Greetings on the Friday the 13th. Watch out for any black cats and make sure you know where your horseshoe is. We already now it’s a luck day for you since you’re reading Canadian Senior Moment.
1989: The Great Quebec Blackout On the morning of March 13, 1989, six million Canadians in Quebec woke up to total darkness and freezing homes. It wasn’t a fallen power line—it was a massive geomagnetic solar storm that struck Earth’s magnetic field. In just 90 seconds, the entire Hydro-Québec power grid collapsed. It took over nine hours to restore power, and the northern lights were so intense they were seen as far south as Florida. It remains a key event scientists study today to protect our modern technology from “space weather.”
1869: The “Paper” Transfer of the North-West On this day in 1869, the British government passed an order-in-council setting the stage for the transfer of Rupert’s Land (the massive territory held by the Hudson’s Bay Company) to the Dominion of Canada. This legal move ultimately led to the creation of Manitoba and the expansion of Canada from sea to sea. However, because it was done without consulting the Métis and other people already living there, it became the spark for the Red River Resistance.
Flashback to 1989: What We Were Watching and Hearing
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At the Movies: The #1 movie at the box office that week was the drama “Lean on Me” starring Morgan Freeman. Meanwhile, the Oscar-winning “Rain Man” was still a massive hit, holding steady in the top three for its 13th week in a row.
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On the Radio: While the lights were out in Quebec, the rest of Canada was listening to “What I Am” by Edie Brickell & New Bohemians, which was the #1 song on the Canadian RPM charts that very week. It was a unique, laid-back hit that perfectly captured the end of the 80s.
Warmly
Bill & Marilyn Gould
Founders of Canadian Senior Moment
**Bill Gould** spent 43 years as a long-haul truck driver before trading the steering wheel for a keyboard to help fellow Canadians navigate the road of retirement. A freelance writer, published author, and editor of over 50 books, Bill co-founded *Canadian Senior Moment* with his wife, Marilyn, to provide a trusted space for seniors to find clarity, safety, and connection in the digital age. When he isn’t troubleshooting “tech gremlins” or sharing childhood memories of the Prairies, he can be found in his woodshop or working on his latest novel.