Social Changes in Canada

1. Medical

1.1. 1947: Tommy Douglas, the leader of Saskatchewan government  introduced the first provincial hospital insurance program In Canada

1.2. 1966: Pearson minority government introduced a National Medicare program with Ottawa paying 50% of provincial health costs.

1.3. 1984: Monique Begin, Trudeau’s health minister introduced Canada Health Act

2. Marriage Equality

2.1. In the year 1967, Pierre Trudeau relaxed the laws in homosexuality

2.1.1. In February 2005 the federal government introduced its same-sex marriage bill in the House of Commons.

2.2. In 1978, homosexuals were allowed to enter Canada, via the newly formed Immigration Act

2.2.1. In July 2005, Bill C-38, the law giving same-sex couples the legal right to marry

2.3. In November 1992, the federal government lifted the ban of homosexuals in the military

3. Aboriginal Self Governance

3.1. 1867: Federal government gains responsibility over aboriginals and their lands through The British North America Act

3.2. 1876: Indian Act was introduced, essentially extinguishing any remaining self-government for natives and making them wards of the federal government.

3.3. 1960: Natives are given the right to vote in federal elections.

3.4. 2010: Canada signs the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.

4. Women's Right to Vote

4.1. On January 1, 1919 all women over 21 years old were given the right to vote in federal elections

4.2. The Military Voters Act of 1917 allowed nurses and women in the armed services to vote

4.3. The Wartime Election Act extended the vote to women who had husbands, sons or fathers serving overseas

5. Immigration

5.1. 1921-1971; Halifax's Pier 21 was flooded with a million immigrants in search for a better lifestyle

5.2. 1971: The Federal government announced it's policy of multiculturalism

5.2.1. In 2001, 250,640 people immigrated to Canada

5.3. 1950: The Department and Citizenship and Immigration was formed

6. Human Rights

6.1. 1960: Prime Minister John Diefenbaker introduced Canada's first Bill of Rights

6.2. Human rights in Canada have included patient rights, freedom of speech, freedom of religion, parents' rights, children's rights, etc.

6.3. The Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms was effective on April 17, 1982.

7. Labour

7.1. On April 18th, 1872 John A. Macdonald introduced the Trade Union Act

7.2. In 1919 soldiers returned home from WW1 to find high unemployment rates. On May 15th 1919, workers walked off their jobs and onto the streets of Winnipeg leading up to one of the biggest strikes in Canada,

7.3. During the depression of 1929-1939, unemployed men had to work in government  camps in isolated areas