Canada's Defining Moments
By: Bhavik Gundapaneni
Introduction
The Battle of Vimy Ridge, 1917
During World War 1, Canadian soldiers participated in various battles such as the Battle of Ypres and during this battle, they displayed a lot of courage holding their land down. Great Britain saw the courage in Canadian soldiers which is why Canada was the chosen one to try and take Vimy back. As a result, the pressure weighs more on Canada because if they live up the bravery, they could make a big name for themselves.
Vimy Ridge Continued...
The Battle of Vimy Ridge began on April 9, 1917 and ended on April 12,1912 only lasting 3 days due to the the dominance and practice showed by Canadian soldiers. The Battle of Vimy Ridge was a military engagement fought mainly as part of the Battle of Arras, in the Nord-Pas-de-Calais region of France. The main fighters were the Canadian Corps, of four divisions, against three divisions of the German Sixth Army.
Aftermath
anada suffered 10,602 casualties: 3,598 killed and 7,004 wounded. Whereas Germany suffered an unknown number of casualties and 4000 men becoming prisoners of war. Four members of the Canadian Corps received Victoria Crosses, the highest military decoration awarded to the canadian team.
Training
Where is it Located
Creeping Barrage Plan
Why is This a Defining Moment
The battle of Vimy Ridge is a defining moment to Canada because it showed that Canada is a really powerful country and would not back down to anyone. It kind of gave Canadians some pride that we took Vimy all by ourselves and it gave a sense that we would take the victory. It was shocking to most people that we took Vimy since we were the underdogs to the Germans. Also, it is a defining moment because Canada did something that no other country could do. Great Britain or France could not take Vimy back but Canada did, so it made us like a go-to option throughout the war. For example, if there was any battle that seemed impossible, Canada would be the first option.
The Memorial Service
The Economic Boom and Bust
Post War!
The Boom!
However, as time advanced, things slowly started to change and the economy slowly but surely went back up. They called it the “Economic Boom”, a period of rapid growth and high employment. The term “Roaring Twenties” is often used to describe the 1920s. What led to the economic boom was the growth in natural resource development and manufacturing. Wheat on the prairies was very successful from 1925 to 1928. The world price of wheat moved steadily upward. Pulp and paper also grew in the 1920s. The production of newsprint became one Canada’s largest industries after agriculture. However, this boom did have a negative side, forest’s were being destroyed. The Turner Valley oil field was discovered in Alberta in 1924, giving people a new source of energy. Hydroelectric power also started in Canada giving people a new and cheap source of electricity. Mining exploration was opening in the Canadian North to mine for minerals such as copper and nickel. With all the prices going back up and with the addition of these discoveries, it contributed in helping Canada’s economy climb back to the top.
Advertisements of the New Inventions!
Automobiles
Telephone
Radio
The Bust!
As the economy continued to rise, individuals started to get richer and they had enough money not only for the necessities but they had room to buy luxury items like cars, radios and telephones. There was this new thing called the “Stock market” and people would get rich overnight by playing the stock market. About one Canadian in ten invested in stock during the 1920s. However, not everyone had the money to invest so the only option they were left with was to buy on credit or margin. Buying on margin or credit wasn’t a smart idea because the investors were not protected if anything went wrong but people still did it thinking they would make millions. Everything started to go downhill on the September of 1929 when the stock market fell. At this point, many still hung on to their stock believing it would go back up “Like always”. Finally on October 29, a day also known as “Black Tuesday”, was the day the stock market crashed. It was so bad that a stock worth $10 would come down to $5 or less. The causes of the crash include too much margin buying, production of goods, and American economic influence.
The Human Fly!
Why is This a Defining Moment
The boom changed the way Canadians lived, they were able to buy the new inventions like cars and have material things. With this came stuff like parties, drinking and smoking and defying parents who were from a strict background did not agree wit these kinds of things. Ultimately, The Boom changed the way Canadians lived and had a big impact.
Trudeau Era - Multiculturalism Act, 1971
One Big Nation!
Famous Quote
Why People Came to Canada?
Why is It a Defining Moment
Here is a Video explaining why Trudeau believed in multiculturalism
Syrian Refugees
Bringing Them Home
On December 11, 2015 a Friday night, was a day when the first planeload of Syrian refugees landed on Canadian soil. They arrived in Toronto Pearson, welcomed with new winter coats. What was so big about this event was that, Justin Trudeau himself went to the airport to greet the new citizens of Canada. This all started during the elections when Trudeau announced the plan to bring in 25,000 Syrian refugees. All 25,000 refugees would be spread across Canada to start new lives and have a fresh start. There were many people who disagreed with this concept because of the Pairs attack giving them a bad impression of terrorism. But there were also many people supporting this idea of helping other people flee from terrorism and help them start new lives. This showed that Canada actually takes action in situations like this helping people flee from war and not being afraid of possibly terrorists coming in, like what happened in Paris.
Here is a quick video showing Justin Trudeau welcoming the Syrian Refugees
Quote
Toronto Raptors Welcome Syrian Refugees
Why is This a Defining Moment for Canada
Canada bringing in the Syrian Refugees is a defining moment because it showed the world what our country is made out of. We got to show not just a planeload of new Canadians what Canada’s all about, but we also got to show the world how to open our hearts and welcome in people who are fleeing bad difficult situations. Syrian refugees are also important because its shows Canada is a very strong willed Nation that will not follow the rest of the world in fear. For example, it shows how we look at terrorism differently from other countries. It separates us from the US because we look at the situations differently. The US finds ways to kill the bad people and stop them by using their strong army force. However, Canada on the other hand finds ways to help the innocent people around the war zone, helping the innocent refugees. This ultimately showed that Canada will always work towards providing peace and a place for all people to find a good life.
In Conclusion
Bibliography
- The Battle of Vimy Ridge, 9-12 April 1917, Tim Cook http://www.warmuseum.ca/cwm/exhibitions/vimy/index_e.shtml
- The Battle Of Vimy Ridge https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Vimy_Ridge
- Textbook in class used for The Economic Boom and Bust
- Canadian Multiculturalism Act https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canadian_Multiculturalism_Act
1st planeload of Syrian refugees land on Canadian soil, By Rebecca Joseph http://globalnews.ca/news/2394286/live-blog-toronto-set-to-welcome-feds-first-syrian-refugees-to-canada/