Events from the year 1987 in Canada.

Incumbents

Crown

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

–

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 ...

–

Jeanne Sauvé Jeanne Mathilde Sauvé (; April 26, 1922 – January 26, 1993) was a Canadian politician and journalist who served as Governor General of Canada, the 23rd since Canadian Confederation. Sauvé was born in Prud'homme, Saskatchewan, and educate ...

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 i ...

– Brian Mulroney * Chief Justice –

Brian Dickson Robert George Brian Dickson (May 25, 1916 – October 17, 1998) was a Canadian lawyer, military officer and judge. He was appointed a puisne justice of the Supreme Court of Canada on March 26, 1973, and subsequently appointed the 15th Chief Ju ...

(

Manitoba , image_map = Manitoba in Canada 2.svg , map_alt = Map showing Manitoba's location in the centre of Southern Canada , Label_map = yes , coordinates = , capital = Winn ...

) *

Parliament In modern politics, and history, a parliament is a legislative body of government. Generally, a modern parliament has three functions: representing the electorate, making laws, and overseeing the government via hearings and inquiries. Th ...

– 33rd

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 ...

–

Helen Hunley Wilma Helen Hunley (September 6, 1920 – October 22, 2010) was a Canadian politician and the 12th Lieutenant Governor of Alberta, the first woman to serve in that post. Early life She was born in Acme, Alberta, to James Edgar Hunley and Esta ...

Lieutenant Governor of British Columbia The lieutenant governor of British Columbia () is the viceregal representative of the , in the province of British Columbia, Canada. The office of lieutenant governor is an office of the Crown and serves as a representative of the monarchy in ...

–

Robert Gordon Rogers Robert Gordon Rogers, (August 19, 1919 – May 21, 2010) was the 24th Lieutenant Governor of British Columbia from 1983 to 1988. Born in Montreal, he was a graduate of the University of Toronto Schools, the University of Toronto, and the Ro ...

* Lieutenant Governor of Manitoba – George Johnson *

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 ...

–

George Stanley Colonel George Francis Gillman Stanley (July 6, 1907September 13, 2002) was a Canadian historian, author, soldier, teacher, public servant, and designer of the Canadian flag. Early life and education George F.G. Stanley was born in Calgary, Alb ...

(until August 20) then

Gilbert Finn Gilbert Finn (September 3, 1920 – January 7, 2015) was a Canadian businessman and was the 26th Lieutenant Governor of New Brunswick from 1987 to 1994. Born in Inkerman, New Brunswick, he received a Bachelor of Arts degree from Laval Universi ...

* Lieutenant Governor of Newfoundland – James McGrath * Lieutenant Governor of Nova Scotia – Alan Abraham *

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 ...

–

Lincoln Alexander Lincoln MacCauley Alexander (January 21, 1922 – October 19, 2012) was a Canadian lawyer who became the first Black Canadian member of Parliament in the House of Commons, the first Black federal Cabinet Minister (as federal Minister of Labou ...

* Lieutenant Governor of Prince Edward Island – Lloyd MacPhail * Lieutenant Governor of Quebec –

Gilles Lamontagne Joseph-Georges-Gilles-Claude Lamontagne (; April 17, 1919 – June 14, 2016) was a Canadian politician and the 24th Lieutenant Governor of Quebec. Early life He was born in Montreal. During World War II, Lamontagne served as a bomber pilot in ...

Lieutenant Governor of Saskatchewan The lieutenant governor of Saskatchewan () is the viceregal representative in Saskatchewan 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 Commonw ...

– Frederick Johnson

Premiers

Premier of Alberta The premier of Alberta is the first minister for the Canadian province of Alberta, and the province's head of government. The current premier is Danielle Smith, leader of the United Conservative Party, who was sworn in on October 11, 2022. The ...

–

Don Getty Donald Ross Getty (August 30, 1933 – February 26, 2016) was a Canadian politician who served as the 11th premier of Alberta between 1985 and 1992. A member of the Progressive Conservatives, he served as Energy Minister and Federal and Intergo ...

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 govern ...

– Bill Vander Zalm *

Premier of Manitoba The premier of Manitoba (french: premier ministre du Manitoba) is the first minister (i.e., head of government or chief executive) for the Canadian province of Manitoba—as well as the ''de facto'' President of the province's Executive Council ...

–

Howard Pawley Howard Russell Pawley (November 21, 1934 – December 30, 2015) was a Canadian politician and professor who was the 18th premier of Manitoba from 1981 to 1988. Prior to his premiership, Pawley served in various ministerial positions after his ...

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. T ...

–

Richard Hatfield Richard Bennett Hatfield (April 9, 1931 – April 26, 1991) was a New Brunswick politician and the longest serving premier of New Brunswick from 1970 to 1987.Richard Starr, ''Richard Hatfield, The Seventeen Year Saga,'' 1987, Early life T ...

(until October 27) then

Frank McKenna Francis Joseph McKenna (born January 19, 1948) is a Canadian businessman and former politician and diplomat. He is currently Deputy Chairman of the Toronto-Dominion Bank. He served as Canadian Ambassador to the United States from 2005 to 2006 ...

Premier of Newfoundland The premier of Newfoundland and Labrador is the first minister and head of government for the Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador. Since 1949, the premier's duties and office has been the successor to the ministerial position of the pri ...

– Brian Peckford * Premier of Nova Scotia – John Buchanan * Premier of Ontario –

David Peterson David Robert Peterson (born December 28, 1943) is a Canadian lawyer and former politician who served as the 20th premier of Ontario from 1985 to 1990. He was the first Liberal officeholder in 42 years, ending the so-called Tory dynasty. Backgr ...

Premier of Prince Edward Island The premier of Prince Edward Island is the first minister and head of government for the Canadian province of Prince Edward Island. The current premier of Prince Edward Island is Dennis King, from the Progressive Conservative Party. See also ...

–

Joe Ghiz Joseph Atallah Ghiz (January 27, 1945 – November 9, 1996) was the 27th premier of Prince Edward Island from 1986 to 1993, an educator of law and a justice of the Supreme Court of Prince Edward Island. He was the father of Robert Ghiz, the ...

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 th ...

– Robert Bourassa *

Premier of Saskatchewan The premier of Saskatchewan is the first minister and head of government for the Canadian province of Saskatchewan. The current premier of Saskatchewan is Scott Moe, who was sworn in as premier on February 2, 2018, after winning the 2018 Saskatc ...

–

Grant Devine Donald Grant Devine, SOM (born July 5, 1944) was the 11th premier of Saskatchewan from May 8, 1982 to November 1, 1991. Early life Born in Regina, Saskatchewan, he received a BSc in Agriculture degree specializing in Agricultural Economics i ...

Territorial governments

Commissioners

Commissioner of Yukon The commissioner of Yukon (french: Commissaire du Yukon) is the representative of the Government of Canada in the Canadian federal territory of Yukon. The commissioner is appointed by the federal government and, in contrast to the governor gene ...

–

John Kenneth McKinnon John Kenneth McKinnon (April 20, 1936 – March 13, 2019) was a Canadian politician and the commissioner of Yukon from 1986 to 1995. Early life The son of Alex McKinnon and Catherine Luce, he was educated in Norwood, at St. Paul's College and ...

Commissioner of Northwest Territories The commissioner of the Northwest Territories (french: Commissaire des Territoires du Nord-Ouest) is the Government of Canada's representative in the Northwest Territories. Similar in certain functions to a lieutenant governor, the commissioner sw ...

–

John Havelock Parker John Havelock Parker, OC (February 2, 1929 – March 9, 2020) was the commissioner of the Northwest Territories from April 15, 1979 to July 31, 1989. He had previously been Deputy Commissioner of Northwest Territories from 1967 to 1979. Biogra ...

Premiers

Premier of the Northwest Territories The premier of the Northwest Territories is the first minister and head of government for the Canadian territory of the Northwest Territories. The premier is the territory's head of government, although the powers of the office are considerably le ...

–

Nick Sibbeston Nick G. Sibbeston (born November 21, 1943) is a Canadian retired politician, serving from 1985 to 1987 as the fourth premier of the Northwest Territories. Sibbeston was a Senator representing the Northwest Territories from 1999 until 2017, when h ...

(until November 12) then Dennis Patterson *

Premier of Yukon The premier of Yukon is the first minister and head of government for the Canadian territory of Yukon. The post is the territory's head of government, although its powers are considerably more limited than that of a provincial premier. The office ...

–

Tony Penikett Antony David John "Tony" Penikett (born November 14, 1945) is a mediator and negotiator and former politician in Yukon, Canada, who served as the third premier of Yukon from 1985 to 1992. Early life and political activity Born in Sussex, Engl ...

Events

* January 1 – Frobisher Bay changes its name to

Iqaluit Iqaluit ( ; , ; ) is the capital of the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian territory of Nunavut, its largest community, and its only city. It was known as Frobisher Bay from 1942 to 1987, after the Frobisher Bay, large bay on the c ...

. * April 21 – The lifeless body of

Claude Jutra Claude Jutra (; March 11, 1930 – November 5, 1986) was a Canadian actor, film director, and screenwriter.

was finally found in the

Saint Lawrence River The St. Lawrence River (french: Fleuve Saint-Laurent, ) is a large river in the middle latitudes of North America. Its headwaters begin flowing from Lake Ontario in a (roughly) northeasterly direction, into the Gulf of St. Lawrence, connectin ...

near

Cap-Santé Cap-Santé is a town in the Canadian province of Quebec. It is the county seat of Portneuf Regional County Municipality and was as well the county seat of the designated Portneuf County. The name of the town means "Cape Health". Cap-Santé is ...

. * April 30 – Provincial premiers agree to

Meech Lake Accord The Meech Lake Accord (french: Accord du lac Meech) was a series of proposed amendments to the Constitution of Canada negotiated in 1987 by Prime Minister Brian Mulroney and all 10 Canadian provincial premiers. It was intended to persuade the gov ...

. * May 22 –

Rick Hansen Richard Marvin Hansen (born August 26, 1957) is a Canadian track and field athlete (Paralympic Games), activist, and philanthropist for people with disabilities. Following a pickup truck crash at the age of 15, Hansen sustained a spinal cord ...

returns home to

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 ...

after his Man in Motion world tour. * June 30 – Canada introduces a $1 coin, commonly called

loonie The loonie (french: huard), formally the Canadian one-dollar coin, is a gold-coloured Canadian coin that was introduced in 1987 and is produced by the Royal Canadian Mint at its facility in Winnipeg. The most prevalent versions of the coin sh ...

; the dollar bill is withdrawn in 1989. * July 3 –

Quebec City Quebec City ( or ; french: Ville de Québec), officially Québec (), is the capital city of the Canadian province of Quebec. As of July 2021, the city had a population of 549,459, and the metropolitan area had a population of 839,311. It is t ...

becomes the first city in North America to become a

UNESCO The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) aimed at promoting world peace and security through international cooperation in education, arts, sciences and culture. It ...

World Heritage Site A World Heritage Site is a landmark or area with legal protection by an international convention administered by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). World Heritage Sites are designated by UNESCO for h ...

. * July 14 – Montreal is hit by a series of severe thunderstorms during the Montreal Flood of 1987. * July 31 – The

Edmonton Tornado The Edmonton tornado of 1987, an event also known as Black Friday to Edmontonians, was a powerful and devastating tornado that ripped through the eastern parts of Edmonton, Alberta, Canada and parts of neighbouring Strathcona County on the afte ...

kills 27 people. * September 10 – Ontario election:

's Liberals win a majority. * September 20 –

Pope John Paul II Pope John Paul II ( la, Ioannes Paulus II; it, Giovanni Paolo II; pl, Jan Paweł II; born Karol Józef Wojtyła ; 18 May 19202 April 2005) was the head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State from 1978 until his ...

visits the Northwest Territories. * October – Canadian and American negotiators reach agreement on the

Canadian-American Free Trade Agreement Canadian Americans is a term that can be applied to American citizens whose ancestry is wholly or partly Canadian, or citizens of either country that hold dual citizenship. The term ''Canadian'' can mean a nationality or an ethnicity. Canadian ...

. * October 27 –

becomes premier of New Brunswick, replacing

. * October 31 – The

Reform Party of Canada The Reform Party of Canada (french: Parti réformiste du Canada) was a right-wing populist and conservative federal political party in Canada that existed under that name from 1987 to 2000. Reform was founded as a Western Canada-based protest ...

is founded. * November 12 – Dennis Patterson becomes government leader of the Northwest Territories, replacing

. * November 30 – Several new Canadian specialty channels are licensed: YTV,

VisionTV VisionTV is a Canadian English language Category A specialty channel that broadcasts multi-faith, multicultural, and general entertainment programming aimed at the 45 and over demographic. VisionTV is currently owned by ZoomerMedia, a compan ...

, CBC Newsworld,

The Weather Network The Weather Network (TWN) is a Television in Canada, Canadian English language, English-language weather information specialty channel available in Canada, the United States and the United Kingdom. It delivers weather information on television, ...

MeteoMedia Meteomedia may mean: *MétéoMédia MétéoMédia is a Canadian French-language weather information specialty channel and web site owned by Pelmorex. MétéoMédia primarily serves viewers in Quebec, although some cable TV systems in Ontario and ...

, and one pay-television channel: The Family Channel. * December 16 – Chartwell Technology company is founded in British Columbia. :Undated * ElderTreks, Canadian adventure travel company is founded.

Arts and literature

New works

* William Bell: ''Metal Head'' * Dave Duncan: '' A Rose-Red City'' *

Michael Ignatieff Michael Grant Ignatieff (; born May 12, 1947) is a Canadian author, academic and former politician who served as the leader of the Liberal Party of Canada and Leader of the Official Opposition from 2008 until 2011. Known for his work as a histo ...

: ''The Russian Album'' * Irving Layton: ''Fortunate Exile'' *

Donald Jack Donald Lamont Jack (6 December 1924 – 2 June 2003) was an English and Canadian novelist and playwright. Life Jack was born in Radcliffe, Bury, England and grew up in Britain, attending the well regarded Bury Grammar School and Marr College an ...

: ''This One's on Me'' *

Steve McCaffery Steven McCaffery (born January 24, 1947) is a Canadian poet and scholar who was a professor at York University. He currently holds the David Gray Chair at the University at Buffalo, The State University of New York. McCaffery was born in Sheffie ...

: ''Evoba'' *

Antonine Maillet Antonine Maillet, (; born May 10, 1929) is an Acadian novelist, playwright, and scholar. She was born in Bouctouche, New Brunswick, Canada."Antonine Maillet." ''Paroles d'Acadie : Anthologie de la littérature acadienne (1958-2009)'', edited by ...

: ''Margot la folle'' *

Farley Mowat Farley McGill Mowat, (May 12, 1921 – May 6, 2014) was a Canadian writer and environmentalist. His works were translated into 52 languages, and he sold more than 17 million books. He achieved fame with the publication of his books on the Can ...

: ''Virunga: The Passion of Dian Fossey'' * Paul Quarrington, '' King Leary'' *

Mordecai Richler Mordecai Richler (January 27, 1931 – July 3, 2001) was a Canadian writer. His best known works are '' The Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz'' (1959) and '' Barney's Version'' (1997). His 1970 novel '' St. Urbain's Horseman'' and 1989 novel ...

: ''Jacob Two-Two and the Dinosaur''

Awards

*See

1987 Governor General's Awards Each winner of the 1987 Governor General's Awards for Literary Merit received $5000 and a medal from the Governor General of Canada. The winners and nominees were selected by a panel of judges administered by the Canada Council for the Arts. The ...

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

Books in Canada First Novel Award The Amazon.ca First Novel Award, formerly the Books in Canada First Novel Award, is a Canadian literary award, co-presented by Amazon.ca and ''The Walrus'' to the best first novel in English published the previous year by a citizen or resident o ...

: Karen Lawrence, ''The Life of Helen Alone'' *

Gerald Lampert Award The Gerald Lampert Memorial Award is made annually by the League of Canadian Poets to the best volume of poetry published by a first-time poet. It is presented in honour of poetry promoter Gerald Lampert Gerald Lampert (c. 1924 - April 29, 1978) w ...

Rosemary Sullivan Rosemary Sullivan (born 1947) is a Canadian poet, biographer, and anthologist. She is also a professor emerita at University of Toronto. Biography Sullivan was born in the small town of Valois on Lac Saint-Louis, just outside Montreal, Quebe ...

, ''The Space a Name Makes'' *

Marian Engel Award Marian may refer to: People * Mari people, a Finno-Ugric ethnic group in Russia * Marian (given name), a list of people with the given name * Marian (surname), a list of people so named Places * Marian, Iran (disambiguation) * Marian, Queensla ...

: Audrey Thomas * Pat Lowther Award: Heather Spears, ''How to Read Faces'' * Stephen Leacock Award: W.P. Kinsella, ''The Fencepost Chronicles'' * Trillium Book Award:

Michael Ondaatje Philip Michael Ondaatje (; born 12 September 1943) is a Sri Lankan-born Canadian poet, fiction writer, essayist, novelist, editor, and filmmaker. He is the recipient of multiple literary awards such as the Governor General's Award, the Giller P ...

, ''In the Skin of a Lion'' * Vicky Metcalf Award:

Robert Munsch Robert Norman Munsch (born June 11, 1945) is an American-Canadian children's author. Personal life and career Robert Munsch was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, on June 11, 1945. He grew up in a family of 9 children. He graduated from Fordha ...

Music

*November 27 – Rock band

Cowboy Junkies Cowboy Junkies are an alternative country and folk rock band formed in Toronto, Ontario, Canada in 1985 by Alan Anton (bassist), Michael Timmins (songwriter, guitarist), Peter Timmins (drummer) and Margo Timmins (vocalist). The three Timminse ...

record their most famous album, ''

The Trinity Session ''The Trinity Session'' is the second studio album by Canadian alternative country band Cowboy Junkies, released in early 1988 by Latent Recordings in Canada, and re-released worldwide later in the year on RCA Records. " Working on a Building" ...

'', at Toronto's Church of the Holy Trinity.

Sport

*January 26 – Calgary's

Bret Hart Bret Hart (born July 2, 1957) is a Canadian-American retired professional wrestler, currently signed to WWE under a legend's contract. A member of the Hart wrestling family and a second-generation wrestler, he has an amateur wrestling back ...

wins his first title when he became the third Canadian to win the

World Wrestling Federation World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc., d/b/a as WWE, is an American professional wrestling promotion. A global integrated media and entertainment company, WWE has also branched out into other fields, including film, American football, and var ...

Tag Team Championship (with

Jim Neidhart James Henry Neidhart (February 8, 1955 – August 13, 2018) was an American professional wrestler known for his appearances in the 1980s and 1990s in the World Wrestling Federation as Jim "The Anvil" Neidhart, where he was a two-time WWF Tag T ...

as The

Hart Foundation Hart often refers to: * Hart (deer) Hart may also refer to: Organizations * Hart Racing Engines, a former Formula One engine manufacturer * Hart Skis, US ski manufacturer * Hart Stores, a Canadian chain of department stores * Hart's Reptile ...

) by defeating the

British Bulldogs British may refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * British people, nationals or natives of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories, and Crown Dependencies. ** Britishness, the British identity and common culture * British English, ...

in Tampa, Florida, for the WWF's Superstars of Wrestling *May 15 –

Medicine Hat Tigers The Medicine Hat Tigers are a junior ice hockey team in the Western Hockey League (WHL) who play in Medicine Hat, Alberta, Canada. Established in 1970, the team has won two national Memorial Cups, five WHL League Championships and seven Divis ...

win their first

Memorial Cup The Memorial Cup () is the national championship of the Canadian Hockey League, a consortium of three major junior ice hockey leagues operating in Canada and parts of the United States. It is a four-team round-robin tournament played between t ...

by defeating the Oshawa Generals 6 to 2. The final game was played at

Oshawa Civic Auditorium The Oshawa Civic Auditorium was an indoor arena in Oshawa, Ontario, Canada. It operated from 1964 to 2006, and was primarily used as an ice hockey venue for the Oshawa Generals. The auditorium was built as a replacement to the Hambly Arena, w ...

in Oshawa, Ontario *May 31 –

Edmonton Oilers The Edmonton Oilers are a professional ice hockey team based in Edmonton. The Oilers compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference. They play their home games at Rogers Place, which ...

win their third Stanley Cup by defeating the

Philadelphia Flyers The Philadelphia Flyers are a professional ice hockey team based in Philadelphia. The Flyers compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference. The team plays its home games in Well ...

4 games to 3. The deciding Game 7 was played at

Northlands Coliseum Northlands Coliseum is a now-unused indoor arena located in Edmonton, Alberta, situated on the north side of Northlands. It was used for sports events and concerts, and was home to the Edmonton Oilers of the World Hockey Association (WHA) and ...

Edmonton Edmonton ( ) is the capital city of the Canadian province of Alberta. Edmonton is situated on the North Saskatchewan River and is the centre of the Edmonton Metropolitan Region, which is surrounded by Alberta's central region. The city ancho ...

. Brandon, Manitoba's

Ron Hextall Ronald Jeffrey Hextall (born May 3, 1964) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey goaltender and executive. He is the current general manager of the Pittsburgh Penguins of the National Hockey League (NHL). Hextall played 13 seasons for ...

was awarded the

Conn Smythe Trophy The Conn Smythe Trophy (french: Trophée Conn Smythe) is awarded annually to the most valuable player (MVP) of his team during the National Hockey League's (NHL) Stanley Cup playoffs. It is named after Conn Smythe, the longtime owner, general ma ...

in a losing effort. *June 24 – The "new" Montreal Allouettes cease operations *August 30 – Canadian sprinter

Ben Johnson Ben, Benjamin or Benny Johnson may refer to: In sports Association football * Ben Johnson (footballer, born 2000), English footballer * Ben Johnson (soccer) (born 1977), American soccer player Other codes of football *Ben Johnson (Australian foot ...

sets a new world record in the 100-metre dash. *November 21 –

McGill Redmen The McGill Redbirds (formerly the McGill Redmen) and McGill Martlets are the varsity athletic teams that represent McGill University in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Team name According to Suzanne Morton, a professor of history at McGill, the name ...

win their first

Vanier Cup The Vanier Cup (french: Coupe Vanier) is the championship of Canadian university football. It is organized by U Sports football and is currently played between the winners of the Uteck Bowl and the Mitchell Bowl. It is named after Georges Vanier ...

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 Thu ...

by a score of 47–11 in the

23rd Vanier Cup The 23rd Vanier Cup was played on November 21, 1987, at Varsity Stadium in Toronto, Ontario, and decided the CIAU football champion for the 1987 season. The McGill Redmen won their first ever championship by defeating the defending champion UBC T ...

*November 29 – Edmonton Eskimos win their tenth Grey Cup by defeating the

Toronto Argonauts The Toronto Argonauts (officially the Toronto Argonaut Football Club and colloquially known as the Argos) are a professional Canadian football team competing in the East Division of the Canadian Football League (CFL), based in Toronto, Ontario ...

38 to 36 in the 75th Grey Cup played at

BC Place Stadium BC Place is a multi-purpose stadium in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Located at the north side of False Creek, it is owned and operated by the BC Pavilion Corporation (PavCo), a crown corporation of the province. The venue is currently ...

Births

*January 1 **

Gilbert Brulé Gilbert Jean Marco Brulé (born January 1, 1987) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey centre. Drafted out of the Western Hockey League (WHL), Brulé played major junior Junior hockey is a level of competitive ice hockey generally f ...

, ice hockey player ** Devin Setoguchi, ice hockey player *January 15 **

Kelleigh Ryan Kelleigh Ryan (born January 15, 1987) is a Canadian Olympic fencer. Career Ryan won a silver medal at the 2011 Pan American Games and a gold medal at the 2015 Pan American Games in Toronto, both in the team event. She has also participated in t ...

, fencer **

Michael Seater Michael Seater (born January 15, 1987) is a Canadian actor, director, screenwriter, and producer. From 2005 to 2009, he starred as the titular role in the Canadian sitcom ''Life with Derek''. He later portrayed James Gillies in ''Murdoch Mysteri ...

, actor, director, producer, and screenwriter *January 16 – Jake Epstein, actor *January 19 – Alexandra Orlando, rhythmic gymnast *January 21 –

Andrew Forde Andrew N. Forde (born January 21, 1987) is a Canadian engineering graduate student and musician. Education and career Forde is a Materials Science and Engineering alumnus of the University of Toronto. In 2012, Forde was a Master's student in Eng ...

, engineering graduate student and musician *February 12 –

Anna Hopkins Anna Hopkins (born February 12, 1987) is a Canadian actress. She is best known for her role as Lilith in Freeform's original series ''Shadowhunters'' and documentary filmmaker Monica Stuart in ''The Expanse''. Early life and education Hopkins ...

, actress *February 21 – Elliot Page, actor *February 25 **

Andrew Poje Andrew Poje (born February 25, 1987) is a Canadian ice dancer. With partner Kaitlyn Weaver, he is a three-time World medalist (2014 silver, 2015 and 2018 bronze), a two-time Four Continents champion (2010, 2015), a two-time Grand Prix Final cha ...

, figure skater **

Eva Avila Eva Avila (born Eva Gougeon-Ávila on 25 February 1987) is a Canadian singer, songwriter and actress. She won the fourth season of the CTV reality show ''Canadian Idol'' in 2006. Early life Avila was born in Gatineau, Quebec. Her father intro ...

, singer *March 31 –

Winston Venable Winston Venable (born March 31, 1987) is an American football coach and former linebacker who is currently the running backs coach and player development director at Boise State University. He spent the majority of his professional career with th ...

, American football player *April 1 –

Mackenzie Davis Mackenzie Rio Davis (born April 1, 1987) is a Canadian actress, producer, and model. She made her feature film debut in '' Smashed'' (2012). In 2013, she appeared in ''Breathe In'' and '' The F Word'' (for which she was nominated for the Canadia ...

, actress *April 4 –

Sarah Gadon Sarah Lynn Gadon (born April 4, 1987) is a Canadian actress. She began her acting career guest-starring in a number of television series, such as '' Are You Afraid of the Dark?'' (1999), '' Mutant X'' (2002), and ''Dark Oracle'' (2004). She also ...

, actress *April 9 –

Felix Cartal Taelor Deitcher (born April 9, 1987), better known by his stage name Felix Cartal, is a Canadian DJ and electronic dance music producer. He released his first EP ''Skeleton'' in 2009 once he signed with Dim Mak Records. Since then he has gone on ...

, DJ and producer *April 10 –

Shay Mitchell Shannon Ashley Garcia "Shay" Mitchell (born April 10, 1987) is a Canadian actress and model. She rose to prominence for her role as Emily Fields in the mystery thriller drama series ''Pretty Little Liars'' (2010–2017), which earned her nom ...

, actress, model, entrepreneur, and author *April 11 – Lights (Valerie Poxleitner), singer and songwriter *April 27 ** Joëlle Békhazi, water polo player ** Alexandra Carter, voice actress **

Emma Taylor-Isherwood Emma-Rose Taylor-Isherwood (born April 27, 1987Carleton University >> Graduating Class of Spring 2009. URL accessed on November 3, 2009. After graduating from the Arts Canterbury Theatre program Taylor-Isherwood continued performing while attend ...

, actress *April 30 – Jeremy Bordeleau, canoeist *May 1 – Marissa Ponich, fencer *May 16 – Kylie Stone, artistic gymnast *May 17 –

Con Kudaba Constantine "Con" Kudaba (born May 17, 1987, in New Westminster, British Columbia) is a male water polo player from Canada. He was a member of the Canada men's national water polo team, that claimed the bronze medal at the 2007 Pan American Games ...

, water polo player *May 29 –

Noah Reid Noah Nicholas Reid (born May 29, 1987) is a Canadian voice, stage, and screen actor; and musician. He has performed in several films and television series, including '' Franklin'' and the CBC comedy ''Schitt's Creek''. In 2016, he received a Can ...

, actor and musician *June 18 –

Niels Schneider Niels Schneider (; born 18 June 1987) is a Franco-Canadian actor who has appeared in more than thirty films since 2007. Born in Paris, naturalized Canadian, Schneider moved to Montreal at the age of 9 to start his career doing voice-over jobs. ...

, French-Canadian actor *June 22 – Melanie Banville, artistic gymnast *July 7 **

Mylène Mackay Mylène Mackay (born 7 July 1987) is a Canadian actress. She received a Canadian Screen Award nomination as Best Supporting Actress at the 4th Canadian Screen Awards for her performance in '' Endorphine''. In 2016, she appeared as Nelly Arcan ...

, actress ** Steven Crowder, American-Canadian political youtuber *August 7 –

Sidney Crosby Sidney Patrick Crosby (born August 7, 1987) is a Canadian professional ice hockey centre and captain of the Pittsburgh Penguins of the National Hockey League (NHL). Nicknamed "Sid the Kid" and dubbed " The Next One", he was selected first o ...

, ice hockey player *August 8 –

Jenn Proske Jennifer Proske (born August 8, 1987) is a Canadian American actress, best known for portraying Becca Crane in the film ''Vampires Suck''. Early life Jenn Proske was born in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, to an American ex-professional dancer and a ...

, actress *August 16 –

Carey Price Carey Price (born August 16, 1987) is a Canadian professional ice hockey goaltender for the Montreal Canadiens of the National Hockey League (NHL). He is considered to be one of the best goaltenders in the world by many colleagues, fans, ''The ...

, ice hockey goaltender *August 25 – Stacey Farber, actress *September 2 **

Mazin Elsadig Mazin Elfadil Elsadig (born September 2, 1987) is an US-born Canadian actor of Sudanese heritage. He had a role in the 2007 Disney Channel Original Movie ''Jump In!'' and later joined the cast of the CTV/The N teen drama ''Degrassi: The Next Ge ...

, American-Canadian actor ** Scott Moir, ice dancer *September 16 –

Christina Schmidt Christina Schmidt, sometimes credited as Chrissy Schmidt, is a Canadian actress and model. Biography Schmidt was born and raised in the Kitchener- Waterloo area and currently resides in Bradford, Ontario. She took acting classes with televis ...

, actress and model *September 23 –

Shannon Chan-Kent Shannon Chan-Kent (born September 23, 1988) is a Canadian voice and stage actress. She is known for her roles as Silver Spoon and Smolder and the singing voice of Pinkie Pie in '' My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic'', Misa Amane in the English ...

, actress and voice actress *September 29 –

Kyle Riabko Kyle Riabko (born 29 September 1987) is a Canadian musician, composer and actor from Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. Before starring on Broadway in both '' Spring Awakening'' and ''Hair'', Kyle released a full-length album of original music on Columb ...

, pop singer and guitarist *October 6 – Kia Byers, canoeist *October 15 **

Jesse Levine Jesse Levine (born October 15, 1987) is an American-Canadian former professional tennis player. He achieved his career-high singles rank of world No. 69 on October 1, 2012. Levine represented the United States through 2012, and he represented Can ...

, Canadian-American tennis player ** Chantal Strand, actress and voice actress *October 16 – Pascal Wollach, swimmer *October 29 –

Jessica Dubé Jessica Dubé (born October 29, 1987) is a Canadian former competitive figure skater who is best known for her pairs career with Bryce Davison. They are the 2008 World bronze medallists, the 2009 Four Continents silver medallists, and three-ti ...

, figure skater *November 12 –

Bryan Little Bryan Matthew Little (born November 12, 1987) is a Canadian professional ice hockey player currently under contract for the Arizona Coyotes of the National Hockey League (NHL). Little was selected by the Atlanta Thrashers in the first round, 12 ...

, ice hockey player *November 15 – Ludi Lin, Chinese-Canadian actor *December 12 –

Kate Todd Kate Todd (born December 12, 1987) is a Canadian actress and singer-songwriter. She is best known for her roles as Lily Randall in ''Radio Free Roscoe'' and Sally in ''Life with Derek''. She is also known for her continuing role as Erica in the ...

, actress and singer-songwriter

Deaths

January to June

*January 5 –

Margaret Laurence Jean Margaret Laurence (née Wemyss; July 18, 1926 – January 5, 1987) was a Canadian novelist and short story writer, and is one of the major figures in Canadian literature. She was also a founder of the Writers' Trust of Canada, a non-pr ...

, novelist and short story writer (b.

1926 Events January * January 3 – Theodoros Pangalos declares himself dictator in Greece. * January 8 **Abdul-Aziz ibn Saud is crowned King of Hejaz. ** Crown Prince Nguyễn Phúc Vĩnh Thuy ascends the throne, the last monarch of Viet ...

) *January 5 –

Herman Smith-Johannsen Herman Smith-Johannsen, Order of ...

, ski pioneer and supercentenarian (b.

1875 Events January–March * January 1 – The Midland Railway of England abolishes the Second Class passenger category, leaving First Class and Third Class. Other British railway companies follow Midland's lead during the rest of the ...

) *January 27 – Norman McLaren, animator and film director (b.

1914 This year saw the beginning of what became known as World War I, after Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria, heir to the Austrian throne was Assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand, assassinated by Serbian nationalist Gavrilo Princip. It als ...

) *February 19 –

Russell Doern Russell John "Russ" Doern (October 20, 1935 – February 19, 1987) was a Manitoba politician. He served as a cabinet minister in the New Democratic government of Edward Schreyer (1969–1977), but left the New Democratic Party in 1984. He was ...

, politician (b. 1935) *March 21 –

Walter L. Gordon Walter Lockhart Gordon (January 27, 1906 – March 21, 1987) was a Canadian accountant, businessman, politician, and writer. Education Born in Toronto, he was educated at Upper Canada College and the Royal Military College of Canada in Kings ...

, accountant, businessman, politician and writer (b.

1906 Events January–February * January 12 – Persian Constitutional Revolution: A nationalistic coalition of merchants, religious leaders and intellectuals in Persia forces the shah Mozaffar ad-Din Shah Qajar to grant a constitution, ...

)

July to December

*September 11 –

Lorne Greene Lorne Hyman Greene (born Lyon Himan Green; 12 February 1915 – 11 September 1987) was a Canadian actor, musician, singer and radio personality. His notable television roles include Ben Cartwright on the Western ''Bonanza'' and Commander Ad ...

, actor (b.

1915 Events Below, the events of World War I have the "WWI" prefix. January * January – British physicist Sir Joseph Larmor publishes his observations on "The Influence of Local Atmospheric Cooling on Astronomical Refraction". * January ...

) *September 19 –

Ralph Steinhauer Ralph Garvin Steinhauer, (June 8, 1905 – September 19, 1987) was the List of lieutenant governors of Alberta, tenth lieutenant governor of Alberta, and the first Aboriginal peoples in Canada, Aboriginal person to hold that post. Personal life ...

, native leader, first Aboriginal to become the

(b.

1905 As the second year of the massive Russo-Japanese War begins, more than 100,000 die in the largest world battles of that era, and the war chaos leads to the 1905 Russian Revolution against Nicholas II of Russia ( Shostakovich's 11th Symphony ...

) *October 5 – Conrad Bourcier, ice hockey player (b.

) *October 13 – Hugh Alexander Bryson, politician (b. 1912) *October 15 – Juda Hirsch Quastel, biochemist (b.

1899 Events January 1899 * January 1 ** Spanish rule ends in Cuba, concluding 400 years of the Spanish Empire in the Americas. ** Queens and Staten Island become administratively part of New York City. * January 2 – **Bolivia sets up a c ...

) *November 1 –

René Lévesque René Lévesque (; August 24, 1922 – November 1, 1987) was a Québécois politician and journalist who served as the 23rd premier of Quebec from 1976 to 1985. He was the first Québécois political leader since Confederation to attempt ...

, politician, Minister and 23rd

(b.

1922 Events January * January 7 – Dáil Éireann, the parliament of the Irish Republic, ratifies the Anglo-Irish Treaty by 64–57 votes. * January 10 – Arthur Griffith is elected President of Dáil Éireann, the day after Éamon de Valera ...

) *November 6 – George Laurence, nuclear physicist (b.

) *November 18 –

George Ryga George Ryga (27 July 1932 – 18 November 1987) was a Canadian playwright, actor and novelist. His writings explored the experiences of Indigenous peoples in Canada, among other themes. His most famous work is ''The Ecstasy of Rita Joe''. E ...

, playwright and novelist (b.

1932 Events January * January 4 – The British authorities in India arrest and intern Mahatma Gandhi and Vallabhbhai Patel. * January 9 – Sakuradamon Incident: Korean nationalist Lee Bong-chang fails in his effort to assassinate Emperor Hiro ...

) *November 29 –

Gwendolyn MacEwen Gwendolyn Margaret MacEwen (1 September 1941 – 29 November 1987) was a Canadian poet and novelist.Gwendoly ...

, novelist and poet (b. 1941)

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:1987 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 ...

1987 in North America