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Residential Schools
Residential schools were church run, government funded schools used to “kill the Indian'' in the child. They started as early as the 1830s. Over 150,000 children were subjected to physical, sexual, and emotional abuse. Over 4,000 children died at these schools. The schools caused generational trauma and cultural genocide. -
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Late 1910s
Times of turmoil -
Spanish Flu
Began in 1918 but is unknown where it originated. It spread quickly through Canada because of infected soldiers returning from overseas. The combined death toll from the war and the flu reduced the workforce. It also left families without a primary breadwinner. -
Prohibition
In 1918 during World War One all Provincial Governments except Quebec, banned alcohol. The government thought that grain should be used to feed soldiers rather than make alcohol. And more workers were needed to produce war supplies. Organizations like the Woman’s Christian Temperance Union fought for prohibition. They were also connected to the women’s suffrage movement. But most provinces repealed prohibition by the mid 1920s. -
Bloody Saturday
Bloody Saturday was the result of the Winnipeg General Strike. After ten leaders of the strike were arrested the other strikers had a parade in support of them. But parades had been banned and a crowd began to form. They tipped over a streetcar and the police charged at them. 30 people were injured and 2 were killed. -
Radio
Edward “Ted” Rogers invented the electric radio. The radio provided entertainment with shows like Amos & Andy and Hockey Night in Canada, produced by the CBC. The radio opened up new industries and employment opportunities. It also demonstrated modern science (for the day) and the rapidly growing retail market. -
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The Roaring Twenties
Expansion, innovation, and growth -
Jazz Age
New dances and upbeat music were becoming popular after WW1. The growth and creation of jazz music is largely credited to African-Americans but it was popular with different demographics. Dances like the Tango and Charleston received notoriety because they were featured in movies and performed by stars like Rudolph Valentino. However, older generations didn't like the culture surrounding the music and dances as it often included speakeasies. -
Insulin
Insulin was discovered by Frederick Banting at the University of Toronto. Before it was discovered, people with type 1 diabetes weren’t expected to live more than a few years. Insulin changed diabetes from a death sentence to a manageable disease. However the only treatment prior to insulin was a strict diet with minimal carbohydrate intake. -
Silent films and Talkies
Silent films and talkies were popular and more accessible because of new technology. Talkies were created when sound could be recorded on film and came to Canada in 1927. Actors like Charlie Chaplin, Rudolph Valentino, and Mary Pickford became famous in Canada and the USA. Charlie Chaplin was a physical comedian in silent films while Rudolph Valentino was a “ladies man”. Mary Pickford was called “America's Sweetheart” but ironically was Canadian. -
Sports
Increased freetime and the ability to travel to sporting events allowed sports to become popular. The 1920s were considered the golden age of sports for women. Fanny “Bobbie” Rosenfeld was a Canadian female Olympic athlete. She won gold for the 100 meter relay and a silver medal for the 100 meter at the 1928 Olympics. The Edmonton Grads were a women's basketball team that won 522 games and won gold four times at the Olympics. -
The Persons Case
The Persons Case was a legal action to determine if women should be legally considered people. Only “qualified persons” could be senators or be in the top court at the time. Emily Murphy and four other women called the Famous Five petitioned the Canadian government to make women senators. The Supreme Court of Canada ruled that women are not “persons”. The women appealed to the Privy Council in England, they concluded that “persons” includes women. -
Black Tuesday
On October 29, 1929 or “Black Tuesday” the stock market crashed. In Montreal 500,000 shares were sold and in Toronto 330,000 were sold. The market crash added to the economic downturn in Canada in the 1930s. Neither Prime Minister King nor the following Prime Minister R.B. Bennett knew how to effectively aid the Great Depression. -
Five Cent Speech
The Five Cent Speech was delivered by Prime Minister Mackenzie King. He stated that social welfare is the responsibility of the provinces. He also said he wouldn't give a “five cent piece” to a province that didn't have a Liberal government. Citizens began making fun of King and drew caricatures of him. The speech resulted in King and the Liberals being voted out. -
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The Dirty Thirties
Economic downturn, individual struggles, and social shock -
Bennett Buggy
After Mackenize King was voted out, millionaire R.B. Bennett was voted in. He had new ideas on how to aid the depression including emergency funds, raising tariffs on imports, ending unemployment, and relief camps. However none of these were successful. Citizens began to lose faith in Bennett and he became the target of endless jokes. Including “Bennett Buggies” which were cars owned by people who could no longer afford gas and instead had farm animals tied to them. -
New Deal
In the following election during the Great Depression, Prime Minister Bennett had a new deal inspired by President Roosevelt. He wanted the government to take control and introduce regulations. This included social and unemployment insurance. And a set minimum wage and maximum number of hours per week. He also wanted regulated working conditions. However, citizens' patience had run out with Bennett. Mackenzie King was voted back into office and given a majority government. -
On-to-Ottawa Trek
The On-to-Ottawa Trek was a protest started and led by thousands of young men in relief camps. The men were tired of the poor working conditions and terrible wages. They left the relief camps in British Columbia and boarded freight trains bound to Ottawa. They got as far as Regina before they were stopped by police. A riot broke out, dozens were injured.