1 April 1999
Canada creates a third territory called Nunavut, carved out of the Northwest Territories. It covers one-fifth of Canada and Inuit make up 85 per cent of its population.

2 April 2003
HMCS Iroquois and HMCS Fredericton arrive in the Persian Gulf. They join HMCS Regina as part of a U.S.-led task force conducting in maritime surveillance.

3 April 1951
In Korea, divisions of the U.S. Eighth Army cross the 38th parallel.

5 April 1995
While on a tour of Mideast ports to demonstrate Canadian warship technology, the Canadian frigate HMCS Fredericton answers a distress call from a yacht under pirate attack. The yacht is saved.

6 April 1945
With the Royal Canadian Navy now the third largest navy in the world, the cruiser HMCS Uganda arrives in the Pacific to join the war against Japan.

7 April 1916
The mud is like porridge during the fighting for the St. Eloi Craters in France. Canadian losses from late March to mid-April are nearly 1,400.

9-12 April 1917
In driving wind, snow and sleet, the Canadian Corps launches its attack against German defences at Vimy Ridge. All four divisions of the corps fight together for the first time and capture the ridge.

13 April 1964
Bill C-90, to integrate all Canadian Forces headquarters under a single chief of the defence staff, is introduced in the House of Commons.

16 April 1945
The Canadian minesweeper Esquimalt is torpedoed and sunk by U-190 off Halifax. More than 40 sailors die, many while await rescue.

20 April 1953
Sick and wounded prisoners of war are exchanged between North Korean and United Nations forces at Panmunjom.

21 April 1997
The Canadian Forces launch Operation Assistance in response to the flooding of the Red River in Manitoba.

[Library and Archives Canada]

23-24 April 1951
The Battle of Kapyong begins in Korea.

28 April 1919
Canada is one of 41 countries to accept the Covenant of the League of Nations, which comes into effect in January 1920.

30 April 1945
Having agreed to a truce to open Holland to Allied food deliveries, Nazi and Allied leaders choose 10 zones where food can be dropped over the next 10 days to feed the starving Dutch.