2003 in Canada

See also: 2002 in Canada, other events of 2003, 2004 in Canada and the list of 'years in Canada'.

Table of contents

1 Events
2 Births
3 Television
4 Deaths

Events

January 20 - Avalanche kills eight skiers in eastern British Columbia
February 2 - An avalanche in Glacier National Park, British Columbia, kills six boys and one girl.
February 22 - 2003 Canada Winter Games
March 5 - Sui-chu Kwan, who travelled to Hong Kong in February, dies of SARS in Toronto.
March 10 - Scarborough's Grace Hospital closes as a result of SARS, the first of many hospital to do so
March 17 - Health Canada announces 17 suspected SARS cases in Canada
March 26 - Ontario declares a public health emergency as a result of SARS
April 14 - In the Quebec election Jean Charest's Liberals defeat Bernard Landry's Parti Quebecois
April 23 - The World Health Organization issues a travel advisory against Toronto because of SARS, Canadian officials protest the decision
April 25 - After more than two weeks with no new cases of SARS health workers begin to feel the disease is contained
May 12 - Holly Jones, a ten year old girl, disappears in Toronto. The next parts of her body are found floating in Lake Ontario
May 20 - An Albertan cow is found to have been infected with BSE, the United States, Japan, and a number of other nations halt all imports of Canadian beef
May 22 - SARS reemerges in a Toronto hospital
June 9 - In the New Brunswick election Bernard Lord's Conservatives lose many seats but are reelected to a majority govenrment
June 10 - a Toronto court rules that the ban on gay marriage is illegal, the first marriage takes place that day
July 8 - British Columbia follows Ottawa's lead and permits same-sex marriage
August 5 - In the Nova Scotia election John Hamm's Conservatices are reelected to a minority government
August 9 - The United States eases its ban on Canadian beef
August 14 - The United Church of Canada votes to approve same-sex marriages
August 14 - A massive blackout hits Ontario, Quebec and northeast of the United States
September 23 - The Ward Hunt Ice Shelf, 443 square kilometres in size, in the Arctic fractures, releasing all water within a freshwater lake it contained.
October 2 - Ontario Election. Dalton McGuinty's Liberals defeats Ernie Eves's Tories.
October 5 - Maher Arar freed from jail in Syria
October 21 - Newfoundalnd election, Premier Frank Grimes's Liberals are defeated by Danny Williams's Conservatives
October 23 - Israeli airline El Al Jet is diverted twice, first to Montreal then to Hamilton, Ontario, to allow some passengers off. A threat was made against Toronto's Pearson International Airport.
November 5 - In the Saskatchewan election Premier Lorne Clavert's NDP is reelected to a bare majority
November 10 - Municipal elections oocur across Ontario. In the Toronto election David Miller is elected mayor.
November 13 - The Canadian dollar value closes at a 10 year high of $ .7695 US
November 18 - Canada offers Ontario $330 million in relief of the past summer's SARS virus impact
November 19: An interim report on the cause of the August 14 blackout is released. Blames problems in Ohio.
November 21 - The Heritage Classic, the first outdoor game in NHL history, is played in Edmonton
November 27: Canadian Alliance Party leader Stephen Harper fires CA Member of Parliament Larry Spencer as Family Values Critic after his anti-gay remarks [1]
November 28: Liberal Party Member John Manley announces his retirement from politics. [1]
November 28: Type A Influenza kills a boy in southern Ontario. The third victim in the province killed by the same strain of the virus. Numerous influenza-related deathes also reported in the United States and United Kingdom. [1]
December 8: The United States to give Bronze Star medals to the 26 Canadian soldiers of the Princess Patricia Canadian Light Infantry, who were training during the friendly fire attack in Afghanistan last year. The Canadian soldiers who were killed will be given posthumous recognition. Canadian Chief of staff General Ray Henault will give a Commander in Chief Unit Citation, on behalf of Governor General Adrienne Clarkson. The event takes place in Edmonton.
December 12 - Paul Martin, Jr to be sworn in as Canada's 21st Prime Minister

Births

Television

American Idol comes to Canada as Canadian Idol Hosted by Ben Mulroney (son of Brian Mulroney)
Colin Mochrie leaves; Mary Walsh is expected for 6 episodes than leave; Shaun Majumder joins This Hour Has 22 Minutes

Deaths

June 15 - Hume Cronyn, stage and film actor
June 21 - Roger Neilson, National Hockey League coach
July 16 - Carol Shields, author
October 15 - Bertram N. Brockhouse, physicist