Wikipedia:Selected anniversaries/February 20

February 20: Mardi Gras, Shrove Tuesday in Western Christianity (2007).

John George Diefenbaker

• 1472 - James III of Scotland annexed Orkney and Shetland from Denmark–Norway.

• 1810 - Andreas Hofer, a Tyrolean patriot and the leader of a rebellion against Napoleon's forces, was executed.

• 1913 - King O'Malley drove in the first survey peg to mark the commencement of work on the construction of Canberra, Australia.

• 1959 - The Canadian government under Prime Minister John Diefenbaker (pictured) cancelled the Avro CF-105 Arrow supersonic jet fighter programme amid much political debate.

• 1965 - The Ranger 8 spacecraft successfully transmitted 7,137 photographs of the moon in the final 23 minutes of its mission before crashing into Mare Tranquillitatis.

Recent days: February 19 – February 18 – February 17

More anniversaries:

• January 31
• February 1
• February 2