Politics and Politicians! Ch. 7 (p. 215-219)
John Diefenbaker Prime Minister 1957-1963 (Conservative) Nickname: Dief the Chief Political Record: Canadian Bill of Rights Cancelled Avro Arrow project Extended right to vote to all First Nations
Lester Pearson Prime Minister 1963-1968 (Liberal) Nickname: Mike Political Record: Peacekeeping pioneer Changed Canada s flag Strengthened Social Welfare Social Safety Net
Canada s Social Safety Net Definition: A series of government programs that ensure a basic standard of living for Canadians aka Welfare State 1927: Old Age Pensions Money for retired seniors Expanded in 1966 Canada Pension Plan
1940: Unemployment Insurance Money for people in-between jobs For example
1945: Family Allowances Money for families with children 1966: Day Care and Income Assistance (Welfare) Canada Assistance Plan solidified gov. funding for these programs
Canada s Social Safety Net 1966: Medical Care Act Medicare Prov. & fed. govs would pay for medical services Before Medicare, bills from serious illnesses or accidents could bankrupt Canadians Medicare first started in 1962 in Saskatchewan Pushed by Premier Tommy Douglas In beginning, unpopular with doctors (went on strike) Douglas becomes leader of federal NDP Party, pushes for medicare across Canada PM Pearson passed national medicare act in 1966 Worried that NDP would take Liberal votes if he didn t
Tommy Douglas The Greatest Canadian of All Time
Québec After WWII
The Duplessis Era From Great Depression to 1959, Québec controlled by Premier Maurice Duplessis and his Union Nationale government Believed in Québec nationalism, not just another province Ruled Québec with an iron fist Strongly anti-union, anti-communist (Padlock Law) Encouraged foreign/outside investment in Québec Much bribery and corruption, kickbacks Defender of traditional French culture Roman Catholic Church ran most hospitals and schools Québec fell behind in fields of science, engineering, business
Maurice Duplessis
The Quiet Revolution 1960: Liberal Jean Lesage becomes Premier after Duplessis dies Election slogan: Time for a change Promises to get rid of government corruption Restrictions lifted on unions, wages go up Modernization of Québec The Quiet Revolution Government takes control of social services and schools Catholic Church less influential Quebec economy increasingly controlled by Québec, specifically Francophones (French speakers) Gov. buys out (nationalizes) power companies, creates Hydro-Québec Maitres chez nous Masters in our own house
The Birth of Separatism As the Quiet Revolution progressed, some Québecois became angry over the influence of English-speakers in Québec, and the lack of influence Québecois had in the federal government Not many Québec MPs in federal cabinet Many English schools in Québec, few French schools in rest of Canada Québecois expected to speak English at work, in stores Some Québecois believed separation from Canada was the answer
The Birth of Separatism Some young extremists join separatist terrorist groups Felt change moving too slowly Most prominent was Front de libération du Québec (FLQ) 1960s: Bombed mailboxes, office buildings, Montreal stock exchange (English symbols); robbed banks; several people killed, dozens injured Most Québecois disapproved of actions 1968: MLA René Lévesque leaves Liberals (unhappy with refusal to discuss separatism), forms provincial separatist party Parti Québecois (PQ)
FLQ p. 218
René Lévesque
Pearson s Response PM Pearson moved to avoid a separatist crisis 1963: Appointed Royal Commission on Bilingualism and Biculturalism Recommended Canada should become officially bilingual 1965: Replaced old Canadian flag based on British Union Jack with maple leaf flag Many English-Canadians saw this as pandering to Québec Québecois still preferred provincial fleur-de-lis flag
Flags
Trudeau s Response Pierre Trudeau becomes PM in 1968 Continues Pearson s work to keep Québec in Canada 1969: Passes Official Languages Act, making Canada officially bilingual Government must provide services in both English and French French-immersion schools available across country Appointed more French-speaking MPs to cabinet Encourages English-Canadians to learn about Québec culture Some Canadians in favour of bilingualism, others not (especially in western provinces) Many did not believe French useful to them Felt gov. focusing too much on Québec, ignoring rest of Canada Some Québecois felt policies not enough, wanted Québec given special status, but Trudeau refused
Bilingualism