Canada's little-known Russian sect

High on a bluff above Western Canada's Columbia River, just outside the small town of Castlegar, beautiful harmonies filled the air. I was sitting in the garden of the Doukhobor Discovery Centre beneath a statue of the great Russian novelist Leo Tolstoy, listening to a recording of an a cappella Doukhobor choir singing a haunting psalm. It sounded like a multi-tracked version of Crosby, Stills & Nash rendered in Russian.

"When the Doukhobors sing, it's a powerful occasion," explained Ryan Dutchak, the centre's director of museum and culture and an active choir member. "It gives you the chills. It's like you're taking part in history, making a strong connection with your ancestors in both Russia and Canada."