Date Entered into Confederation: Alberta became a province of Canada in 1905. They joined into Confederation because of many reason. One of the big factors was because of the fur trading. Canada was in big demand of fur, therefore having Alberta join would add to their business. Another reason was because of Manifest Destiny, the construction of an inter-colonial railway between Canada and the Maritimes was necessary since all goods were being transported on American lines. The Grand Trunk Railway needed increased traffic on its line to avoid bankruptcy. Also, transcontinental railway uniting the Atlantic to the Pacific would have to be built to open up the West and to prevent a possible takeover by the United States. Railway construction however was extremely expensive. The only way to ensure its construction would be for all the colonies to unite and to contribute to its construction. All of these causes for Alberta and the other provinces to join Canada was to prevent America from taking over the continent. The Provincial Flower: The Wild Rose is the provincial flower of Alberta. It grows almost everywhere during the summer in the province. It brightens Alberta with its soft pink petals and is sometimes grows in gardens. The Provincial Flag: Although first used in 1967, it was proclaimed into force June 1, 1968, following an act of the Legislature. The flag shows the Alberta Coat of Arms on a dark blue background. The flag is twice as long as it is wide. The shield is positioned in the center of the flag. On the top of the shield is a red St. George's Cross on a white background. Underneath there are white snow capped mountains. Behind the mountains there is a dark blue background, with rolling green hills in front. Below the mountains is a wheat field full of yellow grain. On the flag the blue represents the sky and gold or deep yellow for the prairies. Two other symbols of Alberta: Bird - Great Horned Owl It was adopted on May 3, 1977, following a province-wide children's vote. The Great Horned Owl, resides in Alberta throughout the year and was selected to symbolize the growing concern of diminishing wildlife, not only in Alberta, but throughout the world. Tree - Lodgepole Pine It was adopted on May 30, 1984, a result of the efforts of the Junior Forest Warden Association of Alberta. The Lodgepole Pine, played a significant role in Alberta's early history, providing railway ties for the railroad which linked the province to eastern Canada.
The Pacific Northwest is perhaps most commonly known for its awe-inspiring old growth forests that have been gracing the land for hundreds and hundreds of years. The land in British Colombia, Canada, Washington state, Oregon, and parts of Northern California are the only areas in the world where these forests exist. One of the most unique and amazing inhabitants of this age-old forest is the Northern Spotted Owl. The Northern Spotted Owl has been on the endangered species list for over ten years now. The Northern Spotted Owl can only be found in these old growth forests. The northern spotted owl requires many acres old forests to survive, due to its scarce food supply. They are very sensitive to their habitat, and simply cannot survive in any other environment. These owls, as well as the forests have been disappearing at an alarming rate due to the immense logging industry in its area.
“Just watch me.”Joseph Philippe Pierre Yves Elliott Trudeau said in 1970. He meant it as he fought to keep Quebec a part of Canada. Not only did he do that, he managed to be prime minister for 16 years, as well as being Canada’s youngest leader at the time. He brought greater civil rights to Canadians, Quebec citizens mainly. His charismatic personality matched his innovative ideas, that enhanced Canada for the better. For his entire political career, not only did Canada watch him, the whole world watched him change the country for the better. He made a radical change to Canada by championing the idea of officially implementing bilingualism. Trudeau was a trailblazer from the moment he was elected.
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.
First, the Pearson government took initiatives that enhance Canadian nationalism. Pearson's government introduced the current Maple Leaf Flag on February 15, 1965 (Bourdon). Before then, the flag that Canada used was the Canadian Red Ensign ("1956-1968"). That flag included the Union Jack, which French Canadians resented ("1956-1968"). The adoption of the new flag showed both Canada's independence and the importance of representing Canada as a whole. Also, Pearson adopted the current national anthem. A special joint committee of the Senate and the House of Commons was considering the status of 'God Save the Queen' and 'O Canada' ("National Anthem: O Canada"). Pearson, by a motion in the House of Commons, requested “that the government be authorized to take such steps as may be necessary to provide that “O Canada” shall be the National Anthem of Canada” ("National Anthem: O Canada"). This motion led to the establishment of our current national anthem, which Canadians are patriotic towards. In addition, Pearson promoted Canadian nationhood by creating another symbol. He replaced the system of British honours that were previously awarded to Canadians with the Order of Canada on April 17, 1967 (Bourdon). This replacement further showed Canada's independence from Great Britain ...
Canada became an emerging country after the Second World War. There was a need for Canada to identify themselves as a distinct nation from Britain and the United States. The Trans Canada Highway became a visible nationalistic figure that set apart Canada from other countries. The Trans Canada Highway was a significant structure built in 1949 through 1961 that emerged as a result of a newfound unity and nationalistic view in Canada. Although there were many different political, personal and economical standpoints on the building of the highway, the finalization of the construction of the highway brought a unique unity that could be appreciated by all Canadians.
Canada: The Quiet Revolution in Quebec The English-French relations have not always been easy. Each is always arguing and accusing the other of wrong doings. All this hatred and differences started in the past, and this Quiet revolution, right after a new Liberal government led by Jean Lesage came in 1960. Thus was the beginning of the Quiet Revolution.
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.
Pearson was a very smart Prime Minister. Although his original idea was to submit the “Pearson pennant” he sought second opinion from Matheson. Matheson then had taken the idea and showcased it to the dean George F.G. Stanley who then conveyed that “...simplicity was of the essence in a flag and that single maple leaf would serve better than three” (George F.G. Stanley, 1964). This then brought both the liberal party and Matheson to the conclusion of settling with one maple leaf for the flag. The maple leaf is so significant that it is embellished on all circulating Canadian notes.
Throughout the history of Canada the indigenous population of the country have been voiceless. They have been both suppressed and oppressed by the Federal and various Provincial governments within Canada. Many organizations tried to provide a voice for the native population but failed in their attempt. These organizations eventually merged together to become what is now known as The Assembly of First Nations. The Assembly of First Nations gives voice to the issues and problems facing the different components of the aboriginal community in Canada.
The Mountain Pine Beetle epidemic has become a major problem for North America in the last decade. While only the size of a grain of rice, the MPB has caused massive forest destruction in British Columbia as well as many parts of the United States. According to British Columbia’s government website (2012) “The B.C. Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations estimates that the mountain pine beetle has now killed a cumulative total of 710 million cubic meters of timber since the current infestation began”. This damage doesn’t even include the More than 3.3 million forested acres in Colorado that have been affected by MPB since the current infestation began more than a decade ago. (Report on the Health of Colorado’s Forests). These aren’t the first outbreaks of the MBP though, and the beetle itself has been around for over 12,000 years. (D. Six n.d). There have been recorded outbreaks dating back to the 1920’s, but what makes this latest one so severe? (MBP Symp 2003) (p.43). The answer to this question is, a perfect mix of warmer winters, longer, drier summers, and larger, older pine stands.
acquired by Great Britain in the Treaty of Paris of 1763. The mass majority of
in Toronto, Ontario. It wasn’t until July 14, 1976 that the House of Commons passed a Bill that
The British North America Act went into effect July 1st, 1867 creating a union known as the Dominion of Canada, but this did not complete the debate on the Confederation issue. Many Nova Scotians continued their opposition to the idea and it would take considerable time before all Nova Scotians would accept the fact of Confederation. “These Nova Scotians, disgruntled at their treatment by Great Britain, found that their loyalty had markedly diminished. The more they considered taking over the responsibility for their own affairs from England, however, the greater trust they had to place in Confederation.”25 Confederation struck a balance between the rights of English and French speaking Canadians. Nevertheless, many divisions, conflicts, and debates would occur not only in Quebec but also in Nova Scotia and New Brunswick over this balance. Economic disparities between the Maritimes and the rest of Canada would also create many problems for the years following 1867. As a result, Confederation can be viewed as a beginning and not an end.
Although this dispute was solved before things got out of hand, it was apparent that Canada wanted to have a say in its affairs. This Chanak affair signaled that Canada wanted independence from
At the time of the Confederation in 1867, most Canadians wanted to establish a distinctive Canadian national identity, a kind of Canadian nationalism. Since the English Canadians were now the majority, they were the dominant forces in creating the political and cultural aspect of the independent Canada. They relied on the democratic government of England and to some extent to those of the United States, which guaranteed equal rights. Their vision of national identity included English as the primary language and the English culture as the standard for all of Canada.