1929 - Architect Frank Gehry Is Born - The Great Depression Hits Canada

On February 28, one of the most successful architects of the 20th century is born in Toronto. Frank Gehry spent many Saturdays at his grandfather's hardware store where he experimented with various materials creating a variety of models of buildings. As an architect, he has created some of the most iconic buildings of the last 100 years. Below are some of these unique buildings that are the product of Frank Gehry's genius.

Source of image: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frank_Gehry#/media/File:Bilbao_-_Guggenheim_43.jpg

Source of image: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/de/MIT_Campus.jpg

1928 - Percy Williams and Ethel Catherwood Win Gold Medals in Track and Field during Amsterdam Summer Olympic Games

Percy Williams and Ethel Catherwood Win Gold Medals in Track and Field during the 1928 Amsterdam Summer Olympic Games. Bobbie Rosenfeld, who earned the silver medal was considered Canada's top female athlete of the first half of the 20th century.

1927 - The Novel Jalna is Published by Mazo de la Roche

Jalna, one of the most influential novels ever published in Canada is published by its author, Mazo de la Roche. She was born in Newmarket, Ontario and is one of the most widely read novelists in Canadian history.


Source of image: https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif-Wh8aH-UZw2zIHEIGCdkTaCrl4Q1JzluvySt08lXt5KOm19Bc7VJmpjABcKr9DaUXPzAX1C1eXF1PhyzuBk6c0YNgW6kkTZEcDpXgLUwh-S8zm7O_VP7vzRMoz1z0vg_2kjiI-35ZKI/s1600/mazo+de+la+roche+jalna+7.png

Mazo de la Roche with her dog
Source of image: http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/mazo-de-la-roche/

1926 - Canada Has Three Prime Ministers In Less Than Four Months

Due to the Constitutional Cris of 1926 (also known as the King-Byng Affair) (see here), the Prime Minister of Canada William Lyon Mackenzie King resigned on June 28. 

William Lyon Mackenzie King, Prime Minister of Canada until June 28, 1926.

The leader of the Conservatives, Arthur Meighen, becomes Prime Minister for the second time.

Arthur Meighen, Prime Minister of Canada between June 29 and September 25, 1926.

Source of image: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arthur_Meighen#/media/File:Former_PM_Arthur_Meighen.jpg

Source of image: http://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/20150926starfrontpagejuly29.jpg

As Prime Minister, Arthur Meighen is unable to achieve confidence in the House of Commons and a federal election is called for September 14.

Source of image: http://torontoist.com/2015/09/historicist-king-vs-meighen-for-the-fate-of-canada/

William Lyon Mackenzie King runs under the coalition of Liberals-Conservatives and wins the federal election on September 14 becoming Prime Minister on September 25.

From an editorial cartoon from September 1926.

Source of image: http://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/20150926cartoonstarrunning.jpg

1925 - Canada's Tallest Peak, Mt. Logan, Is Scaled For The First Time

The 2002 Canada Post postage stamp depicts Mt. Logan.
Source of image: https://www.canadianpostagestamps.ca/stamps/17417/mount-logan-canada-5959-m

Early on in the evening of June 23, 1925 Mt. Logan, the tallest mountain peak in Canada and the second tallest in North America was scaled for the first time by a team of six climbers. Its height is 5,959 m (19,551 ft) (click here for more information about Mt. Logan).

Source of image: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Logan#/media/File:Mount_Logan.jpg

The Canada-U.S. expedition, which took 65 days to approach the peak from the town of McCarthy (Yukon) was successful in that none of the team of climbers died or were injured.

The team's leader was Albert McCarthy and was accompanied by Allen Carpe, Andy Taylor, H.F. Lambert, Norman H. Read and W.W. Foster.

The text below is from the website Alpinist.com 

(it describes the above photo):

"Upon returning from their gruelling summit push, first ascent party member Colonel Foster tends to the frostbitten fingers and toes of A.H. MacCarthy, trip leader, and H.F. Lambart. [Photo] 1925 Canadian Alpine Journal, courtesy of the Alpine Club of Canada"

Source of text and image: http://www.alpinist.com/tcl/email/June10/page3.html

1924 - The Canadian Aviation Corps is Renamed The Royal Canadian Air Force

On January 26, the federal government of Canada orders that the Canadian Red Ensign be flown on every Canadian government building outside of Canada.


Source of image: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1924_in_Canada#/media/File:Canadian_Red_Ensign_1921-1957.svg

On April 1st, the Canadian Aviation Corps (formed in 1914) was renamed the Royal Canadian Air Force. Its motto "Sic Itur Ad Astra" means "Through Adversity To The Stars". 

Source of image: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/9/95/Royal_Canadian_Air_Force_Badge.png

The following documentary, made for the 75th anniversary of the R.C.A.F., shares the history of Canada's Air Force (until 1999).

Source of video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gVii6hZ34ws

1923 - Canada Passess The Chinese Immigration Act of 1923, Banning Most Chinese From Coming To Canada

On April 23, 1923 the Canadian Parliament passes a bill making marijuana illegal. Ironically, the federal Liberal government in 2017 announces that marijuana will be legalized in 2018 (see here).

Canada and the United States on March 2nd sign The Halibut Treaty (see here), the first international treaty without the United Kingdom supervising on behalf of Canada.

Source of image: https://image.slidesharecdn.com/ss11autonomy1920s-111028011252-phpapp01/95/ss11-autonomy1920s-9-728.jpg?cb=1319764436

On July 1st, the federal government passes the Chinese Immigration Act of 1923 which effectively bans all Chinese from entering Canada unless they are foreign students, business people, diplomats and those deemed to fall under special circumstances.

The following text comes from the website "Pier21.ca"

With the passage of the Chinese Immigration Act in 1923, all other legislation relating to Chinese immigration was repealed, including the entrance duty requirements. However, the new regulations specified that only four classes of Chinese immigrants would be allowed in Canada: diplomats and government representatives; children born in Canada who had left for educational or other purposes; merchants as defined by the minister of immigration and colonization; and students while attending university or college. Vessels transporting Chinese immigrants were only authorized to carry one Chinese immigrant for every 250 tons of the ship’s total weight. Chinese individuals already in Canada were required to register and carry photo identification as evidence of their compliance with the regulations of the act; even Canadian born and naturalized Chinese were made to register.

The first page of The Chinese Immigration Act of 1923. 

Source of image: http://www.pier21.ca/sites/default/files/gallery/12569/i-30831-001.jpg

On March 22, the future great hockey broadcaster Foster Hewitt broadcasts the first ever hockey game.

Source of video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=neUY4TKg_T0