An Analysis of Adrienne Clarkson
Adrienne Clarkson was the former-appointed governor general of Canada. Many Canadians also recognize Madame Clarkson as an accomplished journalist, publisher, author, filmmaker and civil servant. Adrienne was born in 1939 in Hong Kong, China. Her family moved to Canada in 1942. Adrienne Clarkson is the epitome of passionate politics and believes in the strength of Canada’s cultural and ethnic complexity. This essay analyzes the hardships and remarkable past accomplishments which reflect the actions of one of Canada’s strongest nationalists.
Adrienne Louise Clarkson (ne Poy) was born on February 10th, 1939 in Hong Kong, China, months prior to the Second World War. Clarkson’s parents were William and Ethel Poy
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Adrienne Clarkson attended a small public school in the city. Even from a young age, Adrienne has a positive outlook on Canada: “...she has an unapologetically rosy outlook on Canada as a country of infinite possibilities, and a sober view of how newcomers should adapt” (Beltrame, Web). Adrienne Clarkson knew the that her life in Canada would drastically …show more content…
In 2003, Adrienne Clarkson led a delegation on a three-week tour of Russia, Finland, Iceland and Greenland to raise Canada’s social profile and provide more attention to the North foreign policy issues. She also spent time as governor general in Northern-Canada, including the visits to the troubled communities of Davis Inlet and Sheshatshiu. Adrienne Clarkson was the establisher of the Governor General’s Northern Medal. The medal is to be awarded for achievements contributing to the evolution of the Canadian North as part of Canada’s nationalistic identity. “‘The North expresses and shapes our imagination as Canadians. This medal will honour those who are in and of the North and those who help our well-being as Canadians through their work in the North’” (qtd. in Clarkson, Web). The medal is a symbol of honour, and awarded to those who are the most compassionate and
William Lyon Mackenzie King, Canada’s longest serving prime minister, is known for both the great contributions he brought to Canada and for the scandals he was involved in. The one event that makes him most famous to Canadians is the King-Byng Affair of 1926. During this event, Mackenzie King asked Lord Byng to dissolve parliament in order to force a new election as he had lost with a minority. Because King’s intentions were to regain a majority government, Byng refused out of distrust for King’s plans and King was replaced in power by the Conservatives. While William Lyon Mackenzie King’s actions were in accordance with all the laws regarding his power as Prime Minister, he acted for selfish reasons thus putting him in the wrong. Mackenzie King’s and Lord Byng’s histories will be quickly analyzed to understand their actions in the affair. Right after, King’s options and reasons for dissolving parliament will be analyzed. Thirdly, Byng’s options and reasons for refusing King’s request will be researched. Once enough evidence has been collected, the end results of this affair will be discussed and the conclusion as to whether or not King was right to go against responsible government will be made.
Pierre Elliot Trudeau was arguably one of the most vivacious and charismatic Prime Ministers Canada has ever seen. He wore capes, dated celebrities and always wore a red rose boutonniere. He looked like a superhero, and often acted like one too. Some of the landmark occurrences in Canadian history all happened during the Trudeau era, such as patriating the constitution, creating the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms and the 1980 Quebec Referendum. However, it is Trudeau’s 1969 “white paper” and the Calder legal challenge which many consider to be one of his most influential contributions to Canadian history.
Quebec’s social identity and defining characteristics contradict and conflict with those of rest of Canada. Since the genesis of our country, the political, social disagreements, and tensions between Quebec and the rest of Canada have been unavoidable. Utilizing Hiller’s key contradictions in the analysis of a Canadian society, we will compare and contrast the nature of the societal identity in Quebec compared to that of rest of Canada, emphasising on the major differences and tensions between the province and the rest of the country.
In the year 1957, Canada elected its first Prime minister without English or French root, John Diefenbaker. While growing up in the city of Toronto, because of his German name, he was often teased. [1] He grew up as an outcast, and so he was able to relate to the discrimination and inequality many of the minorities in Canada felt. This essay will attempt to answer the question: To what extent did Prime Minister John Diefenbaker help promote equality to the minority communities. . The minorities in this time period were the women, aboriginals, and immigrants. During his time as the Prime Minister, he was able to help protect the rights of this group because many of their rights were being abused by the society. Diefenbaker also helped the minorities to stand up for themselves and other groups. Diefenbaker was able to bring positive change to the minority communities by making an official Bill of Rights and appointing people of discriminated groups to the parliament while other members did not.
“ Let us be English or let us be French. . . and above all let us be Canadians.” Born on January 11, 1815, in Glascow, Scotland, Sir John A. Macdonald became the first prime minister of Canada and one of the most transcendent that Canada has ever seen. He immigrated to Canada in 1820, at the age of five, where his family, including his mother, father and two siblings, settled in Kingston, Ontario. He spent his childhood studying at the Midland District Grammar School, where he developed his passion for the English language and at the same time, realizing his new dream of becoming a lawyer.
The discrimination suffered by the “ethnic Canadians” increased during the war was inflicted by both society and the government. An example of the discrimination suffered by “ethnic Canadians” is Sarah Mann, a Canadian-German living though World War 1. Before the people of the town knew she was of German descent, she lived a normal life. But, that all changed when they found out; they vandalized her house by breaking the windows, painting harsh words in red paint or blood, which is overall person to person discrimination. However, throughout the war, it was not just the Canadian-Germans who suffered from discrimination, all ethnicities either than English-Canadian or French-Canadian. Also, they did not only receive discrimination through vandalism, and other person to person discrimination, “ethnic Canadians” faced discrimination by the Canadian government. The governments’ discrimination was caused by the pressure of frightened public experiencing panic because of the Great War. Therefore, the government took action by passing the Wartime Elections Act and the Wartime Measures Act. The Wartime Elections act meant the “ethnic Canadians” would lose their right to vote. The “ethnic Canadians” would also be put into concentration camps or have to register to the police on a regular basis. The historical significance...
To decide what to do after Quebec separates, First Ministers and the ROC, must first look at why it happened. Perhaps Quebec's profound nationalism and unique national identity conflicted with citizens in the ROC; in order to gain understanding of their decision the ROC must look at Quebec's past. Quebec was not always treated fairly nor where they given many rights in regards t...
Newman, Garfield et al. Canada A Nation Unfolding. Toronto: Mc Graw – Hill Ryerson Limited, 2000.
Many people across the globe argue that nationalism within Canada is simply not feasible. It is said that we as a people, differ so greatly with our diverse cultures, religions, and backgrounds that we cannot come together and exist together as a strong, united nation. In his book, Lament for a Nation, George Grant tells the reader that “…as Canadians we attempted a ridiculous task in trying to build a conservative nation in the age of progress, on a continent we share with the most dynamic nation on earth. The current history is against us.” (1965) Originally directed towards the Bomarc Missile Crisis, the book argues that whatever nationalism Canada had was destroyed by globalization as well as the powerful American sphere of influence. Although it is true that the book was initially written as a response to the events that took place in the late 1950s, many of the points are still valid today.
Thompson, John Herd, and Mark Paul Richard. "Canadian History in North American Context." In Canadian studies in the new millennium. Toronto: University of Toronto Press, 2008. 37-64.
Most people are trapped into believing that Canada is a very diverse place to live as it welcomes many cultures, but do not realize what happens to their culture when they have lived in Canada after time. Throughout the stories Simple Recipes by Madeleine Thien and A Short History of Indians in Canada by Thomas King, the authors tell the actions of what is happening in the characters lives to show the stripping of other cultures when they come to Canada. These two stories reveal how difficult it can be to be a person with a different culture existing in Canadian society.
Lewis, S. (11 December, 2013). Without a Safety Net: What kind of country do Canadians
Canadian Studies has constantly been under fire as to the legitimacy of the work scholars are producing within its interdisciplinary nature. Increasingly, the understanding of “interdisciplinary” as a term has also been questioned. The value of understanding ones own country has decreased, yet Canada continues to encounter periods of great change (Symons 114). I argue that the interdisciplinary focus Canadian Studies takes on reflects past and present Canadian life – be it political, social, cultural, economic, geographical and so forth ¬– as a means to keep the study afloat. Society is in a constant state of development (Campbell 49), although that progress and overarching narratives may take an unspecified, if ever ending, period of time to foster into a larger understanding retrospectively. There could never be too much Canadian Studies, based on this principle of constant change over time. What is challenging to find within that growth is a method to have teachings and programs that reach out to the wider Canadian public (Symons 138). I question how you can create or stem a des...
As we go about our daily lives in the beautiful country of Canada which we have been blessed to live in, it has become normal to see a woman who wears the hijab walking down the street, or a Black family driving on the highway, or an Indian man wearing a suit and tie heading into the office. Canada’s cultural diversity is something which makes the country so special to live in, and instances where we see people of different cultures is increasing everyday. Many of the newcomers who arrive from overseas into Canada are families, with children and youth ready to begin their new life filled with opportunity here in Canada. However, youth who settle in Canada with their families aren’t exempted from the trials and tribulations youth face. In fact,
... Ed. W. Gordon West and Ruth Morris. Toronto, Canada: A Canadian Scholar? Press, 2000.