1959 in Canada - Definition and Overview

See also: 1958 in Canada, other events of 1959, 1960 in Canada and the Timeline of Canadian history.

Incumbents

• Prime Minister - John Diefenbaker
• Governor General - Vincent Massey then Georges Vanier

• Premier of Alberta - Ernest Manning
• Premier of British Columbia - W.A.C. Bennett
• Premier of Manitoba - Duff Roblin
• Premier of New Brunswick - Hugh John Flemming
• Premier of Newfoundland - Joey Smallwood
• Premier of Nova Scotia - Robert Stanfield
• Premier of Ontario - Leslie Frost
• Premier of Prince Edward Island - Alex Matheson then Walter Shaw
• Premier of Quebec - Maurice Duplessis then Paul Sauvé
• Premier of Saskatchewan - Tommy Douglas

Events

• February 20 - Avro Arrow project is terminated
• April 1 - The St. Lawrence Seaway opens
• June 11 - Ontario election: Leslie Frost's PCs win a fifth consecutive majority
• June 18 - Alberta election: Ernest Manning's Social Credit Party wins a seventh consecutive majority
• June 20 - The Escuminac Disaster results in 35 fishermen drowned or missing and 22 fishing boats sunk.
• September 7 - Maurice Duplessis, Premier of Quebec, dies in office
• September 11 - Paul Sauvé becomes premier of Quebec
• September 15 - Georges Vanier is sworn in as Governor General replacing Vincent Massey. He is the first French Canadian Governor General.
• September 16 - Walter Shaw becomes premier of Prince Edward Island, replacing Alex Matheson
• November 1 - Jacques Plante becomes the first goalie to wear a protective face mask
• November 18 - Canadian Content rules are introduced for television
• December 2 - York University is founded
• National Energy Board of Canada is created
• Farm Credit Corporation established

Arts and Literature

New Books

• Mordecai Richler - The Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz
• Hugh MacLennan - The Watch That Ends the Night
• Farley Mowat - Grey Seas Under
• Max Aitken - Friends
• Gordon R. Dickson - Dorsai!

Awards

• See 1959 Governor General's Awards for a complete list of winners and finalists for those awards.

Births

• January 1 - Sharon Bayes, former field hockey goalkeeper
• January 3 - Dwight Duncan, politician
• January 11 - Rob Ramage, hockey player
• April 6 - Jim Rondeau, politician
• April 15 - Kevin Lowe, hockey player
• April 20 - Stephen Harper, politician
• April 22 - Ryan Stiles, comedian
• April 30 - Paul Gross, actor
• May 14 - Rick Vaive, hockey player
• May 17 - David Andres, politician
• June 4 - Rex Barnes, politician
• June 12 - Scott Thompson, comedian
• June 28 - Brad Fraser, playwright
• July 16 - Joanna MacGregor, politician
• August 29 - Chris Hadfield, astronaut
• September 29 - Robert Thibault, politician
• October 14 - Dominic Agostino, politician
• November 5 - Bryan Adams, singer
• November 17 - Guy André, politician
• November 22 - Geoff Regan, politician

Deaths

• June 3 - Filip Konowal, WWI Victoria Cross recipient
• September 7 - Maurice Duplessis, Premier of Quebec