Canada Day Fireworks Cruises

Info on the history of Canada Day.

Information courtesy of the Government of Canada & Heritage Canada

Fireworks Cruise / Background of Canada Day / Dominion Day
 

Canada Day Fireworks Cruise Info

Every July 01st the Jubilee Queen holds a dinner dance cruise for Canada day. Guests will enjoy all the standard things that the Jubilee Queen is know for including a fantastic tour of the Toronto islands, a fabulous dinner and terrific dance music from our onboard DJ with the added benefit of a world class fireworks display from Ontario place to celebrate Canada's birthday.

For general information on this years Canada Day Cruise including pricing, menu and times please visit our public cruise page.    

 On the 20th day of June 1868 a proclamation signed by Governor General ( Lord Monck ) called upon all Her Majesty's loving subjects across Canada to join in the celebration of the anni versary of the formation of the union of the British North America prov inces in a federation under the name of Canada on July 1^st.

The July 1 holiday was esta blished by statute in 1879, under the name Dominion Day.

There is no record of organized cere monies after this first anniv ersary, except for the 50^th anniv ersary of Confederation in 1917, at which time the new Centre Block of the Parliament Buildings, under construction, was dedicated as a memorial to the Fathers of Confederation & to the valor of those Canadians fighting in the 1st World War over in Europe.

The next celeb ration to take place was held in the year 1927 to mark the Diamond Jubilee of Confederation. It was highligh ted by the laying of the corners tone by the Governor General of the Confederation Building on Wellington Street and the inauguration of the Carillon in the Peace Tower.

Since 1958 the govern ment has arranged for an annual observance of Canada's national day with the Secretary of State of Canada in charge of the co-ordination. The format provided for a Trooping the Colours ceremony on the lawn of Parliament Hill in the afternoon, a sunset ceremony in the evening followed by a mass band concert & a fireworks display.

Another high light was Canada's Centennial in 1967 when Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II attended the celebrations with Parliament Hill again being the setting for a large scale official ceremony.

The format changed in 1968 with the addition of pro fessional & multicultural concerts held on Parliament Hill including a nationally televised TV show. Up until 1975 the focus of the celebrations under the name "Festival Canada" was held in the National Capital Region during the whole month of July & involved many  cultural, sport & artistic activities as well as municipalities & voluntary organizations. The celebration was cancelled in 1976 but was reac tivated in the year 1977.

A new formula was develo ped in 1980 whereby the National Committee (the federal government organization charged with planning Canada's Birthday celebrations) stressed and sponsored the development of local celebrations all across Canada. Seed money (Money used for the opening for a new business to pay for such preliminary stages as market research and product development.) was distributed to promote popular and amateur activities organized by volunteer groups in hundreds of local communities. The same approach was also followed for the 1981 celebrations with the addition of fireworks displays in 15 major cities across the nation.

Since 1985, Canada Day Comm ittees are established in each province and territory to plan, coordinate  and organize the Canada Day celebrations locally. Grants are provided by the Department to those committees.

History of Dominion Day
( Origin & special observance )

The Proclamation which required celebration in Canada of July 1st:

On the 20th day of June 1868 a proclamation which was issued by Lord Monck (the Governor General) enjoined & requested all Her Majesty the Queen of England's loving subjects across Canada to join in on the celebration of the anniv. The anniversary being the formation of the Do minion of Canada on the 1st day of July 1868.

Act respecting the Do minion Day - 1879:
On the 15th day of May 1879 a Royal Assent (Assent = agreement with a statement or proposal to do something ) was given to... An Act which would make the 1st day of July a Public Holiday which would be named Dominion Day"

Proclamation - Respecting the celebration of the 50th Anniversary of:
On the 16th day of June 1917 the Duke of Devonshire & the Governor General issued a proc lamation appointing Monday the 2nd Day of July 1917 for the special celebration of the 50th Anniver sary of Confederation.

Diamond Jubilee of the Confederation Act & 1927 Incorporation of National Committee:
On the 18th day of February 1927 Royal Ass ent was given to an act which would in corporate a National Committee for the celebration of the ( Diamond Jubilee of Confederation ).
The Committee named the Corp oration comprised of about 70 persons which including the Governor General with his wife, the lieutenant governor's of the provinces, the right honorable Prime Minister of Canada and 7  members of the Cabinet (not including the Secretary of State), several privy councilors including the former prime minister, the Chief Justice, the speakers of both Houses, the premiers of all the provinces, the Leader of the Opposition party, many senators & the Leader of the Opposition in the Senate, Clerk of the Privy Council, the Dominion Archivist, the Under Secretary of State, the Under Secretary of State for External Affairs & the heads of a few organizations consisting of: National Council of Women, the Trades & Labour Congress, the United Farmers of Alberta, National Battlefields Commission, Bar Association, Canadian Legion and others.

Objects of the Corporation were to make & carry out necessary arrangements in co-operation with the provinces and other bodies for an effective celebration of the 60th anniversary of the formation of the Dominion of Canada & to administer & distribute a grant of $250 thousand. The affairs of the corporation were looked after by an executive committee in which the Secretary of State of Canada convened the 1st meeting ever of this national committee.

Celebration throughout Canada 1927:
The National Committee put forth a booklet which was named "Order of Proceedings" for national thanks giving by the people of Canada for Sunday July 3 as a suggestion for local committees across Canada for a public religious ceremony at 2:30 pm in each local time zone under the direction of the lieutenant-governor or mayor or any other senior person in the community. The Prime Minister ( Right Honorable William Lyon Mackenzie King ) who happened to be a Presbyterian, decided to edit this booklet as it was found to be not acceptable for Roman Catholic usage.
The Committee issued a 48 page pamphlet which was illustrated in colour and contained suggestions for historical pageants, floats & tableaux (tableaux = A representation of some scene by means of persons grouped in the proper manner, placed in appropriate postures & remaining silent and motionless) for the guidance and bib liography of Canadian history.

Ottawa Confederation 1927:
the National Committee put together the program of a national celebration at Ottawa which began at 11:00 am. on Friday July 1, 1927 with the laying of the cornerstone done by the Governor General of the Confederation Building at the corner of Bank St. and Wellington St. & continued with the planting of Con federation maple trees on Parliament Hill & the inauguration of the Carillon in the Peace Tower & in the afternoon addresses by the Prime Minister of Canada, the Governor General of Canada & the Leader of the official Opposition & descendants of fathers of Confederation mixed with public singing which was lead by a centenary choir & schoolchildren. Later there was a rather large dinner which was provided by National Committee. The dinner took place in the Ottawa Parliament buildings on the night of the 1st of July followed  by an historical parade.

Come celebrate Canada Day with a fabulous fireworks cruise aboard the Jubilee Queen Cruise Ship!