Chapter 3 – Canada in the 1920s

The Red Menace Inflation created economic tension between workers and employers The Bolshevik Revolution inspired workers to demand an improvement in working conditions

A New Influence Britain was indebt after the war and did not have the means to invest in Canada’s economy The United States started to be the main trading partner of Canada US Branch Plants opened up in Canada to avoid Tariffs However Canada continued to focus on exporting Primary Industries to the USA were Secondary Industries where located

Winnipeg General Strike Workers in Winnipeg demanded Collective Bargaining, a eight-hour workday, and more pay A General Strike occurred Many were afraid of Communist revolt This is known as the Red Scare Bloody Saturday was June 21 1919 where the Royal North-West Mounted Police killed one striker and injured 30 others

Opinion: How should Wealth Be Divided between classes?

Video: Wealth Inequality in Canada

Debate: Do you Support Unions?

Bootlegging Prohibition in Canada was from 1918 – 1920/21 Plebiscites led to the adoption of government controlled alcohol Prohibition in the USA was from 1920 – 1933 Canadian Bootleggers saw a great opportunity to illegally export Canadian Alcohol to the USA

Roaring 20s The assembly line, and mass production led to Automobiles being ubiquitous Telephones, Radio and Moving Pictures also became ubiquitous Hollywood dominated the movie screen Group of Seven began to paint in a Canadian style Hockey gained popularity with radio broadcasts

Brainstorm: How have recent technologies changed your life?

Video: Heritage Minutes: Emily Murphy

Women Under the BNA Act only “qualified persons” could become senators Famous Five argued this included women in the Person’s Case The Famous Five were women who fought for wome’s rights: Emily Murphy Irene Parlby Nellie McClung Louise McKinney Henrietta Muir Edwards

Aboriginals The government had the power to take reservation land away These lands are called Cut off lands Aboriginals appealed to League of Nations for recognition Aboriginal women who married non-aboriginal men were given Enfranchisement and lost their rights *picture is of Keystone XL protest in USA

Debate: Should Canada be able to take reserve land away from Aboriginals?

Debate: Should Aboriginals be treated the same as other Canadians?

African Canadians The Underground Railroad ended in the Maritimes Although not as strong as in the USA, the KKK had presence in the Maritimes Nova Scotia Education Act of 1918 created segregation until 1954

Regionalism The Maritimes wanted to protect their status in Canada as other areas became more important The Prairies wanted Free Trade to buy cheaper products from the USA and open up markets Quebec wanted Protectionism to save their industries The West (British Columbia) wanted railways west and trade through the Panama Canal

Chanak Crisis The Ottoman Empire was one of the losing Countries of World War One Like the Treaty of Versailles for Germany, the Ottoman’s signed the Treaty of Sèvres Turkish forces moved into neutral territory in Chanak in 1922 War between UK and Turkey seemed likely Canadian Prime Minister William Lyon Mackenzie-King refused to declare war against Turkey The conflict was solved diplomatically with the new Treaty of Lausanne

Halibut Treaty The population of Pacific Halibut was in decline Prime Minister William Lyon Mackenzie-King signed a treaty with the USA to protect the Pacific Halibut fish in 1923

Critical Thinking: Why is the Halibut Treaty Historically Significant?

Prepare: Who is Canada’s Head of State?

King-Byng Crisis The Liberal King lost the 1925 Election to the Conservative Meighen but stayed as Prime Minister because of the third party Progressives in a minority government Then a corruption scandal about the Liberal Party occurred The Liberal’s lost the support of the Progressives King asked Governor General Byng to dissolve parliament Byng refused and made Meighen Prime Minister Meighen’s government lost a vote of confidence Another election was held in 1926 and the Liberals won

2008 Proroguing of Parliament

Imperial Conference The United Kingdom’s colonies of Newfoundland, New Zealand, Australia, Union of South Africa, Irish Free State, United Kingdom, and Canada met to discuss their status in the Empire The Belfour Declaration “[…]autonomous Communities within the British Empire, equal in status, in no way subordinate one to another in any aspect of their domestic or external affairs, though united by a common allegiance to the Crown, and freely associated as members of the British Commonwealth of Nations”.

Statute of Westminster In 1931 the Statute of Westminster was passed making the Belfour Declaration law Canada was now equal in status to the United Kingdom but still a member of the British Commonwealth

Debate: Should Canada Completely Separate from the UK?

Stock Market Crash On Black Tuesday October 29, 1929 The New York Stock Exchange crashed and ended the Roaring 20s