Events from the year 1971 in Canada.
Incumbents
Crown
Monarch – Queen Elizabeth II
Federal government
Governor General – Roland Michener
Prime Minister – Pierre Trudeau
Chief Justice – Gérald Fauteux (Quebec) Parliament – 28th
Provincial governments
Lieutenant governors
Lieutenant Governor of Alberta – Grant MacEwan
Lieutenant Governor of British Columbia – John Robert Nicholson
Lieutenant Governor of Manitoba – William John McKeag
Lieutenant Governor of New Brunswick – Wallace Samuel Bird (until October 2) then Hédard Robichaud (from October 8) Lieutenant Governor of Newfoundland – Ewart John Arlington Harnum Lieutenant Governor of Nova Scotia – Victor de Bedia Oland Lieutenant Governor of Ontario – William Ross Macdonald Lieutenant Governor of Prince Edward Island – John George MacKay Lieutenant Governor of Quebec – Hugues Lapointe Lieutenant Governor of Saskatchewan – Stephen Worobetz
Premiers
Premier of Alberta – Harry Strom (until September 10) then Peter Lougheed
Premier of British Columbia – W.A.C. Bennett
Premier of Manitoba – Edward Schreyer
Premier of New Brunswick – Richard Hatfield
Premier of Newfoundland – Joey Smallwood
Premier of Nova Scotia – Gerald Regan
Premier of Ontario – John Robarts (until March 1) then Bill Davis
Premier of Prince Edward Island – Alexander B. Campbell
Premier of Quebec – Robert Bourassa
Premier of Saskatchewan – Ross Thatcher (until June 30) then Allan Blakeney
Territorial governments
Commissioners
Commissioner of Yukon – James Smith
Commissioner of Northwest Territories – Stuart Milton Hodgson
Events
January to June
February 16 – The Fuddle Duddle incident. March 1 – Bill Davis becomes premier of Ontario, replacing John Robarts March 4 – Prime Minister Trudeau weds Margaret Sinclair March 31 – FLQ terrorist Paul Rose is sentenced to life in prison April 5 – The first CANDU reactor begins operation at Gentilly, Quebec April 14 – The Kingston Penitentiary riot begins. Prisoners seize control and a four-day siege ensues. May 4 – A sinkhole destroys much of Saint-Jean-Vianney, Quebec, and kills 31 May 22 – Ontario Place opens in Toronto June 1 – Census Day for the 1971 Census of Canada, which finds Canada's total population to be 21,568,311. June 3 – The controversial Spadina Expressway project is cancelled June 11 – Jack Davis becomes Canada's first Minister of the Environment, heading the new department of Environment Canada June 14 – The Victoria Charter proposing constitutional reforms is written by the first ministers. It was later rejected by Robert Bourassa. June 23 – Saskatchewan election: Allan Blakeney's NDP wins a majority, defeating Ross Thatcher's Liberals
June 30 – Allan Blakeney becomes premier of Saskatchewan, replacing Ross Thatcher
July to December
July 22 – Ross Thatcher, leader of the Saskatchewan Liberal Party dies in office
July 29 – The Bluenose II is donated to the province of Nova Scotia
July 30 – The Canada-based animation studio Nelvana is established by Michael Hirsh, Patrick Loubert and Clive A. Smith in Toronto August 16 – Hurricane Beth hits Nova Scotia August 28 – Canada's first gay rights demonstration, organized by George Hislop, takes place on Parliament Hill August 30 – Alberta election: Peter Lougheed's PCs win a majority, defeating Harry Strom's Social Credit Party, which had governed for 36 years September 10 – Peter Lougheed becomes premier of Alberta, replacing Harry Strom October 4 – Petroleum is found under Sable Island October 21 – Ontario election: Bill Davis's PCs win an eighth consecutive majority November 1 – The Toronto Sun begins publication November 1 – The Body Politic, Canada's first significant gay magazine, publishes its first issue. November 2 – Gerhard Herzberg wins the Nobel Prize in Chemistry November 12 – Air Canada Flight 812 is hijacked. Paul Joseph Cini is later arrested without incident. December 1 – A moving Montreal Metro train crashes into a second parked train, killing one person. December 26 – Air Canada Flight 932 is hijacked by Patrick Critton and flown to Cuba.