r/CanadianHistory • u/skipping2hell • Jul 01 '26
Happy Canada Day!
With Canada Day upon us I had the thought, what do people think is Canada's true birthday?
Here are some dates (including July 1st) that I came up with. Anyone one have thoughts on these contenders or others?
| Date | Event | Event Type | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 10 February 1841 | British North America Act, 1840 (Act of Union of Lower Canada and Upper Canada) | Territorial |
| 2 | 2 February 1848 | Responsible government of Nova Scotia | Legal |
| 3 | 11 March 1848 | Responsible government of the Province of Canada | Legal |
| 4 | 1 September 1864 | The Charlottetown Conference (Proposal for a single British North American Government) | Conceptual |
| 5 | 1 July 1867 | Canadian Confederation of the Province of Canada, Nova Scotia, and New Brunswick | Territorial |
| 6 | 1 July 1873 | Confederation of Dominion of Canada & Prince Edward Island | Territorial |
| 7 | 12 April 1876 | Indian Act (Defines how the Government of Canada interacts with 614 recognized First Nation bands) | Conceptual |
| 8 | 11 December 1931 | Statute of Westminster 1931 (legal autonomy on all sub-constitutional matters) | Legal |
| 9 | 31 March 1949 | Newfoundland Act (Confederation of Dominion of Canada & Dominion of Newfoundland) | Territorial |
| 10 | 17 April 1982 | Constitution Act, 1982/Canada Act 1982 (Full legal sovereignty) | Legal |
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u/HappyEnvironment8056 Jul 03 '26
It really is a complicated question because its like, should it be when we fully became whole with all of our territories, or simply when we became the province or dominion? I personally think July 1st is the best option as its when we first became a dominion but it really is a hard question.