Events from the year 1963 in Canada.

Incumbents

Crown

Monarch A monarch is a head of stateWebster's II New College DictionarMonarch Houghton Mifflin. Boston. 2001. p. 707. Life tenure, for life or until abdication, and therefore the head of state of a monarchy. A monarch may exercise the highest authority ...

–

Elizabeth II Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary; 21 April 1926 – 8 September 2022) was Queen of the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth realms from 6 February 1952 until her death in 2022. She was queen regnant of 32 sovereign states during ...

Federal government

Governor General Governor-general (plural ''governors-general''), or governor general (plural ''governors general''), is the title of an office-holder. In the context of governors-general and former British colonies, governors-general are appointed as viceroy t ...

–

Georges Vanier Georges-Philias Vanier (23 April 1888 – 5 March 1967) was a Canadian military officer and diplomat who served as governor general of Canada, the first Quebecer and second Canadian-born person to hold the position. Vanier was born and ...

Prime Minister A prime minister, premier or chief of cabinet is the head of the cabinet and the leader of the ministers in the executive branch of government, often in a parliamentary or semi-presidential system. Under those systems, a prime minister is not ...

–

John Diefenbaker John George Diefenbaker ( ; September 18, 1895 – August 16, 1979) was the 13th prime minister of Canada, serving from 1957 to 1963. He was the only Progressive Conservative party leader between 1930 and 1979 to lead the party to an electio ...

(until April 22) then

Lester B. Pearson Lester Bowles "Mike" Pearson (23 April 1897 – 27 December 1972) was a Canadian scholar, statesman, diplomat, and politician who served as the 14th prime minister of Canada from 1963 to 1968. Born in Newtonbrook, Ontario (now part of ...

* Chief Justice –

Patrick Kerwin Patrick Kerwin (October 25, 1889 – February 2, 1963) was the tenth Chief Justice of Canada. Life and career Patrick Grandcourt Kerwin was born in Sarnia, Ontario to Patrick Kerwin and Ellen Gavin. Kerwin attended Osgoode Hall Law School ...

(

Ontario Ontario ( ; ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada.Ontario is located in the geographic eastern half of Canada, but it has historically and politically been considered to be part of Central Canada. Located in Central Ca ...

) (until 2 February) then

Robert Taschereau Robert Taschereau (September 10, 1896 – July 26, 1970) was a lawyer who became the 11th Chief Justice of Canada and who briefly served as the Administrator of the Government of Canada following the death of Governor General of Canada Georg ...

(

Quebec Quebec ( ; )According to the Canadian government, ''Québec'' (with the acute accent) is the official name in Canadian French and ''Quebec'' (without the accent) is the province's official name in Canadian English is one of the thirtee ...

) *

Parliament In modern politics, and history, a parliament is a legislative body of government. Generally, a modern parliament has three functions: Representation (politics), representing the Election#Suffrage, electorate, making laws, and overseeing ...

– 25th (until 6 February) then 26th (from 16 May)

Provincial governments

Lieutenant governors

Lieutenant Governor of Alberta The lieutenant governor of Alberta () is the viceregal representative in Alberta of the . The lieutenant governor is appointed in the same manner as the other provincial viceroys in Canada and is similarly tasked with carrying out most of the m ...

–

John Percy Page John Percy Page (May 14, 1887 – March 2, 1973) was a Canadian teacher, basketball coach, provincial politician, and the eighth Lieutenant Governor of Alberta. Early life and education Born in Rochester, New York, the son of Absalom Bell Page ...

* Lieutenant Governor of British Columbia –

George Pearkes Major-general#Canada, Major-General George Randolph Pearkes, (February 28, 1888 – May 30, 1984) was a Canadian politician and soldier. He was a recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest award for gallantry in the face of the enemy awarded ...

* Lieutenant Governor of Manitoba – Errick Willis *

Lieutenant Governor of New Brunswick The lieutenant governor of New Brunswick (, in French: ''Lieutenant-gouverneur'' (if male) or ''Lieutenante-gouverneure'' (if female) ''du Nouveau-Brunswick'') is the viceregal representative in New Brunswick of the , who operates distinctly wit ...

–

Joseph Leonard O'Brien Joseph Leonard O'Brien (November 10, 1895 – June 18, 1973) was a Canadian politician and businessman. Born in South Nelson, New Brunswick, he was a member of the Legislative Assembly of New Brunswick from 1925 to 1930 and was Speaker of ...

Lieutenant Governor of Newfoundland The lieutenant governor of Newfoundland and Labrador () is the viceregal representative in Newfoundland and Labrador of the , who operates distinctly within the province but is also shared equally with the ten other jurisdictions of Canada, as w ...

–

Campbell Leonard Macpherson Campbell Leonard Macpherson (July 4, 1907 – June 28, 1973) was a businessman born in St. John's, Colony of Newfoundland and was the third lieutenant governor of Newfoundland. The son of Cluny and Eleanora Macpherson, he was educated at ...

(until March 1) then

Fabian O'Dea Fabian Aloysius O'Dea, (January 20, 1918 – December 12, 2004) was a Newfoundland and Canadian lawyer and the fourth lieutenant governor of Newfoundland. Family He was the son of John V. O'Dea and May (Coady) O'Dea. In 1950, O'Dea marrie ...

Lieutenant Governor of Nova Scotia The lieutenant governor of Nova Scotia () is the viceregal representative in Nova Scotia of the , who operates distinctly within the province but is also shared equally with the ten other jurisdictions of Canada, as well as the other Commonwealt ...

– Edward Chester Plow (until March 1) then

Henry Poole MacKeen Henry Poole MacKeen, SM, CD, QC (June 17, 1892 – April 20, 1971) was a Canadian lawyer and the 23rd Lieutenant Governor of Nova Scotia from 1963 to 1968. Born in Glace Bay, Nova Scotia, the son of former Lieutenant Governor of Nova ...

Lieutenant Governor of Ontario The lieutenant governor of Ontario (, in French: ''Lieutenant-gouverneur'' (if male) or ''Lieutenante-gouverneure'' (if female) ''de l'Ontario'') is the viceregal representative in Ontario of the , who operates distinctly within the province bu ...

– John Keiller MacKay (until May 1) then

William Earl Rowe William Earl Rowe, (May 13, 1894 – February 9, 1984), was a politician in Ontario, Canada. He served as the 20th Lieutenant Governor of Ontario from 1963 to 1968. Background Rowe was born in Hull, Iowa, United States, of Canadian pare ...

Lieutenant Governor of Prince Edward Island The lieutenant governor of Prince Edward Island () is the viceregal representative in Prince Edward Island of the , who operates distinctly within the province but is also shared equally with the ten other jurisdictions of Canada, as well as the ...

– Frederick Walter Hyndman (until August 1) then Willibald Joseph MacDonald *

Lieutenant Governor of Quebec The lieutenant governor of Quebec (; French (masculine): ''Lieutenant-gouverneur du Québec'', or (feminine): ''Lieutenante-gouverneure du Québec'') is the viceregal representative in Quebec of the , who operates distinctly within the province ...

–

Paul Comtois Paul Comtois, (August 22, 1895 – February 21, 1966) was a Canadian politician. Born in Pierreville, Quebec, the son of Urbain Comtois and Elizabeth McCaffrey, he ran unsuccessfully for the House of Commons of Canada in the 1930 federa ...

Lieutenant Governor of Saskatchewan The lieutenant governor of Saskatchewan () is the Viceroy, viceregal representative in Saskatchewan of the , who Monarchy in Saskatchewan, operates distinctly within the province but is also shared equally with the Canadian federalism, ten other ...

–

Frank Lindsay Bastedo Frank Lindsay Bastedo (September 10, 1886 – February 15, 1973), was a Canadian lawyer who served as the 11th Lieutenant Governor of Saskatchewan. He is notable for being one of the few (and the last) Canadian vice-regal representatives to ref ...

(until March 1) then Robert Hanbidge

Premiers

* Premier of Alberta – Ernest Manning *

Premier of British Columbia Premier is a title for the head of government in central governments, state governments and local governments of some countries. A second in command to a premier is designated as a deputy premier. A premier will normally be a head of governm ...

–

W.A.C. Bennett William Andrew Cecil Bennett (September 6, 1900 – February 23, 1979) was a Canadian politician. He was the 25th premier of British Columbia from 1952 to 1972. With just over 20 years in office, Bennett was and remains the longest-serving prem ...

* Premier of Manitoba – Dufferin Roblin *

Premier of New Brunswick The premier of New Brunswick ( French (masculine): ''premier ministre du Nouveau-Brunswick'', or feminine: ''première ministre du Nouveau-Brunswick'') is the first minister and head of government for the Canadian province of New Brunswick. The ...

– Louis Robichaud * Premier of Newfoundland –

Joey Smallwood Joseph Roberts Smallwood (December 24, 1900 – December 17, 1991) was a Newfoundlander and Canadian politician. He was the main force who brought the Dominion of Newfoundland into Canadian Confederation in 1949, becoming the first premier of ...

Premier of Nova Scotia The premier of Nova Scotia is the first minister to the lieutenant governor of the Canadian province of Nova Scotia and presides over the Executive Council of Nova Scotia. Following the Westminster system, the premier is normally the leader of ...

–

Robert Stanfield Robert Lorne Stanfield (April 11, 1914 – December 16, 2003) was a Canadian politician who served as the 17th premier of Nova Scotia from 1956 to 1967 and the leader of the Official Opposition and leader of the federal Progressive Conservative ...

Premier of Ontario The premier of Ontario (french: premier ministre de l'Ontario) is the head of government of Ontario. Under the Westminster system, the premier governs with the Confidence and supply, confidence of a majority the elected Legislative Assembly of On ...

– John Robarts *

Premier of Prince Edward Island The premier of Prince Edward Island is the first minister and head of government for the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of Prince Edward Island. The current premier of Prince Edward Island is Dennis King (politician), Den ...

– Walter Shaw *

Premier of Quebec The premier of Quebec ( French: ''premier ministre du Québec'' (masculine) or ''première ministre du Québec'' (feminine)) is the head of government of the Canadian province of Quebec. The current premier of Quebec is François Legault of the ...

–

Jean Lesage Jean Lesage (; 10 June 1912 – 12 December 1980) was a Canadian lawyer and politician from Quebec. He served as the 19th premier of Quebec from 22 June 1960 to 16 June 1966. Alongside Georges-Émile Lapalme, René Lévesque and others, he is o ...

* Premier of Saskatchewan –

Woodrow Lloyd Woodrow Stanley Lloyd (July 16, 1913 – April 7, 1972) was a Canadian politician and educator. Born in Saskatchewan in 1913, he became a teacher in the early 1930s. He worked as a teacher and school principal until 1944 and was involved with ...

Territorial governments

Commissioners

* Commissioner of Yukon –

Gordon Robertson Cameron Gordon Robertson Cameron (November 12, 1921 – August 10, 2010) was a businessman and former political figure in the Yukon, Canada. He served as the commissioner of Yukon from 1962 to 1966. He was born in Pictou, Nova Scotia and educated in V ...

* Commissioner of Northwest Territories – Robert Gordon Robertson (until July 12) then Bent Gestur Sivertz

Events

*February 4: Defence Minister Douglas Harkness resigns after Prime Minister Diefenbaker refuses to accept

nuclear weapon A nuclear weapon is an explosive device that derives its destructive force from nuclear reactions, either fission (fission bomb) or a combination of fission and fusion reactions ( thermonuclear bomb), producing a nuclear explosion. Both bom ...

s from the

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...

*February 5: The Diefenbaker government collapses over the

Bomarc The Boeing CIM-10 BOMARC (Boeing Michigan Aeronautical Research Center) (IM-99 Weapon System prior to September 1962) was a supersonic ramjet powered long-range surface-to-air missile (SAM) used during the Cold War for the air defense of North ...

Missile Crisis and an election is called *March 1: Simon Fraser University is founded *April 8:

Federal election An election is a formal group decision-making process by which a population chooses an individual or multiple individuals to hold public office. Elections have been the usual mechanism by which modern representative democracy has operated ...

Lester Pearson Lester Bowles "Mike" Pearson (23 April 1897 – 27 December 1972) was a Canadian scholar, statesman, diplomat, and politician who served as the 14th prime minister of Canada from 1963 to 1968. Born in Newtonbrook, Ontario (now part of ...

's Liberals win a minority, defeating

PCs A personal computer (PC) is a multi-purpose microcomputer whose size, capabilities, and price make it feasible for individual use. Personal computers are intended to be operated directly by an end user, rather than by a computer expert or techn ...

*April 9: Canadian Recording Industry Association is established *April 20: The

Front de libération du Québec The (FLQ) was a Marxist–Leninist and Quebec separatist guerrilla group. Founded in the early 1960s with the aim of establishing an independent and socialist Quebec through violent means, the FLQ was considered a terrorist group by the Canadia ...

sets off its first bombs in

*April 22: Lester Pearson becomes

, replacing John Diefenbaker *May 27: The

Northern Alberta Institute of Technology The Northern Alberta Institute of Technology (NAIT) is a applied sciences institute in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. NAIT provides careers programs in applied research, technical training, applied education, and learning designed to meet the deman ...

opens *June 17:

1963 Alberta general election The 1963 Alberta general election was held on June 17, 1963, to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta. The Social Credit Party, led by Ernest C. Manning, won its eighth consecutive term in government, winning roughly the same num ...

: Ernest Manning's Alberta Social Credit Party wins an eighth consecutive majority *July 22: The Royal Commission on Bilingualism and Biculturalism is announced *September 21: Place des Arts opens in

Montreal Montreal ( ; officially Montréal, ) is the List of the largest municipalities in Canada by population, second-most populous city in Canada and List of towns in Quebec, most populous city in the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian ...

*September 25:

1963 Ontario general election The 1963 Ontario general election was held on September 25, 1963, to elect the 108 members of the 27th Legislative Assembly of Ontario (Members of Provincial Parliament, or "MPPs") of the Province of Ontario. The Ontario Progressive Conservativ ...

: John Robarts's PCs win a sixth consecutive majority *November 29: 118 are killed in the

Trans-Canada Air Lines Flight 831 Trans-Canada Air Lines (TCA) Flight 831 was a flight from Montréal–Dorval International Airport to Toronto International Airport on November 29, 1963. About five minutes after takeoff in poor weather, the jet crashed about 32 kms (20 miles ...

crash near Sainte-Thérèse, Quebec *December 23: plans to build the National Arts Centre are approved

Arts and literature

New Works

* W.L. Morton: ''The Kingdom of Canada'' *

Milton Acorn Milton James Rhode Acorn (March 30, 1923 – August 20, 1986), nicknamed ''The People's Poet'' by his peers, was a Canadian poet, writer, and playwright. Early life He was born in Prince Edward Island, and grew up in Charlottetown. He joined the ...

: ''Jawbreakers'' * Leonard Cohen: ''The Favorite Game'' * Farley Mowat: ''Never Cry Wolf''

Awards

*See

1963 Governor General's Awards Each winner of the 1963 Governor General's Awards for Literary Merit was selected by a panel of judges administered by the Canada Council for the Arts. Winners English Language *Fiction: Hugh Garner, ''Hugh Garner's Best Stories''. *Non fiction: ...

for a complete list of winners and finalists for those awards. *

Stephen Leacock Award The Stephen Leacock Memorial Medal for Humour, also known as the Stephen Leacock Medal for Humour or just the Leacock Medal, is an annual literary award presented for the best book of humour written in English by a Canadians, Canadian writer, publis ...

: Donald Jack, ''Three Cheers for Me'' *

Vicky Metcalf Award The Vicky Metcalf Award for Literature for Young People, colloquially called the Vicky, is given annually at the Writers' Trust Awards to a writer or illustrator whose body of work has been "inspirational to Canadian youth". It is a top honour for ...

Kerry Wood Kerry Lee Wood (born June 16, 1977) is an American former baseball pitcher who played 14 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Chicago Cubs, Cleveland Indians, and New York Yankees. Wood first came to prominence as a 20-year-old rooki ...

Sport

*March 16 – The

McMaster Marlins The McMaster Marauders are the athletic teams that represent McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. Athletics at McMaster is currently managed by the university's student affairs, under their athletics & recreation department. The unive ...

win the first

University Cup The David Johnston University Cup is a national collegiate sports award, presented annually to the champion of a season-ending tournament played by U Sports men's ice hockey teams in Canada. The UQTR Patriotes are the current champions for the 2 ...

by defeating the

UBC Thunderbirds The UBC Thunderbirds are the athletic teams that represent the University of British Columbia in the University Endowment Lands just outside the city limits of Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. In Canadian intercollegiate competition, the Thun ...

3 to 2 at the

Kingston Memorial Centre The Kingston Memorial Centre is a 3,300-seat multi-purpose arena located at 303 York Street in Kingston, Ontario, Canada. Opened in 1951, the ''Kingston Community Memorial Health and Recreation Centre'' was designed as a community sports and ent ...

*April 18 – The

Toronto Maple Leafs The Toronto Maple Leafs (officially the Toronto Maple Leaf Hockey Club and often referred to as the Leafs) are a professional ice hockey team based in Toronto. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic Div ...

win their 11th

Stanley Cup The Stanley Cup (french: La Coupe Stanley) is the championship trophy awarded annually to the National Hockey League (NHL) playoff champion. It is the oldest existing trophy to be awarded to a professional sports franchise in North America, an ...

by defeating the

Detroit Red Wings The Detroit Red Wings (colloquially referred to as the Wings) are a professional ice hockey team based in Detroit. The Red Wings compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic Division (NHL), Atlantic Division in the East ...

. The deciding Game 5 is played at Maple Leaf Gardens in

Toronto Toronto ( ; or ) is the capital city of the Canadian province of Ontario. With a recorded population of 2,794,356 in 2021, it is the most populous city in Canada and the fourth most populous city in North America. The city is the ancho ...

*April 22 –

Winnipeg Winnipeg () is the capital and largest city of the province of Manitoba in Canada. It is centred on the confluence of the Red and Assiniboine rivers, near the longitudinal centre of North America. , Winnipeg had a city population of 749,6 ...

awarded the 1967 Pan Am Games *May 11 – The

Central Alberta Hockey League The Central Alberta Hockey League (CAHL) is a defunct senior amateur hockey league that operated in Alberta, Canada from 1956 to 1966. The creation of the CAHL coincided with the folding of the original Western Canada Junior Hockey League (WCJHL). ...

Edmonton Oil Kings The Edmonton Oil Kings are a major junior ice hockey team based in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, that play in the Western Hockey League. As of July 2008, they are owned by Daryl Katz's Oilers Entertainment Group, which also owns the Edmonton Oilers. ...

win their First Memorial Cup by defeating

Ontario Hockey Association The Ontario Hockey Association (OHA) is the governing body for the majority of junior and senior level ice hockey teams in the Province of Ontario. The OHA is sanctioned by the Ontario Hockey Federation along with the Northern Ontario Hockey As ...

's Niagara Falls Flyers 4 games to 2. All games were played at

Edmonton Gardens The Edmonton Gardens was the first indoor hockey arena built in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. It was originally built as Edmonton Stock Pavilion in 1913, and held 5,200 spectators after its 1966 renovations. It was home to the World Hockey Associat ...

. *November 30 – The

Hamilton Tiger-Cats The Hamilton Tiger-Cats are a professional Canadian football team based in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. They are currently members of the East Division of the Canadian Football League (CFL). The Tiger-Cats play their home games at Tim Hortons Fiel ...

win their third

Grey Cup The Grey Cup (french: Coupe Grey) is both the championship game of the Canadian Football League (CFL) and the trophy awarded to the victorious team playing in the namesake championship of professional Canadian football. The game is contested be ...

by defeating the BC Lions 21–10 in the

51st Grey Cup The 51st Grey Cup took place on November 30, 1963, at Empire Stadium in Vancouver, British Columbia, and decided the Canadian Football League (CFL) champion for the 1963 season. The Hamilton Tiger-Cats defeated the BC Lions 21–10, in front o ...

played Empire Stadium in

Vancouver Vancouver ( ) is a major city in western Canada, located in the Lower Mainland region of British Columbia. As the List of cities in British Columbia, most populous city in the province, the 2021 Canadian census recorded 662,248 people in the ...

Births

January to March

*January 1 – Cheryl Dick, netball player *January 9 –

Larry Cain Laurence J. "Larry" Cain, (born January 9, 1963) is a Canadian sprint canoeist. He was the first Canadian canoeist since Frank Amyot to win an Olympic gold medal in canoeing. Early life Cain was born in Toronto, Ontario. He attended Oakville ...

, sprint canoer and Olympic gold medallist *January 12 –

Ken Fitzpatrick Kenneth Fitzpatrick (born January 12, 1963) is a former breaststroke swimmer from Canada. He was born in Ottawa, Ontario. Fitzpatrick competed for his native country at the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, California. There he finished i ...

, swimmer *January 19 – Steve Peters, politician and Minister *January 25 – Paul Dewar, educator and politician (d.

2019 File:2019 collage v1.png, From top left, clockwise: Hong Kong protests turn to widespread riots and civil disobedience; House of Representatives votes to adopt articles of impeachment against Donald Trump; CRISPR gene editing first used to experim ...

) *February 12 –

Ron Schuler Ronald Reinhold Schuler is a Canadian politician. He is currently a member of the Manitoba Legislature and a representative of the Progressive Conservative Party (PCs). He was first elected in the 1999 provincial election. and was re-elected in ...

, politician *February 21 –

Lori Fung Lori Fung Methorst, (馮黎明; born February 21, 1963) is a Canadians, Canadian gymnastics Coach (sport), coach and retired Rhythmic gymnastics, rhythmic gymnast. She won the gold medal in all-around rhythmic gymnastics at the 1984 Summer Olymp ...

, rhythmic gymnast *March 1 –

Ron Francis Ronald Michael Francis Jr. (born March 1, 1963) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey centre. He is the general manager of the Seattle Kraken that inaugurated its first season in 2021. Drafted fourth overall in the 1981 NHL Entry Draft, F ...

, ice hockey player and coach *March 17 – Lawrence Ytzhak Braithwaite, novelist, spoken word artist, dub poet, essayist and musician (d.

2008 File:2008 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: Lehman Brothers went bankrupt following the Subprime mortgage crisis; Cyclone Nargis killed more than 138,000 in Myanmar; A scene from the opening ceremony of the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing; ...

) *March 26 – Roch Voisine, singer-songwriter, actor and radio and television host *March 28 –

Sharon Hambrook Sharon Hambrook (born March 28, 1963) is a Canadian former world champion and Olympic medalist in synchronized swimming. Career Hambrook trained with the Calgary Aquabelles. She won a gold medal with her partner Kelly Kryczka in the women's duet ...

, synchronized swimmer *March 30 ** Wayne Gordon, boxer **

Carol Klimpel Carol Klimpel (born March 30, 1963) is a female former freestyle swimmer from Canada, who was chosen to represent her native country at the 1980 Summer Olympics in Moscow, but did not participate because of the United States-led Boycott. She di ...

, swimmer

April to June

*April 4 **

Vince Ditrich Vince Richard Ditrich (born April 4, 1963) is a Canadian rock musician, best known as the drummer and manager of the band Spirit of the West. Ditrich is also the author of two novels featuring fictional musician Tony Vicar (''The Liquor Vicar'' a ...

, rock musician ** Dale Hawerchuk, ice hockey player ** Jim Wilson, politician *April 14 –

John Kalbhenn John Kalbhenn (born April 14, 1963 in Kitchener, Ontario) is a retired boxer from Canada, who competed for his native country at the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, California. There he was defeated in the third round of the men's lightweight ...

, boxer *April 17 –

Penny A penny is a coin ( pennies) or a unit of currency (pl. pence) in various countries. Borrowed from the Carolingian denarius (hence its former abbreviation d.), it is usually the smallest denomination within a currency system. Presently, it is t ...

Vicky Vilagos Vicky Vilagos (born April 17, 1963) is a Canadian competitor in synchronised swimming and an Olympic medalist. Career Vilagos and her twin sister Penny Vilagos began synchronized swimming at age eight. They won their first Canadian National Cham ...

, synchronized swimmers *April 18 – Eric McCormack, actor, musician, writer and producer *April 27 –

Joe Peschisolido Joe Peschisolido (born April 27, 1963) is a Canadian lawyer and politician who served as the Member of Parliament (MP) for the riding of Richmond from 2000 to 2004 and as the MP for Steveston—Richmond East from 2015 to 2019. He was first ele ...

, politician and businessman *April 27 –

Cali Timmins Cali Timmins (born April 27, 1963) is a Canadian former actress, best known for her work in the soap ''Ryan's Hope'' as Maggie Shelby, a role she played from 1983 to 1989. She also had a leading role in the cult classic '' Spacehunter: Adventur ...

, actress

*April 28 – Lloyd Eisler, pair skater *May 5 – Susan Whelan, politician and Minister *May 9 –

Joe Cirella Joseph Cirella (born May 9, 1963) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player who played in 828 games in the National Hockey League (NHL). He has additionally served as assistant coach and assistant general manager of the Oshawa Generals o ...

, ice hockey player and coach *May 17 – Michelle Conn, field hockey player *May 25 – Mike Myers, actor, comedian, screenwriter and film producer *May 26 –

Richard Crouse Richard Crouse (born May 26, 1963) is a Canadian film critic for CTV News Channel and CP24. Life and career He was the film critic for ''Canada AM'' from 2005 until the show's cancellation in 2016. He hosted ''In Short'' on Bravo, was the host ...

, film critic *June –

Laureen Harper Laureen Ann Harper ( Teskey; born June 23, 1963) is a Canadian graphic designer. She is married to Canada's 22nd prime minister, Stephen Harper. Life and career The eldest of three, Laureen Ann Teskey was born in Turner Valley, a rural town so ...

, wife of

Stephen Harper Stephen Joseph Harper (born April 30, 1959) is a Canadian politician who served as the 22nd prime minister of Canada from 2006 to 2015. Harper is the first and only prime minister to come from the modern-day Conservative Party of Canada, ...

*June 4 –

Carey Nelson Carey Nelson (born June 4, 1963 in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan) is a former long-distance runner from Canada, who represented his native country at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, Georgia. There the resident of Vancouver, British Columbia finishe ...

, long-distance runner *June 6 –

Bernard Drainville Bernard Drainville (born June 6, 1963) is a Canadian politician, television host and journalist. He was the Member of National Assembly of Quebec for the riding of Marie-Victorin in Longueuil from 2007 to 2016, representing the Parti Québécoi ...

, Canadian journalist and politician *June 17 – Sandra Greaves, judoka *June 24 –

Barbara Underhill Barbara Ann Underhill (born June 24, 1963) is a Canadian former pair skater. With partner Paul Martini, she is the 1984 World champion, the 1979–1983 Canadian national champion, and the 1978 World Junior champion. They represented Canada at ...

, pairs figure skater and World Champion *June 25 – Doug Gilmour, ice hockey player and coach *June 25 – Yann Martel, author

July to September

*July 11 – Al MacInnis, ice hockey player *July 11 – Sandra Schmirler, curler, Olympic gold medallist and World Champion (d.

2000 File:2000 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: Protests against Bush v. Gore after the 2000 United States presidential election; Heads of state meet for the Millennium Summit; The International Space Station in its infant form as seen from ...

) *July 12 –

Andy Savoy Andy Savoy (born July 12, 1963) is a Canadian politician and engineer. Early life Savoy was raised in Victoria County in the Perth-Andover, New Brunswick area and educated at the University of New Brunswick in Fredericton where he earned a Bachel ...

, politician and engineer *July 28 – Gregory Henriquez, architect *July 30 – Albert Schultz, actor and director *August 2 – Russell Smith, novelist and newspaper columnist *August 8 –

Stephen Walkom Stephen Walkom (born August 8, 1963) currently serves as vice president and director of officiating for the National Hockey League (NHL). This is his second stint in that position, having previously served from 2005 to 2009. From 1990 to 2004, an ...

, ice hockey official and executive *September 2 – Gerard Gallant, ice hockey player and coach *September 7 – Karen Dianne Baldwin, Miss Universe 1982 *September 9 – Kathryn Johnson, field hockey player *September 25 – Karin Larsen, synchronized swimmer and broadcaster *September 29 –

Dave Andreychuk David John Andreychuk (born September 29, 1963) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey left winger who played in the NHL with the Buffalo Sabres, Toronto Maple Leafs, New Jersey Devils, Boston Bruins, Colorado Avalanche and Tampa Bay Ligh ...

, ice hockey player

October to December

*October 20 –

Julie Payette Julie Payette (; born October 20, 1963) is a Canadian engineer, scientist and former astronaut who served from 2017 to 2021 as Governor General of Canada, the 29th since Canadian Confederation. Payette holds engineering degrees from McGill ...

, astronaut *November 19 –

Bill Dunlop Bill Dunlop (born November 19, 1963, in Montreal, Quebec) is a retired boxer from Canada, who competed for his native country at the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, California. There he was defeated in the first round of the men's flyweight ( ...

, boxer *November 22 – Benoît Sauvageau, politician (d.

2006 File:2006 Events Collage V1.png, From top left, clockwise: The 2006 Winter Olympics open in Turin; Twitter is founded and launched by Jack Dorsey; The Nintendo Wii is released; Montenegro 2006 Montenegrin independence referendum, votes to declare ...

) *November 23 –

Troy Hurtubise Troy James Hurtubise (November 23, 1963 – June 17, 2018) was a Canadian inventor and conservationist, noted for self-testing his often bizarre creations. These inventions included various ray generators, firepaste (an ablative heatproofing m ...

, inventor and conservationist (d.

2018 File:2018 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: The 2018 Winter Olympics opening ceremony in PyeongChang, South Korea; Protests erupt following the Assassination of Jamal Khashoggi; March for Our Lives protests take place across the United ...

) *November 25 –

Holly Cole Holly Cole (born November 25, 1963) is a Canadian jazz singer and actress. For many years she performed with her group The Holly Cole Trio. Background Cole was born in Halifax, Nova Scotia. Her father, Leon Cole, was a noted radio broadcaster ...

, jazz singer *December 4 – Robert Dawson, wrestler *December 9 –

Dave Hilton, Jr. Dave "Davey" Hilton Jr. (born December 9, 1963) is a Canadian former boxing world champion. He is the older brother of former light middleweight world champion of boxing, Matthew Hilton. Professional boxing career He briefly held the WBC super ...

, boxer *December 29 –

Liisa Savijarvi Liisa Savijarvi (born 29 December 1963 in Bracebridge, Ontario) is a Canadian former skier. Career Her career in Alpine skiing started with the Southern Ontario Division Ski team in December 1978. She made many appearances at the Canadian Alpine ...

, alpine skier *December 30 –

Michelle Douglas Michelle D. Douglas (born December 30, 1963) is a Canadian human rights activist who launched a landmark legal challenge in the Federal Court of Canada against the military's discriminatory policies against LGBTQ+ service members.'' The Current'', ...

, human rights activist

Deaths

*March 27 – Gaspard Fauteux, politician,

Speaker of the House of Commons of Canada The speaker of the House of Commons (french: président de la Chambre des communes) is the presiding officer of the lower house of the Parliament of Canada. A member of Parliament (MP), they are elected at the beginning of each new parliament b ...

and Lieutenant-Governor of

(b.

1898 Events January–March * January 1 – New York City annexes land from surrounding counties, creating the City of Greater New York as the world's second largest. The city is geographically divided into five boroughs: Manhattan, B ...

) *May 12 – Robert Kerr, sprinter and Olympic gold medallist (b.

1882 Events January–March * January 2 ** The Standard Oil Trust is secretly created in the United States to control multiple corporations set up by John D. Rockefeller and his associates. ** Irish-born author Oscar Wilde arrives in ...

) *June 23 –

Herbert Alexander Bruce Herbert Alexander Bruce (September 28, 1868 – June 23, 1963), served as the 15th Lieutenant Governor of Ontario from 1932 to 1937. Biography Born in Blackstock, Ontario near Port Perry, Bruce was educated as a surgeon at the University ...

, surgeon and 15th Lieutenant Governor of

(b.

1868 Events January–March * January 2 – British Expedition to Abyssinia: Robert Napier leads an expedition to free captive British officials and missionaries. * January 3 – The 15-year-old Mutsuhito, Emperor Meiji of Jap ...

) *August 19 –

Kathleen Parlow Kathleen Parlow (September 20, 1890 – August 19, 1963) was a violinist known for her outstanding technique, which earned her the nickname "The lady of the golden bow". Although she left Canada at the age of four and did not permanently return ...

, violinist (b.

1890 Events January–March * January 1 ** The Kingdom of Italy establishes Eritrea as its colony, in the Horn of Africa. ** In Michigan, the wooden steamer ''Mackinaw'' burns in a fire on the Black River. * January 2 ** The steamship ...

) *September 8 – Leslie Gordon Bell, politician and lawyer (b.

1889 Events January–March * January 1 ** The total solar eclipse of January 1, 1889 is seen over parts of California and Nevada. ** Paiute spiritual leader Wovoka experiences a vision, leading to the start of the Ghost Dance movement in the ...

)

Full date unknown

Murdoch Mackay Murdoch Mackay (April 30, 1884 – 1963) was a Manitoba politician. He led the Manitoba Liberal Party from 1931 to 1932, and brought the party into an alliance with John Bracken's Progressives. Mackay was born on Boularderie Island, Nova Scotia, ...

, politician (b.

1884 Events January–March * January 4 – The Fabian Society is founded in London. * January 5 – Gilbert and Sullivan's ''Princess Ida'' premières at the Savoy Theatre, London. * January 18 – Dr. William Price atte ...

)

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:1963 In Canada Years of the 20th century in Canada

Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, covering over , making it the world's second-largest country by tot ...

1963 in North America