1. Roaring 20’s
Canada’s Experience

2. Canada’s Social Reaction
The social response after World War 1 (the Great War, the War to End all Wars) was to rejoice, party, and have fun!
It was the “Jazz Age”
Dances and fashion completely changed
Leisure activities and hobbies were popular

3. Mobility Cars became very popular
Henry Ford’s assembly line invention (1913) made them inexpensive
The Model T Ford
by late 1920’s, 50% of Canadian homes had a car

4. Mobility Aviation rapidly expanded post-war
Made more of Canada accessible
Many vets became “bush pilots”

5. Arts & Leisure
Because of new-found prosperity, people sought out various forms of entertainment, and Canada began to have a distinct culture in film, art, literature, sports, radio etc

6. Arts & Leisure
The “Group of Seven” artists held an exhibition in Toronto in 1920
Group formed by self-proclaimed modern artists
Known for their move from realism tradition to interpretive landscapes of Canada in broad strokes and bright colours

7. Arts & Leisure Emily Carr
one of BC’s most famous artists and people…born in Victoria
heavily influenced by “Group of 7”
didn’t “care a bean” if people didn’t like her work, she did it for herself

8. Arts & Leisure Baseball, professional boxing, rugby, curling, golf…
Hockey came into Canadian homes across the country in 1923 with the first hockey radio

9. Arts & Leisure Spectator sports flourished
Canada won gold in all Olympic Games during the inter-war years except for 1936

10. Music & Dance
DANCE VID!
Young people, in particular, made popular new styles of dance and music due to the prevalence of nightclubbing and partying (The Great Gatsby)

11. Prohibition
Despite Canada’s prohibition laws since WWI, provincial governments finally admitted that it wasn’t working, and by most provinces had regulated, rather than banned, the sale of alcohol
Doctor’s prescribed “tonics”
“bootleggers” supplied as well
a series of plebiscites abolished the law

12. Prohibition
The USA had prohibition until 1933, so Canadians began exporting (illegal) alcohol – in huge quantities
Rum-running
Via car and truck, and boats

13. Politics Borden resigned due to poor health in 1920
Arthur Meighan became the new Conservative leader
Meighan and Mackenzie King dominated Canadian politics throughout the ‘20s, and they strongly disliked each other

14. William Lyon Mackenzie King
The Two Main Guys…
William Lyon Mackenzie King
Arthur Meighen

15. William Lyon Mackenzie King p.80 in text
Liberal
Only PM to hold a PhD (from Harvard!)
PM from in two terms; and another term (22 of next 27 years)
Overall longest serving Canadian Prime Minister

16. William Lyon Mackenzie King
Close ties to, and similarities with, Sir Wilfred Laurier
Nationalist, knew the importance of FrEnglish relations
Strove to be a neutral force

17. Arthur Meighen p.79 in text
Opinionated, principled man
Not concerned with others’ thoughts or keeping them happy
Controversial figure, but talented debater
Campaigned on a pro-conscription platform (who liked it? who didn’t?)
Helped draft the Military Service Act (Conscription)
Authored War Measures Act (government control)