Canadian Society, Arts, Culture, Sports and Inventions

Canada’s contributions to arts, culture, science and sport are remarkable for a country of its size. From Nobel Prize-winning scientists to Olympic champions, from celebrated novelists writing in both French and English to the inventors of the telephone, the pacemaker and the Canadarm, Canadians have made their mark on the world in ways that go far beyond their numbers. This subchapter also traces how Canadian society changed — and opened up — across the second half of the 20th century.

A Changing Society

As social values shifted over more than 50 years, Canada became a more flexible and open society. Many Canadians took advantage of expanding secondary and post-secondary educational opportunities, and a growing number of women entered the professional workforce.

Most Canadians of Asian descent had historically been denied the vote in federal and provincial elections. In 1948, the last of these — Japanese Canadians — gained the right to vote. Aboriginal people were granted the vote in 1960. Today, every citizen over the age of 18 may vote.

Canada welcomed thousands of refugees fleeing Communist oppression — including approximately 37,000 who escaped Soviet tyranny in Hungary in 1956. When Communist forces won the Vietnam War in 1975, many Vietnamese fled, with over 50,000 seeking refuge in Canada.

The idea of multiculturalism The policy and social value — gaining momentum from 19th- and 20th-century immigration — that encourages Canadians to maintain their distinct cultural heritages while sharing a common Canadian identity. gained new impetus from continuing waves of immigration. By the 1960s, one third of Canadians had origins that were neither British nor French, and took pride in preserving their distinct cultures in the Canadian fabric. Today, diversity enriches Canadians’ lives, particularly in cities.

Arts and Culture

Canadian artists across every discipline have achieved greatness both at home and internationally. Artists from all regions reflect and define Canadian culture and have shaped forms of creative expression that are distinctly Canadian.

In literature, Canadians have made significant contributions in both English and French. Notable writers and cultural figures include Stephen Leacock, Louis Hémon, Sir Charles G.D. Roberts, Pauline Johnson, Émile Nelligan, Robertson Davies, Margaret Laurence and Mordecai Richler. Musicians such as Sir Ernest MacMillan and Healey Willan gained renown in Canada and abroad. Writers including Joy Kogawa, Michael Ondaatje and Rohinton Mistry have broadened and diversified Canada’s literary tradition.

In the visual arts, Canada is best known internationally for the Group of Seven A group of Canadian painters founded in 1920 who developed a distinctive style capturing Canada's rugged wilderness landscapes. They are among the most celebrated artists in Canadian history. , founded in 1920, who developed a style of painting to capture Canada’s rugged wilderness. Emily Carr A celebrated Canadian painter known for her depictions of the forests and Aboriginal artifacts of the West Coast. painted the forests and Aboriginal artifacts of the West Coast. Les Automatistes A Quebec art movement that pioneered modern abstract art in Canada in the 1950s, most notably through Jean-Paul Riopelle. of Quebec were pioneers of modern abstract art in the 1950s, most notably Jean-Paul Riopelle Quebec's foremost abstract painter and a leading figure of Les Automatistes. . Quebec’s Louis-Philippe Hébert A celebrated Quebec sculptor known for his depictions of historical figures. was a celebrated sculptor of historical figures. Kenojuak Ashevak An Inuit artist who pioneered modern Inuit art through etchings, prints and soapstone sculptures. pioneered modern Inuit art through etchings, prints and soapstone sculptures.

In film, the work of Denys Arcand A celebrated Quebec filmmaker whose films have won international awards and enjoyed popularity across Canada. has won international awards and a wide following in Quebec and beyond. Other notable Canadian filmmakers include Norman Jewison and Atom Egoyan. Canadian television has also developed a popular following. Canada has a long and respected performing arts tradition, with a network of regional theatres and world-renowned performing arts companies.

Sports

All of Canada’s provinces and territories have produced amateur and professional star athletes and Olympic medal winners. Basketball A sport invented by Canadian James Naismith in 1891. was invented by Canadian James Naismith The Canadian who invented basketball in 1891. in 1891. In the national sport of ice hockey, Canadian teams have dominated the world.

Notable Canadian athletes include:

• Wayne Gretzky — one of the greatest hockey players of all time, who played for the Edmonton Oilers from 1979 to 1988
• Donovan Bailey — world record sprinter and double Olympic gold medallist at the 1996 Summer Games
• Chantal Petitclerc — world champion wheelchair racer and Paralympic gold medalist
• Terry Fox — a British Columbian who lost his right leg to cancer at the age of 18 and in 1980 began the “Marathon of Hope,” a cross-country run to raise money for cancer research; he became a hero to Canadians and, while he did not finish the run and ultimately lost his battle with cancer, his legacy continues through yearly fundraising events in his name
• Rick Hansen — who in 1985 circled the globe in a wheelchair to raise funds for spinal cord research
• Phil Edwards — born in British Guiana, he won bronze medals for Canada in the 1928, 1932 and 1936 Olympics, then graduated from McGill University Medical School and served as a captain in the Canadian Army during the Second World War, becoming a Montreal doctor and expert in tropical diseases
• Mark Tewksbury — Olympic gold medallist and prominent activist for gay and lesbian Canadians
• Catriona Le May Doan — carried the flag after winning gold in speed skating at the 2002 Olympic Winter Games
• Paul Henderson — scored the winning goal for Canada in the 1972 Canada-Soviet Summit Series, a goal often called “the goal heard around the world,” still remembered as an important moment in both sports and cultural history

Professional Canadian football teams compete in the Canadian Football League (CFL) Canada's professional football league, whose teams compete for the Grey Cup championship, donated by Governor General Lord Grey in 1909. for the Grey Cup — donated by Governor General Lord Grey in 1909. Basketball was invented by Canadian James Naismith in 1891.

Science, Technology and Inventions

Canadian advances in science and technology have changed how the world communicates and does business. Marshall McLuhan A pioneering Canadian media theorist. and Harold Innis A pioneering Canadian communications theorist. were pioneer thinkers. Since 1989, the Canadian Space Agency Canada's national space agency, which has participated in space exploration since 1989, often using the Canadarm. and Canadian astronauts have participated in space exploration, frequently using the Canadian-designed and built Canadarm A robotic arm designed and built in Canada by SPAR Aerospace and the National Research Council, used in space exploration. .

Canadian Nobel Prize-winning scientists include Gerhard Herzberg (a refugee from Nazi Germany), John Polanyi, Sidney Altman, Richard E. Taylor, Michael Smith and Bertram Brockhouse.