-old man killed in brazen Beltline shooting: Calgary police
Calgary police say a man killed in a drive-by shooting in the Beltline on Thursday night appears to be from out of town.
-
Southern Alberta career college students get good news as they regain access to courses
CTV News received some good news from students at the career college of Academy of Learning.
-
Calgary teen charged in CrossIron Mills Black Friday stabbings
A 17-year-old Calgarian has been charged with numerous offences in relation to a three stabbings that took place on Nov. 24 at CrossIron Mills mall.
Saskatoon
-
Saskatoon city council raises property taxes 6.04% for next year, highest increase in 10 years
Saskatoon property taxes are going up 6.04 per cent next year, after an unprecedented length of budget discussions.
-
Sask. First Nation uses wood from old grain elevators to build its first homes
A Saskatchewan First Nation is using wood from old grain elevators to build some of the first homes on its land.
-
Saskatoon city council approves plan for kids to ride buses for free
Kids in Saskatoon are one step closer to riding city buses for free.
Edmonton
-
Devon, Alta., town council will seek to disqualify Anita Fisher following jail sentence
An elected official for the Town of Devon should be kicked out of her council seat, the town's mayor said Friday, the day after she was sentenced to 120 days in jail.
-
Cyclist killed by hit-and-run driver in west Edmonton: police
A cyclist is dead after a crash in west Edmonton on Friday.
-
Edmonton Coun. Jennifer Rice offers apology, but says reports she bullied staff are 'inaccurate'
Jennifer Rice, the Edmonton city councillor for Ward Ipiihkoohkanipiaohtsi, is disputing reports that she bullied staff and created a toxic work environment, but is still refusing to take questions about what happened.
Vancouver
-
Sole survivor of Sea to Sky Highway crash on how faith, community are helping her unimaginable grief
Iris Paguia-Portillo was in the front passenger seat, and her brother James and two-year-old daughter Natalia in the back seat on their late night drive home from a church gathering on Nov. 26. Just 20 minutes from their Whistler home, she heard her husband Josefat Portillo scream as their car hit black ice and struck a tree.
-
Vancouver lawyer banned from investment markets for life also barred from practising law
A Vancouver lawyer who was banned from the financial markets by B.C.'s securities regulator earlier this year has agreed to an eight-year ban on practising law in the province.
-
Christmas tree shortage affecting North Vancouver tree lot
Lynn Valley Lions Club has been running an annual Christmas tree lot for more than 30 years. It typically sells upwards of 16,000 trees each season, but this year the organization can only offer roughly 800 trees for sale.
