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Acadians are exiled from their homes
Acadians were forcibly removed from their homes and deported to Quebec, the 13 colonies, Britain, and France. Many of these people ended up in jail or died at sea. This is important to Canadian history as it shows a prejudice policy that goes against what Canada stands for today. We can and have used this as something to learn from to shape Canada into what it is today and what it will become in the future. -
The Conquest (Battle on the Plains of Abraham)
The Battle on the Plains of Abraham was a battle between the French and British. The British won and it was a huge loss for the French. This is important to Canadian identity as if it went another way Canada could be predominantly French instead of predominantly English. -
This is important to Canadian identity because it was one of the first major strides in getting rid of discrimination against First Nations peoples, something that is still being worked on to this day.(continued)
This is important to Canadian identity because it was one of the first major strides in getting rid of discrimination against First Nations peoples, something that is still being worked on to this day. -
The Royal Proclamation determines that First Nations are sovereign
The recognition of First Nation people as their own sovereign group allowed them to have greater self- determination. This proclamation also laid out laws such as those stating that only the government could buy land from First Nations which helps to keep out corruption within First Nations groups as well as making sure that they had the things that they were entitled to. -
The last member of the Beothuk tribe dies(continued)
This is important to Canadian identity because it is an example of racism within Canada leading to complete genocide, this is something very tragic that has shaped the identity of Canada today as we do not want to let it happen again. -
The last member of the Beothuk tribe dies
The Beothuk tribe was an indigenous tribe to Newfoundland. When settlers came they took over much of the coast for resources such as fish, this left the Beothuk with much less access to food. This combined with different violent fights between the Beothuk and settlers led to the genocide of the Beothuk. -
Lord Durham’s report encourages the assimilation of the Francophone colonists
Lord Durham believe that Canadeins were inferior to the British and that Canada would benefit from the assimilation of Francophones. This is important to Canadian identity because had this happened Canada today would most likely not be constitutionally Bilingual. -
The Indian Act is first created
The Indian act was the first act to lay create the term “indian status” and lay our certain entitlements when that status was gained. This is important to Canadian identity because it was the beginning of the current system that we have in place to maintain Indigenous peoples rights. -
Louis Riel is executed for treason
Louis Riel was a metis person who fought for equality for metis and indigenous peoples. His rebellion against the government got him convicted of high treason and hung. This is important to Canadian identity because it is one of the many events in the history of Canada which was targeted against indigenous peoples. These events are something that has shaped Canada into the country that it is and something that Canada as a nation is still apologizing for. -
Chinese Head Tax discriminates against Chinese immigration
During the construction of the Canadian Pacific Railway Canada encouraged the immigration of Chinese people to Canada because they were willing to work in worse conditions for worse pay. After construction was completed Canada no longer wanted more Chinese people coming in the country and wanted the ones already in the country to leave. To try and do this they imposed a head tax which was a fee that every Chinese person had to pay while entering the country. -
Chinese Head Tax discriminates against Chinese immigration(continued)
This meant that immigration to Canada was harder and discouraged people from living within Canada as they could not bring family over or visit family as easily because they would have to pay to get back into the country. This is important to Canadian identity because it was a racist policy in Canada's history, something that current day Canada has laws against, by acknowledging our past we have gotten a more inclusive future. -
Manitoba Schools Question becomes an issue in the federal election
The Manitoba Schools Question was the main issue in the 1896 election and led to the downfall of the ruling conservative party. This is important to Canadian identity because the Manitoba Schools Questions goal was to separate french and english schools based on religion. This would take away freedom of language in connection to freedom of religion going against the constitution that we currently have if people would have voted differently the whole country could be vastly different. -
Ukrainian Canadians are interned during World War One
During WW1 Canada people were worried that Ukranians within Canada would send information back to Ukraine who was fighting against Canada. This fear led to a hysteria that ended with Ukrainian people being interned for “public safety”. This is important to Canadian identity because it displays a time in our history when we were not the multicultural society that we are today. -
Conscription crisis during World War One
Not enough men were opting into war service, particularly in Quebec as the French felt that they had no loyalty to Britain. The government turned to conscription which led to outrage and protests. This is important to Canadian identity because it shows a time in history when individual rights were suspended because of events going on. -
Conscription crisis during World War One (continued)
It is also important because the people sent by Canada made such great advances in the war that it moved Canada up in the world stage and help lead it to become its own Nation. -
Canada adopts the maple leaf flag
The maple leaf was a symbols of Canada throughout its history, the changing of the flag represented greater independence from Britain as the old flag contained the British flag on it. This event is important to Canadian identity because it reinforced the idea that Canada is its own nation. -
Creation of the Parti Quebecois
The Parti Quebecois is a sovereigntist and social democratic provincial party in Quebec who's main platform is to gain independence from Canada. This is important to Canadian identity because it sparked the idea of Quebec becoming its own nation-state and led to the Quebec referendums around the same idea. -
The White Paper on Aboriginal Rights
The white paper was a proposal that would get rid of all preexisting policies and acts related to aboriginal peoples, including things such as the indian act. Its goal was to make equality across Canada but many people saw flaws in it saying that it took away many rights that aboriginal people held, it never came into law. This event is important to Canadian identity because of the statement that it made about peoples opinions within Canadian law through way of protest. -
Canada adopts official multiculturalism
This is important to Canadian identity because it made Canada the multicultural society that it is today. -
Bill 101 is passed into law in Quebec
This bill made French the official language of Quebec and ensured english minority rights in Quebec and French minority rights every where else. This was important to Canadian identity was it made major strides in creating a bilingual nation. -
The NEP (National Energy Policy) is adopted, alienating Albertans
The NEP was a policy that was put in place to try and make Canada energy self-sufficient and keep consumer costs of oil and gas low across Canada. Although, this would lead to a huge loss of revenue for western provinces, particularly Alberta, whose main income is oil and gas related. It would also put more federal government involvement into the industry, something that was not wanted by Alberta. -
The first separatist referendum in Quebec (result 60%-40%)
This was the first time that Quebec voted on weather to separate from Canada. This is important to Canadian identity because it highlighted the feelings that people in Quebec held and if votes were different would have split Canada in half. -
The NEP(continued)
It was fought and eventually gotten rid of. This is important for Canadian identity as it gave provincial governments more power and resulted in less alienation of the west. -
Quebec refuses to sign the constitution
Quebec refused to sign because it only guaranteed minority language rights in places “where numbers warrant” which would have gotten rid of bill 101 and stopped the protection of French language rights in much of the country. This is important to Canadian identity because it led to Canada being a constitutionally bilingual country. -
The Oka Crisis
The Oka Crisis was a land dispute between the Mohawk people and the town of Oka, over traditional Mohawk land being turned into a golf course, which led to the death of a police officer and the land being bought by the federal government. This is important to Canadian identity because it made people more aware of the challenges that indigenous people faced and the society in which they live. -
The second referendum is held to decide if Quebec should separate from Canada
The outcome was “No” by 50.58% meaning that Quebec did not separate from Canada. This is important to Canadian identity because if Quebec separated from Canada it would split our country in two, cutting off the maritime provinces. This would make trade harder and more expensive between them or force them to join Quebec or the United States. -
Supreme Court determines that turbans can be worn with the RCMP uniform reasonable accommodation
This decision greatly furthered reasonable accommodation in Canada, this shaped Canadian identity by creating a more multicultural society, this is because it allowed people to greater express their culture or religion, something that is protected by the constitution. -
Canada apologizes for Residential Schools
In 2008 the Prime minister officially apologized to all those affected by residential schools, this is important to Canadian identity because it furthered the idea that we are multicultural and accept people of all cultures by apologizing for the times we did not.