Canada’s Cold War
Prime Ministers
…and beyond
Louis St. Laurent (Lib)
Known for… “megaprojects”

claimed parts of the Arctic, displacing Inuits


St. Lawrence Seaway project, TransCanada
highway trans-Canada natural gas pipeline

1949 Nfld became our 10th province
John Diefenbaker (Cons.)
Known as…. “The Chief”

raised pensions for the elderly and disabled

gave status Indians living on reserves the
right to vote in federal elections

1960 brought in the Canadian Bill of Rights
putting all basic freedoms into law
Lester B. Pearson (Lib.)
Known for…





Nobel Peace Prize –Suez Canal Crisis
appointed a Royal Commission on
Bilingualism and Biculturalism
Canada Pension Plan
Medicare for all Canadians
flag debate -single red maple leaf was our
official flag by 1964
Pierre Elliot Trudeau (Lib.)
Trudeaumania! Just society




A “Just Society” - strong believer in
individual freedom
1970 – officially recognized the People’s
Republic of China
cut national defense budget
increased aid with poor countries
“Living next to you is in some ways like sleeping
with an elephant. No matter how friendly and
even-tempered is the beast, if I can call it that, one
is affected by every twitch and grunt. “
Brian Mulroney (Cons.)
Known for…

1992 – expanded free trade program in North
America by including Mexico (NAFTA)

introduced the GST, took away family allowances
and old age pensions from the wealthy

believed that strengthening businesses in the
private sector would help reduce the debt
Kim Campbell (Cons.)
Jean Chretien
Known for… (besides ordering
waffles )




came to power facing a staggering debt of
$466 billion!
cut education, health care,welfare, hospitals
closed, university tuition rose, homelessness
rose
1998 – Chretien’s gov’t created a surplus!
Quebec separatism sentiments increased
(Bloc Quebecois became official opposition
in 1993)