Victoria Day is celebrated on the first Monday before May 25. It has been celebrated in Canada since the reign of Queen Victoria. At Death of Queen Victoria a bill was passed that made May 24th a legal Holiday under the name Victoria Day. Her successor, Edward VII, although born on November 9, but was celebrated on May 24th. Our present monarch Elizabeth II's first birthday during her reign was celebrated in June (June 9) but afterwards it was celebrated on Victoria Day. So Victoria Day is not only Victoria's Day but the Queen's Birthday as well.
Canada Day, previously know as Dominion Day was first celebrated On July 1st 1868, one year after confederation. In 1879, the Holiday became the official national holiday under the name Dominion Day. The only recorded organised events for Dominion Day is the 50th Aniversary in 1917, the 60 years in 1927. After 1958, the government began arranging an annual observence of Dominion Day. The largest Dominion Day celebration was, obviously (well not so obvious but you should expect it to be), the centenial celebration in 1967 when HRH Elizabeth II came to Ottawa to party with us, Canadians. In 1982 the name was changed from Dominion Day to Canada Day.
Thanksgiving: I know Americans celebrate it too but it's not the same Day so we're special. The Day always seemed to change. The first Thanksgiving Day was celebrated April 15th, 1872 when the Prince of Wales recovered from a serious illness. The next known Thanksgiving was celebrated in 1879. In 1879 it was observed on a Thursday in November. In 1899 it was changed to a Thursday in October where it remained until 1907. Things changed much and it ends up being the second Monday of October (since 1957).
Remembrance Day: Okay this is a holiday observed in many countries but we have a different name. Its called Veteran's Day in the States, Armistice in France and other places. It marks the end of the first World War on November 11. From the period of 1921 to 1930 it was celebrated on the Monday of the week of November 11th and was celebrated as Thanksgiving Day (see above). After 1931 it was permanently observed on November 11th and changed its name from Armistice Day to Remembrance Day.
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