See also: 1878 in Canada, other events of 1879, 1880 in Canada and the list of 'years in Canada'.

Events

The Opening of Canadian Parliament in 1879.

• March 12 - Sir John A. Macdonald introduces protective tariffs on manufactured goods being imported into Canada, a transcontinental railway, and immigration to the west in his National Policy.
• April 25 - Sir William Wilfred Sullivan becomes premier of Prince Edward Island, replacing Sir Louis Davies
• June 5 - Ontario election: Sir Oliver Mowat's Liberals win a third consecutive majority
• October 31 - Sir Joseph-Adolphe Chapleau becomes premier of Quebec, replacing Henri-Gustave de Lotbinière

Births

• January 15 - Mazo de la Roche, author
• January 17 - Richard G. Reid, Premier of Alberta
• January 25 - Humphrey T. Walwyn, Governor of Newfoundland
• February 14 - Eli Burton, physicist
• March 20 - Maud Menten, scientist
• May 25 - Max Aitken (Lord Beaverbrook), businessman
• June 12 - Charles D. Richards, Premier of New Brunswick
• August 1 - Eva Tanguay, singer
• August 16 - Samuel Lawrence, labour leader
• October 6 - James Langstaff Bowman, politician
• October 9 - William Warren, Prime Minister of Newfoundland
• November 3 - Vilhjalmur Stefansson, explorer
• November 11 - Violet McNaughton, feminist
• November 25 - Joseph-Arsène Bonnier, politician
• December 24 - Émile Nelligan, poet

Deaths