Dominion Day
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Dominion Day is a commemoration day of the granting of national status in various Commonwealth countries.
[edit] New Zealand
Dominion Day is the name given to 26 September, the anniversary of the day New Zealand was granted dominion status within the British Empire in 1907. The day is only observed as a Provincial Anniversary Day holiday in South Canterbury. There is support in some quarters for the day to be revived as an alternative New Zealand Day, instead of renaming Waitangi Day, New Zealand's current national day.
- See also: Independence of New Zealand and Dominion of New Zealand
[edit] Canada
Dominion Day was the original anglophone name of the holiday that commemorated the formation of the Dominion of Canada on July 1, 1867 out of the existing British North American colonies (The francophone name was Le Jour de la Confédération). That holiday was renamed Canada Day in 1982.
From the 1960's into the 1980's, the Miss Dominion of Canada beauty pageant was held on Dominion Day at Niagara Falls, Ontario, to select the Canadian representative for the Miss Universe, Miss World, Miss International, and Queen of the Pacific pageants.
The term Dominion was originated for Canada's formation in 1867. Sir Samuel Leonard Tilley suggested the term to the Fathers of Confederation at their meeting after his morning devotionals, during which he read Psalm 72:8: "He shall have dominion from sea to sea." Tilley's suggestion was adopted unanimously.
