Canadians: Courage of Conviction

One may disagree and even revile these Canadian trailblazers and whistle blowers, but no one can deny that they stood their ground and consequently make significant changes. Each swam against the prevailing main stream of public and/or corporate opinion, and won the day. The legacy of their courage of conviction defines Canada and Canadians.
The links here are to their biographies and related historical references.

• Jean Chrétien
  Demanded, in 1995, and got the Firearms Act, a national system of firearm registration and licensing. The Firearms Act was bitterly contested from its inception, especially by gun owners in the western provinces. (See Furor over Firearms .) The 1995 federal Firearms Act was a response to the massacre at Montréal’s École Polytechnique on December 6, 1989, when a gunman killed 14 women and wounded 13 others in one of the worst mass killings in Canada’s history. For the history, read The Gun Control Story. On March 18, 2003 he said, "If military action proceeds without a new resolution of the Security Council, Canada will not participate". For the announcement in Parliament, read PM says Canada won't fight in Iraq.

• Drs. Shiv Chopra and Margaret Hayden
  Tried to stop Health Canada, in 1997, from approving Monsanto Canada’s bovine growth hormone rBST. This drug, from their findings, might put public safety is at risk. Health Canada officially reprimanded and told them that they could not speak in public without permission from the department. The National Farmers's Union among others intervened in the Federal Court to appeal the gag order and reprimand.
  The court ruled: "Where a matter is of legitimate public concern requiring a public debate, the duty of loyalty cannot be absolute to the extent of preventing public disclosure by a government official. The common law of duty does not impose unquestioning silence." Health Canada posts the latest findings on rBST.
• Tommy Douglas
  Proved public health care was economically feasible, as well as essential in a civilized country. He was vilified in the 1960 Saskatchewan election for daring to propose a public medical insurance plan. Many Canadians, particularly in Alberta, still feel that Canada should have a two-tier health care system.
• Ellen Fairclough
  Tried to lessen the number of sponsored immigrants arriving in Canada by placing new emphasis on occupational skill and education in the selection of immigrants matching Canada’s needs for skilled workers. This change raised a storm of protest among the immigrant population, especially among those of Italian origin. In 1962, however, she managed to introduce new immigration regulations that virtually abolished the "White Canada" immigration policy.   photo »
• Elijah Harper
  Gave a very soft "No" from the back row of the Manitoba Legislative Assembly and brought an end to Canada's debate on the 1987 Constitutional Accord (Meech Lake). He objected because of the accord failed to address Native concerns.
• Mike Harris
  Tore up the old and instituted something new in almost every aspect of provincial governance. Common Sense Revolution has influenced cost-cutting governments across Canada, a tough often unpopular series of changes to scared cows: schools, hospitals, welfare... (He followed along the path of fiscal restraint that Alberta’s Premier Ralph Klein had introduced in 1993.)

• Clarence Decatur Howe Known as the "Minister of Everything" transformed Canada into a world-leading economic power. His authoritarian style made him unpopular with many Canadians. He was an engineer with unlimited vision of how to make Canada great.    photo »

• William Lyon Mackenzie King
  Delayed, during WW2, as long as possible conscription despite a 73 percent plebiscite vote in favour.

• Ralph Klein
  He introduced the Fiscal Responsibility Act that required Alberta not only to eliminate its fiscal debt but do so within five years. Afterwards, the accumulated debt must be decreased by a prefixed amount over a span of 25 years. Many Albertan’s cursed, and continue to curse, the funding cuts to education, health care, civil service, and welfare. Ralph set the stage for other Premiers, with courage of their convictions, to follow suit and seek deficit elimination and debt reduction. (See "Mike Harris".)

• René Lévesque
  Founded the Parti Québécois, which advocates Quebec’s secession from Canada. His strong faith in democractic values kept Canada from suffering the volatile situations that prevail in Northern Ireland (IRA), Spain (ETA), Palestine (PLO, Hamas, PIJ). His legacy is that whatever Quebec chooses — remain or leave confederation — it will be done democratically and without fear, violence or intimidation.

• John A. MacDonald
  Promised and delivered a railroad link to British Columbia as a condition of it joining the Canadian Federation. A long and bitter debate arose over the wisdom of an all-Canadian route along the North Shore of Lake Superior. It was considered as "two hundred miles of engineering impossibilities". MacDonald countered with these words: "...[all-Canadian route] will give us a great, an united, a rich, an improving, a developing Canada, instead of making us tributary to American laws, to American railways, to American bondage, to American tolls, to American freights... ."
• Nellie Letitia (Mooney) McClung
  Was one of the "famous five" who battled in the courts and at parliament to have women declared "persons" under the law.
• Dr. Henry Morgentaler
  Acquitted in Supreme Court of Canada after being hounded for 20 years for performing non-state approved abortions. Also, Morgentaler has consistently fought for taxpayer-funded abortions in Canada. Today, there are more than 100,000 legal abortions annually in Canada. U of Western (March 18, 2005) upon conferring an Honary Doctor of Law stated Dr. Morgantaler, “a humanist leader who has promoted the idea that people have a right to control their own sexuality and reproduction, without interference by the state.”
• Brian Mulroney
  Free Trade Promoted the 1988 Free Trade Agreement with the United States and the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) in 1992. Many Canadians opposed this agreement and still do. Under NAFTA Canadian product exports to both Mexico and the United States roughly doubled between 1994 and 2000. photo »
  
  GST This tax introduced in 1991 by Mulroney's Finance Minister continues to be reviled by most Canadians. And yet, this tax created a level playing field for Canadian manufacturers. It replaced the outdated 13.5% Manufacturers’ Sales Tax (MST), which had been in effect since 1924. MST had penalized Canadian industry, making it less able to compete globally.

• Dr. Nancy Olivieri
  Despite threats, lawsuits, demotion at Sick Kids Hospital, a charge of medical misconduct, and loss of sponsorship for her research, she stood by her convictions. She published her negative findings against the drug -- Deferiprone — developed by Apotex Inc. The Canadian Association of University Teachers (CAUT) committee of inquiry vindicated her. The "Olivieri Affair" has caused the world's leading medical journals to adopt rules to force drug companies to reveal all findings on new products, not just favourable ones.
• Lester Bowles Pearson
  Replaced the Red Ensign that had been Canada’s official flag. He push the adoption of the Red Maple Leaf flag through parliament and proclaimed it the national flag on 15th day of February, 1965. Emotions ran high against this change in symbols, especially among those born under it and/or who fought under it. Today, Canada's flag is one of the most distinguishable icons in the world. George Stanley, born in Calgary 1907, designed the flag.)

• Louis Riel
  Was sentenced to death as the instigator of the short-lived 1885 Rebellion. He tried and failed to present Métis grievances to the Canadian government. (See The Battle of Batoche.) He fought and died for justice and democracy for the Métis people and all Aboriginal peoples. photo »

• Joseph (Joey) Smallwood
  Brought Newfoundland into Confederation as the tenth province winning the 1948 referendum by a slim majority. Many opposed Smallwood's vision hating to surrender independence as a nation. The N.L.F.D. still do.

• Pierre Elliott Trudeau
  
  FLQ: He invoked the War Measures Act to suppress the FLQ crisis in Québec.
  
  Capital Punishment: He introduced Bill C-84 proposing the abolition of the death penalty. The Bill was passed and became law on July 26, 1976.
  
  Charter of Rights and Freedoms: Of all the human rights milestones in 20^th century Canada, arguably the single most significant is the passing of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms. Many felt and still do that this Charter placed too much power in the hands of courts, diminishing the supremacy of parliament, an anti-democratic move. Yet, to this very day, the Charter of Rights and Freedoms continues to defend the principles of freedom and dignity that define us as Canadians. (See CBC-Unify Canadians.)
  
  Multicultualism: He promoted the concept of a pluralistic society In 1971, Canada adopted official multiculturalism. "If freedom of choice is in danger for some ethnic groups, it is in danger for all."