2008 in Canada

Events from the year 2008 in Canada.

Incumbents

Crown

Monarch – Elizabeth II

Federal government

Provincial governments

Lieutenant governors

Premiers

Territorial governments

Commissioners

Premiers

Premier of the Northwest Territories – Floyd Roland
Premier of Nunavut – Paul Okalik then Eva Aariak
Premier of Yukon – Dennis Fentie

Events

January to March

January 3 – In Montreal, a false bomb threat forces the closing of Victoria Bridge for four and a half hours.
January 12 – A road accident near Bathurst, New Brunswick leaves eight people dead, including seven teenagers and one woman. They were all members of the Bathurst High School basketball team.
January 15 – Europol Operation Koala arrests 9 Canadians in connection to an international paedophile ring.
January 28 – CTV's Canada AM adds a second hosting team in western Canada, expanding the program to six hours and becoming the first morning television program in North America to air live in all time zones.
February 11 – The first of three treatment facilities open in Halifax Regional Municipality a $400 million project to clean up the Halifax Harbour
February 13 – An explosion occurs at a Taco del Mar on Broadway Street in Vancouver.
February 20 – A large fire in Toronto, ON destroyed several buildings on the south side of Queen Street West, between Bathurst and Portland Streets.
March – The Apple iPhone is expected to be released on Rogers Wireless service provider.
March 3 – The 2008 Alberta general election occurs. The Conservative Association of Alberta|Progressive Conservative] party, led by Ed Stelmach, wins the election with a majority.
March 17 – Federal by-elections in Toronto Centre, Willowdale, Desnethé—Missinippi—Churchill River and Vancouver Quadra.
March 28 – The start of the 2008 Canadian Commercial Seal Hunt

April to June

April 5 – The Quebec City Armoury burns down.
April 19 – Bowie Seamount on the British Columbia Coast becomes a Marine Protected Area.
April 26 – The Toronto Transit Commission's union, the ATU Local 113 voted against a contract causing mayhem throughout the city as they gave only an hour's notice to Torontonians. Strike ended the day after when they were forced back to work through legislation. It also revived the debate as to whether the TTC is an essential service or not.
May 29 – The Ukrainian Famine and Genocide Memorial Day Act is assented.
May 30 – Maxime Bernier resigned from his federal cabinet post as Minister of Foreign Affairs, after a scandal where it was discovered that he had left confidential NATO briefing documents at the home of his former girlfriend, Julie Couillard. She was a former model who had past romantic links with members of the Hells Angels.
June 11 – The federal government officially apologizes for the systematic abuses inflicted to Aboriginal children in the residential school system.
June 14 – Howard Hampton announces his resignation from the leadership of the Ontario New Democratic Party, resulting in the commencement of the 2009 [Ontario New Democratic Party leadership election].
June 20 – Presidential candidate John McCain speaks before the Economic Club of Toronto.

July to September

July 1 – Chief of the Defence Staff (Canada) General Rick Hillier's term is set to end; Hillier is replaced by Walter Natynczyk.
August – 2008 Canada listeriosis outbreak.
August 10 – Toronto Explosions leaves 2 dead and thousands evacuate their homes.
August 28 – The governor general announces the creation of the Sacrifice Medal.
August 30 – The former Liberal MP Blair Wilson announces he is joining the Green Party of Canada, becoming the party's first MP.
September 7 – Stephen Harper issues the writs for the 2008 federal election. Federal by-elections which had been scheduled in Westmount—Ville-Marie, Saint-Lambert and Guelph for September 8 are pre-empted by the election call.
September 19 – A fire, later confirmed as arson by two young offenders, destroys the historic Sudbury Steelworkers Hall in Sudbury, Ontario.
September 29 – The S&P/TSX Composite Index drops by 840.93 points, the most in eight years, in reaction to the American financial crisis.

October to December

October 1 – French-language debate for federal party leaders
October 2 – English-language debate for federal party leaders
October 10 – 2008 [British Columbia pipeline bombings]: Letters were sent to local media outlets warning oil and gas companies to leave the area saying: "We will no longer negotiate with terrorists which you are as you keep endangering our families with crazy expansion of deadly gas wells in our home lands".
October 12 – 2008 British Columbia pipeline bombings: An explosion occurred on a sour gas pipeline to the east of Dawson Creek British Columbia.
October 14 – The 40th Canadian general election results in the Conservative Party of Canada holding the largest number of seats in the third consecutive minority Parliament. Stephen Harper remains Prime Minister.
October 16 – 2008 British Columbia pipeline bombings: A second blast hit a natural gas pipeline. Workers discovered the blast site at approximately 10 a.m. MT off British Columbia Highway 2.
October 20 – Stéphane Dion announces his resignation as Leader of the Liberal Party of Canada, effective upon the selection of his successor in May 2009.
October 22 – 2008 financial crisis: The Canadian dollar drops below for the first time since mid-2005.
October 31 – 2008 British Columbia pipeline bombings: A third bomb detonated at a natural gas wellhead in the region of Dawson Creek
November 14 – Eva Aariak is selected as the new premier of Nunavut at the Nunavut Leadership Forum in Iqaluit.
December 1 – 2008 Canadian parliamentary dispute: The Liberal Party of Canada and the New Democratic Party sign an agreement to form a coalition government with the support of the Bloc Québécois if they are successful in defeating the Conservative minority government in a confidence vote.
December 4 – The 40th Canadian Parliament is prorogued until January 26, delaying the planned non-confidence vote.
December 8 – 2008 Quebec general election
December 10 – Michael Ignatieff becomes the interim leader of the Liberal Party, succeeding Stéphane Dion. He is expected to be ratified as permanent leader at the 2009 [Liberal Party of Canada leadership election|May 2009 Liberal leadership convention].
December 28 – Two avalanches occur near Fernie, killing eight people and injuring three others.

Date not known

Has God Forsaken Africa?, a Canadian 2008 documentary film is released.
Mirella Amato, trilingual beer consultant, beer sommelier, and author founds Beerology company.
Vast Studios is founded in Toronto.

Arts and literature

December 8 – Marc Mayer is appointed director of the National Gallery of Canada.

Film

March 3 – 28th Genie Awards

Music

April 6 – Juno Awards of 2008

Sport

January 16 – January 20 – 2008 Canadian Figure Skating Championships
* Men's medalists – Patrick Chan, gold; Jeffrey Buttle, silver; Shawn Sawyer, bronze.
* Women's medalists – Joannie Rochette, gold; Mira Leung, silver; Cynthia Phaneuf, bronze.
* Pairs' medalists – Anabelle Langlois / Cody Hay, gold; Jessica Dubé / Bryce Davison, silver; Meagan Duhamel / Craig Buntin, bronze.
* Dance medalists – Tessa Virtue / Scott Moir, gold; Kaitlyn Weaver / Andrew Poje, silver; Allie Hann-McCurdy / Michael Coreno, bronze.
February 11 – February 17 – 2008 Four Continents Figure Skating Championships
* Jeffrey Buttle wins the silver medal in the men's singles division.
* Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir win the gold medal in ice dance.
* Joannie Rochette win the silver medal in the woman's singles division.
March 17 – March 23 – 2008 World Figure Skating Championships
* March 19 – Jessica Dubé/Bryce Davison win the bronze medal in pairs.
* March 21 – Tessa Virtue/Scott Moir win the silver medal in ice dancing.
* March 22 – Jeffrey Buttle win the gold medal and became world champion in men's singles.
March 22 – March 30 – The 2008 World Women's Curling Championship is held at the Wesbild Centre in Vernon, British Columbia, Canada. Jennifer Jones' rink from Canada won the gold medal and became world champions.
April 4 – April 14 – The 2008 World Men's Curling Championship is held at Ralph Engelstad Arena in Grand Forks, North Dakota. Kevin Martin's rink from Canada won the gold medal and became world champions.
April 30 – CFL draft">Canadian Football League">CFL draft: Moose Jaw native and Saskatchewan Huskies Canadian football player Dylan Barker is chosen first overall by the Hamilton Tiger-Cats.
May 25 – The Spokane Chiefs win their second Memorial Cup by defeating the Kitchener Rangers 4 to 1. The entire tournament was played at the Kitchener Memorial Auditorium
July 19 – August 3 – 2008 Rogers Cup Canada Masters Tennis Tournament: Men's event held in Toronto, women's event held in Montreal.
September 10 – Jeffrey Buttle retires from competitive figure skating.
September 19 – Laval, Quebec's El Generico and Marieville, Quebec's Kevin Steen win their first ROH Tag Team Championship by defeating at the Boston University for Ring of Honor's Driven 2008
November 22 – The Laval Rouge et Or win their fifth Vanier Cup by defeating the Western Ontario Mustangs 44 to 21 in the 44th Vanier Cup played at Ivor Wynne Stadium in Hamilton
November 23 – The Calgary Stampeders win their sixth Grey Cup by defeating the Montreal Alouettes 22 to 14 in the 96th Grey Cup played at Olympic Stadium at Montreal. Niagara Falls, Ontario's Sandro DeAngelis was awarded the game's Most Outstanding Canadian

Deaths

January

January 1 – Stefanie Rengel, age 14, is stabbed to death. David Bashaw, 17, and Melissa Todorovic, 15, were both tried as adults. Convicted of first-degree murder, they received life sentences.
January 3 – Milt Dunnell, sportswriter
January 4 – Mort Garson, electronic musician
January 5 – John Ashley, referee in the National Hockey League
January 10 – Allan McEachern, lawyer, judge and university chancellor
January 11 – Murray Cohl, film producer, co-founder of the Toronto Film Festival and Canada's Walk of Fame
January 19 – Don Wittman, sportscaster
January 20 – Talivaldis Kenins, composer
January 21 – Pam Barrett, politician
January 22 – Mike Cacic, football player for BC Lions

February

February 2 – Barry Morse, actor
February 15 – Willie P. Bennett, folk music singer-songwriter
February 16 – Harry Flemming, journalist
February 17
*Bill Juzda, ice hockey player
*Val Ross, writer and journalist
February 18 – Mickey Renaud, junior ice hockey center
February 23 – Denis Lazure, politician
February 28 – Milt Harradence, lawyer, pilot, politician and judge
February 29 – Ralph Hansch, Olympic ice hockey player

March

March 2 – Jeff Healey, jazz and blues-rock guitarist and vocalist
March 8 – Donald C. MacDonald, politician
March 9 – Simon Reisman, civil servant and chief negotiator of the Canada-United States Free Trade Agreement
March 11 – J. I. Albrecht, manager and director in the CFL
March 15 – Ken Reardon, ice hockey defenceman
March 18 – Geoffrey Pearson, diplomat
March 21 – George Gross, sports journalist, founding sports editor of the Toronto Sun
March 24 – Sherri Wood, journalist
March 28 – Lorne Ferguson, ice hockey player

April

April 1 – Jake Warren, diplomat, Canadian Ambassador to the United States
April 10 – Francis Coleman, conductor, television producer and director
April 22 – Ed Chynoweth, president of the Western Hockey League and CHL
April 23
*Martha Kostuch, environmentalist
*Don Gillis,
April 24 – Harry Geris, Olympic wrestler
April 26 – Henry Brant, Pulitzer Prize-winning composer
April 30 – Allan Sparrow, activist and Toronto city councillor

May

May 3 – Charles Caccia, politician
May 9 – Arthur Kroeger, civil servant, academic and chancellor of Carleton University
May 11 – John Rutsey, drummer
May 17
*Joyce Trimmer, politician and first female mayor of Scarborough, Ontario
*D. Aubrey Moodie, politician
May 19 – Jack Duffy, actor and comedian
May 20 – Cy Leonard, ventriloquist
May 29 – Luc Bourdon, ice hockey player

June

June 2 – Sheela Basrur, medical doctor and Chief Medical Officer of Health in Ontario
June 3 – Pat Egan, ice hockey defenceman
June 4 – Jack Byrne (politician), member of Newfoundland and Labrador House of Assembly, mayor of LB-MC-OC
June 6 – Edwin Tchorzewski, politician
June 8 – Charles-Noël Barbès, politician and lawyer
June 11
*James Reaney, poet, playwright and literary critic
*Brian Budd, soccer player
June 15 – Ray Getliffe, ice hockey player
June 20 – Bea Firth, politician
June 21 – William Vince, film producer, Academy Award nominee
June 25 – Bill Robinson, ice hockey player
June 30 – Arthur Ryan Smith, serviceman, politician and Order of Canada recipient

July

July 3 – Oliver Schroer, fiddler, composer and music producer
July 6 – Bob Ackles, executive for the CFL's BC Lions
July 14 – Lawrence Ytzhak Braithwaite, novelist, spoken word artist, dub poet, essayist and musician
July 16 – Peanuts O'Flaherty, ice hockey player
July 21 – Sidney Craig, entrepreneur and thoroughbred horse owner, co-founder of Jenny Craig, Inc.
July 22 – Helen Gardiner, philanthropist and co-founder of the Gardiner Museum
July 23 – N. Robin Crossby, game designer, creator of Hârn role-playing system
July 25 – Joseph Gérard Lauri P. Landry, businessman, senator
July 27 – Fenwick Lansdowne, wildlife artist
July 30
*Leif Pettersen, footballer and sportscaster
*Tim McLean, homicide victim
*Vittorio Fiorucci, graphic artist

August

August 2 – Geoffrey Ballard, businessman and fuel cell scientist, founder of Ballard Power Systems
August 5 – Daniel L. Norris, commissioner of the Northwest Territories
August 6 – Reg Whitehouse, football player
August 10 – Lee Clark, politician, MP for Brandon—Souris
August 12 – Gilles Bilodeau, National Hockey League and World Hockey Association player
August 28 – Michel Vastel, journalist and columnist
August 30
*Eldon Rathburn, composer
*Killer Kowalski, professional wrestler

September

September 1 – Thomas J. Bata, businessman
September 4
*Jerome Weber, abbot of St. Peter-Muenster of Saskatchewan
*Erik Nielsen, Prime Minister of Canada|deputy prime minister], brother of Leslie Nielsen
September 6 – Allan Lawrence, politician and Minister
September 7 – Larry Shaben, politician, member of Legislative Assembly of Alberta
September 9 – Richard Monette, actor and director
September 10 – Gérald Beaudoin, lawyer and senator
September 11 – Bennett Campbell,
September 13 – James W. Snow, politician, member of Legislative Assembly of Ontario
September 15 – Marion Dewar, politician, mayor of Ottawa
September 18 – Peter Kastner, actor
September 23 – Brock McElheran, conductor and composer
September 25 – Ralph Sazio, football coach
September 28 – Anna-Marie Globenski, pianist and teacher

October

October 4 – Saul Laskin, politician and 1 Mayor of Thunder Bay
October 9 – Milan Kymlicka, arranger, composer and conductor
October 11 – Nelson Symonds, jazz guitarist
October 12 – Leo Major, soldier
October 17 – Ben Weider, bodybuilding promoter and Napoleon scholar
October 18 – Charley Fox, pilot credited with strafing Erwin Rommel's car
October 27
*Louis Secco, Olympic gold medal-winning ice hockey player
*Charles Dubin, lawyer and former Chief Justice of Ontario

November

November 1 – Oscar Lathlin, politician
November 2 – Jim Koleff, hockey player and coach
November 5 – Norm Marshall, broadcaster
November 12 – George Morrison, ice hockey player
November 17
*Pete Newell, basketball coach
*Debby oldest living polar bear, third-oldest known bear
November 24
*Ray Perrault, politician
*Kenny MacLean, bassist
*Bep Guidolin, ice hockey player and coach
November 24 – Tom Burgess, baseball player and coach
November 27 – William Landymore, naval officer
November 30 – Pit Martin, ice hockey player

December

December 1 – Betty Goodwin, artist
December 2 – Edward Samuel Rogers, businessman, CEO of Rogers Communications and owner of the Toronto Blue Jays
December 9 – Brenda Leipsic, politician
December 14 – Hank Goldup, ice hockey player
December 15 – Mike Blum, football player
December 16 – Joe Krol, football player
December 21 – James Fulton, politician, Member of Parliament for Skeena
December 24 – Gordon Fairweather, politician, Member of Parliament for Royal, New Brunswick