Friday, February 3, 2023

A Land Finding Its Own Identity

The First World War was transformative for Canada. The country was automatically part of it from the beginning to the end, with a large part of the population involved. Servicemen went to the battlefields of Europe, bled and died, and repeatedly did things that couldn't be done. And the country's sense of itself- as a distinct country as opposed to being just one other part of the British empire- began to grow out of it.


This powerful painting is Gas Attack, Flanders, a 1915 painting by Alfred Bastien.


A photograph of Canadian soldiers en route, celebrating their victory at Vimy Ridge. What other Allied forces had tried and failed to do, they did it. The battle is one of the pivotal moments in Canadian history.


In the wake of the war, as in so many other cases, there was much to mourn.


Robert Borden had been the prime minister who led the country through that war. This 1919 portrait is by William Orpen.


Borden pressed for a place for Canada at the post-war conferences, given the amount of work Canadians had done for the war effort. 


Another push forward in Canadian identity was by a group of artists who felt the Canadian character should be expressed in art. They became hugely influential to the country and are known as the Group of Seven. Two paintings by members are here: an untitled fall landscape by A.J. Casson and Eskimo Summer Camp by A.Y. Jackson. 


The Great Depression would have a huge impact on the country. A turbulent time of high unemployment, social unrest, and despair, it proved to be a challenge for leaders to cope with, as well as the country as a whole.


From this period sprung the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) or Radio-Canada, offering radio broadcasts across the country in English and French. It's still in operation today as a government broadcasting company.

38 comments:

  1. It is hard to imagine the whole country was fully in a war that was in another continent so far away!

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    1. Benefits of being part of the British empire. We were drawn into it straight off.

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  2. Radio and TV can play important roles in contributing to national identity.

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  3. Another reminder of how art can help convey history.

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  4. ...war is an unending activity.

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  5. The pic of the "happy soldiers"... oh. I hope they stayed happy...

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  6. I quite like the Group of Seven work.

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  7. Hello,
    I like the photo of the soldier's celebrating their victory! Take care, have a great day and happy weekend!

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  8. After all the fighting, it is good to be able to celebrate the victory.

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  9. Those journalists who report on war do exceptional work!

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  10. Nice broad overview of some decisive moments in the course of modern Canadian history.

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  11. I am listening to CBC radio right now.

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  12. When I was a kid many of the WW 1 were still around and doing great things for the country.

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  13. I learn a lot about your history from visiting your blog. I appreciate it.

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  14. Another great war exhibit ~

    Wishing you good health, laughter and love in your days,
    A ShutterBug Explores,
    aka (A Creative Harbor)

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  15. The soldiers on the back of the trucks are so happy for their victory.

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  16. I confess to never thinking about Canada's involvement in WWI until I watched Downton Abbey and learned about the Princess Pat regiment. Can't even remember the plotline that talked about it, but at least I learned one thing !

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    1. That regiment organized for the First World War and is still around.

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  17. El camino emprendido, lo ha llevado a ello. Es ahora un país muy reconocido por los distintos países del mundo.

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  18. The gas attack painting is beautiful -- and very sobering.

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