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Winnipeg General Strike
-workers in Winnipeg went on strike (negotiations with employers failed); wanted higher wages, shorter working hours, and right to collective bargaining
-stores, factories closed down, no services, etc.
-government arrested many leaders, fired the police squad (who was on the workers' side), sent in a special force
-resulted in Bloody Saturday
*workers stood up for themselves
*government response shows its attitude: ignored the real problem (ex: unfair wages) and used force to suppress workers -
Bloody Saturday (part of Winnipeg General Strike)
-a strikers' parade that turned violent when Royal North West Mounted Police charged the crowd with weapons
(refer to "Winnipeg General Strike"; this happened during that strike)
*ended the strike
*showed government's attitude towards the labour movement: it didn't care why the workers were upset, it just used force to suppress the workers -
Treaty of Versailles signed
-signed at the Paris Peace Conference
-included Germany's punishments
*ended World War I
*Germans unhappy with the War Guilt Clause, which is one of the causes of World War II
*Canada signed the Treaty, showing its independence from Britain and recognized on an international stage (Image: on the spoon it says "peace terms", in the dialogue bubble it says "You've got to swallow it whether you like it or not!") -
Amendment of Indian Act
-Indian Act changed to let government enfranchise people without consent (to strip them of their Indian status)
-the Act was changed again later, to let government take away lands (called "cut-off lands") from reserves without Aborignal consent, and make it harder for them to pursue land claims *government was still trying to assimilate Aboriginals, and still treated them terribly
*life as an Aboriginal was tough, even during the roaring twenties
Image: "Trust me, the Indian Act is intact." -
Residential School attendance became mandatory
-Aboriginal children were taken away from their families to residential schools, where they were abused physically and psychologically
*the government was still trying to assimilate Aboriginal People
*the Aboriginals were still treated terribly in these times; they couldn't even keep their own children with them!
(Image: students in a residential school) -
Progressive Party created
-Political party led by the ex-Minister of Agriculture
-wanted a national policy of free trade (trading with no taxes) and public ownership of railways
*influential in changing social policy: ex: helped create the Old Age Pension Act
*showcases result of Regionalism--people in the Prairies wanted their voices heard, thus the creation and popularity of this party
*changed Canadian politics, since there are 3 parties, not just 2. A minority government became possible Image: the Prairies -
League of Nations: First meeting
The 42 members of the League of Nations met in Paris. *Canada had a separate seat from Great Britain within the League, demonstrating its autonomy and international recognition.
(Image: delegates in front of a banner that says, "Societe des Nations) -
Quebec court ruled in favour of racial segregation
-Superior Court supported Montreal theatres to have racially segregated seating
*shows discrimination against African-Canadians--even judges, who are supposed to advocate justice, were terrible to them
-there was also separate schools for African-Canadians in Nova Scotia
*not only African-Canadians were discriminated against, other minorities were also generally unwelcomed by Canadians and faced unfair treatment (Image: African-Canadians protesting segregation in schools) -
Chanak Crisis
September-October
Britain wanted Canada to send troops to a Turkish port (Chanak) because Turkish rebels wanted to take over the port, but Mackenzie King refused to automatically support Britain, and brought the issue up in Parliament to debate over it.
-the Crisis ended before the debate did
*the first time Canada didn't automatically support Britain, and in a way, declaring its autonomy (Image: people debating in the House of Commons) -
First Radio Broadcast of hockey in Canada
-Foster Hewitt made the first play-by-play radio broadcast *listening to the radio and spectator sports became popular entertainment in the 20s (a change in the social/cultural aspect; to relax, people weren't just hiking anymore, they were watching movies, sports, dancing-they were enjoying their lives and having fun, because the war made them realize how important having fun was, and they were also celebrating this time of peace) -
Mackenzie King elected as Prime Minister after the King-Byng Crisis
-King's Liberals won less seats than Meighan's Conservatives in the 1925 federal election, but King wanted to stay as prime minister (PM) since he had Progressive Party's support
-but King was losing support, so he asked Governor General (GG) Byng to dissolve Parliament
-Byng refused, Meighan became PM, but then voted out
-another election was held: King won
*the first AND last time a GG refused PM's request
*King publicly challenged Britain over the role of GG: declaring Canda's independence -
Persons Case resolved
-it was unclear whether women were "persons" under the Canadian Constitution, so the Famous Five (a group of suffragists, including Emily Murphy) challenged the definition of persons (this is the Persons Case)
*the Judicial Committee of British Privy Council declared that women were persons on this day
*shows women's changing status in society: they had more freedoms (Ex: freedom to be involved in politics)-->not the traditional stay-at-home mothers
(Image: shows pictures of the Famous Five) -
Black Tuesday
The New York, Toronto, and Montreal Stock Exchange crashed
-stock prices were dropping, so people started selling (they were worried since they bought on margin, which is buying with money from stocks that you haven't cashed in)
-when people sold, other people followed suit, and prices dropped
-the stock market crash not only affected those who invested, but also everyone else: prices of goods dropped and jobs were lost
*indicates the start of the Depression -
Statute of Westminster was passed in the British Parliament
-this was the law that recognized the Balfour Report from the Imperial Conference of 1926
-made Britain's previous colonies into the "British Commonwealth", all the countries were equal countries as Britain, but pledge allegiance to the Crown, and can make their own laws
*Canada was legally, officially an autonomous nation -
Co-operative Commonwealth Federation (CCF) founded
-CCF founded in the Prairies
-first socialist party in Canada
-wanted government-controlled economy so everyone benefits equally
*reflected people's dissatisfaction with the government's unwillingness to step in and help its people
*it wanted social programs to help the elderly, unemployed, homeless, and sick (and made a difference in society by urging the government to have those programs!)
(Image: the CCF "sun" is radiating words such as prosperity, justice, and freedom) -
Union Nationale formed
-Maurice Duplessis and some Liberals joined to form this party
-supported Quebec Nationalism (protecting the Quebecois culture)
*show that the French and English people were still not getting along
*an example of regionalism--the French-Canadians in Quebec were concerned about their societal issues (and the Union Nationale blamed everything on English-Canadians)
*the idea of Quebec Nationalism is still relevant today (thus the existence of Bloc Quebecois) -
Bennett introduced his New Deal
-Bennett introduced things like taxing the rich, regulated work hours/conditions, unemployment and health nsurance, revised old age pension, and a Wheat Board to regulate wheat price
-an election ploy that people saw right through
*though the New Deal didn't help with unemployment much, it was the first "social safety net"-like system in Canada, meant to protect business and people during dire times
*Bennett copied the New Deal from Roosevelt: shows American influence on Canada
(Image: Bennett) -
On-To-Ottawa Trek
-thousands of relief camp workers from B.C. went on freight cars towards Ottawa to protest low wages and terrible working conditions
-stopped at Regina and confined; only leaders went on
-leaders were shot down (figuratively) by Bennett (he called them crazy communists)
*shows that the workers were fed up with the government
*shows the government's unwillingness to help people in these times
*led to the Regina Riot
(Image: Men jumped on freight trains. The banner says "ON TO OTTAWA") -
Mackenzie King elected as Prime Minister
King becomes PM, since Bennett wasn't a great PM: terrible to the people in the On-To-Ottawa Trek, his New Deal an election ploy
*King didn't like Keynesian economy (King liked no government intervention in economy)
*he shut down relief camps in 1936
-King set up the "Royal Commission on Dominion-Provincial Relations" *the result: the Rowell-Sirios Report's recommendations were ignored (but later come into play; ex: it recommended equalization payments, which are in effect today) -
Federal Unemployment Relief Camps were set up
-Bennett set up camps in remote areas where men did heavy labour work for 20 cents a day
-had terrible food and lodging
-over 170000 men worked in relief camps
*conditions were terrible, yet lots of people still worked there--this shows how desperate people were, how dire their situations were, and how woeful the Depression was (Image: relief camp cabin) -
Note to Mrs. Samson:
For some events, I couldn't find the exact date, so I put "January 1st" for them (but the years are correct.)
