***THIS BLOG ENTRY HAS BEEN ADDED TO - READ CAREFULLY ALL THE WAY THROUGH*****
As a followup to yesterday's discussion, we examined our list of items we assembled.
The Frontier - The Great White North
We began by identifying Canada as a frontier nation, its people concentrated in large metropolitan areas still largely separated by vast distances of uninhabited wilderness and wide open spaces. Canada is the second largest country in the world. It is impossible to understand the Canadian experience without some sense of the enormity of its geography, its majesty and the hard-nosed determination that is required to overcome the consequences of our great land. The building of the transcontinental railway is a testament to that determination to carve out a nation of our own, separate and distinct from our American brothers, who chose to break away from their British heritage.
A Loyal People
The American Revolution (1775-1783) brought close to 50,000 American colonists to Canada in search of a new home in North America where they could remain loyal to Britain. These individuals were known as the United Empire Loyalists. Despite the success of the revolution, the excitement surrounding the birth of the United States and tremendous accomplishment of the colonials in securing their own freedom, the United Empire Loyalists sacrificed everything including their own personal security because they felt an honor bound duty to the British Empire.
It was no surprise then that when hostilities started again in the War of 1812, British subjects (including the French) who lived in the Upper and Lower Canada were ready to fight -- and fight they did. British General Isaac Brock defeated General William Hull at Detroit, despite being outnumbered 2-1. Brock was able to secure the support of Shawnee Chief Tecumseh. Aboriginals were motivated to join the British because the British had supported Indian resistance to American territorial expansion westward.
Neither side can really claim total victory in the war, but both sides view it as a victory and as a proud moment in their respective histories. Americans describe the War of 1812 as a second War of Independence in which the nation was able to get Britain to agree to recognize its territorial claims in the west. The war produced an American hero in General Andrew Jackson, or "Old Hickory" as he became known, who would later become a very influential President and the first American leader born in the west. Jackson routed the British at the Battle of New Orleans, preserving the vast expanse of land that President Thomas Jefferson acquired from France in the Louisiana Purchase. As well, the American national anthem, the Star Spangled Banner came about as a result of the British attack on Fort McHenry at Baltimore.
Staking a Claim Separate of the United States
Canadians had their own hero in General Isaac Brock and see the war as a great forgotten victory for a small colony over an emerging great power. Most importantly, Canadians see the War of 1812 as an affirmation of Canada's determination to stay separate of the United States and, for many, it is a symbol of our loyalty to Great Britain. That feeling of loyalty would later compel Canada to enter World War I.
Although July 1, 1867 is celebrated as the birth of Canada as a nation, the country was truly not a free country in the sense that Thomas Jefferson would describe it in the Declaration of Independence, "...that ...free and independent states... have full power to levy war, conclude peace, contract alliances, establish commerce, and to do all other acts and things which independent states may of right do."
Canada's foreign policy was set by Britain. A Canadian dissatisfied with the result of litigation in the highest court of Canada could appeal to a court in Britain. Our constitution remained in Britain and contained no protection of individual rights until the 1982 Charter of Rights and Freedoms(More on this later in this blog entry). Even Canada's entry into World War I, although declared by parliament, was a foregone conclusion. As part of the British Empire, war with Britain meant war with Canada. Ironically, our lack of independence on the issue of World War I would ultimately lead to earning our true independence and recognition throughout the world.
World War I and the True Birth of a Nation
True to the toughness and determination that Canadians established from the habitant through the UEL, down to the last spike that cemented the transcontinental railway, Canadians showed the world what they were made of in the First World War. A fledgling nation often in the shadow of the United States with a small population of roughly 8 million and a tiny army of only 32,000 became a nation to respect and reckon with in four short years. In the end, more than 600,000 Canadians served in the war with 173,000 wounded and 67,000 killed. And Canadians did more than sacrifice lives on the battlefield, they made a difference -- often against seemingly impossible odds.
As an example, at the Second Battle of Ypres where poison gas was used for the first time, Canadians endured while the British and French were decimated, leaving a four mile gap through which Germany, had she been better prepared, could have broke through with devastating consequences. Canadian troops used ingenuity and their characteristic determination to close the gap, hold the line and stop the German advance. It was the first time a European power had been defeated by a former colonial nation on European soil. It was also a sign of what was to come -- Vimy Ridge, Passchendaele, Somme -- Our unfailing determination to do our duty and to prevail won us the respect and admiration of friend and foe alike.
As noted by General David Watson, regarding the Third Battle at Ypres, "It need hardly be a matter of surprise that the Canadians by this time had the reputation of being the best shock troops in the Allied Armies. They had been pitted against the select guards and shock troops of Germany and the Canadian superiority was proven beyond question. They had the physique, the stamina, the initiative, the confidence between officers and men (so frequently of equal standing in civilian life) and happened to have the opportunity."
See the full text of Watson's comments below:
http://www.firstworldwar.com/source/ypres3_watson.htm
At the end of World War I, Prime Minister Robert Borden insisted that Canada sign the armistice to end the war separate from Great Britain. And with that signature, Canada matured into full nationhood with the blessing of a grateful Britain.
Canadians would rise to the challenge again in World War II, and then in Korea. Six thousand would even volunteer into the American military to fight in Vietnam. Canadians would be heard from in the Gulf War, Kosovo and Afghanistan following 9/11. In addition, Canadians have a long history of participating in United Nation peacekeeping efforts in the Suez Crisis, and in places like the Golan Heights, Cyprus, Croatia, Bosnia, and Libya.
Our toughness and determination as a people grew out of the nature of our surroundings and our fierce desire to carve a place for ourselves outside of the American experience. Yet, that hard-nosed resolve would be sharpened into a blade of steel that would win us our independence in our own way -- not through confrontation with those who had power over us, but through standing with them in the greatest fight they ever faced -- a fight that would threaten their survival.
A Warrior Nation Emerges
We Canadians are quiet warriors. We do not seek it. We generally are not compelled to involve ourselves in places remote or otherwise. However, if challenged or threatened or in support of a friend, we will pursue victory relentlessly... And God help those who stand in our way.
Although part of the Canadian identity is tied to our resolve to fight -- for our existence, our friends, and in the defence of that which we deem right, it is not the entire story. And to be sure, while World War I was a great unifier in many ways for Canada, it also caused deep divisions between English and French Canadians that affected our sense of self. But before getting into cultural questions, let us examine the impact that our strong sense of duty has on our attitudes towards some social issues.
Individual Rights vs. Responsibilities
We have examined issues in both health care and gun control as examples of where the same attitudes exist in both Canada and the United States, but different attitudes prevail.
With respect to health care, Canadians see their universal health care coverage as a compromise which allows private individuals to do the business of health care under an insurance system that guarantees health care is generally paid for. There is, of course, extra billing, so it is not entirely covered. It is also a provincial responsibility, so different provinces offer different kinds of coverage in terms of procedures or even prescription drug coverage. Canada's health care system is under a great deal of stress due to an aging population, as is the system in the United States.
Americans are presently fighting over whether or not the government should extend health insurance to those that presently are not insured. This seems like a no brainer to Canadians, but it is not so simple an issue in the US. Millions of Americans choose to opt out of buying health care coverage or buy minimum coverage because they either: a) have a high income and choose to buy their health services as they need them; b) are young without dependents or spouse and feel that their relative good health will mean that they are unlikely spend more paying for what they need out of pocket that the average of over $8,000 for health coverage.
The bottom line here is that both countries face a diminishing workforce and an increased number of seniors who are living longer and are likely to use their health insurance. In the United States, the dominant thinking is that government involvement in insurance will strip the individual of the right to make their own health care decisions, resulting in a lower quality of care and not treating people for terminal illness because it will cost the government too much. In Canada, the dominant thinking is that while government insurance has resulted in service delays and waiting lists, we fear that moving towards a more American market oriented model will drive up costs more and eventually lead to some people who are without coverage. Therefore, true to our national histories, both countries cling to their fundamental beliefs - Americans err on the side of individual rights and Canadians err on the side of responsibility and the "common good"... which suits our psyche.
Gun control sees the same kind of thinking prevail. While support for the gun registry law declined, Canadians are somewhat ambivalent with regards to the potential erosion of a personal freedom (i.e. the freedom to own property - in this case, a firearm) if they think that a greater good (i.e. public safety) is achieved.
Remember... it is not my intention or interest to debate the merits of either the health care debate or gun control. Instead, we are looking at two public policy issues to demonstrate that Canadians have a bent which tends to choose responsibility over rights.
Another perfect example of this is Pierre Trudeau's use of the War Measures Act in the 1970 terrorist crisis in Quebec. Trudeau had many people arrested and detained without charge when the FLQ (radical Quebec separatists) kidnapped British Trade Commissioner James Cross and provincial Labor Minister Pierre Laporte (Laporte was killed by the FLQ). Trudeau invoked a law meant as an emergency procedure during wartime to suspend civil liberties and use maximum force to protect civil liberties. The vast majority of the country supported his actions and continue to view the FLQ crisis as one of Trudeau's finest moments.
Trudeau During the October Crisis Making the Case for Responsibilities Over Rights
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XfUq9b1XTa0
The FLQ crisis was a difficult time in our nation's history and it emphasized the old divisions between English and French.
From the "Two Founding Peoples" to Multiculturalism
Britain and France battled for supremacy worldwide, but in Canada the issue was settled after the victory of British General Wolfe over French General Montcalm on September 13, 1759 -- or so it seemed. New France had fallen. But the French presence remained and endured. Through the American Revolution, the rebellions in Upper and Lower Canada and the American Civil War, the French fought consciously to maintain their language, their culture and their way of life distinct from English and American influences.
Today, Quebec license plates retain the phrase:
Je me souviens... (I remember)
The phrase is a self-styled motto of the French Canadian population which serves as a sort of battle cry to remember who they are and their heritage. It has served to fan the flames of a Quebec nationalism.
English Canada, particularly in the west, often fails to understand the source of Quebec nationalism and resents it as a force which seems fixated on dividing the country along cultural lines. Two referendums have been held in Quebec in order to separate from the rest of Canada. The 1995 referendum was very close indeed. The final vote was 50.5% No, 49.2% Yes. This caused a great deal of difficulty in the country. Investors were questioning the stability of Canada. There was anger and bitterness on both sides. Since then, the separatist movement has faded, but it seems that it is never entirely extinguished.
Earlier in our history, Canada was seen as a partnership between the two founding European powers that settled it. The legislative union between the Canadas was evidence of this pact. However, as time has gone on, Canada has seen an influx of immigration from every corner of the globe and so the two founding peoples thesis failed to make practical sense anymore.
In the 1970's, the Trudeau government made the concept of multiculturalism an official part of government policy. The feeling was that Canada's population was in need of greater growth in order to survive. It was also Trudeau's intention to reduce the tension between French and English as well as be more inclusive of native peoples and immigrants as a whole.
Because it would have been divisive to promote being Canadian as either English or French, Trudeau adopted a vision which made English and French both official languages. In Trudeau's vision of Canada, the country was a mosaic instead of a melting pot. Over the years, there has been some debate over whether or not multiculturalism unifies us, but polls show that Canadians have more or accept the broader ideas of the concept as a part of our national identity.
Hockey
There is little debate when it comes to hockey and its relationship to Canada's identity. However, there is too little space and time here to adequately discuss hockey and the complex way in which it is woven into our national identity. Suffice to say that hockey is by far the most pervasive and dominating component of our national identity and indeed the strongest part of our national pride. We will examine hockey more closely throughout the semester.
