Borden’s Influence on Canadian Identity
The Canadian identity is a mashup of different ethnicities, history and beliefs. It is built up over and evolves with the times. An important time period that shaped the Canadian identity is 1911-1920 the time Sir Robert Borden was held office. Firstly, he managed to introduce Canada on a world stage through his efforts in WW1. Secondly, Borden provided the foundations for a standard of living that we have today as a free and equal country. Finally, Borden contributed to the separation of the Canadian identity from the British one. These are some of the reasons that Borden was the Prime Minister of Canada that most contributed to the Canadian identity.
Borden’s leadership in WW1 was important for distinguishing
the Canadian Identity. This was the first big military campaign that Canada fought as a unified and distinct unit. A total of 619 636 Canadians fought in the war, a huge accomplishment for such a small nation. An astonishing number like this along with the courage showed by soldiers led to respect for Canadian soldiers. This was especially shown at the Battle of Somme, Ypres and at Vimy Ridge. As a new nation Canada did not have a lot of say about strategy or plans. Since there were Canadian lives at risk Borden demanded that Canada have more of a say in the Allied plans. The victories and hardships that Canada played a role in led to a trust in Canadian’s ability in peace keeping. Borden was able to influence the average citizen’s life setting a platform for the standard of living enjoyed today. In order to further his own agenda he gave specific women the right to vote. This was a starting point for the social reform that would occur as by the end of 1918 woman were given the right to vote. The nationalization of the Canadian northern railway made it so the government would run and pay for it. This meant there would still be jobs available. In harsh environments the public sector is able to employ more individuals, this is something Canada is still doing today. As part of Justin Trudeau’s political campaign he says, “We will invest to create more jobs and better opportunities for young Canadians.” The creation or start point of veteran’s benefits began with Borden. He promised veterans in 1917 that, “No man, whether he goes back or whether he remains in Flanders, will have just cause to reproach the government for having broken faith with the men who won and the men who died.” This is a promise that is still enforced. This type of assistance is one of the reasons the Canadian identity places value on assisting those that have played a huge role in protecting out assets. The Canadian identity became separate from the British identity because of Borden. The efforts of Canadian soldiers in the war caused Borden to believe that the country deserved to have separate representation at the Paris Peace Conference, instead of being seen as a dominion of Britain. This forced the world to recognize Canada’s emerging autonomous status. Canada got a signature on the Treaty of Versailles which was a stepping stone to have separate representation at the League of Nations. This showed further advancement in Canada as a nation coming forth. The Prime Minister that influenced Canadian identity the most was Borden. Through his leadership skills Canada was introduced on a world stage during WW1. He fought to have Canadians fight under Canadians, have more say in Allied plans and gained the respect of other Nations through victories. Borden paved the way for a better future. Women gained leeway for the Woman Suffrage movement, protection of our veterans and employment were maintained under Borden’s rule. Lastly, the division in Canada as a colony of Britain and Canada as its own Nation was made distinct. He fought for separate representation and forced the world to recognize Canada as it’s very own nation. Borden was an influential part of the Canadian identity.
Nationalism is defined as love of your country. The basis for Canada’s national love of country is focused around three main ideas; devotion, sacrifice and willingness to die. These characteristics are displayed in the play Billy Bishop Goes to War. Thousands of young men were shipped off to war with these three great qualities. Billy Bishop was among those thousands and was an outstanding World War One pilot who displayed the three key qualities that our national love is based upon throughout the play. Being willing to do anything to protect our country and its freedom is nationalism.
It takes many generations for any single country to evolve from its earliest state into what would be considered a "developed" nation. The changes that take place within the country are generally attributed to a small number of visionary individuals. Many people can be accredited for contributing to the progression of Canada. John G. Diefenbaker, conceivably the single most influential person in the history of Canada, played a crucial role in the development of the country, to what it is today. Diefenbaker's work resulted in the redefining of Canada's cultural identity, the creation of major bills and policies within government legislation as well as developing a stance on foreign affairs and many policies dealing with global issues.
In conclusion Canada gained independence because of a series of events that took place during the twentieth century. If it hadn’t been for these events, Canada to this day might have been a part of the British Empire. Through discussion on the Chanak affair we signalled that we wanted autonomy. Through our hard work and lives, the world knew we had the ability to stand alone as a strong nation. While, our international reputation of being a “peacekeeping” country the right to stand as an independent self-governing nation. But finally through the Canada Act, we stood solely independent from our Empire. It is obvious that the twentieth century provided us with great chances to become an independent strong nation.
To start off, I’ll be writing about the life of people in British North America and its significance towards unifying Canada, as well as background knowledge of conflicts that existed. Life in British North America was changing at an alarming rate. New technology and services were being introduced such as railways and steamships. Industries such as building, producing and farming were being introduced. This was in part due to the many immigrants from Britain and France who’d settled. This was dreadful for the First Nations as their land had been taken away even more so than before. More resources were needed for the growing crowd so trade agreements were made. As more people came, the First Nations were even more distanced from the Europeans. Meanwhile, the French and the British wanted the other’s culture to be erased from the
When asking some of my friends why they would often say that their families all still spoke their native language or that they lived in a community which a lot of people still spoke the language as well. This is why it’s hard to describe a Canadian identity. We are a very diverse country that celebrates differences. I don’t think there is one Canadian Identity, I think everyone has their own that is influenced by the many different cultural identities that we celebrate in
Canada experienced the revolution of changing politics and new ideologies, it was a necessary wave
The history of Canada was flooded with many influential and incredible events, particularly during World War 1 and World War 2. During the 20th century, Canada got more involved in worldwide events. It was a very important period for Canada; it was where they gained their independence and progressed as a country. After this century, Canada was considered an important and powerful country. The three main 20th century events in Canadian history are the battle of Vimy Ridge, the change of woman’s rights and the battle of Juno Beach.
In today’s rapidly growing global society, foreign relations with other countries are imperative to a nation’s prosperity and world-wide harmony. Especially with China, the fastest growing country in the world, it is important for Canada to establish relations that can benefit both countries. The foundation of these Sino-Canadian relations was created by Norman Bethune’s involvement in the Second Sino-Japanese War. China was not always such a flourishing and prosperous society. In 1937, during this war, Japan invaded China with imperialist objectives. It wrought lurid death and destruction upon Chinese lands, leaving 20 million dead and 15 million injured between the years of 1937 and 1945. Dr. Norman Bethune was at the forefront of the aid mission; he worked long hours on the battlefields, and became known as a skilled surgeon and dedicated teacher. His involvement in China during this period in time created a basis for social, economic, and political ties with China. Through the role he played in China during the Second Sino-Japanese War, Norman Bethune set a base for positive relations between Canada and China today.
Firstly, he constructing the base of canadian culture. One thing he did was that he set the foundation of bringing bilingualism into being. The Royal Commission on Bilingualism and Biculturalism was established by Pearson. This commission was one of the most important things that happened in Canada because if led to many changes and other cultural-changing events such as the Official Language Acts. This was significant to Canadian Identity because it created new Canadian culture. Due to the fact that Canada is not an old country, it does not have much background on history and culture. This commission created a starting place to commence Canada’s culture. He also introduced multiculturalism to Canada. He did that by creating the race free immigration points system. Because of the points system, more immigrants from around the world were able to live in Canada which creates more culture for Canada since it’s combining multiple cultures together; hence how he made Canada multicultural.This is also significant because of the fact that he’s giving Canada a culture which impacts everyone that lives in the country from all the way back then until now. It also impacts Canada’s reputation tremendously since it was one of the first multicultural coun...
The post-war time was a period where major changes were occurring. After being involved in two international conflicts, Canada was ready to reestablish their economy. During this time, Canada had started working on ways to become stronger and reputable. It is evident that Canada had matured through the post-war era. Canada’s economic progress left a positive impact on the growth of the country as consumerism became popular, and economic ties with America became stronger. Moreover, the removal of racial and ethical barriers contributed to Canadian social affairs such as the huge wave of immigration and the baby boom. The Canadian government also had become more aware and involved in issues impacting Canadian citizens. Canada as a whole started identifying itself as an independent nation and participating in events that brought a positive reputation amongst them. These economical, social, and legal changes helped Canada mature into the country it is today.
The Dual Nation Theory took its heading starting in 1960, with the beginning of the sovereignty movement (Gorman, Robert F. 2008. 2018-2020). It truly took off, however, with the Quiet Revolution, where the idea of “maîtres chez nous” and the shift from being a distinct part of Canada to Quebec being a nation in its own right begins to take hold. Québécois nationalism defined Confederation as being an agreement between two peoples: the French and the English. “Quebec constitutes within Canada a distinct society, which includes a French-speaking majority, a unique culture and civil law tradition” (Chotalia, 1993). This is significant to mention because this is the theory that ultimately leads to the Three Nation Theory.
The culture of Canada refers to the shared values, attitudes, standards, and beliefs that are a representative of Canada and Canadians throughout Canada's history, its culture has been influenced by American culture because of a shared language, proximity, television and migration between the two countries. Overtime, Canadian-American relations have helped develop Canada’s identity during the years 1945-1982; thus introducing changing social norms , media and entertainment. In support of this, due to the United States being approximately 9.25 times larger in population and having the dominant cultural and economic influence it played a vital role in establishing Canada’s identity. With Canada being its neighbour, naturally, the United States would influence their way of life upon Canada. In other words,
During the last 4 months, I’ve studied a lot about Canadian history and come across many great historical events that have shaped Canadian identity. The two most defining moments between the years 1900 to 2000 were women’s suffrage which was an issue to determine if women should have the right to vote or not. The other defining moment for Canada was Expo 67, which was the most successful worlds fair in history.
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.
Throughout Canada’s relatively short existence we have created quite a reputation for ourselves. Our great nation is known for many things , and I am proud to say that most are positive. Does Canada have a strong national identity? Anyone can see the answer is yes. Just take a look at the facts. For example, we are renowned for our peacekeepers and no other country is considered more peaceful. Without a doubt this is the type of identity we should work to keep.