Thread: Canadians: What do you think were the greatest...

We need to infuse some Canada into this forum. So, to my fellow Canadians, (all 3 of you...):

What do you think were the greatest historical events in Canada?

Which events do you think had the most impact on our development as a country, negatively or positively?

There's two more of us? Fuck... we've got a curling team.

Back later to answer, it's bedtime. Thanks for the thread.

You're the one who took Betty? Damn you Yankee bastard!

The Plains of Abraham has to be number one.

The 7 years war came to North America and it was the first time real, professional war, with professional armies had fought major battles in North America. Montcalm makes a grave mistake and Quebec falls to the English and the first English settlers settle in what would be Canada. The Quebec Act is passed to satisfy the conquered French (anothe rdirect result) which adds fuel to the fire for Revolutionaries in the 13 colonies.

That one 15 minute battle, and the Quebec Act that followed it, helped spark the revolution down south, are the only reason the English stayed in a real permanent settlement in North America after the Revolution, assured French Quebecois stayed loyal during the Revolution, and provided a place for the Loyalists who fled North. I'd say that without that battle, or with a different outcome, Canada would never have been born, and The US would have easily taken over the small Marritime colonies and France's Quebec and Montreal settlements by the first decade of the 1800's.

Second: World War 1. The first time a generation considered itself Canadian, rather than ex-pats of where they and their families came from. 600,000 enlisted out of a population of 7 million. That's unimaginable.

(while I looked that up, I noticed. Serbia lost 16% of its entire population during WW1. new Zealand and Australia had 1 million and 4 million people and both lost over 1.5% of their populations in combat. This is insane!)

I'm still stuck on wikipedia WW1 stats.

US managed 2% of all allied casualties while only fighting two years when everyone else did 4. But proportionally that was only 0.1% of their population. The Russians also only fought two years and managed to account for 30% of all allied casualties. Fuck me.

I don't get it. Is it another "I'm afraid of Sarah Palin" reference?

I consider WWII to be one of the most defining moments in Canadian history. I feel as though we finally emerged as a sovereign nation with our own identity. Obviously the Constitution Act, 1982/Charter of Rights and Freedoms is extremely important, as well.

I would consider the worst moments in Canadian history the Indian Residential school program, internment camps during the world wars (and the seizure of their property), the October Crisis and the general treatment of Francophones.

I'll tread lightly.... what mistreatment of Francophones Zerah? That kind of surprised me as an answer. At least compared to the other two... Residential schools and internment camps. I feel like as a minority language French has done quite well here.