What is Canada Day?

With Canada Day approaching, there is no better moment than the present to examine its past. From its early roots as Dominion Day to its present incarnation as Canada Day, Canada’s “birthday” has always been celebrated with delight. Canada Day is the country’s national day. It is a federal holiday commemorating the anniversary of July 1, 1867, the date of the Constitution Act, which was known as the British North American Act at the time. It merged the three distinct colonies of the Province of Canada, Nova Scotia, and New Brunswick into the unified British Empire dominion known as Canada. In 1982, when the Canada Act was passed, the holiday was changed from Dominion Day to Canada Day.

Despite the fact that Canada existed prior to 1867 under the French and British empires, Canada Day is often referred to as the country’s birthday. Despite being recognized as Canada’s birthday, Canada Day commemorates just a single significant national milestone in the path to Canadian independence. This significant event was the signing of the Constitution Act, which permitted Canada to become an independent monarchy within the British Empire. At the time, Canada was often referred to as the Dominion of Canada. This enabled Canada to achieve more political and administrative autonomy over its own affairs. Canada’s independence has gained steadily over the years, most notably with the adoption of the Statute of Westminster in 1931, until the introduction of the Constitution Act in 1982, which helped to “patriotize” the Canadian constitution.

History

Celebrations were held around the nation in 1867 to commemorate the enactment of the British North American Act. These celebrations included bonfires, fireworks, illuminations, excursions, military exercises, musical performances, and other forms of entertainment. A royal proclamation was made on June 20, 1868, urging Canadians to commemorate the centennial of Confederation. This proclamation was issued by Governor General Viscount Mock. The holiday did not become an official observance until the 15th of May, 1879, when it was dubbed Dominion Day in reference to Canada’s status as a dominion under the rule of the British Empire. In the beginning, the event did not take up a significant amount of time on the national calendar; rather, smaller communities and the Governor General staged festivities at Rideau Hall. Not until 1917 did larger-scale festivities take place, and then not again for another decade after that.

In the early 1980s, many Canadians began referring to the day in a less formal manner as “Canada Day.” Some individuals believed that the term “Dominion Day” was a relic from when the nation was still a colony, whilst others said that the term did not translate well into French. On July 9, 1982, the House of Commons approved a bill sponsored by a single member to formally alter the holiday’s name. The process was criticized when the proposal was approved in a lightning-fast five minutes with no prior discussion. In the end, the legislation was carried despite the fact that the Senate’s opposition was far larger. The holiday was renamed Canada Day on October 27, 1982, when the Royal Assent was granted, making the change official.

In the year 1946, Phileas Cote proposed changing the name of Dominion Day to Canada Day. This idea breezed through the House of Representatives with no difficulty, but it was unable to gain traction in the Senate and was ultimately defeated as a result of the Senate’s recommendations. The festivities of Dominion Day were first organized by the federal government in the year 1958. Ellen Fairclough, who was serving as secretary of state at the time, was instructed by John Diefenbaker to prepare festivities with a budget of $14,000. The first day of July is normally reserved for Parliament, but the Secretary was successful in persuading Diefenbaker and the other members of the federal Cabinet to attend instead.

Events
The celebration of Canada Day typically consists of scheduled events being held in the majority of local towns. Typically held in open public spaces, these events may include parades, carnivals, festivals, barbecues, air and marine exhibits, fireworks, free musical performances, and citizenship ceremonies. The celebration of Canada Day does not adhere to a particular format; nonetheless, the festivities are often concentrated in the nation’s capital, namely on Parliament Hill, where large-scale concerts and cultural exhibits are staged. In most cases, the Governor General and the Prime Minister are the ones to preside over the celebrations; however, the Monarch or another member of the Royal Family may also attend or take the Governor General’s place if they so choose. Events on a more modest scale are staged in many other parks in the capital region and in the neighboring Gatineau.

Sources: https://nationaltoday.com/canada-day/#history
https://www.canada.ca/en/canadian-heritage/services/canada-day-history.html