Nationalism and the Autonomy of Canada 1896-1945 PDF

Nationalism and the Autonomy of Canada: 1896-1945 Part 3: The Transformation of Society at the Beginning of the 20th Century The Union Movement Industrialization resulted in greater social inequalities. Indiv...

Nationalism and the Autonomy of Canada: 1896-1945 Part 3: The Transformation of Society at the Beginning of the 20th Century The Union Movement Industrialization resulted in greater social inequalities. Individuals and organizations demanded change. During the 2nd phase of industrialization, the union movement continued to defend workers’ interests: ❖ Unions demanded reduced working hours and compensation to injured workers. At the beginning of the 20th century, unions in Quebec and Canada were still mostly American organizations (e.g., Knights of Labor; American Federation of Labor).  The Union Movement Despite labour legislation adopted during the 1st phase of industrialization, workers remained powerless. Unions demanded the adoption of laws and measures to regulate work. ❖ 1909 - Workers’ Compensation Act adopted - mandatory compensation in case of a work related injury (50% of income). ❖ 1926 - Amended Compensation Act - increased compensation to injured employees to ⅔ of income. These laws and measures were often ignored.  The Union Movement Some unions resorted to strikes to voice their demands. The government intervened in labour disputes and used force to end strikes or protect strikebreakers (“scabs”).  The Social Action of the Catholic Church The Catholic Church fulfilled an important social role, running charities, hospitals and schools. It controlled many aspects of the French Canadian society. The Church was concerned over growing societal inequalities and power of foreign unions. As a result, it adopted a new social doctrine, characterized by the following: - Acceptance of unions, while overseeing their functions, and - Advocacy of solidarity and charity in order to reduce socio-economic inequalities resulting from industrialization. ❖ The Catholic Church founded Catholic unions and formed the Canadian Catholic Confederation of Labor in 1921.  The Social Action of the Catholic Church The Catholic Church promoted the formation of cooperatives (organizations that promote the pooling of resources, collective management and profit-sharing). The cooperative movement was an effective method of reducing socio-economic inequality. The Catholic Farmers Union (1924) promoted the spread of the coop movement in the agricultural sector. Municipal Services: Due to increased urbanization during the second phase of industrialization, measures were adopted to improve living conditions in urban areas. ❖ Lack of services and infrastructure in high-density areas resulted in the outbreak of epidemics. ❖ Measures to improve living conditions and hygiene included: - Garbage collection - Construction of urban infrastructure, such as sewers. - Water chlorination and filtration - Clinics (“milk stations”) opened to distribute milk and information on public hygiene. - Electrification of cities.  The Education System: Most Francophone children did not complete elementary school. The bill on mandatory school attendance proposed by the Quebec Liberal government was rejected due to the pressure from the Church. A few education measures were adopted: ❖ E.g., in 1923 the duration of elementary school increased from 4 to 6 years.  Women’s Struggles: At the beginning of the 20th century, the feminist movement became more organized. Main feminist demands: - Greater access to education, particularly university - The right to run for an elected office - The right to vote - Better employment opportunities and higher wages - Gender equality. Women’s organization clashed with the political and intellectual class, the clergy and traditionalist women.  Women’s Struggles: In Canada, suffragettes (women fighting for women’s right to vote) demanded the right to vote. Women were granted the right to vote in the federal elections in 1918. It wasn’t until 1940 that women were given the right to vote in Quebec’s elections. In the labour market, women faced wage discrimination and exclusion (in 1931, women’s average wage was 56% of men’s average wage). Jobs available to women were limited.