Events February 1 - Pay television begins operating in Canada. February 15 - the Tamarack Review ceases publication March 4 - Bertha Wilson is appointed Canada's first female Supreme Court justice March 5 - Steve Podborski wins Gold at the World Cup of Skiing April 17 - Queen Elizabeth II signs Canada's newly repatriated constitution in Ottawa June 9 - Bill 101, protecting the French language in Quebec is ruled unconstitutional June 11 - Brian Mulroney replaces Joe Clark as leader of Progressive Conservative Party of Canada June 19 BC Place in Vancouver opens July 23 - Gimli Glider: Air Canada flight 143 crash-lands in Gimli, Manitoba. October 1 - North Atlantic Salmon Conservation Organization is established October 26 - Dominion Day renamed Canada Day November 17 - The Western Grain Transportation Act is passed December 23 - Jeanne Sauvé becomes Canada's first female Governor General Canada agrees to allow testing of American cruise missiles in the west Grey Cup - Toronto Argonauts won 18-17 over the British Columbia Lions Vanier Cup - Calgary Dinos won 31-21 over the Queen's Golden Gaels The Point Lepreau Nuclear Generating Station, the first Nuclear power plant in the Maritimes Arts and Literature New Books A Time for Judas - Morley Callaghan Unearthing Suite - Margaret Atwood Seagull on Yonge Street - Bill Bissett Awards See 1983 Governor General's Awards for a complete list of winners and finalists for those awards. Books in Canada First Novel Award: W.P. Kinsella, Shoeless Joe Gerald Lampert Award: Diana Hartog, Matinee Light Pat Lowther Award: Rhea Tregebov, Remembering History Stephen Leacock Award: Morley Torgov, The Outside Chance of Maximilian Glick Vicky Metcalf Award: Claire Mackay Film Graham Greene makes his film debut in Running Brave David Cronenberg's The Dead Zone is released A film is made of Farley Mowat's Never Cry Wolf Births Deaths June 12 - Norma Shearer, actor July 13 - Gabrielle Roy, author July 29 - Raymond Massey, actor Alden Nowlan, author Stan Rogers, musician Yves Theriault, author Graham Spry, broadcaster
Deaths June 12 - Norma Shearer, actor July 13 - Gabrielle Roy, author July 29 - Raymond Massey, actor Alden Nowlan, author Stan Rogers, musician Yves Theriault, author Graham Spry, broadcaster