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Pierre Trudeau Sworn in as Prime Minister
Less than 3 months after Trudeau retired in 1979, a general election was called and he was persuaded to remain leader of the Liberal Party, returning once again as Prime Minister. His short term was eventful as he defeated the Parti Quebecois’ proposition for separatism and succeeded in Patriation of the Constitution. -
The Canadarm: First Flight
The Canadarm, a remote controlled robotic arm for capturing and repairing satellites, was Canada’s most famous technological achievement. The arm exceeded all design goals, building a reputation for Canada as a key player in robotics and high-technology. It also signified the beginning of Canada’s cooperation with NASA, and inspired more Canadian innovation and development of robotics used on the International Space Station such as the Canadarm 2. -
Constitution Act, 1982 is Signed
The patriation of the Constitution could have been put into place 50 years earlier with the passage of the Statute of Westminster, but previous attempts had been unsuccessful due to disagreements. Finally, the act finalized Canada’s move to independence. It allowed Canada to amend its Constitution, the highest law of the land, without approval from Britain. It also put into place the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, preventing governments from infringing on Canadian rights and freedoms. -
The Ozone Hole is Discovered
This discovery was a shock to the public as well as the science community, since it was not aware of the extent of ozone depletion. As a result, regulations on the production and use of CFC’s -chlorinated compounds which deplete the ozone layer- went into effect in January 1996 and was signed by every country in the UN. Products such as aerosols had to be made with substitution ingredients. Thanks to its discovery in 1985, action was taken and prevented an environmental disaster and health risk. -
Disaster In Chernobyl, Ukraine
A steam explosion and fire occurred at Chernobyl nuclear power plant due to flawed reactor machinery and inexperienced personnel. For 10 days, large quantities of radioactive substances were released into the air. Within weeks there were 30 deaths, and an increased rate of thyroid cancers. It led to changes in safety culture and protocols, as well as industry cooperation between East and West even before the end of the cold war. -
Canada Receives UN Award for Sheltering Refugees
Canada received the Nansen medal from the UNHCR, in “recognition of their major and sustained contribution to the cause of refugees”. Canada had shown strong reluctance to admit refugees during and before WWII, but became an important sanctuary for refugees starting in the 1950’s, admitting over 60,000 East Asian refugees fleeing communist control between 1979 and 1981. The award was given to the entire population, since thousands of Canadians had come forward to privately sponsor refugees. -
Winter Olympics held in Calgary
The Olympics were held in Canada for the second time in Calgary. A major transformation occurred in the city as a result of the combined effects of the newfound fame and the energy boom. It was left with a $140 million revenue and attention from business elite. As well, the city grew to be the Canadian centre for winter sport training. -
World Wide Web Invented by Tim Burner's Lee
The World Wide Web, not to be confused with the Internet invented 20 years earlier, is a way of accessing internet information through web pages and browsers. Tim Berners-Lee created HTTP, HTML, and URL, effectively revolutionizing the internet and making it what it is today. Communication was made much easier and the internet made more accessible to the public. With over 1.2 billion websites online today, the concept of collective knowledge can be seen having a beneficial effect. -
Berlin Wall is Destroyed
When it was announced that citizens could cross the wall dividing Communist East Germany and Capitalist West Germany, ecstatic citizens took hammers and picks to help destroy the wall. The wall had served as a symbol of the world’s division for nearly 30 years, and its destruction then symbolized the beginning of the end of the Cold War. -
The Montreal Massacre Occurs
Marc Lépine separated and killed 14 female students at an engineering school, screaming “I hate feminists”. The act was an extreme form of the violence women faced every day, especially women in classically male fields. Mobilizations and protests took place across the country, as the event illustrated and brought awareness to the continuing discrimination faced by women.
