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2020-2021: Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the celebrations are presented in virtual format to comply with public health guidelines. 2022: Canada Day celebrations are back in person in Canada’s Capital Region.
- Evening Show
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- Daytime Ceremony
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- Canada Day
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- Evening Show
Canada Day (French: Fête du Canada, [faɛ̯t dzy kanadɑ]), formerly known as Dominion Day (French: Fête du Dominion), is the national day of Canada.
- Overview
- Early colonial history
- The birth of Canada
- Canada’s journey toward independence
- How Canada Day is celebrated now
On July 1, 1867, three British colonies merged to form Canada. But independence would prove elusive for decades to come.
Canada Day will be muted this year in the wake of the discovery of hundreds of mass graves on the sites of former Indian Residential Schools. Established in the 1880s, these schools were designed to assimilate Indigenous children into white culture.
Indigenous and non-Indigenous people alike have called to cancel the national holiday—which takes place on July 1—and replace it with a day of mourning, reckoning, and solidarity. (Residential school survivors reflect on a brutal legacy: ‘That could’ve been me.’)
But what exactly is Canada Day? Although three-quarters of Canadians believe Canada Day marks Canada’s independence, the holiday actually honors the nation’s birth. Here’s a look at the history of the holiday—and why it is so fraught.
The land that became Canada was long inhabited by Iroquois and other Indigenous people. In the late 15th century, however, European colonization began with the arrival of explorers and fur traders. France established the first permanent settlement in 1604, which eventually transformed into the influential colonial outpost known as New France. Great Britain soon followed with settlements in Newfoundland, Nova Scotia, and Hudson Bay.
The Iroquois helped the European settlers navigate unfamiliar waterways and forests. They trade their pelts for the settlers’ goods and played an integral role in the region’s fur trade. But the arrival of the Europeans exacted a high toll: Many Indigenous people lost their lives to the diseases the settlers had brought with them while the fur trade ignited conflict among Indigenous tribes and their European allies through much of the 17th century. (The European colonies that formed the cradle of modern Canada.)
By the mid-19th century, the land was divided into three British colonies: the province of Canada, Nova Scotia, and New Brunswick. Fueled by the fear of possible American aggression and the desire for the economic advantages of free trade, colonial politicians and the public began debating the idea of merging the colonies into one self-governing confederation. With British support, representatives from the colonies began to negotiate the terms of their unification in 1864.
In 1867, the British Parliament passed the British North America Act, creating a new country known as Canada composed of four provinces. These included New Brunswick and Nova Scotia, while the former colony Canada was split into two provinces—Ontario and Quebec. The law established both federal and provincial governments in the new country and formed the basis for Canada’s constitution. It went into effect on July 1, 1867—now celebrated as Canada Day. (See our favorite pictures from the Great White North.)
But the country’s journey toward independence had only just begun. The new law had established Canada as a semi-independent “Dominion” of the British Empire; the new polity did not yet have full autonomy. In fact, the earliest celebrations of July 1 were called Dominion Day rather than Canada Day.
But while three-quarters of Canadians believe Canada Day marks Canada’s independence, the country’s journey had only just begun. The new law had established Canada as a semi-independent “Dominion” of the British Empire; the new polity did not yet have full autonomy. In fact, the earliest celebrations of July 1 were called Dominion Day rather than Canada Day.
July 1 has come to be commemorated across the nation with formal ceremonies, fireworks, and flyover demonstrations by the Snowbirds, the country’s military aerobatics team. It’s also celebrated with rousing renditions of “O Canada,” which was proclaimed the country’s national anthem on July 1, 1980.
But the holiday is not observed by everyone. Among many of the country’s Indigenous communities, the day is yet another reminder of Canada’s complicated colonial history—and the freedoms that they have long been denied.
This year, many Canadians are planning to join in solidarity with Indigenous communities. Although the nation’s official virtual concert and fireworks display will still take place, communities across Canada have pulled the plug on their celebrations. In Ottawa, protesters plan to march to Parliament Hill, which sits on land that was never ceded by the Algonquin.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, too, has suggested that Canadians use the day to reflect on the country’s history of oppressing Indigenous people. “We have so many things we need to work on together,” he said. “I think this Canada Day, it will be a time of reflection on what we’ve achieved as a country but on what more we have to do.”
- Amy Mckeever
Jun 18, 2021 · The Canada Day 2021 evening program will showcase our talented performing artists and entertainers from across the country. In two hours, you’ll travel from Ottawa, through Ontario to Alberta, Prince Edward Island, Quebec, Yukon, Manitoba, New Brunswick and the Northwest Territories.
- Canadian Heritage
Jun 30, 2021 · Canada Day 2021 comes as people begin to reunite with loved ones amid pandemic restrictions and renewed conversations about Indigenous reconciliation.
Jun 6, 2024 · Canada Day. Take part in the nation’s biggest birthday party on July 1. Witness the ceremonies, shows and fireworks and take in the musical talent at several locations in the nation’s capital and across the country.
July 1, 2021. Ottawa, Ontario. The Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, today issued the following statement on Canada Day: “Today, we celebrate our country and everyone who calls it home. We also reflect on everything we have accomplished, and look forward to what more we have to do.
