-
1920 U.S Branch Plants (economic)
During the 1920s, U.S parent companies were investing in Canada by setting up branch plants all over Canada. They did because they wanted to avoid paying taxes and tariffs at the border.
This was significant to Canada and contributed to prosperous 1920s by creating new jobs, stores, and businesses which boosted the economy. The effects still last to today as some U.S companies and businesses are still located in Canada -
January 11, 1922 Discovery of Insulin (Social)
On January 11, 1922, insulin was first used for the treatment of diabetes by injecting it into a 14-year-old boy (Leonard Thompson). Charles Best, Frederick Banting, J.B Collip, and J.J.R Macleod had all contributed to the research and use of insulin. They had worked in a lab at UFT and discovered it when they injected insulin into a diabetic dog which lowered the dog’s glucose level to normal. -
Discovery of Insulin Continued
This was significant to many people all over the word since type 1 diabetes was an incurable disease and a child diagnosed with type 1 diabetes would die in around 2 years. The invention of insulin has saved millions of lives ever since it was discovered and remains as one of the most important medical discoveries in the 20th century -
September 15, 1922 Chanak Affair (Political)
In 1922, Britain sent a telegram calling on the Dominions to send troops to fight against Turks at Chanak. Three days later, Mackenzie King’s cabinet agreed that only Parliament could decide matters like that and the issue in Chanak had passed before Parliament could address the matter. King was non-committal about the issue because he wanted greater independence for Canada
This event was significant for Canada because it was one of Canada’s first steps to becoming independent from Britain -
March 2nd, 1923 Halibut Treaty (Political)
In 1923, a treaty was signed between Canada (Earnest Lapointe) and America (Charles Evan Hughes) on the preservation of Halibut in the Pacific Ocean. It was signed in Washington and closed the halibut fishery during the winter month, it was also the first independently signed treaty by Canada.
This event was significant for Canada because it showed Canada trying to become independent. It also helped protect the declining halibut population and has made halibut available even to today -
July 1st, 1923 Canada limits Chinese Immigration (political)
In 1923, Canada created the Chinese Exclusion Act which banned the entry of all Chinese immigrants for 24 years. The exceptions were students, merchants, diplomats, and Canadian-born Chinese returning from education in China. The act was created in order to lower and decrease the huge Chinese population in Canada. This day also falls on the same day as Canada day and would be later called humiliation day by the Chinese. -
Canada limits Chinese Immigration Continued
This event was significant to Canada because it successfully lowered the population of the Chinese in Canada but it also showed how the government and people of Canada were racist and discriminated against the Chinese. Steps have been made from the government ever since, such as the right to vote and the Canadian Citizenship’s Act, to make Canada more inclusive and diverse from what it once was. -
Person’s case Continued
This event was significant for Canada as it helped shape the role of women in society today since it gave women greater rights and opportunities. -
October 18, 1929, Person’s case (Social)
Prior to October 18, 1929, a person didn't include women and a person could only be apart of the Senate. Emily Murphy, Nellie McClung, Irene Parlby, Louise McKinney and Henrietta Muir Edwards wanted to change the word “persons” to include women. They brought their petition to the Supreme where they ruled unanimously that women were not persons, so the famous five sent their request to the Privy Council of England and they decided that women were indeed persons on October 18, 1929. -
October 29th, 1929 Black Tuesday (Economic)
On October 29th, 1929, the stock market steeply crashed in the United States and a total of 16 million shares were traded. This impacted the Canadian stock market and led to investors panicking. Billions of dollars were lost, thousands of stocks were traded, and the market kept low for a couple of days until it slowly recovered
This event was significant for shaping Canada because it crippled Canada’s trading economy and this marked the beginning of the Great Depression -
1930s Dust Bowl (Economic)
During the 1930s, there were severe drought and dust storms in the prairies. Farmland became unsustainable for crops, many people were forced to abandon their farms and find work elsewhere to support their families, and wheat prices dropped. Average incomes fell by 72 percent in Saskatchewan and 61 percent in Alberta, between 1928 and 1933.
This event was significant because it contributed to the great depression by crippling the economy and income of citizens (especially farmers). -
Feb 12th, 1930 Five-cent Speech, (Political)
In 1930, Mackenzie King said that social welfare was the responsibility of the provinces and said that he wouldn’t give a “five-cent piece” to any provinces that were governed by his opposition. King didn’t pay any attention to the crisis that Canada was facing and thought that it would work itself out.
King’s speech was one of the reasons the Liberals lost the next election and allowed the Conservatives to take over. This then led to the effects caused by Richard Bennet. -
Dec 11th, 1931 Westminster (Political)
On Dec 11th, 1931, a law was passed clarifying the powers of Canada’s parliament and other Commonwealth Dominions. It allowed for Britain Colonies to gain full legal freedom and independence. The law was passed due to multiple reasons such as the contribution of Canada in WW1, the halibut treaty, and the Chank Affair.
This was significant for shaping Canada since it allowed Canada to finally become legally independent and autonomous -
1932, Canadian Radio Broadcasting Commission (Social)
The CRBC was created in 1932 by the government of R.B. Bennet due to recommendations from the 1929 Royal Commission on Radio Broadcasting. The Canadian Radio Broadcasting Act was passed and the first public Canadian broadcaster was created.
This was significant for shaping Canada because it created entertainment which brightened the mood during a dark time. The CRBC was also significant because it was the beginning of the CBC which is one of Canada’s top broadcasters. -
March 1935 Bank of Canada is Created (economic)
On March 1935, the bank of Canada opened as a private institution that sold shares to the public. It was created due to R.B. Bennet's concern that Canada lacked a direct means for settling international accounts so the Bank of Canada Act was passed in 1934.
This event was significant for shaping Canada because there was no central bank prior to this. The bank also helped "to promote the economic and financial welfare of Canada" (as stated in the Bank of Canada Act) -
October 1935 King gets re-elected (political)
In 1935, R.B. Bennet took to the radio and announced his “new deal” promising a maximum work week, a minimum wage, closer regulation of working conditions, and more. He made this announcement to calm the pressure and discontent within the country and because there was also an election coming soon, but his reforms were seen as too-little, too-late. In October 1935, Mackenzie King’s Liberal party returned to parliament with a majority vote -
King gets re-elected Continued
This event was significant for shaping Canada because Mackenzie King was able to lead Canada through the rest of the dirty thirties and he made a lot of changes such as the creation of CBC, making the bank of Canada a crown corporation, passing the Reciprocal Trade Agreement, and more -
On-to-Ottawa Trek Continued
Bennet invited the strike leaders to meet with him while the rest of the strikers stayed at the Regina Exhibition Ground but the meeting lasted for barely an hour and the leaders returned to Regina and disbanded the trek.
This event was significant for shaping Canada because the trek was an important step for social justice, unemployment insurance, and unemployment welfare -
June 3rd, 1935, On-to-Ottawa Trek (social)
In 1935, residents of federal Unemployment Relief Camps in British Columbia went on strike and traveled by train and truck to several cities to protest poor conditions in the camps. On June 3rd, 1600 strikers began their “On-to-Ottawa Trek” to complain to parliament and R.B.Bennet about the poor working conditions in relief camps. They eventually arrived in Regina where they weren’t allowed to use the railways. -
Nov 2nd, 1936 CBC (social)
On Nov 2nd, 1936, Mackenzie King created the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (originally Canadian Radio Broadcasting Commission) as a crown corporation allowing for it to have more funding, a better organizational structure, and decreased vulnerability to political pressure. It was created to work against the American’s authority of the airwaves and to encourage the development of Canadian programs -
CBC Continued
This event was significant for shaping Canada because it created a sense of national unity across Canada, it encouraged the development of other Canadian programs and worked against the American authority of the airwaves. The effects of the creation of the CBC still lasts today as it remains popular
