1940 in Canada in Encyclopedia

March 13 - David Boon becomes premier of New Brunswick, replacing Allison Dysart
March 21 - Alberta election: William Aberhart's Social Credit Party wins a second consecutive majority
March 26 - Federal election: Mackenzie King's Liberals win a second consecutive majority
April 3 - Alexander Cambridge, 1st Earl of Athlone is appointed Governor General of Canada replacing the late John Buchan, 1st Baron Tweedsmuir
April 25 - Quebec women get the vote in provincial elections
May 28-June 30 - World War II: The Canadian navy stations seven destroyers in the English Channel; these play an important role in evacuating Allied troops from France
June - World War II: Canadian troops are some of a small number of forces defending Britain
June 5 - Nazi, fascist, and communist groups are declared illegal in Canada and leaders and members are jailed
June 10 - World War II: Canada declares war against Italy
June 13-June 18 - World War II: A small number of Canadian troops land in Brest, France but are forced to evacuate soon after
June 21 - The National Resources Mobilization Act is passed; conscription is introduced, but only for homeland defence

July 10 Alexander MacMillan becomes premier of Nova Scotia, replacing Angus Macdonald
August 1 September 17 World War II: 80 Canadian pilots participate in the Battle of Britain
August 5 Camillien Houde, the mayor of Montreal is arrested for sedition due to his anti-conscription rhetoric
August 7 Unemployment insurance is introduced
August 13 The Canadian Armoured Corps is established
August 18 The Odgensburg Agreement on continental defence is signed with the United States
September 5: United Kingdom trades most of its North American military bases to the United States in exchange for 50 destroyers

Arts and literature

See the 1940 Governor General's Awards for a complete list of winners and finalists for those awards.

January 1 - Clifford Olson, serial killer (d.2011)
January 10 - Guy Chevrette, politician
January 28 - Valery Fabrikant, professor of mechanical engineering and murderer responsible for the Concordia University massacre on August 24, 1992
February 16 - Don Bertoia, middle distance runner
March 6 - Ken Danby, artist (d.2007)
March 22 - Dave Keon, ice hockey player

Alex Trebek, March 2007

July 11 - Yvon Charbonneau, politician
July 15 - Glen Findlay, politician
July 22 - Alex Trebek, television personality and game show host
July 27 - Harvie Andre, engineer, businessman, politician and Minister
July 28 - Mario Sergio, politician
August 7 - Sally McCallum, track and field athlete
September 6 - Brian Smith, ice hockey player and sportscaster (d.1995)
September 9 - Larry Lund, ice hockey player
September 11 - Gerry Phillips, politician
September 20 - Doug Young, politician and Minister
September 30
- Harry Jerome, track and field runner (d.1982)
- Dewey Martin, rock drummer (d.2009)

John Buchan, 1st Baron Tweedsmuir

February 11 - John Buchan, 1st Baron Tweedsmuir, novelist, politician and 15th Governor General of Canada (b.1875)
March 3 - Joseph Ovide Brouillard, politician and businessman (b.1859)
March 26 - Richard Squires, politician and Prime Minister of Newfoundland (b.1880)
April 25 - John Hampden Burnham, politician and lawyer (b.1860)
May 2 - James Bowman, politician (b.1861)
June 10 - Norman McLeod Rogers, lawyer, politician and Minister (b.1894)

September 2 - Maude Abbott, physician (b.1869)
September 7 - Laura Borden, wife of Robert Borden, 8th Prime Minister of Canada (b.1862)
October 9 - Wilfred Grenfell, medical missionary (b.1865)
October 10 - Berton Churchill, actor (b.1876)
December 5 - Wilfred Lucas, actor, film director and screenwriter (b.1871)