Here is a list of significant events that happened in 2009 that I have put together. If I am missing any important events, please feel free to comment here.
January
Barack Obama was inaugurated as the 44th President of the United States.
Opposition Leader Michael Ignatieff supports the Minority Conservative Party Federal Budget.
The Canadian Economy lost 129,000 jobs in January 2009 with unemployment rising to 7.2%. It was an all-time record in Canada. Despite it being a record, it is lower than the unemployment rate in the United States (7.6%).
February
The US President made his first foreign visit — to Canada.
Slumdog Millionaire won 8 Academy Awards — the most awards.
Barack Obama announced he will withdraw most soldiers from Iraq by August 2010.
March
The 2009 Juno Awards ceremony was held in Vancouver hosted by Russell Peters. My MP James Moore made an appearance at the ceremony.
Barack Obama lifted restrictions on embryonic stem cell research.
People around the world participated in Earth Hour by turning off the lights.
April
Stephen Harper attends the G20 London Summit.
Swine Flu arrived in Canada.
Michael Ignatieff was acclaimed as the Leader of the Liberal Party of Canada at the Leadership Convention in Vancouver.
May
39th BC General Election was held. The BCLiberals remained in power, under the tough economic times. The party won 49 of 85 seats. Gordon Campbell was elected for a 3rd term. The next BC General Election will be May 14, 2013.
There was a referendum on electoral reform in British Columbia to change FPTP (First-Past-the-Post) to BCSTV (BC Single Transferrable Vote). It failed to succeed.
Arthur Erickson (architect of the Vancouver Cityscape and Simon Fraser University) passed away.
June
Roméo-Adrien LeBlanc, Governor General from 1995 to 1999, passed away after an Alzheimer’s disease battle. LeBlanc served as Minister under several posts during the Trudeau Government.
Outbreak of the H1N1 Influenza Pandemic.
Michael Jackson passed away.
Iran Election Protest began around the world.
July
Sarah Palin resigns as Governor of Alaska.
The Bank of Canada declares the recession has ended in Canada.
China will decrease number of executions
August
Thousands flee from B.C.‘s worst wildfires
Stephen Harper protects the North. The True North Strong and Free.
September
The Christian Democratic Union and Christian Social Union won the German Federal Election. It shows that during tough economic times, conservativism is the best choice.
Polanski was arrested in Switzerland on 1978 US Warrant at the Zurich Film Festival
October
Jack Poole, head of the VANOC bid committee, passed away. Five days later, Ted Nebbeling, former BCLiberal MLA for West Vancouver and former Minister of State for the 2010 Winter Olympics, passed away.
Barack Obama protected the rights of the LGBT community.
November
Four by-elections were held to fill vacancies in the House of Commons. The Conservative Party won 2 ridings (CPC 1 gain), the New Democrat Party won 1 riding (NDP hold) and the Bloc Quebecois won 1 riding (BQ 1 loss).
Obama job approval rating drops under 50 percent
US Senate allows debate on Health Care Reform
December
Obama received the 2009 Nobel Peace Prize for “for his extraordinary efforts to strengthen international diplomacy and cooperation between peoples.”
Five Canadians killed in Afghanistan, a few of the many that died since the war started.
The United Nations Climate Change Conference opens in Copenhagen.
No related posts.
Feb -
Jóhanna Sigurðardóttir is appointed as the new Prime Minister of Iceland, becoming the world’s first openly lesbian head of government. This as a counter argument to your partisan endorsement of conservatism in Germany, as Iceland shifted much to the left after the preceding rampant capitalism led to the collapse of its economy.
Nov -
Nasa’s rocket blast into the moon find evidence of water
Large Hadron Collider begins operations, world’s highest energy particle accelerator