At the start of the 20th century, Wilfred Laurier stated “ the next hundreds years would belong to Canada.

” Your job as a historian is to decide whether that statement was true. When Wilfred Laurier said that the 20th Century would belong to Canada, I believe he meant, that the 20th century will be a year of great prosperity for Canada. Also that Canada will shine, and stand out as a country, and a fighting force. The 20th century belonged to Canada On January 18, 1904 Prime Minister of Canada, Wilfred Laurier stated that “the next hundred years would belong to Canada.What I believe Wilfred Laurier meant by that is that the 20th century will be a century of great prosperity for Canada, and that Canada will shine as a country, and a fighting force. During World War 1 on April 22nd-24th 1915, was the start of The Battle of Ypres.

The Battle of Ypres took place near Ypres, Belgium. Germans released 5700 cylinders of chlorine gas. The green toxic chlorine gas was heavier then air, and settled in the trenches, forcing them out of then trenches.This was the first time the Germans have used chlorine gas, the gas exposed Canadian soldiers, and resulted in an artillery warfare. Canadians had to breathe threw rags and cloths that have been urinated on, to ensure they avoided breathing in the gas. The first night Canadians launched a counter attack to drive Germans out of Kitchener Woos near St.

Julien. Canadians cleared the woods, but had to stop. 2 days later, Germans attacked Canadian lines at St. Julien again using chlorine gas. Canadians held their ground until reinforcements showed up.The Battle of Ypres is significant to Wilfred Laurier's statement, because this battle marked a state of growth/prosperity in Canada as a country, and a fighting force.

More then 2000 Canadian dies, ad 16000 wounded. However it was Canada's first appearance on European battlefield. The battle of Ypres established Canada's reputations as a fighting force, and proved they could fight when asked too. Secondly, Fredrick Banting, was a Canadian doctor born November 14th, 1891in Alliston, Ontario Canada.During the 20th century, Diabetes was a deadly disease.

Diabetics were always hungry, and thirsty, but their bodies broke down because they couldn't process the food they were taken in. Fredrick Banting thought of using a hormone produced by the pancreas called Insulin to treat people with diabetes. Banting tested the hormone on Dogs, and came to believe that the hormone called Insulin was what was needed to treat diabetics. James Collip a biochemist helped Banting filter and purify the insulin so it could be used on diabetic people.The Insulin was a success.

Fredrick Banting Insulin invention is significant to Wilfred Laurier's statement, because it was a time of growth for Canada as a country. Insulin changed diabetics from being a deadly disease to a manageable disease, and saved the lives of millions of people. The producers of insulin did not profit from their work, they sold their idea to the University of Toronto and U of T licenced drug companies to make insulin and use the fees for medical research this was a major break-threw in medicine technology for Canada.Pursuing this further, Camp X played a major role in during World War 2.

Camp X was the first spy school in North American, a top secret school located on a 111-hectare farm on the shore of Lake Ontario. Secret agents learned tricks of their trade,such as survival, hand to hand combat, how to use guns, and explosives, parachute jumping, map reading, radio operation, secret writing, and disguises. Some were even sent behind enemy line to act as spy's. Camp X was run by William Stephenson, a Canadian master spy, code name intrepid.

Camp X also included specialized group of technicians who listened in on radio all around the world, this is how they learned enemy secrets. The radio centre also acted as a communication hub for Canada, United States, and Britain. Using this special technology, radio operators were able to ensure that the enemy lines couldn't hear the transmissions. This is relevant to Wilfred Laurier's statement because Camp X was such a great success for Canada as a fighting force. This allowed us to listen to radio transmissions around the world, and learn enemy secrets, allowed secret communication between Canada, US, and Britain.

The technology used at Camp X led to the discovery of how to transmit signals to television sets. This was a break-threw in Canadian technology and proved Canada to be a country of prosperity, success, and growth. Further more, after World War II King and Paul Martin Sr, a prominent cabinet minister decided it was time that Canada should stop being defined as British subjects, instead being Canadian should mean being a “Canadian Citizen”. The Liberal government passed the Canadian citizenship Act, and it came into effect January 1st, 1947.Canada was the first country in British common wealth to create it's its own citizenship separate from Britain, this was an important milestone on Canada's road to independence.

Everyone born in Canada automatically became a Canadian citizen, and those who were not born in Canada could apply to become one. This was an important step forward for married woman as well, because their citizenship were always linked to their husband, now they have independent control of their own citizenship. Overall, the 20th century, was a century of many turning point's for Canada as a county, and as a fighting force.Canada proved to be able to endure tough fight's and harsh fighting conditions, and still stand their ground. They went threw many break threw in medicine, and electric technology, and it also proved it self to be strong enough and worthy enough to separate from the Britain colony, becomes its own country, with its own citizens.

Wilfred Laurier was right when he stated that the 20th century would belong to Canada, because Canada stood out a shined as a country, and as a fighting forces. And prospered as a country.