1602
George Waymouth Explores Hudson Strait
English explorer George Waymouth sails 500 kilometres into Hudson Strait but is forced back by ice, becoming one of the early European explorers to probe the entrance to Hudson Bay.
Discover what happened in Canada on any date in history.
English explorer George Waymouth sails 500 kilometres into Hudson Strait but is forced back by ice, becoming one of the early European explorers to probe the entrance to Hudson Bay.
With the formal declaration of the Seven Years' War, military operations intensify in North America as Britain and France contest control of the continent through their colonial proxies.
British General James Wolfe establishes his main camp on the Montmorency River opposite the French fortifications, ordering cannon batteries set up at Lévis to bombard Quebec City from across the St. Lawrence.
An Order-in-Council establishes Prince Edward Island as a separate British colony called 'St. John Island', separate from Nova Scotia. The name is changed to Prince Edward Island in 1799.
Lord Durham proclaims a partial amnesty for the 107 Patriote rebels imprisoned after the Lower Canada Rebellion, releasing them on bail while excluding leaders still in the United States.
A devastating fire destroys the suburb of St-Jean in Quebec City, destroying 1,300 houses and leaving more than 18,000 people homeless in one of the worst urban fires in Canadian history.
The first Canadian federal Cabinet holds preparatory meetings ahead of Confederation on July 1, with Prime Minister-designate John A. Macdonald organizing the new Dominion's first government.
The assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand in Sarajevo sets in motion events that lead to World War I. Canada, as part of the British Empire, will enter the war automatically when Britain declares war on August 4.
Canada signs the Treaty of Versailles and the Covenant of the League of Nations in Versailles as a separate signatory from Britain, demonstrating Canada's growing international autonomy.
Canadian troops of the 3rd Infantry Division continue fighting near Caen, Normandy, suffering significant casualties as they struggle to break through German defenses during Operation Atlantic.
Parliament debates the Medical Care Act, the federal legislation that would establish universal health insurance in Canada and eventually lead to Medicare covering all provinces by 1971.
Following the October Crisis, some FLQ suspects are released from custody as the situation in Quebec gradually returns to normal after the invocation of the War Measures Act in October 1970.
The federal government announces energy policy initiatives that foreshadow the controversial National Energy Program introduced in 1980, as Canada grapples with rising oil prices following OPEC price increases.
A state funeral is held for Terry Fox in Port Coquitlam, BC, attended by thousands of Canadians mourning the passing of the beloved cancer fund-raiser and national hero.
The federal election campaign that will center on the Canada-US Free Trade Agreement gets underway, with Prime Minister Brian Mulroney defending the deal against opposition from John Turner's Liberals and Ed Broadbent's NDP.
Members of the white supremacist Heritage Front are implicated in harassment campaigns against anti-racism activists in Toronto, drawing attention to the far-right extremism problem in Canada.
The Clarity Act comes into force following Royal Assent, establishing federal conditions under which Ottawa would negotiate the separation of a province after a clear referendum vote.
Bill C-38, the Civil Marriage Act legalizing same-sex marriage across Canada, passes third reading in the House of Commons, making Canada the fourth country in the world to legalize same-sex marriage.