January 19 – Thomas Greenway becomes premier of Manitoba, replacing David H. Harrison.
June 20 – The Northwest Territories holds its first general election; 22 members of the Legislative Assembly are elected. All are independents; there are no party politics in the territories.
July 11 – The Manitoba general election is held.

Boundary survey started by Dr. William H. Dall of the United States and Dr. George M. Dawson of Canada.

Arts and literature

Births

January 18 – Charles Gavan Power, politician, Minister and Senator (d.1968)
January 20 – Ethel Wilson, novelist and short story writer (d.1980)
February 28 – George Pearkes, politician, soldier and recipient of the Victoria Cross (d.1984)
March 24 – Samuel Rosborough Balcom, politician (d.1981)
April 6 – Leonard Brockington, lawyer, civil servant and first head of the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) (d.1966)
April 8 – Dora Mavor Moore, actor, teacher and director (d.1979)
April 23
- Joseph Georges Bouchard, politician (d.1956)
- Georges Vanier, soldier, diplomat and Governor General of Canada (d.1967)
April 28 – Harry Crerar, General (d.1965)
May 3 – Johan Helders, photographer

July 11 – John Keiller MacKay, soldier, jurist and 19th Lieutenant Governor of Ontario (d.1970)
August 3 – Margaret Murray, journalist
September 2 – Dorothy Stevens, artist
September 7 – William Bryce, politician
September 15 – Filip Konowal, soldier, Victoria Cross recipient in 1917 (d.1959)
September 18
- Grey Owl, writer and conservationist (d.1938)
- William Duncan Herridge, politician and diplomat (d.1961)
October 23 – Onésime Gagnon, politician and the 20th Lieutenant Governor of Quebec (d.1961)
November 3 – Joseph Oscar Lefebre Boulanger, politician and lawyer (d.1958)
November 11 – S. E. Rogers, politician (d.1965)
November 25 – Joseph W. Noseworthy, politician (d.1956)
December 2 – Major James Coldwell, politician (d.1974)

January 17 – Big Bear, Cree leader (b. c1825)
February 4 – Sévère Rivard, lawyer, politician and 17th Mayor of Montreal (b.1834)
March 2 – William Elliott, farmer, merchant and politician (b.1834)
April 21 – Thomas White, journalist and politician (b.1830)
May 3 – William Alexander Henry, politician (b.1816)
May 12 – Élie Saint-Hilaire, educator, farmer and politician (b.1839)
May 30 – James Ferrier, merchant, politician and 4th Mayor of Montreal (b.1800)
August 4 – Charles-Joseph Coursol, lawyer, politician and 13th Mayor of Montreal (b.1819)
August 24 – John Rose, politician (b.1820)
October 1 – James Gibb Ross, merchant and politician (b.1819)

House of Commons committee hears of cartels conspiring to control products ranging from groceries to coal to stoves and coffins^[2]

Indenture form between "Guardian" and caretaker/employer who agrees to pay immigrant boy and give him "good clothing and schooling" etc. for work^[4]

U.S. Supreme Court rules on Alexander Graham Bell's telephone patent in light of previous invention claimed by "a poor mechanic"^[5]

Brief visit to Chinatown temple in Victoria, B.C.^[6]

In report on northern lands, Senate committee points out unwanted wildlife loss from "greater ease in their capture" and use of poison^[7]

Lecturer describes dogs of Hudson Strait Inuit^[8]

Web site: Queen Victoria The Canadian Encyclopedia . www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca . 5 December 2022.
https://parl.canadiana.ca/view/oop.com_HOC_0602_1_1/9?r=0&s=1 Report of the Select Committee Appointed(...)to Investigate and Report upon Alleged Combinations in Manufactures, Trade and Insurance in Canada
"Pacific Cable Telegraph between Canada and Australia[...]," Privy Council Minutes, February 18–27, 1888, pgs. 331-5. Accessed 10 October 2019 http://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/discover/politics-government/orders-council/Pages/item.aspx?IdNumber=41533 (flip to pg. 331 and click on image to enlarge)
Youth indenture form (Pursuant to March 9, 1888 Order in Council), Immigration Program: Headquarters central registry files: C-4709, Image 379 Library and Archives Canada. Accessed 26 May 2024
Chief Justice Waite, "Telephone Cases (Part Three Three)" (March 18, 1888). Accessed 10 October 2020
James Carmichael, A Holiday Trip; Montreal to Victoria and Return via the Canadian Pacific Railway[...] (1888), pgs. 28-9 Accessed 10 October 2019
Senate Committees, 6th Parliament, 2nd Session: Select Committee on Resources of the Great Mackenzie Basin, Vol. 1, pg. 13 Accessed 1 October 2020
Wm. A. Ashe, "The Eskimos of Hudson Straits," Lectures Given at the Quebec Garrison Club, 1888-9 (1889), pgs. 25-6, 43-5. Accessed 10 October 2019