1940 in Canada

See also: 1939 in Canada, other events of 1940, 1941 in Canada and the Timeline of Canadian history.

Events

• March 13 – John McNair becomes premier of New Brunswick, replacing Allison Dysart
• March 21 – Alberta election: William Aberhart's Social Credit Party wins a second consecutive majority
• March 26 – Federal election: Mackenzie King's Liberals win a second consecutive majority
• April 3 – Alexander Cambridge, 1st Earl of Athlone is appointed Governor General of Canada replacing the late John Buchan, 1st Baron Tweedsmuir
• April 25 – Quebec women get the vote in provincial elections
• May 28-June 30 – WWII: The Canadian navy stations seven destroyers in the English Channel these play an important role in evacuating allied troops from France
• June – WWII: The Canadian troops are some of a small number of forces defending Britain
• June 5 – Nazi, fascist, and communist groups are declared illegal in Canada and leaders and members are jailed
• June 13-June 18 – WWII: A small number of Canadian troops land in Brest, France but are force to evacuate soon after
• June 21 – Conscription is introduced, but only for homeland defence
• July 10 – Alexander MacMillan becomes premier of Nova Scotia, replacing Angus Macdonald
• August 1-September 17 – WWII: 80 Canadian pilots participate in the Battle of Britain
• August 5 – Camillien Houde, the mayor of Montreal is arrest for sedition due to his anti-conscritption rhetoric
• August 7 – Unemployment insurance is introduced
• August 18 – The Odgensburg Agreement on continental defence is signed with the United States
• September 5: United Kingdom trades most of its North American military bases to the United States in exchange for 50 destroyers
• The Icefields Parkway in the Canadian Rockies is completed.
• The Rowell-Sirois Report on federal-provincial relations is released
• Wilbur Franks invents the g-suit at the University of Toronto

Arts and Literature

New Works

• Morley Callaghan – Just ask George

Awards

• See the 1940 Governor General's Awards for a complete list of winners and finalists for those awards.

Births

• January 10 – Guy Chevrette, Quebec politician
• March 6 – Ken Danby, painter
• March 22 – Dave Keon, hockey player
• April 18 – Robert N. Kucey, author
• May 8 – Irwin Cotler, Minister of Justice
• May 10 – Peter M. Liba, joranlist and Lieutenant-Governor of Manitoba
• May 20 – Otto Jelinek, politician
• June 6 – Brian Ransom, Manitoba politician
• June 14 – Mark Assad, politician
• June 25 – Louise Dacquay, Manitoba politician
• July 11 – Yvon Charbonneau, politician
• July 15 – Glen Findlay, Manitoba politician
• July 22 – Alex Trebek, game show host
• July 27 – Harvie Andre, politician
• July 28 – Mario Sergio, Ontario politician
• September 11 – Gerry Phillips, Ontario politician
• September 20 – Doug Young, cabinet minister
• September 30 – Harry Jerome, athlete
• October 11 – David McFadden, poet and novelist
• October 29 – Galen Weston, businessman
• November 20 – George Swede, poet
• November 29 – Denny Doherty, musician
• December 20 – Ed Helwer, Manitoba politician

Deaths

• February 11 – John Buchan, former Governor General
• October 10 – Berton Churchill, actor
• Laura Bond, wife of Robert Laird Borden