|
|
|
 Proudly fly your flag. Canada Day is on July 1st of every year.
Fun Stuff
Canada's Capitol. All about Canada Day!
Printables
More Fun Stuff
|
 |
|
Background
On June 20, 1868, a proclamation signed by the Governor General, Lord Monck, called upon all Her Majesty's loving subjects
throughout Canada to join in the celebration of the anniversary of the formation of the union of the British North America
provinces in a federation under the name of Canada on July 1st.
The July 1 holiday was established by statute in 1879, under the name Dominion Day.
There is no record of organized ceremonies after this first anniversary, except for the 50th anniversary of
Confederation in 1917, at which time the new Centre Block of the Parliament Buildings, under construction, was dedicated as
a memorial to the Fathers of Confederation and to the valour of Canadians fighting in the First World War in Europe.
The next celebration was held in 1927 to mark the Diamond Jubilee of Confederation. It was highlighted by the laying of
the cornerstone by the Governor General of the Confederation Building on Wellington Street and the inauguration of the Carillon
in the Peace Tower.
Since 1958, the government has arranged for an annual observance of Canada's national day with the Secretary of State of
Canada in charge of the coordination. The format provided for a Trooping the Colours ceremony on the lawn of Parliament Hill
in the afternoon, a sunset ceremony in the evening followed by a mass band concert and fireworks display.
Another highlight was Canada's Centennial in 1967 when Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II attended the celebrations with Parliament
Hill again being the backdrop for a large scale official ceremony.
The format changed in 1968 with the addition of multicultural and professional concerts held on Parliament Hill including
a nationally televised show. Up until 1975, the focus of the celebrations, under the name "Festival Canada", was held in the
National Capital Region during the whole month of July and involved numerous cultural, artistic and sport activities, as well
as municipalities and voluntary organizations. The celebration was cancelled in 1976 but was reactivated in 1977.
A new formula was developed in 1980 whereby the National Committee (the federal government organization charged with planning
Canada's Birthday celebrations) stressed and sponsored the development of local celebrations all across Canada. "Seed money"
was distributed to promote popular and amateur activities organized by volunteer groups in hundreds of local communities.
The same approach was also followed for the 1981 celebrations with the addition of fireworks displays in 15 major cities across
the nation.
On October 27, 1982, July 1st which was known as "Dominion Day" became "Canada Day".
Since 1985, Canada Day Committees are established in each province and territory to plan, organize and coordinate the Canada
Day celebrations locally. Grants are provided by the Department to those committees.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
|
|
Origin and special observance
- Proclamation requiring celebration of July 1st:
- on June 20, 1868 a proclamation issued by the Governor General, Lord Monck, enjoined and called upon all Her Majesty's
loving subjects throughout Canada to join in the celebration of the Anniversary of the formation of the Dominion of Canada
on the 1st of July, 1868. This proclamation, a copy of which is attached, was published in the Canada Gazette on
Saturday, June 20, 1868.
- Act respecting Dominion Day, 1879:
- on May 15, 1879, Royal Assent was given to "An Act to make the first day of July a Public Holiday by the name of Dominion
Day" (House of Commons Debates, 1879, Vol.II, p. 2047).
Attached is a copy of the Act of 1879 as printed in the Revised Statutes of Canada, 1886, ChapterIII.
Also attached is a brief extract from newspaper reports indicating that citizens left Ottawa, Toronto and Quebec City on
July 1, 1879 and there were no public ceremonies.
- Proclamation respecting the celebration of the 50th Anniversary:
- on June 16, 1917, the Governor General, the Duke of Devonshire, issued a proclamation appointing Monday the 2nd
Day of July 1917 for the special celebration of the 50thAnniversary of Confederation. A copy of this proclamation
is attached.
Attached is a memorandum of reports in the Press of events on Parliament Hill and at Westminster Abbey on Monday, July
2, 1917.
- Diamond Jubilee of Confederation Act, 1927-Incorporation of the National Committee:
- On February 18, 1927, Royal Assent was given to an act to incorporate a National Committee for the celebration of the
Diamond Jubilee of Confederation - 17 George V, Chap. 6. This Act is entitled the Diamond Jubilee of Confederation Act, 1927.
The Committee, called the Corporation comprised about seventy persons including the Governor General and his wife, the
lieutenant governors of the provinces, the Prime Minister of Canada and seven members of the Cabinet (but not the Secretary
of State), the Chief Justice, several privy councillors including the former prime minister, the speakers of both Houses,
the Leader of the Opposition, the premiers of all the provinces, several senators and the Leader of the Opposition in the
Senate, the Clerk of the Privy Council, the Under Secretary of State, the Dominion Archivist, the Under Secretary of State
for External Affairs and the heads of a number of organizations such as the National Council of Women, the Trades and Labour
Congress, the United Farmers of Alberta, I.O.D.E., Bar Association, the National Battlefields Commission, the Canadian Legion,
etc.
The objects of the Corporation were to make and carry out necessary arrangements in cooperation with the provinces and
other bodies for an effective celebration of the sixtieth anniversary of the formation of the Dominion of Canada, and to administer
and distribute a grant of $250,000. The affairs of the corporation were administered by an executive committee; the Secretary
of State of Canada convened the first meeting of this committee.
- 1927 Celebration across Canada:
- The National Committee issued a booklet entitled "Order of Proceedings" for national thanksgiving by the people of Canada
for Sunday, July 3, as a suggestion for local committees across Canada for a public religious ceremony at 2:30 p.m. in each
local time zone under the direction of the lieutenant-governor or mayor or other senior person in the community. The Prime
Minister, the Right Honourable William Lyon Mackenzie King, who was a Presbyterian, had edited this booklet; it was found
to be not acceptable for Roman Catholic usage.
The Committee issued a forty-eight page pamphlet, illustrated in colour, containing suggestions for historical pageants,
floats and tableaux for the guidance bibliography of Canadian history.
- 1927 Ottawa Confederation:
- the National Committee organized the program of national celebration at Ottawa which began at 11:00 a.m. on Friday July
1, 1927 with the laying of the cornerstone by the Governor General of the Confederation Building at the corner of Bank and
Wellington Streets, and continued with the inauguration of the Carillon in the Peace Tower, the planting of the Confederation
maple trees on Parliament Hill and, in the afternoon, addresses by the Governor General, the Prime Minister and the Leader
of the Opposition and descendants of fathers of Confederation interspersed with public singing lead by a centenary choir and
schoolchildren. There was a very large dinner given by the National Committee in the Parliament buildings in the evening of
July 1 preceded by a historical pageant parade.
Suggest a Site
 send to a
friend
| Click below to join the mailing list for updates. |
|
| Updates sent out on a periodic basis. |
Today is:
This website was started on Monday, January 26th 2004.
|
