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Canada Day (French: Fête du Canada) is Canada's national holiday. It is celebrated on 1 July annually.

Contents 1 History 2 Activities 3 See also 4 External links

History

Canada Day celebrates the creation of the dominion of Canada through the British North America Act on 1 July 1867, uniting three British territories — the Province of Canada (southern Ontario and southern Quebec), Nova Scotia, and New Brunswick — into a federation. (See Canadian Confederation.)

The holiday itself was formally established in 1879 and was originally called Dominion Day, making reference to the Canadian-originated term "dominion" to describe the political union, at a time when the Fathers of Confederation were hesitant to use a name such as the Kingdom of Canada. The name was changed to Canada Day on 27 October 1982, largely harking of the adoption of the earlier Canada Act 1982.

On Dominion Day 1923, the Chinese Immigration Act of 1923 went into effect. Until the act was repealed in 1947, many Chinese-Canadians referred to July 1 as "Humiliation Day" and refused to celebrate Canada's birthday.

It is a federal holiday celebrated by all provincial governments and most businesses across Canada. Quebec also has Moving Day on 1 July, due to the fact that most leases there begin and end on that day, with many people changing residences. In Newfoundland and Labrador, 1 July is also recognised as Memorial Day and commemorates Newfoundland's heavy losses during World War I in the Battle of Beaumont Hamel as part of the Battle of the Somme.

Activities

Canada Day is generally marked by patriotic celebrations. Most cities have organized celebrations, often featuring fireworks. Entertainment usually has a Canadian theme. Canadian flags abound, and some go as far as to paint their faces in Canadian national colours (red and white).

The celebrations in Ottawa are particularly lavish. Every Canada Day, hundreds of thousands gather on Parliament Hill to celebrate Canada's birth.

See also

• Canada
• Dominion Day
• Moving Day
• National Flag of Canada Day

External links

• Government of Canada site on Canada Day
• National Capital Commission

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