[PHOTO] Confederation 1967 on the Sidewalk

[rfmcdonald]

Confederation 1967 on the Sidewalk
Originally uploaded by rfmcdpei

As the The Canadian Encyclopedia reminds the reader, numerous cultural events marked the celebration of the one-hundredth anniversary of Canadian Confederation, with any number of cultural, economic, and political events marking this happy date.

Celebrations occurred throughout the year but culminated on Dominion Day, July 1. 1967 coins were different from previous (or forthcoming) years' issues, with animals on each - the cent, for instance, had a dove on its reverse.

Communities and organizations across Canada were encouraged to engage in "Centennial projects" to celebrate the anniversary. The projects ranged from special one-time events to local improvement projects, such as the construction of municipal arenas and parks.

And sidewalks.

Expo 67, in particular, was a signifier of the nation's mood of extreme optimism and confidence on heading into its second century. In retrospect, the centennial is seen by many as a high point of Canadian aspirations prior to the anxious decade of the 1970s that saw the nation divided over issues relating to inflation, an economic recession, government budget deficits and Quebec separatism. Popular Canadian historian Pierre Berton has referred to the centennial as "the last good year" in his book of the same name.