Apr
30
April 30, 1903
Dr. Emily Stowe died in Toronto, after a lifetime of working to secure more rights for Canadian women. This pioneer physician was the first female Canadian to practice medicine in Canada, though it was some time until she managed to get a license. Dr. Stowe also created Canada’s first suffrage group in 1876.
Apr
30
Just a reminder, your 2009 incomes taxes are due today. In case you haven’t started them, please head on over to the Canada Revenue Agency’s web site to get your 2009 Saskatchewan Tax Package.
Apr
29
Early in the morning of April 29, 1903, residents of the town of Frank, in the Crowsnest Pass in Alberta, were woken up when Turtle Mountain collapsed sending millions of tons of rock crashing down the slopes in the biggest rock slide in North American history. Over 70 people died in the slide, but 17 miners and 23 town residents managed to survive. Surveys and studies later showed the mountain was weakened by major erosive and geological forces, and the coal mines (which were the major employer in the region).
Oddly, despite the the inquiry’s findings, the mine was quickly reopened and remained in operation for a further 10 years.
Apr
28
April 28, 1967
Expo 67, a world’s fair built on the theme “Man and His World”, opens in Montreal.
Apr
27
April 27, 1942
Canadians voting in a plebiscite support conscription, but the vote badly divides the country: 70 per cent of Quebecers reject it.
Apr
27
On April 27, 1950, the Group Areas Act was passed in South Africa. The Group Areas Act forced non-White people out of the most developed parts of South Africa and created a formally segregated society. Oddly enough, this act stayed on the books until June 5 1991 when it was finally repealed.
Apr
26
Apr
25
April 25, 1940
Thanks to the efforts of women like Thérèse Casgrain, the women of Quebec finally got to vote in provincial elections – after being able to cast ballots in federal elections for more than two decades.
Apr
24
April 24, 1928
The Supreme Court rules that women are not persons, and therefore are not eligible to sit in Senate. The government later amends the British North America Act to allow women to enter the Senate.
Apr
23
On April 23, 2010, Coca-Cola gambled (or did they?) and changed the flavour of Coca-Cola. The New Coke turned out to be a massive flop and the original flavour (freshly dubbed “Coca-Cola Classic”) was back on shelves in less than three months.
Did anyone try the New Coke? I remember trying it when I was eight years old and thinking, “Holy crap, this is Pepsi!”