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The Diefenbaker Years
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Political Trends 1945-1967 Liberal Majorities Liberal Majorities
Conservative Majority Liberal Majorities Liberal Majorities St. Lawrence Seaway Closure to end pipeline debate John Diefenbaker becomes Prime Minister Lester B. Pearson’s Liberals return to power Louis St. Laurent becomes Prime Minister 1948 1958 1963 Commission in Bilingualism and Biculturalism New Flag Trudeau joins the Liberals Mackenzie King retires Builds the Diefenbunker Cancels the Avro Arrow Passes Canadian Bill of Rights Cdn $ = 99.5 US
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John Diefenbaker Leader of the Conservatives From the Prairies
Minority government 1957 Majority government Canada in a recession – hard economic times Appointed Ellen Fairclough-1st female cabinet minister James Gladstone – 1st Aboriginal Senator Video: Peoples History “ John Diefenbaker, Transcontinental pipeline”
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Diefenbaker’s Lasting Contributions
Bill of Rights Freedom of speech, religion and of the press Protection of the law without discrimination because of race, colour, religion, sex or national origin Right of the individual to life, liberty, and security of the person Limitations: Applied to federal law only Diefenbaker holding his Bill or Rights I think!
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Diefenbaker – disappointments
Economic recession Diefenbaker fixed our dollar at 92.5 cents Made exports cheaper and imports more expensive Canadians did not approve Cancelled the Avro Arrow project $12 million cost per plane – drain Canada’s military budget 15,000 people lost their jobs Resulted in the brain-drain
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Diefenbaker - The Cuban Missile Crisis October 1962
Soviets built missile sites in Cuba so they could launch a nuclear attack against the US Kennedy demanded krushchev turn back the ships that were on their way to deliver the missiles US formed a naval blockade around Cuba Threatened to take military action if Krushchev didn’t comply For 5 days Krushchev refused to call back his ships. The world stood on the brink of nuclear war
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Diefenbaker - The Cuban Missile Crisis October 1962 - continued
Kennedy requested Canada immediately put its military on alert Diefenbaker delayed for 2 days Angry that Kennedy had not consulted him first Feared that being on military alert might heighten tensions with the USSR Demonstrate an act of independence from US foreign policy Crisis ended 5 days later when Krushchev agreed to turn back his ships
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Calvin and Hobbs on the Cuban Missile Crisis
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Diefenbaker Continued
BOMARC missiles Used to stop surface-to-air missiles (to protect Canada from a possible Soviet attack) Diefenbaker was indecisive about arming the missiles with nuclear warheads Conservative party was split on the issue Lester B. Pearson and most Canadians agreed that we needed the nuclear warheads Diefenbaker forced to call an election over the issue – Pearson won a minority government Video: Peoples History “The Shadow of Nuclear War”
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Lester B. Pearson The Diplomat
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Lester B. Pearson - Career Diplomat
Canadian ambassador to the U.S. Was involved in the formation of the United Nations Oversaw Canada’s joining the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO)
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Suez Crisis, 1956 Nasser (President of Egypt) nationalized the Suez Canal Canal originally controlled by Britain and France Make the canal Egyptian Canal important for shipping oil to Europe Br. and Fr. Bombed the Canal Zone
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Suez continued USSR condemned Britain and France’s aggression and threatened nuclear strikes against Paris and London US was angry – had not been consulted Canada – trapped in the middle Could not support Britain (dies to empire not strong enough) Needed to support US (needed to maintain western alliance Possible show-down between 2 new superpowers - deadly for all
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Pearson and the UN Pearson went to the UN and proposed sending in a UN peacekeeping mission UN unanimously supported the idea Peacekeepers remained in Egypt until 1967 Pearson won the 1957 Nobel Peace Prize Video: Peoples History “On Guard for Thee”
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Pearson’s Minority Government
Liberals forced to work with the NDP Universal healthcare plan Canada Pension Plan Royal Commission on the Status of Women Video Peoples History , “A Question of Equality” Canada’s new flag 1965 Video Peoples History , “Under a New Flag”
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Shadows for the Future – French English Relations
Concern over French English relations Unity crisis in Canada Royal Commission on Bilingualism and Biculturalism Explore relationship between French and English Canadians Made recommendations Federal civil service should be bilingual Pearson PM till New liberal leader Pierre Elliot Trudeau Video Peoples History , “Language Wars”
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