Events from the year 1961 in Canada.
Incumbents
Crown
Monarch – Elizabeth II
Federal government
Governor General – Georges Vanier
Prime Minister – John Diefenbaker
Chief Justice – Patrick Kerwin (Ontario) Parliament – 24th
Provincial governments
Lieutenant governors
Lieutenant Governor of Alberta – John Percy Page
Lieutenant Governor of British Columbia – George Pearkes
Lieutenant Governor of Manitoba – Errick Willis
Lieutenant Governor of New Brunswick – Joseph Leonard O'Brien
Lieutenant Governor of Newfoundland – Campbell Leonard Macpherson
Lieutenant Governor of Nova Scotia – Edward Chester Plow
Lieutenant Governor of Ontario – John Keiller MacKay
Lieutenant Governor of Prince Edward Island – Frederick Walter Hyndman
Lieutenant Governor of Quebec – Onésime Gagnon (until October 12) then Paul Comtois Lieutenant Governor of Saskatchewan – Frank Lindsay Bastedo
Premiers
Premier of Alberta – Ernest Manning
Premier of British Columbia – W.A.C. Bennett
Premier of Manitoba – Dufferin Roblin
Premier of New Brunswick – Louis Robichaud
Premier of Newfoundland – Joey Smallwood
Premier of Nova Scotia – Robert Stanfield
Premier of Ontario – Leslie Frost (until November 8) then John Robarts
Premier of Prince Edward Island – Walter Shaw
Premier of Quebec – Jean Lesage
Premier of Saskatchewan – Tommy Douglas (until November 7) then Woodrow Lloyd
Territorial governments
Commissioners
Commissioner of Yukon – Frederick Howard Collins
Commissioner of Northwest Territories – Robert Gordon Robertson
Events
January to June
June 1
The Canadian Bank of Commerce and the Imperial Bank of Canada merge to form the Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce. Census Day for the 1961 Census of Canada, which finds Canada has a population of 18,238,247. June 6 – CUSO is formed June 13 – The NCC study of Ottawa's new Green Belt is completed June 14 – James Elliott Coyne, the Governor of the Bank of Canada resigns due to disagreements with the federal government's fiscal policies
July to December
August 3 – Tommy Douglas is elected leader of the newly formed New Democratic Party August 14 – 15 – The Premiers meet in Charlottetown August 26 – The new home for the Hockey Hall of Fame opens in Toronto, at the Canadian National Exhibition. October 1 – CTV, Canada's second major television network, begins broadcasting November 7 – Woodrow Lloyd becomes premier of Saskatchewan, replacing Tommy Douglas November 8 – John Robarts becomes premier of Ontario, replacing Leslie Frost November 17 – Saskatchewan passes a bill creating Canada's first government run health system December 28 – Canada's first BOMARC Missile squadron is formed
Full date unknown
The Co-operative Commonwealth Federation becomes the New Democratic Party
The Massey Lectures are created
The transatlantic telephone system is officially launched with a call from Elizabeth II to Prime Minister John Diefenbaker. The Canadian Conference of the Arts is established.
Sport
March 12 – The Trail Smoke Eaters win the 1961 Ice Hockey World Championships for Canada. May 5 – The Ontario Hockey Association's Toronto St. Michael's Majors win their fourth (and final) Memorial Cup by defeating the Central Alberta Hockey League's Edmonton Oil Kings 4 games to 2. The deciding Game 6 was played at Edmonton Gardens. July 11 – Gene Kiniski becomes the first Canadian to win the AWA World Heavyweight Championship by defeating Verne Gagne December 2 – The Winnipeg Blue Bombers win their 6th Grey Cup by defeating the Hamilton Tiger-Cats 21–14 in the 49th Grey Cup at CNE Stadium in Toronto.
Arts and literature
New books
Morley Callaghan: A Passion in Rome
Max Aitken: Courage
Margaret Atwood: Double Persephone
Farley Mowat: Owls in the Family
Awards
See 1961 Governor General's Awards for a complete list of winners and finalists for those awards. Stephen Leacock Award: Norman Ward, Mice in the Beer