Canada Day, Dominion Day

Canada Day, or la fête du Canada in French, is the anniversary of Confederation. It is celebrated as a statutory holiday every year on July 1.

Canada Day has been the official name for this holiday since 1982, when the passing of the Constitution Act made Canada an entirely independent nation.

  • On Canada Day, Parliament Hill in Ottawa is the focal point for celebrations marking the nation’s birthday.

Before 1982, this statutory holiday, first established in 1879, was known as Dominion Day.

  • The first organized celebration of Dominion Day occurred in 1917, the 50th anniversary of Canada’s founding.

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