Missing the “roar”

Aboriginals in the 1920s Contribution to war had not helped aboriginals at home Aboriginals not classified as person’s under the law Couldn’t vote in BC until 1949 in Federal elections aboriginals were the last people to get the vote in 1960

Aboriginals in the 1920s Social and economic conditions in reserves were poor Aboriginals who sought jobs in the city were discriminated against

Residential Schools Residential schools tried to “assimilate” aboriginals to Canadian culture Many students were traumatized by separation from families Students were stripped of the cultural identities Many students were physically, emotionally, and/or sexually abused in the residential schools

Aboriginal Challenges: Early in the 1920s Aboriginals in BC challenged the provincial and federal gov’t on 3 issues: Potlatch ceremony Cut-off lands Aboriginal title

Potlatches were important cultural celebrations for Northwest Coast Natives.

Potlatch Potlatch banned in 1884 but not really enforced until after WWI Potlatch was a ceremony that showed Aboriginal wealth and status. Often put on for a whole village by a chief for births, deaths, and marriages Many chiefs were arrested and sentenced to jail terms

Aboriginal Title and Cut off Lands Aboriginal Land Claims had not been settled in BC like they had been in the Prairies They were set aside plots of reserve lands but parts of these kept being taken away by the government. These were called cut-off lands. As a result the reserves continued to get smaller and smaller

Most of BC has no treaties

Aboriginal Challenges The Allied Tribes of BC kept fighting for aboriginal rights to no avail The government changed the Indian Act to allow the gov’t to acquire reserve lands and to not allow aboriginals to raise money for Land Claims rights

Other groups that missed the roar African Canadians Nova Scotia: Education Act of 1918 provided separate schools. Superior Court of Quebec ruled in favour of racially segregated seating in Montreal theatres. 1929- black delegation to a World Baptist Convention denied hotel rooms in Toronto

Immigrants Tensions born during the war remained: Eastern Europeans/Russians accused of being communists. Immigration restrictions brought in- supported by labour groups but not farmers and some business owners. Restrictions on Asian Immigration: 1923 law virtually excluded Chinese. 1922 agreement settled on 150 Japanese immigrants per year.

Stock Exchange! In the 1920’s, people began to have more and more access to credit. Many people began investing their money in stocks- shares of publically traded companies.

Activity! Bienvenu Financial Services Company Claremont INC. Has grown by $29 a share each of the last 2 years. Claremont INC. Has recently bought a huge chain of grocery stores. DGardner ltd. Very aggressive concrete company. Today, we are willing to give you 2 hundred dollars to invest in one of these companies!

1926 BFSC- $100 share worth $111 CLI- $100 share worth $121 DGL- $100 share worth $116.50

1927 BFSC- $100 share worth $125 CLI- $100 share worth $120 DGL- $100 share worth $133.50

1928 BFSC- $100 share worth $130.50 CLI- $100 share worth $122.50 DGL- $100 share worth $140.50

1929 BFSC- $100 share worth $0 BANKRUPT CLI- $100 share worth $0.65 DGL- $100 share worth $10.00

Stock Market Crash Tuesday, October 29,1929 the New York Stock Exchange collapsed. Everyone panicked as stock prices fell and tried to “sell, Sell, SELL!” driving prices lower. The collapse of the stock exchanged marked the end of the prosperity seen in the 1920’s and the start of the Depression of the 1930’s.