Canada Day Celebrations
July 2, 2024•308 words
"Our hopes are high. Our faith in the people is great. Our courage is strong. And our dreams for this beautiful country will never die." ~ Pierre Trudeau
"Canada is the homeland of equality, justice and tolerance." ~ Kim Campbell
"I am a Canadian, free to speak without fear, free to worship in my own way, free to stand for what I think right, free to oppose what I believe wrong, or free to choose those who shall govern my country. This heritage of freedom I pledge to uphold for myself and all mankind." ~ John Diefenbaker
"There are no limits to the majestic future which lies before the mighty expanse of Canada with its virile, aspiring, cultured, and generous-hearted people." ~ Winston Churchill
"Whether we live together in confidence and cohesion; with more faith and pride in ourselves and less self-doubt and hesitation; strong in the conviction that the destiny of Canada is to unite, not divide; sharing in cooperation, not in separation or in conflict; respecting our past and welcoming our future." ~ Lester B. Pearson
Canada Day celebrations kicked off on July 1, 1867, to honour a significant change for the country.
On that day, a binding law called the British North America Act (now known as the Constitution Act) united the colonies of Canada (including Ontario and Quebec), New Brunswick, and Nova Scotia, forming a single country known as the Dominion of Canada. Several influential figures played integral roles in this milestone. For example, Sir John A. Macdonald was a leading figure who rallied different parts of Canada together and went on to become the first Prime Minister of Canada. Other important contributors included George-Étienne Cartier, Charles Tupper, Samuel Leonard Tilley, and Thomas D'Arcy McGee.