The Dirty Thirties

Causes of the Great Depression

Stock Market Crash

The start of The Great Depression was marked by the stock market crash on Black Tuesday. Overproduction played a major role as well, because goods were being made faster than they were being consumed which led to unemployment. During the 1930's a drought that lasted eight years devastated the prairies and all of Canada due to crops being lost, and if that wasn't bad enough a plague of grasshoppers arrived to torment the remaining farms. These factors helped create the worst depression for Canada in over a century.

On October 29, 1929, also referred to as Black Tuesday, the stock market crashed which left many people bankrupt and in utter despair. In some cases individuals committed suicide because they lost everything and then some. The whole world's market went in a downward spiral after this incident and is regarded as the start of The Great Depression.

Protectionism and Tariff barriers

Dust Bowl

Since Wheat was a major product many farmers replaced the native grasses with wheat to increase output, but this used up the nutrients in the soil. When the drought happened the soil dried up and the winds blew it away which created constant dust storms. Then when no one thought it could get worse, a plague of grasshoppers wiped out the last crops and many farmers were forced to leave in search for jobs in the city.

Canada set up tariffs on foreign goods in an attempt to protect Canadian industries. This caused other countries to set up their own tariffs and trade barriers against Canada which slowed down the world trade. This meant that no one would buy Canadian wheat which had a negative impact on the economy. With high prices and little ability to export, prices continued to rise and soon, with many people unemployed, the price of living was too high for many.

Prime Minister Bennett

Bennett believed that "one of the greatest assets a man can have on entering life's struggle is poverty." In response to the depression he introduced the Unemployment Relief Act that gave $20 million for work-creation programs. He also tried to use tariffs to "blast a way" into world markets, this only hurt the economy and Canada. The Prairie Farm Rehabilitation Act was introduced to help farmers build irrigation systems and reservoirs, but by this time many families had already left their farms in search of work.

The Dirty Thirties

Dole/Pogey

Mackenzie King-"5 cent speech"

Mackenzie King thought that the depression was temporary and was unprepared to deal with it. He believed that it was the responsibility of the provincial and municipal governments. King is quoted for saying that he would not give "a five cent piece" to a Conservative provincial government. This statement helped build support for Bennett's Conservative government, who won with a majority vote.

Statistics

Impacts on Aboriginal canadians