2005 in Canada - Definition and Overview

See also: 2004 in Canada, other events of 2005, 2006 in Canada and the list of 'years in Canada'.

Incumbents

• Head of State - Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II
  • Governor General - Adrienne Clarkson
• Prime Minister - Paul Martin

• Premier of Alberta - Ralph Klein
• Premier of British Columbia - Gordon Campbell
• Premier of Manitoba - Gary Doer
• Premier of New Brunswick - Bernard Lord
• Premier of Newfoundland and Labrador - Danny Williams
• Premier of Nova Scotia - John Hamm
• Premier of Ontario - Dalton McGuinty
• Premier of Prince Edward Island - Pat Binns
• Premier of Quebec - Jean Charest
• Premier of Saskatchewan - Lorne Calvert
• Premier of the Northwest Territories - Joe Handley
• Premier of Nunavut - Paul Okalik
• Premier of Yukon - Dennis Fentie

Events

January

• January 7: Minister of Health Ujjal Dosanjh arrives in Sri Lanka to survey the aftermath of the Indian Ocean tsunami damage.
• January 8: Disaster Assistance Response Team arrives in Sri Lanka to provide fresh water, tents, food and medical assistance to victims of the tsunami disaster.
• January 10: The Canadian government increases its monetary contribution in the Humanitarian response to the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake to $425 million.
• January 14: Minister of Citizenship and Immigration Judy Sgro resigns from her cabinet post as she is being investigated for illegal immigration practices.
• January 16: Prime Minister Paul Martin begins a nine-day trip to Asia in Indonesia surveying the aftermath of the Indian Ocean tsunami damage. Martin will also travel to Sri Lanka, India, Japan and China.
• January 20: Norman Kwong is appointed the new Lieutenant Governor of Alberta, following the death in office of Lois Hole.
• January 21: China opens its borders to allow tourists to travel to Canada.

February

• February 1: Ontario Progressive Conservative Party member Ernie Eves resigns from the Ontario legislature.
• February 2: Harjit Singh is deported to India.
• February 6: A group of Ontarians file a class action lawsuit against Agropur Cooperative after they became sick from chocolate milk tainted by chemical cleaner.
• February 8: Controversial Toronto police chief Julian Fantino is appointed Ontario's new commissioner of emergency management.

March

• March 1 - Frank McKenna named new Ambassador to the United States
• March 7 - United States Department of Agriculture allows resumption of beef imports from Canada after banning it in reaction to mad cow disease found in a single cow May 2003.
• Karla Homolka to be released from prison.

September

• September 1: Alberta celebrates its centennial.
• September 1: Saskatchewan celebrates its centennial.

Arts and literature:

Sports

• January 4: The Canadian junior men's hockey team wins the IIHF World Junior Championship, defeating Russia 6-1. The team, which went undefeated over the course of the tournament, was touted as the "Greatest Team" to ever play in the Junior men's tournament. They won Canada's first gold medal at the tournament since 1997.

Births

Deaths

• January 6: Lois Hole, Lieutenant Governor of Alberta
• January 6: Louis Robichaud, Premier of New Brunswick
• January 13: Earl Cameron, 1960s CBC news anchor
• January 14: Charlotte MacLeod, Canadian-born American author
• January 15: Dan Lee, animator, creator of Finding Nemo title character
• January 22: Harry Boyle, CBC broadcaster
• January 26: Fraser Elliott, lawyer
• January 27: Jonathan Welsh, actor
• January 30: Martyn Bennett, Canadian-born Scottish musician
• January 31: Ron Basford, former Member of Parliament and Minister of Justice
• February 1: John Vernon, actor (Wojeck)