Transcript Canada in the 1960’s: The new Flag







The 1960’s was a decade of concentrated social change.
Social movements of the 1960’s included:
Women’s liberation
Civil rights
Free love
Peace
All of these movements shared a desire for the
liberation of the individual. They created a counterculture of youth and freedom, that questioned the
“status quo” of the “establishment”

I have a dream






In the early 60’s Canada produced the world’s leading philosopher
of communications Marshal McLuhan.
He observed that electronic media was becoming more important
than print.
He was made famous by the phrase “ The medium is the
message.” and said that the new types of media would ultimately
create a “global village.”
He theorized that distinctive national identities would dissolve as
the distances created by geography, succumbing to the instant
communication provided by new technology.
The 1960’s certainly marked huge changes in the ways in which
Canadian’s perceived themselves.
We obtained a new national symbol, we instated the official
languages Act and we experienced a huge shift in our national
morality

In 1964 Canadians were involved in an argument over the
Canadian flag, many were attached to the British Union Flag
However people who viewed themselves as Canadian, and not
British, did not care for it. In 1963 Prime Minister Lester
Pearson unveiled his idea for a new flag and by 1965, we had a
brand new flag

Awesome Canada Beaver of Amazingness




In the early and mid-60’s, the desire for freedom was
expressed in long hair, casual dress, and loud rock and roll
The decade progressed into protest marches on behalf of
peace, and the civil rights movement
The new philosophy set individuals above the authority of
groups and what by many were considered outdated moral
standards
Government was seen by many as the accomplice of
business, instead of the protector of citizens and the
environment




Women were ready for liberation
A dependable birth control pill, introduced in the early
1960’s made it possible for women to delay or avoid having
children. This in turn made it possible for more women to
compete with men in the business world.
Women’s groups campaigned for equal rights, equal
opportunities in the job market and an end to
discrimination based on sex.
Prime Minister Pearson set up of Royal Commission on
the status of women, that was actually led by a woman, the
first federal commission ever to be chaired by a woman.



In 1963 Prime Minister Pearson appointed the Royal
Commission on Bilingualism and Biculturalism.
The report found that Quebecois were alienated from the rest
of Canada, partially because the French language was not
considered equal to English throughout the country.
When Pierre Trudeau Became Prime Minister in 1968, he
passed the Official Languages Act in 1969, this gave equal
status to English and French officially making Canada a
bilingual country.


More than any other Canadian province, Québec changed
rapidly during the 1960’s.
These changes were so profound that this period is known in
Québec as the “Revolution Tranquille” or the Quiet
Revolution. The period is called this because though the
changes were radical, they were achieved with out violence.





Economy: the Quiet Revolution sought to establish a stronger
French presence in the economy of Québec.
Social Services: They wanted to ensure they had the same
standard of social services as other provinces
Education: taken from the churches and turned over to a
provincial system.
More Autonomy: Québec wanted co-operative federalism
Unfortunately none of these steps would help Canada avoid
the crisis between Québec and the rest of Canada that would
occur during the October Crisis, brought on by the actions of
the FLQ




On October 5, 1970 members of the FLQ kidnapped
James Cross the British trade commissioner from his
home. The FLQ sent messages to the media saying that,
they would kill Cross unless the government released 23
people who were in prison for terrorist acts.
As a concession to the kidnappers the government
allowed the FLQ manifesto to be broadcast publicly.
The manifesto argued that in Quebec the English
minority held all positions of power and influence, while
the French majority was disadvantaged.
Although they disagreed with the FLQ’s tactics,many
people agreed with its analysis of the situation in Quebec



The Quebec government refused to release any
prisoners. Instead it offered to allow the kidnappers
safe passage to another country if they released Cross.
Minutes after the government made this announcement
another cell of the FLQ abducted Pierre Laporte, the
Quebec minister of labor, while he was playing on his
lawn with his children.
Laporte sent the government a letter pleading for his
life. CBC report of Laporte’s letter



On 16 October,the federal government stated that
because of a state of “apprehended insurrection”
in Quebec, it was invoking the War Measures Act.
This gives the authorities the power to arrest
without warrant anyone suspected of being
connected to the FLQ.
Over the next few days, hundreds of people were
jailed. (In the end, only 20 people were actually
convicted of any crime.) Prime Minister Trudeau
justifies the War Measures Act

Trudeau Speaks about the FLQ Crisis





Pierre Laporte’s body was discovered in the trunk of
a car.
Police found Cross, who was released after 59 days.
In exchange for his release, five kidnappers received
safe passage to Cuba.
Four men were arrested Paul Rose, his brother
Jacques, Francis Simard, and Bernard Lortie and
convicted of Pierre Laporte’s murder
In January 1971 the army withdrew from Quebec.



Although the FLQ failed in it’s purpose to cause Québec
to separate, the desire to separate remains strong in some
segments of Quebec society.
The divisions between French and English in Canada
continues today
This can be seen in the Bloc Quebec one of the most
powerful political parties in Canada today.
Non = No
Oui = Yes
For those that
speak no
French, like
myself.