Events from the year 1949 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 ...

–

George VI George VI (Albert Frederick Arthur George; 14 December 1895 – 6 February 1952) was King of the United Kingdom and the Dominions of the British Commonwealth from 11 December 1936 until his death in 1952. He was also the last Emperor of I ...

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 ...

– the Viscount Alexander of Tunis *

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 ...

– Louis St. Laurent * Chief Justice – Thibaudeau Rinfret (

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 thirte ...

) *

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 ...

–

20th 20 (twenty; Roman numeral XX) is the natural number following 19 and preceding 21. A group of twenty units may also be referred to as a score. In mathematics *20 is a pronic number. *20 is a tetrahedral number as 1, 4, 10, 20. *20 is the ba ...

(until 30 April) then

21st 21 (twenty-one) is the natural number following 20 and preceding 22. The current century is the 21st century AD, under the Gregorian calendar. In mathematics 21 is: * a composite number, its proper divisors being 1, 3 and 7, and a defici ...

(from 15 September)

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 C. Bowen John Campbell Bowen (October 3, 1872 – January 2, 1957) was a clergyman, insurance broker and long serving politician. He served as an alderman in the City of Edmonton and went on to serve as a member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta fr ...

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 ...

– Charles Arthur Banks * Lieutenant Governor of Manitoba –

Roland Fairbairn McWilliams Roland Fairbairn McWilliams (October 10, 1874 – December 10, 1957) was a Canadian politician and office-holder. He served as the 13th Lieutenant Governor of Manitoba from 1940 to 1953. McWilliams was born in Peterborough, Ontario. He recei ...

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 wi ...

–

David Laurence MacLaren David Laurence MacLaren (October 27, 1893 – September 7, 1960) was a Canadian politician and the 20th Lieutenant Governor of New Brunswick. Born in Saint John, New Brunswick, he was appointed Minister of National Revenue in April 1945 i ...

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 ...

–

Albert Walsh Sir Albert Joseph Walsh (April 3, 1900 – December 12, 1958) was Commissioner of Home Affairs and Education and chief justice of the Dominion of Newfoundland, and its first lieutenant governor upon its admission to the Canadian Confederati ...

(until September 15) then

Leonard Outerbridge Sir Leonard Cecil Outerbridge, (May 6, 1888 – September 6, 1986) was the second lieutenant governor of Newfoundland from 1949 to 1957. In 1967, he became a Companion of the Order of Canada. Biography Leonard Outerbridge was born in Ashevil ...

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 Commonweal ...

–

John Alexander Douglas McCurdy John Alexander Douglas McCurdy (2 August 1886 – 25 June 1961) was a Canadian aviation pioneer and the 20th Lieutenant Governor of Nova Scotia from 1947 to 1952. Early years Son of inventor Arthur Williams McCurdy and born in Baddeck, 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 b ...

–

Ray Lawson Frank Ray Lawson (August 30, 1886 – April 4, 1980), was the 17th Lieutenant Governor of Ontario, Canada, from 1946 to 1952. Born in London, Ontario, he was the son of Francis Edgar ("Frank") Lawson, a former newspaper reporter, and Lorena H ...

* Lieutenant Governor of Prince Edward Island –

Joseph Alphonsus Bernard Joseph Alphonse Bernard (March 27, 1881 – September 7, 1962), which later evolved into the anglicized Joseph Alphonsus, was the 16th and first Acadian Lieutenant Governor of Prince Edward Island, serving between 1945 and 1950. Born on ...

* Lieutenant Governor of Quebec –

Eugène Fiset Major-General Sir Marie-Joseph-Eugène Fiset, (March 15, 1874 – June 8, 1951) was a Canadian physician, military officer, Deputy Minister of Militia and Defence, Member of Parliament, the 18th Lieutenant Governor of Quebec, and the 3rd ...

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 ...

– John Michael Uhrich

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 ...

–

Ernest Manning Ernest Charles Manning, (September 20, 1908 – February 19, 1996), a Canadian politician, was the eighth Premier of Alberta between 1943 and 1968 for the Social Credit Party of Alberta. He served longer than any other premier in Alberta's histor ...

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 ...

–

Boss Johnson Byron Ingemar "Boss" Johnson (born Björn Ingimar Jónsson; December 10, 1890 – January 12, 1964), served as the 24th premier of British Columbia, from 1947 to 1952. To his contemporaries he was often referred to by his nickname, ''Boss Johns ...

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 ...

– Douglas Campbell *

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 ...

– John McNair *

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 ...

– Joey Smallwood * Premier of Nova Scotia – Angus Macdonald * Premier of Ontario –

Thomas Laird Kennedy Thomas Laird Kennedy (August 15, 1878 – February 13, 1959) was a politician in Ontario, Canada, and served briefly as the 15th premier of Ontario, from 1948 to 1949. He was first elected as the Conservative member for Peel in the 1919 p ...

(until May 4) then

Leslie Frost Leslie Miscampbell Frost (September 20, 1895 – May 4, 1973) was a politician in Ontario, Canada, who served as the province's 16th premier from May 4, 1949, to November 8, 1961. Due to his lengthy tenure, he gained the nickname "Old Man O ...

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 ...

– J. Walter Jones *

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 ...

–

Maurice Duplessis Maurice Le Noblet Duplessis (; April 20, 1890 – September 7, 1959), was a Canadian lawyer and politician who served as the 16th premier of Quebec. A conservative, nationalist, anti-Communist, anti-unionist and fervent Catholic, he and hi ...

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 ...

–

Tommy Douglas Thomas Clement Douglas (20 October 1904 – 24 February 1986) was a Scottish-born Canadian politician who served as seventh premier of Saskatchewan from 1944 to 1961 and Leader of the New Democratic Party from 1961 to 1971. A Baptist min ...

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 Edward Gibben *

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 ...

–

Hugh Llewellyn Keenleyside Hugh Llewellyn Keenleyside, CC (7 July 1898 – September 27, 1992) was a Canadian university professor, diplomat, and civil servant. He was the Canadian ambassador to Mexico from 1944 to 1947, and the commissioner of the Northwest Territorie ...

Events

*March 31 - Newfoundland becomes Canada's 10th province at a fraction of a second from April 1. *April 1 - Joey Smallwood becomes the first

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 ...

as a Canadian province *April 4 - Canada joins the

North Atlantic Treaty Organization The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO, ; french: Organisation du traité de l'Atlantique nord, ), also called the North Atlantic Alliance, is an intergovernmental military alliance between 30 member states – 28 European and two No ...

(NATO) *May 4 -

becomes premier of

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 C ...

, replacing Thomas Kennedy *June 27 - Federal election: Louis Saint Laurent's Liberals win a fourth consecutive majority *August 22 - Queen Charlotte earthquake: Canada's largest earthquake since the

1700 Cascadia earthquake The 1700 Cascadia earthquake occurred along the Cascadia subduction zone on January 26, 1700, with an estimated moment magnitude of 8.7–9.2. The megathrust earthquake involved the Juan de Fuca Plate from mid-Vancouver Island, south along the P ...

*September 9 -

Albert Guay affair Canadian Pacific Air Lines Flight 108, known as the Sault-au-Cochon Tragedy was a Douglas DC-3 operated by Canadian Pacific Air Lines (registry CF-CUA S/N: 4518), that was blown up by a dynamite time bomb on 9 September 1949. The plane was ...

: in-flight bombing of a

Canadian Pacific Airlines Canadian Pacific Air Lines was a Canadian airline that operated from 1942 to 1987. It operated under the name CP Air from 1968 to 1986. Headquartered at Vancouver International Airport in Richmond, British Columbia, it served domestic Canadian ...

DC-3 The Douglas DC-3 is a propeller-driven airliner manufactured by Douglas Aircraft Company, which had a lasting effect on the airline industry in the 1930s to 1940s and World War II. It was developed as a larger, improved 14-bed sleeper version ...

en route from

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 ...

Baie-Comeau Baie-Comeau (; 2021 city population 20,687; CA population 26,643) is a city located approximately north-east of Quebec City in the Côte-Nord region of the province of Quebec, Canada. It is located on the shores of the Saint Lawrence River nea ...

*September 14 - The ''

Noronic SS ''Noronic'' was a Canadian passenger ship that was destroyed by fire in Toronto Harbour in September 1949 with the loss of at least 118 lives. Construction In 1910 the Northern Navigation Company, a subsidiary of the Richelieu and Ontario Nav ...

'', the largest Canadian passenger ship on the Great Lakes, is destroyed by a fire while docked in Toronto, killing 118.

Full date unknown

*Canadian appeals to the

Judicial Committee of the Privy Council The Judicial Committee of the Privy Council (JCPC) is the highest court of appeal for the Crown Dependencies, the British Overseas Territories, some Commonwealth countries and a few institutions in the United Kingdom. Established on 14 Aug ...

are abolished, making the Supreme Court of Canada the country's top court *

British Columbia British Columbia (commonly abbreviated as BC) is the westernmost province of Canada, situated between the Pacific Ocean and the Rocky Mountains. It has a diverse geography, with rugged landscapes that include rocky coastlines, sandy beaches, ...

gives Asian-Canadians the vote

Arts and literature

Awards

*See

1949 Governor General's Awards The 1949 Governor General's Awards for Literary Merit were the 14th rendition of the Governor General's Awards, Canada's annual national awards program which then comprised literary awards alone. The awards recognized Canadian writers for new Engli ...

for a complete list of winners and finalists for those awards. * Stephen Leacock Award: Angeline Hango, ''Truthfully Yours''

Sport

*April 16 – 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 eighth (third consecutive) Stanley Cup by defeating the Detroit Red Wings 4 games to 0. The deciding Game 4 was played at

Maple Leaf Gardens Maple Leaf Gardens is a historic building located at the northwest corner of Carlton Street and Church Street in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The building was initially constructed in 1931 as an arena to host ice hockey games, though it has sinc ...

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 anch ...

*May 16 – The

Quebec Junior Hockey League The Ligue de Hockey Junior du Québec (LHJQ) or Quebec Junior Hockey League (QJHL) is a Hockey Québec Canadian Junior A ice hockey league and is a member of Hockey Canada and the Canadian Junior Hockey League. The winner of the QJHL playoffs c ...

Montreal Royals The Montreal Royals were a minor league professional baseball team in Montreal, Quebec, during 1897–1917 and 1928–1960. A member of the International League, the Royals were the top farm club (Class AAA) of the Brooklyn Dodgers from 1939; p ...

win their only

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 Manitoba Junior Hockey League's

Brandon Wheat Kings The Brandon Wheat Kings are a Canadian junior ice hockey team based in Brandon, Manitoba. They are members of the Western Hockey League (WHL) since joining the league in the 1967–68 season. Previously, they played in the Manitoba Junior Hocke ...

4 games to 3 (with 1 tie). The deciding game was played

Shea's Amphitheatre Shea's Amphitheatre, also known as the Winnipeg Amphitheatre, was an indoor arena located in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. It seated 6,000 spectators. Constructed between 1908-1909 for horse shows, the Amphitheatre was also used as an indoor ice ...

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, ...

*November 26 – The

Montreal Alouettes The Montreal Alouettes (French: Les Alouettes de Montréal) are a professional Canadian football team based in Montreal, Quebec. Founded in 1946, the team has folded and been revived twice. The Alouettes compete in the East Division of the Canad ...

win their first Grey Cup by defeating the

Calgary Stampeders The Calgary Stampeders are a professional Canadian football team based in Calgary, Alberta. The Stampeders compete in the West Division of the Canadian Football League (CFL). The club plays its home games at McMahon Stadium and are the third-o ...

28–15 in the

37th Grey Cup The 37th Grey Cup was played on November 26, 1949, before 20,087 fans at Varsity Stadium at Toronto. Montreal Alouettes defeated Calgary Stampeders 28–15. Though teams from Montreal had won two Grey Cups, this was the first appearance and victor ...

played at

Varsity Stadium Varsity Stadium is an outdoor collegiate football stadium located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is home to the Toronto Varsity Blues, the athletic teams of the University of Toronto. Athletic events have been hosted on the site since 1898; the ...

in Toronto

Births

January to March

*January 24 -

Guy Charron Guy Joseph Jean Charron (born January 24, 1949) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey centre. He played in the NHL from 1969–1981. He previously served as the head coach of the WHL's Kamloops Blazers. Guy is currently the Commissioner ...

, ice hockey player *February 14 -

Denis Rocan Denis Rocan (born February 14, 1949) is a politician in Manitoba, Canada. He was a member of the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba from 1986 to 2007, and served as speaker of the assembly from 1988 to 1995. Rocan was a member of the Progressi ...

, politician *February 23 -

Marc Garneau Joseph Jean-Pierre Marc Garneau (born February 23, 1949) is a Canadian politician, retired Royal Canadian Navy officer and former astronaut who served as a Cabinet minister from 2015 to 2021. A member of the Liberal Party, Garneau was the mini ...

, astronaut, engineer and politician *March 3 -

Elijah Harper Elijah Harper (March 3, 1949 – May 17, 2013) was a Canadian Oji-Cree politician who served as a member of the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba (MLA) from 1981 to 1992 and a member of Parliament (MP) from 1993 to 1997. Harper was elected chie ...

, politician (d.

2013 File:2013 Events Collage V2.png, From left, clockwise: Edward Snowden becomes internationally famous for leaking classified NSA wiretapping information; Typhoon Haiyan kills over 6,000 in the Philippines and Southeast Asia; The Dhaka garment fa ...

) *March 16 -

Victor Garber Victor Joseph Garber (born March 16, 1949) is a Canadian-American actor and singer. Known for his work in film, television, and theatre, he has been nominated for three Gemini Awards, four Tony Awards, and six Primetime Emmy Awards. He has also ...

, actor and singer *March 16 -

Jane Haist Jane Haist (March 1, 1949 – May 21, 2022) was a Canadian discus thrower and shot putter, who competed at the 1976 Summer Olympics in Montreal. She is best known for winning two gold medals for Canada at the 1974 Commonwealth Games in the wome ...

, discus thrower and shot putter *March 25 -

Jean Potvin Jean René Potvin (March 25, 1949 – March 15, 2022) was a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman who played eleven seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL). He played for the Los Angeles Kings, Philadelphia Flyers, New York Islanders, ...

, ice hockey player (d.

2022 File:2022 collage V1.png, Clockwise, from top left: Road junction at Yamato-Saidaiji Station several hours after the assassination of Shinzo Abe; Anti-government protest in Sri Lanka in front of the Presidential Secretariat; The global monkeypo ...

) *March 29 -

Pauline Marois Pauline Marois (; born March 29, 1949) is a retired Canadian politician, who served as the 30th premier of Quebec from 2012 to 2014. Marois had been a member of the National Assembly in various ridings since 1981 as a member of the Parti Québ ...

, social worker, civil servant and 30th

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 ...

*March 30 - Liza Frulla, politician

April to June

*April 4 - Nava Starr, chess player and a Women's International Master *April 6 -

Réginald Bélair Réginald Bélair (April 6, 1949 – March 3, 2020) was a Canadian politician. Bélair was a Liberal member of the House of Commons of Canada from 1988 to 2004, representing the riding of Cochrane—Superior until 1997 and subsequently Timmi ...

, politician *April 8 -

Claudette Bradshaw Claudette Bradshaw, (April 8, 1949 – March 26, 2022) was a Canadian politician who served as Member of Parliament (MP) for the riding of Moncton—Riverview—Dieppe, New Brunswick. She was first elected on June 2, 1997, and served until the ...

, politician *April 14 -

Percy Mockler Percy Paul Mockler (born April 14, 1949 in St. Leonard, New Brunswick) is a Canadian politician serving as a Canadian Senator from New Brunswick since 2009. A member of the Conservative Party of Canada, Mockler previously served two non-consec ...

, politician and Senator *April 16 -

Sandy Hawley Desmond Sandford "Sandy" Hawley, (born April 16, 1949 in Oshawa, Ontario) is a Canadian Hall of Fame jockey. Sandy Hawley decided to be a jockey when he was a 17-year-old boy, hotwalking, grooming and excise horses at a Woodbine racetrack in To ...

, jockey *April 18 - Jean-Paul Saint-Pierre, politician, Mayor of

Russell, Ontario The Township of Russell is a municipal township, located south-east of Canada's capital of Ottawa in eastern Ontario, in the United Counties of Prescott and Russell, on the Castor River. The township had a population of 16,520 in the 2016 C ...

(since 2010) (d.

2014 File:2014 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: Stocking up supplies and personal protective equipment (PPE) for the Western African Ebola virus epidemic; Citizens examining the ruins after the Chibok schoolgirls kidnapping; Bundles of wat ...

) *April 26 -

Ray Henault General Raymond Roland Joseph Henault, (born April 26, 1949) is a retired Canadian Air Force officer. He was the Chief of the Defence Staff of Canada from June 28, 2001. On November 7, 2004, Henault was voted to become the next chairman of NATO ...

, general and Chief of Defence Staff *May 6 -

Diane Ablonczy Diane Ablonczy (née Broadway; ; born May 6, 1949) is a former Canadian Member of Parliament who served in the House of Commons of Canada. Ablonczy represented Calgary ridings from 1993 to 2015, sitting first with the Reform Party of Canada, ...

, politician *May 20 - Sheldon Oberman, children's writer (d. 2004) *May 20 - Dave Thomas, comedian and actor *June 7 -

Christopher W. Morris Christopher Warren Morris (born June 7, 1949) is professor and chair of philosophy at the University of Maryland, where he is also a member of the Faculty of Politics, Philosophy, and Public Policy. His main research areas are moral, legal and po ...

, philosopher and academic *June 21 -

Jane Urquhart Jane Urquhart, LL.D (born June 21, 1949) is a Canadian novelist and poet. She is the internationally acclaimed author of seven award-winning novels, three books of poetry and numerous short stories. As a novelist, Urquhart is well known for her e ...

, writer *June 22 -

Wayne Easter Wayne Easter (born June 22, 1949) is a former Canadian politician who represented the riding of Malpeque, Prince Edward Island from 1993 to 2021. Before politics Born in North Wiltshire, Prince Edward Island, the son of A. Leith Easter and H ...

, politician

July to September

*July 3 - Jan Smithers, actress *July 11 -

Liona Boyd Liona Maria Carolynne Boyd, (born 11 July 1949) is a classical guitarist often referred to as the First Lady of the Guitar. Music career Early years Boyd was born in London and grew up in Toronto. Her father grew up in Bilbao, Spain, and her ...

, classical guitarist *July 12 -

Ted Barris Ted Barris (born July 12, 1949 in Toronto, Ontario) is a Canadian writer, journalist, professor and broadcaster. He writes a weekly column, "The Barris Beat", and is a regular contributor to ''The Globe and Mail'' and the ''National Post''. His ...

, writer, journalist, professor, and broadcaster *August 4 - Danny Williams, politician and 9th

Premier of Newfoundland and Labrador 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 ...

*August 13 - Bobby Clarke, ice hockey player *August 21 - Larry Fisher, murderer (d. 2015) *August 30 -

Don Boudria Donald Boudria, (born August 30, 1949) is a former Canadian politician. He served in the House of Commons of Canada from 1984 to 2005 as a member of the Liberal Party of Canada, and was a cabinet minister in the government of Jean Chrétien. M ...

, politician and Minister *September 6 - Carole-Marie Allard, politician *September 12 -

Kevin Major Kevin Major (born September 12, 1949) is a Canadian author who lives in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador with his wife. He writes for both young people and adults, including fiction, literary non-fiction, poetry, and plays. Major was born a ...

, author *September 26 -

Marie Tifo Marie Tifo (; born September 26, 1949, in Jonquière, Quebec) is a Canadian actress, and a major star in French-speaking Canada. She won a Genie Award for Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role for her performance in the 1980 drama f ...

, actress

October to December

*October 24 -

Robert Pickton Robert William "Willy" Pickton (born October 24, 1949) is a Canadian serial killer and former pig farmer. He is suspected of being one of the most prolific serial killers in Canadian history. After dropping out of school, Pickton left a butcher ...

, serial killer *October 25 - Laurie Skreslet, mountaineer, first Canadian to reach the summit of

Mount Everest Mount Everest (; Tibetic languages, Tibetan: ''Chomolungma'' ; ) is List of highest mountains on Earth, Earth's highest mountain above sea level, located in the Mahalangur Himal sub-range of the Himalayas. The China–Nepal border ru ...

*October 27 -

Garth Drabinsky Garth Drabinsky (born 1949)Charlebois, Gaetan, and Anne NothofDrabinsky, Garth Canadian Theatre Encyclopedia. Athabasca University. Anne Nothof, ed. "Ontario-based entrepreneur, born in Toronto in 1949." is a Canadian film and theatrical producer a ...

, film and theatrical producer and entrepreneur *November 27 -

Nick Discepola Nunzio "Nick" Discepola (November 27, 1949 – November 21, 2012) was an Italian-born Canadian politician and businessman. Education and career Discepola obtained a Bachelor of Science (1972) and a Master of Business Administration (1977) from M ...

, politician *November 28 -

Paul Shaffer Paul Allen Wood Shaffer (born November 28, 1949) is a Canadian singer, composer, actor, author, comedian, and multi-instrumentalist who served as David Letterman's musical director, band leader, and sidekick on the entire run of both ''Late Ni ...

, musician, actor, voice actor, author, comedian and composer *November 29 - Stan Rogers, folk musician and songwriter (d.

1983 The year 1983 saw both the official beginning of the Internet and the first mobile cellular telephone call. Events January * January 1 – The migration of the ARPANET to TCP/IP is officially completed (this is considered to be the beginning ...

) *December 13 - Denise Leblanc-Bantey, politician (d.

1999 File:1999 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: The funeral procession of King Hussein of Jordan in Amman; the 1999 İzmit earthquake kills over 17,000 people in Turkey; the Columbine High School massacre, one of the first major school shoot ...

) *December 19 -

Larry Bagnell Lawrence Bagnell (born December 19, 1949) is a former Canadian politician who served as the Member of Parliament (MP) for the riding of Yukon from 2000 to 2011 and again from 2015 to 2021. He served as a member of the Liberal Party of Canada. ...

, politician *December 21 -

John Loewen John Loewen (; born December 21, 1949) is a businessman and politician in Manitoba, Canada. He served in the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba from 1999 to 2005 as a member of the Progressive Conservative Party, and campaigned for the House of ...

, businessman and politician *December 30 -

Jim Flaherty James Michael Flaherty (December 30, 1949 – April 10, 2014) was a Canadian politician who served as the federal minister of finance from 2006 to 2014 under Conservative Prime Minister Stephen Harper. First elected to the Legislative Assembly ...

, politician and Minister (d.

)

Full date unknown

Zahra Kazemi Zahra "Ziba" Kazemi-Ahmadabadi ( fa, زهرا کاظمی احمدآبادی; 1948 – 11 July 2003) was an Iranian-Canadian freelance photojournalist. She gained notoriety for her arrest in Iran and the circumstances in which she was held by I ...

, photographer, died in Iranian custody (d. 2003)

Deaths

January to June

*January 9 - Tom Longboat, long-distance runner (b.

1887 Events January–March * January 11 – Louis Pasteur's anti-rabies treatment is defended in the Académie Nationale de Médecine, by Dr. Joseph Grancher. * January 20 ** The United States Senate allows the Navy to lease Pearl ...

) *January 11 - John Wesley Brien, physician and politician (b. 1864) *February 12 - Pegi Nicol MacLeod, artist (b.

1904 Events January * January 7 – The distress signal ''CQD'' is established, only to be replaced 2 years later by ''SOS''. * January 8 – The Blackstone Library is dedicated, marking the beginning of the Chicago Public Library syst ...

) *June 2 - François Blais, politician (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 ...

)

July to December

*July 7 - Fred Wellington Bowen, politician (b.

1877 Events January–March * January 1 – Queen Victoria is proclaimed ''Empress of India'' by the ''Royal Titles Act 1876'', introduced by Benjamin Disraeli, the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom . * January 8 – Great ...

) *August 23 -

Herbert Greenfield Herbert W. Greenfield (November 25, 1869 – August 23, 1949) was a Canadian politician and farmer who served as the fourth premier of Alberta from 1921 until 1925. Born in Winchester, Hampshire, in England, he immigrated to Canada in his late t ...

, politician and 4th

(b.

1869 Events January–March * January 3 – Abdur Rahman Khan is defeated at Tinah Khan, and exiled from Afghanistan. * January 5 – Scotland's oldest professional Soccer, football team, Kilmarnock F.C., is founded. * January 20 & ...

) *September 2 -

Ian Alistair Mackenzie Ian Alistair Mackenzie (July 27, 1890 – September 2, 1949) was a Canadian parliamentarian. Life and career Born in Assynt, Scotland, Mackenzie entered politics by winning a seat in the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia (BC) in th ...

, politician and Minister (b. 1890) *December 7 -

Stanislas Blanchard Stanislas Blanchard (2 December 1871 – 7 December 1949) was a Canadians, Canadian politician and gentleman. He was elected to the House of Commons of Canada in the 1926 Canadian federal election, 1926 election to represent the Liberal Party o ...

, politician (b. 1871) *December 16 -

Albert Edward Matthews Albert Edward Matthews (May 17, 1873 – December 16, 1949) was the 16th Lieutenant Governor of Ontario. Matthews was born in Lindsay, Ontario. He worked as an investment broker in Toronto and rose to the position of director of various c ...

, 16th Lieutenant Governor of

(b.

1873 Events January–March * January 1 ** Japan adopts the Gregorian calendar. ** The California Penal Code goes into effect. * January 17 – American Indian Wars: Modoc War: First Battle of the Stronghold – Modoc Indians defe ...

) *December 16 -

Sidney Olcott Sidney Olcott (born John Sidney Allcott, September 20, 1872 – December 16, 1949) was a Canadian-born film producer, director, actor and screenwriter. Biography Born John Sidney Allcott in Toronto, he became one of the first great direc ...

, film producer, director, actor and screenwriter (b.

)

Historical documents

Illingworth cartoon depicts

Stalin Joseph Vissarionovich Stalin (born Ioseb Besarionis dze Jughashvili; – 5 March 1953) was a Georgian revolutionary and Soviet political leader who led the Soviet Union from 1924 until his death in 1953. He held power as General Secretar ...

-shaped

mushroom cloud A mushroom cloud is a distinctive mushroom-shaped flammagenitus cloud of debris, smoke and usually condensed water vapor resulting from a large explosion. The effect is most commonly associated with a nuclear explosion, but any sufficiently ener ...

overshadowing western Europe and North America Joint US-Canadian defence strategy must address not only huge Soviet force in Europe, but its recently revealed atomic weapon capability "This struggle ith Communismis coming closer and closer" - Canada should be aware that it has U.S.S.R. on its northern border Denial of

NATO The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO, ; french: Organisation du traité de l'Atlantique nord, ), also called the North Atlantic Alliance, is an intergovernmental military alliance between 30 member states – 28 European and two No ...

" automatic commitment" comes from old idea of U.S.A. and Canada as "

producers Producer or producers may refer to: Occupations *Producer (agriculture), a farm operator *A stakeholder of economic production *Film producer, supervises the making of films **Executive producer, contributes to a film's budget and usually does not ...

and not consumers of security" Despite disapproval, Canada would strengthen its Article 2 on cultural, economic and social collaboration in draft NATO treaty After prolonged objection to NATO treaty Article 2 by U.S. Senators, they publicly praise it as one reason for ratification U.S.A. undermines Canada's export economy and aid to European recovery, and unfairly criticizes defence spending Discussion of suggested USA-UK-Canada federation, UK's place in Europe, and Europe's economic decline as world industrializes "Spectre of starvation, not only of the body, but also of the mind" - Canadians organize for cultural reconstruction of Europe Canada raises $1 million for aid to devastated countries, including 5,000 school food boxes, 30,000 library books, and artists' equipment PM Nehru explains India's "

championship In sport, a championship is a competition in which the aim is to decide which individual or team is the champion. Championship systems Various forms of competition can be referred to by the term championship. Title match system In this system ...

of freedom and racial equality in Asia" and asks Canada's support for liberty and against want

National Film Board The National Film Board of Canada (NFB; french: Office national du film du Canada (ONF)) is Canada's public film and digital media producer and distributor. An agency of the Government of Canada, the NFB produces and distributes documentary fi ...

's history of independent international distribution bothers Department of External Affairs "(

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 ...

should reject) projects not likely to achieve immediately useful results" - Example of Canada's role as helpful fixer Letters of appreciation about (and from)

displaced persons Forced displacement (also forced migration) is an involuntary or coerced movement of a person or people away from their home or home region. The UNHCR defines 'forced displacement' as follows: displaced "as a result of persecution, conflict, g ...

brought from Europe by government to work in Canada Given their

unpopularity Unpopularity is the opposite of popularity. Therefore, it is the quality of lacking acceptance or approval by one's peers or society as a whole. Early Development The importance of peer relations in an adolescent's normal psychosocial developmen ...

in Canada, External Affairs urged to be judicious about allowing Germans in "Running a war and a wide-open immigration policy at the same time – there'sno alternative" -

Newspaper columnist A columnist is a person who writes for publication in a series, creating an article that usually offers commentary and opinions. Columns appear in newspapers, magazines and other publications, including blogs. They take the form of a short essay ...

Israel Israel (; he, יִשְׂרָאֵל, ; ar, إِسْرَائِيل, ), officially the State of Israel ( he, מְדִינַת יִשְׂרָאֵל, label=none, translit=Medīnat Yīsrāʾēl; ), is a country in Western Asia. It is situated ...

Canadian leadership tries to settle dispute in refugee organization over Jewish emigration to Palestine conflict zone Canadian diplomat on elimination of corruption and black market and other positive changes in China following Communist takeover "Undesirable contacts" - Federal official is leery about stationing Black U.S. troops near

Inuit Inuit (; iu, ᐃᓄᐃᑦ 'the people', singular: Inuk, , dual: Inuuk, ) are a group of culturally similar indigenous peoples inhabiting the Arctic and subarctic regions of Greenland, Labrador, Quebec, Nunavut, the Northwest Territories ...

Hydro-electricity, boundary waters, roads and railways: Canada wants information on U.S. interest in northwestern North America Historical and diplomatic reasons for retaining " Alert" name for joint U.S.-Canadian weather station on Ellesmere Island "You are joining a good country" - Prime Minister St. Laurent's speech on Newfoundland's entry into Confederation "The Catholic Syndicates appear to have shunned settlement" - Violence and unspoken motivation behind Quebec's

Asbestos Strike The Asbestos strike of 1949, based in and around the town of Asbestos, Quebec, Canada, was a four-month labour dispute by asbestos miners. It has traditionally been portrayed as a turning point in Quebec history that helped lead to the Quiet Rev ...

Film: newsreel of strikers, strikebreakers and police in Asbestos, Quebec "The most powerful social and

moral authority Moral authority is authority premised on principles, or fundamental truths, which are independent of written, or positive, laws. As such, moral authority necessitates the existence of and adherence to truth. Because truth does not change, the princi ...

in the community" - Sociologist says unions are replacing church in Windsor, Ont. Discussions between George Hislop and Jim Egan are roots of Toronto-area

gay liberation The gay liberation movement was a social and political movement of the late 1960s through the mid-1980s that urged lesbians and gay men to engage in radical direct action, and to counter societal shame with gay pride.Hoffman, 2007, pp.xi-xiii ...

Fearing recent

total war Total war is a type of warfare that includes any and all civilian-associated resources and infrastructure as legitimate military targets, mobilizes all of the resources of society to fight the war, and gives priority to warfare over non-combata ...

effort may result in permanent checks on individual rights, senator introduces draft

bill of rights A bill of rights, sometimes called a declaration of rights or a charter of rights, is a list of the most important rights to the citizens of a country. The purpose is to protect those rights against infringement from public officials and pr ...

"A more complete ..anadian democracy" -

Canadian Jewish Congress The Canadian Jewish Congress (, , ) was, for more than ninety years, the main advocacy group for the Jewish community in Canada. Regarded by many as the "Parliament of Canadian Jewry," the Congress was at the forefront of the struggle for human ...

promotes national institutions for cultural understanding Massey Commission suggests questions on influences and possibilities to

Ernest MacMillan Sir Ernest Alexander Campbell MacMillan, (August 18, 1893 – May 6, 1973) was a Canadian orchestral conductor, composer, organist, and Canada's only "Musical Knight". He is widely regarded as being Canada's pre-eminent musician, from the ...

for his critical study of

Canadian music The music of Canada reflects the diverse influences that have shaped the country. Indigenous Peoples, the Irish, British, and the French have all made unique contributions to the musical heritage of Canada. The music has also subsequently been ...

"A cultural renaissance ..rom the grass roots" - Calgary Allied Arts Council urges Massey Commission to back community arts "A new and gifted player" -

Jazz at the Philharmonic Jazz at the Philharmonic, or JATP (1944–1983), was the title of a series of jazz concerts, tours and recordings produced by Norman Granz. Over the years, "Jazz at the Philharmonic" featured many of the era's preeminent musicians, including Lou ...

presents

Oscar Peterson Oscar Emmanuel Peterson (August 15, 1925 – December 23, 2007) was a Canadian virtuoso jazz pianist and composer. Considered one of the greatest jazz pianists of all time, Peterson released more than 200 recordings, won seven Grammy Awards ...

's debut at Carnegie Hall, New York Film: newsreel of cruise ship burning in Toronto harbour with scores of lives lost Advertisement:

CP Air Canadian Pacific Air Lines was a Canadian airline that operated from 1942 to 1987. It operated under the name CP Air from 1968 to 1986. Headquartered at Vancouver International Airport in Richmond, British Columbia, it served domestic Canadian a ...

staged flight to Australia with Honolulu and Fiji stopoversCanadian Pacific Air Lines
"Now Fly to Australia; Canadian Pacific style; sleep on land by night! travel by air in the day!"
New York Times (July 12, 1949). Accessed 14 September 2020

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:1949 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 ...

1949 in North America