A Canadian Chronology of the 20th century - (click here to download this page)
[ important country and world dates, particularly those relating to the 20th century ]
Selected by R. MacKay
12,000 B.P.
Arrival of
Native Americans from Asia, possibly as much as 3,000 years earlier
985
Viking, Bjarni Herjolfsson, sighted North America; explored coast of labrador
1000
Leif Erickson establishes short-lived Viking settlement in northern Newfoundland
1491
Jacques Cartier explored St. Lawrence past First Nation villages of Stadacona
(Quebec) and Hochelaga (Montreal)
1497
Observation by John Cabot that Cod could be scooped up in baskets on the Grand
Banks of Newfoundland
1609
Champlain travels up the Ottawa River, visits lands of the Hurons, returns via
Loughborough Lake
1670
Hudson’s Bay Company claims Rupert’s land
1673
Fort Frontenac built by Count Frontenac at Cataraqui ( now Kingston)
1682
La Salle (after whom our school is named) descends the Mississippi to its
mouth; claims for France as Louisiana
1755
Expulsion of the (French) Acadians from New Brunswick by British; go to
Louisiana
1759
Battle of the plains of Abraham. British conquer Quebec City.
1763
The Peace of Paris. End of French rule in Canada
1776
Declaration of Independence of United States
1778
Loyalist refugees begin to arrive in Nova Scotia
1783
Independence of the United States of America after defeat of British forces
1784
Loyalists arrive in modern-day Ontario
1792
Midland District Grammar School (now K.C.V.I.) opens in Kingston
1803
Renewal of Napoleonic War (France vs Britain)
1807
British prohibit neutral (including USA) trade with France.
British ship fires on American ship, search for British deserters
1812-15
War of 1812 between Britain (in Canada) and USA. American invasion of Canada
halted.
1817-18
British-American agreements to limit arms on Great Lakes
1837
Rebellion for democracy over privilege in Lower Canada (Quebec) under Papineau,
and Upper Canada (Ontario) under MacKenzie. Skirmishes were fought. Government
prevailed.
1853-60
Grand Trunk and other railways under construction
1861 -
1865
American Civil War
1864
Charlottetown and Quebec conferences to consider confederation of British
colonies
1866
Fenian (Irish) raids from USA against British in Canada
1867
British North America Act passed in Britain, joining Ontario, Quebec, Nova
Scotia and New Brunswick, thus bringing Canada into being on July 1. John A.
MacDonald is first Prime Minister
1869
Canada purchased Rupert’s Land from Hudson’s Bay Company
1869-70
Problems in Red River Settlement with the Metis (part aboriginal part French)
people and Louis Riel, possibly caused by surveyors from Canada claiming
metis land would be taken away
1870
Manitoba Act creates Province of Manitoba around Red River settlement
1870s
Slaughter of tens of million buffalo on the plains
1871
British Columbia joins Confederation
1873
Prince Edward Island joins Confederation
1874
Women’s Christian Temperance Union formed to fight for votes for women and
restraint from drinking
1876
First long distance phone call was made between Brantford and Paris, Ontario by
Alexander graham bell.
1880
Contract for Canadian Pacific Railway signed
Buffalo scarce everywhere on the plains
Ned Hanlan won World championship of singles rowing – Canada’s first
world sports champion
1880-1885
15,000 Chinese men brought to British Columbia to work on C.P.R. construction
1885
Last spike driven on Canadian Pacific Railroad, joining Atlantic to Pacific by
an all Canadian route
North-west rebellion. Louis Riel and Metis at Batoche fought against
government volunteer troops from Canada. Riel tried in Regina and executed for
treason. Execution approved in Ontario, despised in Quebec
1886
First transcontinental train crosses Canada
1890
Manitoba abolished guarantee of separate schools for French Catholics in
Manitoba. Effectively limited significant French Presence in west.
1891
Invention of game of basketball in Massachusetts, by Canadian Dr. James Naismith
1893
Donation of Dominion Hockey Challenge Cup, or the Stanley Cup
1896
Wilfrid Laurier (L) becomes (first French-Canadian) Prime Minister
Understanding reached with Manitoba with respect to Catholic schools,
but anger in Quebec over compromise
Discovery of gold in the Klondike region of the Yukon
Immigration boom began in “The Last, Best West”, under Clifford
Sifton
1899-1902
Boer War fought in South Africa by British and 7,000 Canadians
1901
Beginning of Twentieth Century
Guglielmo Marconi hears morse code in Nova Scotia sent by radio from England
Alphonse Desjardins forms the first Credit Union, in Quebec
1902
Royal Commission finds Chinese unfit for full citizenship
Marconi sends message across Atlantic from Halifax
The safety razor was invented
Vancouver’s Edison Electric Theatre opens, Canada’s first permanent
movie house
1903
A second transcontinental railway undertaken
Wright Brothers first to fly aeroplane in Kitty Hawk North Carolina (see 1909)
Head tax on Chinese raised to $500
Ontario establishes a 7 m.p.h. speed limit for motor cars
Silver is discovered in Cobalt Ontario
1904
Charles Saunders invents Marquis wheat
Tom Ryan of Toronto develops five-pin bowling
1905
Creation of Saskatchewan and Alberta
1906
HMS Dreadnaught began arms race between Britain and Germany
Ontario Hydro created first publicly owned electric utility in world
Tommy Burns wins the world heavyweight boxing title
Bill Sherring of Hamilton wins Olympic Marathon
1907
Rioting against Chinese and Japanese by Asiatic Exclusion league in Vancouver
First ads for vacuum cleaners appear in Canadian newspapers
Tom Longboat ( a first nations runner) wins the boston Marathon
1909
Flight of Alexander Graham Bell’s aeroplane Silver Dart, in Nova Scotia,
piloted by J.A.D. McCurdy
Cape Breton coal strike
First gas station opens in Vancouver
Candian Amateur swimming Association founded
Governor General grey donates cup to Canadian rugby-football champions
1910
Laurier introduces Naval Services Bill which would form a Canadian navy
1911
Laurier (Liberal) defeated on issues of Free Trade in natural products with
USA, and a Canadian navy. Robert Borden (Conservative) becomes Prime
Minister
1912
Population of Montreal reaches 500,000
1914
Archduke Franz Ferdinand assassinated
Great Britain declares War on Germany, Canada too, August 4
Many Ukrainians, Germans and other “enemy aliens” imprisoned
in camps throughout the country. One camp was at Fort Henry.
The War Measures Act was passed in the House of Commons, giving
government right to pass orders-in-council without going to Parliament
Passenger ship Komagata Maru, carrying 376 Indian Punjabi immigrants,
turned away in Vancouver
1915
Canadian stand at Ypres against first gas attack
Passenger ship Lusitania torpedoed by U boat, 100 Canadians on
board. Also Americans
Women took jobs in munitions plants, on farms etc.
Prohibition of alcohol in Saskatchewan
1916
Berlin, Ontario, mainly German in population, renamed itself Kitchener (after
British War Secretary Lord Kitchener)
Battle of the Somme. First use of tanks. Newfoundland Regiment
nearly annihilated, July 1
Anti-German league created in Toronto
Women get the right to vote in Manitoba elections and hold elected office
Some women get the Federal vote in Canada
All provinces except Quebec accept prohibition of alcohol
Fire on Parliament Hill
1917
Battle of Vimy Ridge, April 9
Battle of Passchendaele, October
Canada part of Imperial War Cabinet
United States joins the war
Halifax Explosion: 1,600 killed
Canadian Northern Railway taken over by Canadian Government
Income Tax Act sets up a “temporary” tax to help pay for the war
effort
The Military Services Bill (allowed conscription) led to riots in
Montreal
The Military Voters Act (men and women overseas could vote)
The Wartime Elections Act (gave vote to women with sons, brothers,
husbands and deceased soldiers and stripped voting rights from “enemy
aliens”)
Women get right to vote in Ontario and British Columbia elections
Communist forces under Lenin seize control of Russia, Czar and family murdered
1918
Conscription in full force, all exemptions cancelled
Anti-conscription riots in Montreal
Battle of Amiens - Canadians lead the
attack
Armistice, Germany Surrenders, November 11
Women get right to vote provincially in Nova Scotia
Women get right to vote federally
“Spanish Flu” epidemic kills 20-30 millions worldwide; 50,000 in
Canada
1919
Peace Conference at Paris, January
Canada signs Treaty of Versailles, which officially ends the war, with
conditions
Winnipeg General Strike: workers shut down city, government
concerns about communists, arrest of leaders, intervention of troops
Women get right to vote provincially in New Brunswick
1920
Robert Borden retires; Arthur Meighen (C) becomes Prime Minister
Women get right to serve as Members of Parliament
Canada becomes a member of League of Nations
Group of Seven (artists) founded
1921
W.L.M. King (L) becomes Prime Minister
United Farmers of Alberta win Alberta election
Discovery of Insulin by Drs. Banting and Best
Agnes McPhail was first woman elected to House of Commons
Labour strike among miners in Cape Breton
1922
Women get right to vote provincially in Prince Edward Island
Fascists come into power in Italy
Chanack Crisis: Britain calls for troops to go to Turkey, Canada refuses
1923
All Chinese immigration to Canada halted
Foster Hewitt gave first play- by-play broadcast of hockey game on radio
Halibut Treaty: Canada sends own representative to sign treaty with USA
1925
Women got right to vote in Newfoundland
Miner strike for five months at Glace Bay, Cape Breton, army occupies
1926
Position of Prime Minister from King (L) to Meighan (C) to King
Governor General Byng refused to call election at request of Prime
Minister; it became an election issue; G.G. now follows request of P.M.
At Imperial Conference Canada and Dominions ask for autonomy; supported in
report by Lord Balfour
Introduction of Old Age Pension
1927
“Alberta Five” took “persons case” to court.
1928
Largest wheat harvest on record
Supreme Court of Canada ruled that women could not be senators because
the term “qualified persons” did not include women.
1929
Judicial Committee of Privy Council of Canada in England overturned Supreme
Court and ruled that women are persons; appointment of first female
senator
Post-war boom ends in stock market crash of October 23
1930
R.B. Bennett (C) becomes Prime Minister
1931
Statute of Westminster deemed Canada a sovereign state, separate from Britain
in foreign affairs
British Empire becomes British Commonwealth ( a group of equal nations)
1932
Japan seized Manchuria, Canada part of resulting League of Nations debate
Co-operative Commonwealth Federation formed at Calgary
Creation of the Canadian Radio Broadcasting Corporation
Hitler comes to power in Germany
Anti-Jewish riots at Toronto’s Christie Pits
Bennett government establishes Relief Camps, mainly for unemployed youngmen
1933
Nazis open first concentration camp in Germany
Nazis pass law to purify German race
1934
Birth of the Dionne Quintuplets
1935
Social credit gains power in Alberta
Mackenzie King (L) becomes Prime Minister again
Strike by relief camp workers led to “On to Ottawa Trek” and riot in
Regina
Italy invades Abyssinia
1936
Duplessis of Union Nationale party became premier of Quebec
Spanish Civil War begins, German and Italian support for Franco
Germany re-arms Rhineland
1937
Duplessis Padlock Law
Dust storms on the prairies
1938
“Crystal Night” in Germany; windows of Jewish owned stores and homes
broken
Germany occupies Austria
Germany occupies Czechoslovakia
British PM policy of appeasement of Germany
1939
Spanish Civil War ends, March
Passenger ship St Louis, carrying 907 Jews fleeing Germany, refused
entry to Canada
Russian-German non-aggression Pact,
August
Germany invades Poland, September 1
Britain and France declare war, September 3
Canada declares war, September 10
1940
Women get right to vote provincially in Quebec
German invasion of France; Evacuation of British troops at Dunkirk
Battle of Britain (for air supremacy); Germany attacks airfields in preparation
for invasion, then cities
Introduction of Unemployment Insurance
1941
Hitler’s Germany attacks Russia (operation Barbarosa)
Camp X, a Special Training School near Whitby opened (for three years) to train
spy agents for British.
Japanese attacks on Pearl Harbour and Hong Kong
U.S.A. joins war against Germany. Britain and Canada at war with Japan.
1942
Conscription plebecite by Canadian government; 65% voted that government should
decide
Evacuation of all Japanese living within 62 km of British Columbia coast
and relocation of 23,000 Japanese-Canadians to camps in the interior
Battle of Dieppe; disaster for Canadians; German coastal defences in France too
strong
German “final solution” for the jews; death camps, gas chambers, crematoria,
mass graves
Elimination of “Commissars”, jews, and other undesirables in wake of
German army advance into Russia
1943
Conscription begins
Defeat of German Afrika Korps
Invasion of Sicily and Italy; Battle of Ortona
1944
C.C.F. wins in Saskatchewan
D-Day Invasion of Normandy, by British, Canadian and American troops
Advance of Russian troops on eastern front
Introduction of Family Allowance
1945
Germany surrenders, May
Atomic bombs used on two cities in Japan, August
Japan surrenders to allies, August
United Nations formed
Igor Gouzenko reveals spying going on in Canada
Beginning of the Cold war
Beginning of immigration of displaced persons from Europe,
1946
Royal Commission on espionage
Beginning of the Baby Boom, which lasted until 1963
1947
Spectacular new discoveries of oil, iron ore and uranium in Canada
First Nuclear Reactor “went critical” at Chalk River
1948
King resigns, Louis St. Laurent (L) becomes Prime Minister
Formation of State of Israel by holocaust survivors, in Palestine
1949
Newfoundland enters confederation
Chinese in Canada permitted to vote
North Atlantic Treaty Organization formed
1950
Korean war begins
General railway strike in Canada
Royal Commission on National Development in the Arts, Letters and
Sciences pointed to the harmful effects of “Americanization” of
Canadian culture.
1951
Discussions about revision of Indian Act involved Indians for the first time
1952
Rt. Hon. Vincent Massey becomes first Canadian born Governor-General
1953
First Canadian television broadcasting, CBC
End of open hostilities in Korea (there has never been a declared peace)
1954
Canada’s first subway trains, Toronto
1955
Formation of Canadian Labour Congress
1956
Suez Crisis in middle east. U.N. accepts Canada’s proposal for
peacekeeping force
Springhill Mine (NS) disaster
1957
John Diefenbaker (Progressive Conservative) becomes Prime Minister
NORAD (North American Air Defence Command) comes into operation
Completion of DEW and Mid-Canada radar lines in the north
Padlock Law repealed
1958
First aboriginal senator appointed
First flight of Avro Arrow
Trans-Canada Pipeline was completed after seven years construction,
partly by U.S. investors
1959
Queen Elizabeth II and President Eisenhower open St. Lawrence Seaway, five
years in the construction
Development halted on the CF-105 Avro Arrow state-of-the-art supersonic
fighter jet. A brain drain to the south resulted. BOMARC missiles bought
instead, but with no nuclear warheads.
Teenager Steven Truscott sentenced to hang, commuted to life imprisonment
1960
Bill of Rights passed by House of Commons
Native Canadians were given the right to vote
1961
“Separatisme” in the province of Quebec becomes an active issue
Birth control pill first available in Canada, but illegal for use as
contraceptive
1962
Canada’s first medicare system began in Saskatchewan
Trans-Canada Highway completed after 13 years of construction
Cuban Missile Crisis
End of blatantly discriminatory immigration quotas
Marshall McLuhan publishes book on effect of print media
Last hangings in Canada
Thalidomide banned after birth defects
Canada’s first communication satellite , Alouette 1, launched, making
Canada third nation to be in space.
1963
Diefenbaker government defeated in House of Commons. Lester Pearson (L) becomes
Prime Minister after general Election
Formation of F.L.Q.; bombs set in mailboxes and at armouries in Quebec
1965
Beginning of Canada Pension Plan
1965
Canada got a new flag
1967
Canadian Centennial and world’s fair at Montreal, Expo 67
President of France asked to leave after verbally supporting Quebec separatism
1968
Pearson resigns, Pierre Trudeau (L) becomes Prime Minister
Racial barriers are reduced in immigration laws
Canadian International Development Agency formed to assist Third World
countries
1969
Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin (USA) walk on the moon
Official Languages Act makes Canada federally bilingual
Legalization of birth control pill in Canada. Abortion legalized under
exceptional circumstances.
1970
All provinces had a medicare program
Report on the Royal Commission on the Status of Women
The F.L.Q. and the October Crisis; War Measures Act proclaimed
1971
Multicultural Act emphasized equality of all cultural and ethnic groups
First CANDU reactor opened
1972
Last flight to the moon by USA
1973-75
Oil embargo by Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) slows
the economy and greatly raises price of oil and gasoline
1974
Quebec passed Bill 22 which made French the only official language there
Release of information that Allies had access to German Enigma codes during WW
II
1975
James Bay land claim settlement
Beaver became official symbol of Canada
1976
Parti Quebecois came into power in Quebec
PQ introduced Charter of the French Language, Bill 101
Capital punishment officially abolished in Canada
1979
Joe Clark (PC) becomes Prime Minister by election
Vietnam refugees crisis
1980
PierreTrudeau (L) regains position of Prime Minister by election
Government permits testing of cruise missiles over Canada
National Energy Policy established to increase Canadian ownership in oil
industry; western provinces, especially Alberta, resentful -- Alberta
temporarily cut off oil supplies to east
Referendum on “sovereignty association in Quebec. “No” vote won.
O Canada becomes official anthem of Canada, 100 years after it was first
performed
1982
Proclamation of Constitution Act, which brought Canada’s constitution to
Canada
Charter of Rights and freedoms
1984
Trudeau resigns as Liberal Party leader and John Turner (L) becomes Prime
Minister
John Turner and the Liberals were defeated and Brian Mulroney (PC)
became Prime Minister
Marc Garneau was Canada’s first astronaut
1985
Bill C-31 removed sections of Indian Act that deprived native women of their
status upon marriage to non-status men
`
Air Indian 747 bombed; largest mass murder of Canadians
1986
Cuts to social programs began, so as to cut the deficit
1987
First minister’s Conference at Meech Lake strikes Meech Lake Accord, with
Quebec in agreement. Three years given for all provinces to ratify. Two
provinces said no.
Reform Party of Canada began
1989
Free Trade Agreement with the United States
Montreal Massacre (of 14 female students) by Marc Lepine at polytechnical school
Peaceful removal of the Berlin Wall, and “end” of the Cold War
1990
Oka Crisis; Mohawk Warrior Society and Quebec Police armed standoff; Canadian
army called in
Formation of Bloc Quebecois
1991
Gulf War removes Iraqi troops from Kuwait. Canada part of 16 nation coalition
Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples formed
Goods and Services Tax (GST) began
1992
Moratorium on cod fishing; 19,000 fishing industry workers lost their jobs
Charlottetown Accord tried to pick up the Meech Lake pieces. In national
referendum majority said no.
1993
Peacekeeper soldiers from Canada killed two Somalia citizens
Brian Mulroney resigned and Kim Campbell (PC) became first female prime
Minister only to be defeated in an election. Jean Cretien (L) became Prime
Minister
1994
North American Free Trade Agreement came into effect
1995
Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples releases report
Quebec referendum held regarding sovereignty. 49.4 % “oui”, 50.6% “non”
1999
Eastern portion of North-west Territories became Nunavut
2000
Reform Party becomes Canadian Alliance
2001
Beginning of Twenty-first Century
Terrorist attack on New York and Washington; Canada assists in war against
terrorism (in Afghanistan)
Ontario Hydro broken into Hydro One and Ontario Power Generation
2002
Kyoto Accord (International agreement on Greenhouse gases) ratified by Federal
Government
2003
SARS outbreak in Toronto
Ontario court deems same-sex marriages legal;
Parliament does not appeal
Largest power failure in history hits eastern Canada and USA
USA invades Iraq: Canada does not participate in coalition
Canadian Alliance Party joins with Progressive Conservatives to form
Conservative Party
2005
Steven Harper (C) becomes Prime Minister
2006
Passports required to enter USA by plane
Quebecois recognized by Canadian government as a nation within Canada
2007 Global Warming recognized as very likely caused by humans by International Conference