Canada and the Great Depression essays

Canada and the Great Depression essays In the 1930s, the world suffered an economic collapse now known as the Great Depression. It was like a disease that afflicted the entire capitalist world. But it struck Canada more severely than every other capitalist country except the United States. It began in 1929 when the other countries stopped buying Canadian goods. This forced many Canadian industries out of business. Thousands of Canadians lost their jobs. Some lost their homes as well. Nearly every Canadian felt the effects of the Depression. However, the hardest hits were single men and Prairie farmers. During the Great Depression, single men suffered the most significant hardship for two reasons. First, they were not able to find jobs. Single women often found jobs cleaning homes for the wealthy, or working for very low wages in a factory. Such work was rarely available for men. People who were lucky enough to find jobs often earned low wages. Second, single men were not able to receive government relief payments or food vouchers. Married unemployed men received these benefits because they had wives and children to support. Single men did not qualify for government relief because they did not have the same responsibilities. The 1930s were even worse for young men just entering the workforce. Most of them could not find steady work because there was always someone more experienced applying for the same job. With no money, but plenty of spare time, single men of all ages wandered across the country looking for work. Many could not afford to ride on passenger trains. They often stol e rides in, or on, freight trains. "Riding the rails" was illegal, but there were too few police officers to catch the many riders. The unemployed held PM Bennet responsible for not solving the situation before the depression hit. The Depression years were also difficult times for farmers on the Prairies. Their problems began in 1929 when other countries stopped buying Canadia...