Maurice Duplessis: Poor Political Decisions

Self preservation and personal comfort, another consistent theme throughout the story is continuously perpetuated as generation-after-generation of residents are introduced to the unspeakable treatment of this helpless child. Ironically when first exposed to the atrocity, most children were more disgusted and outraged by the horrible predicament of the child than the adults who by all accounts should have been responsible for its protection. This obvious moral role reversal signifies a purity and innocence that is often present in a child’s perspective that is untarnished by corrupt societal teachings and norms. Additionally, the comparison between the moral integrity of

This report is based on Daniel Pelka. A four year old boy who was starved and beaten to death by his own mother and her partner. In this report I will be looking into Daniels short life and identifying what happened to him. I am going to be exploring not only what happened but how it was allowed to happen and in what ways this young boy was failed by systems that are put in place to protect vulnerable children. I shall then give my recommendations and opinions based on my findings.

“I have nothing but my heart, I have given it long ago to my country.” These are Louis Riel’s last words before his execution. Two themes that have been debated is whether Louis Riel is a traitor or hero to the Métis. There have been many controversial figures throughout Canada’s history, but Louis Riel is one of the most controversial figure. His perspective on how he dealt with manner is still debated today. A key aspect discussed today is why Riel is a hero to his people; the Métis. Louis Riel had once recognized the turmoil the Métis had to face, through this Riel proved that one must take actions in order to achieve a person’s right.

The issue that this documentary presented was that the Aboriginal residential school process was a way to eliminate the entirety of the Aboriginal population or at least assimilate them. The process was very deliberate and often times the views of Aboriginals were not acknowledged in this whole institution. Furthermore, the language used to describe Aboriginals showed the truth of there being a deliberate attempt to assimilate and eliminate this group. Shockingly, Canada’s PM, Sir John A. MacDonald called the group Canada’s “Indian problem”. These polies instill a culture of racism as policies tend to shape attitudes. Dhiru Patel’s Public Policies and Racism article talks about Canada attempting to give retribution for this which leads to a false perception that Canada is now free of Racism. In fact, the article mentions that amongst youth 83% of Canadians think Canada treats minority groups fairly. In the movie, the interviews of all of the groups shows that

The relationship between the Canadian government and Quebec has been in constant turmoil for years. This paper will discuss and critique Quebec’s five demands made in 1986 by the Liberal government and their current implications. Reasonable demands are ones in which a limited amount of asymmetrical federalism grants provincial sovereignty. Currently all provinces have certain guaranteed rights, however Quebec’s rights provide more autonomy. Quebec, though home to the largest population of French speaking Canadians, have asked too much of the Government of Canada. This is evident Quebec’s increased control over immigration, Supreme Court Justices appointment, and their veto on future constitutional negotiations. Conversely, the demand of recognizing Quebec as a distinct society is however reasonable and has been accommodated into Canadian society, and the ability to restrict federal spending power keeps the federal power in check. In this essay, I will discuss each demand, and argue whether or not it is reasonable.

Despite the violations as a result of the bill, Mr. Drainville claimed that the majority of 68 percent of Quebecers were in favour of passing the bill. When the bill was denied, the issue was “solved”, despite it being the minority not in favour. This is proof that the solution of not passing the bill was not enough of a solution, as many people wanted neutralism in the public work force. (CBC News, 2013)

“Just watch me” are the defiant words uttered by Canadian Prime Minister Pierre Elliot Trudeau in response to the Front de liberation du Quebec (FLQ), a Marxist group who captained Quebec independence through indiscriminate political violence. His words are not those of an iron-fisted strongman, despite how strong and undetailed his comments were at the time, but those of a calculated and well-versed leader, whose decisions came at the behest of prominent Quebec politicians. The FLQ instilled a decade of social violence in the streets of Quebec by systemically championing the struggles of French minorities who perceived unjust treatment in everyday life. Their qualms quickly evolved from protest to a Marxist movement, which incorporated

In October 1970, Canada faced a pressing terrorist attack in Montreal, Quebec by a group known as the Front de Liberation du Quebec, or the FLQ for short. The group committed multiple attacks starting in 1963 that slowly escalated until the October Crisis, where they kidnapped two government officials and proceeded to murder one of them. The Canadian government responded harshly and rapidly. The prime minister of Canada, Pierre Trudeau, issued the War Measures Act which along with various things allowed the police and military full reign to arrest people and hold them with no explanation. The Canadian population was highly supportive of the government’s action believing that this extreme state repression would bring a finish to the October

In Canadian history, nationalism and sovereignty tend to be common themes prevalent since Confederation. A well-known example of this in Quebec was during the Quiet Revolution which strengthened the need for change through Premier Lesage’s reforms and in turn, developed a strong sense of nationalism in Quebec. In contrast to beliefs that the rapid modernization of the Quiet Revolution had a positive impact on Quebec, it rather had a negative impact on Quebec and its citizens and identity. The three consequences which arose in Quebec as a result of the revolution are the encouragement of separatism, the elimination of traditional values and roles and the establishment of powerful bureaucratic control. Quebec’s attempt to be more like the

The strained relationship peaked in the 1960's, with the Front de libération du Québec separatist group conducting numerous attacks on the Canadian population, including bombings and kidnappings. The goal of the FLQ was to fight for Quebec's independence, but the radical means that the party used made it more of a terrorist group when they went as far as to kidnap and kill Quebec Labour Minister Pierre Laporte. This caused the federal government to deploy the Canadian army to calm public outcry and enable martial law to regain control of the situation. Eventually, the leaders of the FLQ were rooted out, then tried and convicted for their

As the people of Omelas continued to accept the truth of their city, some have begun to see the child as more of an it than a person and regarded the child similar to a wild animal. “One of them may come in and kick the child to make it stand up. The others never come close, but peer in at it with frightened, disgusted eyes” (245). Not only do the residents accept the child’s misery, they have also

It is by no accident that children suffer at the hands of the system. For each time a child

One can debate whether a government agency has the right to intervene on behalf of individuals due to suffering in the case of child abuse. If a child is in a home that inflicts suffering to the child by way of starvation or physical abuse it is the responsibility of the governing agency to intercede for the sake of the child. Governing agencies have laws set in place

Canada faced dramatic changes through the decades of the 1960’s and 1970’s, but in particular the province of Quebec. In 1959, Quebec Premier Maurice Duplessis died, this marked the beginning of the Quiet Revolution. Duplessis was the Union Nationale leader and the party had controlled Quebec for decades until shortly after Duplessis’ death, a provincial election was held where the Liberals, led by Jean Lesage, had won the vote. The Liberals started moving away from the Catholic ideologies, traditions were being shifted and a transformed society was taking over the province of Quebec. Lesage was famously quoted in 1962 “There is no doubt in my mind; it’s now or never that we must become masters in our own home.” which became the Liberals

Violence against children is a phenomenon happening worldwide, in forms of physical, psychological violence. Children are deprived of care, basic social services, health care and education, child abuse, neglect, exploitation, forced to beg, trafficked. Children are still one of the social groups at risk, facing many problems that remain unresolved. Although the consequences may vary according to the type and severity of the violence, the short and long-term consequences for children are very often serious and destructive and are costly. The laws that protect children’s rights are often not effective.