Defining Moments In Canada

Defining moments are what shape and help develop a person through stages of their life. These important moments in life are not limited to just people. All things, including Canada have had many defining moments that still have an impact on modern society. The battle of Vimy Ridge granted Canada a global reputation and gave Prime Minister Robert Borden the push towards independence. The FLQ October Crisis was a terroristic incident that stopped Quebec independence. It was also the first non-foreign terrorist attack to hit Canadian soil (Quèbec), and the city of Africville, Halifax reveals the racial prejudice that harboured in early Canada and how white supremacy affected lower class minorities. These moments together aided in defining Canada

The city of Africville is a prime example of white prejudicial control over African-Canadian issues. Thousands of African-American slaves fled from America to Canada. Many of them found refuge in the city of Africville. Africville was a small community located on the southern shores of Bedford Basin, Halifax. Because of the high numbers of African-Canadians that populated that area, Africville was dictated as a slum. Years of neglect and racism has turned Africville into one of the worst slums of Canada. (Expropriating Black Nova Scotians) Even as an official city of Nova Scotia Africville was not given essential services. The small community was poisoned by disease and large amounts of waste that freely scattered around the town. A former Africville resident, Eddie Carvery, states that “The hospital would just dump their raw garbage on the dump—bloody body parts, blankets, and everything” The civilians had no access to water and were forced to get their necessities from the land around them. Ambulances, garbage disposal units and fire trucks were non-existent privileges to that city. In the mid 1960s the city planners of Nova Scotia made a decision to relocate the inhabitants of Africville and have them spread across Halifax. City officials claimed that the relocation would help the racial integration issue; the Africvillians viewed the relocation as an act

Through battlefield triumph and prejudicial tendencies, Canada has been through it all. The battle of Vimy Ridge, the FLQ Crisis and the city of Africville were all crucial moments that were necessary to Canada’s development. The battle of Vimy Ridge was a defining point. It gave Canada the opportunity to full autonomy and gave Canada a world renowned image. The FLQ October Crisis was a terroristic devastation that rocked the province of Quèbec. It was a fire that sparked the War Measures Act and a crisis that halted Quèbec independence, and the city of Africville was a great injustice directed towards Black Nova Scotians. Negative or positive, all of the events that involve Canada has helped it to mature into the country we know