Home · Society · Celebrations · Farewell to the '00s
Topic spans: 2000 - 2009
Farewell to the '00s
From Y2K to Obama's new way, the 2000s were a decade to remember. As the Aughts come to a close, CBC Digital Archives looks back on the era with Radio and TV reports from some of its most memorable moments.
14 television clips
2 radio clips
Year 2000 arrives in Canada
Broadcast Date: Dec. 31, 1999
"This is unbelievable. I'm so excited... I'm so honoured to be... a part of this... celebration." Standing amidst a crowd of some 100,000 gathered on the harbourfront in St. John's, Nfld., an emotional Shaun Majumder describes the coming of the new millennium. Throughout the day, Canadians have seen worldwide celebrations starting with the Kiribati Islands in the west Pacific to China to Italy. And now the time has come for Canada to take the spotlight.On stage, the popular East Coast group Great Big Sea sets the mood with its hit song Goin Up. The eyes of the world are on Newfoundland and Labrador as it becomes the first location in North America to see the dawn of a new century.
Year 2000 arrives in Canada
• CBC Television's 2000 Today kicked off its broadcast with the world's first Y2K celebration on the Kiribati Islands off the coast of New Zealand. Samoa in the South Pacific was the last place to enter the new century.• Kiribati's claim to being the first to enter the new millennium had rival nations including Tonga, New Zealand to Fiji crying foul. All four countries are near the line marking 180 degrees longitude, which the international date line zigs and zags around.
• In 1995 President Tito of Kiribati moved the date line to the east so it goes around Kiribati. Previously, the date line had cut through Kiribati so the country operated in different time zones. President Tito had originally made the move to unite the country but later called it a lucky decision since it allowed his country to be the first to greet the new millennium.
• Peter Mansbridge was the main host for most of the 26-hour marathon live television broadcast.
• Alison Smith took over hosting duties from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. PST.
• Laurie Brown joined Mansbridge from 7 p.m. to 1 a.m. PST.
• Rex Murphy was nearby conducting an online poll for important figures and events of the previous century.
• Mansbridge is best known as the anchor for The National, CBC Television's flagship news program.
• Mansbridge received the Best News Anchor award at the 2000 New York Festival.
• The 185 crew members on Hibernia, the oil field off the shores of Newfoundland, were technically the first in North America to enter the new millennium.
Year 2000 arrives in Canada
Medium: Television
Program: CBC Television News Special
Broadcast Date: Dec. 31, 1999
Host: Laurie Brown, Peter Mansbridge
Reporter: Shaun Majumder
Duration: 5:18
Last updated:
Dec. 14, 2009
Activez le Javascript sur votre navigateur...
16 clips in this topic . page
Topic
The CBC rang in the new millennium across all six Canadian time zones with star-studded performances, fantastic fireworks and multiple renditions of Auld Lang Syne. CBC Television's marathon 26-hour New Year's...
Topic
Nelson Mandela gained his freedom, the United States went to war in Iraq and Diana, Princess of Wales, died in Paris. These were some of the big events of the 1990s, which was also when Generation X emerged and...
Year 2000 arrives in Canada.
The CBC Digital Archives Website.
Canadian Broadcasting Corporation.
Last updated: Dec. 14, 2009.
[Page consulted on Feb. 13, 2012.]