Modern Canada

1
Modern Canada

• A Changing Society

2
Todays Focus

• Canadas changing society after WWII
• Social, demographic, political and economic
  trends
• PLOs describe the role of women in terms of
  soci/poli/econ change in Canada
• PLOs assess the development and impact of
  Canadian social policies and programs related to
  immigration, the welfare state and minority rights

3
Changes after WWII

• Booming economy
• Thousands of immigrants
• New houses in suburbs
• More cars, televisions, radios
• Changing culture rock n roll!
• Materialism

4
Welcoming Newcomers

• After WWII, millions of refugees around the world
  people uprooted by war and nothing to return to
• Known as displaced persons
• Canada accepts 165k
• By 67, 2.5 million newcomers had arrived in
  Canada
• Moved mostly to the cities, unlike earlier
  immigration patterns in Canadian history

5
Economic Growth

• Rapid in crease in production of aluminum
  manufacture of aircraft
• Wood and paper production rose, as did mining and
  smelting
• Increase in demand for petroleum fuel tanks,
  trucks and airplanes
• Oil fields jobs in production, transportation,
  processing, and providing services
• Agriculture taken over my manufacturing
• Rural to modern industrial nation

6
Societal Changes

• Women employed in great numbers
• Immigration of 48,000 war brides and 21,000
  children
• Allowed more immigration to fill demand for
  labour, but still preferred countries in Europe
  to enter Canada.

7
Canadians of Suburbia!

• Between the baby boom and immigration, huge
  increase in demand for housing
• Cities expanded outwards, where land was cheaper
• The new housing developments suburbs
• Communities developed identities of their own
  schools, malls, parks etc.

8
Suburban Values

• A new set of values develops
• Centered on traditional family
• Women returned to the stay-at-home role
• Family sizes were larger than present 1945 to
  1960 known as the baby boom
• 6.7 million kids born between 46 and 61

9
Age of Automobile

• Bought 3.5 million cars in the 1950s
• Living in suburbs great convenience
• Grew fancier with chrome, fins and fancy tail
  lights
• Negatives
• -Lots of fuel needed dependence on oil
• -Atmospheric pollution

10
Pop Culture

• The car becomes central to Canadian life
• A necessity for those in the suburbs
• Affects growth and development of cities urban
  sprawl, etc
• TV also becomes central
• Magnified cultural trends, encouraged consumer
  society key role in our societies economic
  engince

11
Teen Culture

• Increase affluence and peace allows for the
  invention of teenagers
• More education, money, leisure time,
  opportunities
• Develop their own culture and trends
• Rock n Roll (Elvis, etc.) takes root

12
Canadian Culture

• People start to worry about American cultural
  influence
• Massey Commission formed, to study Canadian
  culture recommend protection from US influence
• 1957 Canada Council created award grants to
  artists
• CBC was put in charge of developing Canadian TV
  and programming
• 1968 CRTC (Canadian Radio Television and
  Telecommunications Commission) created to
  regulate foreign media content in Canada, and
  impose rules requiring Canadian content.

13
Prosperity

• Unlike after WWI, the govt was prepared for
  economic transition after WWII - millions coming
  home what to do?
• King suggests maintaining Fed. govt influence in
  the economy to address employment and inflation
  issues
• Provs not excited about this
• Howe recommends tax breaks to encourage
  production of consumer goods causes a boom
• Also, beginning of transfer payments provs
  give money to feds, who then redistribute wealth
  to those most in need

14
Resource Boom

• Canadas rich resources help the boom
• Oil found in Leduc, Alberta in 47
• Also, demand increases for many metals and
  minerals found in Canada

15
Infrastructure - page 187

• Trans-Canada Highway becomes a prime project,
  completed by 1970
• St. Lawrence Seaway built to link the Great Lakes
  to the Atlantic
• Trans-Canada pipeline built to cheaply transport
  gas from Western to Central Canada
• Kemano Project dam construction for
  hydroelectricity to support aluminum smelting

16
Canadian Prime Ministers 48-68

• St. Laurent (48-57) Liberal, rich, positive
  public image (see pages 180-181 for more
  information)
• Diefenbaker (57-63) - Conservative, first
  western PM, great orator and campaigner, populist
  (spoke for ordinary people), all Canadians equal,
  French disliked him (distinct culture)
• Pearson (63-68) Liberal, believed connection
  to Britain would be severed, Canada needed an
  identity for ALL Canadians, flag, improvements to
  welfare system

17
Social Welfare

• King had introd UI, family allowance
• Pearson intros CPP Cdn. Pension Plan, 1966
• Cdn. Assistance Plan as well financing for
  welfare
• Medicare is introd a cause championed by Tommy
  Douglas (NDP) of Sask.
• First enacted in 1962 in Sask., Cdn. System
  pattern after it
• Medical care without paying directly
• Medical Care Act 1965 Feds and Provs share
  costs of Medicare

18
Trudeau Era

• A man well-suited to his times Flashy,
  flamboyant, outspoken, intelligent
• Dated celebrities, drove fast cars, dressed down
  at work
• Canadians loved him Trudeaumania
• Just Society was his catch-phrase govt had a
  duty to protect rights and freedoms, foster
  well-being, stay out of private life

19
Times they are a changin

• The late 60s and 70s were an era of change and
  protest
• 3 particularly influential groups in Canada
  womens movement, student movement, environmental
  movement

20
Womens Movement

• During 60s feminism emerges
• Resented isolation in modern life, menial jobs,
  etc
• Royal Commission on the Status of Women 1967
• Recommends womens right to choose where they
  work, society should help with raising children
  (daycare, etc.), entitlement to Maternity leave
  and Feds should help women overcome discrimination

21
Student Movement

• Centered around protest of mainstream society
• Sex, drugs and RocknRoll major changes in
  culture and outlook on morality, religion, etc.
• Also some had strong political beliefs
  protesting for aboriginal, womens and
  environmental rights
• Many also became involved in protests against
  Vietnam War as well
• Music marked the generation Dylan, Stones,
  Beatles, etc.

22
Environmental Movement

• Started by Silent Spring, written by Rachel
  Carson
• Warned of irreparable damage to the Earth by
  modern society
• Public concern fuels the movement, govt and
  business reluctant
• Public pressure forces creation of environmental
  protection laws
• Groups like Greenpeace are created (starts in
  B.C., 1970) sometimes using dramatic tactics to
  draw attention to their cause

23
Summary Key Points

• Canada has undergone massive change since WWII-
  first with the Baby Boom and prosperity
• Face of society has changed multicultural and
  highly diverse, millions come from abroad
• Women have changed their place in society for the
  better
• Welfare state has been entrenched CPP, UI,
  Medicare, etc.
• Pop culture has had a huge influence on Canadians
  influencing trends, movements, policy