Events from the year 1931 in Canada.

Incumbents

Crown

* List of Canadian monarchs, Monarch – George V of the United Kingdom, George V

Federal government

* Governor General of Canada, Governor General – Freeman Freeman-Thomas, 1st Marquess of Willingdon (until April 4) then Vere Ponsonby, 9th Earl of Bessborough * Prime Minister of Canada, Prime Minister – Richard Bedford Bennett * Chief Justice of Canada, Chief Justice – Francis Alexander Anglin (Ontario) * Parliament of Canada, Parliament – 17th Canadian Parliament, 17th

Provincial governments

Lieutenant governors

*Lieutenant Governor of Alberta – William Egbert (until May 5) then William Legh Walsh *Lieutenant Governor of British Columbia – Robert Randolph Bruce (until July 18) then John William Fordham Johnson *Lieutenant Governor of Manitoba – James Duncan McGregor *Lieutenant Governor of New Brunswick – Hugh Havelock McLean *Lieutenant Governor of Nova Scotia – Frank Stanfield (until September 25) then Walter Harold Covert (from October 5) *Lieutenant Governor of Ontario – William Donald Ross (until October 25) then William Mulock *Lieutenant Governor of Prince Edward Island – Charles Dalton *Lieutenant Governor of Quebec – Henry George Carroll *Lieutenant Governor of Saskatchewan – Henry William Newlands (until March 31) then Hugh Edwin Munroe

Premiers

*Premier of Alberta – John Edward Brownlee *Premier of British Columbia – Simon Fraser Tolmie *Premier of Manitoba – John Bracken *Premier of New Brunswick – John Babington Macaulay Baxter, John Baxter (until May 19) then Charles Dow Richards *Premier of Nova Scotia – Gordon Sidney Harrington *Premier of Ontario – George Stewart Henry *Premier of Prince Edward Island – Walter Lea (until August 29) then James D. Stewart *Premier of Quebec – Louis-Alexandre Taschereau *Premier of Saskatchewan – James Thomas Milton Anderson

Territorial governments

Commissioners

* Gold Commissioner of Yukon – George Ian MacLean * Commissioner of Northwest Territories – William Wallace Cory (until March 31) then Hugh Rowatt

Events

*May 19 – Charles Dow Richards, Charles Richards becomes premier of New Brunswick, replacing John Babington Macaulay Baxter, John Baxter *August 29 – James D. Stewart becomes premier of Prince Edward Island for the second time, replacing Walter Lea *November 12 – Maple Leaf Gardens opens in Toronto *September 29 – Striking coal miners clash with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police in the Estevan riot. *December 11 – the Statute of Westminster 1931, Statute of Westminster goes into effect: Canada is granted full legislative independence in national and international affairs, with monarchy of Canada, the Crown represented by the Governor General of Canada, Governor General. *The Beauharnois scandal, Beauharnois Scandal breaks out

Sport

*March 27 - The Manitoba Junior Hockey League's Elmwood Millionaires win their only Memorial Cup by defeating Ottawa City Junior Hockey League's Ottawa Primroses 2 games to 1. The deciding Game 3 was played at Ottawa Auditorium *April 14 - The Montreal Canadiens win their fourth Stanley Cup by defeating the Chicago Blackhawks, Chicago Black Hawks 3 game to 2. The deciding game was played at the Montreal Forum *November 12 - Maple Leaf Gardens opens *December 5 - The Montreal AAA Winged Wheelers win their first and only Grey Cup by defeating the Regina Roughriders 22 to 0 in the 19th Grey Cup played Percival Molson Memorial Stadium in Montreal

Births

January to March

*January 5 - Percy Schmeiser, businessman, farmer, and politician (d. 2020 in Canada, 2020) *January 6 - Dickie Moore (ice hockey), Dickie Moore, ice hockey player, businessman and philanthropist *January 7 - Elizabeth Kishkon, politician (d. 2018 in Canada, 2018) *January 19 - Robert MacNeil, journalist *January 27 - Mordecai Richler, author, screenwriter and essayist (d. 2001 in Canada, 2001) *January 30 - John Crosbie, politician and Minister (d. 2020 in Canada, 2020) *February 16 - Bernie Geoffrion, ice hockey player (d. 2006 in Canada, 2006) *February 17 - Mark MacGuigan, academic and politician (d. 1998 in Canada, 1998) *February 26 - C. William Doody, politician and Senator (d. 2005 in Canada, 2005) *March 10 - Georges Dor, author, composer, playwright, singer, poet, translator and theatrical producer and director (d. 2001 in Canada, 2001) *March 12 - Danny Lewicki, Canadian professional ice hockey player (d. 2018 in Canada, 2018) *March 22 - William Shatner, actor and novelist *March 22 - Monte Kwinter, politician *March 25 - Jack Chambers (artist), Jack Chambers, artist and filmmaker (d. 1978 in Canada, 1978) *March 28 - Jane Rule, novelist and non-fiction writer (d. 2007 in Canada, 2007) *March 30 - Gérard Bruchési, politician

April to June

*April 2 - Howard Engel, writer and television producer (d. 2019 in Canada, 2019) *April 9 - Richard Hatfield, politician and 26th Premier of New Brunswick (d. 1991 in Canada, 1991) *April 13 - Cliff Lumsdon, world champion marathon swimmer (d. 1991 in Canada, 1991) *April 15 - Helen Maksagak, politician, first woman and first Inuit, Inuk Commissioners of Northwest Territories, Northwest Territories Commissioner (d. 2009 in Canada, 2009) *April 19 - Walter Stewart (journalist), Walter Stewart, writer, editor and journalism educator (d. 2004 in Canada, 2004) *April 22 - John Buchanan (Canadian politician), John Buchanan, lawyer, politician and 27th Premier of Nova Scotia *April 29 - Chris Pearson (politician), Chris Pearson, 1st Premier of the Yukon (d. 2014 in Canada, 2014) *May 18 - Clément Vincent, politician (d. 2018 in Canada, 2018) *May 22 - Arthé Guimond, Roman Catholic prelate, Archbishop of Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Grouard-McLennan, Grouard-McLennan (2000–2006) (d. 2013 in Canada, 2013). *May 24 - Bruce Owen, politician and lawyer (d. 2022 in Canada, 2022) *May 25 - Herb Gray, politician, Canada's first Jewish federal cabinet minister *June 23 - Charles Keith Taylor, politician *June 25 - Stan Dromisky, politician *June 27 - Charles Bronfman, businessman and philanthropist *June 30 - Joyce Wieland, experimental filmmaker and mixed media artist (d. 1998 in Canada, 1998)

July to September

*July 2 - Robert Ito, actor *July 5 - Peter Silverman, broadcast journalist (d. 2021 in Canada, 2021) *July 6 - Jean Campeau, Quebec businessman and politician *July 7 - Charles Alexander Best, politician (d. 1978 in Canada, 1978) *July 10 - Alice Munro, short-story writer *July 15 - Jacques-Yvan Morin, politician *July 19 - Allan Slaight, rock and roll radio pioneer, media mogul, and philanthropist (d. 2021 in Canada, 2021) *July 20 - Gilles Morin, politician *August 18 - Bramwell Tillsley, General of The Salvation Army *August 29 - Lise Payette, politician, feminist, writer and columnist *August 30 - Frank Zakem, politician and businessman (d. 2013 in Canada, 2013) *August 31 - Jean Béliveau, ice hockey player *September 23 - Gerald Merrithew, politician (d. 2004 in Canada, 2004)

October to December

*October 4 - Werner Israel, physicist *October 8 - Isadore Sharp, businessman *November 5 - Charles Taylor (philosopher), Charles Taylor, philosopher *November 8 – Morley Safer, journalist (''60 Minutes'') (d. 2016 in Canada, 2016) *November 13 - Andrée Lachapelle, actress (d. 2019 in Canada, 2019) *November 28 - George Ramsay Cook, historian *November 30 - Harry Enns, politician

Deaths

*July 10 - Louise McKinney, first woman sworn into the Legislative Assembly of Alberta and first woman elected to a legislature in Canada and in the British Empire (b. 1868 in Canada, 1868) *July 28 - Charles Doherty, politician and jurist (b. 1855 in Canada, 1855) *November 10 - Henrietta Edwards, women's rights activist and reformer (b. 1849 in Canada, 1849) *December 30 - George Eulas Foster, politician and academic (b. 1847 in Canada, 1847)

Full date unknown

*Fred Dixon (politician), Fred Dixon, politician (b. 1881 in Canada, 1881)

Historical documents

Greater autonomy enacted in Statute of Westminster 1931, Statute of Westminster, Statute of Westminster 1931#Canada, ending (with exceptions) British parliament's power over Canada Before Statute's passage, R. B. Bennett, PM Bennett affirms that it will not affect Amendments to the Constitution of Canada, Constitution's amending process or Federalism#Division of powers, division of powers Liberals assert that preserving British parliament's Constitution amending power is Liberal Party of Canada#Canadian sovereignty, not subordination, but done "by our own agreement" MP Henri Bourassa says Statute of Westminster incites "national spirit superior to all provincial, religious and racial prejudices" Maurice Dupré, Solicitor General backs consultation with provinces in amendment of Constitution or imperial statutes R. B. Bennett, Prime Minister's New Year greeting after "a year of difficulty and of testing" that has proven "soundness of our economic structure" Federal budget includes "imposts that will be felt by everyone in the Dominion in a most direct manner" Canada not encouraging immigration, and those who do come should have funds to support them for at least six months Year-end Great Depression in Canada#Impact, assessment points to Canada's resource and financial assets as well as agriculture troubles and government "extravagance" Saskatchewan labour groups form Labour candidates and parties in Canada#Parties, political party with platform including nationalization, debt relief and planned economy Communist Party of Canada, Canadian Communists defiant following arrest of Tim Buck#National figure, comrades for sedition under Criminal Code Section 98 Canadian-born Evangelism, evangelist ministers to new immigrants in California with philosophy that no one is alien in eyes of God Unlike one-industry cities, Toronto is widely diversified in Economy of Toronto#History, industrial, Eaton's, commercial and Commerce Court#1931 North Tower, financial enterprises Toronto Star newsletter encourages Paperboy, carriers with success stories, prizes and "One Order a Day" ClubThe Route-Builder
Vol. 1, No. 4 (June 1931). Accessed 28 May 2020

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:1931 In Canada 1931 in Canada, Years of the 20th century in Canada 1931 by country, Canada 1931 in North America 1930s in Canada