Thread: Today in Canadian History

1992 STEVE MACLEAN BLASTS OFF

Cape Canaveral Florida - Canadian Space Agency astronaut Steve MacLean blasts off from Kennedy Space Center at 12:09 pm CDT, a mission specialist aboard Space Shuttle flight STS-52, with CANEX-II and responsibility for the first test of the CSA's Space Vision System (SVS), designed to help operators of the RMS Canadarm or Mobile Servicing System (MSS) of the future berth or deploy satellites. Maclean will also perform a series of seven Canadian experiments on material science, fluid physics, atmosphere characterization, and the human body's ability to adapt to space flight. On the first day, he activates the Queens University Experiment in Liquid Metal Diffusion (QUELD), a high temperature furnace that operates in the mid-deck of the Shuttle and examines the diffusion of bismuth and tin into each other.

1692
Verchères Québec - Madeleine Jarret de Verchères 1678-1747 gathers about 20 local habitant farmers into her family's fortified home, Fort Dangerous, when some Iroquois appear; fires cannon to warn other families; with her father François, a militia colonel, away in Montreal, the 14 year old will defend the fort against Iroquois siege for the next 8 days, with only 2 militia and her young brother; when help arrives, she says: 'I surrender my arms to you', then collapses; Jarret seigneury about 32 km east of Montreal on the St. Lawrence River opposite Repentigny.

Born Today was a very important person in Canadian History..

Louis Riel 1844-1885
Metis leader, was born on this day in 1844, the eldest of eleven children, in a log cabin near St-Boniface, Manitoba; died on the gallows at Regina Nov. 16, 1885. Riel's mother, Marie-Anne Gaboury, was the daughter of the first white woman in the West. His father, Louis Riel Sr., had built a grist mill on the Seine River, and in 1839, helped break the Hudson's Bay Company trading monopoly through an organized resistance. In 1858, young Riel was sent by Bishop Alexander Taché to Montreal to study for the priesthood, but he left the seminary in the final years of his studies and for clerked in a Montreal law office, where he met such luminaries as George-Etienne Cartier and a young Wilfrid Laurier. After a disastrous love affair, he drifted to Chicago, then returned to the Red River settlement. On October 11, 1869, he and 17 others forced a group of Canadian surveyors off the farm of his cousin André Nault. During the insurrection that followed, Riel and his fellow rebels ordered an Ontario Orangeman, Thomas Scott, shot. In 1872 Riel ran for Parliament, but gave up his riding in favour of George-Etienne Cartier, then in trouble with the Pacific Scandal. He won the seat by acclamation after Cartier's death, but did not take his seat in Ottawa because of an Ontario warrant for his arrest for the death of Scott. Again in 1874, Riel ran for Parliament and won. He journeyed to Ottawa and even registered with the clerk in the House of Commons, but followed his friends' advice and moved to Montreal. In 1875, Prime Minister Alexander Mackenzie granted him amnesty on the condition that he stay out of the country for five years. During his exile, Riel became depressed and was later hospitalized in a mental institution in Beauport, under the assumed name of La Rochelle. On his release in January 1878, Riel settled in Montana, took a teaching position at a church school and married Marguerite Bellehumeur. In 1884, Gabriel Dumont and three members of the Batoche Metis community implored him to come back to Saskatchewan and help them fight for their rights. The result was rebellion and, inevitably, defeat. On July 6th, 1885, Riel was found guilty of high treason by six English-speaking Protestant jurors. Even though they recommended mercy, Stipendary Magistrate Hugh Richardson refused their appeal, as did the Judicial Committee of the British Privy Council, and a medical commission was divided on the question of Riel's sanity, so the Cabinet decided to proceed, and Louis Riel was hanged in Regina on November 16, 1885.

1945 Ottawa Ontario - King Government brings in Canadian Citizenship Act to the House of Commons; becomes law in January, 1947; abolishes 'Canadian national' or 'British subject' as the legal terms for non-aliens in Canada..

1944 Savio River, Italy - Seaforth Highlanders Private Ernest Alva 'Smoky' Smith shows conspicuous heroism, holding the Savio River crossing against German counter-attacks and destroying at least two enemy tanks; awarded the Victoria Cross.

1908 Montreal Quebec - Patriotic celebration takes place at the National Monument, to celebrate the mobilization of the 24th Battalion of Montreal Infantry for service in France.

1885 London England - Judicial Committee of the Privy Council rules against the appeal of Louis Riel's sentence, and he will be hanged in Regina Nov. 16, 1885.

1846 Toronto Ontario - Founding of Toronto, Hamilton, Niagara, & St. Catharines Telegraph Company; first telegraph company in Canada.

Full Listing can be seen hear Sympatico.ca - News

OCTOBER 24th


1621 CANADA'S FIRST FRENCH CHILD

Quebec Quebec - Eustache Martin baptized; born to Marguerite Langlois, the wife of Abraham Martin, the farmer who gave his name to the Plains of Abraham; first French child born in North America.

1992
Atlanta Georgia - Dave Winfield whacks a two run double in the 11th inning to give Toronto Blue Jays 4-3 win over Atlanta Braves; Jays take baseball's World Series four games to two, and are the first team from outside the United States to take the title; game actually won on the 25th, as it went on after midnight.

Famous Canadian born today

John Tuzo Wilson 1908-1993
geologist and geophysicist, was born on this day at Ottawa in 1908; died in Toronto April 15, 1993. Wilson was the first student in geophysics at the University of Toronto, did graduate work at Cambridge and Princeton, where he received his PhD in geology in 1936. He then worked for the Geological Survey of Canada, spent seven years in the Canadian Army, and taught at the University of Toronto from 1946 to 1974. Wilson's 1965 paper, A New Class of Faults and Their Bearing on Continental Drift, explained transform faults, which link trenches (where the plates collide) and rifts (where the plates pull apart). He rekindled studies in plate tectonics, then held in disrepute, proved the phenomenon of continental drift and seafloor spreading, and suggested the existence of hot spots which remain stationary under the moving plates and produce volcanic chains of islands like Hawaii or Japan.. Wilson was first non-American president of the American Geophysical Union, which altered its rules to allow his election. In 1974 he was appointed Director of the Ontario Science Center.

1995 New York City - Prime Minister Jean Chrétien and 200 other world leaders celebrate the 50th anniversary of the United Nations organization, founded in San Francisco fifty years ago today; largest gathering of world leaders in history.

1995 Quebec - Cree people of Nouveau-Québec hold their own referendum; decisively reject sovereignty option.

1995 Chicago Illinois - The Quebec government and its agencies buy up hundreds of millions of Canadian dollars in a move to stabilize markets ahead of the referendum. Meanwhile, the Bank of Canada rate rises 98 basis points, the largest jump in 3 years.

1978 Toronto Ontario - NHL Toronto Maple Leafs score 28 points against the New York Islanders; set own team record. (go leafs go!)

1978 Toronto Ontario - Keith Richards of the Rolling Stones convicted of heroin possession, given a one-year suspended sentence and ordered to put on a future charity concert for the blind.

1966 Mill Village Nova Scotia - SATCOM earth station starts operations near Mill Village; Canada's first satellite communications earth station.

1921 Halifax, Nova Scotia- Nova Scotia fishing schooner Bluenose defeats the New England schooner Elsie by almost 5 km to win the International Schooner Championships.

OCTOBER 27th

1995 PM ADDRESSES REFERENDUM RALLY

Montreal Quebec - Jean Chrétien addresses over 40,000 people at Place du Canada in the biggest political rally in Canadian history 3 days before the Quebec Referendum; many from across Canada had arrived by bus, train, plane and car for the Unity Rally, to urge Quebec to stay in Canada. The Prime Minister had been criticized for doing nothing to stem the Oui tide after the entry of Lucien Bouchard into the fray; promises major changes to Canada.

1979
La Grande Quebec - Quebec Premier René Lévesque flips a switch to start LG-227, the first generator of the LG-2 (La Grande River) second dam, now called the Barrage Robert-Bourassa; the $15.1 billion James Bay power project is the world's second largest power producer.

1995 Canada - Canadian banks all but shut down Canada's $30-billion-a-day foreign exchange market as business dries up ahead of the Quebec referendum.

1992 Ottawa Ontario - Chief of Defence Staff John de Chastelain says the Canadian Forces will comply with Federal Court of Canada ruling that banning gays from military contravenes Charter of Rights.

1980 La Grande, Quebec - Second generator of the LG-2 (La Grande River) Barrage Robert-Bourassa goes into operation.

1967 Montreal Quebec - Expo 67 world's fair closes its doors after playing host to 40,300,000 visitors.

1941 Vancouver BC - Canadian Army sends two infantry battalions of 1,975 men to Hong Kong to reinforce garrison.

1918 Foret de Mormal, France - Royal Flying Corps Major William George 'Billy' Barker 1894-1930, from Dauphin, Manitoba, wins the Victoria Cross for shooting down a German Rumpler two-seater and three Fokker D VII fighters though wounded three times and while fainting twice from the pain; crash-lands his plane behind British lines in the Mormal forest.

OCTOBER 28th

1864 PROVINCES DRAFT BLUEPRINT FOR UNION

Quebec Quebec - Quebec Conference adjourns with a celebratory banquet after weeks of discussion and debate. The delegates from Canada, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Newfoundland and PEI summarize proceedings in a blueprint for Confederation called Seventy-Two Resolutions (Quebec Resolutions), which are sent to the British Parliament and the provincial legislatures for approval; it will take two more years before the Confederation proposal is approved.

1830
Dresden Ontario - Josiah Henson 1789-1883 arrives in Upper Canada from Maryland with his wife (in the picture) and four children on the Underground Railway. The escaped American slave becomes pastor of a local church and starts a technical school. He is the model for the hero of Harriet Beecher Stowe's famous novel Uncle Tom's Cabin, the book that Abraham Lincoln said started the US Civil War.

1980 Ottawa Ontario - Pierre Elliott Trudeau 1919- unveils the National Energy Program (NEP) in the new federal budget; intended to provide oil self-sufficiency and greater Canadian ownership; grants to encourage drilling in remote areas, new PIP, PGRT and export taxes, expanded role for Petro-Canada.

1977 Ottawa Ontario - Pierre Elliott Trudeau 1919- confirms to the House of Commons that the RCMP entered a Montreal office in 1973 without a warrant to copy the membership lists of the Parti Québécois.

1954 Vancouver BC - Henry Asbjorn Larsen 1899-1964 arrives in Vancouver on the last voyage of the RCMP patrol vessel 'St. Roch'; the ship that circumnavigated North America will be put in a museum.

1942 Kluane Lake Yukon - Canadian Health Minister Ian Mackenzie and Alaska Secretary E.L. Bartlett cut a ribbon to open the Alcan Military Highway, today known as the Alaska Highway. The 2575 km road, from Dawson Creek, BC to Fairbanks Alaska, was built to move supplies and munitions rapidly north in case of Japanese invasion.

1914 Ottawa Ontario - The War Cabinet orders the registration of all 'alien enemies,' specifically Germans and Austrians; provides for establishment of 'concentration camps' to house internees and their families in exchange for work such as clearing bush and cutting lumber in the national parks.

1887 Quebec Quebec - Quebec Premier Honoré Mercier 1840-1894 closes first Interprovincial Premiers Conference: the five premiers adopt 21 resolutions for free trade with the US and other reforms; John A. Macdonald refuses to attend.

OCTOBER 29th

1929 CANADIAN EXCHANGES FOLLOW WALL STREET SOUTH

Canada - Montreal and Toronto Stock Exchange share prices plummet in their worst drop ever, as the New York market crash spreads quickly around the Globe. The Calgary Stock Exchange closes for a few hours, but reopens when traders think the situation is only temporary. World governments quickly impose tariffs to protect their native industries from dumping, but this causes a collapse in world trade and leads to the Great Depression.

1925
Canada - William Lyon Mackenzie King 1874-1950 wins only 99 seats in the 15th Canadian federal general election, but stays in power with the support of 24 Progressives and 6 Labour MPs. Arthur Meighen's Conservatives, who won 116 seats, are left out in the cold, as the Progressives back King when he promises to cut tariffs and bring in old age pensions.

Born today was

Denis Potvin 1953-
NHL defenseman, was born on this day in Hull, Quebec in 1953. Potvin was brought up in the National Capital region and played Junior for the Ottawa 67s. A tough, intelligent, self-confident, do-it-all player, he was the anchor of the New York Islanders, leading them to four consecutive Stanley Cups. Potvin won the Norris Trophy 3 times, (1976, 1978 and 1979), and was a 5-time NHL First Team All Star. He had a career 310 goals and 742 assists. Some say Denis Potvin was the greatest defenseman of all time, even greater than Bobby Orr. He broke all of Orr's goal and point records; now ranks second in all time scoring among defenseman behind only the still active Paul Coffey, with whom he shares the record for most goals scored by a defenseman in a playoff game (3). Potvin retired in 1988 after 15 seasons because he had "nothing left to prove."

1993 New York City - Céline Dion's album, 'Colour Of My Love' released. (OOE I bet you were first in line to buy a copy )

1992 Ottawa Ontario - StatsCan reports Canada spends 9.2% of GNP on health care - US$1,837 per capita; the USA spends 12.4% - $2,566 per capita; Canadians healthier than Americans, and spend less on health care.

1923 Halifax, Nova Scotia - Bluenose defeats the American schooner Columbia in an international boat race.

1923 Calgary Alberta - United Farmers of Alberta open the head office of the Alberta Wheat Pool; the first grain pool in North America; the Pool starts operations as an agricultural cooperative to try and stabilize prices, which had dropped severely in the past few years; has 16 elevator lines, 25,719 members and over 1 million hectares under contract.

OCTOBER 30th

1995 QUEBEC SAYS NO AGAIN

Quebec Quebec - Premier Jacques Parizeau narrowly loses Quebec Referendum on sovereignty, even with the aid of Lucien Bouchard. In a televised address, he denounces money and the "ethnic vote" as reasons for his defeat. The tally: Non 2,361,521 (50.6%), Oui 2,308,028 (49.4%); 93.2% of eligible voters go to the polls; about 60% of francophones vote Yes, about 90% of anglophones and allophones vote No.

1972
Canada - Pierre Elliott Trudeau 1919- wins federal election 109 seats to 107 for the PCs under Robert Stanfield; 31 NDP; 15 Social Credit; 2 Independent; gets 45.5% of popular vote. Among the new Members are Jeanne Sauvé (Montreal), later Speaker and Governor General; Trevor Morgan (St. Catharines), Canada's first blind MP; and, Sean O'Sullivan, age 20 (Hamilton-Wentworth), Canada's youngest Member of Parliament ever; he resigned in 1977 to become a Priest.

Born today was..

1786
Philippe Aubert de Gaspé 1786-1871
novelist, was born on this day at Quebec City in 1786; died in Quebec Jan. 29, 1871. De Gaspé wrote Les Anciens canadiens, the first important French-Canadian novel.

also..

Sir John William Dawson 1820-1899
geologist, was born on this day at Pictou, Nova Scotia in 1820; died in Montreal Nov 20, 1899. Dawson studied at Edinburgh university, and became Principal and Professor of Geology at McGill from 1855 to 1893, and built that university into a world-class institution. He founded the royal Society of Canada and made many brilliant contributions to paleobotany (the study of fossil plants) and greatly extended our knowledge of Canadian geology.

1992 Iqaluit NWT - Tom Siddon signs Accord with Inuit; Ottawa to finance 2.2 m sq km Eastern Arctic territory of Nunavut; Inuit to get clear title to 350,000 sq km, $1.15 b grants over 14 years.

1991 Ellesmere Island, NWT - Canadian Forces Hercules C-130 crashes on Ellesmere Island in the high Arctic while on a routine supply mission; 5 of the 13 passengers die from injuries or hypothermia before rescuers can reach them over 33 hours later.

1991 Ottawa Ontario - Judith Maxwell reports that Quebec sovereignty will cost province between 1.4 and 3.5% of lost output; head of the Economic Council of Canada.

1952 Korea - 3rd Battalion of Princess Patricia' s Canadian Light Infantry arrives in Korea; to replace 1st Battalion.

1942 North Atlantic - RCAF planes of Eastern Air Command destroy two German U-Boats in one day.

1899 Quebec Quebec - William Dillon Otter 1843-1929 sails from Quebec with the 2nd Battalion, Royal Canadian Regiment, with 57 officers and 1,224 men, to South Africa; first Canadian Contingent to join British forces in the Boer War.

1869 Montreal Quebec - Georges-Édouard Desbarats 1838-1893 publishes first issue of the Canadian Illustrated News in Montreal; makes the world's first use of half-tone photo reproduction technique in a newspaper.

1759 Montreal Quebec - First Spanish trading ship arrives at Montreal.

1727 Quebec - First timber business starts in New France; export of wood to France follows.

OCTOBER 31st

1908 CANUCKS WIN LAST GOLD MEDAL IN LACROSSE

London England - The 4th modern Olympiad ends in London. Canada's first true national Olympic team of 84 athletes attended. Canada's Gold Medals were in Lacrosse (a game that has not been recognized since), the 200 Metre Race (Robert Kerr) and Shooting (Walter Ewing).

1869
Montreal Quebec - Georges-Édouard Desbarats 1838-1893 publishes the premiere issue of his 'Canadian Illustrated News'; world's first periodical to use the half-tone technique to reproduce a photograph - in this case, an image of Edward, Prince of Wales, later Edward VI.

One of the greatest Comedians ever was born on Halloween.

John Franklin Candy 1950-1994
comedian, TV/movie actor, comedy writer, director, was born on this day at Toronto, Ontario in 1950; dies of a heart attack at age 43 on Mar 4, 1994 in Durango, Mexico. Candy began his career at CBC Toronto appearing in such children's shows as Coming Up Rosie. In 1972 he moved to Chicago in 1972 and joined the Second City comedy troupe. Shortly afterwards, he helped set up the Toronto branch of Second City, and then the SCTV Network show, where he performed from 1977-83 as TV personality Johnny La Rue, ghoulish Dr. Tongue and polka clarinetist Yosh Shmenge. He then went to Hollywood, starring such films as Spaceballs (1987); Planes, Trains and Automobiles (1987); Uncle Buck (1989) and Home Alone (1990). In 1991, he joined Wayne Gretzky and Bruce McNall in purchasing the Toronto Argonauts football team.

1995 Canada - Canada's dollar and stock exchanges soar while interest rates fall after the No side narrowly wins the Quebec referendum.

1982 Vatican City - Pope John Paul II canonizes Marguerite Bourgeoys 1620-1700, founder of the Congrégation de Notre-Dame de Montréal as Canada's first woman Saint; cites her heroism and concern for family life; arrived in Quebec 1653 and opened her first school for girls in a Montreal stable in 1658.

1962 Montreal Quebec - Founding of a secret revolutionary group in Montreal called the Front de libération de Québec (FLQ).

1950 Thunder Bay, Ontario - Completion of 1,770 km oil pipeline from Edmonton to Lake Superior.

NOVEMBER 1st

1939 TCA STARTS CROSS-CANADA FLIGHTS

Montreal Quebec - Trans-Canada Air Lines starts daily coast-to-coast flights between Montreal and Vancouver.

1952
Montreal Quebec - Foster Hewitt calls the play-by play on CBLT-TV, Toronto as the Toronto Maple Leafs beat the Boston Bruins 2-1 in an NHL game; this is Canada's' first English-language hockey telecast. Here is Hewitt before a radio mike in the late 1930s

Born Today was one of Canada's most entertaining politicians!

Ralph Klein 1942-
Premier of Alberta, was born on this day at Calgary in 1942. After 10 years as a broadcaster, Klein started his political career as Mayor of Calgary, and was instrumental in bringing the Winter Olympics to that city in 1988. In 1989 he was elected to the Alberta Legislature, and in 1992 succeeded Don Getty as Leader of the Conservatives and provincial Premier.

1991 Ottawa Ontario - Ottawa announces $6 million, 2 year study for high speed train corridor between Windsor, Ontario and Quebec City; estimated cost $7 billion shared by Ottawa, Ontario, Quebec.

1952 Toronto Ontario - Toronto Mayor Lamport debates with opponent Nathan Phillips in the first political debate on Canadian TV.

1955 India - Lester Bowles L. B. Pearson 1897-1972 opens Canada Dam in India, built with Canadian aid.

1924 Montreal Quebec - National Hockey League awards a hockey franchise to the Boston Bruins; the NHL's first US team.

1813 Sackets Harbor, New York - American invasion of Lower Canada begins, as James Wilkinson sets out with 8,000 men from Sackets Harbor to attack Canada down the St. Lawrence; Wade Hampton gathers 4,200 at Lake Champlain to attack Montreal from the south.

1610 James Bay, Quebec - Henry Hudson realizes it is too late to leave for England; orders Prickett and Staffe and his crew to haul the Discovery aground at the bottom of James Bay near the mouth of the Nottaway River and prepare winter quarters; they are not able to leave until June 18, 1611.

NOVEMBER 2nd

1971 HERZBERG WINS NOBEL PRIZE

Stockholm, Sweden - National Research Council scientist Gerhard Herzberg wins Nobel Prize in Chemistry for his work in molecular spectroscopy.

1959
New York City - Montreal Canadiens goalie Jacques Plante the first NHL goalie to wear a mask on a permanent basis; after getting hit by shot from Rangers' Andy Bathgate.

1973 United Nations, New York - Canada agrees to share support role with Poland on UN Middle East peacekeeping force.

1964 Ottawa Ontario - 23 nations attend four-day conference at Ottawa to review UN peace-keeping operations.

1952 Korea - Chinese launch two-day offensive against Royal Canadian Regiment in Korea.

1944 Knokke Netherlands - Canadian troops occupy Knokke.

1916 London England - Judicial Committee of the Privy Council rules Regulation #17 valid; bans French in Ontario schools past Grade 1.

1899 Ottawa Ontario - 1,281 more volunteers organized into two battalions of Mounted Rifles and artillery brigade to South Africa; second Canadian Contingent to Boer War depart in January from Halifax.

1869 Winnipeg Manitoba - Louis Riel 1844-1885 takes over Hudson's Bay Company headquarters in Fort Garry with a force of 120 armed men; three days after the National Committee of the Metis of Red River prevented Lieutenant Governor designate William McDougall from entering the territory.

1775 St-Jean, Quebec - American invaders capture Fort St. John on the Richelieu River.

NOVEMBER 3rd

1863 Halifax Nova Scotia - Covered skating rink opens in Halifax; first covered skating rink in Canada. Up to this time, skating was all done out of doors, such as in this early version of hockey - lacrosse on ice.


Born today was one of the Greatest Hockey Players ever

Robert Marvin 'Bobby' Hull 1939-
hockey player, born on this day at Point Anne, Ontario in 1939. Hull started skating at age 3. He played for the NHL Chicago Black Hawks for 16 seasons, from 1957-72. In 1962 he joined Rocket Richard and Bernie Geoffrion as the only NHLers to score 50 goals in a season (54), a feat he achieved four more times, and was the first player to record more than 50 goals a season. Hull revived hockey in Chicago and led his team to the 1961 Stanley Cup. With his blistering slap shot - one was measured at 118.3 mph, 35 mph above the NHL average - he won the Art Ross Trophy leading the NHL in scoring 3 times, was 2-time Hart Memorial Trophy MVP (1965, 1966), and was an NHL first team all-star 10 times. The Golden Jet jumped to the Winnipeg Jets of the WHA in 1972, giving that League instant credibility, and was 2-time MVP there (1973, 1975), playing with Swedish stars Anders Hedberg and Ulf Nilsson. Hull scored a lifetime 913 goals with 895 assists in both leagues. He won the Lady Byng Trophy for good sportsmanship in 1965, and spoke out often against hockey violence. When he retired in 1980 the Chicago and Winnipeg teams both retired his #9 sweater. Hull is the father of Brett Hull.

1943 Algeria - Canadian Army troops arrive in North Africa.

1901 Toronto Ontario - Winston Spencer Churchill speaks at Massey Hall during book tour of Canada; talks about his adventures and exploits in Boer War

1862 Saint John New Brunswick - The Rifle Brigade lands at Saint John.

1793 Montreal Quebec - British decree abolishes slavery in Canada.

For those of you who are enjoying Today in History. I may not be able to update this thread, as I am moving to a new apartment tomorrow. I should have internet access in a short while, when I return I will continue with Today in Canadian History.

NOVEMBER 11th

1918 LEST WE FORGET

Compiègne France - French Field Marshal Foch and the members of the German Armistice Commission sign a formal surrender to end World War I at 5 am in Marshal Foch's railway car in the Forest of Compiègne, to take effect at 11 am, as Sir Arthur Currie's Canadian troops chase the last Germans out of Mons, Belgium. Over 750,000 Canadians served in the four years of the Great War; 424,589 went overseas; 60,661 were killed. In all, over 10 million people died in the war, including 6 million civilians. In 1931, November 11 was renamed Remembrance Day and declared a legal holiday.

1813
Morrisburg Ontario -
British Col. Joseph Morrison and Royal Navy Captain William Mulcaster defeat an American invasion force of over 7,000 led by General James Wilkinson at the Battle of Crysler's Farm. Wilkinson's flotilla left Sackett's Harbor in late October and landed on the Canadian side of the Long Sault rapids. With only 800 British regulars of the 49th and 89th Regiments, plus some Canadian militia and Indians, Morrison moves to attack 1,800 Americans of the 25th Infantry Regiment under Brown at Crysler's Farm 30 km west of Cornwall; at the same time, Captain William Mulcaster's gunboats fire shrapnel and grapeshot on General John Park Boyd's flotilla of 4,000 American troops trying to descend the rapids toward Montreal, which helps Morrison land his troops at Crysler's Farm. In the first skirmish, the Americans take 400 casualties to the British 200. Wilkinson could have pressed on against Morrison, but when he gets a message that General Wade Hampton and his army of 4,200 were defeated at Châteauguay Oct. 26, he calls off the invasion, since Hampton was supposed to meet him downstream for the attack on Montreal. Hampton later resigned when Wilkinson blamed him for the failure of the campaign; Wilkinson was then relieved of his command.

1982 Rome Italy - Pope John Paul II announces visit to Canada in fall of 1984; first papal visit to Canada.

1974 New York City - Winnipeg's Bachman-Turner Overdrive have a Billboard #1 hit with 'You Ain't Seen Nothing Yet/Free Wheelin'.'

1967 St. John's, Newfoundland - Clinton Shaw arrives from Victoria BC, setting the world's distance record for roller skating, a trip of 7,885 km, started April 1.

1914 France - Arrival of first Canadian Stationary Hospital, Unit #2 in France.

1871 Quebec Quebec - Royal Canadian Rifles depart Quebec for Britain; last British troops in Canada, except for small naval garrison at Halifax; some RCRs stay to train Canadian militia.

1871 Quebec Quebec- Founding of the institution of Tribune de la presse du Parlement de Québec; possibly the oldest press ombudsman in the world.

1837 Quebec Quebec - Authorities start arresting Patriotes; Louis-Joseph Papineau goes into hiding, escapes from Montreal on the 13th; prelude to outbreak of rebellion.

1775 Montreal Quebec - Guy Carleton, Lord Dorchester 1724-1808 evacuates Montreal for Quebec as the American invaders land at Île St-Paul, then the following day at Pointe St-Charles, capturing the city on the 13th.