1961 in Canada
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Events from the year 1961 in Canada.
Contents |
[edit] Incumbents
- Monarch: 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
[edit] January to June
- 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
[edit] July to December
- August 3 – Tommy Douglas is elected leader of the newly formed New Democratic Party
- August 14 – 15 – The Premiers meet in Charlottetown
- August 26 – The new home for the Hockey Hall of Fame opens in Toronto, at the Canadian National Exhibition.
- 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
[edit] Full date unknown
- The Co-operative Commonwealth Federation becomes the New Democratic Party
- The Massey Lectures are created
- The transatlantic telephone system is officially launched with a call from Elizabeth II to Prime Minister John Diefenbaker.
- The Canadian Conference of the Arts is established.
[edit] Arts and literature
[edit] New books
- Morley Callaghan: A Passion in Rome
- Max Aitken: Courage
- Margaret Atwood: Double Persephone
- Farley Mowat: Owls in the Family
[edit] 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
[edit] January to March
- January 11 – Graham Welbourn, swimmer
- January 18 – Mark Messier, ice hockey player
- January 26 – Wayne Gretzky, ice hockey player and coach
- January 27 – Tony Clement, politician and Minister
- February 10 – Steve Pagendam, boxer
- February 21 – Paul Edwards, politician and lawyer
- February 23 – Sylvia Ruegger, long-distance runner
- February 27 – Ann Peel, race walker
- March 16 – Todd McFarlane, cartoonist, comic book artist, writer, toy designer and entrepreneur
- March 24 – Pat Turner, rower and Olympic gold medalist
[edit] April to June
- April 6 – Gene Eugene, actor, record producer, engineer, composer and musician (d.2000)
- April 10 – Barb Tarbox, anti-smoking activist (d.2003)
- May 1 – Clint Malarchuk, ice hockey player
- May 8 – Greg Thomey, comedian
- May 9 – Darren Praznik, politician
- June 1 – Paul Coffey, ice hockey player
- June 9 – Michael J. Fox, actor, author and voice over artist
[edit] July to September
- July 1 – Michelle Wright, singer-songwriter
- July 17 – Blair Horn, rower and Olympic gold medalist
- July 24 – Brian McMahon, coxswain and Olympic gold medalist
- July 26 – Alan Lowe, politician
- August 12 – Peter Szmidt, swimmer
- August 20 – Lizanne Bussières, long-distance runner
- August 23 – François Lapointe, racewalker
- August 25 – Dave Tippett, ice hockey player and coach
- September 12 – Mylène Farmer, singer, songwriter, actress and author
- September 18 – Denis Lambert, boxer
- September 24 – Nancy Garapick, swimmer and Olympic bronze medalist
- September 27 – Randy Vancourt, composer and entertainer
- September 30 – Erica Ehm, video jockey, songwriter and actress
[edit] October to December
- October 25 – Alison Webb, judoka
- November 2 – k.d. lang, singer-songwriter
- November 23 – Floyd Roland, politician and 11th Premier of the Northwest Territories
- December 8 – André Bachand, politician
- December 10 – Mark McKoy, hurdler and Olympic gold medalist
- December 13 – Ranza Clark, middle distance runner
- December 18 – Brian Orser, figure skater, double Olympic silver medalist and World Champion
- December 30 – Douglas Coupland, novelist
- December 30 – Ben Johnson, sprinter, double Olympic bronze medalist, Olympic gold medal rescinded as disqualified for doping
[edit] Deaths
[edit] January to June
- May 12 - Janis Babson (b.1950)
- May 14 – Albert Sévigny, politician (b.1881)
- May 28 – Frank Boyes, politician (b.1874)
- May 29 – Gilbert Layton, businessman and politician (b.1899)
- June 6 – William Anderson, politician and businessman (b.1905)
- June 19 – Richard Ernest William Turner, soldier and recipient of the Victoria Cross (b.1871)
[edit] July to December
- July 12 – Mazo de la Roche, author (b.1879)
- July 15 – John Edward Brownlee, politician and 5th Premier of Alberta (b.1884)
- September 12 – Joseph-Arthur Bradette, politician (b.1886)
- September 16 – Percy Chapman Black, politician (b.1878)
- September 21 – William Duncan Herridge, politician and diplomat (b.1888)
- October 15 – Peter Dickinson, architect (b.1925)
- October 22 – Harry Nixon, politician and 13th Premier of Ontario (b.1891)
[edit] Full date unknown
- Anne Wilkinson, poet (b.1910)
