Unit 4: In What Ways Has Canada Developed Since 1970?

When the Cold War ended, world superpowers began a brief stage of disarming; Canada eliminated its nuclear arms program, somewhat disappointing other members of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. In 1973, oil cartel OPEC placed an embargo on oil shipments to all countries that supported Israel due to the Arab-Israeli War. This quadrupled oil prices in Canada, and led to higher prices for other goods too. In 1980, the National Energy Program was created to ensure Canada’s future energy supply, control oil prices, and achieve 50% Canadian ownership in the industry by 1990. The NEP gave Canadian oil and gas companies special grants and special terms for northern exploration. Plans were made to build pipelines to bring Western crude oil to the east. This would set the tone for the beginning of massive oil sands projects in Alberta today. In 1992, the big three nations in North America created the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). It gave these economies financial advantages for imports and exports and still exists today. After much debate between new Prime Ministers, Jean Chretien made his focus improving social security in Canada. He stated that Canada’s social welfare was a critical part of Canadian life, and it “gives our children their best possible start in life”. Although many Prime Ministers had been in power at this time in history, the economy held its increasing reliance on the United States through imports of goods and products. As the separatist movement grew in Quebec, the October Crisis began. It was the first instance where the War Measures Act was invoked apart from a war. The Front de Liberation du Quebec (FLQ) was in a conflict with the Canadian government over its kidnappings of government officials, and it was a tense time. After Minister of Labour of Quebec Pierre Laporte’s body was found in a car, the separatist movement saw a major halt as people were shocked and disgusted. Prime Minister Trudeau also vowed to make Canada a “just society” through its shared equality of Aboriginals, although tensions between them and the government arose again during the Oka standoff. The increasing emphasis on technology in industry, peace-keeping and free trade has been Canada’s backbone since the 1970’s and has led to everything the government and people stand for now.