On July 1, 1867, the British North Americas Act created the Dominion of Canada as a federation of four provinces, an event known as the confederation of Canada. The four original provinces were created from the former British colonies of Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and the Province of Canada, which was divided into the provinces of Quebec and Ontario.
On June 20, 1868, a proclamation signed by the Governor General, Lord Monck, called upon 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 1st. The July 1 holiday was established by statute in 1879, under the name Dominion Day.
On October 27, 1982, July 1st which was known as “Dominion Day” became “Canada Day”.
Canada’s Prime Ministers
Stephen Joseph Harper
(Conservative)
February 6, 2006 – present
Paul Edgar Philippe Martin, Jr.
(Liberal)
December 12, 2003 – February 6, 2006
Joseph Jacques Jean Chrétien
(Liberal)
November 4, 1993 – December 11, 2003
A. Kim Campbell
(Progressive Conservative)
June 25, 1993 – November 3, 1993
Martin Brian Mulroney
(Progressive Conservative)
September 17, 1984 – June 24, 1993
John Napier Turner
(Liberal)
June 30, 1984 – September 17, 1984
Charles Joseph Clark
(Progressive Conservative)
June 4, 1979 – March 2, 1980
Pierre Elliott Trudeau
(Liberal)
April 20, 1968 – June 3, 1979
March 3, 1980 – June 29, 1984
Lester Bowles Pearson
(Liberal)
April 22, 1963 – April 19, 1968
John George Diefenbaker
(Progressive Conservative)
June 21, 1957 – April 21, 1963
Louis Stephen St. Laurent
(Liberal)
November 15, 1948 – June 20, 1957
William Lyon Mackenzie King
(Liberal)
December 29, 1921 – June 28, 1926
September 25, 1926 – August 6, 1930
October 23, 1935 – November 14, 1948
Richard Bedford Bennett
(Conservative)
August 7, 1930 – October 22, 1935
Arthur Meighen
(Conservative)
July 10, 1920 – December 28, 1921,
June 29, 1926 – September 24, 1926
Sir Robert Laird Borden
(Conservative/Unionist)
October 10, 1911 – July 9, 1920
Sir Wilfrid Laurier
(Liberal)
July 11, 1896 – October 6, 1911
Sir Charles Tupper
(Conservative)
May 1 1896 – July 8, 1896
Sir Mackenzie Bowell
(Conservative)
December 12, 1894 – April 27, 1896
Sir John Sparrow David Thompson
(Liberal-Conservative)
December 5, 1892 – December 12, 1894
Sir John Joseph Caldwell Abbott
(Liberal-Conservative)
June 16, 1891 – November 24, 1892
Alexander Mackenzie
(Liberal)
November 7, 1873 – October 8, 1878
Sir John Alexander Macdonald
(Liberal-Conservative)
July 1, 1867 -Â November 5, 1873
October 17, 1878 – June 6, 1891