Canadian History

Canada in the 20th Century

Interethnic Coexistence and Conflict

● New immigrants from Ireland, Italy, Eastern

Europe, other nations
● Anglophone and Francophone coexistence
and conflict
● Conscription Crisis of 1917
Canadian Identity After WWI

● Canada demands its own seat at 1919 Paris

Peace Conference
● Sacrifice of 60,000 lives lost seen as
distinguishing Canada on the world stage
● “Birth of a nation” at Battle of Vimy Ridge
● New Canadian identity is primarily
Anglophone, many Francophones feel
distinct and separate
Changing Society of Canada

● Women’s suffrage is achieved in English

speaking Canada by 1918 (and in Quebec in
1940)
● Prime Minister William Mackenzie’s Liberal
party competes with Progressive party and
Conservative party for seats in parliament
● Great Depression of 1929
● Unemployment hits 27%
● Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
Canada in WWII

● Canada joins war in 1939

● Fights with Britain in Europe and Asia
● Battle of the Atlantic and keeping Britain
supplied
● Canadian troops land at D-Day
● Canadian troops help to liberate the
Netherlands and Belgium from German
control
● Economic and military links with America
are strengthened
Postwar Canada

● Postwar economic prosperity

● Creation of the welfare state
● Universal healthcare
● Old age and veteran pensions
● Newfoundland becomes a part of Canada in 1949
● Canada’s foreign policy becomes closely tied to America’s
● Canada joins NATO
Quebec and the Quiet Revolution

● Quebec society until the 1960s is

traditional, Catholic and conservative
● Church is the dominant force in society
● Quebec nationalism remains on the fringes
● Quiet Revolution sees a new generation
take control of Quebec society
● Church loses power in secularization
● Creation of Quebec welfare state
● French language protection
● Quebec nationalism and the student
movement
● Radical politics
● Quebec split between Federalists and
Sovreigntists
Quebec Sovereignty and October Crisis

● Rene Levesque and the Parti Quebecois

● Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau stands for
federalism against separatists
● FLQ and radical separatists
● October Crisis of 1970
● PQ gains support throughout 1970s
● 1980 referendum
● 1994 referendum
Canada and Multiculturalism

● Canada has embraced multiculturalism

since the 1970s
● Immigration from around the world has
increased
● Canadians now include people of European,
native, Asian, African and other descent
Postwar Politics of Canada

● Canadian politics has been dominated by

the Liberal, Conservative and NDP (New
Democratic) parties since the 1960s
● Justin Trudeau is the current Prime
Minister of Canada
● Other notable prime ministers include
Pierre Trudeau, Brian Mulroney, Jean
Chretien and Stephen Harper