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New Times, New Leadership

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

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New Times, New Leadership

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  1. New Times, New Leadership Canada in the 1950’s

  2. 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

  3. 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

  4. 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

  5. The addition of Newfoundland • Until 1932: NF an independent, self-governing dominion • During Great Depression: bankrupt • Britain set up special commission to govern it

  6. 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

  7. 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

  8. 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

  9. 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”

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