Events January 4 - The Federal Government makes it much harder to obtain unemployment insurance February 7 - Lennox Lewis becomes heavyweight champion February 7 - Sarah McLachlan marries Ashwin Sood February 14 - Newsprint giants Abitibi-Price and Stone-Consolidated announce they are merging March 6 - A new rigourou anti-tobacco advertising law is passed March 11 - Alberta election: Ralph Klein's PCs win an eighth consecutive majority March 15 - Gilles Duceppe is elected leader of the Bloc Quebecois March 19 - Bre-X geologist Michael de Guzman jumps or is pushed from a helicopter in Indonesia March 21 - Nova Scotia Premier John Savage announces his resignation April 22 - Massive flooding of hte Red River in Manitoba leads to a state of emergency May 31 - Confederation Bridge opens June 2 - Federal election: Jean Chrétien's Liberals win a second consecutive majority, the Reform Party becomes the Official Opposition June 18 - The CRTC introduces a television rating system July 2 - The Somalia Inquiry is disbanded prematurely July 9 - Danielle House forced to give up her Miss Canada title after pleading guilty to assault July 12 - Russell MacLellan becomes the new Premier of Nova Scotia. July 30 - Phil Fontaine elected head of the Assembly of First Nations August 7 - Bjarni Tryggvason flies aboard the Space Shuttle September 2 - Newfoundlanders vote to do away with their religion based school systems September 3 - One is killed in a Saskatchewan train derailment September 25 - Chris Jericho is inducted into the Canadian Wrestling Hall Of Fame October 1 - Michel Bastarache is appointed to the Supreme Court October 2 - Canada recalls its abassador to Israel after Mossad uses forged Canadian passports October 7 - An out-of-court settlement is reached between Brian Mulroney and the federal government regarding the Airbus affair October 13 - Raymond Frenette becomes premier of New Brunswick, replacing Frank McKenna October 13 - 43 are killed in Canada's worst ever traffic accident as a tour bus falls off a cliff October 26 - Jacques Villeneuve becomes the first Canadian to capture a world racing title October 27-November 10 - A teachers strike hits Ontario November 3 - Canada destroys the last land mines in its arsenal November 9 - The scandal wracked Saskatchewan Conservative Party is mothballed November 14 - Fourteen year old Reena Virk is beaten to death by classmates in Victoria, BC November 16 - The Toronto Argonauts win the Grey Cup November 17 - The Hibernia oil project pumps its first barrel of oil November 21-November 25 - The APEC summit is held in Vancouver. COntroversy arrises when RCMP use force and pepper spray to remove protestors. The Calgary Declaration from the premiers, except Lucien Bouchard A second Sacred Assembly is held but issues no proclamation Arts and literature New Books Timothy Findley - You Went Away Awards Giller Prize for Canadian Fiction: Mordecai Richler - Barney's Version See 1997 Governor General's Awards for a complete list of winners and finalists for those awards. Books in Canada First Novel Award: Anne Michaels, Fugitive Pieces Gerald Lampert Award: Marilyn Dumont, A Really Good Brown Girl Marian Engel Award: Katherine Govier Pat Lowther Award: Marilyn Bowering, Autobiography Stephen Leacock Award: Arthur Black, Black in the Saddle Again Trillium Book Award English: Dionne Brand, Land to Light On Trillium Book Award French: Roger Levac, Petite Crapaude! Vicky Metcalf Award: Tim Wynne-Jones Film Atom Egoyan's The Sweet Hereafter is released, it is nominated for the Academy Award for Best Director Television The Arrow, a mini-series about the Avro Arrow shows plays to gret popularity and accliam and the CBC Music Oscar Peterson receives a Grammy for life time achievement. Births Deaths June 9 - Stanley Knowles, MP October 8 - James Ferguson, musician November 7 - Clyde Gilmour, CBC radio host November 24 - Czelaw Brzozowicz, engineer November 24 - John Sopinka, Supreme Court justice December 7 - George Gardiner, businessman, ceramics collector December 13 - Catherine Keachie, magazine lobbyist December 24 - Pierre Peladeau, newspaper editor Pierre Granche, sculptor
Deaths June 9 - Stanley Knowles, MP October 8 - James Ferguson, musician November 7 - Clyde Gilmour, CBC radio host November 24 - Czelaw Brzozowicz, engineer November 24 - John Sopinka, Supreme Court justice December 7 - George Gardiner, businessman, ceramics collector December 13 - Catherine Keachie, magazine lobbyist December 24 - Pierre Peladeau, newspaper editor Pierre Granche, sculptor