1970 in Canada

See also: 1969 in Canada, other events of 1970, 1971 in Canada and the list of 'years in Canada'.

Incumbents

Events

January 1 - The towns Fort William and Port Arthur are merged to create Thunder Bay, Ontario
January 16 - The federal govenrment announces plans to convert the nation to the metric system
February 2 - Canada becomes an official observer at the Organization of American States
February 5 - An oil tanker runs aground in Chedabucto Bay, Nova Scotia causing a major oil spill
February 16 - Police recover the Grey Cup after it was stolen the previous December
February 17 - The use of phosphates in laundry detergent is banned
March 2 - Keith Spicer is appointed as the first Official Languages Commissioner
March 7 - A total solar eclipse affects the Maritimes
The first Artic Winter Games commence in Yellowknife
March 20 - The Francophonie is established with Canada as a founding member
April 5 - Bobby Orr becomes the first NHL defensemean to win the scoring title
May 2 - Montreal is awarded the 1976 Summer Olympics
May 12 - Robert Bourassa becomes Premier of Quebec after his Liberals defeat the Union Nationale party
May 22 - The Vancouver Canucks join the NHL
May 22 - The CRTC issues the first Canadian content rules for television and radio
May 29 - The Hudson's Bay Company moves its headquarters from London, England to Winnipeg, Manitoba
June 23 - The first Juno Awards for Canadian music are held
June 26 - The federal voting age is lowered from 21 to 18
July 5 - 109 people are killed in the crash of an Air Canada DC-8
August 2 - Three Canadians are killed when a ferry collides with a Soviet freighter off British Columbia
August 17 - Arthur Erickson is awarded at Expo 70 for his design of the Canadian pavillion
October 5 - October Crisis: British Trade Commissioner James Cross is kidnaped by the FLQ
October 10 - October Crisis: Quebec Minister of Labour Pierre Laporte is kidnapped by the FLQ
October 16 - October Crisis: Pierre Trudeau introduces the War Measures Act to deal with the FLQ threat
October 17 - October Crisis: The body of Pierre Laporte is found in the trunk of a car
October 28 - Gerald Regan becomes Premier of Nova Scotia after his Liberals defeat George Smith's Conservatives
November 12 - Richard Hatfield becomes Premier of New Brunswick after his Conservatives defeat Louis Robichaud's Liberals
December 3 - October Crisis: James Cross is released unharmed by the FLQ
December 28 - October Crisis: The FLQ kinappers of Pierre Laporte are cuagt
The Royal Commission on the Status of Women reports to Parliament
TV Ontario begins broadcasting
INCO builds the world's tallest smokestack at Copper Cliff, Ontario
The Pierre Laporte Bridge opens in Quebec City, at the time it is Canada's longest bridge
The Don't Make a Wave Committee, the predecessor organization to Greenpeace is founded in Vancouver
The first ACTRA Awards are held

Arts and Literature

New Books

The Collected Works of Billy the Kid - Michael Ondaatje
S th story I to: trew adventure - Bill Bissett
Fifth Business - Robertson Davies
The Journals of Susanna Moodie - Margaret Atwood
Il est par là, le soleil - Roch Carrier
The National Dream - Pierre Berton
La Rivière sans repos - Gabrielle Roy
Counterblast - Marshall McLuhan

New Plays

The Ecstacy of Rita Joe - George Ryga

Awards

See 1970 Governor General's Awards for a complete list of winners and finalists for those awards.
Stephen Leacock Award: Farley Mowat, The Boat Who Wouldn't Float
Vicky Metcalf Award: Farley Mowat

Film

Paul Almond's Act of the Heart opens

Births

February 24 - Jeff Garcia, football player
April 10 - Trevor Linden, hockey player
May 12 - Mike Weir, golfer
August 9 - Rod Brind'Amour, hockey player
September 1 - Mitsou, singer
December 23 - Catriona LeMay Doan, Olympic gold medalist in speed skating
December 25 - Stu Barnes, hockey player
Maher Arar
Lynn Coady, writer
Naomi Klein, activist writer

Deaths

January 29 - Lawren Harris, Group of Seven painter
March 23 - Del Lord, film director
October 17 - Pierre Laporte, Quebec Cabinet minister
Jacob Viner, economist