1975 in Canada

Events from the year 1975 in Canada.

Incumbents

Crown

Monarch – Elizabeth II

Federal government

Provincial governments

Lieutenant governors

Premiers

Territorial governments

Commissioners

Events

January to June

January 1 - Product labelling using the metric system is introduced
February 6 - John Damien, a racing steward at Woodbine Racetrack, is fired from his job for being gay, sparking a legal battle that eventually leads to the inclusion of sexual orientation in the Ontario Human Rights Code in 1986.
February 18 - Sylvia Ostry is appointed Canada's first female Deputy Minister.
March 4 - Television cameras are allowed to film in Parliament
March 24 - The beaver becomes an official symbol of Canada
March 26 - Alberta election: Peter Lougheed's PCs win a second consecutive majority
April 1 - Environment Canada switches to degrees Celsius
April 2 - The CN Tower is completed in Toronto
May 28 - Brampton Centennial Secondary School shooting
May 30 - The Yukon and the Northwest Territories are given seats in the Senate
June 11 - Saskatchewan election: Allan Blakeney's NDP win a second consecutive majority
June 18 - Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau announces the creation of the Foreign Investment Review Agency

July to December

July 7 - David Lewis is replaced by Ed Broadbent as leader of the NDP
July 23 - The Soviet Atlantic fishing fleet is banned from entering Canadian ports due to overfishing
July 30 - Petro-Canada, the government-owned oil and gas company, is formed.
September - Ontario schools begin to teach exclusively using the metric system
September 1 - CKND, Winnipeg's newest television station, begins broadcasting
September 11 - John Turner resigns from government to protest the implementation of wage and price controls.
September 18 - Ontario election: Bill Davis's PCs win a minority
October 2 – A blast at an explosives factory kills six in Beloeil, Quebec, Canada.
October 4 - Mirabel Airport opens
October 14 - Federal government introduces wage and price controls to limit inflation
October 27 - St. Pius X High School shooting: Robert Poulin kills one person and wounds five at St. Pius X High School in Ottawa, before shooting himself.
November 3 - CBC-FM rebranded as CBC Stereo
November 10 - The SS Edmund Fitzgerald, based in Sault Ste. Marie sinks
November 14 - Canada's first community-based campus radio station, CKCU-FM in Ottawa, hits the airwaves
November 18 - The wearing of seatbelts is made mandatory in Ontario
November 28 - Canadair nationalized
December 22 - William R. Bennett sworn in as Premier of British Columbia, replacing David Barrett.

Full date unknown

Izzy Asper acquires Winnipeg television station CKND, the beginning of what would become a national media empire.
Rohinton Mistry emigrates to Canada
First Canadian Place opens in Toronto
Colin Thatcher, who would later become famous for his involvement in the murder of his ex-wife, is elected to the Saskatchewan Legislative Assembly.
In June, 1975 Ovivo, a water and wastewater treatment and purification company, is founded in Quebec as Laperrière & Verreault Inc..

Arts and literature

New books

World of Wonders - Robertson DaviesA Fine and Private Place - Morley CallaghanThe Unwavering Eye: Selected Poems, 1969-1975 - Irving LaytonIt's Me Again - Donald JackThe Island Means Minago - Milton AcornJacob Two-Two Meets the Hooded Fang - Mordecai RichlerUn jardin au bout du monde - Gabrielle RoyJardin des délices - Roch Carrier

Awards

See 1975 Governor General's Awards for a complete list of winners and finalists for those awards.
Stephen Leacock Award: Morley Torgov, A Good Place to Come From
Vicky Metcalf Award: Lyn Harrington

Music

March 1 - Anne Murray and Oscar Peterson each win a Grammy Award.
Paul Anka - Times of Your Life is released
Joni Mitchell - ''The Hissing of Summer Lawns''

Television

Saturday Night Live, produced by Canadian Lorne Michaels and also featuring Paul Shaffer and Dan Aykroyd, premieres in the United States.

Sport

March 16 - Alberta Golden Bears won their Third University Cup by defeating the Toronto Varsity Blues 2 games to 1. All the games were played at Northlands Coliseum in Edmonton
May 11 - Toronto Marlboros won their Seventh Memorial Cup by defeating the New Westminster Bruins 7–3. The Final game was played at the Kitchener Memorial Auditorium Complex
May 12 - Houston Aeros won their Second Avco Cup by defeating the Quebec Nordiques 4 games to 0. The deciding game was played at the Colisée de Québec
May 27 - Montreal, Quebec's Bernie Parent of the Philadelphia Flyers is awarded his Second Conn Smythe Trophy
November 21 - Ottawa Gee-Gees won their First Vanier Cup by defeating the Calgary Dinos by a score of 14–9 in the 11th Vanier Cup played at Exhibition Stadium in Toronto
November 23 - Edmonton Eskimos won their Fourth Grey Cup by defeating the Montreal Alouettes 9 to 8 in the 63rd Grey Cup played at McMahon Stadium in Calgary

Births

January to March

January 1 - Tammy Homolka, murder victim
January 20 - Mark Allan Robinson, political activist
January 22 - Shean Donovan, ice hockey player
January 25 - Mia Kirshner, actress
February 2 - Todd Bertuzzi, ice hockey player
February 7 - Alexandre Daigle, ice hockey player
February 15 - Serge Aubin, ice hockey player
February 16 - Rebecca Shoichet, voice actress and singer
February 17 - Todd Harvey, ice hockey player and coach
February 24 - Ashley MacIsaac, fiddler
February 25 - Hercules Kyvelos, boxer
March 13 - Ollie Heald, former professional soccer player
March 17 - Andrew Martin, wrestler

April to June

April 4 - Kevin Weekes, ice hockey player
April 7 - Owen Von Richter, swimmer
April 13 - Jasey-Jay Anderson, snowboarder
April 22 - Greg Moore, racecar driver
May 13 - Jamie Allison, ice hockey player
May 16 - Simon Whitfield, triathlete
May 20 - Tahmoh Penikett, actor
May 24 - Marc Gagnon, short track speed skater, triple Olympic gold medallist and multiple World Champion
May 26 - Craig Hutchison, swimmer
May 27 - Stella Umeh, artistic gymnast
May 29 - Jason Allison, ice hockey player
June 9 - Carolyne Lepage, judoka
June 16 - Graham Ryding, squash player
June 18 - Martin St. Louis, ice hockey player
June 27 - Carlton Chambers, sprint athlete and Olympic gold medallist
June 28 - Jeff Geddis, film and television actor

July to September

July 2 - Éric Dazé, ice hockey player
July 5 - Patrick Hivon, actor
July 17 - Troy Amos-Ross, boxer
July 24 - Marnie Baizley, squash player
August 13 - Marty Turco, ice hockey player
August 14 - Dustin Hersee, swimmer
August 15 - Brendan Morrison, ice hockey player
September 1 - Scott Speedman, actor
September 9 - Michael Bublé, singer and actor
September 22 - Ethan Moreau, hockey player

October to December

October 2 - Michel Trudeau, student and brother of Justin Trudeau
October 21 - Madchild, rapper
October 23 - Holly McNarland, musician, singer and songwriter
October 30 - Ian D'sa, guitarist
October 31 - Director X, music video director
November 1 - Éric Perrin, ice hockey player
November 4 - Éric Fichaud, ice hockey player
November 7 - Mike Mintenko, swimmer
November 12 - Kiara Bisaro, mountain biker
November 15 - Yannick Tremblay, ice hockey player
November 21 - Aaron Solowoniuk, drummer
December 2 - Brett Lindros, ice hockey player
December 9 - Damhnait Doyle, pop singer
December 16 – Ben Kowalewicz, vocalist
December 17 - Nick Farrell, boxer
December 18 - Trish Stratus, pro wrestler
December 20 - Andrew Hoskins, rower

Deaths

January to June

January 25 - Charlotte Whitton, feminist, politician and mayor of Ottawa
February 15 – Charles Basil Price, soldier and politician
March 18 - Alain Grandbois, poet
April 11 - Thomas Crerar, politician and minister
May 28 - Michael Slobodian, murderer responsible for the Centennial Secondary School shooting
June 13 - Merrill Denison, playwright

July to December

August 27 - Jack Dennett, radio and television announcer
September - Pat Lowther, poet
October 27 - St. Pius X High School shooting
* Kim Rabot, victim
* Robert Poulin, murderer
December 4 - Graham Towers, first Governor of the Bank of Canada
December 12 - Roy Kellock, jurist and Justice of the Supreme Court of Canada