Great Depression

What makes a country? Is it the citizens or is it the government? One will undoubtedly believe that both the citizens and the government have an equal part in making a country. The citizens and the government rely on each other to build a country and make it grow. However, the citizens and the government needs core values that will be the basis of the actions and decisions they carry out and implement. These core attributes will be the roots of the country and it will help shape it. Canada is a strong country that has a tenacious grip on its core values. It is a country that is made by the values that both the citizens and government shares. Canada's core attributes has shaped it to become the exceptional country that it is today. These core values are peace, justice and independence.

Canada is a country that highly values peace and justice; it is a country that will stand on its feet and voice its opinions to bring peace and eliminate injustice. During the Great Depression, Canada was populated with single, unemployed men who were considered a "menace" to society and were forced into work camps that offered 20 cents a day with horrendous living conditions. Having enough of it, these men wanted their cries to be heard and so they protested to see justice. These men hoarded trains from Vancouver and trekked to Ottawa to have their voices heard. After a riot that ended with numerous injuries, 120 arrests and two deaths, the demands of the trekkers were met and the camps closed down. This riot proved to be a pivotal point in Canadian history since Canada had taken a step closer to becoming an equal nation as it gave its citizens the justice they deserved. This event displayed one of the core values of Canada and it helped the citizens realize the importance of going against injustice.

Women in Canada are equal to men and are considered as persons in the legal sense of the term. However, women were not always considered as "persons" and so in the 1920's five women protested against the injustice their gender faced by creating the Persons case. This decided if women were eligible to participate in the Canadian Senate. They went to the Judicial Committee of the Imperial Privy Council who declared that women were "persons" and eligible to serve in the Senate. This act declares that women do have the same right as men, even regarding political powers, and that they are "persons". This protest was about the injustice that the women have faced as a result of gender discrimination, and by looking at the reform of the government one can tell that they wanted to eliminate the injustice and bring peace. One can acknowledge that the citizen and the government of Canada greatly value peace and justice by looking at this protest and the response from the government.

The citizens of Canada were ready to fight for peace and justice, as was the government of Canada. When the thirteen colonies of Canada were planning a rebellion, the Canadian government wanted to keep peace within the country and prevent Quebec from joining the revolution. In order to maintain the peace, they implemented the Quebec Act, allowing the French Canadians to practice their faith, speak their language, and continue practicing civil law. This had pleased the French Canadians in Quebec immensely as they were given their rights and protect by the law to practice their culture. By implementing this Act, the Canadian government brought a measure of peace to the province.

Another event that manifested Canada's value of peace and justice was the Quiet Revolution and its response from the government. The French Canadians had protested against the Canadian government because they were seeking independence and freedom. They used the slogan "Maître chez Nous", which translates as "masters of our own domain", because they thought that the government was too controlling and they were interfering within their affairs. They had the desire to keep the Canadian government an arm length away so they could independently run their affairs. The Canadian Government responded to the quiet revolution by bringing many changes to the country to create peace between the English and French Canadians and destroy any injustice the French may have felt. The changes that were made were the Bi and Bi Commission, creation of a new flag and the Official Language Act. One of the changes that were brought was the biculturalism and bilingualism commission, where it concluded that the French were having a difficult time and it inquired the steps that were needed to be taken in order to maintain the peace within the citizens of the country. The government also decided to change the flag as a response to the French discontent towards the Canadian flag, since it included the British flag. The French felt as if they were constantly being reminded that they were a conquered colony of the British Empire. By creating a new flag, it had a peaceful impact on the French Canadians as it assured them that they were not just a conquered colony; rather they belonged to and were a part of Canada. Lastly, when the official languages act was implemented it created peace amongst the French Canadians because their language was an official language of their country as well, not just English. By implementing this act, it provides justice for the French Canadians as they are treated equals to English Canadians, where their language is given an equal amount of importance as the language of the English Canadians. By analyzing the Quiet Revolution, one can tell that the citizens and the government of Canada values peace and justice.

Canada continued to show their core attributes by trying to attain peace outside of the country and in other nations that were facing injustice. When Japan was looking for living space and resources they attacked their neighboring country and invaded Hong Kong. This was unfair as Japan had an exceptionally large and powerful army that had invaded other areas and because of their greed they were ready to destroy and penetrate other countries. Canada, being a peace making country, decided to audaciously step in and stop this cruel and unjust act even though it was considered to be a "suicide mission". Regardless of the fact that Canada had no chance of winning against the undefeatable army, they still fought because they wanted China to have the peace that they deserved and the justice that was seized from them. Canada was willing to aid to the extant where 290 men were killed, 2,000 prisoners of war were captured and tortured, and

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