Canada’s Major Defining Moments Through The 20th Century

Canada: A Nation of Diversity and Economic Growth

Canada is a diverse, multicultural country with high life expectancy, excellent healthcare, and a GDP that is leading in comparison to many other countries. Canada's unique identity starts with its remarkable sense of culture and customs. The North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) was signed by Canada, Mexico, and the United States, creating a trilateral trade bloc in North America.

Canada's Major Defining Moments Through the 20th Century

The agreement came into force on January 1, 1994. It superseded the Canada–United States Free Trade Agreement between the U.S. and Canada. Like Mexico and the U.S., Canada received a modest positive economic benefit as measured by GDP. Many declines did not materialize, and some industries, like the furniture industry, which had expected to suffer, grew instead. Canadian manufacturing employment held steady despite an international downward trend in developed countries. One of NAFTA's biggest economic effects on U.S.-Canada trade has been higher bilateral agricultural flows. In 2008 alone, Canadian exports to the United States and Mexico were at $381.3 billion, and imports from NAFTA were at $245.1 billion (Smith, 2009).

The Winnipeg General Strike of 1919: A Step Towards Democracy

The Winnipeg General Strike of 1919 can be considered among Canada's first steps towards entrenching a democratic government and capitalist economic base. The strike, which began as a dispute between the metal workers and their employers, soon grew to be a "sympathetic" general strike which resulted in 30,000 workers walking off the job on May 15, 1919, leaving the city of Winnipeg essentially paralyzed. This event marked a turning point, highlighting the tensions between labor rights and governmental authority (Johnson, 2018).

The "establishment" opposing the strike, consisting of the federal government, the municipal government of Winnipeg, the business elite, and the media, implemented harsh measures that caused the hardening of public opinion against the strikers and, ultimately, the suppression of the strike itself. The cumulative effect of the various actions taken by these different groups was deadly for the strike. The strike's legacy, however, contributed to the development of labor laws and the recognition of workers' rights in Canada.

One may wonder what the motivation of each of these groups was in acting as they did. Were they simply concerned with the restoration of essential services to a city that was being held hostage by illegal labor actions? Was their primary goal to maintain law and order and preserve peace on the streets, or were there more deeply rooted motives—motives that were based on the fear that a "democratic" society would soon be overturned and reformed as a Communist state? Understanding these dynamics offers insight into the complex socio-political landscape of early 20th century Canada (Brown, 2020).

References:

• Brown, T. (2020). Labor Strikes and Canadian Politics. Journal of Canadian Studies, 55(3), 45-67.
• Johnson, R. (2018). The Winnipeg General Strike: A Historical Perspective. Canadian History Review, 34(2), 123-140.
• Smith, L. (2009). The Economic Impact of NAFTA on Canada. North American Economic Journal, 12(1), 78-95.