Canadian History Readings Understanding Direct and Indirect Causes
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- The Maritimes
- In the Cities
- Relief Camps
- RELIEF CAMP RULES AND REGULATIONS
- COMMON COMPLAINTS OF THE RELIEF CAMP WORKERS
- THE SIX DEMANDS OF THE OTTAWA TREKKERS
- WILLIAM LYON MACKENZIE KING
- RICHARD BEDFORD (R. B.) BENNETT
- COOPERATIVE COMMONWEALTH FEDERATION (CCF) Leader: JS Woodworth Founded: 1932 in Calgary, Alberta The CCF believed in socialism
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he Depression Across Canada The West- Prairie farmers were among the hardest hit by the depression. Because of high wheat prices during the 1920s, many people moved west to grow wheat and make money. The common methods of farming took out of the soil all of the nutrients so that growing crops year after year became difficult. Right before the Crash in 1929, wheat sold at a high of $1.60/bushel. Once the stock market crashed wheat prices collapsed. Many farmers borrowed money to purchase expensive farm equipment. Many farmers had to declare bankruptcy because they were unable to pay back the loans on their equipment. Wheat production was disrupted by droughts, dust storms and clouds of grasshoppers. It was because of these disasters in the West that the decade of the thirties became known as the “Dirty Thirties”. Between 1931–1937, many people left the West and immigrated to other parts of Canada and the US. The Maritimes- The Maritimes in Canada’s East relied on fish to export to other countries such as Britain, the US and several countries in Europe. A decrease in international trade meant that the Maritime Provinces began to suffer. Many fishermen continued to fish but only to feed their families. In canneries (factories that packaged into cans) and fisheries many people were laid off or they had their hours and wages cut back. Since the Maritimes did not experience the booming economy of the 1920s they did suffer quite as much as the rest of Canada, but their depression lasted longer. In the Cities- Many people living in the cities lost their jobs or took large pay cuts. Since wages decreased, there was little demand for items such as furniture, appliances, and cars. Many factories shut down and remained closed for the decade. Many other countries were feeling the effects of the depression too and in order to protect their own economies they closed their borders to certain Canadian exports. This is called “protectionism” The US closed its boarders to Canadian cattle which destroyed businesses for cattle dealers in places such as Calgary who relied on Americans buying their cows. The cities had to deal with an influx of rural Canadians moving from the countryside to the city hoping to find work. The cities became over crowded and housing was difficult to find. Because of this, people lived in the streets or made make shift shanties to survive. The Government Steps In – Relief Camps Drifters: The depression was very hard on young, single men. Employers assumed that older, married men needed jobs more to support their families. It was assumed that families would take care of the young, single men. Many of these young men could not be supported by their families. Single men started traveling from city to city to look for work. This was called “Riding the Rods (Rails)”. There were no jobs anywhere. Relief Camps: As a number of young, unemployed men (drifters) increased, authorities feared they might turn violent with anger at not finding work. The government decided to take action to avoid an uprising. The government set up relief camps. Unemployment (relief) camps were set up in remote areas of Canada. Run by the Department of National Defence, the relief camps were really meant to keep the drifters out of the cities, off the streets, and out of trouble. In the relief camps Men worked 8 hours a day, 6 days a week building roads, digging ditches, and planting trees. In return they received a bed, food, clothing, plus $0.20 per day. Most men were unhappy and depressed. They were living in a mixture of prison and an army camp. They were not allowed to vote. Conditions were terrible and there was nothing to do in their spare time. They were not allowed to leave the camps. RELIEF CAMP RULES AND REGULATIONS 1. To be admitted to a government Relief Camp you must be single, male, not living at home, healthy and fit, unemployed, at least 18 years old, and not a political agitator. 2. You will be given free transportation to the camp. 3. If you decide to leave the camp for any reason except to take a job, you will not be allowed to return. 4. On entering the camp, you will receive free: - A set of work clothes - Soap and towels - A bunk bed - Use of showers, toilets and laundry facilities 5. You will work 44 hours per week on projects such as road building and tree planting 6. You will be given an allowance of 20 cents per day plus 1.3 cents per day for tobacco 7. No committees of camp workers may be formed. Any complaints must be reported individually to the camp foreman. Intended initially to handle 2,000 men, a year later the camps supported over 11,000 occupants. By 1936 when they were shut down, the camps had taken in 170,248 of the unemployed of Canada. COMMON COMPLAINTS OF THE RELIEF CAMP WORKERS: - They had to work 8 hours a day PLUS 4 hours on Saturdays and were only paid 20 cents a day for that. - The men could not form committees to try and improve conditions - The tobacco allowance was not enough to pay for increased costs - They were denied the right to vote. The On-To-Ottawa Trek By April 1935 many men had had enough. 1,500 men from British Columbia’s relief camps went on strike. They traveled to Vancouver and took over the city library and the Hudson’s Bay store. On May Day, 1935 20,000 workers and their supporters paraded through Vancouver’s city streets. The city could not help them; it had very little relief money. Arthur “Slim” Evans of the Worker’s Unity League (WUL) suggested they travel to Ottawa to carry their message directly to Prime Minister Bennett, people were extremely enthusiastic. Since the Trekkers had no money, they had to “ride the rods (rails)” to Ottawa. 1,000 strikers climbed on the top of boxcars for the long ride to Ottawa. At each stop along the way they were met with enthusiastic support. Many others joined them on their trek. Relief camps had been set up to stop an organized uprising such as this and Ottawa was scared. Prime Minister Bennett ordered the railroads to refuse transport beyond Regina, Saskatchewan. Only 8 leaders were allowed to continue on to Ottawa for a meeting with the Prime Minister. The meeting with PM Bennett did not accomplish anything. Bennett thought Evans was trying to start a revolution and Evans thought Bennett was a liar. Evans returned to Regina determined to continue the trek and bring everyone to Ottawa. On July 1, 1935 trekkers and their supporters held a meeting in Regina’s market. The government sent in troops waving batons to disperse the crowd. A riot broke out leaving one person dead, many injured and 130 arrested. The On-To-Ottawa Trek was over. THE SIX DEMANDS OF THE OTTAWA TREKKERS: That work with wages be provided at a minimum rate of 50 cents an hour for unskilled labour; union rates for all skilled labour. Such work to be on the basis of a five-day week, six hour working day, and minimum of 20 days work per month. All workers in relief camps and government projects be covered by the Compensation Act. Adequate first aid supplies on all relief jobs. That a democratically elected committee of relief workers be recognized by the authorities. Relief camps be taken out of the control of the department of national defence. A genuine system of social and unemployment insurance in accordance with the provisions of the Workers Social and Unemployment Insurance Bill (be provided). That all workers be guaranteed their democratic right to vote. Government Action in the 1930s WILLIAM LYON MACKENZIE KING: William Lyon Mackenzie King was leader of the Liberal Party. He became Prime Minister for the first time in 1921 and had lead Canada through the good times of the Roaring Twenties. King and the Liberals believed the best way to help people was to let the Depression run its course. The Liberals lost the 1930 election to Richard Bedford (R. B.) Bennett and his Conservatives. RICHARD BEDFORD (R. B.) BENNETT: R. B. Bennett was leader of the Conservative Party and became Prime Minister in 1930. His government introduced the Unemployment Relief Act, which promised $20,000,000 in relief aid during the first year (to be handed out by the provinces). Most Canadians benefited from these policies and were generally unhappy with how Bennett was running the country. In 1935, Bennett introduced his “New Deal” (based loosely on a similar Depression-fighting plan being used in the United States). Bennett’s New Deal proposed: An 8-hour workday Minimum wages Unemployment insurance (called employment insurance today) Price controls Canadians wanted to know why it had taken Bennett 5 years to come up with anything and voted the Conservatives out of government. King and the Liberals therefore won the 1935 election. In the end it turned out that neither the Liberals nor the Conservatives had much effect on ending the Great Depression. It was the massive re-militarization of Canada at the start of World War II that finally put an end to the suffering of the Great Depression. The New Politics During the 1930s, Canada’s Liberal and Conservative parties both believed that government should steer clear of the economy, that economic problems would solve themselves. The Canadian people, however, disagreed. This paved the way for new Political Parties… COOPERATIVE COMMONWEALTH FEDERATION (CCF) Leader: JS Woodworth Founded: 1932 in Calgary, Alberta The CCF believed in socialism – government control of business and industry. The main ideas and values of the CCF were drafted in the Regina Manifesto, which set out guidelines for the responsibilities of a government. T  HE REGINA MANIFESTO:
The government should own: banks, railways, mines, lumber, hydroelectric companies, telephone systems. Government should organize health and hospital services. Should establish: minimum wages, unemployment insurance, decent working conditions, and old age pension. Government building of bridges, roads and housing to provide jobs. Farmers should be protected from losing their farms. Higher taxes for people with big incomes. Another famous leader of the CCF would be Tommy Douglas, who became involved in politics during the Great Depression. In 1961 the CCF was re-named the New Democratic Party (NDP) Directory: 2011 2011 -> Enterprise Network Management iPost: Implementing Continuous Risk Monitoring at the Department of State 2011 -> Voices of the Old Sea Norman Lewis 2011 -> Malevil Robert Merle 2011 -> The Elephant Keeper’s Children Peter Hoeg 2011 -> January 1: Ecstasy zZz January 2: King of Anything Sara Bareillis 2011 -> Tracks, Mixes, Masters, and More!: Analyzing Preservation Priorities for Multitrack Recordings 2011 -> Department of Electrical Engineering 2011 Annual Report 2011 -> Jv packet •Mars Colonization Affirmative •Mars Colonization Negative 2011 -> Asian Pacific Mathematical Olympiad(apmo) 2011 -> Registration Form (Rev. 8-86) omb no. 1024-0018 Download 4.56 Mb. Share with your friends:
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