Wartime industries (munitions factories) closed down after the war. Workers were laid off and women were under pressure to return to household duties so that men could have jobs. Many war veterans were unemployed and bitter because there were no jobs for them in a country that they had just fought to defend.
Soldiers resented the fact that some business people at home had made huge profits in war industries while they risked their lives in Europe. Inflation became a problem around The prices of basic items such as food and clothing had increased greatly, while wages had not. The cost of living had more than doubled from 1914 to 1919!
Workers and returning soldiers joined unions to fight for better living and working conditions. Workers across the country staged strikes.
One of the most important and dramatic strikes in Canadian History. Trade workers voted to strike; others walked off the job as well. Almost all industries and key services were shut down. Ottawa sent Mounties and soldiers to put down the strike.
On June 21, a day known as Bloody Sunday, violence erupted in Winnipeg. Shots were fired by mounted police and one striker was killed.
A Royal Commission was appointed to investigate the causes of the strike. Strike leaders were forced not to become union members or become involved in any union activities. Others were deported. H.A. Robson, head of the Commission, concluded that the strike was caused by high cost of living, poor working conditions, and low wages. Workers turned to politics to make their voices heard. Many were elected to all levels of government in the 1920s.
started in Canada in 1916 and 1917 during World War I. It made the production and sale of alcohol illegal. The Women’s Christian Temperance Union worked to ban the use of intoxicating liquor. They argued that the grain should be used to feed soldiers and civilians. Also, money was needed to feed families instead of being spent on drink.
Even when prohibition was introduced you could still find “bootleg booze”, which was illegal liquor made and sold by organized bootleggers (ex: Al Capone,Rocco Perri). There were even private clubs called “speakeasies.” After WW1 the Federal Government dropped its ban on alcohol. Canadian rumrunners made fortunes smuggling Canadian liquor south of the border to the US. Almost $1 million of liquor crossed from Windsor to Detroit each month.
decrease in crime Less arrests for drunkenness. More workers took their pay cheques home instead of to the bars. Industrial efficiency improved because fewer work days were missed.
Provincial governments realized they were losing money in taxes on liquor sales and people argued that legalizing liquor would be easier to enforce than total Prohibition. Gradually, individual provinces dropped Prohibition throughout the 1920s. (PEI was last to eliminate this law in 1948.)
Political party formed in 1920 consisting of United Farm groups in Ontario and the Prairies. Called for lower tariffs on farm machinery and freight rates. Also promoted social welfare programs such as Old Age Pensions and widow allowances. Old Age pensions were introduced in Declined in the late twenties due to increasing prosperity.
Chanak Affair. Liberal Prime Minster King stated that only the Canadian Parliament would decide whether to send troops if Britain went to war with Turkey. Imperial Conference. The Balfour Declaration stated that Canada was a self governing country having equal status with Britain.
Statute of Westminster. Gave legal status to the Balfour Report of The Empire would now be known as the British Commonwealth of Nations.
Since the economy was on the upswing in the 1920s, many people indulged in non-essential items. Inventions like the radio, the mass production of automobiles, talking films air travel was being invented. Fads and fashions were not in the reach of everyone but Canadians were moving into the modern age.
Louis Armstrong Louis Armstrong Charleston Dance Charleston Dance Charlie Chaplin Charlie Chaplin
Most people became interested in dancing, fashion, games, sports and other activities. Fads are crazes that don’t last long. One of these fads was a Chinese game called Mahjong.
Dancing marathons were also popular. Women of the 20s sported a flapper look. They wore dresses above their knees and their stockings were rolled down. They also chopped their hair in a bobbed style. Men wore baggy pants, bright, snappy hats and bow ties. Their hair was greased down and parted in the middle.
One of the most obvious signs of prosperity in the 1920s was the growth of the automobile. Henry Ford wanted to make cheap, affordable machines that everyone could afford. Ford applied car manufacturing mass production.
The automobile was one of the biggest changes in the way of living in the 1920s. People could go to see relatives 20km away and still be home for supper. With the automobile, many people had summer cabins or traveled on vacations. Most cars included a crank to start the engine and a rope (in case they got stuck… which was very unpleasant on a vacation). Industries began to spring-up. Industries were making and selling gasoline, rubber, glass, paint etc.
Jazz was made popular by such musicians as Duke Ellington( Big Band Orchestras) and Louis Armstrong. Charleston was the dance of the decade.
“Talkies”, which were talking films, arrived in Canada in The stars of these films were idolized and they provided excitement to people Charlie Chaplin, Rudolph Valentino & Greta Garbo
1. Over-Production/ Over-Expansion During the 1920's almost every industry was expanding. Large amounts of profits and investments resulted in the expansion of existing factories or construction of new ones.
As a result huge supplies of food, minerals, radios, cars.... remained stockpiled. [Soon factory owners panicked and slowed down production by laying off workers. Workers and their families had less money to spend therefore sales slowed down even more.
Canada’s economy depended on a few basic products (staples) such as wheat, fish, minerals, and pulp and paper. When the depression hit countries around the world, demand for Canada’s products fell. Fish in the Maritimes and wheat in the West were especially hard hit.
Canada’s economy is closely linked to the U.S. When the American economy got declined, Canada suffered. No longer did Americans buy our fish, lumber, wheat, minerals and pulp and paper.
Many countries put high tariffs on goods coming into their country to protect home industries. Thus trade between nations began to slow down. Industries that depended upon foreign trade saw a sudden drop in sales due to high tariffs. This resulted in cuts to production and eventually lay offs.
Throughout the 1920's credit buying became more and more popular. With added interest payments many families got themselves hopelessly into debt. If the wage owner became sick or was laid off it was impossible to keep up payments.
Many people gambled on the stock market in the 1920's, “buying on margin”. This meant that you only needed 10% of the money you invested, the broker loaned you the rest at a high interest rate. The idea was that as soon as your stocks went up in value, you could sell them then pay back your broker and keep the profits. Unfortunately, stocks do not always go up, in fact they sometimes go down, this is what happened in October 1929.
When stock prices dropped, people panicked and sold their shares as a result prices fell even lower. Most stocks nose dived more than 50%. Many people were wiped out. Stock market Crash. The Great Depression had begun! Dirty Thirties Dirty Thirties
collapse of wheat prices. Had borrowed money to buy expensive machinery but were now unable to pay back loans. Had to sell the farm to pay for loans Amount of wheat produced dropped quickly. Droughts, dust storms & grasshoppers added to the suffering
In the Palliser Triangle, a farming area in Sask. and Alberta near the American border, had 6460 vacant or abandoned farms.
consumer demand decreased for products resulting in loss of jobs and deep pay cuts. US border closed to cattle exports, beef prices fell by 70% CPR(Railway) closed repair and maintenance shops influx of displaced Canadians into cities. creation of shanty towns - city slums Increase in crime.
Canada had a restrictive Immigration policy. Non-preferred groups: Blacks, Jews (fleeing from Nazi persecution),Chinese and Japanese. banned all non-farmer immigrants except those from Britain and the US. bleakest chapter in Canadian History
In 1933 almost 30% of Canada's work force was unable to find a job. Even those who had jobs saw their income reduced to the point that it was almost impossible to provide the bare necessities for their families.
As a result of the Depression Canadians came to believe in the idea of a welfare state or a nation in which society took responsibility for the welfare of its citizens.
Set up by the federal government to aid unemployed young men. The camps were military in set up and housed as many as men. Some of the work was useful other times it was make work projects.
Workers in relief camps planned a peaceful trek to Ottawa. They intended to present their demands for improvements in the living and working conditions of the camps.
The trekers were stopped in Regina by the RCMP. Violence broke out and hundreds were injured and one police officer was killed. Only the leaders were allowed to continue on to present their demands to the Prime Minster(Bennett). After the trek conditions were improved in the camps and wages were increased.
Charitable organizations began to provide food, clothes and shelter for the unemployed and needy. Local governments began providing assistance through relief programs (dole) to help families cover the bare necessities.
Applicants for relief had to prove they were poor. They were not allowed to own a car, radio, or telephone. They were also given food vouchers which made them stand out while shopping. Made it unattractive to encourage people to look for work. New PM Bennett offered support in terms of public work programs. These did not do much.
Socialists believed that governments should take the responsibilities for people in need. CCF participated in founding the NDP.
Turned to communism as a solution to hard times Many believed that Russia wanted to control Canada and its way of life. Gov't outlawed the Communist party from (again during WWII) The party never gained solid political ground
Believed that the capitalist system was unfair and the depression was caused by greed. Believed that all sections of society should benefit equally.
Canada saw the rise of such men as J.S. Woodsworth of the Cooperative Commonwealth Federation who championed the ideals of Old Age Pensions, Unemployment Insurance, Social Security and Medicare. a lot of their ideas were adopted by the Liberal party. (Unemployment insurance)
Ended with Canada's participation in WWII
Songs of the Depression Text Songs of the Depression Depression Images Depression Images Dust Storm Dust Storm The Grapes of Wrath