Scenario:

-you took a pay cut while your country was at war- you went and fought for your country, got PTSD, no coverage, no support- there are no jobs for you, no services- you can get work if you are willing to work 6 days a week, 12 hr days for less than pre-war wages…

-What do you do?

Imagine what it was like for soldiers, returning from the horrors of World War I…

What would it have been like trying to survive, to make a living?

Return from War:

– veterans had no pensions– no medical services for wounded– few jobs– many angry b/c employers made $ - profiteers– during war, many workers accepted wage

decreases, now cost of living increased

= tensions between workers & employers

Workers Protest: • workers demand:

- increased wages - better working conditions- right to have unions leads to strikes, some were long and bitter

Workers Protest cont. In the West:- union leaders more socialist (believe in gov’t services for all) - influenced by 1917 Bolshevik revolution communism:

no private ownership of businesses or land, all means of production (farms, factories) and distribution (railways etc.) publicly owned

- found OBU “One Big Union” represent Canadian workers in one organization get workers w/ more control of industry & gov’t use strategy of “General Strike” – walkout by all employed workers

Winnipeg General Strike:• What happened:- Winnipeg, May/ June 1919- metal and building workers walk off job

demand higher wages shorter working week right to collective bargaining (union leaders could negotiate on

behalf of the union)- General Strike results from widespread union support- 30,000 people strike- Winnipeg paralyzed

- Citizens’ Committee of One Thousand: created by those who opposed the strike

believed union leaders were part of communist conspiracy

Reaction:- Federal Gov’t: amended the Immigration Act: could

deport foreign-born union leaders - Mayor of Winnipeg appointed special police, fired

many civic workers, had strike leaders arrested.

“Bloody Saturday”:

- Strikers held parade to protest actions of the mayor- parade becomes violent, NWMP charged into the

crowd.- One striker died, 30 injured, many arrested- strikers returned to work, strike lasted 43 days

Negative & Positive Results of Strike:

Negative Positive

- Union movement suffered setback - 7 arrested leaders jailed - many striking workers not rehired - many workers had to sign contracts vowing not to join unions - increased distrust / division between working class and business

- Royal Commission found that workers’ grievances were valid - gradually much of what they fought for was achieved - some who were involved in the strike became politicians who sought reforms ie. J.S. Woodsworth (formed CCP)

Regional Protest:- Canadian politics challenged by regionalism concerns of

various regions for local problems

- Regionalism led to creation of new political parties to represent local interests.

LIBERALSCONSERVATIVES

NEW NEW

NEW

- Federal Election held in 1921 resulted in minority government

New Leaders: Liberal leader Mackenzie King

Conservative leader Arthur Meighen New Party:Progressive Party:

-created in 1919-reflected demands of farmers in the West-wanted a new National Policy – free trade & public ownership of

railways- 1921 Progressive Party became the balance of power between the

Liberals & Conservatives-forced government to implement Old Age Pension Act – begin social

services

Canada and the “Roaring” Twenties

A. SOCIETAL CHANGES:

Urbanization:- many people moving to cities - air pollution from factories

Winnipeg 1920s

poor & working class people lived in slums: crowded, unsanitary

wealthy families move to suburbs, easy to do with automobiles

Bootlegging:- During WWI, Women’s Christian Temperance

Union succeeded in Prohibition

- By 1921, provincial gov’ts regulated sales of alcohol, rather than ban product

- Prohibition continued in the US until 1933 = illegal smuggling of alcohol from Canada to US

Women: - many lost jobs that they had gained during

war period, and resumed "household duties"

- Flappers: A new style of post-war rebellion. These women drank, smoked, wore short hair, short skirts, mantra of living life like it could end tomorrow.

Women - continued fight for rights:

- Agnes Macphail first women elected to House of Commons

1921- only woman until 1935

Agnes McPhail

• https://www.historicacanada.ca/content/heritage-minutes/agnes-macphail?

• - #1 role of women still wives / mothers• - unmarried women still limited career

options: teachers, nurses poorly paid • - some became doctors, lawyers, professors,

engineers• - most worked in business or industry as

secretaries, telephone operators, or sales clerks

The Persons Case:

- 1929, Emily Murphy appointed a judge in Alberta- appointment was challenged only “persons” could

hold office, women were not “persons” according to law

-Supreme Court of Alberta decided she was a person

• - Famous Five (Murphy & four other women) challenge King to appoint woman senator

VS

Nellie McClung’s Mock Parliament

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9q4NFxT68dk

-Supreme Court of Canada rules they are NOT persons

- famous five appeal to courts of Britain who support the women.

Emily Murphy

• Heritage minute• https://www.historicacanada.ca/content/herit

age-minutes/emily-murphy?media_type=&media_category=39

Aboriginal Nations: - did not benefit from the 20’s

- not “persons” under the law: get provincial vote in 1949, federal vote in 1960

- conditions on reserves poor.

-those who worked in the city were discriminated against – lots of racism

Residential Schools:- still operating- students traumatized by separation from

family, foreign surroundings, physical & emotional abuse

BC Aboriginals challenge courts:-three issues:1. potlatch ceremony

important cultural ceremony, tradition. missionaries & gov’t saw it as obstacle to

assimilation banned in 1884, but law enforced after WWI consequences included jail terms for

participants

2. Aboriginal title land claims few First Nations in BC had negotiated treatiesmost land in the province not signed to gov’t

3. cut-off lands Federal gov’t took lands from reserves w/out

consent

1. 1906 a chief of Squamish people traveled to London, England, to present land-claim petition to King Edward VII

2. the Allied Tribes of British Columbia appealed to the Federal gov’t

claimed removal of reserve lands was contrary to Indian Act Fed gov’t then changed the Indian Act so

they could do it

–Allied Tribes kept petitioning gov’t for treaty negotiations

–Department of Indian affairs defended gov’t actions; Indian Act changed to prevent anyone from fundraising or accepting money to pursue land claims.

African-Canadians:- Nova Scotia 1918 Education Act: separate

schools for “blacks” and “Europeans” (didn’t change until 1954)

- In Quebec 1921 Courts rule in favour of separate seating in theatres

- In Toronto 1929 black delegation denied hotel rooms

Immigrants:

- Russian & Eastern European immigrants accused of revolutionary activity

- Severe restrictions on Asian immigrants – stopped Chinese immigration from 1923-1947

- “Chinese Immigration Act” aka “Exclusion Act”

- 1925 economy improved, immigrants allowed, lived in slums / paid terrible wages

- Mackenzie King took on Liberal leadership fr. Robert Borden

cont’d push for greater indep from Brit.

Examples:

1). King refused to support Britain when it planned to invade Turkey (The Chanak Affair)

B. POLITICAL AUTONOMY:

2). Canada signed an international treaty w/out the signature of a Brit rep (The Halibut Treaty)

Uncle Sam: “What I cut off goes to you Johnnie Canuck and what’s left belongs to me.”

3). Challenged Britain’s influence over Canadian internal politics (King-Byng Crisis)

King Byng

King-Byng Crisis

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JmjxAG21zJU

4). Participated in the Imperial Conference that led to Balfour Report & Statute of Westminster

2 restrictions on Canada’s independence:

1). Constitution (BNA Act) remained w/ Brit b/c provinces could not agree on amending formula

2). Judicial court of appeal for Cdns stayed in Brit

until 1949

C. ECONOMIC CHANGES:Wheat exports, manufacturing, pulp & paper, mining, & hydro-electric

power were among the industries that grew during the 20’s

US investment: pre-WWI trade Britain

post-war trade United States

- trade w/ US increased during the 20’s- US investors Branch Plants - Canadian auto industry taken over by US companies: “Big Three” GM, Ford, Crysler- also oil, machinery, chemical, rubber, & electrical companies

Social Changes:- Flappers- Credit- Automobile- Prohibition