Canada and the Twenties

1. Canada and the Twenties • An Uneasy Adjustment http://www.dmna.state.ny.us/historic/pictures/gfx_pictures/369wia.gif http://www.vac-acc.gc.ca/content/collections/cmdp/images/vm18-l.gif

2. Returning Veterans • no pension • no medical benefits for wounded • few jobs

3. Labour Workers • Worked during war for reduced pay while cost of goods had soared, now demanded: • higher wages • better working conditions • rights to join unions

4. Labour Unions • Influenced by: • 1917 Bolshevik Revolution

5. Communism • a system of government in which all the means of production and distribution are publicly owned

6. One Big Union • formed in western Canada to represent workers in one organization • goal was to establish more control over industry and government through peaceful means

7. Winnipeg General Strike

8. Winnipeg city Council outlawed right to strike by civil employees • Metal and building workers walk off job • Winnipeg Trades and Labour Council vote general strike to support them • 30 000 workers join strike • 94 of 96 joined strike- Police / typographers didn’t

9. Citizens Committee of One Thousand • made of business leaders, industrialists and some politicians • fear communist overthrow of government

10. Bloody Saturday • Royal North West Mounted Police charge crowd resulting in one killed and 30 injured • union leaders arrested • civic workers fired • Immigration Act amended to deport foreign born union leaders

11. Short Term Effect • Unions suffer setback and are broken • Distrust between working class and businesses

12. Long Term Effect • Royal Commission supports workers’ grievances • Many of demands are eventually achieved

13. Cooperative Commonwealth Federation (CCF) • formed by J.S. Woodsworth • later became New Democratic Party (NDP)