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Period: to
Cold War
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Quebec's Padlock Law, CBC's a People's History: Comfort and Fear episode
Quebec Introduced a Padlock Law in order to remove all communist propaganda, anyone producing or in possesion of communist material would be arrested. CBC's episode #15 about comfort and fear provides a summary of the events in Canada during the Cold War -
Gouzenko Affair
Igor Gouzenko was a spy who worked with the Canadian Government in exchange for protection from the Soviet Union after defecting to Canada. Gouzenko helped the Canadian Government locate and arrest many Soviet spies working in Canada -
Berlin Blockade
Berlin Blockade DocumentaryThe Berlin Blockade was a Blockade created by the Soviet Union to attempt to block the allies. Instead of travelling on the ground where they were blocked, the allies air lifted resources and supplies to the other side of the Blockade -
International Alliances: NATO and the Warsaw Pact
NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization) was created by all allied countries, including Canada. NATO was a defensive pact signed by all allied countries to defend against the Soviet Union. The Warsaw Pact was created by Soviets for all countries under the iron curtain in fear of a NATO attack -
"The Forgotten War"-The Korean War
North Korean communists attacked South Korea. Canada aided South Korea during the communist attack and ranked 3rd in support for South Korea during the attack. -
UN Peacekeeping: The Suez Crisis and Pearson wins Nobel Prize
Canada had twice in the past refused British requests for peacetime military aid in the middle east. The Suez Crisis almost sparked a massive war in the Middle East. Although Canada did not fight, Lester B. Pearson arranged the first ever peacekeeping force in the United Nations. -
Vietnam War & Draft Dodgers in Canada
Sam Roberts-An American Draft Dodger in Thunder Bay Many Americans who did not want to be "Drafted" or "Conscripted" into the Vietnam war could come to Canada and live there peacfully. Canadians had no part in the Vietnam war, seeing as this was an American affair -
Continental Alliances: NORAD and DEW line
Distant Early Warning DocumentaryCanada and the United States Created NORAD, the North American Aerospace Defense Command. NORAD was a vast array of electronic eyes spread across North America in order to see missiles and planes before they can do damage. DEW line was the Distant Early Warning Line which was a system of radio stations that could warn of an attack before it happened. -
Diefenbaker, Bomarc missiles and nuclear warheads in Canada
Bomarc MissilesThe Bomarc missile was a remote controlled missile that was capable of carrying and dropping a warhead without the loss of Canadian lives because nobody was on board. During the Cold war, Canada kept and maintained nuclear bombs of different types, just in case they needed to bomb somebody. -
Sputnik and Canada's Space Program
Sputnik was a Soviet spacecraft, the first artificial earth satellite. It emitted radio pulses that could be tracked from earth. Canada's space program in 1957 started the development of Alouette 1, the third man made satellite to be put in space in 1962. NASA launched the satellite because Canada did not have the technology to launch it into the proper orbit. -
Avro Arrow and its Cancellation
Avro Arrow DocumentaryThe Avro Arrow was a plane that Canada made to protect Canada against attack from overseas. Diefenbaker cancelled the Avro Arrow in order to make the American Bomarc missiles. During this transition, thousands of Canadians were left unemployed. -
The Cuban Missile Crisis
Cuban Missile Crisis DocumentaryThere were Soviet missiles based in Cuba, which was very concerning for the Americans as well as Canadians. Canada's response was slow because, the order to go to "Defcon 3" from the Americans had to first go through parliament. After it had been passed, the army went to "Defcon 3". Canadians were on hold, taking orders from the United States their closest military allies. -
Canada-Soviet Hockey Series
Game Eight of the Summit SeriesStrong senses of pride from both countries as the series took place in the heat of the Cold War. The series boosted Canadian pride even though it was just a game. Many school students were sent home early from school for game 8 because the series was so heated and it was all coming to an end in one game. -
The Fall of the Soviet Union
The Fall of the Soviet Union After the fall of the Soviet Union, the USA became the most powerful country on the planet. This affects Canada because, Canada's closest ally is the USA. Canada now has the protection and the alliance with the most powerful country in the world. -
The Fall of the Berlin Wall
The Fall of the Berlin Wall The Fall of the Berlin Wall did not directly affect Canada but it did affect its citizens, living in Berlin. When the wall came down, it symbolized the breaking of Communisim and Captialism and branching the two parts of the City back together. The fall of the wall also symbolized the end of the Cold War which was obviously a good thing for Canada
