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← Unit 4: Canada, 1945–1982

CHC2D · Unit 4 test review

Canada, 1945–1982: Test Review

Everything for the Unit 4 test on one page: the key facts from all 8 lessons, the mistakes that cost the most marks, and a practice test that points you back to the lessons you need.

Key facts

The Postwar Boom: Baby Boom, Suburbs, Economy and Technology

  • The postwar boom (about 1945 to the early 1970s) was driven by wartime savings, pent-up demand, government spending, Cold War demand for resources and American investment.
  • Statistics Canada dates the baby boom from 1946 to 1965; births peaked at about 479,000 in 1959.
  • Newfoundland joined Canada on March 31, 1949; the Trans-Canada Highway opened in 1962 and the St. Lawrence Seaway in 1959.
  • The Rand Formula (1946) required all workers under a union contract to pay dues, strengthening unions.
  • Key technology: CANDU reactors (1962 onward), Alouette 1 (1962), the cancelled Avro Arrow (1959), Anik A1 (1972) and the Canadarm (1981).
  • The 1970s brought oil shocks (1973, 1979) and stagflation, ending with the recession of 1981–1982.

Canada in the Cold War: Gouzenko, NATO, NORAD, Korea and Peacekeeping

  • Igor Gouzenko defected from the Soviet embassy in Ottawa on September 5, 1945, exposing a Soviet spy ring and helping start the Cold War in Canada.
  • Canada was a founding member of NATO (April 4, 1949) and joined NORAD with the United States (1957–58).
  • Over 26,000 Canadians served in the Korean War (1950–1953); 516 died. Kapyong (April 1951) is the best-known Canadian battle.
  • Lester B. Pearson proposed the UN Emergency Force during the 1956 Suez Crisis and won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1957.
  • Diefenbaker cancelled the Avro Arrow on February 20, 1959, and hesitated during the Cuban Missile Crisis (October 1962); the nuclear warhead dispute helped bring down his government in 1963.

Building the Social Safety Net: Family Allowance, Pensions and Medicare

  • The Family Allowance Act (1944) paid a monthly baby bonus for every child, starting in July 1945.
  • Old Age Security (1952) paid 40 dollars a month to every Canadian aged 70 and over, with no means test.
  • Saskatchewan introduced hospital insurance (1947) and medicare (July 1, 1962), sparking a doctors' strike.
  • The Canada and Quebec Pension Plans began on January 1, 1966; the Medical Care Act (1966) came into force on July 1, 1968.
  • The 1971 Unemployment Insurance reform covered almost all workers and added sickness and maternity benefits.

Quebec: Duplessis, the Quiet Revolution, the October Crisis and the 1980 Referendum

  • Maurice Duplessis and the Union Nationale governed Quebec 1936–1939 and 1944–1959; critics called the era la Grande Noirceur.
  • The Quiet Revolution began with Jean Lesage's election on June 22, 1960; "Maîtres chez nous" led to the Hydro-Québec takeover of private power companies (1962–63).
  • The October Crisis (1970): the FLQ kidnapped James Cross and Pierre Laporte; Ottawa invoked the War Measures Act on October 16, and 497 people were arrested.
  • René Lévesque's Parti Québécois (founded 1968) won power on November 15, 1976, and passed Bill 101, the Charter of the French Language, in 1977.
  • In the referendum of May 20, 1980, Quebecers rejected sovereignty-association: No 59.56 per cent, Yes 40.44 per cent.

First Nations, Métis and Inuit Rights, 1945–1982

  • The 1951 Indian Act revisions lifted the bans on ceremonies such as the potlatch and on raising money for land claims, but kept Indian agents, enfranchisement and a rule (s. 12(1)(b)) that took status from women who married non-status men.
  • Inuit gained the federal vote in 1950; status First Nations people gained it without losing status in 1960.
  • The High Arctic relocation (1953 and 1955), the sled-dog killings, the Sixties Scoop and continuing residential schools disrupted families and communities.
  • The White Paper (June 1969) proposed abolishing the Indian Act and Indian status; the Red Paper, Citizens Plus (June 1970), rejected it, and it was withdrawn in 1971.
  • The Calder decision (1973) recognized that Aboriginal title existed in Canadian law; section 35 of the Constitution Act, 1982, recognized and affirmed existing Aboriginal and treaty rights of First Nations, Inuit and Métis.

Equality Movements: Women's Rights and Black Canadians' Resistance to Anti-Black Racism

  • The share of women in the paid labour force rose from about a quarter of women in 1951 to about half in 1981, but most worked in lower-paid jobs and earned less than men.
  • The Royal Commission on the Status of Women (1967–1970) made 167 recommendations; in 1981 women's lobbying won section 28 of the Charter.
  • Viola Desmond was arrested on November 8, 1946, for refusing to leave the whites-only section of a New Glasgow theatre; she was pardoned in 2010 and appears on the ten-dollar note (2018).
  • Ontario passed the Racial Discrimination Act (1944), the Fair Employment Practices Act (1951) and Canada's first Human Rights Code (1962).
  • Africville in Halifax was destroyed between 1964 and 1970; Halifax apologized in 2010.
  • Lincoln Alexander became the first Black MP (1968); Rosemary Brown the first Black woman elected to a provincial legislature (1972).

Immigration, Refugees and Multiculturalism, 1945–1982

  • Canada admitted more than 165,000 displaced persons after the Second World War; the Canadian Citizenship Act took effect on January 1, 1947.
  • The Chinese Immigration Act was repealed on May 14, 1947, but racial preferences remained in policy until the 1962 regulations and the 1967 points system.
  • The 1967 points system judged applicants on education, skills, language, age and job offers rather than race or nationality.
  • Prime Minister Trudeau announced the policy of multiculturalism within a bilingual framework on October 8, 1971.
  • The Immigration Act of 1976 (in force 1978) made refugees a separate class and allowed private sponsorship; about 60,000 Southeast Asian refugees came in 1979–80.

Identity and Independence: the Flag, Expo 67, Culture, the United States and the Charter

  • The Massey Commission (report 1951) led to the National Library (1953) and the Canada Council (1957) to support Canadian culture; CanCon radio rules began in 1971.
  • The Maple Leaf flag was first raised on February 15, 1965; Expo 67 in Montreal drew about 50 million visits during the Centennial.
  • Canada–US ties deepened (Auto Pact, 1965) but were also challenged (Vietnam, the Third Option, FIRA in 1973, the National Energy Program in 1980).
  • The Kitchen Accord (November 5, 1981) led to the Constitution Act, 1982, proclaimed April 17, 1982, with an amending formula and the Charter of Rights and Freedoms.
  • Quebec did not agree to patriation; its National Assembly has never formally endorsed the Constitution Act, 1982.

Where marks get lost

  • Writing that the whole country shared equally in the boom. Atlantic Canada, many rural areas, and many First Nations, Métis and Inuit communities saw far fewer benefits, and some bore the costs of dams, mines and relocations. (The Postwar Boom: Baby Boom, Suburbs, Economy and Technology)
  • Dating the baby boom to the war years. Statistics Canada dates it 1946–1965, with a peak in 1959. (The Postwar Boom: Baby Boom, Suburbs, Economy and Technology)
  • Thinking the Seaway was purely Canadian. It was a joint Canada–US project, which also shows how closely the two economies became linked. (The Postwar Boom: Baby Boom, Suburbs, Economy and Technology)
  • Confusing the Rand Formula with the right to strike. The Rand Formula is about union dues: everyone covered by a contract pays dues, even if they do not join the union. (The Postwar Boom: Baby Boom, Suburbs, Economy and Technology)
  • Thinking Canada stayed neutral in the Cold War. Canada was a founding member of NATO, fought in Korea, joined NORAD and hosted American-funded radar lines. (Canada in the Cold War: Gouzenko, NATO, NORAD, Korea and Peacekeeping)
  • Saying Canada invented peacekeeping alone or that it was its only military role. Pearson's UNEF plan was a turning point, but Canada also kept combat-ready forces in Europe through NATO. (Canada in the Cold War: Gouzenko, NATO, NORAD, Korea and Peacekeeping)
  • Treating the Avro Arrow story as one-sided. Its cancellation was a real loss, but cost overruns, no export buyers and the shift to missiles were real arguments too. (Canada in the Cold War: Gouzenko, NATO, NORAD, Korea and Peacekeeping)
  • Mixing up NATO and NORAD. NATO (1949) links North America and Western Europe; NORAD (1957–58) joins only Canadian and American air defence. (Canada in the Cold War: Gouzenko, NATO, NORAD, Korea and Peacekeeping)
  • Thinking medicare began nationally in 1962. Saskatchewan's plan began in 1962; the federal Medical Care Act came into force in 1968, and all provinces and territories joined by 1972. (Building the Social Safety Net: Family Allowance, Pensions and Medicare)
  • Crediting one person alone. Tommy Douglas is central, but Woodrow Lloyd, Emmett Hall, Lester Pearson, the NDP and community activists also built medicare. (Building the Social Safety Net: Family Allowance, Pensions and Medicare)
  • Confusing Old Age Security with the Canada Pension Plan. OAS (1952) is paid from general taxes to everyone of eligible age; the CPP (1966) is a contributory plan based on what you paid in while working. (Building the Social Safety Net: Family Allowance, Pensions and Medicare)
  • Assuming the programs reached everyone equally. First Nations communities, for example, often received benefits through Indian agents and had far less access to doctors and hospitals. (Building the Social Safety Net: Family Allowance, Pensions and Medicare)
  • Thinking the Quiet Revolution was violent. It was a peaceful transformation through elections and laws; the FLQ was a small, separate group that most nationalists rejected. (Quebec: Duplessis, the Quiet Revolution, the October Crisis and the 1980 Referendum)
  • Confusing the Parti Québécois with the FLQ. The PQ sought independence democratically through elections and referendums; the FLQ used bombs and kidnappings. (Quebec: Duplessis, the Quiet Revolution, the October Crisis and the 1980 Referendum)
  • Writing that the War Measures Act was used only against the FLQ. Of the 497 people arrested, most were never charged. (Quebec: Duplessis, the Quiet Revolution, the October Crisis and the 1980 Referendum)
  • Assuming all Quebecers wanted independence in 1980. The No side won almost 60 per cent of the vote. (Quebec: Duplessis, the Quiet Revolution, the October Crisis and the 1980 Referendum)
  • Mixing up Bill 22 (1974, Liberal) and Bill 101 (1977, PQ). Both promoted French; Bill 101 went much further. (Quebec: Duplessis, the Quiet Revolution, the October Crisis and the 1980 Referendum)
  • Thinking the 1951 Indian Act revisions ended the Indian Act's control. They removed some bans but kept Indian agents and enfranchisement and added new discrimination against women. (First Nations, Métis and Inuit Rights, 1945–1982)
  • Assuming residential schools closed after the Second World War. Dozens were still operating in 1970, and the last federally run school closed in 1996. (First Nations, Métis and Inuit Rights, 1945–1982)
  • Treating the White Paper as a pro-Indigenous reform. Its authors described it as equality, but First Nations saw it as assimilation, and it was withdrawn after their opposition. (First Nations, Métis and Inuit Rights, 1945–1982)
  • Saying the Nisga'a won the Calder case. They lost on a technicality, but the decision recognized that Aboriginal title existed in law. (First Nations, Métis and Inuit Rights, 1945–1982)
  • Forgetting that First Nations, Métis and Inuit experienced different policies. For example, the High Arctic relocation and disc numbers affected Inuit, while the Indian Act applied to status First Nations. (First Nations, Métis and Inuit Rights, 1945–1982)
  • Thinking segregation existed only in the United States. Canada had segregated schools, theatres, restaurants and job barriers, enforced through custom, business practice and some laws. (Equality Movements: Women's Rights and Black Canadians' Resistance to Anti-Black Racism)
  • Writing that Viola Desmond won her court case. She lost on a technicality; her pardon came in 2010. (Equality Movements: Women's Rights and Black Canadians' Resistance to Anti-Black Racism)
  • Assuming equal pay laws closed the pay gap. Early laws required equal pay only for the same work, and most women did different, lower-paid jobs. (Equality Movements: Women's Rights and Black Canadians' Resistance to Anti-Black Racism)
  • Treating women as one group. First Nations, Black and immigrant women faced different and additional barriers, such as the Indian Act's status rules and domestic worker schemes. (Equality Movements: Women's Rights and Black Canadians' Resistance to Anti-Black Racism)
  • Describing Africville's residents as the cause of its problems. The city denied basic services and placed unwanted facilities beside the community. (Equality Movements: Women's Rights and Black Canadians' Resistance to Anti-Black Racism)
  • Thinking the 1947 repeal of the Chinese Immigration Act ended discrimination. Chinese immigration remained heavily restricted until the 1962 and 1967 reforms. (Immigration, Refugees and Multiculturalism, 1945–1982)
  • Saying multiculturalism replaced bilingualism. The 1971 policy was multiculturalism within a bilingual framework: two official languages, no official culture. (Immigration, Refugees and Multiculturalism, 1945–1982)
  • Assuming refugee policy was always generous. Canada's responses depended on Cold War politics, the refugees' origins and public pressure. (Immigration, Refugees and Multiculturalism, 1945–1982)
  • Confusing the points system (1967) with the Immigration Act (1976). The points system changed how immigrants were selected; the 1976 Act set new goals and created refugee and private sponsorship categories. (Immigration, Refugees and Multiculturalism, 1945–1982)
  • Thinking Canada became independent in 1982. Canada gained legislative equality with Britain under the Statute of Westminster (1931) (see Unit 2); 1982 brought home the power to amend the constitution. (Identity and Independence: the Flag, Expo 67, Culture, the United States and the Charter)
  • Saying all provinces agreed to patriation. Quebec did not, and its National Assembly has never formally endorsed the Constitution Act, 1982. (Identity and Independence: the Flag, Expo 67, Culture, the United States and the Charter)
  • Assuming the flag change was popular with everyone. The 1964 debate was bitter, and many veterans and English Canadians wanted to keep the Red Ensign. (Identity and Independence: the Flag, Expo 67, Culture, the United States and the Charter)
  • Treating Canada–US relations as only friendly or only hostile. The period mixed close cooperation (the Auto Pact, NORAD) with real disputes (Vietnam, FIRA, the National Energy Program). (Identity and Independence: the Flag, Expo 67, Culture, the United States and the Charter)

Practice test

24 questions from across the unit. Each one shows the lesson it comes from.

  1. The Postwar Boom: Baby Boom, Suburbs, Economy and Technology
    1
    Which factor helped prevent a return to depression after 1945?
  2. The Postwar Boom: Baby Boom, Suburbs, Economy and Technology
    2
    Which group was most directly displaced by the building of the St. Lawrence Seaway?
  3. The Postwar Boom: Baby Boom, Suburbs, Economy and Technology
    3
    Which province joined Canada on March 31, 1949?
  4. Canada in the Cold War: Gouzenko, NATO, NORAD, Korea and Peacekeeping
    4
    Why is the Gouzenko Affair often seen as an early event of the Cold War?
  5. Canada in the Cold War: Gouzenko, NATO, NORAD, Korea and Peacekeeping
    5
    In what year did Lester B. Pearson win the Nobel Peace Prize for his role in the Suez Crisis?
  6. Canada in the Cold War: Gouzenko, NATO, NORAD, Korea and Peacekeeping
    6
    Which Canadian foreign minister, later prime minister, proposed the UN Emergency Force in 1956?
  7. Building the Social Safety Net: Family Allowance, Pensions and Medicare
    7
    Put these social programs in the order they began.
    1. 1The Canada Pension Plan begins
    2. 2Saskatchewan's medical care plan begins
    3. 3National medicare comes into force
    4. 4Family Allowance cheques are first paid
    5. 5Old Age Security begins
    6. 6Federal-provincial hospital insurance begins
  8. Building the Social Safety Net: Family Allowance, Pensions and Medicare
    8
    What is the difference between a universal program and a means-tested program?
  9. Building the Social Safety Net: Family Allowance, Pensions and Medicare
    9
    Why did federal social programs often cause tension with Quebec?
  10. Quebec: Duplessis, the Quiet Revolution, the October Crisis and the 1980 Referendum
    10
    Put these events in chronological order.
    1. 1The Parti Québécois wins its first election
    2. 2The War Measures Act is invoked during the October Crisis
    3. 3Quebec's first referendum on sovereignty-association
    4. 4The Asbestos Strike
    5. 5Jean Lesage's Liberals win the Quebec election
    6. 6Hydro-Québec takes over private power companies
  11. Quebec: Duplessis, the Quiet Revolution, the October Crisis and the 1980 Referendum
    11
    Which statement about the War Measures Act in 1970 is accurate?
  12. Quebec: Duplessis, the Quiet Revolution, the October Crisis and the 1980 Referendum
    12
    What was the main difference between the Parti Québécois and the FLQ?
  13. First Nations, Métis and Inuit Rights, 1945–1982
    13
    In what year did status First Nations people gain the right to vote in federal elections without losing their status?
  14. First Nations, Métis and Inuit Rights, 1945–1982
    14
    Why is the Calder decision considered significant even though the Nisga'a lost the case?
  15. First Nations, Métis and Inuit Rights, 1945–1982
    15
    Which reason for the High Arctic relocation do many historians and the relocated families emphasize, beyond the official explanation of better hunting?
  16. Equality Movements: Women's Rights and Black Canadians' Resistance to Anti-Black Racism
    16
    What was Viola Desmond charged with after refusing to leave the whites-only section of the Roseland Theatre?
  17. Equality Movements: Women's Rights and Black Canadians' Resistance to Anti-Black Racism
    17
    In what year did Lincoln Alexander become the first Black Member of Parliament?
  18. Equality Movements: Women's Rights and Black Canadians' Resistance to Anti-Black Racism
    18
    What 1970 report, chaired by Florence Bird, made 167 recommendations for women's equality? (Name the royal commission.)
  19. Immigration, Refugees and Multiculturalism, 1945–1982
    19
    Put these immigration and refugee events in chronological order.
    1. 1Canada accepts Asians expelled from Uganda
    2. 2Trudeau announces the multiculturalism policy
    3. 3Canada admits Southeast Asian boat people under a target of 60,000
    4. 4The Chinese Immigration Act is repealed
    5. 5Canada admits refugees from the Hungarian uprising
    6. 6The points system is introduced
  20. Immigration, Refugees and Multiculturalism, 1945–1982
    20
    Why did some Québécois criticize the 1971 multiculturalism policy?
  21. Immigration, Refugees and Multiculturalism, 1945–1982
    21
    Which statement about the Southeast Asian refugee movement of 1979–80 is accurate?
  22. Identity and Independence: the Flag, Expo 67, Culture, the United States and the Charter
    22
    Put these events in chronological order.
    1. 1The Kitchen Accord is reached
    2. 2The Foreign Investment Review Agency is created
    3. 3The Constitution Act, 1982, is proclaimed
    4. 4The Massey Commission issues its report
    5. 5The Maple Leaf flag is raised for the first time
    6. 6Expo 67 opens in Montreal
  23. Identity and Independence: the Flag, Expo 67, Culture, the United States and the Charter
    23
    What 1951 royal commission warned that American media were overwhelming Canadian culture and led to the Canada Council?
  24. Identity and Independence: the Flag, Expo 67, Culture, the United States and the Charter
    24
    What is the name of the November 1981 compromise between Ottawa and nine provinces that led to patriation?

Endless drill

Fresh numbers every time, for the calculation questions in this unit.

Endless drillnew numbers every time

Generating a problem…

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