Sample Pages
The Fitzhenry and Whiteside Book of Canadian Facts and Dates is a fun and interesting look back at Canadian history, from the Making of a Planet, to First Peoples’ creation stories, to modern history up to the 21st century. Below are links to sample pages from the book and some of the highlights from the pages listed below each page. Take a look at these pages and get a feel for the wealth of information available.
Click here to see page 157 from 1813 and 1814.
Nov. 11 Eight hundred Canadian and British soldiers, under Lt. Col. Joseph W. Morrison (1783—1826), defeated 1,800 Americans, under Gen. Wilkinson, in the Battle of Crysler’s Farm, halting the American advance and causing abandonment of the campaign against Montreal.
Also in 1813
The HBC moved Edmonton House to its permanent location within the present city limits.
Mar. 30 Gen. Wilkinson crossed into Canada with 4,000 US troops, but was defeated by the British at Lacolle, Que., and forced to retreat to Plattsburg, New York.
Click here to see page 256 from 1867, confederation.
May 22 A Royal Proclamation declared that the Dominion of Canada would come into existence on July 1,1867. A Senate of 72 life members was appointed, with 24 members each for Ontario (formerly Canada West) and Quebec (formerly Canada East), and 12 each for NB and NS.
June 1 Charles Stanley Monck,4th Viscount, was appointed the Dominion of Canada’s gov-gen. He served from July 1,1867 to Nov.13, 1868.
July 1 Twelve noon The BNA Act was proclaimed and the Dominion of Canada was born.
John A. Macdonald was sworn in as Canada’s 1st prime minister. . .
Macdonald, Cartier, GaIt, Tilley, Tupper, McDougall and Howland received knighthoods.
Adams George Archibald became 1st secretary of state for Canada. He had been a NS Assembly representative between 1851—1 867.
Sept. 18 John A. Macdonald’s Conservatives won the federal election after Confederation, taking 101 seats against 80 for the Liberals under Edward Blake (1833—1912). . .
Also in Sept
The Canadian-built automobile, a steam- 2 powered car, was demonstrated at Stanstead, Que., by Henry Seth Taylor (1833—1887).
Nov. 6 The 1st session of Canada’s 1st Parliament opened. It sat until Dec. 21. . .
Click here to see page 257, 1867 continued.
Nov. 19 The British govt rejected a request that BC be allowed to join Confederation.
Dec. 17 The BC Legislature met for the 1st time in Victoria. The city would be proclaimed the new capital of BC May 25, 1 868.
Also in 1867
Canada’s population was 3,463,000,
Male teachers earned between $260—552 a year. Female teachers earned between $169—265 per year.
Click here to see page 481 from 1958, 50 years ago.
Oct. 15 Israeli Foreign Minister Golda Meir visited Ottawa.
Oct. 22 Blanche Margaret Meagher (1911—1999) was appointed ambassador to Israel, becoming the lst Canadian woman to be appointed an ambassador. . .
Oct. 23 A coal-mine explosion at Springh ill, NS, trapped 174 miners, some as deep as 3,960 m underground. Rescue workers brought 81 men out on the l day, 12 on Oct.30, and 7 more on Nov. 1. The remaining 74 miners died underground. It was the deepest rescue effort in Canadian history, and the 1st such rescue effort to be broadcast on television, by CBHT-TV.
Oct. 28—Dec. 19 PM Diefenbaker and his wife, Olive, left Ottawa on a 6-week marathon world tour. On Oct. 29 the PM met with Secretary Gen. of the UN, Dag Hammarskjold, in New York . . .
Dec. 9 Canadian and international peacekeepers successfully completed their UN Observation Group obligations in Lebanon.
Dec. 10 In one of the most exciting and brutal fights in boxing history, Yvon “The Fighting Fisherman” Durelle (b 1929), a NB fisherman, knocked down world light-heavyweight champ Archie Moore 3 times in the 1st round and once more in the 5th Durelle faded in the later stages of the fight and Moore scored a technical knockout in the 11th round to retain his championship, before a frenzied crowd at the Montreal Forum.
Also in 1958
Canadian photographer Roloff Beny (1924—1984) published the lst of his 16 books, Thrones of Heaven and Earth, a photographic interpretation, with accompanying text, of the artistic and architectural treasures of the Mediterranean.
Canadian flutist, saxophonist and clarinet maestro Moe Koffman (1928-2001) composed “Swingin’ Shepherd Blues,” a jazz classic that would be recorded by more than 100 different artists.
Rockin’ Ronnie “The Hawk” Hawkins (b 1935) immigrated to Toronto from Arkansas in a beat-up Chevy. He would spread the sound of rockabilly nationwide.
Click here to see page 534 from 1967, our centennial year.
Apr. 4 Pierre Trudeau was sworn in as Justice Minister under Lester B. Pearson.
Apr. 6 George Brinton McClellan (b 1908),
Commissioner of the RCMP, was named ombudsman of Aib., the 1st such position in Canada.
Apr. 12 The House of Commons recommended the adoption of “O Canada” as the national anthem, and “God Save the Queen” as the Royal anthem. The anthem would not be made official until June 27,1980.
Apr. 27 Expo ‘67 opened in Montreal under the theme “Man and his World.” The World’s Fair was held on the Cite du Havre peninsula at Montreal, and on the St. Lawrence islands of Sainte-Hélène and Notre-Dame. Both islands had been artificially augmented with over 6 million tonnes of fill. Expo included over 90 international, regional, commercial and theme pavilions, including the US Pavilion – a geodesic dome designed by Buckminster Fuller; the Canada Pavilion – the huge Katimavik inverted triangle; and the interconnected “Man the Explorer” complex. The World’s Fair closed on Oct.29, having hosted 50,306,648 visitors. Admission was $2.50 per day; $12 for the week; or $35 for unlimited entry. Total cost of Expo was $432 million.
Also in Apr.
French President Charles de Gaulle refused to attend ceremonies at Vimy Ridge because Canadians had invited Prince Philip of England.
May 2 Dave Keon (b 1940) scored 2 short-handed goals and George Armstrong (b 1930) a clinching empty-netter against the Montreal Canadiens to take the 6th and deciding game of the Stanley Cup finals in Toronto. It was the Maple Leafs’ 11th and last Stanley Cup of the century.
May 16 A $1 million federal program was unveiled to help Native Peoples buy or build homes off their reserves and closer to places of employment.
Click here to see page 535 from 1967, centennial year continued.
June 10 The Bruce Trail in southern Ont. was officially opened. . .
July 1 Canada’s centennial was marked by a mass celebration on Parliament Hill. PM Pearson addressed the nation. . .
The Order of Canada, the country’s most prestigious honour, was officially established to coincide with Canada’s centennial. . .
Actress and model Pamela Denise Anderson (better known as Pamela Anderson Lee or C.J. Parker on the syndicated TV series Baywatch) was born in Ladysmith, BC. She was the 1st baby born on Canada’s 100th birthday and was promptly named the country’s “Centennial Baby.”
July 3—6 The NDP held its national convention in Toronto and returned Tommy Douglas as national leader by acclamation.
Click here to see page 641 from 1982.
Mar. 8 The Canada Bill, which allowed Canada to patriate its Constitution, was passed by the British House of Commons. . .
West-Fed, a political organization promoting western secession, disbanded and joined the Western Canada Concept movement to concentrate western separatist forces.
Mar. 19 Que. signed a 13-year, $6 billion agreement to export hydro-electric power to New York State.
Apr. 17 PM Trudeau and Queen Elizabeth II signed the Canadian Constitution, which incorporated the Charter of Rights and Freedoms. . .
And there is so much more in the book. Check it out!
|