1. 1920’s Social Issue: Prohibition

2. Definition
The movement to ban the production, importation, and transportation of liquor.
The WCTU (Women’s Christian Temperance Union) were leaders in the movement to ban alcohol.

3. Why Enact Prohibition in Canada?
It was argued that:
Grain should be used to feed the soldiers overseas.
The liquor industry, and its workers, could better serve our country producing war supplies.
Therefore, in 1918, Prohibition was enacted

4. Positive Effects of the Prohibition Law
Many types of violent crimes decreased
Arrests for public drunkeness dropped.
Workers didn’t spend their money at bars, but rather on their families.
Industrial efficiency increased.

5. Negative Effects of the Prohibition Law
Became impossible to completely enforce.
Provincial governments lost millions in taxes on liquor sales.
Unpopular with citizens
New types of crime emerged (bootlegging).

6. New Crime: Bootlegging
The act of producing and/or selling illegal alcohol.
Rum Running
The act of transporting illegal alcohol over the border from the U.S. to Canada

7. New Crime: Bootlegging
Rum Alley
International rivers where illegal alcohol was smuggled across by schooners.
The Detroit River
The Niagara River

8. New Crime: Bootlegging
Speakeasies
Private illegal clubs that sold alcohol during prohibition.
Citizens had to keep club’s location a secret (speakeasy) so that it would not get raided by the police.

9. Bootleggers Rocco Perri (Canadian) Al Capone (American)
From Hamilton, ON
Specialized in smuggling liquor from the United States into Canada.
From Chicago, IL
Notorious bootlegger and murderer.
Was convicted and sent to Alcatraz for tax evasion.