Canadian Society in Transition: War Brides to Suburban Life

1. CHAPTER 7 A CHANGING SOCIETY

2. War Brides • over a million veterans returned to Canada with over 48,000 women and children after the war • war brides had to adjust to Canada • and, Canada had changed – immigrants from other countries, suburban life, cars, television, radios, rock n’ roll • veterans were treated better than after WW I: they could get their jobs back, years fighting were counted as service, they got hiring preference, got free tuition and a living allowance, and great mortgage rates

3. Coming Home: The New Face of Canada • 165,000 displaced persons/refugees settled in Canada • some had been in concentration camps, others had lost homes and family due to the war

4. language barriers made it difficult to get work they were qualified, so adjustment was tough, but their children learned English quickly and adjusted to a new life in a new country • 2.5 million newcomers came to Canada between 1945 and 1967 • most settled in cities, enriching the culture of Canada by settling in specific areas of cities, often forming ethnic communities

5. The Rise of the Suburbs, Suburban Values • many housing developments sprang up in the outlying areas of the cities • suburbs were also called “bedroom communities”, to which people came home at the end of a day at work in the cities • traditional family values were the expectation – Mom was expected to stay at home – women had to give up jobs to the returning veterans

6. women were supposed to LOVE being at home to cook, clean, and use new gadgets such as toasters and food mixers • Dad would be the one who worked away from home • huge birth rate after the war resulted in the “baby boom” - now the largest age group in Canada – it has had a big influence on the culture and the economy

8. The Age of the Automobile • cars represented freedom, technology, security • they became a status symbol, the fancier, the better • life in the suburbs required more people to own a car

10. people could drive to the new shopping malls, which caused many small businesses to shut down • no one had any idea about pollution • accidents became a leading cause of death, there were NO SEATBELTS • people were not as aware of drinking and driving

13. 1955 Chevrolet Belair

14. Television and the Consumer Society • television was only in black and white at first – and there were only a couple of channels available – so there was some commonality in what people watched television created a consumer society by pushing products of all kinds as the text says, “shopping became a national pastime”

15. Teen Culture • young people were becoming better educated: no wars to fight, the economy was good, so the teenager evolved in the 1950’s • teenagers had more money, leisure time and independence • businesses and styles catered to the teenagers

17. Elvis who? • he was credited with bringing rock n’ roll to mainstream listeners – but the “older generation” were shocked, and it was banned in several places

18. Canada the Good • most Canadians were very conservative • church on Sundays, no Sunday newsapaper, no Sunday shopping, no movies • movies and books were quite censored • some towns were “dry” – no liquor • by the 1960’s, these restrictions would relax

19. hockey was huge in Canada Maurice “Rocket” Richard

20. Protecting Canadian Culture • 1951 – Canada became aware of the need to protect its culture from US influence • National Film Board strengthened, Canada Council grants offered money to artists, writers, theaters • CBC put in charge of developing television in Canada, but American TV entertainment dominated • Canadians knew more about American culture than ever before • 1968 – CRTC established to regulate Canadian content for radio and television

21. Mickey Mouse Club Roy Rogers I Love Lucy

22. Post-War Prosperity • the people and the government needed to adjust to a peacetime economy • many in war-production industries would now lose their jobs • people wanted “security and stability” • Prime Minister Mackenzie King wanted to keep the powers transferred from the provinces temporarily during the war – Ontario and Québec were against this move

23. CD Howe came up with a plan for private industry to create consumer goods and jobs, and the economy was healthy • people had become used to new social services: unemployment and family allowances – to pay for this, the provinces transferred taxation powers to the federal government • “equalization” or “transfer” payments ensured that all provinces would receive the same levels of funding for health and education • the federal government, at this time, was able to gain more power

24. Rich Resources and New Industries • war inventions lead to peacetime applications of the new technologies, such as plastics and pesticides • natural resources, such as minerals/metals and particularly oil helped the economic boom • boom towns developed in areas where new mines and wells were found • southern Ontario became a manufacturing centre – half the factories and plants, and 99% of the Canadian automobile industry – led to resentment from other provinces • at that time, no one realized what these industries were doing to the environment

25. Giant Projects for a Giant Land towns grew, as did the need for schools, roads, sewer systems, power plants and hospitals, all paid for with taxes

26. Canada had many megaprojects: • Trans-Canada Highway – Victoria to St. John’s (7821 km) longest national highway in the world It's the world's longest national highway. At 7,821 kilometres, it stretches from Victoria, B.C., to St. John's, Nfld., and through every province in between. Constructed over some of the world's most treacherous terrain, it took 20 years and $1 billion to complete. The Trans-Canada Highway fulfilled a dream — to open up new regions of the country, usher in new economic prosperity and make fellow Canadians…just a car ride away.

27. St. Lawrence Seaway – ocean-going ships could go from the Atlantic Ocean to the Great Lakes (joint Canada-US project)

28. Trans-Canada Pipeline – allowed natural gas to be transported cheaply to the industrial areas of central Canada

29. American Investment: A Continuing Issue • The US needed more natural resources, and Canada needed the money to extract them • gradually, US ownership of Canadian oil industries rose from 68% in 1956 to 88% in 1967 • more American branch plants were opened as well • by 1956, the US owned over half of all manufacturing in Canada • was Canada losing control as a “forty-ninth state”? • positive points: provided jobs, new US technology • negative: loss of profits to US, loss of control over the economy • eventually, decades later, the Free Trade Agreement would bring about a new relationship

30. Canadian Owners and Workers • some Canadians did well: HR MacMillan in BC, KC Irving in NB, and EP Taylor and the Bronfman family in Ontario • trade unions fought for higher wages and better working conditions • more money and leisure time contributed to a strong economy as people spent

31. The Limits of Prosperity • working poor (particularly women) were at a disadvantage • women were paid less than men doing the same work • Canada’s First Nations’ way of life was disrupted by growth of towns, highways, mines and environmental damage

32. Post-War Politics • a referendum was held in Newfoundland to decide its status • Joey Smallwood felt that joining Canada would benefit Newfoundland’s living standard • after much disagreement as to what would be best, Newfoundland joined Canada in 1949

33. The Changing Face of Politics • Mackenzie King retired, and died in 1950

34. Liberal Louis St. Laurent succeeded him in 1948 • the media were, by now, much more evident in politics • his image was created, partially by the media, to help keep him in power • by 1957, tired out, he would lose the next election

35. famous for his skill in public speaking, John Diefenbaker and his Conservative party won the election “If everyone thought the same way, no one would be thinking” (John Diefenbaker)

36. new Liberal leader, Lester B.Pearson (Mike)

37. Dief versus Mike: • “Dief” and “Mike” fought five elections over the next decade, taking turns at being PM

38. Diefenbaker: • believed in the common man • “unhyphenated Canadian” • preserve British heritage, stand up to Americans • supported human rights • appointed first woman in Cabinet, and an aboriginal senator • status Indians given the right to vote in federal elections • introduced the Canadian Bill of Rights • French Canadians did not like the “unhyphenated Canadian” idea

39. Pearson: • appealed to younger, urban voters • supported the idea of 2 founding cultures. English/French • anticipated the end of British connection • Canada needed an identity that would appeal to Canadians of all ethnic backgrounds • initiated the idea of abolition of capital punishment • easier divorce laws • improved social welfare system • introduced the new Canadian flag – a move away from imperialism, towards greater nationalism

40. Pearson introduced the new Canadian flag – a move away from imperialism, towards greater nationalism

41. Social Welfare • during the Depression, many were attracted by the ideology of the CCF • others wanted the support of these voters, so they supported social programs • Mackenzie King introduced unemployment insurance in 1940, and family allowance (baby bonus) in 1944 • Pearson, in 1966, introduced the Canada Pension Plan and the Canada Assistance Plan • also in 1966, Pearson introduced Canada’s system of medicare • Saskatchewan, under Tommy Douglas, had tested the system, which allowed all people access to medical care

42. Tommy Douglas • left provincial politics to become the leader of the New Democratic Party, which grew out of the old CCF Pearson’s Liberals were afraid the NDP would get votes based on the medicare idea, so they adopted the idea themselves, and passed the Medical Care Act in 1966 – so now, federal and provincial taxes would pay all costs

43. 1967 – Canada Turns 100 Canada celebrated its 100th birthday with Expo 67, the World’s Fair, held in Montreal

44. 1967 was the end for Pearson and Diefenbaker – Dief was defeated as Conservative party leader, and Pearson chose to step down for a younger, more dynamic leader of the Liberal Party

45. The Trudeau Era • Pierre Elliott Trudeau • a dynamic and charismatic leader, he was different than previous PM’s – sports cars, dating celebrities, sliding down banisters – Trudeaumania • he wanted to build a “just society”, where government protected the rights and freedoms of the people, and improved social and economic well-being • a Liberal, he believed strongly in individual freedom, and felt government should not interfere with personal liberties

46. typical of the 1960’s was the “youthquake” – a powerful youth culture of protest • the youth culture began with the Beatles

47. fashion and music changed – in attempting to be different, this generation protested in many ways against the previous generation The Groovy 60’s – the Peace and Love Decade

48. many became involved in wanting to change the world for the better – politically, socially, environmentally • the anti-war movement resulted in many protests against the war in Vietnam

49. Joan Baez Bob Dylan

50. The Beatles