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United States Branch Plants (Economic)
In the 1920’s, United States branch plants were being introduced to Canada. These branch plants were American companies setting up factories in Canada, and involve American commercial firms and manufacturing in Canada, allowing them to avoid import tariffs. The United States’ companies took the profits made by the branch plants, and these plants gave the United States partial control of Canada’s economy. -
United States Branch Plants Continued (Economic)
However, these plants provided many Canadians with jobs and opportunities to work with new technologies. These plants still exist today. -
The Discovery of Insulin (Social)
In 1921 at the University of Toronto, Frederick Banting and Charles Best discovered insulin by using dogs as test subjects. Banting and Best injected diabetes into dogs, and then injected an extract of a degenerated pancreas, they realised that the dog’s blood sugar levels returned to normal. Insulin was purified for use on humans by James Collip and was used to treat diabetes. Before 1921, people with type 1 diabetes were not likely to live more than two years. -
Chanak Crisis (Political)
In the fall of 1922, Turkish nationalists threatened British troops stationed in Chanak, Turkey, a port controlled by Britain. On September 15, Britain sent a telegram to the dominions, including Canada, requesting military assistance. However, Prime Minister Mackenzie King’s cabinet agreed only Parliament could on matters such as the Chanak Crisis. -
Chanak Crisis Continued (Political)
Mackenzie King felt that Canada should not need Britain’s input, and gain greater independence regarding choices made on foreign policies. This was the first time the British parliament was not involved in a choice made by the Canadian parliament. -
The Halibut Treaty (Political)
In March of 1923, Canada and the United States signed the Halibut Treaty, to protect depleting Halibut stocks in the North Pacific. Fishers catching Halibut were fined, preventing the overfishing of Halibut. The Treaty was signed in Washington, by Ernest Lapointe, Canada’s Minister of of marine and fisheries, and Charles Hughes, US Secretary of State. -
Halibut Treaty Continued (Political)
Britain wished to sign off on the treaty as well, but Prime Minister Mackenzie argued the matter was the concern of Canada and America, and did not involve Britain. -
Chinese Immigration Act (Political)
On July 1, 1923, the Chinese Immigration Act, otherwise known as the Chinese Exclusion Act was passed, limiting the entry of Chinese immigrants into Canada. Also, all Chinese had to register for identity cards within 12 months, non-compliers were imprisoned or fined up to $500. Many politicians and citizens at the time were in favor of a “White Canada,” a driving factor of this act being put in place. -
Chinese Immigration Act Continued (Political)
The number of Chinese immigrants had rapidly been increasing since they first arrived in Canada, even after head taxes were placed on them. -
The Person's Case (Social)
Until 1929, women were not allowed to be on the Canadian Senate, as they were not considered “persons,” a requirement to become apart of the Canadian Senate. In 1928, five women known as the “Famous Five” went to the Supreme Court of Canada and fought for women to be recognized as “persons.” The five women lost in the Supreme Court of Canada. -
The Person's Case Continued (Social)
In 1929 the women went to England and took their case to the Judicial Council of Britain’s Privy Council, where they won. On October 18, 1929, women were officially considered “persons” and could be appointed to the Canadian Senate. -
The Stock Market Crash (Black Thursday) (Economic)
On October 24, 1929, the skyrocketing stock market plummeted. Many people were selling their stocks, in an attempt to get whatever money they could. Margin calls were made, and rumors spread of people committing suicide. Bankers and industrialists pooled money into the Stock Market in the afternoon, subsiding panic in investors. -
The Stock Market Crash Continued (Black Tuesday) (Economic)
Another major crash, Black Tuesday, took place on October 29, 1929, where 330, 000 shares were sold in Toronto, 13 times the usual amount. The Stock Market Crash was major factor leading to the Great Depression, as billions of dollars were lost in the Canadian Stock Exchange. -
Mackenzie King's Five Cent Speech (Political)
During the late 1920’s, most politicians believed the government had no role to play in the economy, including Prime Minister Mackenzie King. Before the 1930 elections, R.B Bennett promised jobs for those willing to work, and high tariffs to protect Canadian industries. In 1930, Prime Minister Mackenzie King proclaimed he would not give a “five cent piece” to help an Conservative provincial government fight unemployment. -
Five Cent Speech Continued (Political)
This outraged unemployed workers, and was a major factor in why R.B. Bennett was elected at the next elections. -
The Dust Bowl (Economic)
During the 1930’s, severe drought and dust storms ravaged the prairies. Wheat prices plummeted and farmland became unsustainable for crops, many people were forced to abandon their farms, and find work elsewhere to support their families. Average incomes fell by 72 percent in Saskatchewan and 61 percent in Alberta, between 1928 and 1933. The dust bowl contributed greatly to the tough conditions in Canada during the Great Depression. -
Prime Minister Bennett is Elected (Political)
Prime Minister Bennett was a viscount, businessman, lawyer, politician and the leader of the Conservative Party from 1927 to 1938. He was prime minister of Canada from August 7, 1930 to October 23, 1935. Prime Minister Bennett attempted to get Canada out of the Great Depression by raising tariffs on goods entering Canada. However, this backfired when America raised tariffs on imported goods. Canada’s economic position worsened, leading to the creation of the Bennett Buggy and Bennett Blanket. -
Statute of Westminster (Political)
On December 11, 1931, the Statute of Westminster was passed. The Statute of Westminster granted Canada and the other Dominions complete legal freedom except in areas they decide to stay subordinate to Britain in. The Statute of Westminster was passed due to Canada asserting its Independence in the 1920’s, Mackenzie King was non-committal to the Chanak Affair, and Canada signed the Halibut Treaty without letting Britain sign off are examples. -
Relief Camps (Social)
During the Great Depression, the federal government set up relief camps in remote British Columbia, to house single unemployed men. The men at the camps did general labor, clearing brush and building roads and walls. The men were given 20 cents a day, were housed in bunk beds in crowded auditoriums, and given meals poor in nutrition, usually a soup, and often cold and expired. The men at these camps soon got sick of the conditions. -
Bank of Canada (Economic)
Public pressure for a central bank began increasing when the Home Bank of Canada on August 18, 1923, and many other banks were in financial trouble the same year. Depositors lost the majority of their deposits and a source of credit. The demand for a central bank grew throughout the Great Depression, especially from farmers. Prime Minister Bennett responded to the demand by passing the Bank of Canada Act on July 3, 1934, which created the Bank of Canada. -
Bank of Canada Continued (Economic)
The Bank of Canada opened in 1935 in Ottawa, and was originally privately owned, but became nationalized in 1938. -
On-to-Ottawa Trek (Social)
The men at the relief camps were through with the intolerable conditions at the camps and went on strike in demand of better pay, food, shelter and clothing. In June of 1935, 1600 boarded trains to confront Prime Minister Bennett is Ottawa. Prime Minister Bennett fearing the mass of men headed is way ordered the police to halt the trains in Regina, and invited the strike leaders to meet him, hoping the strikers would disband and return to the relief camps. -
Regina Riot Continued (Social)
The men returned to the relief camp, having gained nothing. -
Regina Riot (Social)
The meeting between the strike leaders and Bennett lasted less than an hour, and the infuriated strike leader returned to Regina after learning Prime Minister Bennett had no intention of listening to what they had to say. The strike leaders organized a rally for July 1 in the market square. Bennett order police to arrest the men at the rally, leading to a riot. One police officer dead and several protesters and citizens were injured as a result of the Regina Riot.
