The Roaring 20s in Canada

The "Roaring" 20s

• People enjoyed themselves during this time
• Jazz music became popular and was considered "rebellious"
• More daring dances and clothing styles emerged
• There was a "day by day" approach to life
• It was a booming and prosperous era, with people able to afford many things
• The end of the war brought happiness

Reasons for Economic Boom

• Canada had one of its greatest economic booms
• American companies invested in Canadian natural resources and manufacturing
• New products became available including vacuum cleaners, stoves, and refrigerators
• Automobiles and radios greatly impacted Canadian social and economic life
• The Stock Market experienced a boom due to new investors

Lifestyle Changes and Technologies: Automobiles

• Ford's Model T was the first affordable car for many Americans, gaining popularity in the 1920s
• Cars became cheaper and faster to produce through mass production using the assembly line
• The Model T cost less than $300 by the 1920s
• Car ownership rapidly increased, with over 23 million cars on the road by the end of the decade
• The auto industry boosted other industries (steel, rubber, oil), leading to more roads, gas stations, and motels
• Ford faced competition from companies like General Motors and Chrysler, who offered more models and features

Insulin

• Frederick Banting and Charles Best discovered insulin in Canada in 1921
• Insulin was first used to treat diabetes in 1922
• The discovery revolutionized diabetes treatment, changing it from a fatal disease to a manageable condition
• By the mid-1920s, insulin was widely available, saving lives and becoming a major medical breakthrough

Telephone

• Telephone use rapidly expanded in the 1920s
• Telephones made communication faster and more convenient for homes and businesses
• Telephones helped connect cities and rural areas, contributing to social and economic growth
• Only 13% of Canadians owned a telephone, making it a luxury
• Alexander Graham Bell invented the telephone

Radio

• Radio ownership grew in the 1920s with improved technology and lower prices
• Most programming Canadians listened to by 1928 came from the U.S.
• Canadians enjoyed diverse content, including drama, comedy, music, and sports, both homegrown and imported
• The Canadian National Railway offered radio access to passengers traveling across the country
• Canada’s first cross-country broadcast was in 1927, with Prime Minister Mackenzie King addressing the nation, who used radio to connect with Canadians

Daily Life: Fashion

• Men's fashion was still formal, but the Jazz suit became popular
• Women called flappers began to break social rules

Daily Life: Flappers

• Flappers rebelled by going to clubs, smoking, drinking, and cutting their hair short (Bob Cut)
• They wore pants and danced the Charleston

Daily Life: Entertainment

• Dancing and clubbing became popular, along with movies and live shows
• Silent Films and Talkies were popular forms of entertainment
• Sporting events gained popularity in Canadian and U.S. culture

Daily Life: Sports

• Sporting events included baseball, tennis, hockey, sailing races, and the Olympics
• Women like the Edmonton Grads basketball team began challenging stereotypes in sports
• The NHL expanded significantly during the twenties, and Canada won 9 medals at the Olympics

Daily Life: Art and Canadian Identity

• The Group of Seven were famous for painting the Canadian landscape
• Their work contributed to a growing sense of Canadian identity

Money and Credit

• Consumer credit became common in the 1920s, allowing people to borrow money for cars and furniture
• Household debt increased as more people used credit to finance their lifestyles
• Credit was used for stock market investments, allowing average citizens to buy shares with small upfront payments
• Easy access to credit fueled a stock market boom, with record-breaking levels of trading and investment

Roads

• The Canadian Highways Act (1919) committed the federal government to building 40,000 km of roads
• By 1930, road construction cost around $94 million per year
• Improved roads increased mobility and boosted car ownership, creating demand for more roads
• Widespread car use contributed to urban expansion and the growth of suburbs across Canada

Women's Rights: Employment

• Teaching was the primary form of employment for women
• Women comprised a significant majority of the teaching workforce; 77% of teachers in Manitoba in 1931 were women

Women's Rights: Gender Inequality

• Despite their numbers, female teachers were often paid less than male counterparts
• Female teachers were typically excluded from administrative roles, which were predominantly held by men

Women's Rights: Restrictions and Working Conditions

• School boards implemented rules that limited teachers' rights even outside the classroom
• Female teachers in rural areas faced challenging working conditions, including isolation and limited resources

Rules for Female Teachers

• Female teachers were often required to remain unmarried during their tenure due to marriage being seen as a distraction
• Teachers were not allowed to keep company with men, especially in public, unless the man was a close relative
• Curfews were imposed, expecting teachers to be home between 8 p.m. and 6 a.m., unless attending a school function
• Female teachers were mandated to dress modestly, often wearing at least two petticoats and dresses covering the ankles
• Bright colors and dyed hair were discouraged
• Loitering in ice cream parlors or traveling beyond city limits without permission was prohibited

Rules for Female Teachers Continued

• Consumption of alcohol and tobacco was strictly forbidden, as teachers were expected to set a moral example
• Riding in a carriage or automobile with any man other than a father or brother was not allowed
• Teachers were responsible for maintaining the cleanliness of their classrooms, including sweeping floors, cleaning blackboards, and starting the fire

Flappers

• Flappers wore short skirts, bobbed hair, and ditched corsets, rejecting past modesty in fashion
• They defied social norms by smoking, drinking, and enjoying jazz clubs
• Workforce participation increased as they worked in offices, retail, and factories
• Flappers challenged homemaker expectations
• They openly discussed relationships and sexuality, defying modesty norms
• Flappers lived alone or with peers, delaying marriage for freedom
• They embraced jazz culture, rejecting old-fashioned dances
• Flappers challenged gender roles by speaking on politics and seeking personal/professional freedom
• Media depicted them as modern, free-spirited women

Persons Case

• The Canadian Government did not recognize women as persons until October 18, 1929
• Recognition was initially denied by the supreme court of Canada
• The "Famous Five" took the matter to the British Privy Council, where it was approved
• Women were officially recognized as people and could serve in the senate

Key Events Increasing Canadian Independence: WWI

• Canada gained international recognition for its contributions, especially at Vimy Ridge
• Canada earned a seat at the Paris Peace Conference and independently signed the Treaty of Versailles
• The war boosted national pride and unity, strengthening the push for political autonomy from Britain

Key Events Increasing Canadian Independence: Chanak Affair

• Prime Minister William Lyon Mackenzie King refused to automatically send troops to help Britain in a conflict with Turkey
• This refusal marked a shift in Canada's foreign policy, asserting its right to make its own military decisions
• It showed that Canada would no longer blindly follow Britain into war

Key Events Increasing Canadian Independence: Halibut Treaty

• A fishing treaty was signed between Canada and the U.S. without Britain’s involvement
• This marked the first international agreement signed independently by Canada
• The treaty set a precedent for Canada negotiating and signing its own treaties

Key Events Increasing Canadian Independence: King Byng Crisis

• Governor General Lord Byng refused Prime Minister Mackenzie King's request to dissolve Parliament, leading to a political crisis
• The crisis demonstrated the need for Canada to have full control over its own government decisions
• It led to reforms that limited the Governor General's power and increased Canada’s political independence

Key Events Increasing Canadian Independence: Statute of Westminster

• Canada was officially granted full legislative independence from Britain
• Canada was allowed to make its own laws without British approval
• Canada was recognized as an autonomous nation within the British Commonwealth

Prohibition

• Prohibition was a ban on the production and sale of alcohol
• It started in Canada in 1916 during WWI (except Quebec)
• Groups like the Women’s Christian Temperance Union (WCTU) pushed for prohibition
• The WCTU believed alcohol caused violence, wasted money, and hurt morality

Pros & Cons of Prohibition

• Drunkenness dropped (in some cities by 93%)
• Workplace efficiency improved
• Grain was saved for war efforts
• Organized crime rose
• Smuggling and bootlegging thrived
• Illegal bars (speakeasies) exploded
• The government lost tax money from alcohol sales
• Dangerous homemade alcohol (bathtub gin) led to deaths
• Prohibition was hard to enforce and unpopular

Residential Schools

• The Canadian Government viewed treaties as legal land transfers to the Crown for settlement and economic use and provided money, goods, or reserve land in return
• FNMI peoples viewed treaties as sacred agreements to share land and build respectful, long-term relationships and did not see them as giving up land ownership

Changes from the 1876 Indian Act

• Reserve Land Recognition provided Some protection from non-Indigenous encroachment
• Access to Services provided limited support for education and healthcare
• Loss of Self-Governance occurred as power was taken from Indigenous leaders, given to Indian Agents
• Forced Assimilation occurred as cultural bans, residential schools, and policies that stripped Indigenous status were enacted

Assimilation of FNMI Peoples

• Children were forcibly taken from families, punished for speaking their language, and suffered abuse in residential schools
• Cultural ceremonies like the Potlatch and Sun Dance were outlawed
• Indigenous people had to give up their status to vote or hold certain jobs through enfranchisement

FNMI Veterans After WWI

• Many Indigenous veterans were denied benefits and equal treatment
• They did not receive the same land grants or support as non-Indigenous veterans

Duncan Campbell Scott and Residential Schools

• Duncan Campbell Scott Served as the Head of Indian Affairs from 1913–1932.
• His belief was in assimilating Indigenous people into Canadian society to eliminate the “Indian problem”
• He expanded residential schools, made attendance mandatory in 1920, and knew of high death rates but still supported the system

Duncan Campbell Scott’s Legacy

• He was a Major contributor to cultural genocide
• Indigenous Canadians lost their status if they married a white spouse

Residential School Suffering

• Students experienced separation from Families, which caused long-term emotional distress
• The loss of Language and Culture occurred as it was forbidden to speak Indigenous languages or practice traditions
• Students experienced Abuse, including physical punishment, forced labor, and in many cases, sexual abuse
• Returned children often felt estranged from their communities causing Disconnection

Legacy of Residential Schools

• Cultural Loss: Language and traditions weakened or lost
• Broken Families: Hard to reconnect after separation
• Long-Term Trauma: Physical and emotional damage lasting into adulthood
• Forced Enfranchisement: Many lost legal status without consent

Intergenerational Impact

• Trauma was passed on, contributing to ongoing issues like poverty and addiction

The 1930s and the Great Depression: Causes

• Businesses produced more goods than people could afford to buy leading to overproduction
• Unsold products piled up, leading to financial losses
• Companies laid off workers or shut down entirely
• Many went bankrupt because they couldn’t pay off debts

Dependence on Primary Products and the U.S. Economy

• Canada relied heavily on exports like wheat, fish, and lumber
• The U.S. was Canada’s biggest trading partner
• When global demand dropped, these exports lost value
• Fewer markets meant Canadian businesses had fewer buyers
• The Canadian economy was hit hard when the U.S. economy crashed

Buying on Credit

• People and businesses bought goods and stocks on credit
• It worked while the economy was strong and stock prices were rising
• When prices fell, many couldn’t repay their loans
• This led to bankruptcies and financial collapse for both individuals and companies

Stock Market Crash

• The Stock market crashed on Black Tuesday, October 29, 1929
• Investors panicked and sold their stocks all at once
• Stock prices plummeted rapidly, causing the market to crash
• Many people lost their life savings and investments overnight
• Banks and businesses that invested in stocks also suffered huge losses
• This triggered a chain reaction that worsened the economic downturn

Impacts on farmers and Manufacturers

• Heavy Dependence on Exports: 80% of Canadian natural resources (like wheat, minerals, lumber) were sold to other countries and demand dropped drastically when the global market collapsed,
• Tariffs Made It Worse as countries raised tariffs (taxes on imports), making it even harder for Canada to sell goods abroad
• Unsold Goods and Falling Prices: Businesses were left with stockpiles of unsold goods and had to lower prices, which led to losses.
• Debt and Bankruptcy: Many had bought equipment on credit and couldn't make payments and went bankrupt with falling income Mass Layoffs: Companies laid off workers to cut costs, which led to widespread unemployment and worsening the economic crisis.

Canadian Shopping habits

• Sharp Drop in Spending occurred as Canadians stopped buying non-essential items because of the lack of money
• A domino effect on Jobs occurred as fewer goods were bought, factories slowed or shut down, laying off workers, those in manufacturing and raw materials industries
• The Credit System Collapsed: “Buy now, pay later” plans failed because people couldn’t make their payments and there were many who lost furniture, cars, or homes
• Mass Unemployment: By 1933, 1 in 3 Canadian workers had lost their jobs, deepening the economic crisis

Unemployed Workers

• There was no unemployment insurance which meant being unemployed meant no income or safety net due to a lack of a support system
• Western Provinces Hit Hardest: Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, and British Columbia suffered the most due to their reliance on farming and resource industries
• Vulnerable Groups Affected Most: Young men, small business owners, and farmers were hit hardest, while large companies and property owners often fared better
• Those receiving government relief had to work for food and were banned from owning items like alcohol, phones, radios, jewelry, or cars due to Strict Relief Rules
• Many unemployed people felt deep shame and Social Stigma, which made an already difficult situation even harder emotionally

Feelings of the Unemployed

• Many people felt embarrassed and ashamed to be unemployed or to ask for government help caused by Shame and Stigma
• Discrimination Against Women occurred as women were often the first to be fired and denied jobs because it was believed men needed work more to support families
• Women who did find jobs were usually underpaid and worked in poor conditions called Underpaid and Undervalued
• Limited Government Support: Relief was hard to get, and those who received it had to work in return, often doing physically demanding labor for food or shelter.
• Government Reluctance: The government didn’t feel responsible for unemployment and was financially struggling itself, making relief programs difficult to access.

Ways of Coping

• People patched old clothes or made new ones from items like bed sheets to made do with what they had
• People depended on soup kitchens run by churches for daily meals and relied on charity
• some People resorted to begging for food or shelter because of extreme poverty
• Homelessness: Many slept on park benches, in basements, or wherever they could find space

Ways of Coping continued

• People hid under or on top of trains to avoid paying for tickets as a risky travel eg Men riding the rods to look for work

Struggles of Prairie Farmers

• The Prices of wheat had a economic collapse as they hit record lows
• Saskatchewan saw the worst drop in wheat value ever
• A 10-year drought led to dust storms, crop destruction, and loss of fertile soil as a result of Environmental Disaster
• There was Pest Infestation, so grasshoppers destroyed crops and even chewed through wooden objects
• The social welfare system and government policies were ineffective and lacked proper support due to Government Failure
• Desperation: Many farmers lost everything and some took their own lives or moved away in search of work.

Timeline of Policies of the 30s

• William Lyon Mackenzie King was in power for the Early Inaction time frame from (1921–1930)
• King believed the Depression was temporary and not the federal government’s responsibility to help the poor
• King claimed he wouldn’t give a “five-cent piece” to provinces with Conservative governments (his biggest mistake)
• He lost the 1930 election to R.B. Bennett due to inaction

R.B Bennet’s Policies (1930 -1935)

• Bennet promised jobs but failed to deliver, leading to public frustration
• He gave $20 million to provinces for relief programs
• Bennet created relief camps for single unemployed men paid 0.20 per day in harsh isolate conditions
• He launched the Bennet New Deal in 1935 , work regulations , minimum wage , insurance but many saw this as an empty election promise

Return of king (1935-1948)

• King won with the slogan “King or Chaos”
• Depression ended up Eventually due to world war 2 no government policy

Relief Camps

• If applicant had greater that 5 cents a day he was not permitted
• If the application was not legible and instructions was not carefully follow he was not permitted
• if the applicant was singe , women or Indigenous he was not permitted
• If the application possessed anything view as luxuries he was not permitted
• In the rules for relief it stated that application with a chinese ancestor were to be given half of what every one else was given

Relief Programs

• Living on the pogey was the government voucher to the essential item
• One has to be a part of a Male supporting family with no alcohol or possessions to qualify
• The rate of a job was less that what someone would get on bail

Soup Kitchens

• The kitchen were run by charities and churches
• One was offered soup free 3 times a day to survive
• Soup was chosen as it was cheap and nutritious

Relief Camp Conditions

• These camps were made for homeless and single man
• The task in these camps including diggin ditches for 5 cents a day
• The camps and services were made and offered by the gouv to prevent bored leading to crime
• Harsh conditions, overcrowding , isolation no committees and sanitation services

The on-to- Ottawa Trek (1935)

• In 1800's men took to protesting leading to the the Regina Riot

Politicians of the 20s and 30s

• William Lyon Mackenzie King was a very compromising person for the public that only was PM for a small amount of time during the 20s and only cared for conservative policies.
• R.B Bennet believed in increasing taxes from all imported goods in 8 hour work days , min wage and a pension on 8 hour work days.
• Maurice Duplessis started of in quebec with great promises and intentions to improve the county but was very two face.