1961 in Canada
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
See also: 1960 in Canada, other events of 1961, 1962 in Canada and the Timeline of Canadian history.
Contents |
[edit] Incumbents
- Monarch: Queen Elizabeth II
- Governor General: Georges Vanier
- Prime Minister: John Diefenbaker
- Premier of Alberta: Ernest Manning
- Premier of British Columbia: W.A.C. Bennett
- Premier of Manitoba: Duff Roblin
- Premier of New Brunswick: Louis Robichaud
- Premier of Newfoundland: Joey Smallwood
- Premier of Nova Scotia: Robert Stanfield
- Premier of Ontario: Leslie Frost then John Robarts
- Premier of Prince Edward Island: Walter Shaw
- Premier of Quebec: Jean Lesage
- Premier of Saskatchewan: Tommy Douglas then Woodrow Lloyd
[edit] Events
- February 3: The Canadian Bank of Commerce and the Imperial Bank of Canada merge to form Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce
- June 1: The 1961 Canadian census finds Canada has a population of 18 238 247
- June 6: CUSO is formed
- June 13: The NCC study of Ottawa's new Green Belt is completed
- June 14: James Elliott Coyne, the Governor of the Bank of Canada resigns due to disagreements with the federal government's fiscal policies
- August 3: Tommy Douglas is elected leader of the newly formed New Democratic Party
- August 14–15: The Premiers meet in Charlottetown
- October 1: CTV, Canada's second major television network, begins broadcasting
- November 7: Woodrow Lloyd becomes premier of Saskatchewan, replacing Tommy Douglas
- November 8: John Robarts becomes premier of Ontario, replacing Leslie Frost
- November 17: Saskatchewan passes a bill creating Canada's first government run health system
- December 28: Canada's first BOMARC Missile squadron is formed
- The Co-operative Commonwealth Federation becomes the New Democratic Party
- The Massey Lectures are created
- The new home for the Hockey Hall of Fame opens in Toronto
- The transatlantic telephone system is officially launched with a call from Queen Elizabeth II to Prime Minister John Diefenbaker.
[edit] Arts and literature
- New books
- Morley Callaghan: A Passion in Rome
- Max Aitken: Courage
- Margaret Atwood: Double Persephone
- Farley Mowat: Owls in the Family
- Awards
- See 1961 Governor General's Awards for a complete list of winners and finalists for those awards.
- Stephen Leacock Award: Norman Ward, Mice in the Beer
[edit] Births
- January 11 – Graham Welbourn, swimmer
- January 18 – Mark Messier, ice hockey player
- January 26 – Wayne Gretzky, ice hockey player
- January 27 – Tony Clement, politician
- February 10 – Steve Pagendam, boxer
- February 21 – Paul Edwards, Manitoba politician
- February 23 – Sylvie Ruegger, long-distance runner
- March 16 – Todd McFarlane, comic book artist
- March 24 – Pat Turner, rower
- April 6 – Gene Eugene, actor and musician
- April 10 – Barb Tarbox, activist
- May 1 – Clint Malarchuk, ice hockey goalie
- May 8 – Greg Thomey, comedian
- May 9 – Darren Praznik, Manitoba politician
- May 27 – Northern Dancer, race horse
- May 31 – Corey Hart, singer
- June 1 – Paul Coffey, ice hockey player
- June 9 – Michael J. Fox, actor
- July 1 – Michelle Wright, singer
- July 12 – Camilla Scott, actor
- July 17 – Blair Horn, rower
- July 24 – Brian McMahon, coxswain
- July 26 – Alan Lowe, politician
- August 12 – Peter Szmidt, swimmer
- August 20 – Lizanne Bussieres, long-distance runner
- August 25 – Marie Saint Pierre, fashion designer
- August 25 – Dave Tippett, ice hockey player and coach
- September 12 – Mylène Farmer, musician
- September 18 – Denis Lambert, boxer
- September 24 – Nancy Garapick, swimmer
- September 27 – Randy Vancourt, songwriter and actor
- September 30 – Erica Ehm, VJ and TV actor
- October 25 – Alison Webb, judoka
- November 2 – k.d. lang, singer-songwriter
- December 8 – André Bachand, politician
- December 10 – Mark McKoy, hurdler
- December 13 – Ranza Clark, middle distance runner
- December 18 – Brian Orser, figure skater
- December 30 – Ben Johnson, sprinter
- December 31 – Douglas Coupland, writer
