Canada Day

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Canada Day

Annually on Canada Day, festivities abound: in Ottawa, the national capital, celebrations on Parliament Hill include the Musical Ride of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police
Also called	Dominion Day, 1st of July
Observed by	Canadians (Canada)
Type	Historical, Cultural, Nationalist
Date	July 1
Celebrations	Fireworks, parades

Canada Day (French: Fête du Canada) is Canada's national holiday, marking the formation of the country on July 1, 1867. It is a federal holiday celebrated on July 1, annually, by all provincial governments and most businesses across the country.

1 History
2 Newfoundland and Labrador specific events
3 Activities
4 Trivia
5 See also
6 External links
7 Footnotes

[edit] History

Canada Day celebrates the creation of the dominion of Canada through the British North America Act on July 1, 1867, uniting three British colonies—the provinces of Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and Canada. The three colonies united to form one country divided into four provinces. The Province of Canada became Ontario and Quebec (see Canadian Confederation).

Canada Day on Wellington Street, in front of the Château Laurier, in Ottawa

A proclamation was issued by Governor General Lord Monck, on June 20, 1868, asking for "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 1."^[1]

The holiday was formally established by statute in 1879, and was originally called Dominion Day, making reference to the term "dominion," which was first used to describe a political union within the British Empire for Canada, at a time when the British government was hesitant to adopt the name proposed by the Fathers of Confederation: Kingdom of Canada.

The name was officially changed to Canada Day on October 27, 1982, largely harking back to the adoption of the earlier Canada Act 1982. However, many Canadians had already been informally referring to the holiday as "Canada Day" for a number of years before the official name change.

On Dominion Day 1923, the Chinese Immigration Act of 1923 went into effect. Until the act was repealed in 1947, many Chinese-Canadians referred to July 1 as "Humiliation Day" and refused to celebrate Canada's birthday.

Quebec also has Moving Day on 1 July, due to the fact that most leases there begin and end on that day, with many people changing residences. Federalist Quebec residents who oppose the popular sovereigntist campaign for an independent Québec joke that Moving Day is scheduled to ensure Quebecers are too busy moving house to celebrate Canada Day.

[edit] Newfoundland and Labrador specific events

In Newfoundland and Labrador, July 1 is recognized as a day of remembrance and sacrifice, and commemorates the Newfoundland Regiment's heavy losses during World War I, at Beaumont Hamel, on the first day of the Battle of the Somme. Remembrance ceremonies similar to those held on Remembrance Day are held in the morning at Cenotaphs around the province; flags are usually at half-mast (and the atmosphere somewhat more sombre) until noon, when normal Canada Day ceremonies start.

[edit] Activities

Canada Day celebrations in Iqaluit, 1999

Queen Elizabeth II and Prime Minister Jean Chrétien at the official Canada Day celebration, Ottawa, 1997

Canadians have used July 1 for leisure since it was declared a holiday. The Ottawa Citizen reported on July 2, 1879, under the headlines Our National Holiday - How it was observed - Picnics, cricket matches: "Yesterday was the 12th anniversary of the confederation of the several Provinces of the Dominion, and the day was, of course, observed as a general holiday. Our citizens tore themselves away from the dust and heat of the city. No public demonstration was arranged." People vacated the cities across the country in favour of resorts and parks, a tradition that continues to the present.^[2]

The largest official celebrations are held on Parliament Hill in the capital, Ottawa during the day and in the evening.

No official celebrations were held on July 1 from confederation until 1917, the golden anniversary of Confederation, and then none again until ten years later. Beginning in 1958, the Canadian government orchestrated Dominion Day celebrations, usually consisting of Trooping the Colours ceremonies on Parliament Hill in the afternoon and evening, followed by a mass band concert and fireworks display. Into the late 1960s, nationally televised, multi-cultural concerts were added, and the fete became known as "Festival Canada." After 1980, the Canadian government began to promote the celebrating of Dominion Day beyond the national capital, giving grants and aid to cities across the country to help fund local activities.

Detroit, Michigan and Windsor, Ontario have since the 1950's celebrated Dominion Day/Canada Day and America's Independance Day with the International Freedom Festival. A massive fireworks display over the Detroit River, the strait separating the two cities, is held annually with hundreds of thousands of spectators attending.

Since the 1980s, Canada Day is generally marked by patriotic celebrations. Most cities have organized celebrations, with entertainment usually having a Canadian theme, and often featuring fireworks. Canadian flags abound, and some individuals paint their faces in Canadian national colours (red and white). Pancake breakfasts are common as well.

The celebrations in Ottawa are particularly lavish. Every Canada Day, hundreds of thousands gather on Parliament Hill to celebrate Canada's birth. Official celebrations are held throughout the national capital, including in Hull, with the main show taking place on Parliament Hill. This event is normally presided over by the Governor General, though the Queen of Canada, Elizabeth II, attended Canada Day ceremonies in 1990, 1992, and 1997. The Queen also helped celebrate Canada's 100th anniversary on July 1, 1967.

The 2006 celebrations, which were somewhat dampened by rain, saw an attendance of 25,000 for the noon hour show, presided over by the Governor General and the Prime Minister.^[3] A much larger crowd assembled for the evening show and fireworks, where the Six String Nation Guitar was officially launched by Stephen Fearing with his Canadian folk classic, The Longest Road.

[edit] Trivia

Under the Holidays Act, Canada Day is always observed on July 1 unless that date falls on a Sunday, in which case it is observed on July 2. If it falls on a Saturday, the following Monday is generally also a day off for those businesses ordinarily closed on Saturdays.