More important events have taken place in Canada on July 1 than on any other day of the year, but first place will always be retained by Confederation Day, 1867.  This was Canada’s birthday, although Canada then included only Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick and Nova Scotia.

Most nations were born of adversity, unhappy occasions, often due to war.  Canada was born of diversity, a curious blending of races, geography and economics.

For the most part, her birthday was a happy occasion.  In Ottawa, church bells began ringing after midnight, June 30.  There was also a 101-gun salute, while 21-gun salutes were fired in other centres.  In Saint John and Halifax, however, a number of merchants were so opposed to Confederation that they draped their stores in crêpe!

There was a drab ceremony in the Privy Council chamber, where Lord Monck was sworn in as governor-general…