1939 in Canada

• May 17 – King George VI and Queen Elizabeth begin their royal tour of Canada, eventually visiting every province.
• September 3 – The Department of Labour establishes the Wartime Prices and Trade Board to control inflation
• September 7 – Prime Minister Mackenzie King calls for a special session of Parliament, to discuss a declaration of war versus Nazi Germany. The session lasts until September 13.[1]
• September 10 – World War II: Canada declares war on Germany, one week after the United Kingdom does so
• September 11 – World War II: Canada establishes a High Commission of Canada in Canberra, Australia. Australia reciprocates the next day.[2]
• September 16 – World War II: The Royal Canadian Navy escorts the first of many transatlantic convoys
• September 28 – World War II: Air training facilities are set up in Canada to train pilots from Britain and the rest of the Commonwealth.
• October 25 – The Quebec election is won by the Liberals under Joseph-Adélard Godbout.
• December 17 – World War II: The 1st Canadian Infantry Division lands in Scotland en route to England. The division is accompanied by a team of announcers and technicians, who set up Radio Canada's overseas service.
• November 9 – Adélard Godbout becomes premier of Quebec for the second time, replacing Maurice Duplessis

• April 16 - Boston Bruins won their Second Stanley Cup (and last until 1970) by defeating the Toronto Maple Leafs 4 games to 1.
• April 17 - Ontario Hockey Association's Oshawa Generals won their First Memorial Cup by defeating the Edmonton Junior Hockey League's Edmonton Athletic Club Roamers 3 games to 1. The deciding Game 4 was played at Maple Leaf Gardens in Toronto.
• December 9 - Winnipeg Blue Bombers win their Second Grey Cup by defeating the Ottawa Rough Riders 8 to 7 in the 27th Grey Cup played in Lansdowne Park in Ottawa.

• January 24 - Alfred Edmond Bourgeois, politician (b.1872)
• March 7 - Joseph Flavelle, businessman (b.1858)
• March 8 - Henry Pellatt, financier and soldier (b.1859)
• May 6 - Edward S. Rogers, Sr., inventor and radio pioneer (b.1900)
• July 12 - Fernand Rinfret, politician (b.1883)
• August 21 - Francis Patrick O'Connor, businessman, politician and philanthropist (b. 1885)
• November 12 - Norman Bethune, physician and medical innovator (b.1890)
• November 28 - James Naismith, sports coach and innovator, inventor of basketball (b.1861)
• December 22 - Herbert James Palmer, politician and Premier of Prince Edward Island (b.1851)

• List of Canadian films

Labour Day finds fighters and nurses enlisting for overseas service and Red Cross rushing its wartime planning [3]

Editorial says Canada and Commonwealth are "one and indivisible, [and] pledged unwaveringly to the support of the Mother Country" [4]

Before declaring war, PM King asks Commons for "authority for effective cooperation by Canada at the side of Britain" [5]

MP J.S. Woodsworth interrogates "cooperation," unspoken government policy, and whether Canada is already in war [6]

"We cannot be at peace while the head of this Empire is at war" - Sen. Arthur Meighen insists Canada enter European conflict [7]

Canada's declaration of war against German Reich [8]

Editorial says PM King, in choosing home defence over expeditionary force, is not giving "definite leadership" [9]

Regimen for Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry's transport ship includes lectures, training and organized games [10]

Enlisted man's 1939 surprises: Poland's fall weeks after invasion, and Christmas invitation given on his first day in England [11]

Editorial says "equality of sacrifice," essential to war effort, must include fairness in agricultural costs, prices and margins [12]

MP A.A. Heaps advocates joining other countries in welcoming refugees from persecution [13]

Supreme Court finds tavern, in absence of specific law, has "freedom of commerce" to not serve Black man [14]

Law professor comments on Quebec's Padlock Law allowing police to seal premises and arrest occupants deemed "communistic" [15]

Private intelligence agency offers to spy on corporation's workers to detect "plots, plans and unrest" [16]

Mao's appreciation of Norman Bethune - "We must all learn the spirit of absolute selflessness from him" [17]

Woman records her excitement over 1939 royal tour of George VI and Elizabeth in her diary [18]

Film of royal tour's stops in Calgary, Banff, Vancouver and Victoria [19]

Course in interior decoration includes hands-on stitching, glazing, block-printing, weaving, lettering, etc., etc. [20]

Calling "more friendly relations" essential to world progress, bank's advertisement pledges friendship in its service [21]