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WWI Begins (Political/Economic, -2)
When Britain entered WWI, Canada automatically entered the conflict as well, despite having such a poor military. This was because Canada was a member of the British Empire and had very close ties to Britain. Canada managed to send over 600,000 people to serve, with 425,000 being overseas soldiers and 3,000 being nurses and ambulance drivers. This indeed did hurt the country's economy as the vast majority of their workforce was being sent out of the country to fight against the Central Powers. -
The Battle of Vimy Ridge (Social/Political, +1)
The Battle of Vimy Ridge was fought during WWI in Northern France, where all four Canadian divisions of the army stormed Vimy Ridge at once against German occupants. The attack was brutal: 3,568 soldiers died and 7,004 more were injured. Nonetheless, Canada seized victory by 1:30 PM that afternoon, 7 hours after capturing their first objective. It was a major victory for Canada and was a turning point in Canada's history as it resulted in the birth of Canadian national pride and awareness. -
Halifax Explosion (Social, -2)
Just before Christmas, the horrors of WWI reached Canadian soil in a concrete manner. Over 2,000 people were killed and thousands more were injured when a Norweigian ship carrying war supplies collided with a French ship carrying explosives. Despite the numerous fatalities caused by this catastrophe, the event led to important changes in safety protocols, including laws being passed that require schools and businesses to have an emergency response plan to react to various kinds of disasters. -
Spanish Flu Epidemic (Social/Economic, -2)
As WWI rages on throughout Europe, the Spanish Flu pandemic begins to strike around the globe. The first case of this deadly disease was identified at a military base in Kansas City and it eventually made its way to Canada. Roughly 50,000 Canadians succumbed to the disease. Because many workers became sick and were not able to work, the pandemic devastated Canada's economy as well as the country's people. However, in the early 1920s, the Spanish flu ultimately disappeared as quickly as it came. -
WWI Ends (Political/Economic, +1)
After 4 years of brutal fighting, Germany surrenders, thus formally marking the end of WWI. As a result, many Canadians were celebrating the world being at peace. Families could reunite with their loved ones and the country’s economy could go back to normal. Canada independently signed the Treaty of Versailles and became part of the League of Nations. Canada had a lot to be proud of and they wanted to have a larger voice for their sacrifices and be represented as a separate nation from Britain. -
Immigration Act Amendment, 1919 (Social, +2)
In 1919, PM Borden amended the Immigration Act in order to allow all Indian immigrants living in Canada to bring their wives and children into the country. Unlike the Komagata Maru incident in 1914, Canadians were more welcoming of Indians, which led to increased Indian immigration into Canada. Although unnecessary, many Indians chose to blend in by wearing "normal" clothes instead of traditional clothing. All in all, the amendment allowed for the development of Indian communities across Canada. -
Winnipeg General Strike of 1919 (Social/Economic, -2)
More workers returning to Canada after WWI meant increased unemployment across the country. Many workers’ wages had not kept up with the higher cost of living during the war and many Canadians struggled to make ends meet. As a result, over 30,000 workers went on strike, demanding better working conditions and higher wages. The strike ultimately led to 17 arrests and many workers being fired. On June 25, the strikers returned to work with the same, poor working conditions and low wages as before. -
Canada's Indian Residential School System (Social, -2)
Many Indigenous children's lives were devastated when churches and the Canadian federal government collaborated to establish a residential school system for them. Children aged 7-15 of FNMI descent were forcibly taken from their homes and sent to a faraway school so that they would be assimilated into Euro-Canadian society. The residential school system caused severe trauma for many FNMI students since they endured poor, inhumane living conditions and were often physically and sexually abused. -
The Discovery of Insulin by Sir Frederick Banting (Social, +2)
Frederick Banting was a Canadian medical scientist and physician best known for his discovery of insulin in 1922. Following his medical breakthrough, Banting was awarded the Nobel Prize for Medicine in 1923. Although not a cure to the common metabolic disease, the discovery of insulin meant that diabetes patients could be treated to the point of regaining a healthy life. To this day, hundreds of millions of people worldwide owe their lives to Banting’s groundbreaking and life-changing research. -
The Famous Five and the Persons Case (Social/Political, +2)
By 1927, although Canadian women could vote and run for office, they could not be appointed to the Senate because they were not “persons in the matters of rights and privileges”. As a result, the Famous Five challenged the law by asking the Supreme Court whether the word “person” in the BNA Act included female persons. Although their request was denied, the suffragists did not give up and instead went to the British Privy Council in London, who reversed the Supreme Court’s decision in 1929.
