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Battle of Ypres
Near Ypres, in Belgium, the 1st Canadian Division were dug into their trenches. On April 22, 1915, the Germans launched an attack using a new weapon, chlorine gas. 2000 Canadians died within 10 minutes yet they were able to put together a defence that held back the Germans for a month. This is a significant event because it was the first time, a former British colony was able to defend against the Germans, giving the Canadians confidence and a reputation as a military force. -
Battle of Ypres
If this event had never happened, I think Canada would not had been recognized as an independent nation, able to survive without Britain's control. As well, Canada would not have gained the confidence it needed to continue to battle the Germans that were thought to be undefeatable. -
Period: to
Significant Changes to Canada and Its People
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Vimy Ridge
Vimy Ridge in France, had been held by the Germans despite the attempts of the French to win it back. The Canadians launched an attack on April 9 - 14 and successfully knocked the Germans off the Ridge. Almost 3500 Canadians were killed and 7000 were wounded but it was a great morale booster for the country. Again, Canada's independence from Britain was shown and they became known as an elite army. If this event had never happened, it is possible that the Allies may have been defeated. -
End of child labour
In 1929 the first law that was against child labour was enforced. 50% of children from the ages of 10-19 were not going to school instead they were working. At this point the goverment realized how big of a issue this really was and they enforced a law that forced children to go to school until they were 16 years old. -
End of child labour
The end of child labour has made many contributions in the way Canada is today. First, children were given an opportunity to get an education. This increases their chances of getting a better job in the future and as a result, the whole Canadian workforce becomes more educated and competitive. Also, since children are no longer available to do dirty jobs, employers are forced to look for other alternatives such as automated machines. This pushed industrialization forward. -
The Stockmarket Crash of 1929
The 1920's were extremely prosperous and Canadians were spending their money lavishly. Many invested the stock market that seemed as if there was no other way to go but up. This came to a screeching halt when the stockmarket crashed on Oct.24, 1929. Over the next 3 years, the stocks lost 90% of their value and hundreds of people lost everything they had. I think that if this event had never happened then Canada would never have had an opportunity to learn from this mistake and invest wisely. -
Japan Attacks Pearl Harbor
Japan attacks Pearl Harbor and Hong Kong. Canada declares war on Japan. Twelve weeks later the Canadian federal government uses the War Measures Act to order the removal of all Japanese Canadians residing within 100 miles of the Pacific coast, for reasons of national security. Over 20,000 men, women and children of Japanese ancestry were removed from their homes. They were shipped to detention camps in B.C., or to sugar beet farms in Alberta and Manitoba. -
Attack on Pearl Harbor
I think that if this event had never happened, Canada would not have to be embarrassed about their terrible treatment of the Japanese during WWII. It created bad feelings between Canada and Japan and took a long time for forgiveness. -
Dieppe Raid
On August 19, 1942 the Canadian troops raided Dieppe alongside the Bristish and the American troops. 3367 Canadians raided the seashore of Dieppe. The task force gave the Canadians a nearly impossible task of establishing a beachhead which was fortified by a very prepared enemy. Although the Canadians lost 907 soldiers the battle was fought well and was a demonstration of the Canadian's courage and resignation to never give up. -
Dieppe Raid
This was a significant event in Canadian history because it was an experiment in landing techniques. Many mistakes were made during this raid and it was bound to be a failure before it even started. Howwever, the Allies learned form these errors and planned a much more successful attack on the more important D-Day raid. -
The Montreal Riot of 1955
On March 13, 1955, Maurice Richard was hit by a Boston player, Laycoe, and a fight occurred. Richard hit him several times with his stick and was suspended from playing in the playoffs by NHL President, Clarence Campbell. On the night of March 17, both Campbell and Richard showed up to watch montreal play Detroit. When montreal started losing, the crowd turned even uglier. Eventually, the fans had to be evacuated, and by 11:00, there were 10 000 angry people in the streets. -
9/11
The tradgedy of 9/11 consisted of two planes crashing into the twin towers in the United States. The planes were hijacked by the Taliban. This devastating assault caused a loss of 630 lives of innocent business men and women. -
9/11
9/11 was a significant event in Canada's history because it changed the face of Canada. Although it took place in New York, many Canadians were also killed. From that day on, our security became more intense, we joined in the war against Afghanistan, and people began to distrust others. If this had never happened, I think Canada woud still be the relaxed country that it used to be. We still wouldn't need a passport to get to the U.S. and there would not be as much discrimination against Muslims. -
Montreal Riot of 1955
By morning, over $100 000 damage had been done and many people were injured. I think that if this had never happened, Canada would not have a reputation for violence in Montreal. The world was able to see how seriously Canadians take their hockey and people did not feel quite as safe on the streets of Montreal.
