Canada: A People's History
Season 2
Not Rated
This series presents the comprehensive history of Canada. Through dramatizations and detailed documentation, we see the development of this country from the Native American nations to contemporary times as we explore what made this country what it is.
Where to Watch Season 2
9 Episodes
- The Great Transformation
E2The Great TransformationAn unprecedented age of prosperity and massive immigration transform Canada at the turn of the 20th century. Canada's first francophone leader, Prime Minister Wilfrid Laurier, leads a country marked by Prairie boom times and massive industrialization. Those who shape the new society include peasants from Eastern Europe, in search of free land; socialists who try to mobilize an emerging urban working class; and campaigners for temperance and women's suffrage. The dizzying pace of change also brings ethnic intolerance and racism, particularly against Asian immigrants. As well, growing tensions over Canada's role in the British Empire, foreshadow divisive times to come as the First World War looms on the horizon. - Ordeal by Fire
E3Ordeal by FireCanada's heavy military role in World War I (60,000 dead in a population of 8 million) transforms its society, its politics and its place in the world. The horror, bravery and sacrifice of trench warfare are evoked in Canada's great battles: Ypres, the Somme, Vimy Ridge, Courcelette and Passchendaele. The domestic consequences of Canada's war effort are also wrenching - the conscription crisis of 1917 marks a low point in English-French relations. After the war ends, labor revolts in Winnipeg and across the country raise fears of a Bolshevik insurrection. The return to stability in the mid-1920s lasts only briefly as the crash of 1929 plunges the country into economic chaos. - Hard Times
E4Hard TimesCanada plunges into social and political crisis as the Great Depression settles over the world. With little help from Ottawa, thousands of Canadians criss-cross the country desperately seeking work while prairie farmers face the additional devastation of the Dust Bowl. As the crisis drags on, resentment and anger grow, leading to massive social unrest. Meanwhile the world faces an increasingly menacing threat from Europe, as Adolph Hitler draws Canada and the world closer to another world war. - The Crucible
E5The CrucibleCanada comes of age in the anguish of the Second World War, with soldiers on the beaches at Dieppe and women in the industrial work force back home. The country's military role and the domestic social and political consequences of the war are traced through poignant stories of Canadians on both sides of the Atlantic. The horrific global conflict steals the innocence of a generation...but brings hope for a new future. - Comfort and Fear
E6Comfort and FearThe end of Second World War signals the end of years of social, political and economic upheaval in Canada. The post-war baby boom and government economic and social policies give rise to unprecedented prosperity and growth of Canadian communities. But in the midst of plenty, growing fears of the Cold War and nuclear conflict create an unsettled atmosphere. Political leaders - including John Diefenbaker, Joey Smallwood, and Maurice Duplessis - create change and controversy. Saskatchewan's premier Tommy Douglas begins the fight for medicare. And throughout all this, Canada finds itself increasingly absorbed into the American military, economic and cultural orbit. - Years of Hope and Anger
E7Years of Hope and AngerThe 1960s and 1970s are an era of turmoil. Youth movements across North America and Quebec's Quiet Revolution challenge the status quo. Canada raises a new flag and the country shines in the world spotlight with Expo '67. Some events threaten considerable upheaval: growing calls for Quebec sovereignty and the 1970 FLQ kidnappings. An electrifying politician becomes prime minister and Trudeaumania changes the face of Canadian politics irrevocably. - In an Uncertain World
E8In an Uncertain WorldCanada struggles in an era of political, economic and social uncertainties. Debate around Canadian unity continues with the Quebec referendum of 1980, patriation of the Constitution and the Meech Lake Accord. Canadian society continues to be shaped by growing multiculturalism, feminism and native activism. The country also faces new global realities. The world order and economic boom that had taken shape after the Second World War begins to unravel. Free trade, globalization, the collapse of the Soviet Union, and the explosion of computer technology helps define Canada in the new era.
