1. Government Response to the Great Depression
Majority Government
Social Services
Relief Camps
On-To-Ottawa
Bennett’s New Deal

2. King’s View of the Great Depression
Believed the situation was temporary
Argued that relief and social services were the responsibility of Municipal and Provincial Governments
“not a five cent piece” to a Conservative Government
Lost 1930 Election

3. Richard Bedford Bennett
Conservative Prime Minister
Not in favour of relief either, but he introduced several measures to help Canadians
- Some did more harm than good

4. Unemployment Relief Act
Gave the provinces 20 Million dollars for work creation programs
Ex. Road construction, ditch digging, garbage collection
Despite this spending, the economy did not improve as families could not afford to spend

5. Increased Tariffs
Bennett tried to “use tariffs to blast a way” into world markets and out of the depression
Raised tariffs by more than 50% to protect Canadian businesses and encourage people to buy Canadian
World Wide Domino effect and trade issues worsened

6. Prairie Farm Rehabilitation Act 1935
Government funding to help farmers build irrigation systems and reservoirs
TOO LATE
Many farms already abandoned

7. Red Scare- ahhhh!
Bennett feared the large number of jobless men would come under the influence of the Communist Party and its classless economic policies
1931 Bennett outlawed Communist campaigning

8. Relief Camps
Bennett created a national network of work camps for single men as a way to provide relief
17000 men
Problems:
Deep in the woods
20 cents a day!
Infested housing
Rotten food

9. Bennett Becomes a Joke
Bennett became a target for people’s frustration and anger
“Bennett Buggy”
Bennett Blanket”
“Bennett Barnyard”

10. On-To-Ottawa Trek 1935

11. On-To-Ottawa Trek 1935
A massive traveling protest by unemployed single men in BC protesting relief camp conditions
led by the Relief Camp Workers Union
Vancouver to Ottawa
By the time they reached Regina, over men

12. Bennett’s Response to the Trek
Called in the RCMP to stop the Trek in Regina
Only Union leaders allowed to carry on to Ottawa
Accused of being Communists

13. Regina Riot 1935
RCMP ordered to clear the Trekkers from the local stadium in Regina
Trekkers resisted
Battle lasted for hours

14. Franklin Roosevelt’s New Deal
US President introduced the New Deal that created public work programs for the unemployed and farmers
- Provided social assistance such as unemployment insurance

15. Bennett’s New Deal Progressive taxation
Unemployment and work health insurance
Regulated work hours, wages, conditions
Revised old age pensions
Canadian Wheat Board to regulate prices
Bank of Canada Act to decide national policies