The Unemployed! The Great Depression was the hardest on young single men

Young Single Men – on the street? Why? They were the first to be let go when jobs needed to be cut. Older married men needed the work more Unemployed women would be supported by their families

Options What did these young single men do? These men are attempting to “Ride the Rails”… what do you think this experience would be like? Options What did these young single men do? They rode the rails looking for work in other Canadian cities. Were called drifters or “Hobos” Moved from city to city needing food, shelter and work. There was no food, shelter or work for these newcomers once they arrived

PM RB Bennett PM 1930- 1935 Millionaire, Businessman, Lawyer Elected in 1930- defeated previous PM Mackenzie King “reading #1- what is his solution to the Depression?

1932 Relief Act Due to the large amount of unemployed ‘roaming’ Canada, RB Bennett decided to create the Relief Act 1932 ‘Relief” was the responsibility of the cities and the provinces (usually meant food and fuel) However, this was not solving the depression and more and more men became unemployed and began to “ride the rails” looking for work and relief Due to fear, hatred, lack of understanding, Bennett decided to “deal” with these men by creating Relief Camps

Relief Camps Rules and Regulations:   To be admitted to a Relief Camp you must be single, male and not living at home, healthy and fit, unemployed, at least 18 years old, and not a political agitator You will be given free transportation to the camp If you decide to leave the camp for any reason except to take a job, you will not be allowed to return. On entering the camp you will receive for free: a set of work clothes soap and towels a bunk bed three meals a day use of showers, toilets and laundry facilities You will work 44 hours per week on projects such as road building and tree planting. You will be given an allowance of 20¢ per day plus 1.3¢ per day for tobacco. No committee of camp workers may be formed. Any complaints must be reported individually to the camp foreman.

Watch the Video Clip “The Enemies Within” and respond to the following in your notes: What is R.B. Bennett’s greatest political fear at the time? Do you think he was justified in this fear? Which group(s) of Canadians represent the greatest threat to Canadian security according to Bennett and McNaughton? Why? How are those who are considered a threat by Bennett dealt with?

Fear (by Government) Authorities feared these men might turn violent What if these men organized together with the help of communist? What if they wanted to have a communist revolution???

Government Response To stop a revolution before it started Set up unemployment relief camps in remote areas. – Intended to move the ‘trouble makers’ out of the way and out of the cities, to where they could do no harm.

Conditions Run by the Department of National Defense Worked 8 hr/day, 6 days aweek Built roads, dug ditches, planted trees Were paid $0.20 day cabins: 24m x 7m, slept 88 men, 2 per bunk

Single Men and the Relief Camps The On-To-Ottawa Trek Single Men and the Relief Camps Read page 191 (start at the first indent) Who was involved in the Trek? What did the Trekkers want? How far did they get? How did Bennett deal with the Trekkers?

Relief Camp Worker’s Protest April, 1935 1,500 men from BC work camps went on strike – Went to Vancouver to demonstrate May 1st 20,000 striking men and their supporters paraded in Vancouver

Relief Camp Worker’s Protest May 1st, 20,000 striking men and their supporters paraded in Vancouver Strike lasts 2 months Suggested the strikers take their message to Ottawa to the PM himself

Relief Camp Worker’s Protest The On-to-Ottawa Trek was born Watch the video clip “The End of the Line” and then respond to the following: Do you think that Bennett deserved to be villianized for the relief camps and /or for his handling of the On-to-Ottawa Trek? Explain. Do you think that overall he was a good or a bad leader? Support your view.

The On-To-Ottawa Trek Workers had no money – had to ride the rails to Ottawa June 3, 1000 strikers climbed on the boxcars of a CPR freight train CPR employees were sympathetic to the strikers – everybody had had enough and it was time Ottawa knew it!!

Government Response P.M. Bennett was terrified – the trek had to be stopped! 2,000 Trekkers arrived in Regina – rounded up in the exhibition grounds 8 leaders were given permission to carry on to Ottawa to meet with P.M. Bennett

Trekker’s Response The Regina Riot Bennett and the Trek leaders met The meeting was not a success – nothing was resolved Bennett was called a ‘liar’, Trekkers were called ‘criminals’ Trek leaders returned to Regina determined the trek would continue

The Regina Riot July 1935 July 1 – Trekkers held a meeting in Regina’s Market Square Bennett ordered RCMP and city police to break up the crowd – they came waving batons Trekkers resisted. Riot lasted until that night 1 killed, several injured, 130 arrested Trekkers gathered at Exhibition Grounds Rioters Converging on an Injured Man

The Regina Riot 1935 The On-To-Ottawa Trek was over Trekkers disbanded; many returned to Vancouver at the government’s expense Relief camps were shut down within the year The problems of the unemployed continued Strikers boarding a train after Regina Riot King or Chaos 1935 Election

IN THE END… The camps were intended to handle 2,000 men, a year later the camps supported over 11,000 occupants. By 1936 when they were shut down, the camps had taken in 170,248 of the unemployed in Canada.

Seatwork Read p. 198. Does Bennett’s “New Deal” change your view of him as a Depression-era PM?