1959 in Canada

"See also:"
1958 in Canada,
other events of 1959,
1960 in Canada and the
Timeline of Canadian history.

Incumbents

* Monarch: Queen Elizabeth II
* Governor General: Georges Vanier
* Prime Minister: John Diefenbaker
* Premier of Alberta: Ernest Manning
* Premier of British Columbia: W.A.C. Bennett
* Premier of Manitoba: Duff Roblin
* Premier of New Brunswick: Hugh John Flemming
* Premier of Newfoundland: Joey Smallwood
* Premier of Nova Scotia: Robert Stanfield
* Premier of Ontario: Leslie Frost
* Premier of Prince Edward Island: Alex Matheson then Walter Shaw
* Premier of Quebec: Maurice Duplessis then Paul Sauvé
* Premier of Saskatchewan: Tommy Douglas

Events

* February 20: Avro Arrow project is terminated
* April 1: The St. Lawrence Seaway opens
* June 11: Ontario general election, 1959: Leslie Frost's PCs win a fifth consecutive majority
* June 18: Alberta general election, 1959: Ernest Manning's Social Credit Party wins a seventh consecutive majority
* June 20: The Escuminac Disaster results in 35 fishermen drowned or missing and 22 fishing boats sunk.
* September 7: Maurice Duplessis, Premier of Quebec, dies in office
* September 11: Paul Sauvé becomes premier of Quebec
* September 15: Georges Vanier is sworn in as Governor General replacing Vincent Massey. He is the first French Canadian Governor General.
* September 16: Walter Shaw becomes premier of Prince Edward Island, replacing Alex Matheson
* November 1: Jacques Plante becomes the first goalie to wear a protective face mask
* November 18: Canadian content rules are introduced for television
* December 2: York University is founded
* National Energy Board of Canada is created
* Farm Credit Corporation established

Arts and literature

: New books
* Mordecai Richler: "The Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz"
* Hugh MacLennan: "The Watch That Ends the Night"
* Farley Mowat: "Grey Seas Under"
* Max Aitken: "Friends"
* Gordon R. Dickson: "Dorsai!": Awards
* See 1959 Governor General's Awards for a complete list of winners and finalists for those awards.

Births

* January 1 — Sharon Bayes, field hockey goalkeeper
* January 3 — Dwight Duncan, politician
* January 8 — Bill Sawchuk, swimmer
* January 11 — Rob Ramage, ice hockey player
* April 6 — Jim Rondeau, politician
* April 13 — Genevieve Brunet, Canadian female cyclist
* April 15 — Kevin Lowe, ice hockey player
* April 20 — Stephen Harper, politician
* April 22 — Ryan Stiles, comedian
* April 30 — Paul Gross, actor
* May 14 — Rick Vaive, ice hockey player
* May 17 — David Andres, politician
* May 26 — Brian Peaker, rower
* June 4 — Rex Barnes, politician
* June 12 — Scott Thompson, comedian
* June 28 — Brad Fraser, playwright
* July 16 — Joanna MacGregor, politician
* August 29 — Chris Hadfield, astronaut
* September 29 — Robert Thibault, politician
* October 14 — Dominic Agostino, politician
* November 5 — Bryan Adams, singer
* November 17 — Guy André, politician
* November 22 — Geoff Regan, politician

Deaths

* January 26: Barbara Hanley, Canada's first female mayor
* February 11: Harry James Barber, politician
* June 3: Filip Konowal, WWI Victoria Cross recipient
* September 7: Maurice Duplessis, Premier of Quebec