Highlights of the day

  • 1923 Pete Parker, of CKCK Radio Regina, does the world’s first play-by-play radio broadcast of a professional hockey game.
  • 1984 Marc Garneau named first Canadian to go into space; member of the Canadian Space Agency’s Canadian Astronaut Program.

List of Facts for March 14

  • 1746 Charles Knowles 1704-1777 appointed Governor of Cape Breton Island, serves from June 2, 1746 to November 30, 1747. London, England
  • 1782 John Johnson 1742-1830 named Superintendent General of Indian Affairs. Quebec, Quebec
  • 1808 Lower Canada House of Assembly expels Jewish member, Ezekiel Hart, for invalidating his oath by substituting the word ‘Jewish’ for ‘Christian ‘. Quebec, Quebec
  • 1843 James Douglas 1803-1877 lands at Clover Point on Vancouver Island with 15 men to build new Hudson’s Bay Company Fort Camosun (later Victoria); moving HBC trade headquarters from Fort Vancouver (now in Washington State). Victoria, BC
  • 1879 Samuel Leonard Tilley 1818-1896 brings in average 25% tariff on US goods; if US repeals or lowers duties, Canada will match them. This is the Conservative Party’s National Policy of Protection. Ottawa, Ontario
  • 1888 North and South Kootenay Districts re-organized into East and West Districts.
  • 1892 Government appoints Royal Commission to investigate the sale of liquor. Ottawa, Ontario
  • 1899 Montreal Shamrocks beat Winnipeg Victorias 6-2 for the Stanley Cup. Montreal, Quebec
  • 1903 Ottawa Silver 7 sweep Rat Portage (Kenora) Thistles in two games for the Stanley Cup. Ottawa, Ontario
  • 1906 Founding of the Calgary City Rugby Foot-ball Club; origin of Stampeders. Calgary, Alberta
  • 1907 Québec government opens technical schools at Montréal and Québec. Québec
  • 1907 Swift Current becomes a town. Swift Current, Saskatchewan
  • 1908 Montreal Wanderers beat Toronto Trolley Leaguers 6-4 for the Stanley Cup. Montreal, Quebec
  • 1911 An Act to incorporate the Saskatchewan Co-operative Elevator Company is passed. Regina, Saskatchewan
  • 1916 Women in the province of Saskatchewan gain the right to vote and stand for election. Regina, Saskatchewan
  • 1917 Leonard Van Tighem dies; pioneer Catholic missionary. Alberta
  • 1923 Media - Hockey - Pete Parker, of CKCK Radio Regina, does the world’s First play-by-play radio broadcast of a professional hockey game, as Edmonton beats Regina 1-0. Regina, Saskatchewan
  • 1924 East Kootenay Power & Light Company begins generating electricity at Elko, BC.
  • 1946 Labor-Progressive MP Fred Rose arrested for conspiracy to transmit wartime secrets to the Soviet Union; sentenced to 6 years in prison for spying; result of Gouzenko revelations. Montreal, Quebec
  • 1952 Hillcrest-Mohawk Collieries quits mining the Mohawk. Bellevue, Alberta
  • 1959 Prime Minister John Diefenbaker rejects Newfoundland Premier Joey Smallwood’s request for a royal commission on Newfoundland labor problems. Ottawa, Ontario
  • 1961 Founding of Massey College, centre for graduate studies at the University of Toronto; Robertson Davies will be appointed Master. Toronto, Ontario
  • 1962 Gordie Howe of the Detroit Red Wings scores his 500th goal against the New York Rangers; second NHLer to score 500 goals, after Maurice Richard. Detroit, Michigan
  • 1966 Justice Wishart Flett Spence chairs Royal Commission to investigate Gerda Munsinger case and security risk; reports September, 1966. Ottawa, Ontario
  • 1969 Canada opens second satellite-tracking ground station at Mill Village. Mill Village, Nova Scotia
  • 1970 Eight Trinidad students convicted of conspiracy to obstruct computer centre at Sir George Williams University [now part of Concordia ; fined a total of $32, 500 or up to four years in prison; ordered deported. Montréal, Québec
  • 1974 Québec to make French the official language of the province. Québec, Québec
  • 1978 Statistics Canada reports unemployment passed the 1, 000, 000 mark in February for the First time. Ottawa, Ontario
  • 1979 Alberta Election - Alberta Premier Peter Lougheed leads PCs to third consecutive majority in the provincial election. Alberta
  • 1984 Marc Garneau named First Canadian to go into space; member of the Canadian Space Agency’s Canadian Astronaut Program. Ottawa, Ontario
  • 1985 Canadian production of the Andrew Lloyd Webber musical Cats opens at the Elgin Theatre; will run for two years in Toronto, then move to Montréal for a 19-week run, followed by a tour of Western Canada and a second Toronto run starting Sept. 2, 1989; total office receipts of $78 million from almost 2 million tickets, making it the most successful Canadian stage production ever. Toronto, Ontario
  • 1991 Kurt Browning from Caroline, Alberta wins his third consecutive Men’s Figure Skating title at the World Championships, beating Victor Petrenko of the Soviet Union; the Ice Dance is won by Isabel & Paul Duchesnay from Alymer, Quebec, skating for France. [Photo: CFSA Munich, Germany
  • 1996 CRTC rules that Canada’s television broadcasters must devise a system to rate the levels of violence in TV programs. Gatineau, Québec
  • 1997 68 year old Gordie Howe signs an AHL contract with the Syracuse Crunch. Syracuse, New York
  • 1997 Ivan Romanoff dies at age 83; conductor, arranger, violinist; 1958 created CBC TV’s Rhapsody, Canada’s First nationally telecast, multilingual musical variety program; also hosted other CBC Radio programs, including Songs of My People, Continental Rhapsody, Continental Holiday and Music of Our People. Toronto, Ontario
  • 1997 Québec City Chamber of Commerce spends $500, 000 for 20-room house formerly used by ex-Premier Jacques Parizeau as an official residence; Lucien Bouchard refused to move in. Québec, Québec
  • 2004 Pro Wrestling - Canadian Chris Benoit wins the WWE World Heavyweight Championship at WrestleMania XX.