Browse Exhibits (34 total)

After the First World War, Canada and the rest of the world’s economy suffered tremendously for a decade between 1929-1939. Widely known as The Great Depression or The Dirty Thirties, this period saw widespread unemployment and hardships. However, in September 1939, Adolf Hitler’s invasion of Poland marked the beginning of a Second World War and brought about the end of The Great Depression. As nations prepared for war, economies, including Canada, flourished again, showcasing the resilience and determination of the Canadian people.

When looking at or discussing events revolving around World War II, we generally think of critical events across the Atlantic, such as the Blitz in the United Kingdom with bombed-out buildings or the D-Day landings on the beach of Normandy, where the Allied armies found victory. However, the war's effects were felt deeply across the Atlantic and back home on Canadian soil. This exhibit highlights the resiliency of Canadians navigating their way through the revival of the economy after a decade of despair.  The increase in the population of foreign workers and growth in both industrial and agricultural industries reshaped its economy and society.

However, we can not discuss the events of World War II without addressing the events across the ocean, as Canada was a significant player in WWII, making substantial contributions to the war effort.  The exhibit will explore Canada’s substantial contributions during the 1943-1945 Italian Campaign and the Invasion of Sicily, focusing on public opinion.

Lastly, Canada, a young nation, was progressing and becoming more influential through the darkness of war. But who was Canada? And what would they become? Although this exhibit will analyze many components of Canada during WWII, such as economics, war contributions and nationality, many of these elements will overlap within a single artifact. This exhibit invites you to explore these complex and interconnected themes, revealing how Canada’s wartime experiences—both at home and overseas—shaped the country we know today.

When the war that was supposed to end all wars began in 1914 Canada, still being under the British Empire, was brought into the fight when Britain declared war on Germany and the other Austro-Hungarian empires. Canada's involvement in this war and its ability to support the Allies through production and soldiers would set the stage for greater Canada-European alliances. Before the war, Canada was internationally seen as an extension of the British Empire, but its victories and participation in the war gave its own identity apart from the Empire. Over 600 000 Canadians would serve in the war, with many facing deadly battles in Europe. Many of these battles resulted in a large number of casualties, but despite this, many of these battles such as the battle at Vimy Ridge became a symbol of Canadian unity. As these battles continued and the war dragged on, Canadians back at home were split on the topic of conscription leading to conflicts, especially between French and English Canadians. Political leaders were united at the start of the war, but began to disagree on aspects of Canadian war efforts as the war continued, such as taxation to fund the war. With a growing number of laborers sent abroad, those at home supported the war effort in exporting goods such as wheat, timber and munitions. The need for workers brought women into the workforce in new roles, and this would pave the way for women's suffrage in later years. This exhibit will dive into each of these topics through primary sources such as photos, newspaper articles, war diaries and personal records such as recruitment papers. Through these carefully chosen artifacts, you will explore how the Great War shaped Canadian livelihood both abroad and domestically, as well as Canada's approach to foreign affairs and its distinct place on the world stage.

Bibliography:

Morton, Desmond. "First World War (WWI)." The Canadian Encyclopedia. Last modified November 30, 2023. https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/first-world-war-wwi

The Quite Revolution or Révolution tranquille as its known in Québec was an important and very significant period in Québec’s history, spanning from 1960 to 1970, The Quite Revolution marked a major departure from Québec’s traditional norms bringing in an era of social, political and economic reforms led by the Québec Liberal Party and their leader Jean Lesage who Québec away from the influence of the Catholic Church and brought an end to the conservative rule of the Union Nationale Party which had dominated Québec’s political scene from 1944-1960. Lesage’s reforms would transform Québec’s society from a conservative one dominated by the Church to the secular nationalist identity we associate with Québec today.

At the heart of the Quite Revolution was the goal of reclaiming Québec’s right to self control of both its resources and its culture as the revolution was embodied with the slogan “Maîtres chez nous” translating into “Masters in our own house” symbolizing the goal of the movement to build a more independent Québec built on the ideas of the French culture and language and moving away from the English minorities influence in Québec’s affairs. Some of the most notable reforms include nationalizing of Hydro-Québec in an effort to have more economic independence, establishing a provincial healthcare system and creating the ministry of Cultural Affairs in order to bring about the aforementioned idea of rebuilding Québec to represent and protect the French majority’s culture and language in the English dominated Canada. These changes gave birth to the modern Québec we know today which has a strong emphasize on nationalism and social welfare as-well as creating its reputation of standing out and being different to the rest of Canada provinces.

This exhibit aims to showcase the spirit of the Quite Revolution through the showcase of political posters, photographs and newspaper articles. Visitors can see how the Quite Revolution reshaped Québec’s identity and positioned it as a distinct society within the nation of Canada.

Bibliography:

1. ”Quiet Revolution." The Canadian Encyclopedia. https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/quiet-revolution.

2. ”Episode Content: The Quiet Revolution." CBC History. https://www.cbc.ca/history/EPISCONTENTSE1EP16CH1PA1LE.html

  On August 19, 1942, over 5,000 Canadian soldiers stormed the beaches of Dieppe, France, only to meet the immovable force of the German military. Serving as a test run for the planned Normandy landing later known as D-Day, Dieppe was intended to expose any weaknesses in the allegedly impenetrable German coastal defenses and establish a foothold in occupied France. By the time the dust settled over the rocky beaches of Dieppe, over a thousand Canadian soldiers had been killed, and two thousand were taken as prisoners of war, including my great-grandfather. The failed Dieppe landing remains one of Canada’s most significant single-day military losses and was the country’s largest deployment up until that point in the war.

  I believe, however, that this battle is one that should be discussed more, as it played a crucial role in turning the tide of the war and once again proved Canadian soldiers’ determination to the cause. The Dieppe landing highlighted the glaring issues with a fully amphibious assault: German pillboxes fortified along the coast with anti-personnel machine guns and anti-armour cannons were too much for foot soldiers and tanks to overcome. This failure paved the way for new battle strategies, such as paratroopers dropping behind enemy lines before the main assault of D-Day to weaken and disable enemy defences.

  Not only was Dieppe a military failure, but it was also a political disaster. Back home, friends and families were outraged by the seemingly poor planning of the raid, perceiving their loved ones as pawns used by Allied forces to test German defences, a perception that in many ways, was accurate. Historians have since argued that Canada’s heavy toll was a necessary sacrifice for the Allied forces to plan effectively for the larger battles to come, while others see Dieppe as a case of poor planning. This debate is something I missed in high school but believe would benefit young Canadians everywhere, as it encourages critical thinking on a topic many are uneducated about.

  With my exhibit, I hope to spark this much needed discussion, fostering an appreciation of our shared history and bringing Canadians together around a chapter we can view with both caution and pride.

Prior to the arrival of settlers, Indigenous women were held in higher regard than European women in their own communities. Indigenous women had as much choice in marriage as men. Many First Nations were matrilineal, meaning power was passed down from the mother. Women among the Hurons and Iroquois had important spiritual roles, as well as responsibilities regarding food and their crops. Cree women were “at the centre of the Circle of Life,” having social, political, and cultural responsibilities in their communities. Indigenous women were actively participating and leading in their communities.

However, settler contact and influence drastically changed Indigenous gender roles. Many Acts stripped Indigenous women of their identities. In the 1869 Gradual Enfranchisement Act, Indigenous women and her children would “cease to be an Indian” if she were to marry a non-Indian, and lose membership to her previous band if she married into another. The Indian Act in 1876 contained much of the same policies regarding Indigenous women in the Gradual Enfranchisement Act, with most of the “benefits”  and leniency directed towards men. None of the Acts aligned with the way many Indigenous communities structured their leadership to include women. European ideals and politics were forced upon Indigenous communities, barring Indigenous women from the rights, privileges, and freedoms that they had previously.

In 1985, the Canadian government would amend the Indian Act with Bill C-31, allowing women – who lost their Indian status by marrying a non-Indian man – to regain their status. The initial passing of Bill C-31 saw issues, including a second generation cutoff for reinstatement, but many Indigenous communities fought for further amendments.

Through primary source artifacts, including objects and government documents, this exhibit follows Indigenous women’s political journey throughout the centuries. One artifact is the Bill C-31, meant to show the document as assented in June 28, 1985, while providing a few discussions on the Indian Act’s amendments. A newspaper article reveals that Indigenous women have always been fighting for their rights. This exhibit aims to bring to light a few of the recorded contributions from Indigenous women, despite the pressure they were put under by European settlers.

Bibliography:

Emberley, Julia. 2001. “The Bourgeois Family, Aboriginal Women, and Colonial Governance in Canada: A Study in Feminist Historical and Cultural Materialism.” Signs 27 (1): 59-85. https://www.jstor.org/stable/3175866

Government of Canada. 1869. 1869 Gradual Enfranchisement Act. NCTR Archives, reference code LM-002-003-002. https://archives.nctr.ca/LM-002-003-002

Hartley, Gerard. 2007. “The Search for Consensus: A Legislative History of Bill C-31, 1969–19851.” Aboriginal Policy Research Consortium International 5: 4-34. https://ir.lib.uwo.ca/aprci/98

Zemon Davis, Natalie. 2003. “Iroquois Women, European Women.” In Feminist Postcolonial Theory, edited By Reina Lewis and Sara Mills, 135-160. New York: Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9780203825235