New Times, New Leadership

Canada in the 1950’s

• Leadership changed little in the early 1950’s• MacKenzie King retired (1948) and Louis St.

Laurent became PM (1949)– Liberals still in power

• Things changed in the latter half of the decade– 1957: Diefenbaker (Progressive Conservative)

defeated St. Laurent– 1958: snap election – “Dief” won largest majority in

Canadian history• New age of politics• Media playing a larger role

Louis St. Laurent

• Provided key support to Mackenzie King during conscription crisis

• Won in 1949 and 1953• 1957 election– Defeated by “Dief”– Resigned– Liberals new leader: Lester Pearson– “Dief”: saw himself as a Prairie populist; spoke for and

listened to ordinary people

St. Laurent & Canadian autonomy

• Expanded federal welfare programs• Protecting Canadian culture• Gained more autonomy from Britain– Appointed 1st Canadian-born Governor-General

(Massey)– Made Supreme Court the highest court of appeals for

Canadian cases– Negotiated w/ Britain to give Canadian Parliament the

power to amend portions of the Constitution• British North America (No. 2) Act

The addition of Newfoundland

• Until 1932: NF an independent, self-governing dominion

• During Great Depression: bankrupt– Britain set up special commission to govern it

• 1948 referendum – 3 options:– Continue to be governed by

special commission (14%)– To be self-governing dominion

w/in British empire (44.6%)– Join Canada (41%)

• No clear majority, another vote– Commission option dropped– 52%: join Canada

• March 31, 1949: officially part of Canada

• Joey Smallwood became first Premier

Resettlement in NF

• Hope that joining Canada would bring better health care, education, and employment opportunities

• 1954: Provincial g’ment “centralization” program– Offered compensation to people who wanted to move

to larger centers– By 1959: 2,400 people had resettled

• Prosperity didn’t follow relocation• Unemployment rate increased

Duplessis & Quebec Nationalism• Premier from 1936-9 & 1944-59• Union Nationale• Quebec nationalist• Promoted idea of QB as

distinctive society• Introduced new flag• Opposed growing powers of

federal g’ment• Roman Catholic Church main

defender of QB culture

• Encouraged foreign investment in QB– Guaranteed cheap labor• Union activity discouraged/banned

– Promised low taxes• Bribery and corruption• “Duplessis Orphans”– 1000’s of orphans in provincially financed orphanages

falsely certified as mentally ill• Moved to federally funded insane asylums

• For many Quebecois, Duplessis era seen as the “Great Darkness”