SUMMARY
In the years immediately following the Second World War, the nation of
Canada was certainly no stranger to liberalism. Early actors in Canada’s history set
the wheels of liberal society into motion during the eighteenth century and this trend
continued well up until the dawn of the First World War. However, it wasn’t until the
onset of World War II that a rapid expansion of social programs and a renewed
embrace of cultural identity ushered in a new era of Canadian liberalism, which
offered opportunities for the nation to broaden its international appeal by
reaffirming its national identity. Consequently, the Canadian government was in a
position in which they could select aspects of the United States that could be
incorporated into the fold in their own country—such as a brief acceptance of nuclear
power—all while having the ability to reject the aspects of U.S. popular culture that
they felt would ill-serve the people of Canada.
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