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History of the Canadian Liberal Party

Historical Timeline

• 1874 - Alexander Mackenzie becomes the first Liberal Prime Minister of Canada.
• 1875 - The Liberal government under Mackenzie establishes the Supreme Court of Canada.
• 1900 - The Liberal government under Laurier establishes the Department of Labour to handle social welfare and industrial relations.
• 1939 to 1945 - The Liberal government under Mackenzie King led Canada through the World War II.
• 1945 - Under the Liberal government of Mackenzie King, Canada joins the United Nations (or “UN”).
• 1949 - Under the Liberal government of St. Laurent, Canada joins the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (or “NATO”).
• 1949 - The Liberal government under St. Laurent completes Confederation through the union of Newfoundland with Canada.
• 1952 - The Liberal government of St. Laurent enacts the Old Act Security Act.
• 1965 - Under the Liberal government of Pearson, Canada changes its flag to the present red maple leaf and bars.
• 1968 - The Liberal government of Pearson enacts medical care legislation.
• 1969 - The Liberal government of Trudeau enacts the Official Languages Act, establishing English and French as Canada’s official languages.
• 1970 - The Liberal government of Trudeau faces the FLQ Crisis in Quebec and invokes the War Measures Act.
• 1976 - The Liberal government under Trudeau abolishes capital punishment.
• 1982 - The Liberal government of Trudeau patriates the Canadian Constitution and entrenches the Canada Charter of Rights and Freedoms.
• 1988 - In the general election, the Liberal Party ran against the US-Canada Free Trade Agreement (FTA).
• 1994 - The North American Free Trade Agreement comes into effect under the Liberal government of Chretien.
• 1997 - The Liberal government of Chretien registers the first federal government surplus in two decades.

Liberal Prime Ministers of Canada

Liberal Party of Canada Website
Liberal Party of Canada History PDF
Liberal Party of Canada Philosophy PDF

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This page was last modified: August 10, 2007