• State after 1945: Canada was booming!
  • Unlike most of Europe and Asia (and aside from Pearl Harbor, the US), Canada wasn’t directly impacted by WWII battles.
  • They were raring to go: their industries and agriculture had goods and food aplenty for everyone at home.

Example: Think of Canada as that one student in class who, after a water fight, still has a dry set of notes because they weren’t hit directly!

• Problem: While Canada was flourishing, Europe was in tatters post-WWII.
  • This was bad for Canada because they sold a lot of stuff to Europe.
• Fear of Communism: Prime Minister Mackenzie King and many others were scared Europe might become communist because of their economic woes.
  • Even the US under President Truman was worried.

Real-world example: It’s like seeing your favorite mall in a dilapidated state and worrying that it might turn into something you don't like (say, only selling broccoli 🥦).

• Introduced by the US, it was like a financial care package for Europe.
• Canada’s View
  • Positive! Why? Two reasons:
    • They needed places to sell their stuff (like markets).
    • They were low on US dollars, which was like the cool currency everyone wanted.
• Here’s the magic trick: Countries getting help from the Marshall Plan (like France) could use US dollars from the Plan to buy Canadian goods. This would give Canada those much-needed US dollars.

Real-world example: Think of the Marshall Plan as a gift card your friend gets for their birthday. They buy something from you with it, and now you have money to shop at your favorite store! 🎁💵