Life During The Nineteen Eighties

The nineteen eighties were known for new music genres becoming popular, space travel, new technologies, and a galore of fun and interesting things. This is the life of an average human in the nineteen eighties but as you dig deeper into the eighties and look between the lines you will discover many things about the nineteen eighties, such as its economic, social and political state. In the nineteen eighties Canada benefited greatly and saw great prosperity socially and politically but economically there were many negatives as well as positives.

In the nineteen eighties Canada saw a multitude of positive and negative changes that taught Canadians many valuable lessons. Firstly, In Canada we are known for many good things and many bad things, and unfortunately we are very dependent on other nations such as the United States, Which leads us into creating the NEP also known as the National Energy Program. The NEP had three main goals to achieve before the mark of the nineteen nighties and it was to establish at least fifty percent of Canadian ownership of the oil and gas industry, to make Canada more self-sufficient in energy and lastly to create a better distribution of the revenue from the oil. Along the way of the NEP program there had many bumps on the road but in the end the control of the energy industry was increased by 19 percent, giving us a great economic feat (Don Quinlan, 291).This was very significant because it had reduced Canada’s dependence on foreign oil and also helped us gain control of the Canadian energy industry. In 1987 the Canadian government had agreed upon the Canada-united states Free Trade Agreement (CUSFTA); this agreement had created the elimination and reduction of tariffs therefore allowing Canada ...

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...laws, levy its taxes and establish relations abroad, but also keep Canada’s currency. The referendum had taken place on Tuesday, May 20, 1980 and the results were that approximately 60% had rejected the thought of sovereignty (R. HUDON) and 40% wanted it. This is very significant because a majority of people want to be united as a nation and not split up which is very important because as a country we need to stick together and due to this vote it shows that many Canadians believe in the national unity of the country.

As in every decade there are many struggles and accomplishments, but something can always be learnt. From terry fox to the unfortunate Canadian recession we have learnt that in the nineteen eighties Canada has strived politically and socially brining the nation together but economically many ups and downs had occurred, teaching us many things.