The University of Manitoba campuses are located on original lands of Anishinaabeg, Cree, Ojibwe-Cree, Dakota, and Dene peoples, and on the National Homeland of the Red River Métis. More
Czas (the Times), is the oldest Polish language newspaper weekly in Canada. It was established in Winnipeg in 1914, -- and first published by a local Canadian firm owned and operated by the famous local Czech immigrant, Franciszek Dojacek. From its beginnings, Czas ensured that its Polish roots and content remained intact, as it was closely connected with members of the Polish Gymnastic Association Sokol. It was through Sokol’s perseverance and guidance that facilitated the creation of the newspaper.
For over a century it has remained an invaluable resource of information to the Polish community in Canada – informing new immigrants of local and international events, and assisting them with the new challenges and adjustments they face in their new country. Through the years Czas has provided a nonpartisan link between Polish-Canadians, and Polish communities beyond Canada's borders -- allowing for the free dissemination of information about their ancestral home.
In the Fall of 2003 the executive board of Czas Polish Press Ltd., agreed to find a permanent home for their collection of bound newspaper issues covering the period of 1915-2003. The Board approached the U of M Archives & Special Collections to house this unique and historical collection of Polish-Canadiana. On January 2004 the executive board of Czas officially transferred the Czas newspaper collection from Czas Polish Press Ltd., to the University of Manitoba Archives & Special Collections.
The original bound volumes of Czas are available to faculty, students, researchers and the public at the University of Manitoba Archives & Special Collection, 331 Elizabeth Dafoe Library. Current issues of Czas are available for the public to view in the Slavic Collections' newspaper area.
In 2018, the U of M Archives & Special Collections finished digitizing the years 1915-2004 of Czas, which encompassed the period when the newspaper was published and headquartered in Winnipeg. The searchable online version of Czas is now available to researchers locally, nationally and internationally.