1980 in Canada
See also: 1979 in Canada, other events of 1980, 1981 in Canada and the list of 'years in Canada'.
Table of contents |
Incumbents
- Premier of Alberta – Peter Lougheed
- Premier of British Columbia – Bill Bennett
- Premier of Manitoba – Sterling Lyon
- Premier of New Brunswick – Richard Hatfield
- Premier of Newfoundland – Brian Peckford
- Premier of Nova Scotia – John Buchanan
- Premier of Ontario – Bill Davis
- Premier of Prince Edward Island – Angus MacLean
- Premier of Quebec – René Lévesque
- Premier of Saskatchewan – Allan Blakeney
Events
- January 21 – Three Soviet embassy workers are expelled after they are accused of spying
- January 28 – Canadian ambassador to Iran, Ken Taylor, organizes the escape of American citizens from Iran
- February 18 – Federal election: Pierre Trudeau's Liberals win a majority, defeating Joe Clark's PCs
- February 29 – Jeanne Sauvé becomes first woman Speaker of the House of Commons
- March 3 – Pierre Trudeau becomes prime minister for the second time, replacing Joe Clark
- April 12 – Terry Fox begins his run across Canada in support of cancer research
- April 14 – The National Film Board wins an Oscar for its animated films
- April 22 – Canada announces it will join the boycott of the 1980 Summer Olympics due to the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan.
- April 30 – Hockey player Gordie Howe finally retires
- May 20 – Quebec votes against separation in the 1980 Quebec referendum
- June 16 – George Braden becomes government leader of the Northwest Territories, as responsible government is reinstituted for the first time since 1905
- July 1 – "O Canada" becomes the official national anthem
- September 1 – Due to a return of his cancer Terry Fox curtails his run
- October 6 – The Quebec and Newfoundland governments sign the Churchill Falls hydro agreement.
- October 6 – Prime Minister Trudeau announces his plan to repatraite the Canadian constitution unilaterally
- October 28 – The National Energy Program is introduced
- November 17 – Clifford Olson rapes and kills his first victim
- Wayne Gretzky breaks Phil Esposito's record for the most points in a single NHL season with 164.
Arts and Literature
- New Works
- Mordecai Richler – Joshua Then and Now
- Awards
- See 1980 Governor General's Awards for a complete list of winners and finalists for those awards.
- Books in Canada First Novel Award: Clark Blaise, Lunar Attractions
- Stephen Leacock Award: Donald Jack, Me Brandy, You Cissie
- Vicky Metcalf Award: John Craig
- Television
- The Royal Canadian Air Farce makes it first television special
Births
- January 1 – Eric Cyr, baseball pitcher
- February 10 – Mike Ribeiro, hockey player
- February 16 – Blair Betts, hockey player
- February 29 – Simon Gagne, hockey player
- March 21 – Deryck Whibley, singer
- March 24 – Ramzi Abid, hockey player
- March 31 – Michael Ryder, hockey player
- April 18 – Robyn Regehr, hockey player
- April 21 – Vincent Lecavalier, hockey player
- April 29 – Mathieu Biron, hockey player
- May 2 – Michael Ryder, hockey player
- May 4 – Andrew Raycroft, hockey goaltender
- July 15 – Jonathan Cheechoo, hockey player
- July 21 – Scott Frandsen, Olympic rower
- August 5 – Mark Bell, hockey player
- August 29 – Perdita Felicien, athlete
- September 9 – Felix Brillant, soccer player
- September 19 – Adrian Cann, soccer player
- October 13 – Marc-Andre Bergeron, hockey player
- October 21 – Mike Danton, hockey player
- November 4 – Erin Cumpstone, Olympic softballer
- November 9 – Ben Rutledge, Olympic rower
- November 18 – Emanuel Sandhu, figure skater
- December 2 – Adam Kreek, Olympic rower
Deaths
- March 5 – Jay Silverheels, actor
- October 17 – Richard G. Reid, Premier of Alberta
- December 31 – Marshall McLuhan, scholar
Categories: 1980 | Years in Canada