1975 in Canada - Definition

See also: 1974 in Canada, other events of 1975, 1976 in Canada and the list of 'years in Canada'.

Incumbents

• Queen - Elizabeth II
• Prime Minister - Pierre Trudeau
• Governor General - Jules Léger

• Premier of Alberta - Peter Lougheed
• Premier of British Columbia - David Barrett then W.R. Bennett
• Premier of Manitoba - Edward Schreyer
• Premier of New Brunswick - Richard Hatfield
• Premier of Newfoundland - Frank Moores
• Premier of Nova Scotia - Gerald Regan
• Premier of Ontario - Bill Davis
• Premier of Prince Edward Island - Alexander B. Campbell
• Premier of Quebec - Robert Bourassa
• Premier of Saskatchewan - Allan Blakeney

Events

• January 1 - Product labeling using the metric system is introduced
• 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 becoms 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 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 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 11 - John Napier Turner resigns from government for reasons that are still not known to this day
• September 18 - Ontario election: Bill Davis's PCs win a minority
• October 4 - Mirabel Airport opens
• October 14 - Federal government introduces wage and price controls to limit inflation
• November 10 - The SS Edmund Fitzgerald, based in Sault Ste. Marie sinks
• November 14 - Canada's first campus radio station, CKCU 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
• Izzy Asper acquires Winnipeg television station CKND, the beginning of what would become a nationa media empire.
• Rohinton Mistry immigrates 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.

Arts and literature

New books

• World of Wonders - Robertson Davies
• A Fine and Private Place - Morley Callaghan
• The Unwavering Eye: Selected Poems, 1969-1975 - Irving Layton
• It's Me Again - Donald Jack
• The Island Means Minago - Milton Acorn
• Jacob Two-Two Meets the Hooded Fang - Mordecai Richler
• Un jardin au bout du monde - Gabrielle Roy
• Jardin 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

Televison

• Saturday Night Live produced by Canadian Lorne Michaels and also featuring Paul Shaffer and Dan Aykroyd premieres.

Births

• January 22 - Shean Donovan, hockey player
• September 2 - Michel Trudeau, Prime Minister's son
• February 2 - Todd Bertuzzi, hockey player
• February 7 - Alexandre Daigle, hockey player
• February 15 - Serge Aubin, hockey player
• February 24 - Ashley MacIsaac, musician
• April 4 - Kevin Weekes, hockey goaltender
• April 22 - Greg Moore, race car driver
• May 13 - Jamie Allison, hockey player
• May 24 - Marc Gagnon, Olympic gold medalist
• May 29 - Jason Allison, hockey player
• June 18 - Martin St. Louis, hockey player
• July 2 - Eric Daze, hockey player
• August 13 - Marty Turco, hockey player
• August 15 - Brendan Morrison, hockey player
• September 9 - Michael Bublé, musician
• November 1 - Eric Perrin, hockey player
• December 2 - Brett Lindros, hockey player
• December 9 - Damhnait Doyle, singer
• December 20 - Andrew Hoskins, Olympic rower

Deaths

• January 25 - Charlotte Whitton - famed mayor of Ottawa