Student Question
How did the Vietnam War influence the formation of the "Hippie" counterculture in Canada?
I argue that the war's violence led to a pacifist youth culture, and that Canada became a refuge for American draft dodgers, bringing U.S. Hippie culture with them.
Quick answer:
The Vietnam War significantly influenced the "Hippie" counterculture in Canada by fostering a pacifist youth movement and attracting American draft dodgers who brought U.S. Hippie culture with them. Additionally, Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau, elected in 1968, played a role in spreading this culture. His youthful image, interest in social justice, and interactions with figures like John Lennon made him a comforting figure for those in the movement, encouraging the embrace of countercultural ideals.
You have already formed two very strong main ideas for your essay. Good work! As a third point, I think it is worth mentioning that Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau, elected in 1968 (the year this counterculture movement exploded into the mainstream in the United States), had a significant impact on the spread of this counter-culture movement throughout Canada. He had a youthful demeanor, wore unusual and eye-catching clothing (a strong visual identifier of the hippie movement), and was interested in social justice. He also met with John Lennon and Yoko Ono, two celebrities whose iconic presence were synonymous with the movement (especially Lennon's anti-war songs like "Give Peace a Chance.")
Trudeau himself was not a hippie, but his image and stance on many issues made him a comforting presence for those already attracted to this movement, and made them feel they could follow this path of expression and possibly trust their prime minister to act on their own idealistic views regarding the war. It did not turn out that way at the time, but many believe that Trudeau's leadership did make it possible for later generations to embrace counterculture ideals connected to social change. He ended up serving two terms in office (though not consecutively), and his son Justin, also a youthful and charismatic presence, is now serving as Canada's prime minister, and already displaying a tendency to embrace important social issues, and shows a liberal stance on many issues that first became of widespread importance during his father's term in office, such as abortion and marijuana legalization.
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