1.
Charles de Gaulle
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Charles André Joseph Marie de Gaulle was a French general and statesman. He was the leader of Free France and the head of the Provisional Government of the French Republic, in 1958, he founded the Fifth Republic and was elected as the 18th President of France, a position he held until his resignation in 1969. He was the dominant figure of France during the Cold War era, born in Lille, he graduated from Saint-Cyr in 1912. He was an officer of the First World War, wounded several times. During the interwar period, he advocated mobile armoured divisions, during the German invasion of May 1940, he led an armoured division which counterattacked the invaders, he was then appointed Under-Secretary for War. Refusing to accept his governments armistice with Nazi Germany, de Gaulle exhorted the French population to resist occupation and he led a government in exile and the Free French Forces against the Axis. Despite frosty relations with Britain and especially the United States, he emerged as the leader of the French resistance. He became Head of the Provisional Government of the French Republic in June 1944, frustrated by the return of petty partisanship in the new Fourth Republic, he resigned in early 1946 but continued to be politically active as founder of the RPF party. He retired in the early 1950s and wrote his War Memoirs, when the Algerian War was ripping apart the unstable Fourth Republic, the National Assembly brought him back to power during the May 1958 crisis. De Gaulle founded the Fifth Republic with a presidency. He granted independence to Algeria and progressively to other French colonies and he restored cordial Franco-German relations to create a European counterweight between the Anglo-American and Soviet spheres of influence. However, he opposed any development of a supranational Europe, favouring a Europe of sovereign nations, De Gaulle openly criticised the US intervention in Vietnam and the exorbitant privilege of the US dollar. In his later years, his support for an independent Quebec, De Gaulle resigned in 1969 after losing a referendum in which he proposed more decentralization. He died a year later at his residence in Colombey-les-Deux-Églises, leaving his Presidential memoirs unfinished, many French political parties and figures claim the Gaullist legacy. De Gaulle was ranked as Le Plus Grand Français de tous les temps, De Gaulle was born in the industrial region of Lille in the Nord departement, the third of five children. He was raised in a devoutly Catholic and traditional family and his father, Henri de Gaulle, was a professor of history and literature at a Jesuit college who eventually founded his own school. Henri de Gaulle came from a line of parliamentary gentry from Normandy and Burgundy. De Gaulles mother, Jeanne, descended from a family of entrepreneurs from Lille
2.
Expo 67
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It is considered to be the most successful Worlds Fair of the 20th century with the most attendees to that date and 62 nations participating. It also set the attendance record for a worlds fair. Expo 67 was Canadas main celebration during its centennial year, the project was not well supported in Canada at first. It took the determination of Montreals mayor, Jean Drapeau, defying a computer analysis that said it could not be done, the fair opened on time. After Expo 67 ended in October 1967, the site and most of the continued on as an exhibition called Man and His World. By that time, most of the buildings — which had not been designed to last beyond the original exhibition — had deteriorated and were dismantled. Today, the islands hosted the world exhibition are mainly used as parkland and for recreational use. The exposition was offered first to Toronto but politicians there rejected the idea, however, Montreals mayor, Sarto Fournier, backed the proposal, allowing Canada to make a bid to the Bureau International des Expositions. At the BIEs May 5,1960 meeting in Paris, Moscow was awarded the fair after five rounds of voting that eliminated Austrias, in April 1962, the Soviets scrapped plans to host the fair because of financial constraints and security concerns. Montreals new mayor, Jean Drapeau, lobbied the Canadian government to try again for the fair, several sites were proposed as the main Expo grounds. One location that was considered was Mount Royal Park, to the north of the downtown core, but it was Drapeaus idea to create new islands in the St. Lawrence river, and to enlarge the existing Saint Helens Island. The choice overcame opposition from Montreals surrounding municipalities, and also prevented land speculation, Expo did not get off to a smooth start, in 1963, many top organizing committee officials resigned. Another more likely reason for the resignations was that on April 22,1963. Canadian diplomat Pierre Dupuy was named Commissioner General, after Diefenbaker appointee Paul Bienvenu resigned from the post in 1963, one of the main responsibilities of the Commissioner General was to attract other nations to build pavilions at Expo. Dupuy would spend most of 1964 and 1965 soliciting 125 countries, dupuys right-hand man was Robert Fletcher Shaw, the deputy commissioner general and vice-president of the corporation. He also replaced a Diefenbaker appointee, C. F, Shaw was a professional engineer and builder, and is widely credited for the total building of the Exhibition. Dupuy hired Andrew Kniewasser as the general manager, the management group became known as Les Durs - the tough guys - and they were in charge of creating, building and managing Expo. To this group the chief architect Édouard Fiset was added, all ten were honoured by the Canadian government as recipients of the Order of Canada, Companions for Dupuy and Shaw, Officers for the others
3.
Quebec sovereignty movement
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The Quebec sovereignty movement is a political movement as well as an ideology of values, concepts and ideas that advocates independence for the Canadian province of Quebec. Several diverse political groups coalesced in the late 1960s in the formation of the Parti Québécois, since 1968 the party has appealed for constitutional negotiations on the matter of provincial sovereignty, in addition to holding two provincial referendums on the matter. Approximately 60% of Quebecs voting public rejected the idea put forth by Parti Québécois leader René Lévesque, the response was again in the negative, though this time by a far closer margin, with a mere 50. 58% against the proposal. Though the Parti Québécois has long spearheaded the sovereignty movement, they are not alone, other minority provincial political parties, such as Option nationale and Québec Solidaire, also support sovereignty, but are not always supportive of the Parti Québécois. Thus, Quebec politics is divided into two camps, principally opposed over the sovereignty issue. Quebec sovereignty is politically opposed to the ideology of Canadian federalism. Most groups within this movement seek to gain independence through peaceful means, using negotiation-based diplomatic intervention, the primary mainstream political vehicle for the movement is the Parti Québécois, which has governed Quebec on multiple occasions. In 2012 it was elected to a minority government, in which its leader, Pauline Marois, however, only eighteen months later, the PQ was defeated by the Liberal Party of Quebec in the 2014 election. The term independentist is preferred by some supporters, other distinguishing factors, such as religious differences, are also used to justify either separation or ethno-nationalist social policies advocated by the Parti Québécois. It argues that the people of Quebec are the descendants of a people who are due their national sovereignty. This perspective was popular in the 1950s and 1960s when European countries were giving up their colonies in the name of independence throughout much of Africa, eight of the other Canadian provinces are overwhelmingly English-speaking, while New Brunswick is officially bilingual and about one-third Francophone. Another rationale is based on resentment of anti-Quebec sentiment, with regard to the creation of the sovereignist movement, language issues were but a sub-stratum of larger cultural, social and political differences. Many supporters of Quebec sovereignty often compare their situation with Catalonia in regards to Spain, supporters of sovereignty for Quebec believe that the current relationship between Quebec and the rest of Canada does not reflect Quebecs best social, political and economic development interests. A key component in the argument in favour of political independence is that new legislation. This was a move to recognize that other provinces represent distinct cultural entities, perhaps the most significant basis of support for Quebecs sovereignty movement lies in more recent political events. René Lévesque, architect of the first referendum on sovereignty, claimed a willingness to work for change in the Canadian framework after the federalist victory in the referendum of 1980. This approach was dubbed le beau risque, and it led to ministers of the Lévesques government to resign in protest. The 1982 patriation of the Canadian constitution did not solve the issue in the point of view of the majority of sovereignists, the constitutional amendment of 1982 was agreed to by representatives from 9 of the 10 provinces
4.
Prime Minister of Canada
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Canadian prime ministers are styled as The Right Honourable, a privilege maintained for life. The office and its functions are instead governed by constitutional conventions, the prime minister, along with the other ministers in cabinet, is appointed by the governor general on behalf of the monarch. There are no age or citizenship restrictions on the position of prime minister itself, while there is no legal requirement for the prime minister to be a member of parliament, for practical and political reasons the prime minister is expected to win a seat very promptly. However, in rare circumstances individuals who are not sitting members of the House of Commons have been appointed to the position of prime minister, two former prime ministers—Sir John Joseph Caldwell Abbott and Sir Mackenzie Bowell—served in the 1890s while members of the Senate. Both, in their roles as Government Leader in the Senate, succeeded prime ministers who had died in office—John A. Macdonald in 1891 and that convention has since evolved toward the appointment of an interim leader from the commons in such a scenario. Prime ministers who are not Members of Parliament upon their appointment have since been expected to seek election to the commons as soon as possible. For example, William Lyon Mackenzie King, after losing his seat in the 1925 federal election, Turner was the last serving prime minister to not hold a commons seat. The Canadian prime minister serves at Her Majestys pleasure, meaning the post does not have a fixed term, once appointed and sworn in by the governor general, the prime minister remains in office until he or she resigns, is dismissed, or dies. Following parliamentary dissolution, the prime minister must run in the general election if he or she wishes to maintain a seat in the House of Commons. Should the prime ministers party subsequently win a majority of seats in the House of Commons, if, however, an opposition party wins a majority of seats, the prime minister may resign or be dismissed by the governor general. This option was last entertained in 1925, however, the function of the prime minister has evolved with increasing power. Caucuses may choose to follow rules, though the decision would be made by recorded vote. Either the sovereign or his or her viceroy may therefore oppose the prime ministers will in extreme, for transportation, the prime minister is granted an armoured car and shared use of two official aircraft—a CC-150 Polaris for international flights and a Challenger 601 for domestic trips. The Royal Canadian Mounted Police also furnish constant personal security for the prime minister, all of the aforementioned is supplied by the Queen-in-Council through budgets approved by parliament, as is the prime ministers annual salary of CAD$170,400. Should a serving or former prime minister die, he or she is accorded a state funeral, John Thompson also died outside Canada, at Windsor Castle, where Queen Victoria permitted his lying-in-state before his body was returned to Canada for a state funeral in Halifax. In earlier years, it was traditional for the monarch to bestow a knighthood on newly appointed Canadian prime ministers. Accordingly, several carried the prefix Sir before their name, of the first eight premiers of Canada, the Canadian Heraldic Authority has granted former prime ministers an augmentation of honour on the personal coat of arms of those who pursued them. To date, former prime ministers Joe Clark, Pierre Trudeau, John Turner, Brian Mulroney, the written form of address for the prime minister should use his or her full parliamentary title, The Right Honourable, Prime Minister of Canada
5.
Lester B. Pearson
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He was the 14th Prime Minister of Canada from 22 April 1963 to 20 April 1968, as the head of two back-to-back Liberal minority governments following elections in 1963 and 1965. During Pearsons time as Prime Minister, his Liberal minority governments introduced universal health care, student loans, the Canada Pension Plan, the Order of Canada, and his Liberal government also unified Canadas armed forces. Pearson convened the Royal Commission on Bilingualism and Biculturalism, and he kept Canada out of the Vietnam War, Pearson was born in Newtonbrook in the township of York, Ontario, the son of Annie Sarah and Edwin Arthur Pearson, a Methodist minister. He was the brother of Vaughan Whitier Pearson and Marmaduke Pearson, the family lived in the Methodist manse at the corner of Spruce St. and Catherine St. The home still exists but is in private hands, the Methodist church in downtown Aurora became the United Church of Canada. The church was demolished following a fire in 2014. Rev. Pearson was a member of the Aurora Rugby team where young Mike apparently got his inspiration, Pearson graduated from Hamilton Collegiate Institute in Hamilton, Ontario, in 1913 at the age of 16. Later that same year, he entered Victoria College at the University of Toronto and he was later elected to the Pi Gamma Mu social sciences honour societys chapter at the University of Toronto for his outstanding scholastic performance in history and psychology. After Victoria College, Pearson won a scholarship to study at St Johns College, Oxford, at the University of Toronto, he became a noted athlete, excelling in rugby union, and also playing basketball. He later also played for the Oxford University Ice Hockey Club while on a scholarship at the University of Oxford, Pearson also excelled in baseball and lacrosse as a youth. His baseball talents as an infielder were strong enough for a summer of semi-pro play with the Guelph Maple Leafs of the Ontario Intercounty Baseball League, Pearson toured North American with a combined Oxford and Cambridge Universities lacrosse team in 1923. After he joined the University of Toronto History Department as an instructor, he helped to coach the U of Ts football and he played golf and tennis to high standards as an adult. When World War I broke out in 1914, Pearson volunteered for service as an orderly with the University of Toronto Hospital Unit. In 1915, he entered service with the Canadian Army Medical Corps as a stretcher bearer with the rank of private. During this period of service he spent two years in Egypt and in Greece and he also spent time in the Serbian Army as a corporal and a medical orderly. Pearson learned to fly at an air training school in Hendon and he survived an aeroplane crash during his first flight. In 1918, Pearson was hit by a bus in London during a blackout and he was sent home to recuperate. It was as a pilot that he received the nickname of Mike, thereafter, Pearson would use the name Lester on official documents and in public life, but was always addressed as Mike by friends and family
6.
Government of Canada
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The Government of Canada or more formally Her Majestys Government, is the federal government of Canada, a country in North America, composed of 10 provinces, Ottawa, and 3 territories. The head of government is Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, whose party the Liberal Party of Canada won the majority of seats in the Canadian Parliament in the 2015 Canadian federal election, in Canadian English, the term can mean either the collective set of institutions or specifically the Queen-in-Council. Further elements of governance are outlined in the rest of the Canadian constitution, which includes written statutes, court rulings, in Canadian English, the word government is used to refer both to the whole set of institutions that govern the country, and to the current political leadership. In federal department press releases, the government has sometimes referred to by the phrase Government. The same cabinet earlier directed its press department to use the phrase Canadas New Government, as per the Constitution Acts of 1867 and 1982, Canada is a constitutional monarchy, wherein the role of the reigning sovereign is both legal and practical, but not political. The executive is formally called the Queen-in-Council, the legislature the Queen-in-Parliament. The government is defined by the constitution as the Queen acting on the advice of her privy council, however, the Privy Council—consisting mostly of former members of parliament, chief justices of the supreme court, and other elder statesmen—rarely meets in full. This body of ministers of the Crown is the Cabinet, one of the main duties of the Crown is to ensure that a democratic government is always in place, which means appointing a prime minister to thereafter head the Cabinet. The monarch and governor general typically follow the advice of their ministers. The royal and viceroyal figures may unilaterally use these powers in exceptional constitutional crisis situations, politicians can sometimes try to use to their favour the complexity of the relationship between the monarch, viceroy, ministers, and parliament, and the publics general unfamiliarity with it. Per democratic tradition, the House of Commons is the dominant branch of parliament, the Senate, thus, reviews legislation from a less partisan standpoint. The Constitution Act,1867, outlines that the general is responsible for summoning parliament in the Queens name. After a number of sessions, each parliament comes to an end via dissolution. As a general election typically follows, the timing of a dissolution is usually politically motivated, the sovereign is responsible for rendering justice for all her subjects, and is thus traditionally deemed the fount of justice. However, she does not personally rule in cases, instead the judicial functions of the Royal Prerogative are performed in trust. Below this is the Federal Court, which cases arising under certain areas of federal law. It works in conjunction with the Federal Court of Appeal and Tax Court of Canada, in some cases, however, the jurisdictions of the federal and provincial parliaments may be more vague. For instance, the federal parliament regulates marriage and divorce in general, other examples include the powers of both the federal and provincial parliaments to impose taxes, borrow money, punish crimes, and regulate agriculture
7.
Governor General of Canada
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The Governor General of Canada is the federal viceregal representative of the Canadian monarch, currently Queen Elizabeth II. The commission is for a period of time—known as serving at Her Majestys pleasure—though five years is the normal convention. Beginning in 1959, it has also been traditional to rotate between anglophone and francophone incumbents, once in office, the governor general maintains direct contact with the Queen, wherever she may be at the time. The office began in the 16th and 17th centuries with the Crown-appointed governors of the French colony of Canada followed by the British governors of Canada in the 18th and 19th centuries, subsequently, the office is, along with the Crown, the oldest continuous institution in Canada. Throughout this process of gradually increasing Canadian independence, the role of governor general took on additional responsibilities, finally, in 1947, King George VI issued letters patent allowing the viceroy to carry out almost all of the monarchs powers on his or her behalf. The current governor general is David Johnston, who has served since 1 October 2010, johnstons wife—who is thus the viceregal consort—is Sharon Johnston. The Government of Canada spells the title governor general without a hyphen, the Canadian media still often use the governor-general spelling. As governor is the noun in the title, it is pluralized, thus, governors general, moreover, both terms are capitalized when used in the formal title preceding an incumbents name. The position of general is mandated by both the Constitution Act,1867, and the letters patent issued in 1947 by King George VI. As such, on the recommendation of his or her Canadian prime minister and that individual is, from then until being sworn-in, referred to as the governor general-designate. Besides the administration of the oaths of office, there is no set formula for the swearing-in of a governor general-designate, the governor general will then give a speech, outlining whichever cause or causes he or she will champion during his or her time as viceroy. The incumbent will generally serve for at least five years, though this is only a convention. The prime minister may recommend to the Queen that the viceroy remain in her service for a longer period of time. A governor general may also resign, and two have died in office, the sovereign has unrestricted freedom of choice. We leave that to Her Majesty in all confidence, however, between 1867 and 1931, governors general were appointed by the monarch on the advice of the British Cabinet. Thereafter, in accordance with the Statute of Westminster 1931, the appointment was made by the sovereign with the direction of his or her Canadian ministers only. Until 1952, all governors general were also members of the Peerage or sons of peers. These viceroys spent a limited time in Canada, but their travel schedules were so extensive that they could learn more about Canada in five years than many Canadians in a lifetime
8.
Georges Vanier
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Major-General Georges-Philéas Vanier PC DSO MC CD was a Canadian soldier and diplomat who served as Governor General of Canada, the 19th since Canadian Confederation. Vanier was born and educated in Quebec, in 1906, he was valedictorian when he graduated with a BA from Loyola College, one of Concordia Universitys founding institutions. Subsequently, Vanier returned to Canada and remained in the military until the early 1930s, Vanier proved to be a popular governor general, with his war record earning respect from the majority of Canadians, though, as a Quebecer, he was met with hostility by Quebec separatists. Vanier was born in the Little Burgundy neighbourhood of Montreal to an Irish mother and a French-Norman father, Vanier was called to the Quebec bar that year and, though he took up the practice of law, he considered entering the Catholic priesthood. But, with the outbreak of the First World War, he decided that offering his service to king and country should take priority, after Vanier, for his efforts, received the Military Cross in 1916, he continued fighting in the trenches. In late 1918, he led an attack at Chérisy and was shot in the chest and his recovery was lengthy, though he spent it in France, refusing to be evacuated while his fellow soldiers remained fighting. With the cessations of hostilities, however, Vanier, for his bravery, was awarded the Military Cross and given the 1914-15 Star. He thereafter returned to Montreal and once more found employment practicing law, on 29 September 1921, he married Pauline Archer and the couple had five children, including Thérèse Vanier and Jean Vanier. Vanier occupied that position for one year before again becoming aide-de-camp for Byngs viceregal successor. On 12 May 1937, Vanier, along with his son, Jean, watched from the roof of Canada House the coronation parade of their new king, George VI. In the procession below, Vanier would have one of the future governors general of Canada, Harold Alexander. In 1939, Vanier was elevated to the position of the Kings Envoy Extraordinary, throughout this time, Vanier attempted to convey to officials in Canada the seriousness of the situation in Europe, especially regarding refugees from the Nazi regime. Following the fall of Vichy France in 1944 to the Allied Forces, back in Paris, he and his wife continued to help the refugees who arrived at the embassy, arranging for them food and temporary shelter. It was in 1953 that Vanier retired from service and returned to Montreal, though he. Vanier simultaneously sat as a director of the Bank of Montreal, the Credit Foncier Franco-Canadien, and the Standard Life Assurance Company, Vanier was the first French Canadian governor general of Canada, his bilingualism proving to be an asset to his mandate of fostering Canadian unity. Following on that of Vincent Massey, an Anglophone, the appointment of Vanier established the tradition of rotating between French and English speaking persons, amongst most other circles in the country, however, he was lauded as a distinguished viceroy. I pray God that we may all go forward hand in hand and we cant run the risk of this great country falling into pieces. Despite his poor health, and his doctors warnings about strain, Vanier travelled across Canada and he was also active in encouraging children to achieve, using his role as Chief Scout of Canada to this end
9.
Pauline Vanier
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The Honourable Pauline Vanier, PC, CC, DStJ, born Pauline Archer in Montreal, married Georges Vanier on September 29,1921. With her extensive experience, Pauline filled the role of vice-regal consort with as much distinction as her husband filled his. Georges and Pauline Vanier created the Vanier Institute of the Family in 1965, Madame Vanier was the first non-political woman to be appointed to the Queens Privy Council for Canada. She was sworn in on April 11,1967 as a sign of honour from Prime Minister Lester B, in July that same year she was made one of the first Companions of the Order of Canada for her humanitarian work. She was appointed the Chancellor of the University of Ottawa in 1966 and their son Jean founded LArche and her daughter Thérèse was a medical doctor who specialized in haematology and palliative care. Both Madame Vanier and her husband Georges have been nominated for beatification in the Roman Catholic Church because of their piety, a Brampton, Ontario, Catholic elementary school is named in her honor as well as an Ottawa middle school. Madame Vanier Hall, a residence at St Thomas University in Fredericton, New Brunswick. In 1963, London Childrens Aid, and Catholic Social Services groups got together, Order of Canada Citation Historica Minute of Pauline Vanier
