Overall Analysis

Now that you have carefully analyzed the graphs above, in ONE paragraph summarize your
observations about Canada’s population in the immediate postwar period (i.e. 1945-1965).
Consider what might have been the qualitative and quantitative changes from a social, cultural
and economic perspective.

The postwar period was a transitional period, a period of time that formed Canada in the

20th century. As both women and men were returning from the war, starting a family became the

number one priority for Canadian veterans. Women were averaging a whole child more per

family, which led to a sharp influx in births over the postwar period. Canadian births per year

rose to a high of 475,000 in 1958. There is a reason the postwar period was nicknamed the "baby

boom" era. This period of time was a transition from violent war to a more calm, family-oriented

term. Women were pushed back into the stereotypical stay-at-home role, and immigration has

more than doubled since 1945. Folks were migrating to Canada from Europe, Asia, and even the

United States. The culture has fluctuated from solely British Canadians to now a "soup" of

cultures. Immigrants brought more work to our free land, which directly helped the economy.

More work and money to be passed around means a larger economy. The post-war period was a

stepping stone in Canadian history. Structural changes in Canada were being recognized due to

the influx in population. Canada was changing for the better.