Highlights of the day

  • 1837 William Lyon Mackenzie proclaims The Republic of Canada on Navy Island in the Niagara River.
  • 1927 L’Université de Montréal becomes a self-governing body separate from l’Université Laval.
  • 1940 HMCS Royal Roads commissioned as a Canadian naval training centre; today’s Royal Roads University.

List of Facts for December 13

  • 1665 Treaty - The Marquis de Tracy makes a temporary peace with the Iroquois. Montréal, Québec
  • 1783 Census - Rough population count shows 30,000 United Empire Loyalists now living in Nova Scotia and New Brunswick. Halifax, Nova Scotia
  • 1786 Fur Trade - Gregory & McLeod merge with the North West Company on 20-share basis. Montréal, Québec
  • 1837 Upper Canada Rebellion - Dr. Charles Duncombe orders his 300 rebel followers to disperse after learning of William Lyon Mackenzie’s defeat at Toronto. Brantford, Ontario
  • 1837 Lower Canada Rebellion - Sir John Colborne sets out toward St-Eustache, Québec with 1,800 British Army regulars and 200 militia in two brigades commanded by Col. George Wetherall and Col. John Maitland. Montréal, Quebec
  • 1837 Upper Canada Rebellion - William Lyon Mackenzie sets up a provisional government and proclaims The Republic of Canada on Navy Island in the Niagara River. In his proclamation, Mackenzie declared, “We are wearied of these oppressions, and resolved to throw off the yoke. Rise Canadians! Rise as one man, and the glorious object of our wishes is accomplished.” Mackenzie’s flag is a tricolour bearing two stars, one for Upper Canada, one for Lower Canada, symbolizing the states who will enter the American union. Disgusted by a lack of support, he will leave a month later, and settle for a time in New York City. Buffalo, New York
  • 1849 Politics - George Brown popularizes the term Clear Grit in his Toronto Globe newspaper; Clear Grits were radical Canada West Reformers opposed to the policies of Baldwin & LaFontaine; originally named by party founder Peter Perry. Toronto, Ontario
  • 1865 Shipping - Columbia River steamboat Forty Nine is turned back by early ice above the Arrow Lakes. BC
  • 1881 Rail - William Van Horne arrives in Winnipeg as general manager of the CPR; a former Illinois Central Railroad manager. Winnipeg, Manitoba
  • 1883 Boundary - Border fixed between Ontario and Manitoba to Hudson Bay. Ottawa, Ontario
  • 1893 Prohibition - Prince Edward Island votes for prohibition of alcoholic beverages. PEI
  • 1894 Politics - Daniel Greene sworn in as Liberal Prime Minister of Newfoundland replacing Conservative Augustus Goodridge, after corrupt 1893 elections, and the December 10, 1894 collapse of 2 major Newfoundland financial institutions; Greene will pass the Disabilities Removal Act, that lets candidates disqualified because of election irregularities seek re-election; this lets William Whiteway get back into the House, and resume the premiership on Greene’s resignation February 8, 1895. St. John’s, Newfoundland
  • 1898 Rail - First passenger train runs over newly reconstructed Victoria Railway Bridge, Montréal; original 1859 tube replaced by a double track steel bridge. Montréal, Québec
  • 1905 Saskatchewan Election - Walter Scott leads the Liberal Party to victory in the First provincial election, winning 17 out of 25 seats; former NWT Premier Frederick Haultain leader of the opposition Provincial Rights Party. Saskatchewan
  • 1907 Politics - The Social and Moral Reform Council for the province of Saskatchewan is formed. Saskatchewan
  • 1927 Education - L’Université de Montréal becomes a self-governing body separate from l’Université Laval. Montréal, Quebec
  • 1929 Farming - Homestead filings in Alberta set an all time record; 4,291 in the First 11 months of the year. Edmonton, Alberta
  • 1940 Military - HMCS Royal Roads commissioned as a Canadian naval training centre; sited on the property owned by industrialist James Dunsmuir, along with his mansion Hatley Castle. Earlier that year, the government purchased Hatley Castle to be a wartime residence for the British Royal family, but they decided to stay in Britain. Victoria, BC
  • 1941 Second World War - Battle of Hong Kong - British Governor rejects Japanese demand for the surrender of Hong Kong; defence of the Island organized into a West Brigade, commanded by Brigadier J. K. Lawson, and including the Winnipeg Grenadiers; and an East Brigade, under Brigadier C. Wallis, including the Royal Rifles of Canada; General Maltby deploys both Canadian units to defend the southern beaches against a seaborne attack, as heavy Japanese artillery fire and air raids begin. Hong Kong, China
  • 1945 Labour - Justice Ivan Rand of the Supreme Court of Canada gets the Ford Motor Company of Canada and 17 000 United Auto Workers, on strike since September 12, 1945, to agree to binding arbitration, and end their strike December 20, 1945; issues the Rand Formula on January 29, 1946, denying the UAW’s demand for a union shop, and making the union liable to penalties payable from union dues in the event of an illegal strike, but provides for compulsory checkoff of union dues for all employees whether they are union members or not. Windsor, Ontario
  • 1947 Hockey - NY Rangers GM Frank Boucher says face masks for goaltenders will become standard equipment in the NHL, after one of his goalies fractures a cheekbone; detractors say dressing rooms will become salons for sissies; Montréal Canadiens Jacques Plante the First pro goalie to wear a face mask in November, 1959. New York, New York
  • 1949 Hockey - Jean Beliveau joins the Québec Citadelles junior hockey team; later a Montréal Canadiens star. Québec, Québec
  • 1963 Terrorism - FLQ member Mario Bachand sentenced to four years in prison for his part in a May 17, 1963 bomb explosion. Montréal, Québec
  • 1968 The Province of Québec abolishes its upper house, or Legislative Council, and changes the name of the Legislative Assembly to the National Assembly; effective December 31, 1968. Québec, Québec
  • 1968 Terrorism - FLQ members explode another bomb in Westmount, Québec. Montréal, Québec
  • 1976 Fishery - International Commission for the Northwest Atlantic Fisheries accepts Canada’s 370 km (200 nautical mile) limit.
  • 1979 Joe Clark loses a 139-133 vote of non-confidence in the House, introduced by rookie NDP MP named Bob Rae, during debate on John Crosbie’s no pain, no gain budget, after displeasing the Créditistes whose support they needed; Clark Prime Minister of the minority government since June; calls election for February 18, 1980. Ottawa, Ontario
  • 1979 Language - Supreme Court of Canada unanimously strikes down Québec and Manitoba laws which created unconstitutional unilingual courts and legislatures; unanimously upheld the power of the federal government to guarantee French and English can be used in the courts and legislatures across Canada; also declares three chapters of Québec’s Bill 101 unconstitutional; Québec responds by bringing in 311 new bilingual laws, replacing laws passed in French only. Ottawa, Ontario
  • 1983 Hockey - Wayne Gretzky scores his 300th NHL goal; in the same game the Islanders’ Butch Goring scores 4 goals against the Edmonton Oilers. Edmonton, Alberta
  • 1988 Hockey - NHL Québec Nordiques fire head coach Guy Lapointe. Québec, Québec
  • 1990 Taxation - The Senate of Canada finally passes the 7% Goods and Services Tax 55-49; replaces old Manufacturers Sales Tax which penalized Canadian goods. Ottawa, Ontario
  • 1992 K. C. Irving dies; industrialist born at Buctouche, New Brunswick, March 14, 1899. Irving studied at Dalhousie University and Acadia University; served in the Royal Flying Corps in First World War; 1938 acquired Canada Veneers, which became the world’s largest supplier of aircraft plywood; moved into pulp and paper, oil refining, shipping, publishing and broadcasting interests; 1971 settled in Bermuda for tax purposes. Saint John, New Brunswick
  • 1993 Kim Campbell resigns as leader of the Progressive Conservative Party of Canada, six months to the day after she won the leadership to succeed Brian Mulroney; led the Tories to an electoral disaster, reducing the Party to only two seats in the Commons; later appointed Canada’s Consul General in Los Angeles; the MP for Vancouver Centre was Prime Minister June 15, 1993 to November 4, 1993; will be replaced as leader by Jean Charest. Ottawa, Ontario
  • 1993 Symbols - The yellow birch chosen as provincial tree of Québec. Québec, Québec
  • 1995 Politics - Lucien Bouchard resigns his seat in the House of Commons and his Bloc Québecois leadership to run for the leadership of the Parti Québecois. Ottawa, Ontario
  • 1995 Hockey - New Montréal Forum named the Centre Molson. Montréal, Quebec
  • 1996 Baseball - Free agent Roger Clemens signs up to pitch with the AL Toronto Blue Jays. Toronto, Ontario
  • 1999 Treaty - House of Commons votes 217-48 in favour of a bill giving the Nisga’a people in northwest BC the right to self-government; Nisga’a will be awarded 2000 sq km of land and $253 million in return for agreement to pay taxes and relinquish future claims. The April 13, 2000, which gives legal effect to the Treaty. Ottawa, Ontario
  • 2003 Politics - Paul Martin cancels the scandal-plagued federal advertising sponsorship program as one of his first acts as Prime Minister of Canada; begun in 1996 by Jean Chrétien to promote federalism in Québec, but turned into a slush fund for the federal Liberal Party. Ottawa, Ontario