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Canadian Farm Land Becomes The ‘Dust Bowl’ Due To Droughts
1929 marked the start of a 10 year long drought in the Canadian Prairies, caused by a lack of rain, over-farming in the Roaring Twenties, high temperatures, and grasshopper infestations. Strong winds blew soil around, creating strong dust storms and the region became known as the ‘Dust Bowl’ (picture). Because of these conditions, farmers couldn’t grow crops, which meant they weren’t making money and many farmers became poor. Between 1931 and 1941, over 250,000 farmers abandoned their farms. -
A Negative Change For Farmers
This event was a change for farmers across Canada because farmers had never gone bankrupt on such a wide scale before. In the past, growing conditions were ideal, but during the drought, conditions were so bad that farmers couldn’t even produce crops, which was a change that farmers were not prepared for. Therefore, this event was a negative change for farmers because many lost jobs and became poor to the drought. Picture: a farm that was abandoned due to dust storms. -
A Continuation of Unfortunate Events For Workers
This event was a continuation of past events. Workers had protested for better wages and working conditions in the past during the Winnipeg General Strike. After that strike, the workers didn’t get what they wanted and authorities were not happy with the workers. In this case, PM Bennett was outraged with the workers and decided to close down all of the work camps, leaving all of the unemployed men to fend for themselves.Therefore, this event can be considered a decline for worker’s rights. -
Workers Embark on the On-The-Ottawa Trek
Led by Arthur ‘Slim’ Evans, over 1000 single, unemployed men boarded freight trains (attached) in Vancouver heading to Ottawa to see PM Bennett on June 3rd 1935. The purpose of the trek was to demand better wages and benefits in the work camps they worked on. Prime Minister Richard Bennett set up these camps to support men that were left unemployed due to the Great Depression. PM Bennett was not happy that workers were ungrateful for the camps, so he made authorities stop the trek in Regina. -
Protesting Workers Arrested In The Regina Riot
After the On-To-Ottawa Trek was stopped in Regina on June 14th 1935, the travelling workers stayed there for three weeks. On July 1st, RCMP officers circled in on a rallying crowd in Market Square using clubs as weapons. PM Bennett had ordered the RCMP to do this a few days prior. The workers in the crowd fought back using rocks and clubs. This riot lasted four hours and in the end, 130 workers and strike leaders were arrested and 1 police officer was left dead (attached). -
Progress and Decline of Rights for Workers
The riot was an example of continuity because of how it mirrors past events. In the past, workers and authorities had had conflicts that were so strong that they ended in riots. During the Winnipeg General Strike, workers on strike were so angry that they started a riot and flipped a streetcar over and set it on fire! This riot meant both progress and decline in workers rights because workers became closer to gaining the benefits they wanted, but tensions with authorities were getting stronger. -
Women In The Workforce On The Homefront
When World War II started, men left jobs in factories to serve overseas, leaving women to fill their jobs. Due to the war, the number of women in the workforce in Canada increased from 570,000 women at the beginning of the war to over 1 million by the end. Women worked in factories, producing guns, munitions, aircraft, and ships. The Canadian government used ‘Ronnie the Bren Gun Girl’ (attached) to encourage women to join the workforce. As well as working, many women also rationed food. -
Continuity and Progress For Women
This event was a continuation of past events because women had worked in the workforce during World War I as well. However, in World War II, more women were a part of the workforce than World War I. This was progress for women’s rights because by being a part of the workforce, women were able to start earning money for themselves and break the gender stereotypes that had previously been in place. The attached picture is of women working in a primer factory during World War II. -
Agriculture Minister Calls Upon Canadian Farmers To Increase Food Production
On April 14th 1941, federal agriculture minister James Gardiner made an urgent announcement to Canadian farmers to increase food production to support troops overseas. During WW2, Canadian farmers were able to increase total food production by 50% and meet 85% of British demands as well. They were able to do this by buying more machinery and working longer hours. The government also gave farmers incentives to produce specific crops (Wheat Acreage Reduction Program). Picture:farmers in Ontario. -
A Positive Continuation Of Events For Farmers!
Farmers increasing production was a continuation of their support to the war effort in World War I. In World War I, Canadians farmers increased food production and encouraged others to ration to support the troops overseas, which happened during World War II as well. This was progress for Canadian farmers because they got jobs back that they had lost during the Great Depression and were doing a lot better financially. Picture: a poster urging Canadians to help on farms. -
Japanese-Canadians Sent to Internment Camps
After Japan’s attack on Pearl Harbor, many Canadians didn’t like that there were Japanese people living in Canada. As a response, the government required them to carry ID cards everywhere and they were forced to choose between being deported or relocated to internment camps (many chose this option). On March 16th 1942, the first group was sent away to internment camps, where they were crowded into huts with no running water. By the end of the war, 22,000 Japanese-Canadians had been relocated. -
Continuation of Discrimination for Japanese-Canadians
This event was a continuation of past events. In World War I, Ukrainian-Canadians were sent to internment camps, just like Japanese-Canadians were. This shows that the government had continued to discriminate against minorities between the two wars. Internment camps had a negative impact on the Japanese-Canadian community because the government had completely turned against them and they had lost all of their rights and freedoms as well. Picture: Japanese-Canadians head off to internment camps. -
Women’s Royal Canadian Naval Service Formed
On July 31st 1942, the Women’s Royal Canadian Naval Service was formed when there weren’t enough male soldiers. Over 7000 women from across Canada had served in the WRCNS by the end of the war in Canada, the US, and Britain. Chief Officer Dorothy Isherwood was the director of the WRCNS and helped them train on the HMCS Conestoga in Galt, Ontario (attached). The trained female officers never went into combat, but still helped in the war effort by serving in trades like signalling and coding. -
A Positive Change for Women!
This event was a change, as women had not served in the navy in Canada during World War I. In WW1, women were only allowed to serve as nurses, but in World War II, they were allowed to serve in trades. This change came as a result of women beginning to receive more rights since the previous war and the lack of men available to serve. This event was progress for women because they were given more opportunities and rights that carried through to later years. Picture: women in uniform. -
Japanese-Canadians Impacted By The ‘Custodian of Aliens Act’
On January 19th 1943, PM King signed a ruling that was part of the ‘Custodian of Aliens Act’, which allowed Japanese-Canadian property to be liquidated. Before they were sent to internment camps, Japanese-Canadians were forced to give up their houses, cars, businesses, and any other personal property. This ruling allowed the government to sell off Japanese-Canadian possessions for very low prices, which left the community without any money. Picture: 1200 boats that were confiscated. -
A Continuation in the Decline of Japanese-Canadian Rights
This event was an example of continuity because in World War I, possessions were taken from minorities under the ‘War Measures Act’. This event can also be considered a change because though the government had taken possessions in the past, they had never actually liquidated them before. This event is a decline for Japanese-Canadians because they lost all of their money and belongings due to the Custodian Aliens Act. Picture: an ad for an auction of Japanese-Canadian items. -
Bibliography Part 2
“Custodian of Aliens.” Canadian Japanese Internment Camps, 11 May 2011, canadianjapaneseinternmentcamps.wordpress.com/2011/05/11/custodian-of aliens/#:~:text=The%20%E2%80%9CCustodian%20of%20Aliens%E2%80%9D%20allowed,removed%20from%20Japanese%20Canadian%20inhabitants.
“Custodian of Enemy Property.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 8 Mar. 2019, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Custodian_of_Enemy_Property.
“The Dust Bowl.” CBCnews, CBC/Radio Canada, www.cbc.ca/history/EPISCONTENTSE1EP13CH1PA2LE.html. -
Bibliography Part 4
“Internment of Japanese Canadians.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 4 Mar. 2021, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Internment_of_Japanese_Canadians#World_War_II.
Jenish, D'Arcy. “The Farmers' War.” Legion Magazine, 28 July 2011, legionmagazine.com/en/2011/07/the-farmers-war/#:~:text=From%201935%20to%201938%2C%20Canadian,1945%20when%20farmers%20bought%206%2C609. -
Bibliography Part 7
Neill, Elaine. “1. Canadians At Home.” Google Slides, 18 Feb. 2021, docs.google.com/presentation/d/1tCr29hSF4kswKiHmZljGJuIR7nI_qJ5Fd1kUnARKzxI/edit#slide=id.p14.
Neill, Elaine. “2. Canadian Controversies.” Google Slides, 10 Sept. 2020, docs.google.com/presentation/d/1ZUMhRj6A3vufritfj03OSabdiUSSH8O4p7WaEDLU1IQ/edit#slide=id.p7.
Neill, Elaine. “On-To-Ottawa Trek.” Google Slides, 11 Feb. 2021, docs.google.com/presentation/d/1L6C4CzsobzKGJ-8SYJsFW3j_DYrzt7Wg_GkvL22rhkA/edit#slide=id.p25. -
Bibliography Part 8
Neill, Elaine. “The Great Depression.” Google Slides, 8 Sept. 2020, docs.google.com/presentation/d/1eSH-3wmW5ypTxlE88C9X0UtjyGCOyPdw7Nl3trRhdmY/edit#slide=id.p10.
“On-to-Ottawa Trek.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 14 Jan. 2021, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/On-to-Ottawa_Trek.
Women's Royal Canadian Naval Service. 12 Jan. 2021, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Women%27s_Royal_Canadian_Naval_Service. -
Bibliography Part 1
Canada, Veterans Affairs. “Canada Remembers Women on The Home Front.” Women and War - Remembering Those Who Served - Remembrance - Veterans Affairs Canada, 20 Apr. 2017, www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/remembrance/those-who-served/women-veterans/homefront. -
Bibliography Part 3
“Dust Bowl.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 25 Feb. 2021, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dust_Bowl.
Gimblett, Richard. “Women's Royal Canadian Naval Service.” The Canadian Encyclopedia, 16 Feb. 2016, www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/womens-royal-canadian-naval-service.
Howard, Victor. “On to Ottawa Trek and Regina Riot.” The Canadian Encyclopedia, 7 Feb. 2006, www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/on-to-ottawa-trek. -
Bibliography Part 5
Marsh, James H. “Japanese Canadian Internment: Prisoners in Their Own Country.” Japanese Canadian Internment: Prisoners in Their Own Country | The Canadian Encyclopedia, 23 Feb. 2012, www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/japanese-internment-banished-and-beyond-tears-feature. -
Bibliography Part 6
Museum, Canadian War. “Life on the Home Front: Women and the War on the Home Front.” WarMuseum.ca - Democracy at War - Women and the War on the Home Front - Canada and the War, www.warmuseum.ca/cwm/exhibitions/newspapers/canadawar/women_e.html.
Navy, Royal Canadian. “Government of Canada.” Canada.ca, / Gouvernement Du Canada, 21 Oct. 2020, www.canada.ca/en/navy/services/history/ships-histories/conestoga.html.
