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Today, Canada is known as a peacekeeping, accepting, and welcoming country. This reputation was not given, but earned from the time the country was formed and throughout her history. She has fought and protected, failed and succeeded. Her government has made many choices and achieved many things that would affect Canada for decades to come. Over time, numerous events and people have defined what it means not only to live in Canada, but to be Canadian. Women’s suffrage during World War 1 has created a land of opportunity for women in Canada. The way the work force operates and what Canada produces is because of the baby boom in the 1950s. The independent country she is today is the result of the fight for autonomy in the 1920s and 30s. Canada’s identity has been shaped by her history as proven throughout the events of the last 100 years, including the women’s suffrage movement, the baby boom of the 50s and 60s, and Canada’s path to autonomy.
The first event that defines what it means to be in Canada is the women’s suffrage movement. At the end of the 1870s, women across Canada began advocating for the right to vote. Dr. Emily Howard Stowe founded The Canadian Woman’s Suffrage Association in 1889, which led to groups like the Women’s Christian Temperance Union who fought to gain enfranchisement for women. The first province to give women the right to vote was Manitoba, on January 28, 1916, and the last was Quebec, on August 8, 1944 (History of Women Suffrage in Canada, 2005). Giving women the right to vote impacted how Canada would evolve and what the government would look like. In addition, the Famous Five, (Nellie McClung, Henrietta Muir Edwards, Louise McKinney, Emily Murphy, and Irene Parlby) took the Persons Case to the Privy Council in Britain, earning women the status of being a ‘person’ under the law. From 1929 and onwards, women were considered people, and had the same opportunities as men, including running for government positions (Strong-Boag, 2016). Suffrage earned women the right to be people in Canada. Equally is important as the initial effects of the suffrage movement, it has had many long-term effects. Suffragists fought for the enfranchisement not only for themselves, but for their daughters, granddaughters, and the Canadian women of the future. Women have been able to influence who is in positions of power and make sure they best represent the whole population, not just the men. Had the suffragists failed, women would likely be years behind where they are now. The suffrage movement of the early 1900s defined what it means to be a woman in Canada.
A second event that defines Canada is the baby boom. At the end of World War 2, (1946) to 1965, the birth rate in Canada skyrocketed, and over 8.2 million babies were born. This means the average woman gave birth to 3.7 children. As a result, Canada’s population increased drastically. The number of annual births in Canada increased form 253,000 in 1940 to 479, 000 in 1960, an increase of 18%. By 2036, there will be approximately 3.3 million Canadians over the age of 80, and the number of senior citizens may be higher than the number of children. The increase in population defined Canada’s demographic and how she would function for years to come (Krotki, Henripin, 2013). In addition, the baby boomers were the hippies that fought for peace, love, and human rights. Dr. Dominique Clément, a historian at the University of Victoria believes the human rights Canadians today have are result of the baby boomers’ activism. ‘The youth of the Sixties were the front-runners of a specific historical movement in which political activism and radical ideas were pronounced. Though the generation was not revolutionary, it had a revolutionary impact.'(Valpy, 2007). The baby boomers fought for the rights of the poor, gay people, the disadvantaged, and for the protection of racial minorities, and influenced the laws that protect these people today. Thirdly, the demographic of Canada, specifically related to the baby boom, will severely affect the healthcare industry as the baby boomers age. By 2031, all baby boomers will be 65 years old, and 23% of Canada’s population will be seniors. The healthcare industry will be flooded with seniors in need of both physical and mental help. The second most expensive service provided by the Canadian government is prescription drugs, which cost the government $29 billion, 14% of the budget, in 2013 (Generations in Canada, 2018). As the baby boomers age, their health care needs will require the government’s attention, and will become a focal point of Canadians. In sum, Canadian baby boomers define Canada’s identity in the past, present, and future.
A third moment that defined Canada is her path to autonomy in the 1920s and 30s. Firstly, the Chanak affair and the Halibut Treaty in 1922 and 1923 proved that Canada could, would, and had the right to make independent diplomatic decisions. In fall 1922, nationalists in Turkey pushed Greek forces out of their country, threatening to do the same to the British. Great Britain called on Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa to send troops on September 15th. On the 18th, Prime Minister King and his party decided that Parliament must make the choice of whether or not to send Canadian men. Before a decision was reached, the Chanak crisis had ended (Hillmer, 2006). On March 4, 1923, the United States and Canada signed the Halibut Treaty to control overfishing in the Pacific Northwest. This was the first treaty created and signed by Canada without Britain’s approval or signature, proving Canada was a self-governing country. These two events lead to Canada becoming fully independent and highlighted her ability to make decisions (Hillmer, Scott, 2006). Secondly, the Balfour Report made all of Britain’s colonies, including Canada, equal to Britain. At the Imperial conference of 1926, Prime Minister King and the Prime Minister of South Africa, J.B.M Hertzog, developed the Balfour Report that stated that Britain and her colonies were “equal in status”. This report was the beginning of the shift in the law regarding Canada’s autonomy (Tattrie, 2006). Thirdly, the Statute of Westminster, or Canada’s Declaration of Independence, brought the Balfour Report into British law. Signed on December 11, 1931, the Statute gave Canada freedom to pass, create, edit, and repeal laws without the consent of the British government. This ultimately led to the signing of Canada’s Constitution in 1982. Westminster allowed Canada to completely separate herself from the Crown and create her own identity and country (Cuggy, 2011). Canada’s path to autonomy was long and winding, but was a great success for the independence of Canada.
The Canadian identity has been formed over hundreds of years. Since the Aboriginal peoples arrived on her land, her history began being written. There have been struggles, success, and failures. Terrible and wonderful things have been done on her land. The women’s suffrage movement was an arduous and uphill battle, but the results allowed many extraordinary things to follow. The baby boom of the 1950s was a time of joy, love, and celebration that showed how positive emotions could impact a country. Her path to autonomy established Canada’s independence and freedom as a middle power that still exists today. To conclude, Canada’s identity has been defined by many moments, such as the suffrage movement, the baby boom, and her path to autonomy. Canada certainly is true north, strong, and free.
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