Canada in the 1970s: A “Just” Society?

What makes a “just” society?

Qualities of a JUST society

Qualities of an UNJUST society

Pierre TrudeauRECALL …

What qualities made Trudeau such a popular politician?

What were his goals for Canada?

“By building a truly just society, this beautiful, rich and energetic country of ours can become a model in which every citizen will enjoy his fundamental rights, in which two great linguistic communities and people of many cultures will live in harmony, and in which every individual will find fulfillment.”

- Trudeau, after winning leadership of the Liberal Party in 1968

“And so I based my campaign on the central theme of the Just Society. Achieving such a society would require promoting equality of opportunity and giving the most help to those who were the most disadvantaged. Social security and equalization payments, as well as a ministry of regional economic expansion, would give practical effect to these abstract principles. As well, I announced what we would do to redress the federal Canadian state’s traditional injustice towards French, the mother tongue of 27% of the Canadian population.”

Pierre Trudeau, Memoirs (Toronto: McClelland & Stewart, 1993), pp. 87-88.

Throughout the 1970s, the federal government took many actions to implement and ensure a just society for Canada

Many Canadians began to speak out against traditional values, attitudes, and ways of doing things

These groups of Canadians were greatly impacted by the changes being made:Women, French-Canadians, Supporters of Same-Sex Attraction, Economic groups, Aboriginals

The Quiet Revolution sparked new pride in French Canadians – some believed that the only way to protect their language and culture was the creation of an independent Quebec

The FLQ was an extremist separatist group and used terrorism to promote their ideas

In October 1970, they had kidnapped two political officials, demanding freedom for FLQ members who had been previously caught and jailed

Trudeau invoked the War Measures Act

FRENCH CANADIANS

Parti Quebecois formed in 1968 – goal = independence for Quebec

Won provincial election in 1976 under LevesqueHe proposed a less extreme version of separation =

sovereignty association. This meant that Quebec could govern itself but keep its economic ties

Referendum 1980 on the issue of sovereignty association – majority voted “non”

Another referendum in 1995, with the same end result, but much closer results

1969 – Official Languages Act – made it law that both English and French be official languages of Canada, and be used in all federal government services

1974, French declared the only official language in QuebecMany protested this – English

speakers in Quebec resented that they had to have their children tested to be allowed into English schools; French speakers did not feel that this declaration was enough

1977, Bill 101 passed – declared that only French was to be used in workplaces and schools; with few exceptions, English was to be banned in Quebec

For many Canadians, a social safety net was vital in making Trudeau’s just society a reality

In 1962, Tommy Douglas pioneered universal health care

By 1972, it was reality for all Canadians – all provinces agreed to join

ECONOMIC GROUPS

Economic downturn in the 1960s and 1970s – jobs were harder to get, and workers worried about inflation

Workers demanded raises, which often led to strikes – the success of some workers obtaining their demands prompted other workers to demand similar improvements

Stagflation was a result in the 1970s = consumer demand and job growth stagnate, while inflation pushes prices upUnions struggled to

protect members’ jobs

Rising oil prices contributed to stagflation In 1973, price increased from $4 to $16 a barrel,

resulting in prices of goods and services to go up, and some factories in Canada to close

Alberta and Saskatchewan experienced prosperity because of the increased prices

In 1975, Trudeau introduced wage and price controls – this meant that the government would control wages of workers as well as the prices companies could charge for certain goods

This was a first during peacetimeMany people protested that prices were not as

controlled as wages

WOMEN

1966 – Committee for Equality of Women in Canada formed – the govt. created the Royal Commission on the Status of Women, which was designed to ensure equal opportunities for women

It found many examples of discrimination against women (ex. Airlines made stewardesses sign agreements that allowed the company to fire them at age 30)

Although many women were working outside the home by the 1960s, they were paid less and seldom promoted

Many of the recommendations in the Report became law, such as equal pay for work of equal value

Trudeau appointed the first minister responsible for the status of women – creation of the Canadian Advisory Council on the Status of Women to deal with these issues

As more women joined the workforce, they wanted to control the size, and timing, of their families

Women also gained maternity leave in the 1970s along with the right to return to work after giving birth

Trudeau also changed the Criminal Code so that divorce was easier to obtain by women and abortion was no longer illegal

In the 1970s, same sex attraction was particularly controversial. Many different views existed: some believed it was a choice, others believed it was a sin, and some believed it to be a genetic disorder

Trudeau’s government responded to this controversial topic.

Same –Sex Attraction

SSA Rights - 1970s

1972 First issue of The Other Woman, a lesbian feminist newspaper, published

1975 John Damien fired by Ontario Racing Commission because of his sexual orientation; launched a lengthy court case

1976 NDP became the first political party to support the gay movement

1977 Sexual orientation included in the Quebec Charter of Human Rights

1979 Ontario Secondary School Teachers’ Federation included sexual orientation in its anti-discrimination policy

How do these events reflect, or not reflect, the idea of a just society?

In 1967, Trudeau, as Minister of Justice, made reforms in laws that made SSA illegal and stated: “The state has no place in the bedrooms of the nation.”

Indian Act – was designed to integrate Indians into predominate Canadian culture and economy

In 1969, Trudeau proposed to abolish it – they could retain their culture but give up special status

Aboriginal groups were outraged – claimed that as the first inhabitants of Canada, they were entitled to special rights such as:Self-governmentRight to land where treaties had not been signedRight to the support promised to them in treaties

from previous generationsThe government dropped the proposal

ABORIGINALS

Timeline of events

1960 Aboriginal people the last group of Canadians granted the right to vote

1969 Government closes residential schools

1969 The White Paper – issued without consultation of Aboriginal peoples – intended to enable First Nations to achieve integration and equality with other Canadians; outrage led government to withdraw proposal

1970s Aboriginal women who married non-Aboriginal partners were forced to give up their Indian status, while Aboriginal men marrying non-Aboriginal women could keep theirs

1971 Calder Case –Nisga’s First Nation of northern BC tried to negotiate a treaty recognizing their claim to the land they lived on; took to Supreme Court

1972 National Indian Brotherhood urges government to allow Aboriginal people to control their children’s education to learn about culture & values – a political voice for aboriginals

1975 Quebec government built a hydroelectric project at James Bay without consulting Inuit or Cree peoples living there; eventually the Que. govt. was forced to negotiate with the Inuit and Cree

Walk in my moccasins“Do you know what it is like to feel you are of no value to

society and those around you? To know that people came to help you but not to work with you for your knew that they knew you had nothing to offer …? Do you know what it is like to have a race belittled and to come to learn that you are only a burden to the country? Maybe we did not have the skills to make a meaningful contributions, but no one would wait for us to catch up. We were shoved aside because we were dumb and could never learn. What is it like to be without pride in your race, pride in you family, pride and confidence in yourself? What is it like? You don’t know for you never tasted its bitterness.”

–Chief Dan George

NOW THAT THE BUFFALO’S GONE – BUFFY SAINTE MARIECan you remember the times That you have held your head high and told all your friends of

your Indian claim Proud good lady and proud good man Some great great grandfather from Indian blood came and you

feel in your heart for these ones Oh it's written in books and in song that we've been mistreated

and wronged Well over and over I hear those same words from you good lady

and you good man Well listen to me if you care where we stand and you feel you're

a part of these ones When a war between nations is lost the loser we know pays the

cost but even when Germany fell to your hands consider dear lady, consider dear man you left them their pride and you left them their land and what have you done to these ones

Has a change come about my dear man or are you still taking our lands

A treaty forever your senators sign They do dear lady, they do dear man and the treaties are

broken again and again and what will you do for these ones Oh it's all in the past you can say but it's still going on here

today The governments now want the Navaho land that of the Inuit

and the Cheyenne It's here and it's now you can help us dear man Now that the

buffalo's gone.