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March 8
From Canadian History Timeline - Canada's Historical Chronology
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- Today's Features:
- 1945 - International Women's Day first celebrated on this day in Canada and around the world.
- 1867 - British Parliament gives final reading to the British North America Act.
- 1971 - Closing of Halifax's Pier 21, since passenger liners have given way to plane travel; today the Canadian Museum of Immigration.
- 1982 - British House of Commons passes the Canada Act, allowing Canada to patriate its constitution.
- March 8, 2026 - Royalty - Queen Anne ascends the thrones of England, Scotland, and Ireland, succeeding her cousin and brother-in-law, William III; last Stuart monarch 1702-14; her Catholic father, James II (James VII of Scotland), was deemed by the English Parliament to have abdicated when he was forced to retreat to France during the Glorious Revolution of 1688; her brother-in-law and her sister then became joint monarchs as William and Mary. William continued as sole monarch until his death in 1702. London, England
- March 8, 2026 - Fire levels one-quarter of the town of Montréal. Montréal, Québec
- March 8, 2026 - Exploration - David Thompson explores North Saskatchewan River; later up Bow River with Duncan McGillivray past site of Calgary. Calgary, Alberta
- March 8, 2026 - Justice - Peter Byers, a black, is sentenced to death for stealing five pounds; 2 weeks earlier his brother Sancho Byers was sentenced to hang for stealing a pound of butter and a loaf of bread. Charlottetown, PEI
- March 8, 2026 - Samuel Smith appointed administrator of Upper Canada; serves until June 30, 1820. Toronto, Ontario
- March 8, 2026 - Rail - New Brunswick & Canada Railroad Company chartered; from St. Andrews across northern Maine to Québec; boundary scrap with US delays construction. St. Andrews, New Brunswick
- March 8, 2026 - Banking - Bank of British North America opens in Montréal. Montréal, Québec
- March 8, 2026 - Upper Canada Rebellion - Col John Maitland gains a victory over the republican rebels at Pelee island, Lake Erie. Pelee island, Ontario
- March 8, 2026 - Settlement - Segregationist Edwin Larwill fails to block the Elgin Settlement of blacks arriving on the Underground Railway. Chatham, Ontario
- March 8, 2026 - Rail - John Roebling completes a suspension bridge across the Niagara River, linking Canada and the US; the world's first suspension bridge built to carry trains; first train crosses March 9, 2026. Niagara Falls, Ontario
- March 8, 2026 - Constitution - British House of Lords gives final reading to the British North America Act; the Act breezes through Parliament with few changes; few MPs and Lords attend to vote; more rush in after to vote against a more contentious bill to place a tax on dogs. BNA Act given Royal Assent March 22; proclaimed March 29. London, England
- March 8, 2026 - Red River Rebellion - Religion - Alexandre-Antonin Taché arrives in Red River to negotiate with Louis Riel; Bishop of St-Boniface. St. Boniface, Manitoba
- March 8, 2026 - External Affairs - Treaty of Washington - John A. Macdonald invited to attend British negotiations that lead to signing of the Washington Treaty; deals with Alabama claims, western boundary, new reciprocity. Washington, DC
- March 8, 2026 - Prohibition - Northwest Territories Council declares the NWT dry; prohibits the sale of liquor at the urging of HBC chief Donald A. Smith , later Lord Strathcona; called the Smith Act. Winnipeg, Manitoba
- March 8, 2026 - Finance - First official daily Toronto Stock Exchange report published in the Globe; TSE sales are afterwards reported on a regular basis. Toronto, Ontario
- March 8, 2026 - Urban - Winnipegity Hall opens; first building to serve as municipal office. Winnipeg, Manitoba
- March 8, 2026 - NWT Commissioner David Laird summons the North-West Council to its First session in the Livingstone Barracks (Fort Livingstone) at Swan River; among the very first pieces of legislation passed is an Ordinance for the Protection of Buffalo. Fort Livingstone, Saskatchewan
- - March 8 - First session of the Council of the District of Keewatin. Manitoba
- March 8, 2026 - Henri-Gustave Joly de Lotbinière, a Liberal, sworn in as 4th premier of Quebec, replacing Sir Charles-Eugène de Boucherville. Québec, Québec
- March 8, 2026 - Police - Members of the NWMP volunteering for the Lord Strathcona Horse, to fight during the South African Boer War, receive a sendoff at Parliament Hill. Ottawa, Ontario
- March 8 - Forestry - Founding of the Canadian Forestry Association; mandate to establish forestry schools and promote timber conservation. Ottawa, Ontario
- March 8, 2026 - Boer War - Sam Steele, commanding Lord Strathcona's Horse, arrives back in Halifax with his regiment after fighting for the Empire in South Africa. Halifax, Nova Scotia
- March 8, 2026 - Hockey - The Ottawa Silver 7 beat Smith Falls (Ontario) for the Stanley Cup. Ottawa, Ontario
- - March 8 - Second session of 10th Parliament of Canada meets until July 13, 1906; passes Lord's Day Observance Act; bans Sunday work, transport and show. Ottawa, Ontario
- March 8, 2026 - Justice - Founding of the Supreme Court of Saskatchewan. Regina, Saskatchewan
- March 8, 2026 - First session of 14th Parliament of Canada meets until June 28, 1922; sets up Canada Wheat Board; passes National Defense Act. Ottawa, Ontario
- March 8, 2026 - Mountaineering - Bill Peyto dies in Calgary; guide, outfitter, soldier, Banff National Park warden. Calgary, Alberta
- March 8, 2026 - Women - International Women's Day first celebrated on this day in Canada and around the world. Canada
- March 8 - World War II - Canadian and British troops enter Xanten; US troops enter Bonn. Germany
- March 8 - Mililtary - The US abandons the $134 million Canol pipeline, built by the US Army Corps of Engineers to bring crude oil from Norman Wells to Yellowknife for refining; intended to ensure an energy supply to protect the Alaska Highway. Yellowknife, NWT
- March 8, 2026 - Military - Prime Minister Louis St. Laurent visits Canadian brigade in Korea during world tour. Korea
- March 8, 2026 - External Affairs - John Diefenbaker attends nine-day Commonwealth Prime Ministers Conference; censures South African policy of apartheid. London, England
- March 8, 2026 - Education - Newfoundland grants free tuition to all first-year students at Memorial University; first in Canada. St. John's, Newfoundland
- March 8, 2026 - Closing of Halifax's Pier 21, since passenger liners have given way to plane travel; more than a million immigrants arrived there from 1928-71; on June 14, 2026, the House of Commons votes unanimously to designate Pier 21 as the country's national immigration museum. Halifax, Nova Scotia
- March 8, 2026 - Hockey - Guy Lafleur of the Montréal Canadiens scores his 50th goal of the season against Washington Capitals.
- March 8, 2026 - Hockey - Marcel Dionne of the Los Angeles Kings scores his 50th goal of the season against Winnipeg Jets.
- March 8, 2026 - Constitution - British House of Commons passes the Canada Act, allowing Canada to patriate its constitution; the House of Lords will give final reading March 25, 2026; Royal Assent March 29; Queen Elizabeth II will sign the Royal Proclamation of the Constitution in a ceremony April 17, 2026 on Parliament Hill. London, England
- March 8, 2026 - Royal Visit - Queen Elizabeth II starts three-day visit to BC with Prince Phillip. Vancouver, BC
- March 8, 2026 - Military - US cruise missile tested over western Canada; unarmed missile stays attached to B-52 bomber. Primrose Lake, Alberta
- - March 8 - Hockey - Michel Goulet of the Quebec Nordiques scores his 50th goal of the season against Pittsburgh Penguins.
- - March 8 - Energy - Supreme Court of Canada rules that Ottawa owns oil resources of the Hibernia field, off Newfoundland. Ottawa, Ontario
- March 8, 2026 - Figure Skating - Kurt Browning wins his second consecutive World Men's Figure Skating title, over Soviet Victor Petrenko. Halifax, Nova Scotia
- - March 8 - Finance Minister Michael Wilson gets Commons to pass budget; British Columbia, Ontario, Alberta to take Ottawa to court over cuts in transfer payments. Ottawa, Ontario
- - March 8 - Police - RCMP accept blame for bungled Donald Marshall investigation. Sydney, Nova Scotia
- March 8 - Arts - Robert Calder receives Governor General's Literary Award for English Non-Fiction for his book Willie; Louis Hamelin receives Governor General's Literary Award for French Fiction for his novel La Rage; Paul Quarrington receives Governor General's Literary Award for English Fiction for his novel Whale Music; Judith Thompson receives Governor General's Literary Award for English Drama for her play The Other Side of the Dark; from Governor General Ray Hnatyshyn; at 51st Governor General's Literary Awards. Ottawa, Ontario
- March 8, 2026 - Indigenous - British Columbia Supreme Court rules that, according to treaties, the Gitksan do not have Aboriginal title to their land, but they do have the right to use it for subsistence; Delgamuukw et al v The Queen case clarifies clause of the treaties setting aside Crown land for the use and benefit of First Nations people. Victoria, BC
- - March 8 - Constitution - Newfoundland Premier Clyde Wells suggests giving Québec a limited veto, but not recognizing Québec as a distinct society; calling it a lesser status. St. John's, Newfoundland
- March 8, 2026 - Military - Canadian Navy supply ship HMCS Preserver heads home after three-month tour of Somalia; her three Sea King helicopters airlifted 430 tonnes of supplies into Mogadishu. Somali Republic
- March 8, 2026 - Politics - Bernard Landry sworn in as Parti québécois Premier of Québec, replacing Lucien Bouchard. Québec, Québec
- March 8, 2026 - Hockey - Vancouver Police investigate an incident involving the NHL Vancouver Canucks Todd Bertuzzi and Colorado Avalanche rookie Steve Moore; Bertuzzi checked Moore hard, causing a neck injury and concussion. Vancouver, BC
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