Living History of Low German-speaking Mennonites

"Leaving Canada" follows the migration of Mennonites to Mexico through the themes of parting ways, new beginnings and lasting legacy.

On March 1, 1922, a large group of Old Colony Mennonites gathered at the railway station in Plum Coulee, Manitoba, awaiting a train that would take them to Cuauhtémoc, a small town in northern Mexico. "Leaving Canada" tells the story of these Mennonites and the nearly eight thousand others who left Canada in the 1920s to start new lives in Mexico and Paraguay.

Explore the history of the Low German-speaking Mennonite community's determination to preserve its autonomy. It is a story about competing conceptions of religious freedom and of tensions between religious, linguistic, and educational rights on the one hand, and the obligations of citizenship on the other. Organized with service providers to Low German-speaking Mennonites in mind, following a guided tour, participants will take part in a presentation and discussion session to help them apply learnings to their context.

Attendees are encouraged to gather colleagues to make the most of this half-day of professional development.

Morning or afternoon tours are available and can begin or end with a visit to a local restaurant in Aylmer that serves some traditional Low German foods. (Lunch is not part of the organized program.)

Schedule options:
Morning option – 8:30am – 12:00pm
Afternoon option – 1:00pm – 4:00pm

Cost: $40 per individual
Registration Deadline: March 8 
Event capacity: 40 individuals per session

The travelling exhibit will be visiting The Aylmer-Malahide Museum & Archives for a limited time, thanks to their collaborative efforts with Mennonite Community Services and Norfolk Community Help Centre.