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The Quest for Canadian Unity: Challenges and Opportunities

Explore the forces shaping Canadian national unity, including diversity, geography, contending loyalties, and regional alienation. From historical contexts to present-day struggles, discover the complex nature of Canada's unity.

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The Quest for Canadian Unity: Challenges and Opportunities

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  1. Chapter 15 The Quest for Canadian Unity So 4.7 explore the challenges and opportunities associated with the promotion of Canadian National Unity

  2. What is National Unity? • When people feel a sense of national unity, they identify with others who belong to the same nation. • This means many Canadians share the same basic beliefs and values, such as respect for diversity. Social 20-2

  3. Canadian Diversity… • Respecting Diversity means that all Canadians do not have to be the same or speak with a single voice. • Trudeau – 1971 “There is no such thing as a model or ideal Canadian. What could be more absurd than the concept of an ‘all Canadian’ boy or girl? A society that emphasizes uniformity is one which creates intolerance and hate”

  4. Forces Affecting National Unity • Both external and internal events can influence citizens’ concern with national unity. • E.g during the World Wars, many Canadians felt a strong sense of national unity. • Remembrance Day is a powerful symbol of national unity.

  5. Fragile Unity • Some Canadians believe that National unity will eventually break down and Canada will become a number of smaller countries. • 2006 survey found that nearly 1/3 of Alberta respondents believed that Canada’s western provinces should think about forming their own country.

  6. Canadian National Unity • Canada is the world’s second-largest country. • It has a relatively small population spread over six time zones and regions with very different physical characteristics. • Many different points of views exist across Canada, based on values and beliefs. • Varied cultures, different languages, personal histories are very different. • Because of this, national unity is difficult to achieve.

  7. Contending Loyalties • Different groups or collectives across Canada often have trouble finding common ground. • Increasing globalization has complicated the issue of national unity.

  8. How Does the Nature of Canada Affect National Unity? The Geography of Canada • Tundra, mountains, prairies, Canadian Shield, St. Lawrence lowlands, Appalachian region to the Atlantic. • Different needs are required by people living in these varied environments.

  9. Alberta’s strong Economic growth • Since 2002, Alberta has had the highest rate of economic growth ever recorded by a Canadian province. • Alberta has a high employment rate, which attracts workers from all parts of Canada.

  10. Western Alienation • The federal gov’t decides how tax money is to be spent/allocated. • This does not always match the goals and needs of people in different parts of the country. • This has led to feelings of alienation…feeling left out.

  11. 1982 - NEP • The National Energy Program, caused feelings of alienation to emerge. • The Federal Gov’t and Alberta battled over who should control oil sand development and revenue. • Westerners wanted more say.

  12. “The West Wants In” • Movement led by the Reform Party of Alberta (now the conservative party of Canada) in 1986. • Led by Preston Manning • 1993 federal election, party’s slogan was ‘The West Wants In’ • West wanted more control over decisions made in Ottawa. • Won 52 seats in The house of Commons and by 1997 had enough support in Western Canada to gain 60 seats and form the official opposition.

  13. Alienation in Other Regions • Other parts of Canada – the North and the Atlantic regions – have felt alienated from the federal government. • NFLD has had a struggling economy since 1949 when it joined confederation. • Since 1979, with the extraction of oil of the shores of NFLD, the economy has improved. • Conflict between their provincial gov’t and the federal gov’t began over revenue. • Does Nfld and Alberta have more in common that you think?

  14. Federal system and National Unity • Civil war broke out in the United States, over power of the gov’t • Canada did not want to follow suit, and so they agreed that federal and provincial or territorial governments would share power. • But the Federal gov’t would still have the majority of the power.

  15. 1982 – Repatriation of the Constitution • Transferred from Britain to the control of the Canadian government. • This gave the provinces new rights and power, especially exclusive control over resource development

  16. Equity and Fairness in a Federal System • When citizens believe they are treated fairly and equally, they are more likely to feel a sense of belonging to their nation or country.

  17. Equalization Payments • Federal gov’t is responsible to ensure that no matter where you live in Canada, citizens have equal access to public services • Public services include health care, social services, electricity and clean water. • Federal Gov’t receives money from taxes, which is distributed back to the provinces as needed.

  18. Equalization Payments ….what’s the point?

  19. Changing Equalization Payments • As economic conditions change in provinces, so to does the amount of money provinces pay or receive.

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