On this day, May 29th, Canada remembers a tragic night on the St. Lawrence River, a historic maritime voyage, and a major political shift in Ottawa.
The Deadliest Peacetime Disaster in Canadian Waters
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1914: In the early morning hours, tragedy struck when the grand ocean liner RMS Empress of Ireland was accidentally struck by a Norwegian coal ship in a dense fog on the St. Lawrence River near Rimouski, Quebec. The massive vessel sank in just fourteen minutes. Of the 1,477 passengers and crew on board, 1,012 people lost their lives, making it the worst peacetime maritime disaster in Canadian history. Though it carried more passengers than the Titanic, its story was sadly overshadowed by the start of the First World War just a few weeks later.
Historic Voyages and Political Crossroads
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1950: The legendary RCMP schooner St. Roch (See photo above) arrived safely in Halifax, Nova Scotia, completing a historic voyage. Under the command of Captain Henry Larsen, the sturdy wooden vessel became the very first ship to completely circumnavigate North America, having traveled through both the Northwest Passage and the Panama Canal.
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1962: In a moment of high political tension, Prime Minister John Diefenbaker’s Progressive Conservative government fell when it lost a crucial vote of non-confidence in the House of Commons. The defeat was triggered by intense debates over whether Canada should accept American nuclear warheads on Canadian soil.
Here are the entertainment highlights for May 29, 1914—the day of the tragic sinking of the Empress of Ireland in the St. Lawrence River.
🎵 The Top Record: “The Aba Daba Honeymoon” by Arthur Collins & Byron Harlan
While the tragic events of that day cast a somber shadow over the country, the biggest hit on the gramophone charts that exact week was this lighthearted, upbeat “monkey novelty song.”
Recorded for Victor Records, it was a fast-paced comedic duet about a monkey and a chimpanzee falling in love in the jungle. It spent multiple weeks at number one in the spring of 1914 and was a staple in Canadian parlors just before the outbreak of World War I. (You might also remember its massive resurgence decades later when Debbie Reynolds covered it in 1951!)
🎬 The Top Movie: The Spoilers (Starring William Farnum)
In May 1914, the movie industry was right on the cusp of transitioning from short nickelodeon reels to massive “feature-length” spectacles. The biggest box office sensation playing in theaters at the time was The Spoilers, a grand, 9-reel Alaskan gold rush adventure directed by Colin Campbell.
It became one of the highest-grossing films of the silent era and was famous for featuring a legendary, intensely realistic, no-stunts-spared fistfight between actors William Farnum and Tom Santschi.
A Quick Side Note: If theatergoers that week wanted a bit of comedy instead of a rugged Western drama, they were also lining up for a brand-new, frenetic short film that had just hit screens a few weeks prior called Caught in a Cabaret, starring a rapidly rising young British comedian named Charlie Chaplin.
Spotlight Year: 1989
On May 29, 1989, Canadians were enjoying the final days of spring while tuning into a mix of synth-pop and massive Hollywood sequels.
Top Song in Canada: “Forever Your Girl” by Paula Abdul. This incredibly catchy pop track was dominating the Canadian RPM music charts, keeping speakers humming in cars and kitchens across the country.
Top Movie: Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, which had opened in theaters just days earlier over the holiday weekend. Audiences packed Canadian cinemas to watch Harrison Ford and Sean Connery team up for the famous adventure film.