Introduction
Canada is regarded as one of the most advanced countries worldwide. In 2019, this country “ranked 16th” in the Human Development Index score (Hancock, 2021, para. 13). The U.S.-Canada border is “the longest international border in the world” (Dempsey, 2018, para. 2). Canada “has world’s ninth-largest economy”, which is explained by the development of international trade, “including both exports and imports” (Johnson, 2021, para. 1). Canada is a member of several large international agencies, such as the UN, NATO, and others. As a member of the G7, Canada can “promote and deliver on domestic and international priorities” (Government of Canada, 2021, para. 2) Prior to becoming such a developed country, Canada has overcome several significant historical events that influenced its economy, social structure, medicine, and legislative system. Confederation, the discovery of insulin, the great depression, and the Charter of rights and freedoms are among those historical events.
Confederation
Confederation in 1867 was a watershed point in the development of the Canadian state. Previously, British North America consisted of a few provinces, Rupert’s Land and the North-Western Territory. Several politicians believed that uniting into one country would be beneficial. These leaders, known as the Fathers of Confederation, convened and drafted a constitution for the new country, which had to be approved by the United Kingdom’s Parliament. The three provinces of Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, and Canada were united together by this act. Confederation occurred before the emergence of “the modern civil service,” but it has served as fundament for civil service improvement (Gilding, 2018, p. 358). Canada’s government, like that of the United Kingdom, was founded on the principle of legislative supremacy.
The impact of Confederation on Indigenous peoples was tremendous. From the colonies, the federal government took over responsibility for Indigenous matters. In order to gain power over Indigenous peoples, Dominion Canada had to purchase Rupert’s Land. The Dominion desired to develop, colonize, and claim these regions, as well as others nearby. The formation of the Confederation occurred after three conferences were held, with delegates from the five colonies participating. Any law could be made or undone by Parliament, and no other institution could overturn it. The concept of popular sovereignty has always been inseparably linked to “human equality” (den Ouden, 2018, para. 26). Canadians formulated their liberties by drawing on British liberties, which had been secured by common law, legal precedents, and the power of Parliament.
Discovery of Insulin
For years, it has been believed by scientists that a certain form of internal pancreatic secretion is the answer to averting diabetes and keeping the metabolism healthy. Before the team of scientists from the University of Toronto, no one could find it, but after all, Frederick Banting’s experimental method turned out to be successful. The Toronto researchers announced the invention of insulin in 1922. Banting and Macleod got the Nobel Prize in 1923, and they “immediately shared their awards with Best and Collip” (Lewis & Brubaker, 2021, p. 4). The rapid development of an efficient diabetic treatment masked an almost unbelievable story of rivalries and hostility among the experts involved.
The University of Toronto controlled insulin manufacturing and licensed producers throughout the years that followed. Connaught Laboratories, a division of the university, was Canada’s leading insulin supplier far into the 1980s. The invention of insulin “was the greatest scientific advance of the 20th century” (Lewis & Brubaker, 2021, p. 1). It has saved the lives of more than a million people globally – it has completely changed the way the disease is treated. It has greatly contributed to the development of medicine and the improvement of the population health conditions in the country.
Great Depression
The Great Crisis was a decade-long worldwide economic downturn which started in 1929 and ended in 1933. Consumer spending and company investment were both drastically curtailed as a result of the stock market disaster. The economic crisis has affected almost all countries in the world. Canada has also experienced great financial losses and high rates of job losses – many Canadians lost their homes and jobs. The country was restructured by massive job cuts and savings. At that time, Canada has faced “the peak unemployment rate of 19% during the Great Depression” (McIntyre & Lee, 2020, p. 2). The Great Depression caused the government to become more engaged in the national economy. Although unemployment was a national problem, state aid was insufficient, causing millions of people to starve. Growing consumer demand for resources in Europe, and rising state spending in Canada, gave a big boost to the economy. Canada’s economic recovery occurred in tandem with the revival of the American economy, which provided a better market for exports as well as a much-needed infusion of money.
The Charter of Rights and Freedoms
The Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms is a document whose purpose is to protect citizens from the anti-social policies of the federal and provincial governments. It guarantees citizens civil and political rights and serves a unifying purpose. This document brings Canadians together and makes them feel as one. The unifying objective of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms was especially crucial for mobility and language rights. According to Black-Branch (2018), “judicial rulings on minority language education issues have expanded the rights of minority language groups throughout Canada” (p. 28). Canadians of French descent, who played a central role in the unity debate, can now move within Canada and receive public and educational services via their own language because of mobility and linguistic rights. As a result, they are not limited to Quebec, which would lead to a regional polarization of the country. The Charter was also intended to bring formerly disparate laws across the country into line with a unified principle of liberty.
Conclusion
In conclusion, all the mentioned events have contributed to the development of Canada as an independent, powerful, and developed country. The Confederation and the establishment of the Canadian Charter have influenced Canada’s social welfare and human rights situation. Confederation has given Canada a chance to rise as a sovereign state and thus was a base for the country’s development. Charter of Rights and Freedoms “sets out those rights and freedoms that Canadians believe are necessary in a free and democratic society” (Government of Canada, 2020, para. 2). The Great Depression changed the way Canadians thought about economics and government. The general consensus was that a balanced state budget, a strong currency, and an adjustment in trade rates would revive the private market. Particular events in history, such as the creation of insulin, have influenced not only Canadian citizens but people all over the world. Due to the Canadian scientists, the cure for one of the most dangerous diseases in the world was found, and it is a great achievement in medicine globally.
References
Black-Branch, J. L. (2018). Rights and realities: The judicial impact of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms on education, case law and political jurisprudence. Routledge.
den Ouden, M. (2022). The founding of Canada: Part 3. FYI.
Dempsey, C. (2018). Interesting geography facts about the US-Canada border. Geography Realm.
Gilding, B. (2018). The silent framers of British North American Union: The colonial office and Canadian confederation, 1851–67. Canadian Historical Review, 99(3), 349-393.
Government of Canada. (2020). Guide to the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.
Government of Canada. (2021). Canada and the G7.
Hancock, T. (2021). Trevor Hancock: Canada’s heavy ecological footprint hurts its human-development ranking. Times Colonist.
Johnston, M. (2021). The economy of Canada: An explainer. Investopedia.
Lewis, G. F., & Brubaker, P. L. (2021). The discovery of insulin revisited: lessons for the modern era. The Journal of Clinical Investigation, 131(1).
McIntyre, R. S., & Lee, Y. (2020). Projected increases in suicide in Canada as a consequence of COVID-19. Psychiatry Research, 290, 113104.