Yearbook 2005
Canada. In February, Canada decided not to participate in the space-based robot defense that the United States planned. The following month, the Supreme Court of British Columbia acquitted two Sikhs who had previously been convicted of an attack on Air India in 1985. In its ruling, the court cited deficiencies in the evidence.
The major corruption scandal with ramifications into the ruling Liberal Party, unveiled in 2003, continued to dominate domestic politics. In 1995, after separatists were close to winning a referendum on leaving Canada, a campaign was launched in Quebec to strengthen federal rule. The result was meager despite the fact that the Liberal government invested large sums. New revelations were made in the spring in the government-appointed inquiry headed by Judge John Gomery. An advertising agency director testified in April that his company had received over $ 23 million but that almost no work had been done. The company would then have donated over $ 1 million to the Liberal Party, which was confirmed by a former party member. Prime Minister Paul Martin gave a speech to the nation in April apologizing for the corruption deal. He also promised to announce new elections within 30 days after the inquiry presented its final report.
In May, the government was close to falling. According to countryaah, Ottawa is the capital and one of the major cities within the country of Canada. Martin had pledged that he would resign if the government lost the budget vote on May 19. Now they won with the overweight of a vote, thanks to a conservative MP, Belinda Stronach, jumping off to the Liberals. The government was also supported by the Social Democratic New Democratic Party (NDP) in exchange for promises of new money to low-income earners and pensioners, and that a planned reduction in corporate taxes was postponed. On May 17, the Liberals won the provincial election in British Columbia.
- Also see abbreviationfinder.org for how the acronym CA stands for the country of Canada and other meanings of this two-letter abbreviation.
In July, Canada became the fourth country in the world to allow same-sex marriage.
A severe storm in August caused a plane crash at Pearson Airport outside Toronto. All 309 on board could be evacuated before the aircraft, which belonged to Air France, started to burn. 22 people were injured in the accident.
On September 27, the Haitian-born journalist Michaëlle Jean took over as new general governor. The appointment attracted some criticism, mainly from a conservative point of view, when it was questioned about Jean and, above all, her husband, documentary filmmaker Jean-Daniel Lafond, really stood behind a federal Canada. Lafond made a documentary in 1993 about the separatist movement Fronten for Quebec’s liberation (FLQ).
In November, Judge Gomery presented his first interim report on the corruption scandal. He freed Prime Minister Martin but gave his representative Jean Chrétien some of the blame for the scam. Chrétien dismissed the charges. Shortly thereafter, the NDP decided that it would no longer support the government because of disagreement over how much private care would be allowed. On November 28, the government fell after losing a vote of no confidence in Parliament. New elections were announced until January 23, 2006.
The week before, the government had pledged to invest five billion Canadian dollars by 2015 to fight poverty among the country’s indigenous peoples. Promises were also made about damages to the people who, until the late 1960s, were abused when they were students in state-funded boarding schools run by the churches for Indians and Inuit people.
October
Canada will receive 1.2 million migrants in 2021–2023
October 30
Canada announces that it will receive around 1.2 million immigrants between 2021 and 2023 to compensate for the fact that so few have been able to emigrate to the country by 2020. According to the plan, 401,000 people will be welcomed in 2021, 411,000 in 2022 and 421,000 in 2023, which corresponds to about one percent of the country’s population. If the pandemic had not intervened, Canada would have received 341,000 well-educated migrants, refugees or relatives of Canadians. At the same time, travel restrictions are extended for unnecessary travel abroad. Those allowed to enter the country must still be quarantined for 14 days. During the last week of October, Canada passed 10,000 dead in the corona pandemic.
SaskParty retains power in Saskatchewan
October 26
The Saskatchewan Party (SaskParty) retains power in Saskatchewan. According to preliminary figures, the party will receive just over 63 percent of the votes and 50 of the 61 seats, while the remaining 11 seats appear to go to the Social Democratic NDP.
NDP wins provincial election in British Columbia
October 24
The Social Democratic Party NDP wins the provincial election in British Columbia with 55 of the 87 seats, the Liberals get 29 seats and the Green Party 3 seats (according to preliminary figures, postal votes have not yet been counted. This means that the NDP retains provincial government under John Horgan Andrew Wilkinson resigns as leader of the Liberal Party in British Columbia.
The government survives the no-confidence motion
21 October
The Canadian government can avoid a new election, as that lower house of parliament votes against a motion by the Conservative Party to create a special committee to review the government’s ethics and the money invested to deal with the corona crisis. The motion is seen in practice as a no-confidence motion against the government. 180 members vote against it, however, the Liberals get support from the Social Democratic NDP, the Green Party and an independent member, while 146 members vote for the motion. Although the NDP is taking a stand for the government, party leader Jagmeet Singh does not want to say whether he has confidence in the government.
200,000 cases of covid-19 in Canada
October 20
Canada has had a total of 200,000 cases of covid-19, and nearly 10,000 people have died from the viral disease. 80 percent of the cases and 90 percent of the deaths have occurred in Ontario and Quebec. In these provinces, restaurants, bars, museums and sports facilities are forced to close. There are also signs that more people who become infected become seriously ill. A ban on travel to nearby countries is now extended to 21 November.
Trudeau marks against China
October 16
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau makes a clear statement to the Chinese Ambassador to Ottawa, Cong Peiwu, that Canada will not allow itself to be influenced by Chinese human rights pressures. This comes after the ambassador said that by granting asylum to Hong Kong activists, Canada would expose Canadians to danger. It is seen as a direct threat to the two Canadians arrested in China and charged with espionage. Relations between China and Canada have deteriorated significantly since Meng Wanzhou, senior manager at Huawei’s Vancouver office, also the daughter of the Chinese company’s founder, was arrested in Canada in late 2018, and China responded by arresting several Canadians (see December2018). Peiwu has also vaguely warned that China could impose measures on Canada if the Canadian government adopts a resolution criticizing the Uighur minority’s treatment by Chinese authorities. Foreign Minister Francois-Philippe Champagne has previously criticized the ambassador’s statement. According to the Canadian newspaper Globe and Mail, a couple from Hong Kong have recently been granted political asylum in Canada. However, this has not been officially confirmed.
Embassy staff in contact with imprisoned Canadians in China
10 October
Canadian embassy staff will for the first time since January contact Michael Spavor and Michael Kovrig, the two Canadians arrested in China in late 2018 after Meng Wanzhou, senior manager at Huawei’s office in Vancouver, also the daughter of the Chinese company’s founder, was arrested in Canada (see December 2018). The meeting takes place via the internet and the men, who have been isolated, say they have expressed great relief to get in touch with the outside world. Spavor and Kovrig were charged in June this year with espionage (see June 2020). Prime Minister Justin Trudeau later said he spoke with US President Donald Trump to thank for US support for the issue.
Trudeau’s government wins vote of confidence
October 6
The Liberal government of Justin Trudeau wins a vote of confidence in the lower house with the support of the Social Democratic NDP with the numbers 177-152. The NDP agrees to support the government, which has promised extra support for those affected by the corona crisis.
Canada stops arms exports to Turkey
5 October
Canada temporarily suspends arms exports to Turkey. It comes after reports that drones using Canadian military technology have been used by Azerbaijan in the conflict with Armenia over Nagorno-Karabakh. The decision was later criticized by Turkey, which accuses Canada of double standards, as it continues to export arms to countries involved in the conflict in Yemen.
Thousands protest against racism against indigenous peoples
October 3
Thousands of people gather in Montreal to protest racism against Canada’s indigenous peoples. It comes after a film was published, in which a dying woman, Joyce Echaquan from the atikamekw people, filmed staff at a hospital when they insulted her. The incident is also condemned by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, who calls it an example of racism that is not acceptable in Canada. An investigation is later launched into the death of the 37-year-old woman.
Black woman takes over as leader of the Green Party
October 3
Lawyer Annamie Paul from Toronto has been appointed new leader of the Green Party. Paul, who is both black and Jewish, becomes the first black party leader in Canada. She won on promises to pursue a strong environmental policy, but is considered one of the most moderate candidates in the party leadership election. She has no place in the lower house, but intends to run in the by-elections on October 26, where a replacement for the recently resigned Minister of Finance the liberal Bill Morneau.
Ottawa announces investment in new and green infrastructure
1 October
The Canadian government is announcing new $ 10 billion in infrastructure investments (equivalent to $ 7.5 billion). The investments will go to projects aimed at reducing emissions of carbon dioxide, such as electric buses and renewable energy, and the hope is that it will lead to the creation of 60,000 new jobs. Some of the money will be transferred through a new investment bank, but the government also hopes that the projects will attract investments from the private business sector.
