Woodstock Collegiate Institute - Oracle Yearbook (Woodstock, Ontario Canada)

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fo amend her own consfifufion, buf fhaf has been changed, for in I949 fhe federal Parlia- menf was enabled fo pass amendmenfs affec- fing maffers wifhin fhe federal field. As yef no solufion has been reached concerning amendmenfs of fhe powers of fhe provinces. Canadian cifizenship, aparf from fhe general sfafus of Brifish subiecf, was esfab- lished in I947 as a nafural accompanimenf of nafionhood. ln fhe fhirfies, Germany was again rising as a sform cenfre, and in Sepfember, 1939, Brifain and France again wenf fo war. This fime, however, Brifain's declarafion did nof bind our more-fully grown counfry! As Mackenzie King had promised, our Cana- dian parliamenf mef fo decide fhe issue of peace or war, and for one week Canada remained neufral fo show her full sovereignfy. We Canadians saw fhaf we had fo do our share fo save fhe free and democrafic way of life in which we so firmly believe. Wifh fhe declarafion of war on Sepfember IO, I939, Canada really came of age in world affairs. The Firsf World War had leff us a vigorous indusfrial counfryg fhe second made us fourfh in world imporfance. During fhe war we carried ouf our own Lend-Lease sysfem 'of supplying war maferials worfh four billion dollars fo our allies under fhe name of Mufual Aid. Canada had gained much experience in world affairs, and since fhe war, has shared wifh Brifain and fhe Unifed Sfafes in fhe secref developmenf of afomic energy. ln facf, our counfry holds one of fhe world's chief supplies of uranium, fhe raw maferial for afomic power, and has builf one of fhe few afomic piles fo sfudy fhe new energy af Chalk River, Onfario. The San Francisco Conference of I945 was held fo draff a plan for a world organi- zafion, fhe Unifed Nafions. Canada was given a leading role when her imporfance warranfed if. She 'rherefore became a princi- pal member of fhe Afomic Energy Commis- sion, fhe World Food Board, and fhe Infer- nafional Civil Aviafion Aufhorify. Since Canada was one of fhe few nafions af fhe end of fhe Second World War wifh a large surplus of food and indusfrial goods for resforafion work, she became a leading mem- ber of fhe Unifed Nations Relief and Re- habilifafion Adminisfrafion, whose massive fask was fo resfore and rebuild fhe war-forn counfries. Sixteen We mighf ask ourselves fhe quesfion, Was Canada a small or greaf power? Beside fhe milifarily sfrong and well-popula- fed counfries such as fhe Sovief Union or fhe Unifed Sfafes, she was small, buf in ferms of her major war efforf, her world imporfance as a source of food and maferials, and her greaf indusfrial and financial sfrengfh, Canada was nof small. She was a middle power. The Second World War has much ad- vanced our power, infernafional sfanding, and sense of responsibilify. We have come of age in a cold new world, where Brifain's power can no longer serve fo profecf us, where even fhe broad oceans cannof ensure securify, and where fhe Arcfic wasfes are no longer an impossible barrier buf a fronfier fo be defended. This means new sfafure for Canada buf also new dangers. As fhe world has gradually become divided info fwo huge camps of communism and democracy, if has become necessary fo sfrengfhen fhe defences of fhe free world. For fhis reason, Canada fook a leading parf in forming fhe Norfh Aflanfic Treafy Organizafion in I949. She ioined fhe Commonwealfh Conference af Columbo in i950 fo draff plans for develo- ping fhe backward lands of Asia in order fo fry fo save fhem from communism. In fhe Unifed Nafions in fhe pasf few years, Canada has served a period of mem- bership in bofh fhe Securify Council and fhe Economic and Social Council. Our Canadian Minisfer for Exfernal Affairs, Lesfer B. Pear- son, was elecfed Presidenf of fhe General Assembly af ifs sevenfh session in I952. Canada supporfed fhe decision of fhe Unifed Nafions fo resisf fhe Communisf ag- gression in Korea, and so Canadian froops were senf fhere fo help. As a furfher proof of Canada's growing confribufion fo world affairs, we read fhaf in I957 Canada is going fo increase her confri- bufion fo fhe Colombo Plan fo share in fhe building of an afomic research reacfor in India. Yes, wifh glowing hearfs we see fhee rise . Truly, Canada has emerged as an imporfanf nafion, and her imporfance is growing. We no longer are a small, insignifi- canf member of fhe Brifish Empire: we are a full-fledged nafion of fhe world. Elaine Offo, I 3A

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Canadian froops were rushed across fhe Aflanfic and were usually senf fo bear fhe brunf of fhe fiercesf fighfing. This young counfry of ours, wifh her small populafion, suffered fremendous losses in her forces over- seas, and yef, Canada had no confr-ol of where her armed forces would be senf. Brifish milifary commanders af firsf planned fo ab- sorb fhe Canadians info fhe Brifish or imperial army formafions, buf Borden came fo his froops' rescue when he insisfed fhaf fhey be freafed as one unif, a Canadian army forma- fion, lafer developing info fhe Canadian corps. By I9l7, Brifain began giving in fo Borden's wishes for a represenfafion in fhe world plans, and an Imperial War Cabinef, which would include represenfafives of fhe Dominions, was formed. A furfher sfep was made when a Canadian, Sir Arfhur Currie, became fhe commander-in-chief of Canadian forces. However, Canada found herself sfill faking an insignificanf parfg she was half colony and half nafion. Wifh fhe war over, Borden argued fhaf if small sfafes such as Belgium were fo have independenf seafs af fhe peace conference, Canada should have an equal place in fhe negofiafions. His argumenf was sound, and when fhe greaf Peace Treafy was signed, fhere was a separafe signafure by each Dominion. By fhaf righf our counfry secured recognifion as a nafion in her own righf. Even fhough Canada had only a minor parf in fhe draffing of fhe Treafy of Versailles, she had won fhe righf of signing and approving if. Canada's growing infernafional presfige was boosfed by fhe righf fo sif as a member nafion in fhe League of Nafions and fhe Infer- nafional Labour Organizafion. The Firsf World War was indeed for Canada a new era, one which broughf sacri- fice and heavy burdens. Yef wifh fhem came fhe righfs of nafionhood. ln l92O Borden obfained recognifion of Canada's righf fo esfablish separafe legafions in foreign capifals, buf if was nof unfil seven years lafer fhaf fhe Honorable Vincenf Mas- sey, assumed his dufies as fhe firsf Canadian Minisfer fo fhe Unifed Sfafes. Canada achieved anofher sfep in fhe ladder of her aufonomy when in l923, she negofiafed and signed her firsf frade agree- menf wifh a foreign power, if was fhe Halibuf Treafy wifh fhe Unifed Sfafes providing for ioinf regulafion of fhe halibuf fisheries of fhe Norfh Pacific. The freafy was signed in her own righf and wifhouf fhe formal addifion of fhe Brifish Minisfer's signafure. This evenf esfablished Canada's full confrol over her own foreign relafions. Wifh fhese developmenfs, fhe affempf of Brifain fo bind all empire members fo a com- mon foreign policy was abandoned. When Canada esfablished a legafion fo Washingfon in I926, if marked a furfher sfep foward full confrol of her own foreign relafions. Then, af fhaf same Imperial Conference, fhe Balfour Reporf, fhe foundafion-sfone of fhe modern Commonwealfh, was produced. If declared fhe members fo be equal in sfafus, in no way subordinafe one fo anofher, fhough unifed by a common allegiance fo fhe Crown, and freely associafed as members -of fhe Brifish Commonwealfh of Nafions . Now Canada was no longer iusf a member of fhe empire: she was a fellow nafion. Henceforfh fhe Governor-General should clearly repre- senf only fhe greaf unifying symbol of fhe crown, nof fhe Brifish governmenf in any way. The change led fo fhe appoinfmenf of a Brifish High Commissioner fo represenf fhe Brifish governmenf in Offawa on fhe same basis as fhe Canadian High Commissioner in London. In l930 if was agreed fhaf fhe appoinfmenf of fhe Governor-General should resf wifh Canada and nof fhe Brifish govern- menf. His acfions became wholly dependenf on fhe advice of fhe Canadian minisfers. Up fo I950, fhe Canadian governmenf had always chosen an English Governor-General, buf wifh fhe appoinfmenf of fhe firsf Canadian, fhe Honorable Vincenf Massey, fo fhaf office, fhaf fradifion was severed. ln I93I fhe Sfafufe of Wesfminsfer, which has been fermed fhe Magna Charfa of fhe Commonwealfh, fulfilled fhe Balfour Re- porf and made fhe legal changes necessary fo effecf fhe Dominions' new posifion of equalify wifh fhe mofher counfry. Since fhen fhe Brifish parliamenf cannof pass laws which are binding on Canada. The sfafufe also declared fhaf Canada could change or repeal any imperial acfs which applied fo her if she so desired and fhaf Canada could exercise aufhorify over her cifizens even when fhey were beyond her borders. There were sfill fwo imporfanf resfricfionsg fhe highesf courf of appeal for Canadian cases sfill remained wifh fhe Judicial Commiffee of fhe Privy Council in England, buf in I935 Canada se- cured fhe dropping of appeals in criminal cases. Then in I95O, fhe Supreme Courf of Canada became our final courf of appeal. The ofher resfricfion was Canada's inabilify Fifteen

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Revolt Of A Realist I don'l wanl lo sound like a school- leacher, bul lhe educalional syslem in lhis counlry is going all lo lhe dogs. I happened lo look inlo lhe lyping room lhe olher day and I was amazed al whal lhey were making lhose sludenls wrile. ll was some eye-wash aboul 'lhe quick brown lox iumps over lhe lazy dog'. Incredible, isn'l il, lhal a lree and enlighlened age such as ours, an age lhal has produced such marvels as lhe aeroplane, lhe alomic bomb, lhe anamorphic camera, and lhe lool-long hol-dog, can s+iII cling lo such a lanlaslic, oulmoded doclrine. Now, iusl slop a momenl. Think aboul il calmly, and in lhe cold, relenlless Iighl 'ol reason. The Board ol Educalion says lhal a quick brown lox lumped over a lazy dog. Why, il's nolhing bul a lissue of lies. Have you ever seen a quick brown lox jump over a lazy dog? You're doggoned righl you haven'l. Have you ever seen a quick brown lox? You have nol. I looked up 'lox' in lhe diclionary, and il slales plainly lhal loxes come in lhe lollowing colours only: black, red, blue, silver, and grey. No brown ones. Nol even a Iighl beige one. Nol lhal lhal makes any dil- lerence. No lox, nol even a brighl pink one wilh charcoal grey ears, is going lo wasle his lime jumping back and lorlh over a dog, lazy or no. No percenlage in il. The average lox is much more likely lo be oul knocking around wilh a bunch ol olher foxes. As lar as lhal goes, whal dog is going lo sland slill while a quick brown lox goes hopping all over him, gelling unclerlool, and generally clullering up lhe landscape. Nol mine. If I had a dog lhal didn'l have any more brains lhan lhal, I would cul him up in Ii++le pieces. Bul lhere's no use lalking aboul il. This is iusl one example. The educalional syslem loday is lull ol lhal kind ol lhing. For inslance, lhe one lhey leach kids in public school. Whal is il, now? 'Peler Piker peeked a pike of peckled . . .' Or is il, 'Peler Peeker pecked a pick ol peekled . . .' Oh, well, you know whal I mean. Doug Bale - '55 Words Expression ol lv1an's lhoughl, 'lwixl man lhe link, By which we all are laughl lo speak, lo lhinkg Made up ol symbols each wilh meaning clear, Yel laken by lhemselves, so meaningless, so dear. Words raging, healed, angry, Words spoken sollly, slill, Descriplion, aclion orders, They seem lhe world lo fill. And yel lhe world wilhoul lhem Would seem so silenl, queer. Bul peace wilhoul expression A myslery lo lear. For language is expression Of lhoughls made lree and clear Which unexpressed, are manacled Nol loosed lor all lo hear. Anonymous T01 My First Cake Il was a memorable day when ambilion suddenly seized me and I decided lo make a marvellous cake iusl like lhe one piclured in lhe magazine I had been reading. Il was such a golden opporlunily, nol even molher al home lo suggesl a simple receipe suilable lo whal she considered my abilily. How carelully I did blend lhe sugar and shorlening, and yel how lumpy il remained. For whal seemed an hour I beal and chased flying parlicles ol lhose six eggs. Each lime I silled lhe flour lhe quanlily in lhe bowl became less and lhe pile on lhe lloor more. Al lasl il was done, and I deposiled il in lhe oven wilh visions ol lhe supper lable. Never was a resl more dearly earned. Wilh a clear conscience I Iell lhe cleaning-up and read comlorlable lor lhe lwenly-live minules required lo lurn il a beaulilul golden brown. The lime being up, I proudly opened lhe oven door and-lhe cake had nol changed. A coolness made one look down-Oh Hor- rorsl I had lorgollen lo lurn lhe oven on. Phyllis Frier, I OG Seventeen