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The "Dirty Thirties"
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First Woman Senator
Feb 15, 1930 - Cairine Reay Wilson was the first woman appointed to the Senate in Canada. -
United Farmers Win
Jun 19, 1930 - In Alberta provincial elections, the United Farmers under John Edward Brownlee maintained the government they had formed since 1924. -
Conservatives Win Election
Jul 28, 1930 - In a federal election, the Conservatives won a majority with 137 seats to the Liberals' 91. The UFA held 10 and the Progressives dropped to 2. R.B. Bennett became prime minister. -
R.B. Bennett Becomes PM
Aug 7, 1930 - R.B. Bennett was sworn in as prime minister. -
Estevan Strike
Sep 8, 1931 - Coal miners at Estevan, Sask, went on strike for union recognition. On September 29 three strikers were killed in a clash with the RCMP. -
Statute of Westminster Passes
Dec 11, 1931 - The Statute of Westminster received royal assent after being passed by the British Parliament. By establishing complete legislative equality between the parliaments of Britain and Canada, it is the closest Canada has come to a declaration of independence. -
Winnipeg Hockey Club Wins Olympic Gold
Feb 13, 1932 - For the first time Canada’s hockey team faced serious competition at the Olympics, ultimately playing two scoreless overtime periods in a final game against the US. To end the stalemate, officials chose to declare a tie and award the gold to the team that had won the earlier round-robin game, Canada. -
CRBC (Future CBC) Established
CRBC (future CBC) Established
May 26, 1932 - Parliament passed an Act establishing the publicly funded Canadian Radio Broadcasting Commission, the forerunner of the Canadian Broadcasting Corp of 1936. Before the CRBC almost the only programs available to Canadians were from the US. -
Ottawa Agreements
Jul 20, 1932 - Canada and Commonwealth countries signed 12 bilateral trade agreements in Ottawa providing for mutual tariff concessions and certain other commitments. -
CCF Founded
Aug 1, 1932 - The Co-operative Commonwealth Federation was founded in Calgary. Led by J.S. Woodsworth, the CCF was the first major democratic socialist movement in Canada and went on to have a profound effect on the Canadian political landscape. -
Birth of Glenn Gould
Sep 25, 1932 - Pianist Glenn Gould, who abandoned a thriving international concert career for performances using recorded-sound technology and whose work had a unique importance in music and communications, was born at Toronto. -
Pattullo Appointed BC's Premier
Nov 15, 1933 - Liberal party leader Thomas Dufferin Pattullo was sworn in as BC's 22nd premier. -
Dionne Quintuplets Born
May 28, 1934 - The Dionne Quintuplets, Annette, Emilie, Yvonne, Cecile and Marie aroused worldwide attention after their birth at Corbeil, Ontario, to Oliva and Elzire Dionne in 1934. They were the only quintuplets to survive for more than a few days. -
Bank of Canada Act
Jul 3, 1934 - The Bank of Canada Act created the Bank of Canada in response to the 1933 Royal Commission on Banking and Currency. -
Reconstruction Party Formed
Oct 26, 1934 - H.H. Stevens formed the business-oriented Reconstruction Party. -
Bennett Outlines New Deal
Jan 2, 1935 - Prime Minister R.B. Bennett began a series of live radio speeches outlining a "New Deal" for Canada. -
Bank of Canada Opens
Mar 11, 1935 - The Bank of Canada began operations. -
On to Ottawa Trek
Jun 5, 1935 - About 1000 unemployed men boarded freight cars in Vancouver to begin the "On to Ottawa" trek. The strikers commandeered freight trains and made stops in Calgary, Medicine Hat, Swift Current and Moose Jaw before arriving in Regina June 14. -
Social Credit Victory in Alberta
Aug 22, 1935 - Charismatic Bible-thumping William Aberhart led the Social Credit Party to victory in the Alberta provincial elections. He was sworn in on September 3. The party dominated Alberta politics until 1971. -
Liberals Win Election
Oct 14, 1935 - In the federal election, the Liberals won a landslide majority, with 171 seats to the Conservatives' 39. The CCF won 7 seats and the Social Credit 17. King became prime minister for the third time. -
Union Nationale Victory
Aug 17, 1936 - The Union Nationale, led by Maurice Duplessis, won the Québec election. Duplessis was sworn in on 26 Aug. -
CRBC Becomes CBC
Nov 2, 1936 - The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation was created to replace the Canadian Radio Broadcasting Commission. -
Oshawa Strike
Apr 8, 1937 to Apr 23, 1937 - More than 4000 workers of the huge General Motors plant in Oshawa, Ont, struck. GM accepted many of the union's demands, without recognizing the union. -
Dominion-Provincial Relations
Aug 15, 1937 - PM Mackenzie King appointed the Royal Commission on Dominion-Provincial Relations to examine the amendment of the BNA Act, and the relationship of the federal and provincial governments in Confederation. -
Miramichi Strike
Aug 20, 1937 - 1500 millworkers and longshoremen along the Miramichi River in northern New Brunswick struck at 14 lumber firms for increased wages. -
Trans-Canada Air Lines
Sep 1, 1937 - The first regular flight of Trans-Canada Air Lines (now Air Canada) took place. -
Relief Workers' Strike in BC
May 20, 1938 - Unemployed members of the Relief Project Worker's Union in Vancouver occupied the Hotel Georgia, the Vancouver Art Gallery and the central post office and began a sit-down strike. -
National Film Board Created
May 2, 1939 - The National Film Act created the National Film Board, headed by Scots film producer John Grierson. The NFB pioneered developments in social documentary, animation, documentary drama and direct cinema. Its films have won hundreds of international awards. -
Royal Winnipeg Ballet Founded
May 20, 1939 - Canada's oldest ballet company, the Winnipeg Ballet (designated "Royal" in 1953), was founded by Gweneth Lloyd and Betty Hall Farrally. -
First Transatlantic Air Service
Jun 27, 1939 to Jun 28, 1939 - The first transatlantic air service began with a Pan American flight between Botwood, Nfld, and Southampton, England. -
Wartime Prices and Trade Board
Sep 3, 1939 - The Wartime Prices and Trade Board was established to control inflation and to ensure that social unrest did not interfere with the upcoming war effort. -
Canada Declares War on Germany
Sep 10, 1939 - Canada declared war on Germany, 7 days after Britain and France. The first Canadian troops left for England in December. Although "obliged to go to war at Britain's side," King's delay of a week was a symbolic gesture of independence. -
First Troops Sail for Britain
Dec 10, 1939 - The first Canadian troop convoy sailed for Britain escorted out of Halifax by HMC ships Ottawa, Restigouche, Fraser and St. Laurent. -
Air Training Plan Established
Dec 17, 1939 - The British Commonwealth Air Training Plan was established. Operating from 1940-45 the BCTATP trained some 131 000 airmen at over 350 schools - one-half the total Commonwealth aircrew - a decisive Canadian contribution to victory in WWII.
