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1497
John Cabot claims Newfoundland for Britain
He mounted 3 voyages and the second one was the most successful. He came to Newfoundland and Labrador on his ship. When he arrived he saw that the Beothuk and Innu people inhabited the land. The waters were filled with fresh cod. -
1535
Jacques Cartier claims the St. Lawrence region for France
He was sent by King Francis l to the new world in search of great riches and of course a new route to Asia. Since he explored the St. Lawerance river while on his voyage, let France lay claims on the land. Which is now known as Canada -
Samuel de Champlain founded New France
He returned to the St.Lawerance river, specifically to Satdacona. He called this Quebec. There was no where else suitable enough fo a fur trade than here. As he was setting this up he also discovered New France -
Britain grants a charter to the Hudson’s Bay Company
The “Governor and Company of Adventurers of England trading into Hudson Bay” were granted wide powers, including exclusive trading rights in the territory traversed by rivers flowing into Hudson Bay. This vast region was named Rupert’s Land. -
Seven Years War
This was the first global war. It was fought in Europe, India, America and at sea. Britain and France were fighting heavily in America. But France had the help from Canadian allies and Native Americans. -
The Royal Proclamation
This was issued by King George lll. This was set in place to establish a basis of government administration in the North American territories. Which were formally ceded by France to Britain. -
British immigration to Canada
At first, they did not think immigration would be a good thing.But however, policy changed and they slowly encouraged settlement in Canada. It was their hope that settlers would guarantee the sovereignty of colonial land claims, Christianize Aboriginal peoples and exploit natural resources often on behalf of European investors. -
Confederation of Canada
The union of the British North American colonies of New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and the Province of Canada was the first step in a slow but steady nation-building exercise that would come to encompass other territories, and eventually, fulfill the dream of a country from sea to sea. -
Red River Rebellion
The Red River Rebellion was sparked by the transfer of the vast territory of Rupert's Land to the new nation of Canada. The colony of farmers and hunters, many of them Métis, occupied a corner of Rupert's Land and feared for their culture and land rights under Canadian control. This caused the making ofManitoba. -
Signing of the Numbered Treaties
The Numbered Treaties were a series of 11 treaties made between the Canadian government and Indigenous peoples from 1871 to 1921. The treaties provided the Canadian government with land for industrial development and White settlement. -
The Indian Act
The Indian Act pertains only to First Nations peoples, not to the Métis or Inuit. It is an evolving, paradoxical document that has enabled trauma, human rights violations and social and cultural disruption for generations of First Nations peoples. -
Native residential schools open in Canada
Residential schools were government-sponsored religious schools established to assimilate Indigenous children into Euro-Canadian culture. Although the first residential facilities were established in New France, the term usually refers to the custodial schools established after 1880. -
Northwest Rebellion
This was a violent and tragic event that lasted for over 5 months. The Metis and Aboriginal Peoples were fighting against the Canadian Government. All of the battles left hundreds of people dead and the result was the permanent enforcement of Canadian Law in the West. -
Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples
The whole point of the Commission was to study the evolution of the relationship between Aboriginal peoples, the government of Canada and Canadian society as a whole. -
Last Native Residential School closes
The last residential school operated by the Canadian government, Gordon Indian Residential School in Saskatchewan, was closed in 1996 -
The Truth and Reconciliation Commission established
This multi-faceted agreement, widely understood to be one of the largest settlement packages in the history of the country, was intended to compensate survivors for the harms they suffered in residential schools, and to work towards a more just and equitable future for Indigenous peoples.
