-
Prohibition
Prohibition was the law that banned the importation, fabrication, or marketing of alcohol as the result of the Temperance Movement. Before federal governments implemented the ban, many agreed and supported it. There were many pros and cons, whether it be no hungover workers or difficult to enforce and increased crime rates. It introduced bootleggers and rumrunners to Canada; individuals who illegally imported alcohol. Speakeasies and underground drinking establishments were created. -
Spanish Flu
The Canadian population was exposed to a virus in 1918, resulting in a nationwide epidemic known as the Spanish Flu or Great Influenza epidemic. It first appeared during WWI and returned home alongside soldiers. Many became ill, many of them in their prime years. The government had closed down all non-essential facilities and imposed quarantine and mask-wearing laws to prevent the spread. Efforts to cure those infected with the flu were futile due to the scarcity of medical treatments. -
Bloody Saturday
The government had arrested ten strike leaders and two members of the One Big Union. This resulted in a silent parade, but they were prohibited during the strike. The governments responded negatively, charging at the crowd. Many people were beaten, 30 people were injured, and two people were killed; the day will not be forgotten. -
Residential Schools
In 1920, the Indian Act amendment made it so that indigenous children attending residential schools was compulsory. The schools and amendment were put in place as a response to the threat that the Canadian government perceived during their industrialization. For these children, the schools were more like prisons, and many were stripped of their identities. Within the walls of the schools, children were abused physically, mentally, and sexually. -
Flappers
Flappers were women who defied society's expectations. They were notorious for being immoral and outrageous. They were rejected because of their short-cut skirts, bobbed hair, and music taste. They not only rebelled against their conformed culture, but they also pushed back against the barriers that women's economic, political, and sexual freedom faced. In today's world, many people may refer to women who hold the same beliefs as feminists. -
Model T & Assembly Line
Automobiles transformed Canada in the 1920s. During these times, the assembly line was invented, which increased the production rates of automobiles and made it easier to do so. This made cars like the Model T more affordable to the general public, as one car at the time cost around 240 dollars. This enabled people to travel further, making it easier to visit family and friends as well as work away from home. -
Radios
Radios revolutionized communication in the 1920s, making it more accessible to the general public. The invention of radios "shrunk" the size of Canada because many people were no longer required to travel to communicate. It enabled many people to communicate and listen to radio broadcasts from afar. Between 1922 and 1932, the number of business radio stations increased to 77, up from 39 in 1922. Even withinside the midst of the Great Depression, the radio enterprise kept growing. -
Insulin
In 1921, Frederick G. Banting, Charles Best, and John MacLeod invented insulin, which was revolutionary at the time. Until the discovery of insulin at the University of Toronto in Canada, the population of North America had no treatment for diabetes. The discovery changed diabetics' primary concern from the rate at which they died to the quality of their lives. In the end, the discovery saved at least millions of lives. -
Chinese Exclusion Act
In 1923, Prime Minister Mackenzie King was in power, and he implemented the Chinese Immigration Act. The act was enacted in an attempt to deter Chinese immigrants from entering Canada. Legislation barred them from voting, holding public office, or owning property, as well as restricting employment and housing and imposing a slew of other restrictions. Even after the act was repealed, discrimination persisted. -
Persons Case
The persons case was initiated by the famous five, a group of feminist activists (Emily Murphy, Henrietta Edwards, Nellie McClung, Louise McKinney & Irene Parlby). Prior to the persons case, these women actively fought for their rights. In this case, they fought for the right to work in the House of Commons and the Senate, as well as to no longer be denied rights; ultimately, the successful case declared women to be 'persons' in the eyes of the law. -
Black Tuesday
The stock market crashed on October 29, 1929, leaving many people impoverished. Many people bought credit indefinitely, regardless of their financial situation. Prior to the crash, the economy had been steadily increasing, and no one expected the abrupt halt. The stock market crash did not cause the Great Depression, but it certainly made things worse. -
Great Depression
Following the events of Black Tuesday in 1929, Canadians were subjected to a severe economic downturn, which resulted in the Great Depression. Many factors contributed to the economic downturn, including consumers buying on the margin, high tariffs resulting in a "tax war," & overproduction. As a result, many lost their primary source of income as job opportunities became scarce, leaving families without food, shelter, or basic necessities. This prosperity turned into a depression. -
5 Cent Speech
At the time of the speech, Canada's Prime Minister, Mackenzie King, believed that the government did not have to assist those in need during the Great Depression. The government was liberal at the time. He stated that he would refuse to provide federal unemployment benefits to provinces that disagreed with the Canadian government. Later in his speech, he stated that he would not even give them 5 cents. The speech was used against him, not in his favor by the conservative opposition. -
Relief
Relief camps were implemented in hopes of giving a better chance of survival to those who were unemployed, and male. Many men felt embarrassed having to resort to a relief camp, and they were paid one-tenth of what a regular laborer would; the men would clear bushes, clean roads, and so on. The camps were not mandated, but refusal to attend could result in arrest. As an outcome, the men in the camps were extremely dissatisfied, prompting them to go on strike. -
On to Ottawa Trek
The On to Ottawa Trek was a result of the unemployed men in relief camps in British Columbia as they were upset with the conditions they had to face. The men protested for months, traveling from place to place by train and trucks; in efforts to take the strike to Ottawa. However, the men got stopped mid-travel by the Mounted police where they were accused of wanting to harm the government when they reached Regina. The strike leaders were then arrested, resulting in the Regina Riot.