The Interwar Years
ON TO OT TAWA TREK AND THE REGINA RIOT
Canada in the Depression
In Alberta, C.H. Douglas proposed “social credit.” According to him, the problem with the
economy is consumers didn’t have enough buying power.
Solution: cash vouchers called “social dividends” or social credit to spur economic revival.
A radio evangelist, “Bible Bill” Aberhart ran for premier promising to issue $25 a month to every
adult in Alberta. He won the 1935 election.
But monetary policy is federal jurisdiction. Supreme Court called it “unconstitutional”
Result: provinces couldn’t issue their own currency
Bennett’s New Deal 1935
R.B. introduced programs to protect individuals and businesses
•Progressive Taxation (the more you make, the more you pay)
•Maximum number of hours in a work week
•Intro. Of minimum wage
•Stronger regulation of working conditions
•Unemployment Insurance
•Health and accident insurance
•Revised old age pension plan
•Agricultural support
•A marketing board to regulate wheat prices
Unfortunately these programs did little to help with unemployment
Bennett also set up high tariffs to protect Canadian
Industries. He thought other countries would lower
their tariffs because they would need Canada’s
resources.
On to Ottawa Trek
Bennett set up unemployment relief camps for single,
unemployed men.
The men would work on public projects (such as building
roads) for $0.20 a day plus room and board. Unfortunately it
was not enough to solve the financial crisis.
June 1935, thousands of relief camp workers in Vancouver
boarded trains to Ottawa. As it crossed the country, the
protest grew in numbers. They demanded “work with wages,”
and “real jobs”
Regina Riot
The protest was stopped in Regina by RCMP.
300+ RCMP were dressed in riot gear and were
concealed in large, moving vans. Another 50 were
nearby on horses.
Using baseball bats, clubs, and tear gas, the RCMP
fought the crowd for more than three hours.
Dozens of “trekkers” were injured and one officer was
beaten to death.
The Trekkers returned to the West Coast with no
solution except a small pay increase.
As a result, people began to turn against Bennett in
favour of Mackenzie King, who defeated Bennett in
the October 1935 federal election.
Jigsaw part 1/3
You will be given a sheet that is either a primary or secondary source.
1. In groups of same sheet number you will first read (and highlight or make note of key
sentences) then discuss the perspective. Who is being blamed for the riot and why? What
evidence is there? Complete your findings on your worksheet
The whole group must agree on who is being blamed, key evidence supporting that position,
an idea of whether or not a bias is present
Making Inferences
Inference / Conclusion
Inferences / conclusions are summary statements based on an observation from the evidence; the inference
/ conclusion you reach should be based on an observation(s) that you made from reviewing the evidence.
An inference is what you conclude, based on what you observed in the specific document, inferences need
to be plausible (based on historical facts / evidence/ quotes).
Several inferences can be made from the same subheadings, there is not “a” right answer, multiple
answers / inferences are plausible .
These are summary statements (identifications)
Document Analysis Worksheet
Ignore the line separating the last two columns:
Summary of key points and Inferences about the question under consideration
This is to be one section which provides your inferences about four of the six documents provided on who
was most to blame for the Regina Riot
This is step I of III towards determining and answer to the question: Who was to blame for starting the
Regina Riot on July 1, 1935?
Example
Document
1
Source (primary or
Possible
Summary of key points; Inferences about the
secondary),
relevance
question under consideration
authorship and
context
Secondary
Explains causes Oct 1932 Ottawa establishes camps as a solution for
(verbatim from
of the Riot and unemployed. Workers paid $0.20 a day for work. Men
were isolated and Bennett did not give much
encyclopedia)
how it occured
attention to what the men were working on.
April 1935 hundreds of men left relief camps to look
for meaningful employment. Fed gov't believed it was
communist party behind protest. Strikers leave for
Ottawa June, picking up more people.
Regina, men reached 2,000.
Stalemate b/n strikers and police for 2 weeks. Trek
leader Arthur "Slim" Evans makes it to Ottawa but no
solution with Bennett. Trekkers return to west coast
Creating temporary projects to meet demand of
work was not successful
Jigsaw Part 2/3
2. You will be rearranged into new groups, one representative from each sheet
Take turns discussing your findings. Rest of group makes note in their document worksheet.
The group will discuss who they think is to blame for the riot, why, and provide the best
evidence to support the conclusion
Jigsaw Part 3/3
3. Turn to the t-chart in your booklet. As a class we will review some points groups had made
(who are they blaming and why?)
Assignment: Formulate a clear argument specifying who should be blamed for starting the
Regina Riot. Provide four points as evidence in the space provided.
Mixed groups location