Highlights of the day

  • 2010 Governor General Michaëlle Jean declares the Vancouver Winter Olympic games officially open.

List of Facts for February 12

  • 1747 Force of Acadians and Micmacs recaptures Grand Pré from the invading Americans. Grand Pré, Nova Scotia
  • 1800 College of New Brunswick founded at Fredericton; today the UNB. Fredericton, New Brunswick
  • 1816 St. John’s almost completely destroyed by a fire. St. John’s, Newfoundland
  • 1835 First meeting of the Council of Assiniboia is held. Manitoba
  • 1894 Nova Scotia Legislature votes to hold plebiscite on prohibition of alcohol. Halifax, Nova Scotia
  • 1901 John Lineham, A.P. Patrick and George Leeson form The Rocky Mountain Development Company.
  • 1902 First annual meeting of the Territorial Grain Growers’ Association is held at Indian Head. Indian Head, Saskatchewan
  • 1906 Dominion Copper $5 million share offering.
  • 1912 Robert Cromie publishes First issue of the Vancouver Sun, to consistently advocate the principles of Liberalism; 1917 acquires the Daily News-Advertiser; 1924 acquires The Evening World; 1963 taken over by FP Publications; 1980 acquired by Southam Inc.; today Vancouver’s largest daily newspaper. Vancouver, BC
  • 1917 Prime Minister Robert Laird Borden 1854-1937 arrives in London to sit as a member of the Imperial War Cabinet. London, England
  • 1917 W.A. Griesbach, commander of the 49th Battalion, is promoted to Brigadier-General. London, England
  • 1939 Trail Smoke Eaters win World Championship in Zurich, Switzerland.
  • 1942 Second World War - Nine RCAF squadrons (four bomber, four fighter and one coastal) take part in the chase of three German warships in the Channel Dash; the German battle cruisers Scharnhorst and Gneisenau had escaped from Brest after allied air bombings; the Canadian squadrons lose seven planes in the attack. Brest, France
  • 1949 Canadian ice hockey team beats Denmark 47-0; most lopsided international hockey game in history. Europe
  • 1949 Ottawa announces creation of a far northern radar chain later called the Distant Early Warning (DEW) Line. Ottawa, Ontario
  • 1966 Nancy Greene wins women’s slalom title at Canadian International Ski Championships; from Rossland, BC; First FIS World Cup race held in Canada. Banff, Alberta
  • 1970 Three-month-old baby receives Canada’s First successful liver transplant at Montréal’s Notre-Dame Hospital. Montréal, Québec
  • 1976 John Napier Turner resigns his Vancouver Quadra seat in the House of Commons and joins Toronto law firm; until 1984, when he returns to politics, winning the Liberal leadership and becoming Prime Minister. Toronto, Ontario
  • 1977 Maple Leafs shut out the Washington Capitals 10-0. Toronto, Ontario
  • 1982 Wayne Gretzky scores his 153rd point of season, tieing the NHL record. Edmonton, Alberta
  • 1985 Defence Minister Robert Coates resigns after news reports reveal he visited a nightclub featuring nude dancers and prostitutes while on ministry business in West Germany. Ottawa, Ontario
  • 1987 Bryan Adams, Loverboy, Journey and the Fabulous Thunderbirds sing Good Golly Miss Molly radio station CFOX’s 25th anniversary bash. Vancouver, BC
  • 1989 Wayne Gretzky sets two more NHL records, his 45th hat trick and his tenth 40 + goal season. Los Angeles, California
  • 1990 Phil Edmonston wins riding of Chambly for NDP in federal by-election; First NDP/NPD seat in Québec; consumer advocate Edmonston author of the Lemon Aid series. Chambly, Québec
  • 1990 Tire dump fire set by teenage boys forces hundreds of families from their homes, causes massive air pollution; 11 fire departments battle for 15 days before putting it out. Hagersville, Ontario
  • 1994 Canadian team attends opening ceremonies of the 17th Olympic Winter games in Lillehammer. Lillehammer, Norway
  • 1994 Celine Dion’s single, The Power of Love hits #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart; First Québec artist to top the charts. New York, New York
  • 1994 Rev. Victoria Matthews consecrated the First female Bishop in the Anglican Church of Canada. Toronto, Ontario
  • 1994 Sue Rodriguez takes her own life at age 43 with the help of an anonymous doctor, after a long fight with Lou Gehrig’s Disease. Her court battles had evoked national discussion on the controversial subjects of euthanasia and assisted suicide. NDP MP Svend_Robinson was present when she died. Victoria, BC
  • 1995 Transcona speedskater Susan Auch skates the 500m in a women’s world record time of 38.94 seconds, beating Bonnie Blair of the US; won silver in the 500m in the 1994 Lillehammer Olympics behind Blair; at Nagano in 1998 she will again take silver, finishing one-two with Catriona Le may Doan in the Women’s 500 metre sprint. Global
  • 1998 Basketball - Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment acquires the Toronto Raptors; owners of the Toronto Maple Leafs.
  • 2004 Medicine - World Health Organization endorses a Health Canada plan to deal with a potential influenza pandemic.
  • 2006 Olympics - Cindy Klassen wins bronze in Ladies 3000m speed skating. Turin, Italy
  • 2010 Olympics - Governor General Michaëlle Jean declared the Vancouver Winter Olympic games officially open before 60,000 spectators; opening performers at the ceremony include dancers from First Nation, Inuit and Métis communities; followed by Nelly Furtado, Bryan Adams, Sarah McLachlan, Nikki Yanofsky, k.d. lang and Quebec singer Garou. The Olympic Flame is lit by Catriona Le May Doan, Steve Nash, Nancy Greene, Rick Hansen and Wayne Gretzky. Vancouver, BC February 12 - Olympics - Georgian luger Nodar Kumaritashvili crashes and dies during training, shortly before the Vancouver WInter Olympics officially open. Vancouver, BC