Why is Canada Day celebrated?

Canada Day, celebrated every year on July 1, is a Canadian federal holiday that celebrates the enactment of the British North America Act of 1867. The act united three colonies into a single country within the British Empire, and named that country Canada.

Canada Day is frequently referred to as Canada's birthday, much like the United States considers the Fourth of the July as its birthday. Despite Canada becoming a country, the British parliament and Cabinet kept limited rights of political control on the country. That control was gradually let go bit by bit until the British relinquished the final hold in 1982 when the Constitution Act patriated the Canadian constitution.