problems facing post-war canada canadian history 1201
TRANSCRIPT
PROBLEMS FACING POST-WAR CANADA
Canadian History 1201
THE ROARING 20S
This was a time of glamour and prosperity for many
There was “hot jazz”, dance halls, movies, radios and cars
It looked as though people were making up for the misery of war by enjoying themselves as much as possible
By the late 1920s, over half of Canadians lived in industrial, urban centres
THE ROARING 20S
More Canadians had money to spend on consumer goods
Northern Canada began to open up
The Union Government was still in power
New political ideas were beginning across the country
THE ROARING 20S
Unions and protest parties began to take ahold of the political landscape
There was a new generation of female voters making an impact
Canada was still part of the British Empire But the country was becoming increasingly
independent
UNEMPLOYMENT
War materials were no longer needed so factories cut back on production so workers lost their jobs Munitions factories all closed down
Other industries slowed down and resulted in layoffs i.e. Steel, Cloth, Wood
Returning soldiers couldn’t find work
UNEMPLOYMENT
Women were forced back into the home so men could get jobs
Veterans were unemployed and bitter They felt that the country owed them a chance to
make an honest living They were upset that businesses made a profit off
the war while they were risking their lives in Europe
INFLATION
The government removed the price controls that were in place during the war so prices of goods skyrocketed
The cost of food, fuel, rent and clothing was going up Housing was scarce and costly; rent was high
The price of many things had doubled from 1914-1919
Even those that were working were unable to buy necessities
WORKING CONDITIONS
Some construction workers had to work 16 hours a day
Working conditions were dangerous i.e. Many miners were killed on the job
Wages did not keep pace with inflation
People were always afraid of losing their jobs
TRADE UNIONS FORMED
Unions were created A group of workers who join together to get
improvements in their wages, work hours and working conditions
One Big Union believed society was a class struggle with workers on one side and business people on the other
OBU encouraged workers to participate in a General Strike in order to control industries
TRADE UNIONS FORMED
If workers and the employers could not reach an agreement, unions could call a strike to force employers to accept the union demands
A lockout was sometimes used by employers to force union workers to agree to their demands
Some employers refused to deal with unions
PROHIBITION
Started in 1916-1917 in Canada and made the production and sale of alcohol illegal
Started partly by the Women’s Christian Temperance Union who believed that the grain used in alcohol should be used to feed soldiers and civilians
The government lost millions in potential taxes as the sale of alcohol went “underground”
PROHIBITION
PROHIBITION
Bootleg Booze was available to anyone that had cash Illegal liquor made and sold by organized
bootleggers
Speakeasies opened in homes and businesses Secretive private, elegant bars
Prohibition was impossible to enforce
PROHIBITION
PROHIBITION
PROHIBITION
Rumrunners (people who sold liquor to the U.S. across the Quebec border) got rich Rocco Perri in Canada and Al Capone in the U.S.