1. The Roaring Twenties The Interwar Period

2. Changes in the 1920’s 1. Economy 2.Mobility/Communication 3.Women’s Rights 4.Minority Rights 5.Regionalism and Federalism

4. Life after War  During war workers agreed to work for lower wages as part of their patriotic duty  Inflation soon made it impossible to live on wages  Workers demanded more money  confrontation with employers was inevitable  Beginning of Unions

5. Response to Unrest  Communism: a social and economic theory that property, production, and distribution of goods and services should be owned by the public, and the labour force organized for the benefit of all members of society  Socialist: believing in a system in which the government controls the economy so that everyone benefits equally  Strikes and labour disputes took hold throughout the nation  Led to creation of systems and political parties we still see present today (NDP Party Roots)

6. Changing Economy  Demand for Canadian raw resources grew and boosted Canadian economy  Wheat, pulp and paper, Mining (lead, silver, zinc, copper)  Export and trade with the United States grew significantly  75% of newsprint exported to USA  American companies, specifically the automotive industry, began manufacturing protects within Canada (Branch Plants) - Why? Who benefited?

7. Tariffs  Tariff: Tax on foreign goods being imported.  The federal government introduced tariffs to protect Canada’s manufacturing and industrial base.  Example: US made farm machinery was taxed so that it was more expensive than Canadian-made farm machinery.  What did this do for Canadian companies?

8. A New Prosperity  Economy improved by mid-1920s  Canadians went into a spending frenzy  Made sacrifices during WWI, now they get to have some fun  Cars, radios, movies, jazz clubs, tourism, fashion, etc.  Era of consumerism, leisure, and rebellion

9. Increased Mobility  Automobiles  Cars cheaper, more popular, because of he assembly line (Henry Ford). Highway construction all over Canada  Switched from driving on left hand to right hand side of road  1928 White Spot opened first drive in restaurant  Often connecting Canada and USA

10. Flight  Flight  Pilots testing limits  Planes used to transport supplies to isolated locations  Veterans became “Bush Pilots” who flew geologists into remote areas to explore mining opportunities  Connected isolated communities- deliver antitoxin to treat diphtheria outbreak in Northern Alberta

11. Improved Communication  Telephones common household item  Radio linked people across Canada  Spread popular culture, entertainment,  Information  Dominated by American programming- Canadian protectionism  Movies  Silent until late-1920s  Dominated by Hollywood

12. Arts and Sports Group of Seven Canadian landscapes in modern style Emily Carr- Painted scenes of West Coast Forest and Aboriginal life - Revolutionary broad strokes, bright colours Figure 3-10: Emily Carr Totems and Indian Houses

13. Arts and Sports Increase in sports as entertainment First radio broadcast of hockey by Foster Hewitt – 1923 Increasing popularity of modern Olympics  Baseball, professional boxing, Rugby football, curling, golf Figure 3-9

16. Role of Women  Hopes for reform high after WWI – “New Era for Women” BUT  Women encouraged to give jobs back to men  Women still expected to stay home  If they worked, paid less than men  Nurses, teachers, secretaries, operators  Agnes Macphail First woman elected to Parliament (1921)  Government still dominated by men

17. Women in Politics  1921- Only 5 women ran for office, only one, Agnes Macphail, won her seat. She was the only woman in the House of Commons until 1935  4 western provinces elected 9 women to their legislature- federal and provinical governments make dominated

18. The Persons Case  Emily Murphy appointed a magistrate in Alberta in 1929  Challenged on basis only “persons” could hold office under BNA Act  Women were not persons in the eyes of the law  Supreme Court of Alberta ruled that Murphy did, indeed, have the right to be a judge  Emily Murphy and 4 other women activists challenged PM King to appoint a woman senator and clarify definition of person  Took case to Supreme Court of Canada  In 1928 Supreme Court of Canada decided women were NOT…. WHAT???

19. This is a picture of the famous five. From left to right: Nelly McClung, Louise McKinley, Henrietta Edwards, Emily Murphy and Irene Parlby.  Appealed to Privy Council in London  Famous Five appealed to the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council in Britian  1929 Judicial Committee declared its support for women “… to those who would ask why the word “person” should include females, the obvious answer is, why should it not?!?!?!?!?!?!?”

20. Missing the Roar  First Nations  Not classified as “persons” under the law  Not allowed to vote (BC: 1949, Fed: 1960)  Conditions poor on reserves, many looked for employment in cities Residential Schools  Discrimination and racism in cities  Separated from families, culture  Many abused physically and emotionally  Either adapt or be punished  Assimilation

21. Missing the Roar First Nations  Potlatch ceremonies outlawed  Illegal since 1884, but strictly enforced in ’20s Aboriginal Title (land claims)  Most BC land not officially signed over to government in treaties  Government still took land from reserves  Cut-off lands  Argued for treaty negotiations with gov.  Federal government forbid land claims

22. Residential Schools

23. Missing the Roar  Immigrants  Much racism, ethnocentrism (Ku Klux Klan)  Russian and Eastern European immigrants believed to be communist revolutionaries  British and Americans preferred  White and spoke English  Some businesses welcomed immigrants because they worked for little money in unpleasant jobs  Labour unions often against open immigration. WHY??M

24. Missing the Roar Asian immigrants treated the worst Chinese Head Tax since 1885 Chinese Exclusion Act (1923) Only allowed if merchant, diplomat, student Japanese immigration severely restricted in 1922 Economy improved in mid-1920s, immigration laws relaxed (except for Asian immigrants) to increase Canada’s population, market