Effects of the Great Depression New Voices and New Ideas

Less Purchasing by Everyone Stock Market Crash people stopped buying things led to a reduction in the # of things produced thus, a reduction in the workforce no work - unable to make payments unemployment rate rose above 25%

Banking Failures + Closures banks provided loans people couldn’t make loan payments banks failed people lost their savings surviving banks were less willing to create new loans over bank failures in the US most banks in Canada survived, but were affected by the US

Poverty, Homelessness and Emotional Depression men were expected to support their families these men suffered from: anxiety worthlessness for failing to provide many resorted to: stealing food stealing money committing suicide

Birth Rates Canada’s birthrate dropped from 13.1 live births per 1000 in 1930 to only 9.7 by 1937

Urbanization Rates Canada’s rural population grew more rapidly than its urban population many unemployed thought “going back to the land” was preferred over living a miserable existence in the city

Immigration Rates dropped from in 1929 to in 1935

Farmers and Drought prolonged drought thousands of farmers abandoned their lands and moved west to BC

Political Consequences Germany democracy did not survive rise of fascism - Hitler Canada new political parties formed in reaction to the government’s inability to address the problems of the depression The Canadian Cooperative Federation (CCF) Social Credit Party in Alberta Union Nationale in Quebec

CCF 1933 under the leadership of J.S. Woodsworth formed in Regina supported by drought stricken Saskatchewan and labour unions and workers committed to rescuing Canada from the Depression promised employment and health insurance, public housing, agricultural price supports, laws to protect farmers from creditors & public ownership of major industries and financial institutions

CCF contiuned first party to practice Reform Liberalism allows state intervention creates an environment that enhanced opportunities for individuals removed “intolerable” inequities in society did not trust in the market place In Saskatchewan, the CCF was elected to a majority government under Tommy Douglas introduced a health plan in 1946 that provided health care to everyone regardless of economic status

from the CCF to the NDP 1961 abandoned some of the more radical beliefs and changed their name to the New Democratic Party of Canada although the CCF/NDP has never been elected federally, it is considered “the conscience of the House of Commons”

Social Credit Party “Give each citizen a monthly $25 prosperity certificate, guaranteed by the government to spend on food, clothing and shelter.” ~ William Aberhard

Social Credit Party 1932 Aberhart used his radio program to encourage other Albertans to adopt social credit as the means of rescuing the province and Canada from the drastic effects of the Great Depression

Union Nationale Party Quebec led by Maurice Duplessis blamed “aliens” (English minority) for the problems in Quebec ran Quebec like a dictator and remained in power until 1959 The Padlock Act (1937) allowed the Attorney-General to padlock the premise of any “traitor” organization

Summary regional parties emerged in provincial politics new ideas helped to combat the depression the national identity forged by MacDonald, Laurier, and Borden began to break down