Canada & the Dirty Thirties Name ___________________ New Political Parties & Cultural Distractions 25 marks (classwork) Dissatisfaction with Governments • Neither the federal nor provincial governments were able to come up with any _____________________________ to deal with the Depression in Canada • People were very frustrated with the lack of ________________________ shown by existing parties (Liberals, Conservatives) and their leaders • Protest parties rose up in parts of the country hardest hit by the Depression – i.e., the West New Political Parties • The public was looking for strong local leadership who understood the hardships they were experiencing in their regions and who was prepared to ______________________________ to deal with enormous economic and social problems. Social Credit • Formed government in _____________________ in 1935 • Leader was William Aberhart, a Calgary high school teacher and charismatic ____________________________ • A deeply religious man, Aberhart became well known from his popular radio show • Theory of _______________________ was based on the writings of Major C. H. Douglas. 1 Theory of Social Credit • Douglas contended that the basic problem of the economy was that people did not have enough money to spend on goods that were being produced • The solution, according to Douglas, was to give every citizen a “social credit” __________________________________. • With this extra cash, people would spend more and the economy would improve Aberhart & Social Credit • Aberhart was a convert to the theory of social credit • He planned to give every adult in Alberta ______________________________ and he wanted people to spend the extra cash so that businesses would increase production • Eventually the economy would recover and the Depression would be over Courts Halt Social Credit • Aberhart’s prosperity certificates were often called “funny money” after the courts declared them ________________ and they were never paid out • Social Credit remained in power in Alberta for 35 years and gained power in BC in 1952 • Became a federal party and won some seats in Alberta and Quebec in a few federal elections • Social Credit was a political force in _____________________ from 1961 through the 1970s -- it was known as Ralliement des Creditistes 2 Cooperative Commonwealth Federation (CCF) • Formed in 1932 by farmers, ______________________ groups, university professors, and a few Members of Parliament (MPs) • CCF founders wanted social and economic reforms to end the human suffering caused by the Depression • First leader was James S. Woodsworth, the passionate minister, social reformer, and labour leader • __________________________ had been arrested during the Winnipeg General Strike and was elected an MP for Manitoba • CCF set out its ideas in 1933 in a document called the Regina Manifesto • Ideas included: • ________________________________ of banks and major services such as transportation and electric power • Improved health and social welfare services • Greater government support of agriculture and conservation • To deal with the devastating problems of the Depression, it suggested an immediate start to slum clearance and extending electrical services to rural areas • These projects would provide jobs and permanently benefit Canadians Democratic Socialism • CCF was a ________________________________ party • Socialists believe government should own and control the means of production (factories, machines, etc., that produce goods) • CCF supported more government control of the economy 3 • Democratic because it did not advocate revolution, but said changes should come through free elections and the parliamentary system • The CCF’s opponents often accused them of being communists – but they rejected armed _______________________________ • Mackenzie King and the Liberals quietly adopted some CCF ideas • CCF won provincial seats in BC and Saskatchewan in 1933-34 • In the 1940s, CCF was able to get some support in Ontario and it came to power in Saskatchewan in 1944 Other Parties Adopt CCF Policies • Both Liberals and Conservatives, over the years, adopted policies first put forward by the CCF • These included: • _____________________________ insurance • Family allowances • Unemployment insurance • Compensation for injured workers • _________________________________ CCF → NDP • By 1961, the CCF had reorganized itself under a new name, the New Democratic Party, which is active at both the federal and provincial levels • The idea of the welfare state gained force in Canada during the Depression 4 Welfare State • Supporters of the welfare state believe that society should support its citizens to prevent ______________________________ hardships • Today, we have unemployment insurance, old age pensions, workers’ compensation, and medicare Union Nationale • During the 1920s, Quebec evolved from an _________________________ to a more industrialized society • More and more people left the farms to find work in the large hydroelectric, mining, and pulp and paper industries • Province’s natural ______________________, industries, and finances were largely in the hands of the English-speaking business owners • Depression hit Quebec hard • By 1933, ______________________ of Montreal’s workforce was unemployed • Economic and social grievances felt by many French Canadians led to the formation of a new political party, the Union Nationale • Leader was lawyer, ________________________ Duplessis Maurice Duplessis • Duplessis blamed Quebec’s social and economic problems on the _______________________________ minority and the federal government • He vowed to defend the French language, Roman Catholic religion, and culture against the English-speaking businesspeople, the federal government, and _______________________________ 5 • He wanted more _____________________________ power for Quebec so it could follow its own economic policies • Duplessis promised to improve working conditions, find new markets for agricultural products, and build affordable housing • In 1936, Duplessis and the ________________________________ swept to power in the provincial election • Except during World War II, Duplessis dominated Quebec politics until his death in 1959 • During his time in power, Duplessis passed _______________________ laws to put down labour unions • In 1937, his government passed the __________________________ which gave the government the power to padlock the premises of any “subversive” organizations – law was aimed at communists, but also used against labour unions, Jewish people, and Jehovah Witnesses • In spite of these attacks on people’s civil liberties, many Quebeckers admired and supported Duplessis for his ________________________ The Great Escape • Many people looked for opportunities to escape from the daily struggle to survive during the Depression • 1930s were the “golden age” of ______________________ • For a 25¢ movie ticket, some people could get away from the day to day grind of unemployment, ______________________, and trying to get by on relief payments and enter the fairytale world of the Hollywood stars 6 Radio – Popular Pastime • Radio was a popular form of home _________________________ and was an important escape from the “dreariness of ordinary life” • Many Canadians enjoyed tuning into popular American radio shows such as “Jack Benny,” “George Burns and Gracie Allen,” “The Lone Ranger,” and “The Inner Sanctum” Protecting Canadian Culture • Canadian airwaves were _________________________ by American culture • Prime Minister R.B. Bennett appointed a royal commission in 1928 to examine the ________________________ situation in Canada • Commission found that most radio programs were coming from outside Canada and that radio was unavailable in large parts of the country • Commission recommended that a national, ______________________________ company should own and operate all radio stations in Canada • 1933 – Canadian Radio Broadcasting Commission (CRBC) established – its goal was to counteract __________________________________ of the airwaves and ensure that more Canadian programs were developed • Government built more stations across country to improve service and coverage • 1936 – Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) was established – CBC became effective in establishing a sense of ___________________________ across Canada • CBC ran Canadian-produced music and entertainment programs in French and English 7 National Film Board (NFB) • Set up in 1939 • Goal was “to ________________________ the production and distribution of films in the nation and in particular ... to interpret Canada and Canadians to other countries.” • Government of Canada believed that country needed its own film production company to counter the influence of Hollywood • NFB is ___________________________ worldwide and has won many awards Governor General’s Awards • Established in 1937 to promote Canadian ____________________ • At first, awards were only given for literature in English • In _______________, this was changed to include works in French • One of the most ______________________ literary awards in Canada 8