Canada Day History Facts!

British and French explored North America during the 15th century.

Around the 15th century, the British and French expeditions explored, colonized, and battled across numerous places within North America in what constitutes present-day Canada. To cut down France’s economic power worldwide, British troops concentrated their forces on French overseas outposts such as Canada.

Canada Day is an extraordinary national milestone.

Canada Day is the annual ceremony that celebrates an extraordinary national milestone on the path to Canada’s full independence. This milestone also united the colonies of Canada, New Brunswick, and Nova Scotia into a wider British federation. These four provinces later became a “kingdom in its own right” within the British Empire or the Dominion of Canada.

Canada was still a British colony during the late 1800s.

In 1867, the country was still a British colony. But nevertheless, Canada attained more political control and governance over its own “inner circle.” Meanwhile, the Cabinet and the British parliament maintained political control in other areas including its national defense, constitutional changes, and foreign affairs.

Canada steadily acquired more and more independence after 1876.

Over several decades since the late 1800s, Canada steadily acquired more and more independence. That independence grew even more due to the passage of the Statute of Westminster (an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom) in 1931. Canada soon became completely independent with the passing of the Constitution Act, 1982. This was when Dominion Day became Canada Day.

Canada Day can happen on 2nd July.

Although the National Day of Canada occurs as a statutory holiday every 1st July, if the holiday falls on a weekend, it will legally transpire on July 2nd. Nonetheless, events will usually continue to take place on 1st July, in spite that it’s not a legal holiday.