Canadian History Time Line, 1911 to Present

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The History Ring

A review of this site by Brent Johner is available at the About.com Canadian History site.

1914

War (WWI) is declared on Germany (by Britain, implicating CA automatically). The War Measures Act is passed suspending civil rights during crises. Immigration to CA is at an all-time high. The Parliament of Women is staged

1916

Women are granted the right to vote & hold public office, thanks to Nellie Mclung (or here, or yet more links) & others. The Parliament buildings are destroyed in a fire. 25,000 Canadians & Newfoundlanders are killed in the Battle of the Somme. (Here for other links, maps, etc. for 3 major battles of WWI.)

1917

A temporary income tax is introduced to help cover wartime
expenses. Women are able to vote for the first time (here too). Halifax Harbour is wiped out by an explosion in a munitions ship. The worst battles faced by Canadians in WWI are fought at Vimy Ridge & Passchendaele

1918

Canadians force through German trenches at Amiens, beginning ”Canada’s Hundred Days,” which leads to the end of the war on Nov. 11 (more links from the Dept of National Defence site)

1920

CA joins the League of Nations at its inception. The NWMP becomes the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. Women become eligible to sit in the House of Commons

1923

Canadian National Railways is formed by a merger of the Northern & Transcontinental Railways

1926

British dominions are defined as autonomous

1927

Labrador is awarded to Newfoundland (and here) rather than Quebec by Britain’s Privy Council. The celebration of Confederation is marked by the first cross-country radio broadcast. The Old Age Pension Act is introduced (here for an interesting history of Social Work in Canada

1928

The Supreme Court rules that women are not persons who can hold office according to the BNA Act—reversed a year later by the Privy Council in Britain

1929

The Great Depression begins

1931

CA is granted full legislative authority in domestic & external affairs, with the Crown represented by the Governor General (list of Governors General)

1934

The Bank of Canada is formed. The Dionne quintuplets are born

1935

10% of CDNs depend on financial relief (here for an analysis of economic issues of the period). Young men from government-sponsored work camps end their “On to Ottawa Trek” in a riot at Regina

1938

Roosevelt (and here for biography or time line links) becomes the first president in office to visit CA. [A link that was formerly listed on this site has been changed; it was found to contain inaccurate information. My aplogies to anyone who was offended by that inadvertent error.]

1939

Britain declares war (WWII) on Germany. CA declares war shortly after. (Set of links for Canada and WWII)

1940

Unemployment insurance becomes available (here for an interesting history of Social Work in Canada). Thérèse Casgrain helps women win the right to vote & hold office in the provincial legislature (Quebec)

1941

Hong Kong falls to Japan; Canadians are captured

1942

Many Canadian soldiers die at Dieppe. Japanese-Canadians are moved from coastal BC areas; their property is confiscated

1944

On D-Day, Canadians push further inland than other Allied forces. Saskatchewan elects the first Socialist government in NA with the CCF led by Tommy Douglas (here for history of NDP)

1945

WWII ends. Of the one million Canadian soldiers who fought, 42,000 were killed. Family Allowance payments are introduced. A Soviet spy network is found to be operating in CA

1949

Newfoundland becomes the 10th province. CA joins NATO. The final court of appeal in CA is the Supreme Court after CDN appeals to the British Privy Council are abolished

1950

The Korean War begins; Canadians are part of a United Nations force

1951

Population is 14,009,429. Immigration after the war is more than 100,000 per year (also here). A report finds that CA’s culture is dominated by American influences. The Indian Act is revised to limit coverage of Native people, excluding Native women who married non-Native men (rescinded in 1985)

1952

The first CDN-born Governor General, Vincent Massey, takes office. The first TV station (CBC) begins broadcasting

1953

The National Library is established in Ottawa. The Korean War ends; 314 Canadians were killed & 1,211 were wounded

1954

An economic slowdown occurs. The first subway in CA opens in Toronto. CA becomes part of a peacekeeping force supervising peace in Indochina

1958

In Springhill, N.S. a coal mine disaster results in the deaths of 74 miners

1959

The Avro Arrow project is terminated (here also) by Diefenbaker. St. Lawrence Seaway opens. National Energy Board created

1960

The Quiet Revolution begins in Quebec. The Canadian Bill of Rights is approved by Parliament. French is beginning to become a recognized language of instruction in schools outside of Quebec

1961

CCF becomes the New Democratic Party (NDP)

1962

The first Medicare plan is introduced (Saskatchewan). A CDN satellite is launched. The last executions take place in Toronto

1963

The Front de Libération du Québec (FLQ) sets off bombs in Montreal (FLQ manifesto)

1964

Social Insurance numbers & cards are issued. Peacekeeping ends in the Congo, & troops are posted to Cyprus

1965

A new flag is adopted by CA

1966

The Canada Pension Plan is announced. CBC begins broadcasting in colour

1967

CA celebrates its centennial, & hosts Expo ‘67 Montreal (Expo site in French). The army, Royal CDN Navy & Royal CDN Air Force are joined to become the Canadian Armed Forces. Charles de Gaulle, president of France, utters the phrase “Vive le Québec libre” in Montreal. Multicultural immigration from developing nations becomes an immigration policy objective, now operating on a “point” system

1968

English & French become official languages of the federal government

1970

The FLQ kidnap James Cross & Pierre Laporte in October (for a chronology of the October Crisis and its aftermath, from Feb. 1970 to 1982);Laporte is murdered. The Trudeau government applies the War Measures Act limiting civil rights

1972

CA beats Russia in hockey

1973

CA sends troops & observers to the Middle East

1976

The death penalty is abolished. The Olympic Games are held in Montreal. René Lévesque, leader of the Parti Québecois, becomes premier of Quebec. A 200-mile fishing zone is announced for CA’s coasts

1977

Bill 101 is passed in Quebec limiting access to English-language schools

1978

The Supreme Court declares unilingual legislatures & courts unconstitutional (Quebec & Manitoba)

1980

Quebec votes against separation in a referendum. “O Canada” becomes national anthem. Jeanne Sauvé becomes first woman Speaker of the House of Commons. National Energy Program (NEP) is created.

1981

Terry Fox, whose marathons raised funds for cancer research, dies. The federal government & all provinces except Quebec agree on a way of patriating the constitution. Charter of Rights and Freedoms

1982

The Ocean Ranger oil platform sinks. A new Constitution & Charter of Rights (see half way down their long page or here) is introduced

1983

CA agrees to test U.S cruise missiles. Mulroney replaces Clark as leader of the Progressive Conservative Party

1984

The Pope visits CA. Marc Garneau becomes the first CDN in space. In NWT, aboriginal languages are officially recognized in addition to English & French (Yukon follows in 1988)

1985

Mulroney & Reagan agree to support Star Wars research & free trade. Major amendments made to Indian Act grants Band Councils jurisdiction over reserve lands, restores rights

1986

The CDN dollar value is low at 70.20¢ U.S. CA supports sanctions against South Africa’s apartheid regime. CA is honoured by the UN for providing a haven for many of the world’s refugees

1987

Provincial premiers agree to the Meech Lake Accord (though it does not pass in 1990). Pay Equity legislation is passed in Ontario. The Reform party with its popularity base centred in Western Canada, is founded

1988

The French-only sign law is reinstated after being struck down by the Supreme Court, through the “notwithstanding” (an opinion column which discusses the clause) clause in the Charter of Rights & Freedoms

1989

Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) takes effect. GST (goods & services tax) is introduced for 1991

1990

Lucien Bouchard & other Quebec MPs form the Bloc Québecois. Manitoba refuses to ratify the Meech Lake Accord (here for a book on Meech Lake) since it provides no special status for Native people. Mohawks & government forces engage in armed confrontation near Oka, Quebec (map here; update on situation here; from gov. perspective here: book here)

1991

The Canadian Forces participate in the Gulf War against Iraq (links & resources here). Yukon First Nations sign agreement on land claims & self-government

1992

Cod fishery is shut down in Atlantic region. NAFTA is signed. Constitutional reform (the or here Charlottetown Accord) including reform of the Senate, self government for aboriginal nations, enlarged House of Commons—though having Quebec's approval—is voted down in a national referendum

1993

Quebec Cree win compensation from Hydro Quebec for damage to their lands. NAFTA legislation passes in House of Commons (NAFTA defended in 1997 by Mulroney). Brian Mulroney resigns as Prime Minister. Kim Campbell becomes first female Prime Minister, but her party (Conservative) is defeated & nearly eradicated in an election.

1995

Quebec holds a referendum on sovereignty, & the No side barely wins a majority. Native people (Cree, Innu) review their stand on Quebec sovereignty. Study of Somalia Affair causes disbanding of Airborne Regiment. Representatives of aboriginal people gather in Dec. and issue the Sacred Assembly Proclamation; from this was developed the Reconciliation Proclamation and the Statement of Principles and Priorities.

1996

Flooding in Saguenay/Lac-St-Jean and in some Northern Ontario towns. General Jean Boyle resigns over Somalia Inquiry controversy (Inquiry was cut short in 1997; some background info.); report here; additional links here (CBC Newsworld)

1997

Federal election sends five parties to Parliament. The provincial premiers, except Lucien Bouchard of Quebec, draw up a proposal for constitutional reform known as the Calgary Declaration. Flooding in Manitoba (some more photos). Report on military's role in the 21st Century. A second Sacred Assembly (see 1995 entry) is held but does not issue a proclamation. An out of court settlement between the Federal Government and Brian Mulroney is reached in the Airbus affair. Confederation Bridge between the mainland and PEI opens (critique here)

1998

Electrical failures due to ice storm (New York—I know it's not Canada, but for American readers this may be of interest—here, Montreal area here) leave millions of people without power in mid-winter in Quebec & Ontario (here's news, here's satellite image). Blood is being collected by the Canadian Blood Services since the Canadian Red Cross had to withdraw from its role in the blood system in 1997 after it comes to light that people had become infected by tainted blood since the mid-1980's. Allegations of the abuse of women in the Canadian military become public

1999

NWT is divided into Nunavut, the east part, & a western territory, still to be named. (This is a site in Inuktitut with pictures and a font for viewing.)The Royal Ontario Museum's largest collection of human remains of over 500 Wendat (Huron) people, whom archaeologists unearthed in the 1940's, are returned to the Ossossane burial ground near Midland, Ontario; members of the Wendat Nation came from all over NA to witness the burial of their ancestors.

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Updated September 2000

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