After WW2 (the 50s-60s)

What were the two major measures used to transition Canada from wartime to peacetime after WWII?

Ensuring jobs for veterans and introducing equalization payments.

What were the four ways Canada supported returning veterans after WWII?

1. Returned their old jobs (if desired)

2. Encouraged women to leave factories

3. Offered free tuition for university/trade school

4. Provided low mortgage rates through the Veterans’ Land Act

What are equalization payments?

Federal transfers to poorer provinces to ensure equal opportunity for social services across Canada.

What two main factors contributed to Canada’s population growth after WWII?

The Baby Boom and increased immigration.

What characterized the Baby Boom in Canada?

6.7 million babies born (1941–1961), families with 3–4 children, and highest birth rate in 1959.

How did pre-war immigration differ from post-war immigration?

• Pre-war: Restrictive, favoured British/Northern Europeans.

• Post-war: Opened to war brides, refugees, displaced persons (e.g., Hungarians, Czechs, Slovaks).

how many immigrants arrived between 1945-1950?

More than 2 million immigrants

how many displaced persons did Canada accept?

165,000+

How many Hungarians came to Canada?

37,000 Hungarians

Who was Prime Minister of Canada from 1948–1957?

Louis St. Laurent.

What were three major initiatives under PM Louis St. Laurent?

• Expanded welfare programs (pensions, family allowance)

• Established hospital insurance

• Negotiated Newfoundland's entry into Confederation

Who succeeded St. Laurent as PM in 1957?

John Diefenbaker, the first Westerner to become PM.

What caused the rise of consumer culture in 1950s Canada?

End of wartime rationing, economic prosperity, and targeted advertising (especially toward children).

By 1960, how many homes had television?

 90%

How did television impact Canadian culture in the 1950s?

Spread American values, became a household necessity, CBC opened stations, and 90% of homes had TVs by 1960.

What was the purpose of the Massey Commission?

To protect Canadian culture from U.S. influence and support arts, media, and education.

Why did teen culture grow in the 1950s?

Baby boomers had no war/economic crisis, more time in school, and became a key marketing demographic.

Which music genres became popular with teens in the 1950s?

Rock & Roll and folk music.

Who was Paul Anka?

A Canadian teen pop star from Ottawa known for songs like “Diana” and “Lonely Boy.”

What contributed to the rise of suburbia in postwar Canada?

Cheap land, baby boom, car ownership, and the appeal of quiet "bedroom communities."

What were traditional gender roles in 1950s suburban life?

Men were breadwinners; women were housekeepers. Media promoted perfection and domestic beauty standards.

When did compulsory attendance at residential schools end?

1948.

What were two major challenges Indigenous communities still faced in the 1950s?

Institutional racism and relocation to the High Arctic.

What changes were made to the Indian Act in 1951?

Women could vote in band elections, and potlatches/traditional regalia were decriminalized, but federal control remained.

Why did Newfoundland join Canada in 1949?

Financial instability under British rule and the promise of social programs led to a slim majority voting for Confederation.

Who led Newfoundland into Confederation?

Joey Smallwood.

What was the “resettlement” program in Newfoundland?

A government initiative to move people from remote outports to urban centres for better access to services.

Who led Quebec from 1944 to 1959 and promoted nationalism?

Premier Maurice Duplessis.

What was the Padlock Law?

A law allowing authorities to shut down suspected communist organizations in Quebec.

What is “La Grande Noirceur”?

"The Great Darkness" — a term for Duplessis’s authoritarian rule marked by corruption and repression.

What natural resource triggered economic growth in Alberta in 1947?

Oil (discovered in Leduc).

What were the three major megaprojects of the 1950s?

• Trans-Canada Highway

• TransCanada Pipeline

• St. Lawrence Seaway

hat technological innovations appeared in the 1950s?

Ballpoint pens, satellites, pacemakers, transistor radios, TV, and vinyl.

Why were Canadians concerned about U.S. economic influence in the 1950s?

The U.S. controlled a large share of Canada’s oil, mining, and manufacturing sectors.

What were the outcomes of the labour strikes in 1946–1947?

• Wages increased

• The 5-day, 40-hour work week was established

• Fringe benefits like paid vacations became common