new times, new leadership canada in the 1950’s. leadership changed little in the early 1950’s...
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New Times, New Leadership
Canada in the 1950’s
• Leadership changed little in the early 1950’s• MacKenzie King retired (1948) and Louis St.
Laurent became PM (1949)– Liberals still in power
• Things changed in the latter half of the decade– 1957: Diefenbaker (Progressive Conservative)
defeated St. Laurent– 1958: snap election – “Dief” won largest majority in
Canadian history• New age of politics• Media playing a larger role
Louis St. Laurent
• Provided key support to Mackenzie King during conscription crisis
• Won in 1949 and 1953• 1957 election– Defeated by “Dief”– Resigned– Liberals new leader: Lester Pearson– “Dief”: saw himself as a Prairie populist; spoke for and
listened to ordinary people
St. Laurent & Canadian autonomy
• Expanded federal welfare programs• Protecting Canadian culture• Gained more autonomy from Britain– Appointed 1st Canadian-born Governor-General
(Massey)– Made Supreme Court the highest court of appeals for
Canadian cases– Negotiated w/ Britain to give Canadian Parliament the
power to amend portions of the Constitution• British North America (No. 2) Act
The addition of Newfoundland
• Until 1932: NF an independent, self-governing dominion
• During Great Depression: bankrupt– Britain set up special commission to govern it
• 1948 referendum – 3 options:– Continue to be governed by
special commission (14%)– To be self-governing dominion
w/in British empire (44.6%)– Join Canada (41%)
• No clear majority, another vote– Commission option dropped– 52%: join Canada
• March 31, 1949: officially part of Canada
• Joey Smallwood became first Premier
Resettlement in NF
• Hope that joining Canada would bring better health care, education, and employment opportunities
• 1954: Provincial g’ment “centralization” program– Offered compensation to people who wanted to move
to larger centers– By 1959: 2,400 people had resettled
• Prosperity didn’t follow relocation• Unemployment rate increased
Duplessis & Quebec Nationalism• Premier from 1936-9 & 1944-59• Union Nationale• Quebec nationalist• Promoted idea of QB as
distinctive society• Introduced new flag• Opposed growing powers of
federal g’ment• Roman Catholic Church main
defender of QB culture
• Encouraged foreign investment in QB– Guaranteed cheap labor• Union activity discouraged/banned
– Promised low taxes• Bribery and corruption• “Duplessis Orphans”– 1000’s of orphans in provincially financed orphanages
falsely certified as mentally ill• Moved to federally funded insane asylums
• For many Quebecois, Duplessis era seen as the “Great Darkness”