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The United Nations is created in San Francisco. Canada is one of the original members to sign the Charter
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Two superpowers – the Soviet Union in the East and the United States in the West.
build up powerful nuclear weapons in a hostile and tense competition for world power. Countries ally with one side or the other in military alliances. Fears of Communism, spies, and nuclear war grow in the West. 1945 - 1989 -
Soviet spy Igor Gouzenko defects to Canada and exposes a Russian spy ring in Canada.
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U.N. countries sign the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which Canadian John Humphrey had an important role in writing.
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The British Commonwealth is created: Canada is one of the original members.
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NATO – the North Atlantic Treaty Organization
NATO is created as a military defence alliance because of fears created by the Cold War with Russia and its allies. NATO includes Canada, the U.S., Britain, and countries of northwestern Europe. -
Canada sends troops to the Korean War in a United Nations-supported military action
1950 - 1953 -
Lester Pearson becomes Canada’s ambassador to the United Nations.
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The first U.N. peacekeeping troops, in a decision negotiated by Lester Pearson, are sent to prevent war in the Suez Crisis.
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Lester Pearson wins the Nobel Peace Prize.
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Canada creates the Canadian International Development Agency to support international cooperation with countries of the world.
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Cuban Missile Crisis: The U.S. and Soviet Union come close to nuclear war.
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Canada participates in a U.N. peacekeeping mission to Cyprus.
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Canada signs the Automobile Pact with the U.S. This is the beginning of free trade between the two countries.
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The Organization of American States is created.
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The international organization of the Francophonie is created.
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Pierre Elliott Trudeau visits China on a peace mission.
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Olympic Games are held in Montreal.
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Canada establishes protected fishing zones up to 200 miles from its coasts.
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Canada participates in the first Inuit Circumpolar Conference with other northern nations.
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The Inuit Circumpolar Conference is held in Iqaluit (NWT).
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Olympic Games are held in Calgary.
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Canada sends troops to support the U.S. in the Gulf War against Iraq.
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U.S., Canada, and Mexico sign the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA).
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Canada seizes a Spanish ship that is fishing illegally in Canadian waters
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Canada sends troops to U.N. Peacekeeping mission in Bosnia.
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Canada is one of the first countries to sign the Land Mine Ban Treaty,
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Canada signs the Kyoto Accord, an international agreement to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in order to control climate change.
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The Pan Am Games take place in Winnipeg.
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Canada begins collaboration in military defence, development, and reconstruction missions in Afghanistan.
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UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan names Stephen Lewis special envoy for AIDS in Africa.
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Nelson Mandela visits Canada and is named an honorary citizen.
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PM Jean Chrétien announces that Canada will not participate in military action against Iraq without UN validation.
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Judge Louise Arbour is named High Commissioner for Refugees of the UN.
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Canada devotes considerable resources – human and financial – to Southeast Asia following a devastating tsunami.
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Canada creates a special advisory team to coordinate Canada’s efforts to resolve the humanitarian crisis in Darfur, Sudan.
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A reconstruction team is sent to Kandahar, Afghanistan to assist the newly elected Afghanistan government.