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Quebec's Padlock Law
Premier of Quebec, Maurice Duplessis, passed this law to prevent the spread of Communism in Quebec. Under the act, people were forbidden to use a house, building or apartment to support Communism or Bolshevism. If it was violated the house would be 'padlocked'. It gave too much power to the government, and was violated to persecute Jews, Jehovah's Witnesses and left wing groups. -
Gouzenko Affair
Igor Gouzenko InterviewIgor Gouzenko, a Russian immigrant, offers the Canadian Government documents that exposes Soviet spy activity in Canada. He does this to avoid being deported to Russia. Afterwards, he wears a mask to protect his identity. -
Berlin Blockade
Berlin Blockade Airlift Video The USSR builds a blockade in an attempt to prevent Allied access and block supply lines to West Berlin. The blockade did not succeed, but tensions between the USSR and the US were raised. -
North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO)
Canada, America, Britain, Belgium, Denmark, France, Iceland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway and Portugal make a defence pact to protect eachother from enemy attacks. This is done primarily to protect against attacks from the Soviet Union. -
Korean War
Canadian Newsreel on the Korean WarCommunist North Korea, supported by the USSR and China, invades the South, which is supported by the USA. This conflict shows the struggle between Communism and Democracy. Canada ranked third in total aid, and 25,000 Canadian soldiers fought in Korea before the truce of 1953. Canadians also stayed in Korea until 1955 to help maintain the truce. -
Warsaw Pact
The USSR, Bulgaria, Czechoslovakia, East Germany, Hungary, Poland, Romania and Albania sign a similair military alliance in Warsaw, Poland. The pact was the soviet response to the creation of NATO. -
Vietnam War and Draft Dodgers
Vietnam War VideoThe Vietnam War (1955-1975) was fought between Communist North Vietnam and South Vietnam. The USA defended the south while the Soviet Union defended the North. Canada did not participate in the war. However, some Canadian troops were sent over to Vietnam in support. Draft Dodgers were American men who escaped conscription, or 'dodged the draft' by crossing the border into Canada. It is estimated that 10's of 1000's of American pacifists did this. -
Suez Crisis
Egyptian leader, General Nasser, decides to take control of the Suez Canal. He is motivated by the creation of Israel. Because of this, French and British government and businesses would lose trading routes and wealth. France, Britain and Israel decide to arm in secret and take back control of the Suez Canal. The Soviet Union threatened to come to the aid of Egypt. -
Sputnik Satellite
Launch of Sputnik 1Soviet Union launched Sputnik 1, the first space satellite. The rocket that sent the satellite into space could also be used to deliver nuclear weapons to any spot in North America. This was the beginning of the Space Race between the USA and the USSR -
Lester Pearson's Solution to the Suez Crisis
Canadian Secretary of state, Lester Pearson, presents the solution to the Suez Crisis to the UN. It calls for a ceasefire and the creation of the United Nations Emergency Force to oversee the withdrawal of invading forces and to patrol border areas. They stayed in Egypt to help keep the peace until the Egyptian government asked them to leave in 1967. Lester Pearson recieved the 1957 Nobel Peace Prize for his efforts. He became the Prime Minister of Canada in 1963. -
North American Air Defense (NORAD)
The NORAD agreement was signed between the US and Canada. They agreed to defend eachothers' airspace. To do this, Distant Early Warning systems were established in the Northwest Territories. THe DEW line consisted of high powered radar antennae which could detect enemy aircraft from 4300 km away. Canadians felt as if this was a step backward in their independence. Some felt as if the agreement had put Canada in a likely position for nuclear war, while others felt safer. -
Cancellation of Avro Arrow is Announced
Flight of the Avro ArrowCanadian Prime Minister, Diefenbaker, cancelled the production and development of the Canadian Avro Arrow. In its place Diefenbaker bought the ready-made American BOMARC missiles for Canadian Defense against nuclear weapons. Around 14,000 Canadians lost their jobs due to the cancellation. (Warheads were not allowed in Canada which limited American control of when Canada could use its missiles.) -
Cuban Missile Crisis
Cuban Missile Crisis VideoAmerican Spy planes photographed the building of Soviet missle sites on the island of Communist Cuba. These missiles could be accurately launched to hit any major American city. In defense, President Kennedy ordered a naval blockade to be put into place. Although Canada was an American ally, the government wanted to have suspicious sites examined by independent experts instead. -
Canadian - Russian Series
1972 Summit Series Final GameThe Canadian Russian Series was an organised hockey tournament between the two countries. Both teams played very well and there was a split of three wins towards the end of the series. In the last game, which was in Moscow, Paul Henderson scored the winning goal which broke the tie in Canadian favour. This contributed to an extreme boost in national pride for Canadians. -
Fall of the Berlin Wall
'Tear Down This Wall' SpeechPeaceful Protesting from the East Germans and disrest from the West Germans regarding the wall set the stage for the fall of the Berlin wall. In 1987, President Reagan directed a speech to Gorbachev, asking to have the wall torn down. The Soviet Union was weakening, and on the 9th of November 1989 citizens of both Germanys started to chip away at the wall. Afterwards, border crossings were slowly reintroduced. -
Fall of the Soviet Union
Fall of the Soviet UnionIn 1985 Mikhail Gorbachev became General Secretary of the Soviet Union. He introduced two new policies. The first was 'Glasnost', which brought freedom of speech and openness in government. The second was 'Perestroika(Resctructuring)' which aimed at restructuring the economy to allow more private ownership. Extreme Soviets attempted a government takeover, in 1991, but failed when the military refused to shoot or arrest their own people. Communism had fallen in the Soviet Union.
