Events from the year 2013 in Canada.
Incumbents Crown Monarch – Elizabeth II
Federal government Governor General – David Johnston Prime Minister – Stephen Harper Chief Justice – Beverley McLachlin (British Columbia) Parliament – 41st
Provincial governments
Lieutenant governors Lieutenant Governor of Alberta – Donald Ethell Lieutenant Governor of British Columbia – Judith Guichon Lieutenant Governor of Manitoba – Philip S. Lee Lieutenant Governor of New Brunswick – Graydon Nicholas Lieutenant Governor of Newfoundland and Labrador – John Crosbie (until March 19) then Frank Fagan Lieutenant Governor of Nova Scotia – John James Grant Lieutenant Governor of Ontario – David Onley Lieutenant Governor of Prince Edward Island – Frank Lewis Lieutenant Governor of Quebec – Pierre Duchesne Lieutenant Governor of Saskatchewan – Vaughn Solomon Schofield
Premiers Premier of Alberta – Alison Redford Premier of British Columbia – Christy Clark Premier of Manitoba – Greg Selinger Premier of New Brunswick – David Alward Premier of Newfoundland and Labrador – Kathy Dunderdale Premier of Nova Scotia – Darrell Dexter (until October 22) then Stephen McNeil Premier of Ontario – Dalton McGuinty (until February 11) then Kathleen Wynne Premier of Prince Edward Island – Robert Ghiz Premier of Quebec – Pauline Marois Premier of Saskatchewan – Brad Wall
Territorial governments
Commissioners Commissioner of Yukon – Doug Phillips Commissioner of Northwest Territories – George Tuccaro Commissioner of Nunavut – Edna Elias
Premiers Premier of the Northwest Territories – Bob McLeod Premier of Nunavut – Eva Aariak (until November 15) then Peter Taptuna Premier of Yukon – Darrell Pasloski
Events
January to March January 1 – Quebec tax law changes from charging a 9.5% Quebec Sales Tax (QST) on a consumer sale plus the goods and services tax (GST), to a 9.975% QST on just the consumer sale, having no effect to the consumer, as the GST is 5%. January 21 – The Charbonneau Commission resumes its hearings. February 3 – The St. Albert cheese factory in eastern Ontario is ravaged by fire. There were no injuries and the Provincial Police leads to the survey. February 4 – The Royal Canadian Mint discontinues distribution of the penny. February 11 Hundreds of people demonstrated against the reform of the federal Employment Insurance in Tracadie-Sheila, New Brunswick. Kathleen Wynne is sworn in as premier of Ontario, following a leadership election, becoming Ontario's first female premier and Canada's first openly gay premier; the election was also the first time that two women had competed for the leadership of the party, and the first time in Canadian history that six provinces or territories have simultaneously had female premiers. February 14 – Pastagate an incident that happens. it starts with an inspector of the Office québécois de la langue française (OQLF) sent a letter of warning to an upscale restaurant, Buonanotte, for using Italian words such as "pasta", "antipasti", "calamari", etc. on its menu instead of their French equivalents. The incident led to the resignation of Louise Marchand, head of the OQLF, on 8 March. February 27 – NDP MP of Jonquière—Alma, Claude Patry crosses the floor to the Bloc Québécois. February 28 – Seasonal workers protest against reform of federal Employment Insurance in Rivière-du-Loup, Quebec, while Prime Minister Stephen Harper made an appearance there to talk about the reform. March 13 – Chris Hadfield became the first Canadian to be the master on board the International Space Station (ISS), to the successor to the American NASA Kevin Ford. March 14 – Following controversy over campaign donations made during the 2011 election, Peter Penashue resigns as Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs and as MP for Labrador to contest the seat in a by-election. March 19 – Frank Fagan becomes Lieutenant Governor of Newfoundland and Labrador, replacing John Crosbie. March 21 – A massive pileup on Alberta Highway 2 during winter storm conditions injures approximately 100 people.
April to June April 4 to 13 – Suicide and funeral of Rehtaeh Parsons April 10 – Child killer Allyson McConnell is deported to Australia after serving just 15 months for killing her two young sons by drowning them. The leniency in sentencing provokes outrage, with Alberta Justice Minister Jonathan Denis appealing against the sentence and promising to seek her extradition. April 13 – The NDP leader Thomas Mulcair receives 92.3% vote of confidence in the national congress in Montreal. April 14 – Justin Trudeau is elected leader of the Liberal Party of Canada. April 19 – Opening of Musée Grévin Montreal April 26 – Edmonton Remand Centre workers walk off the job, starting a wildcat strike, in a dispute over safety deficiencies. Other union jail and court workers protested in support, in the following days. May 5 – The Canadian Forces Naval Jack is renamed the Canadian Naval Ensign, and it swaps roles with the National Flag on Her Majesty's Canadian ships May 13 – Liberal candidate Yvonne Jones wins the federal by-election in Labrador."Liberals take Labrador, as Jones wins big over Penashue". CBC News, May 13, 2013. May 14 – The British Columbia Liberal Party wins its fourth straight majority in the 2013 British Columbia election. The British Columbia New Democratic Party remains the official opposition, losing two seats, and the Green Party of British Columbia wins its first seat. June 2 A rail bridge crossing the Wanapitei River in the Sudbury neighbourhood of Wanup collapses, causing a train derailment and resulting in the temporary closure of Highway 537."Train derails near Sudbury, Ont., after trestle collapses". CBC News, June 2, 2013. Denis Coderre resigns as MP for Bourassa to run for Mayor of Montreal. June 3 – The provincial government of Quebec places the city of Laval under trusteeship due to the ongoing crisis of corruption allegations against the city council at the Charbonneau Commission hearings."Quebec premier calls Laval trusteeship 'terrible, disheartening, sad'". The Globe and Mail, June 3, 2013. Florent Gagné, a former head of the Sûreté du Québec, will serve as the city's head trustee, with responsibility for reviewing and approving or rejecting all decisions made by city council. June 5 – Radio-Canada, the French-language arm of the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, announces a plan to rebrand its broadcasting services as Ici."CBC's French service ditches 'Radio-Canada' for 'Ici'". The Globe and Mail, June 5, 2013. June 6 Edmonton—St. Albert MP Brent Rathgeber voluntarily leaves the Conservative caucus because of what he describes as "the Government's lack of commitment to transparency and open government", one day after tabling a bill on government transparency. Edmonton East MP Peter Goldring rejoins the Conservative caucus after being acquitted of his 2011 charge of refusing to provide a breath sample at a traffic stop. June 11 – Quebec's premier Pauline Marois announced her support of the Quebec Soccer Federation's ban on turbans within the federation and suggested that the CSF has no authority over provincial organizations. June 17 – Following an investigation into allegations of municipal corruption at Quebec's Charbonneau Commission hearings, the provincial anti-corruption unit arrests and presses charges against three political figures in Montreal, including incumbent mayor Michael Applebaum, former city councillor Saulie Zajdel and a city bureaucrat."Montreal Mayor Michael Applebaum charged with 14 offences". Toronto Star, June 17, 2013. June 18 – After just seven months in office, Michael Applebaum resigns as Mayor of Montreal after his arrest on corruption charges."Montreal Mayor Michael Applebaum resigns". Toronto Star, June 18, 2013. June 19–25 – Over 100,000 people in major centres in Southern Alberta are displaced due to catastrophic flooding. June 25 – Laurent Blanchard is selected as the new Mayor of Montreal in a vote at Montreal City Council."Laurent Blanchard new interim mayor of Montreal" . The Gazette, June 25, 2013. June 28 – After just seven months in office, Alexandre Duplessis resigns as mayor of Laval, Quebec, following allegations that he solicited prostitutes while in office.. The Gazette, June 28, 2013.
July to September July 2 – The Royal Canadian Mounted Police Integrated National Security Enforcement Team-led Project Souvenir concludes with the arrests of Amanda Marie Korody and John Stewart Nuttall, both of Surrey, BC, on numerous terrorism-related criminal charges. July 3 – Martine Beaugrand is selected as the new mayor of Laval, Quebec, following the resignation of Alexandre Duplessis on June 28."Councillor Martine Beaugrand becomes new Laval mayor" . The Gazette, July 3, 2013. July 6 – A 73-car freight train carrying crude oil derails in Lac-Mégantic, Quebec, catching fire and exploding, killing 47. July 8 – The Minister of Public Safety Vic Toews resigns as Minister and as MP for Provencher, citing a desire to spend more time with his family. July 31 – Former interim Liberal leader and Toronto Centre MP Bob Rae resigns to become First Nations negotiator in the Northern Ontario Ring of Fire mining development. August 3 – An African rock python snake escaped a pet store in Campbellton, New Brunswick, went through the HVAC system and eventually suffocated two children sleeping in an adjacent apartment. August 22 – For the second anniversary of his death, a bronze life-sized statue of Jack Layton on a tandem bike is unveiled at the Toronto Island ferry terminal in Toronto, simultaneously with the terminal being renamed "Jack Layton Ferry Terminal" in his honour."Jack Layton memorial statue unveiled". CBC News, August 22, 2013. August 31 Merv Tweed resigns as MP for Brandon—Souris to become President of OmniTRAX Canada. Jerry Dias is elected the first president of the new Unifor labour union, a merger between the Canadian Auto Workers and the Communications, Energy and Paperworkers Union of Canada."CAW's Jerry Dias first president of Unifor, merger of CAW and CEP". CTV News, August 31, 2013. September 12 – Maria Mourani, Bloc Québécois MP for Ahuntsic, is expelled from caucus due to comments she made against the Quebec Charter of Values proposed by the Parti Québécois government of Pauline Marois. September 18 – Six people are killed in Ottawa in a collision between a Via Rail train and a double-decker OC Transpo bus. September 26 – Peterborough MP Dean Del Mastro leaves the Conservative caucus after being charged with breaking campaign rules during the 2008 election.
October to December October 8 – 2013 Nova Scotia general election. Nova Scotia elects a majority Liberal government led by Stephen McNeil. The Progressive Conservatives take second place to form the official opposition and the NDP are relegated to third party from a previous majority government. October 9 – Two personnel branches of the Canadian Armed Forces are renamed: Canadian Forces Medical Service to Royal Canadian Medical Service and Canadian Forces Dental Services to Royal Canadian Dental Corps. October 13 – Scott Jones, a gay resident of New Glasgow, Nova Scotia, is left paraplegic after being stabbed in an anti-gay attack."Scott Jones said he was attacked for being gay". CBC News, December 11, 2013. October 17 – The RCMP enforce an injunction in Rexton, New Brunswick, resulting in a violent confrontation at a blockade site protesting shale gas exploration. At least 40 people were arrested and five police cars caught fire. October 18 – The Government of Canada signs a tentative free trade agreement with the European Union. October 22 – Stephen McNeil is sworn in as premier of Nova Scotia, following a general election. October 28 – 2013 Nunavut general election