Today in Canadian History

Lunenburg's first church service was held by settlers on this day back in 1753.

The Saskatchewan branch of the CCF defeated the Liberals in an election on June 15, 1944, making Tommy Douglas Premier. To learn more we spoke with C. Stuart Houston, the author of "Tommy's Team: The People Behind the Douglas Years".

The ski pioneer was born on this day back in 1875 in Norway. We spoke with his grandson, Peter Austin.

Back in 1841, preparations were being made in Kingston for the first parliament, held June 15th.

Upper Canada's last fatal duel happened on June 13, 1833 in Perth, Ontario. To learn more we spoke with John Fowler, the Chair of the Perth Historical Society.

RB Bennett and Mackenzie King sparred while the 1930 election loomed. We spoke with John Boyko, the Dean of History and Social Science at Lakefield School in Ontario, as well as author of "Bennett: The Rebel Who Challenged and Changed a Nation".

We spoke with Dr. Whitney Lackenbauer an Associate Professor and Chair in the Department of History at St. Jerome’s University in Waterloo, as well as co-editor of "Mackenzie King: Citizenship and Community."

We spoke with Dr. Desmond Morton on the anniversary of the Allies launching the invasion of Normandy back in 1944.

For more than a decade the dominion of Newfoundland was governed by a non-elected Commission of Government. We spoke with Keith Collier, a freelance writer and historian who works at the Maritime History Archive at Memorial University of Newfoundland to learn more about the referendums that decided the future of Canada's newest province.

Musician Stan Rogers passed away on this day back in 1983.

Ernest Manning was appointed Premier of Alberta on this date back in 1943.

Canadian football all-star and world record holder Neal Beaumont discusses what the CFL was like back in the 1960s as well as the play that got him in the record books.

Algonquin Park became Canada's first provincial park back in 1893.

Canadian aerospace manufacturer Avro was hard at work building a "Flying Saucer" for the US Airforce. To learn more we spoke Shirley Render, the executive director of the The Western Canada Aviation Museum in Winnipeg. The museum is in possession of an Avrocar replica.

Fenians attacked Quebec on this day back in 1870. To learn more we spoke with Alan Rowe, an instructor at Keyano College.

Tommy Chong talks about his days as a young musician in Western Canada in the post-WWII era as well as what it was like being a young Canadian signed to Motown Records.

This episode was originally produced to air on the 100th anniversary of the founding of Parks Canada.

Fire struck Montreal back in 1765. We spoke with Tyler Wood, of Centre d'histoire de Montréal about fires in Montreal.

On this day back in 1929, Colin Jack Caldwell became the first Canadian to save his life by parachute when he jumped out of a Vickers Vedette over Montreal on May 17th 1929. To learn more we spoke with Shirley Render, the executive director of the The Western Canada Aviation Museum in Winnipeg.

We spoke with Canadian arts advocate and author of "The Hockey Sweater" who was born on this date back in 1937.

Iconic Canadian writer Farley Mowat was born on this day back in 1921. We spoke with Leanne Allison director of "Finding Farley" to learn more about her family's epic journey across this country, and the landscapes of Mowat's writings.

We spoke with D’Arcy O’Connor, author of “Montreal’s Irish Mafia: The True Story of the Infamous West End Gang.”

The battle of Batoche was raging on this day back in in 1885. To learn more about the legacy of the battle in the history of Canada's Metis peoples we spoke with historian Laurence Barkwell, author of "1885: The Militia of the Metis Liberation Movement".

Back in 1947, children across Canada organized and protested the rising cost of chocolate bars.

The town of Hudson, Quebec passed North America's first ban of the non-essential use of Pesticides on this date back in 1991. To learn more, we spoke with Ashley Jensen of the Canadian Cancer Society.

The first of many American prospectors heading north to the Klondike passed through what is now Stewart, British Columbia on this day back in 1898. To learn more about Sam Steele of the North West Mounted Police we spoke with Charlotte Gray author of "Gold Diggers: Striking it Rich in the Klondike".

Stu Hart, founder of Stampede Wrestling was born on May 3, 1915. To learn more we spoke with Heath McCoy, author of "Pain and Passion: the History of Stampede Wrestling".

An estimated 70 people perished when the side of Turtle Mountain buried part of Frank, Alberta.

Expo 67 was a showcase for Canada's cool side. We spoke with Dr. Bryan Palmer author of "Canada's 1960's: The Ironies of Identity in a Rebellious Era" about the upside and downside of having a Prime Minister that many Canadians view as sexy.

York was sacked by American forces during the War of 1812 on this day back in 1813.

Charles Mallory Hatfield, an American rainmaker, arrived in Medicine Hat on this day back in 1921.

The battles of Lexington of Concord sparked the American Revolutionary War on this date back in 1775. To learn more about the slaves who fought for the British and eventually settled in Nova Scotia we spoke with Beverly Cox of the The Black Loyalist Heritage Society, located in Birchtown, Nova Scotia.

British and Canadian troops liberated prisoners at the Bergen-Belsen concentration camp on April 15, 1945. To learn more about the legacy of holocaust survivors in Canada we spoke with Sabrina Moisan of the Montreal Holocaust Memorial Centre.

We spoke with Kenneth Bagnell, the author of "The Little Immigrants: The Orphans Who Came to Canada".

On this day back in 1938, the British-born conservationist Grey Owl passed away.

New Brunswick's 104th Foot Regiment arrived in Kingston on this date back in 1813. Their march from Fredericton covered over 1100km. To learn more we spoke to Historian and author of "The Road to Canada: The Grand Communications Route from Saint John to Quebec", Gary Campbell.

April 11, 1917 marked the third day of the Battle of Vimy Ridge. We spoke with Dr. Patrick Brennan of the University of Calgary about the leadership of lieutenant-general Julian Byng.

A Canadian postmaster issued a provisional stamp on this date back in 1851 - two weeks before the first Canadian stamps were issued to the public. To learn more we spoke with George Pepall, the President of the Royal Philatelic Society of Canada.

Vancouver was incorporated as a city back in 1886. We spoke with civic historian John Atkin.

Over the years over 100 vessels and 100 people were victims of Ripple Rock. The underwater "mountain" that was Ripple Rock was blown-up on this day back in 1958.

Canadian diplomat and accused Soviet spy E. H. Norman jumped to his death from the roof of the Swedish Embassy in Cairo, Egypt on this day back in 1957. To learn more about Canada in the time of the Cold War we spoke with Dr. Bryan Palmer author of "Canada's 1960's: The Ironies of Identity in a Rebellious Era".

To learn about the story of a small town mayor in 1888, we spoke with Dr. Martin Raeb. To learn about the first game of curling we spoke with Dr. Anthony Morrow of the University of Waterloo.

Likely that some members of the Canadian Navy woke up with a hangover on this day back in 1972. The previous day they were served the last ration of rum.

On this day back in 1809, Labrador joined Newfoundland as a colony of the British Empire. To learn more about the history of Labrador, we spoke with author of "The Story of Labrador" Canadian Senator William Rompkey.

In 1976, F.R. "Budge" Crawley accepted an Academy Award for his film The Man Who Skied Down Everest. It was the first time a Canadian-made film received an Oscar for Best Documentary Feature.

On March 24, 1837 Black Canadians were granted the right to vote in elections. To learn more we spoke with Rosemary Saidler, the President of the Ontario Black History Society.

The Halifax Gazette, Canada's first newspaper, is published for the first time back in 1752.

On March 21, 1821 the North West Company was forced to merge with the Hudson's Bay Company. To learn more we spoke with Marty Mascarin, of the Fort William Historical Park.

The SS Beaver, the first steamship to operate in the Pacific Northwest, arrived at the coast on this day back in 1836.