1988 in Canada

See also: 1987 in Canada, other events of 1988, 1989 in Canada and the list of 'years in Canada'.

1 Incumbents
2 Events
3 Arts and literature
4 Births
5 Deaths

Incumbents

Prime Minister – Brian Mulroney
Governor General – Jeanne Sauvé

Premier of Alberta – Don Getty
Premier of British Columbia – Bill Vander Zalm
Premier of Manitoba – Howard Pawley then Gary Filmon
Premier of New Brunswick – Frank McKenna
Premier of Newfoundland – Brian Peckford
Premier of Nova Scotia – John Buchanan
Premier of Ontario – David Peterson
Premier of Prince Edward Island – Joe Ghiz
Premier of Quebec – Robert Bourassa
Premier of Saskatchewan – Grant Devine

Events

January 28 – Canada's abortion laws are repealed by the Supreme Court.
March 19 – Jacques Parizeau becomes leader of the Parti Québécois
May – HMCS Halifax, the first Halifax class frigate is launched in Saint John, New Brunswick
May 9 – Gary Filmon becomes premier of Manitoba, replacing Howard Pawley
May 21 – The new National Gallery of Canada building opens in Ottawa
June 4 – The Canadian Heraldic Authority is established, with a mandate to grant armourial bearings to worthy Canadians and Canadian corporations. It is the first heraldic authority in the Commonwealth of Nations outside the United Kingdom.
July 21 – The War Measures Act is replaced by the Emergencies Act
August 9: Wayne Gretzky is traded to the Los Angeles Kings by the Edmonton Oilers with Mike Krushelnyski and Marty McSorley for Jimmy Carson, Martin Gelinas, the Los Angeles Kings 1989 First Round Draft Pick (later acquired by New Jersey Devils, who selected Jason Miller), 1991 (Martin Rucinsky), and 1993 (Nick Stajduhar) Entry Drafts and cash
September 22 – Prime Minister Brian Mulroney officially apologizes for the WWII internment of Japanese Canadians
September 26 – Sprinter Ben Johnson is stripped of his Olympic gold medal and world record when he tests positive for steroids.
November 21 – In the 1988 Canadian election Brian Mulroney's Progressive Conservatives win a second majority government in an election fought over the Canadian-American Free Trade Agreement.
December 15 – The Supreme Court rules that the Quebec Charter of the French Language is unconstitutional
December 21 – The Quebec government reinstates the language laws using the notwithstanding clause
Svend Robinson, a Member of Parliament since 1979 announces that he is gay
Maher Arar immigrates to Canada
David Lam becomes Lieutenant Governor of British Columbia
Calgary hosts the 1988 Winter Olympics
CHUM media buys the building at the corner of Queen and John streets in Toronto as their headquarters.
Conrad Black gains control of The Spectator
Figure skater Kurt Browning completes the first ever quadruple toe loop in competition