1950 - 2000 Canada Timeline

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    Canada and The Korean War

    The Canadian Forces were involved in the 1950–1953 Korean War and its aftermath. 26,000 Canadians participated on the side of the United Nations, and Canada sent eight destroyers. Canadian aircraft provided transport, supply and logistics. 516 Canadians died, 312 of which were from combat. After the war, Canadian troops remained for three years as military observers.
  • Royal Canadian Navy Pilot

    Royal Canadian Navy Pilot
    The exchange pilot from the Royal Canadian Navy lands his Grumman F9F-5 Panther aboard the aircraft carrier USS Oriskany off the coast of Korea on November 15, 1952
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    Vietnam War

    The Vietnam War occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from November 1, 1955 to the fall of Saigon on April 30, 1975. It was officially fought between North Vietnam and the government of South Vietnam. The North Vietnamese army was supported by the Soviet Union, China and other communist allies. The South Vietnamese army was supported by the USA, South Korea, Australia, Thailand and other anti-communist allies.
  • Federal Election

    Federal Election
    The Canadian federal election of 1957 was held June 10, 1957, to select the 265 members of the House of Commons of Canada. In one of the great upsets in Canadian political history, the Progressive Conservative Party (also known as "PCs" or "Tories"), led by John Diefenbaker, brought an end to 22 years of Liberal rule, as the Tories were able to form a minority government.
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    Terry Fox

    Terrance Stanley "Terry" Fox was a Canadian athlete, humanitarian, and cancer research activist.
  • First Nations Can Vote

    In 1960, Prime Minister John Diefenbaker's government decided to permit all Status Indians to vote in federal elections. Since 1950, Status Indians had been allowed vote on the condition that they gave up their treaty rights and Indian status, defined in the Indian Act as "enfranchisement", or if they had fought in the First or Second World Wars. The Inuit and Métis were already able to vote at the time. A search did not provide a specific date in 1960.
  • Quiet Revolution

    Quiet Revolution
    The Quiet Revolution was the rapid and drastic change of values, attitudes, and behaviours in Quebec society also characterized by a surge in Quebec nationalism The Quiet Revolution typically refers to the efforts made by the Liberal governments of Jean Lesage (elected in 1960) and Robert Bourassa (elected in 1970). Image is of Jean Lesage. Date sighted is the date he was elected the Premier of the province.
  • 1962 Trans Canada Highway Opens

    1962 Trans Canada Highway Opens
    The Trans-Canada Highway to traffic, stretching nearly 8,000 kilometres from St. John’s, Nfld. to Victoria, B.C., the Trans-Canada Highway is among the longest national highway in the world, traveling through all ten provinces of Canada between its east and west coasts.
  • Canada's Official New Flag

    Canada's Official New Flag
    In 1964, Prime Minister Lester B. Pearson formed a committee to resolve the ongoing issue of the lack of an official Canadian flag, sparking a serious debate about a flag change to replace the Union Flag. Out of three choices, the maple leaf design by George Stanley based on the flag of the Royal Military College of Canada, was selected. The flag made its first official appearance on February 15, 1965. This date is now celebrated annually as National Flag of Canada Day.
  • Expo 67 Postcard

    Expo 67 Postcard
    This is an image captured for a post card of Expo 67.
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    Expo 67

    Expo 67 was a general exhibition, World Fair held in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, from April 27 to October 29, 1967. It is considered to be the most successful World's Fair of the 20th century. 62 nations participated. It also set the single-day attendance record for a world's fair, with 569,500 visitors on its third day. Expo 67 was Canada's main celebration during its centennial year. The fair was to be held in Moscow, however, they cancelled, and Canada was awarded it in late 1962.
  • Prime Minister Trudeu is elected. Over the course of his time as Prime Minister, he served a total of 15 years and 164 days in two seperate terms of position.

    Prime Minister Trudeu is elected.  Over the course of his time as Prime Minister, he served a total of 15 years and 164 days in two seperate terms of position.
    Trudeau's first government implemented many procedural reforms to make Parliament and the Liberal caucus meetings run more efficiently, significantly expanded the size and role of the Prime Minister's office and substantially expanded the welfare state, with the establishment of new programmes. His first major legislative push was to implement the Official Languages Act, making French and English the co-equal official languages of the Federal government
  • War Measures Act Imposed By Prime Minister Trudeau

    War Measures Act Imposed By Prime Minister Trudeau
    From 1963 to 1970 the Quebec nationalist group FLQ detonated 95 bombs. Mailboxes, in the affluent and predominantly Anglophone city of Westmount, were common targets, the largest single bombing was of the Montreal Stock Exchange on February 13, 1969, which caused extensive damage and injured 27 people. Terrorists kidnapped and killed Pierre Laport. The Act gave police the power to arrest people without warrant. The police conducted 3000 searches. 497 people were detained
  • Canada and the Vietnam War - The country's troop deployments to Vietnam were limited to a small number of national forces in 1973 to help enforce the Paris Peace Accords. The war had considerable effects on Canada.

    Canada and the Vietnam War - The country's troop deployments to Vietnam were limited to a small number of national forces in 1973 to help enforce the Paris Peace Accords. The war had considerable effects on Canada.
    Canadian industry exported military supplies and raw materials useful in their manufacture, including ammunition, napalm and Agent Orange,[5] to the United States, as trade between the two countries carried on unhindered. Exportes to the U.S., were in the billions, including nickel, copper, lead, oil, brass for shell casings, wiring, plate armour and military transport. In Canada unemployment fell to record low levels of 3.9%. Image is Canadians fighting in Vietnam War.
  • CN Tower

    CN Tower
    At a cost of $63,000,000, the CN Tower at the time was the largest free standing structure. It is now the 9th tallest. The idea of the CN Tower originated in 1968 when the Canadian National Railway wanted to build a large TV and radio communication platform to serve the Toronto area, as well as demonstrate the strength of Canadian industry and CN in particular. These plans evolved over the next few years, and the project became official in 1972.
  • Death Penalty is Aboloished in Canada

    Death Penalty is Aboloished in Canada
    From 1867 to the elimination of the death penalty for murder on July 14, 1976, 1,481 people had been sentenced to death, and 710 had been executed. Of those executed, 697 were men and 13 were women. The only method used in Canada for capital punishment of civilians after the end of the French regime was hanging. The last execution in Canada was the double hanging of Arthur Lucas and Ronald Turpin on December 11, 1962, at Toronto's Don Jail. The image is of a an hanging in Montreal, 1902.
  • Joe Clark becomes the youngest Prime Minister to ever hold office in Canada.

    Joe Clark becomes the youngest Prime Minister to ever hold office in Canada.
    Clark was only 39 when he was sworn in to office. He was unable to accomplish much in office because of the tenuous situation of his minority government. However, historians have credited Clark's government with making access to information legislation a priority. The Clark government introduced Bill C-15, the Freedom of Information Act, which established a broad right of access to government records, an elaborate scheme of exemptions, and a two-stage review process.
  • Terry Fox begins his trek across Canada on April 12, 1980, when Fox dipped his right leg in the Atlantic Ocean near St. John's, Newfoundland

    Terry Fox begins his trek across Canada on April 12, 1980, when Fox dipped his right leg in the Atlantic Ocean near St. John's, Newfoundland
    ,On September 1, outside Thunder Bay, he was forced to stop briefly after he suffered an intense coughing fit and experienced pains in his chest. A few miles later, short of breath and with continued chest pain, he was driven to a hospital. He feared immediately that he had run his last kilometer.] The next day, Fox held a tearful press conference during which he announced that his cancer had returned and spread to his lungs. He was forced to end his run after 143 days and 5,373 km.
  • Marc Garneau becomes the first Canadian in Space

    Marc Garneau becomes the first Canadian in Space
    Garneau was one of the first Canadian Astronauts and he became the first Canadian in outer space in October 1984. In 1984, he was seconded to the new Canadian Astronaut Program, one of six chosen from over 4,000 applicants. He flew on the shuttle Challenger, STS-41-G from October 5 to 13, 1984, as payload specialist. He has logged over 677 hours in space.
  • Rick Hansen a Canadian Paralympian, activist, and philanthropist for people with disabilities. Following a pickup truck accident at the age of 15, substaining a spinal cord injury. Hansen is most famous for his Man in Motion World Tour.

    Rick Hansen a Canadian Paralympian, activist, and philanthropist for people with disabilities. Following a pickup truck accident at the age of 15, substaining a spinal cord injury. Hansen is most famous for his Man in Motion World Tour.
    He embarked on his Man in Motion World Tour on March 21, 1985 from Oakridge Mall in Vancouver. Although public attention was low at the beginning of the tour, he soon attracted international media attention as he progressed on a 26-month trek, logging more than 40,000 km through 34 countries on 4 continents before crossing Canada. He returned to Vancouver's BC Place Stadium to cheering crowds of thousands on May 22, 1987 after raising $26 million for spinal cord research.
  • The Loonie is introduced into currency circulation, replacing the dollar bill

    The Loonie is introduced into currency circulation, replacing the dollar bill
    The government announced on March 25, 1986, that the new dollar coin would be launched the following year as a replacement for the dollar bill, which would be phased out. The final dollar bills were printed on June 30, 1989.
  • Free Trade Agreement between Canada and USA

    Free Trade Agreement between Canada and USA
    The agreement phased out a wide range of trade restrictions in stages over a ten-year period, and resulted in a great increase in cross-border trade. The agreement was made on October 4, 1987, but was not signed until January 2, 1988.
  • Goods and Services Tax (GST) Imposed on all Canadians by Prime Minister Brian Mulroney

    Goods and Services Tax (GST) Imposed on all Canadians by Prime Minister Brian Mulroney
    The GST replaced a hidden 13.5% manufacturers' sales tax (MST); Mulroney claimed the GST was implemented because the MST was hindering the manufacturing sector's ability to export competitively. The introduction of the GST was very controversial, The GST rate is still in place 28 years later. It is not going anywhere. Image is of federal taxation map.
  • The Year 2000 problem also known as the Y2K problem, the Millennium bug, the Y2K bug, or Y2K. Problems resulted because people, including programmers, reduced the four-digit year to two digits. This made the year 2000 indistinguishable from 1900

    The Year 2000 problem also known as the Y2K problem, the Millennium bug, the Y2K bug, or Y2K. Problems resulted because people, including programmers, reduced the four-digit year to two digits. This made the year 2000 indistinguishable from 1900
    The Y2K (Year 2000) problem came to exist culturally because of a fear that computers would fail when their clocks were meant to update to January 1, 2000. Because computers were programmed to automatically assume the date began with "19" as in "1977" and "1988," people feared that when the date turned from December 31, 1999, to January 1, 2000, computers would be so confused that they would shut down completely. People prepared as if it was going to be the end of the world. Nothing happened.