The celebration of Canada Day has a controversial and bumpy history, U of G history Prof. Matthew Hayday said in a Canadian Press story over the weekend. The story appeared in several online outlets, including GlobalNews.ca and the National Post.

The birth of Canada wasn’t even celebrated during its first 12 years because of opposition from different regions. Canadians were lukewarm about the celebration for generations and it didn’t start to take off until the 1960s, he said.

The controversy, he said, reflected a broader struggle to define the Canadian identity.

Hayday studies Canadian nationalism and identity politics. He edited a book on Canada Day celebrations, published in 2016, that examines the history and evolution of our national and provincial holidays and annual celebrations.