February 17

1775:

The Queen's Rangers finish clearing a path from York (Toronto) to Lake Simcoe, which is then named Younge Street. It has taken the troops the better part of a year to complete the new road, labouring through intense cold, hilly terrain, and dense h

1839:

New Brunswick militia called up to defend Aroostook in the war with Maine

1870:

Louis Riel’s provisional guardsmen arrest 48 armed men at Upper Fort Garry.

1917:

Flt. Lt. Hugh Aird of Toronto takes part in a bombing mission against the Buk bridge in Macedonia. Aird drops three 100-pound bombs on the bridge, preventing its further use by the Turks.

1919:

Sir Wilfrid Laurier (Canada's 7th Prime Minister) dies. He is interred at Notre Dame Cemetery in Ottawa.

1937:

The destroyers HMCS FRASER and HMCS ST LAURENT were commissioned at Chatham, England.

1939:

The Royal Canadian Air Force receives its first delivery of Hawker Hurricane fighters, intended to replace severely outdated aircraft of the time. this was just intime for the begining of the 2nd world war.

1944:

HMCS ALGONQUIN (Destroyer) is commissioned at Glasgow, Scotland.

1944:

Japanese naval base at Truk, Caroline Islands, destroyed by US carrier-borne aircraft