Political Responses to the
Great Depression
J.S. Woodsworth
Maurice Duplessis
“Bible Bill” Aberhart
“R.B. Bennett
The Politicians offer their Solutions
Political Responses to the Great
Depression
• The effect of the Great
Depression
• Prime Minister
Bennett’s response
• The “On to Ottawa”
Trek
• William Woodsworth
and the CCF
• Bill Aberhart and the
Social Credit Party
• Maurice Duplessis and
The Union Nationale
Homeless Canadian family in Western
Canada during the heart of the Depression
The Effect of the Great Depression
• In Saskatchewan, over 200,000
people are forced to leave their
farms. 70% of their population
was dependent upon social
assistance (very basic).
• Overall in Canada, the incomes
of families fell by over 50%
• Imports fell by 55%; exports by
25%.
• Out of a total population of 10
Million, 2 million Canadians
were living off relief handouts
(e.g. soup kitchens).
• Canada’s unemployment rate
went from 4% to 27% (1 in 4
Canadians were out of work)
A “Soup Kitchen” during the Depression
What do you think about when you see
this picture?
How did the Government
Respond?
• At this point in Canadian
History, the social programs
that we know of today such
as Employment Insurance
and Welfare did not exist.
• How will those Canadians
most seriously affected by the
Great Depression make ends
meet?
• What would the government
of Prime Minister MacKenzie
King do?
27% Unemployment
MacKenzie King
King’s Response to the Depression
• MacKenzie King thought
that it was the responsibility
of the provinces to aid their
own citizens.
• He wasn’t prepared for the
depression (not many
political leaders were) and
so he didn’t take an
interventionist approach to
the Economy.
• King was eventually openly
criticized for his
controversial comment that
he wouldn’t give “a five cent
piece” of relief money to any
province that had a
Conservative Government
He won’t give “a five cent piece”
Enter “Bonfire” Bennett
• R.B. Bennett was Leader of the
Conservative Party of Canada
• He had the nickname “bonfire”
because of his bombastic (loud)
speaking style.
• On July 28th, 1930 R.B. Bennett
became Prime Minister of Canada.
• Originally from New Brunswick,
grew up to be a self-made
millionaire as a corporate lawyer
and businessman in Calgary.
• Given his “rags to riches” humble
beginnings, he believed in
capitalism and the free-enterprise
system (i.e. leave the government
out of the economy alone and
everything will work out in the end)
Prime Minister R.B. Bennett
Bennett’s Response to the
Depression
• He put $ 20 Million
dollars towards
emergency relief
• He raised the tariffs on
imports to 50% in order
to protect Canada’s
industries from foreign
competition and end
the trade deficit.
“Bonfire” Bennett
Canada’s Reaction
• R.B. Bennett’s plans
made the depression
worse as his
protectionism cut off
Canadian exports.
• Many Canadians could
not afford to put gasoline
in their cars. Instead,
their cars were pulled by
horses!
• Canadians called these
cars “Bennett Buggies”
The “Bennett Buggy”
The On to Ottawa Trek
• Many workers began
to ride the rails in order
to find work in other
parts of Canada.
• 1000 relief camp
workers climbed
aboard freight trains
and headed for Ottawa
to protest their working
conditions
Riding the rails: The
“On to Ottawa” Trek
The Regina Riot
• When the train reached Regina,
Saskatchewan, the number of
protesters had doubled.
• Fearing a huge protest in Ottawa,
R.B. Bennett stopped the train in
Regina and tried to negotiate with
the protestors.
• On July 1st, 1935 a riot broke out as
the RCMP tried to arrest the
organizers of the protest.
• A Regina police officer was killed
and 130 protesters were arrested.
• The On to Ottawa trek was officially
over.
A riot breaks out in Regina as the
Government tries to stop the
On to Ottawa Trek
The Return of King
• In 1935, the Canadian
people had enough of
Bennett who they blamed
for prolonging the
Depression.
• Running under the slogan
“King or Chaos”, King won
the election.
• Bennett ended his final
days in Great Britain and
remains the only
Canadian prime minister
to be buried outside of
Canada.
He’s Back Again
Other Political Parties offer their
solutions
•
•
•
•
•
Bill Aberhart was a preacher and school
teacher from Alberta
He thought that the Depression was
caused by people not having enough
money to buy goods and services;
especially farmers.
His idea? Give every citizen $25 per
month “prosperity certificate” so people
could buy more products and help the
economy.
His party was called the “Social Credit”
Party.
His party was elected in 1935 in Alberta,
but they never paid out the certificates.
The party was a major force in the west
and stayed in power until the 1970s in
Alberta. It was also a major force in BC
politics
Social Credit Party leader
“Bible Bill” Aberhart
The CCF
• He was a “conscientious objector”
during WW1 and worked as a minister
in Winnipeg helping the homeless.
• He believed that the free enterprise
system had failed the people during
the depression and that the
government needed to take a greater
role during the depression.
• He proposed: Unemployment
insurance, free medical care, family
allowances and old age pensions.
• Many of his ideas have been adopted
in Canada.
• His Co-operative Commonwealth
Federation (CCF) Party later was
renamed the NDP in 1961.
J.S. Woodsworth
The Union Nationale
• Maurice Duplessis blamed the
existence of the Depression on
the fact that many of Quebec’s
industries were owned by
Americans and English
speaking Canadians.
• He formed the Union Nationale
so that Quebeckers would have
more control over their
economy.
• The Union Nationale won the
Quebec election in 1936 and
remained a force in Quebec
politics for the next 22 years
Maurice Duplessis of the Union Nationale