Highlights of the day

  • 1619 Danish navigator Jens Munk reaches the Churchill River; calls the territory New Denmark.
  • 1864 Tilley persuades Maritime delegates to seek federal union; Charlottetown Conference adjourns.

List of Facts for September 7

  • 1572 Business - Anonymous Basque fisherman buys four scallops - this is Canada’s earliest recorded business transaction. Chateau Bay, Labrador
  • 1615 Étienne Brulé goes down ‘le passage de Toronto’ with twelve Huron warriors, to meet allies and gather support; a well worn portage to Lake Ontario via the Holland River. Schomberg, Ontario
  • 1619 Danish navigator Jens Munk, searching for the North West Passage, lands at the mouth of the Churchill River and claims the territory for King Christian IV of Denmark; calls the territory Nova Dania - New Denmark. Churchill, Manitoba
  • 1631 Thomas James starts exploring the bay that now bears his name; will winter off Charlton Island. Charlton Island, NWT
  • 1659 Marguerite Bourgeoys arrives back in Montreal from France with Jeanne Mance and 62 men and 47 women settlers to found the Congregation of Notre Dame, the First religious order originating in Canada. Montreal, Quebec
  • 1659 Smallpox epidemic hits Québec. Québec, Québec
  • 1672 Count Frontenac arrives at Quebec to serve as Governor of New France. Quebec, Quebec
  • 1762 French and Indian War - Lord Amherst leaves Louisbourg with about 1,500 British and American troops to retake St. John’s, Newfoundland. Louisbourg, Nova Scotia
  • 1763 Col. John Bradstreet formalizes a peace treaty with the Ottawas and Chippewas. Detroit, Michigan
  • 1763 Immigration - King George III issues a proclamation urging British subjects to settle in Canada. London, England
  • 1783 Mohawk chief Joseph Brant (Thayendanegea ) urges nations south of the Great Lakes to join a united confederation to oppose American expansion and speak with the United Voice of us all. Sandusky, Ohio
  • 1796 Treaty - Chippewas cede aboriginal rights to about 89,999 hectares in Middlesex, Oxford and Lambton Counties; 220,000 acres. Ontario
  • 1816 Steamship ‘Frontenac’ launched at Bath, west of Kingston, Ontario; First Canadian steam powered vessel on Great Lakes. Bath, Ontario
  • 1839 Charles Poulett Thomson, Lord Sydenham, named Governor of Lower Canada. London, England
  • 1850 Treaty - Indian Commissioner William Robinson negotiates Robinson-Huron Treaty with Ojibway; for 129,500 sq km of land around the north shores of Lake Huron and Lake Superior up to the northern height of land; $4 per Indian, 21 reserves to be set up, 96¢ a year annuity. Manitoulin Island, Ontario
  • 1850 Blackfoot party attacks the Jesuits’ St. Mary’s Mission in what is now western Montana, running off horses and killing several Native retainers. Montana
  • 1854 Work starts on St. Peter’s Canal into the Bras-d’Or Lakes of Cape Breton Island; completed in 1869. Cape Breton, Nova Scotia
  • 1859 Governor James Douglas proclaims the Goldfields Act, to regulate mining claims in British Columbia; sets size of placer claims at -25 lineal feet between high and low-water marks; creates post of Gold Commissioner to act as all round government official to enforce laws, adjudicate cases, collect taxes. Victoria, BC
  • 1860 Albert Edward the Prince of Wales visits Toronto; First recorded use of the maple leaf as official Canadian emblem; next visit by Prince of Wales in 1919. Why the maple leaf? Montréal’s St-Jean Baptiste Society had used the emblem for decades, because Québec farmers knew that the best soil is found where the maple tree grows. Toronto, Ontario
  • 1860 Georges Simpson dies of a stroke at his estate near Lachine after a visit from the Prince of Wales; North American Governor of the Hudson’s Bay Company. Lachine, Québec
  • 1864 Confederation - Charlottetown Conference - New Brunswick’s Samuel Tilley argues that Maritime provinces can get better terms under Confederation than by themselves; the New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and PEI delegates agree to discard the idea of Maritime Union, and pursue a federal union. The Charlottetown Conference is then adjourned, and the delegates retire to a party hosted by the Canadians aboard the Queen Victoria. Charlottetown, PEI
  • 1868 First convention of French Canadians living in the USA. Boston, Massachusetts
  • 1872 Start of construction of the Montréal YMCA. Montréal, Québec
  • 1874 NWMP arrive at Seven Persons Creek, NWT. Alberta
  • 1883 Weather - Sharp frost this night in Manitoba ruins much of the grain crop, leading to widespread hardship and discontent. Manitoba
  • 1885 Mining - British Columbia grants Baillie-Grohman and the Kootenay Lake Syndicate Company 73,100 acres of land in several blocks on Kootenay Lake and a pre-emption on a strip of 2,000 acres linking the Columbia and Kootenay systems across Canal Flats. Victoria, BC
  • 1907 Riot - Anti-Oriental mob attacks some Asian businesses in Vancouver’s Chinatown; will become a full blown riot the following day, September 8, 1907. Vancouver, BC
  • 1909 First aeroplane flight in Alberta is made. Alberta
  • 1909 Nelson Street Railway Company incorporated to take over assets of the Nelson Electric Tramway Company. Nelson, BC
  • 1914 Canadian Arctic Expedition - Captain Robert Bartlett finally makes it to Alaska with crew; sixteen died in wreck of the ‘Karluk’. Alaska
  • 1919 Mining - International Coal and Coke Company, Limited, incorporates under federal Canadian law. Ottawa, Ontario
  • 1925 Diplomacy - Senator Raoul Dandurand elected President of the annual Assembly of the League of Nations; serves until September 26, 1925; representing Canada. Geneva, Switzerland
  • 1927 Epidemic - Provincial Health Minister George Hoodley orders a drastic quarantine throughout the province to contain the polio epidemic. Edmonton, Alberta
  • 1939 Opening of 5th session of the 18th Parliament; sits until September 13, 1939. Ottawa, Ontario
  • 1942 Second World War - RCN armed yacht HMCS Raccoon is torpedoed and sunk by U-165, while escorting convoy QS.33 in the St. Lawrence River; there are no survivors; 37 men perish. Gulf of St. Lawrence
  • 1943 Second World War - Fifth Victory Loan campaign launched; to raise $1.2 billion. Ottawa, Ontario
  • 1945 Start of the 1st Session of the 20th Parliament; end of the law of mutual aid for other countries. Ottawa, Ontario
  • 1957 Paul Anka’s hit single Diana stays at #1 on the Billboard pop charts. New York, New York
  • 1959 Québec Premier Maurice Duplessis dies in office of a heart attack; Union Nationale Premier for 15 years; gave Quebec its own corporate income tax (1947) and personal income tax (1953); made the French fleur-de-lis the province’s official symbol (1948). Schefferville, Quebec
  • 1961 Military - Canadian armed forces to be increased by 15,000; 100,000 Canadians to be trained in survival. Ottawa, Ontario
  • 1962 Opening of National Industrial Expansion Conference, sponsored by Department of Trade and Commerce. Ottawa, Ontario
  • 1965 Federal Election - Lester Pearson dissolves Parliament and calls election for November 8, 1965. Ottawa, Ontario
  • 1968 Châteauguay incorporated as a city. Châteauguay, Québec
  • 1973 Environment - Commission on Great Lakes Water Quality blames both countries for delaying pollution enforcement. Ontario
  • 1973 Northwest Territories Supreme Court lets Indian Brotherhood of the NWT file claim for approximately 1/3 of land. Yellowknife, NWT
  • 1974 Auto Racing - First running of the Grand Prix Molson de Trois-Rivières. Trois-Rivières, Québec
  • 1975 Rodeo - Opening of the First Festival western de St-Tite. St-Tite, Québec
  • 1975 Winnipeg-based rock group Guess Who hold their final concert, in the Montréal Forum. Montréal, Québec
  • 1977 Record - 20-year-old Toronto swimmer Cindy Nicholas starts the First non-stop swim of the English Channel in both directions; Canadian marathoner will beat old record by 10 hours; will swim the Channel 19 times in her career. Dover, England
  • 1980 National telethon supporting the Marathon of Hope started by Terry Fox raises over $10 million for cancer research.
  • 1983 Entertainment - Moscow Circus ends Canadian tour after five cities cancel performances in reaction to Korean airline disaster. Toronto, Ontario
  • 1985 Military - Canada declines to join US ‘Star Wars’ missile defence system. Ottawa, Ontario
  • 1985 Montreal-born actor William Shatner’s T.J. Hooker, TV Crime Drama last broadcast by ABC; will move to CBS. Hollywood, California
  • 1986 Media - Quatre Saisons (TQS) french language TV network goes on the air. Montréal, Québec
  • 1987 Pink Floyd kicks off their A Momentary Lapse Of Reason tour in Ottawa; despite threats from former band member Roger Waters to sue promoters if the show goes on. Ottawa, Ontario
  • 1988 Guy Lafleur, Tony Esposito and Brad Park inducted into the International Hockey Hall of Fame. Also inducted were Buddy O’Connor in the veterans’ category and George Hayes into the officials’ category. Toronto, Ontario
  • 1990 Richard Hatfield appointed to Senate post by Brian Mulroney; ex Premier of New Brunswick. Ottawa, Ontario
  • 1991 Trial - Alberta Court of Appeal strikes down second conviction of James Keegstra, found guilty of willfully promoting hatred against Jews. Edmonton, Alberta
  • 1991 Disaster - Hail storm lasting 30 minutes devastates Calgary and surrounding areas; worst hailstorm in Canadian history causes over $400 million dollars in damage. Calgary, Alberta
  • 1993 Federal Election - Prime Minister Kim Campbell dissolves Parliament; will call an election the following day. Ottawa, Ontario
  • 1995 Manufacturers Life Insurance acquires North American Life Assurance; forming Canada’s largest life insurer at the time. Toronto, Ontario
  • 1995 Sovereignty - Québec Premier Jacques Parizeau tables Bill 1 in the National Assembly; to give that body the power to declare Québec a sovereign country after a referendum victory. Québec, Québec
  • 1997 Tennis - Former Canadian junior champion Greg Rusedski loses the 117th US Open final to Australia’s Patrick Rafter 6-3 6-2 4-6 7-5, despite hitting a record 143 mph ace; Montréaler Rusedski, playing for Britain since he moved there in 1994 and became a British subject in 1995, he is the First British men’s finalist in 61 years; in the previous two rounds he had beaten Jonas Bjorkman and former top 10 and 1996 Wimbledon champion Richard Krajicek in straight sets. It is his First Grand Slam final. New York, New York
  • 1997 Golf - Steve Jones wins the Canadian Open golf championship with a 275.
  • 2003 Fire in Okanagan Mountain Park destroys 12 of the 18 Kettle Valley Railway trestles above Lake Okanagan. Two badly damaged. BC
  • 2003 Goran Markovic’s The Cordon wins the top prize at the Montreal Film Festival; a film from Serbia and Montenegro about the behavior of policemen during the demonstrations against president Slobodan Milosevic in 1997. Montréal, Québec