Canada in the post war years

United nations• The United Nations (UN) is an

international organization whose stated aims are – facilitating cooperation in

international law, – international security, – economic development, – social progress, – human rights, – achievement of world peace.

• The UN was founded in 1945 after World War II to replace the League of Nations,

• UN declaration of human rights (1948) Drafted by Canadian John Humphrey

• There are 193 member states, including every internationally recognized sovereign state in the world but Vatican City.

• The organization had three main parts:

• the General Assembly (the main deliberative assembly);

• the Security Council (for deciding certain resolutions for peace and security);

• the Secretariat (for providing studies, information, and facilities needed by the UN);

• Three other branches have since been added

• the Economic and Social Council (for assisting in promoting international economic and social cooperation and development);

• the International Court of Justice (the primary judicial organ);

• the United Nations Trusteeship Council (which is currently inactive)

• International Criminal Court:– commonly referred to as the

ICC is a permanent tribunal to prosecute individuals for genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes, and the crime of aggression

– 1 July 2002—the date its founding treaty, the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court, entered into force, and it can only prosecute crimes committed on or after that date

Other prominent UN System agencies

• World Health Organization (WHO),

• World Food Programme (WFP)

• United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF).

Security Council• 5 full time members: USA,

China, USSR (Russia), Great Britain, and France– People’s republic of China

(communist) was not on security council till 1971 prior it was the republic of China (Taiwan)

• 10 members on a 2 year term

• Power to invoke economic sanctions and military action.

Cold War: • Tension between the USA

and USSR over power in the world.

• Known as the cold war no direct open war ever took place.

• This was the war of espionage and spies, lasted 40+ yrs 1945-1989 and ended with the tearing down of the Berlin wall

• Conflict largely based on ideology with Communism vs Capitalism.

• To give a buffer zone the USSR took over countries in Eastern Europe and established communist governments there.

Organizations Created out of the Cold War

• NATO: 1949 North Atlantic Treaty Organization western military alliance in case of attack from a communist country.

• Warsaw Pact: 1955 Communist alliance that was a response to the formation of NATO.

• NORAD: North American Air Defence Command. Created in 1957 to act as a joint defence of Canada and the USA. – Led to the creation of the Distant Early

Warning (DEW) line, which were radar posts that stretched across the Canadian arctic. Canada is now left with the bill for cleaning the hazardous waste left behind by the Americans.

Conflicts:• Korean War: 1950-1953

– Communist North Korea tries to invade democratic south Korea

– UN condemned the attack and agreed to sent a UN force to protect South Korea (How could they do this?)

– 25,000 Canadian served 406 died

– Only time USSR missed security council meeting

• Suez Crisis: 1956– The Suez Canal, in Egypt,

joined the Mediterranean & red sea was built and run by a British and French corporations. General Nasser decided to nationalize it. (Took control)

– France, Britain and Israel were upset and attacked Egypt to take control back.

– USA did not support the action and backed Canada’s proposal for the development of a UN peace keeping force (Lester B Pearson won the Nobel peace prize).

• the-atomic-cafe

• Gouzenko affair, 1945 brought top secret documents to Canadian authorities showing Soviet spy ring looking for information on the atomic bomb.

Cold War at Home

• Fear of open war between USA and USSR– Civil defence plans and

shelters were constructed

– Warning sirens and students practicing duck and cover nuclear attack drills

• “Red Menace”, fear of communism spread through out Canada and USA– McCarthyism – senator

Joseph McCarthy’s “witch hunt” • Composed secret list

with and interrogated thousands of prominent figures who belonged to socialist groups

• Eisenhower out lawed communism

• Louis St Laurent refused to outlaw communism

Culture• Baby boom: 6.7 million

babies born between 1945-1961

• Suburbia: people moved to the outlying areas for cheap low house prices (bedroom communities)

• “Keeping up with the Jone’s”

• Automobiles: bigger, more powerful, chrome and fins.

• Women: while suburbia encouraged the family unit women took a step back.– Women put in role of

home maker.– Isolation led to alcohol

and drug abuse Amphetamines & Barbiturates

– Feminisation and consumerism: women were encouraged to beauty themselves get the latest consumer gadgets for the home.

• Teen Culture (Boomers)– Youth groups flourished

• Boy Scouts, Girl Guide• Sports teams

– New schools, average student finished high school

– Rock and Roll (kids had disposable money to spend on music)

• Consumerism– TV became the centre of

family life – Advertisement pushed

peoples desire to spend to improve their family image through propaganda techniques

– Credit cards developed

• Massey Commission(1949)– Looked at the state of

Canadian culture (1951)• Canadian television to

promote Canada (CBC 1952)• National Film Board (NFB)

strengthened• Canadian council for the arts

to be created (1957)• Creation of the Canadian

Radio-Television and Telecommunications commission (CRTC) 1968

• Post war immigration– Maintained restrictive policy

of immigrant coming from Europe between 45-60 2 million immigrants came to Canada.• Most settled in cities of central

Canada (Ontario)

Aboriginals• Veterans: on returning home

aboriginal soldiers were denied the rights of other veterans

• Mandatory attendance to residential school continued until 1948, however the schools actually peaked in the 1950’s– By 1960 many students started

to attend regular provincial schools

• Changes to the Indian act (1951)– Women could vote in band

elections – Potlatches and traditional

regalia were allowed.

• Human Flag Poles: 1953-1955 – Inuit families were

moved 2000km north of their traditional homes to Ellesmere island

– They were dropped off with out any supplies

– During the cold war this was one way of establishing Canadian claim to the land

Politics• Louis St Laurent succeeded

Mackenzie King as Prime minister 1948-1957– Expanded welfare programs:

old age pensions, and family allowance

– Brought in hospital insurance– Appointed first Canadian

born Governor General (Vincent Massey)

– Made Canada’s supreme court our highest court

– Put Canada in to NATO

• Nation expands 1949 (March 31) Newfoundland joins Canada:– Joey Smallwood, newfoundland

politician championed the push to join Canada and later became premier of NFLd

– 1954 Newfoundland resettlement where families moved to larger centers (floated homes)

• Mega projects– Trans-Canada Highway 1950– Kemano Project (hydro Kenney

Dam Kitimat)• Dakelh traditional land flooded.

– Trans Canada Pipe line alta-Que (finished 1958)

– St Lawrence Seaway: (1954-59) series of locks into the great lakes.

• Quebec Nationalism– New flag for Quebec

1948– Roman Catholic church

defender of Quebec culture (ran schools and hospitals) Science and math not valued

– Weak or no unions (province open for big business)

– “Duplessis orphans”

• Diefenbaker (Dief the Chief) 1957

Economy• Post war Posterity

– Law to ensure soldiers received old jobs back

– Government encouragement for women to leave jobs

– Free tuition for trades school or university plus living allowance for returning veterans

– Veterans land act: low mortgage rates

• Transfer payments– Transferring taxation powers to

the federal government– Provinces got grants for social

programs (health and education)

– Transfer money to poorer provinces.

• Economic incentives, such as tax breaks to private corporations. (CD Howe)

• Development of resources– Mining, forestry, Oil (alta)– Company towns,

• Gambling and alcohol– Manufacturing (auto

industry) Ontario• Pollution, land fills toxic

chemicals– Mass farming

• Fertilizers and insecticides (cancerous)

• American investment– Economic cooperation with

USA,• 70% oil and gas, 52%

mining43% Manufacturing

• Labour Movement– H.R. MacMillan, KC Irving,

E.P. Taylor became tycoons– Unions: Hey day, won

major concession: wages $.67 to $.97 per hour 5 day 40hr work week.

– Women still paid fraction of men for same work (30-40cents/$)

– Immigrants worked in sweat shops

• Mega projects– With booming economy

and tax money major INFRASTRUCTURE projects were built

– Hospital, Schools, roads and government buildings