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William Lyon Mackenzie King as Prime Minister (2nd time)
Leader of the Liberal Party
10th Prime minister -
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Louis St. Laurent as Prime Minister
Leader of the Liberal Party
12th Prime Minister -
Inuit peoples granted the right to vote in federal elections
Inuit are granted the right to vote in federal elections, but the isolation of several communities means majority are unable to access polling stations. -
TransCanada Pipeline system
The 1770 km oil pipeline from Edmonton to the Great Lakes was completed. -
First Nation woman gaining the right to vote in Band Council Elections.
Changes to the Indian Act grant First Nations women the right to vote in band council elections -
Massey Report Tabled
The report of the Massey Commission was tabled in the House of Commons, which among its recommendations was the creation of the Canada Council -
Canada's first televised broadcast by CBC
The first televised broadcast in Canada occurs, aired by CBC (Canadian Broadcasting Corporation). -
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Hurricane Hazel
Hurricane Hazel devastates southern Ontario (Toronto area), causing severe flooding, extensive damage, and 81 deaths. -
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Canada and the Suez Crisis
Canada plays a key role in resolving the Suez Crisis, with Lester B. Pearson proposing the creation of the United Nations Emergency Force, which later wins him a Nobel Peace Prize. -
Canada’s first open heart surgery
Dr. John Carter Callaghan performed Canada’s first successful open-heart surgery on 10-year-old Susan Beattie, who had a hole in her heart. -
First Chinese Canadian Elected to Federal Office
Douglas Jung was elected Conservative MP for a Vancouver riding, becoming the first Chinese Canadian to hold elected federal office -
Conservatives win federal election
John Diefenbaker's Progressive Conservatives win the federal election, ending 22 years of Liberal rule. -
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John Diefenbaker as Prime Minister
Leader of the Progressive Conservative Party
13th Prime Minister -
Old Age Security Act
Canada commences the Old Age Security Act, implementing universal pensions for seniors aged 70 and over. -
St Lawrence Seaway Opened
The St Lawrence Seaway was opened to commercial shipping. It provides transportation for ocean going vessels from Lake Superior to Montréal. -
First Nations gaining the right to vote
First Nation peoples gain the right to vote in federal elections. -
Canadian Bill of Rights approved.
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National Indian Council
The National Indian Council was created to represent First Nation and Metis people. -
National and Provincial Parks Association of Canada
The National and Provincial Parks Association of Canada (later the Canadian Park and Wilderness society) was formed. -
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Lester B. Pearson as Prime Minister
Leader of the Liberal Party
14th Prime Minister -
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Economic Council of Canada
The Economic Council of Canada was established, with John J. Deustch as the chairman. (ended in 1993) -
First Recycled Paper
Cascades Inc. begins producing the first recycled paper in Quebec. -
Canadian Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus
The government approved a Canadian contribution to a UN peacekeeping force in Cyprus. -
Canadian flag
A new national flag of Canada was adopted. -
Canadian flag at Parliment Hill
The new national flag of Canada was raised for the first time on Parliament Hill. -
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Montreal hosts the International and Universal Exposition (Expo 67)
Montreal hosts the International and Universal Exposition (Expo 67), and French President Charles de Gaulle attends and declares “Vive le Québec libre!”. -
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Pierre Trudeau as Prime Minister (1st time)
Leader of the Liberal Party
15th Prime Minister -
Medical Care Act
The Medical Care Act came into effect, granting 50/50 cost sharing for provincial/territorial medical insurance plans. -
Official Languages Act
The Official Languages Act came into effect, declaring that English and French are the official languages of the federal administration. -
Federal voting age is lowered to 18
The Parliament passes legislation which lowers the federal voting age from 21 to 18, adding two million Canadians to the electoral rolls. -
Plant Gene Resources of Canada is Established
Plant Gene Resources of Canada (PGRC), Canada’s national seed gene bank, was founded to protect, preserve, and enhance the genetic diversity of Canada’s important agricultural plants and their wild relatives. -
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October Crisis
The October Crisis of 1970 involved the FLQ's kidnapping of James Cross and the murder of Pierre Laporte, prompting Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau to invoke the War Measures Act. It ended with Cross’s release and the FLQ members exiled to Cuba. -
Canadian Nature Federation Established
The Canadian Nature Federation came from the Audubon Society of Canada. The new organization had an expanded mandate, including protecting the Canadian landscape, maintaining ecosystems, and promoting education and enjoyment of nature through the publication of Nature Canada. -
Canada defeated the Soviet Union in the Summit Series (Hockey)
Paul Henderson scored the winning goal with 34 seconds left as Canada defeated the Soviet Union 6–5 in the final game of the Summit Series in Moscow. -
Canada's first geostationary domestic satellite was launched.
Anik A-1 -
The Supreme Court rejects equal status for First Nations women married to non-aboriginals
The Supreme Court ruled that the Canadian Bill of Rights did not apply to the Indian Act section that determined Aboriginal women married to non-Status Indians lost their Indian status -
Native Women's Association of Canada Founded
The Native Women's Association of Canada (NWAC) was founded by Indigenous women and their allies, including non-Indigenous feminists active in the women’s movement. -
Canada attends it's first meeting of the G7
The G7, or Group of Seven, is an international group comprising the governments of the world’s largest economies. It was originally the G6 but with the addition of Canada it became the G7. -
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Montreal hosts the Summer Olympic Games
Montreal hosts the Summer Olympic Games, marking Canada’s first time hosting the Olympics. -
Canadian Human Rights Act
The Canadian Human Rights Act is passed, ensuring protections against discrimination based on race, gender, and other grounds. -
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Joe Clark as Prime Minister
Leader of the Progressive Conservative Party
16th Prime Minister -
Anti-smoking legislation
The world’s first national anti-smoking legislation is enacted in Canada, restricting smoking in public places. -
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Pierre Trudeau as Prime Minister (2nd time)
Leader of the Liberal Party
15th Prime Minister -
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Terry Fox
Terry Fox began his Marathon of Hope in St. John's, Newfoundland, to raise money for cancer research. The run ended on 1 September in Thunder Bay, ON, after cancer was discovered in his lungs. Within days the marathon had raised over $10 million. -
Moscow Olympics Boycott
Parliament announced Canada would join the US-led boycott of the Moscow Olympics over the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan. -
Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms created
The Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms asserts the right of every Canadian citizen 18 and older to vote and to stand as a candidate. -
Green Party of Canada founded
The Green Party of Canada was founded at a conference at Carleton University. It sought to focus politics on the environment and the need for sustainability. -
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John Turner as Prime Minister
Leader of the Liberal Party
17th Prime Minister -
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Brian Mulroney as Prime Minister
Leader of the Progressive Conservative Party
18th Prime Minister -
Bill 101 challenged
The Supreme Court of Canada ruled that the compulsory exclusive use of French on public commercial signs, as per Bill 101, was contradictory to the right of freedom of speech. The Bourassa government reacted by introducing Bill 178, reinstating the use of French-only signs. -
Bill C-31, an act used to amend the Indian Act, passed.
A woman's Indian status depended on her husband's status, causing women to lose or gain status through marriage. The bill ended this discrimination. -
First House of Commons speaker selected by secret ballot
The members of the House of Commons selected a new speaker by secret ballot for the first time. -
Signing of the Montreal Protocol
Canada signed the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer, an international environmental agreement. An active treaty that regulates the production and consumption of man-made ozone depleting substances (ODS). -
People with Intellectual Disabilities Granted Right to Vote in elections
People with intellectual disabilities are granted the right to vote after a successful Charter challenge. -
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Calgary hosts the Winter Olympics
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First Indigenous woman elected to federal government
Ethel Dorothy Blondin-Andrew became the first Indigenous woman elected to the House of Commons. -
Canadian Space Agency
The Canadian Space Agency (CSA) was created and Larkin Kerwin was the organization’s first president.