How Did The Great Depression Affect Canada

Great Depression

Did you know that many political parties that are here today were created because of the Great Depression? The Great Depression was a severe economic depression that took place in the early 1930s in Canada. It left many Canadians unemployed with little to live on. Causes of this were overproduction; when industries produce more products than products being sold. Dependence on exports and tariffs also played a role. Tariffs were increasing causing a slowdown in world trade. Canada was in huge debt after World War 1 where the U.S. lent money to Canada. Canada couldn’t repay the U.S. as they were busy paying tariffs. The stock market also crashed where stock prices decreased greatly. All these causes caused huge unemployment,

Before the depression, governments were not generally involved in the economy. They relied on the economy to balance itself. In the 1930s, the government was forced to help out its people by provided for those who could not help themselves. Programs were created to get people back in jobs so they can make money and spend money which increases the demand for goods which increases jobs. Many Canadians look to politics for solutions to get out of the depression. New political parties were created at this time. These parties have a deep impact on Canada as some are still here today. Parties were created all over Canada. All of the parties had different interests and ideas to get Canada out of the depression. The CCF was founded in the prairie provinces, the Social Credit Party was founded in Western Canada, and the Union Nationale was founded in Quebec. The CCF, founded in 1932, was Canada’s first socialist party. They strive to give government the power to control the economy so all Canadians can benefit equally. The Social Credit Party was strongly against the use of capitalism and that it was a wasteful economic system. They believe that they should release money into the economy so that people could spend it. The Union Nationale supported Quebec Nationalism. They blamed many economic problems on the English minority in Quebec. They wanted improved working conditions, social

They just achieved the right to enter the senate and many other rights. This resulted as a big effect as many women lost their right to work. All women from all provinces were impacted as a result of the Great Depression. Back in the 1930s, men were the priority workers over women. Few jobs other than domestic work were available for women which paid very little. Unemployed single women didn’t qualify for the government relief so life was tough for them as they couldn’t get money from anywhere. Many women were forced to quit their jobs to provide jobs for men and married women were simply fired. A former of Montreal said “Wouldn’t national life be happier, saner, safer if a great many of these men could be given work now being done by women.” He goes on to say women should go back to the pre-feministic days. Women were responsible for taking care of the family and home so women tried to save as much money as they could on household costs. The birth rate declined to avoid paying the expenses of raising a child. The effects didn’t last too long as we know today women have come a long