December 22

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Peter Verigin c 1900

Today's Features:

• A Girl's Letter to Santa (CBC Archives)
• 1869 - Newfoundland Assembly, led by new Premier Charles Fox Bennett, votes against joining Confederation.
• 1902 - Peter Verigin arrives in Yorkton to lead the Doukhobors after 15 years in Siberian exile.
• 1943 - Canadian First Division surrounds Ortona, cuts off German retreat; week-long battle ensues.

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• 1807 - December 22 - Trade - US passes Embargo Act to stop all trade with foreign ports; to retaliate against Napoleon's decrees and British blockade. Washington, DC
• 1809 - December 22 - Trade - US passes Non-Intercourse Act; opens trade with all nations except Britain and France; to retaliate against Napoleon's decrees and the British blockade; causes commercial depression in Canada. Washington, DC
• 1821 - December 22 - Lierature - Thomas McCulloch publishes the First of his Letters of Mephibosheth Stepsure in serial form in the Acadian Recorder, chiding his fellow Pictonians to improve their farming practices and style of life; until March, 1823; reprinted in 1862 and then in 1960 as The Stepsure Letters. Pictou, Nova Scotia
• 1837 - December 22 - George Arthur appointed Lieutenant-Governor of Upper Canada; serves from March 23, 2026 to February 9, 1841. Toronto, Ontario
• 1850 - December 22 - Religion - Henry Budd ordained as a deacon in St. Andrew's Church, Fort Garry; First Aboriginal Anglican minister. Manitoba
• 1856 - December 22 - Rail - Buffalo & Lake Huron Railroad opens from Fort Erie to Stratford, Ontario. Fort Erie, Ontario
• 1859 - December 22 - Media - The Nor'Wester publishes First issue; First newspaper published on the Canadian Prairies. Winnipeg, Manitoba
• 1869 - December 22 - Constitution - Newfoundland Assembly, led by new Premier Charles Fox Bennett, votes against joining Confederation; Bennett defeated Frederick Carter in the Confederation election of November 13, 2025. Newfoundland
• 1877 - December 22 - Edcuation - l'Université Laval opens a branch campus in Montreal, later l'Université de Montréal. Montréal, Québec
• 1897 - December 22 - Fishery - Bering Sea Claims Commission recommends US pay Canadian sealers $463,454; to compensate for seizure of vessels. Ottawa, Ontario
• 1902 - December 22 - Immigration - Doukhobor leader Peter "Lordly" Verigin arrives in Yorkton to assume leadership of the Doukhobors after spending nearly 16 years in exile in Siberia; announces that his people will become British subjects. Yorkton, Saskatchewan
• 1920 - December 22 - Justice - Tom Bassoff hanged in Lethbridge for the murder of APP Constable F.W.E. Bailey in Bellevue, Alberta, on August 7, 1920. Lethbridge, Alberta
• 1922 - December 22 - Official opening of the Mount Royal Hotel, with 1.046 rooms. Montréal, Québec
• 1924 - December 22 - Hockey - Babe Dye of the NHL's Toronto St. Patricks scores 5 goals as his team beats the Boston Bruins 10-2. Toronto, Ontario
• 1932 - December 22 - Depression - Alberta Relief Commission prepares Christmas dinner for 3,000 homeless men in Calgary. Calgary, Alberta
• 1941 - December 22 - World War II - Battle of Hong Kong - Japanese capture Sugar Loaf Hill at 12 noon, but Canadians from C Company of the Royal Rifles recapture the hill; later taken out to Stanley Fort down the peninsula, for a rest; will hold out until their ammunition, food and water are exhausted. Hong Kong, China
• 1943 - December 22 - World War II - Battle of Ortona - Canadian First Division surrounds Ortona, cuts off German retreat; starts week-long battle with savage house to house fighting. Ortona, Italy
• 1950 - December 22 - Korean War - Royal Canadian Navy's HMCS Athabaskan relieved for repairs and general maintenance; had performed carrier screen duty, escorted shipping, carried out blockade patrols and provided anti-aircraft protection and general support for the forces evacuating Inchon. Korea
• 1952 - December 22 - Library - Government announces plans to build the National Library of Canada; today part of Library and Archives Canada. Ottawa, Ontario
• 1959 - December 22 - Hockey - New York Rangers goalie Marcel Paille wears a customized face mask during a game. New York, New York
• 1960 - December 22 - Holiday - First Aluminum Christmas trees go on sale in Canada. (CBC Archives)

  - December 22 - Urban - Natal incorporated as a village. Natal, BC

• 1963 - December 22 - Crime - Reginald Binette kills four parishioners of Christ the King Roman Catholic Church in Ottawa in robbery attempt; sentenced to life imprisonment May 1, 1964. Ottawa, Ontario
• 1964 - December 22 - Cinema - Canadian-born film producer Harry Saltzman and his partner Cubby Broccoli host the US premiere of their new James Bond movie, Goldfinger, starring Sean Connery, Honor Blackman, Gert Frobe and Harold Sakata, at the DeMille and Coronet theaters; Shirley Bassey sings the title song. New York, New York

  - December 22 -Road - Opening of the Eastern Townships Autoroute (Autoroute de l'Estrie). Québec

• 1965 - December 22 - Youth - Report of organizing committee recommends setting up Company of Young Canadians as a Crown Corporation. Ottawa, Ontario
• 1967 - December 22 - Justice Minister Pierre Trudeau, in presenting his Omnibus Bill reforming the Criminal Code, tells the House of Commons that "There is no place for the state in the bedrooms of the nation." His bill calls for decriminalization of 'homosexual acts' performed in private, making it legal for women to get an abortioni if a committee of 3 doctors feels the pregnancy endangers the mental, emotional or physical well-being of the mother. The bill also calls for the legalization of lotteries, further controls on gun ownership, and breathalyzer tests on suspected drunk drivers if police have reasonable and probable cause. Ottawa, Ontario - (CBC Archives)
• 1969 - December 22 - Religion - Women - Anglican Church of Canada ordains First woman deacon. Toronto, Ontario

- December 22 - Terrorism - FLQ terrorists explode bomb in a post office truck. Montréal, Québec

- December 22 - Health - Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau and Minister of Health John Munro discuss drug abuse with John Lennon and Yoko Ono. Ottawa, Ontario

- December 22 - Gambling - Supreme Court of Canada rules 1968 Montréal lottery illegal; Province of Québec responds by setting up a provincial lottery corporation, Loto-Québec; First draw to take place March 14, 1970. Montréal, Québec

• 1972 - December 22 - Music - Canadian folk singer Joni Mitchell receives a gold record for her album, For the Roses; includes the single, You Turn Me on, I'm a Radio. New York, New York
• 1973 - December 22 - Pierre Berton quoted in Canadian Magazine as saying, A Canadian is somebody who knows how to make love in a canoe. Toronto, Ontario
• 1974 - December 22 - Hockey - Sault Ste Marie, Ontario's Phil Esposito of the Boston Bruins becomes the 6th NHLer to score 500 goals, in a 5-4 win over the Detroit Red Wings. Boston, Massachusetts
• 1975 - December 22 - Bill Bennett sworn in as Premier of British Columbia, replacing David Barrett. Victoria, BC
• 1976 - December 22 - Olive Diefenbaker dies; wife of former Prime Minister John Diefenbaker. Ottawa, Ontario
• 1977 - December 22 - Military - Ottawa starts building First six new naval frigates; part of $1.5 billion naval program. Ottawa, Ontario
• 1986 - December 22 - Language - Québec Court of Appeal declares that Article 58 of Bill 101 making French the sole language authorized on commercial signs is unconstitutional. Montréal, Québec
• 1987 - December 22 - Hockey - Canada beats Finland 4-1 to win First-ever gold medal at the annual Izvestia hockey tournament. Moscow, Russia
• 1992 - December 22 - Media - Communications Minister Perrin Beatty licenses 4 companies to provide digital Personal Communication Services (PSA) phone services; Telezone, Rogers Cantel, Mobility Canada (Bell) and Canada Popfone (MH). Ottawa, Ontario
• 1995 - December 22 - Politics - Lucien Bouchard announces that he is a candidate for the leadership of the Parti Québecois. Quebec

- December 22 - Baseball - Toronto Blue Jays pitcher David Cone signs a $19.5 million 3 year contract with the New York Yankees. New York, New York

• 1996 - December 22 - Hockey - Brett Hull becomes the 24th player in NHL history to score 500 goals when he notches a hat trick in the St. Louis Blues' 7-4 victory over the Los Angeles Kings; joined Hall of Famer Bobby Hull as the only father-son combination to score 500 goals apiece. St. Louis, Missouri
• 2000 - December 22 - Justice - Stockwell Day settles a lawsuit brought against him by Alberta lawyer Lorne Goddard; Goddard alleged that Day tarnished his reputation by publicly criticizing him, in writing a letter to a newspaper, for defending a man accused of possessing child pornography. Edmonton, Alberta
• 2004 - December 22 - Alice Strike dies; born 1896; Canada's last surviving female World War I veteran. Toronto, Ontario

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