Canadian Studies · Grade 10 · The Interwar Years: Boom & Bust · Term 2

Government Responses to Depression

Evaluating the effectiveness of government responses, from Mackenzie King to R.B. Bennett, and the rise of new political parties.

• Ontario Curriculum Expectations
• ON: Canada, 1929–1945 - Grade 10
• ON: Social, Economic, and Political Context - Grade 10

About This Topic

During the Great Depression, Canadian Prime Minister William Lyon Mackenzie King favoured limited federal intervention, arguing relief was a provincial matter. This approach drew criticism as unemployment soared and families suffered. R.B. Bennett's Conservative government then introduced protective tariffs, public works, and relief camps, but these measures proved insufficient. Bennett's later 'New Deal', modelled after U.S. President Roosevelt's initiatives, included unemployment insurance and minimum wages, yet faced legal challenges and came too late to avert political backlash.

Public frustration fuelled the rise of new parties. The Co-operative Commonwealth Federation (CCF), led by J.S. Woodsworth, called for socialized planning and public ownership to address inequality. Alberta's Social Credit Party, under William Aberhart, promised monetary reforms like monthly dividends to farmers and the poor. Dramatic protests, such as the On-to-Ottawa Trek where thousands of relief camp workers demanded better conditions, underscored government shortcomings and accelerated demands for change.

This topic in Ontario's Grade 10 Canadian Studies curriculum builds skills in policy analysis and historical causation. Students critique effectiveness through evidence and perspectives. Active learning benefits this topic greatly: role-plays of parliamentary debates or trek simulations make abstract decisions personal, helping students connect economic data to human experiences and sharpen persuasive arguments.

Key Questions

1. Critique the effectiveness of R.B. Bennett's 'New Deal' policies.
2. Explain the emergence of new political parties like the CCF and Social Credit.
3. Analyze the significance of the On-to-Ottawa Trek as a form of protest.

Learning Objectives

• Critique the effectiveness of R.B. Bennett's 'New Deal' policies using specific economic and social data from the period.
• Explain the socio-economic conditions that led to the emergence of new political parties like the CCF and Social Credit.
• Analyze the significance of the On-to-Ottawa Trek as a direct action protest against government relief policies.
• Compare the approaches of Mackenzie King and R.B. Bennett in addressing the economic crisis of the Great Depression.
• Synthesize information from primary and secondary sources to evaluate the impact of government responses on different segments of Canadian society.

Before You Start

Canada's Economy Before the Great Depression

Why: Students need foundational knowledge of Canada's economic structure and prosperity prior to 1929 to understand the impact of the subsequent downturn.

The Role of Federal and Provincial Governments in Canada

Why: Understanding the division of powers is essential for analyzing why Mackenzie King initially viewed relief as a provincial responsibility.

Key Vocabulary

Relief Camps	Government-run camps established during the Great Depression to provide work and basic living conditions for unemployed single men, often characterized by low pay and harsh environments.
New Deal (Bennett)	A series of programs and reforms introduced by Prime Minister R.B. Bennett in 1935, inspired by Franklin D. Roosevelt's initiative, aiming to alleviate economic hardship through measures like unemployment insurance and minimum wage.
Co-operative Commonwealth Federation (CCF)	A democratic socialist political party formed in 1932, advocating for social planning, public ownership of key industries, and a welfare state to address economic inequality.
Social Credit	A political movement, particularly strong in Alberta, that proposed monetary reforms, including the distribution of 'social dividends', to stimulate the economy and combat poverty.
On-to-Ottawa Trek	A protest march by thousands of relief camp workers in 1935 who travelled from Vancouver to Ottawa to demand better working conditions and government action, ultimately halted in Regina.

Watch Out for These Misconceptions

Common Misconception

Bennett's New Deal fully succeeded like Roosevelt's.

What to Teach Instead

Bennett's version was narrower, struck down by courts, and implemented after the 1935 election loss. Group debates with policy cards help students weigh evidence, revealing timing and scope differences over simplified success narratives.

Common Misconception

New parties like CCF had no lasting impact.

What to Teach Instead

CCF influenced welfare state policies and evolved into the NDP. Collaborative platform analyses let students trace influences, correcting views of them as fleeting by linking to modern politics.

Common Misconception

On-to-Ottawa Trek was a chaotic failure.

What to Teach Instead

It exposed relief camp abuses, swayed public opinion, and pressured policy shifts despite Regina Riot violence. Role-plays clarify non-violent goals and symbolic power, building nuanced protest understanding.

Active Learning Ideas

Policy Debate: King vs. Bennett

Divide class into two teams: one defends King's limited intervention, the other Bennett's active measures. Provide source packets with speeches, stats, and letters. Teams prepare 5-minute opening statements, rebuttals, and closing arguments. Conclude with whole-class vote on most effective approach.

50 min·Small Groups

Protest Simulation: On-to-Ottawa Trek

Assign roles as trekkers, officials, media, and Bennett's advisors. Groups plan a 'march' across the classroom, creating signs and demands based on historical facts. Hold a negotiation session where officials respond, then debrief on outcomes and legacies.

45 min·Small Groups

Jigsaw: CCF and Social Credit

Expert groups study one new party's platform using primary documents. Experts then teach their findings to home groups via posters or skits. Home groups compare platforms and predict electoral impacts.

40 min·Small Groups

Timeline Build: Responses and Reactions

Pairs sequence events from King's election to post-Trek shifts on a shared digital or paper timeline. Add cause-effect arrows and quotes. Present to class, discussing turning points.

35 min·Pairs

Real-World Connections

• Historians specializing in Canadian political economy analyze government budgets and relief program records from the 1930s to assess policy outcomes, similar to how modern economists evaluate the effectiveness of current social assistance programs.
• The legacy of the CCF continues in the policies of provincial governments today, influencing debates around universal healthcare and social safety nets, connecting historical party platforms to contemporary public services.
• The On-to-Ottawa Trek is studied by sociologists and labour historians as a significant example of collective action and protest, informing our understanding of how marginalized groups advocate for change when facing systemic challenges.

Assessment Ideas

Discussion Prompt

Pose the question: 'Which government leader, Mackenzie King or R.B. Bennett, had a more effective approach to the Great Depression, and why?' Students should use specific policy examples and evidence of their impact to support their arguments in small groups.

Exit Ticket

Ask students to write down one key policy proposed by either the CCF or Social Credit, and one sentence explaining why that policy was appealing to Canadians during the Depression. Collect these to gauge understanding of new party platforms.

Quick Check

Present students with a brief description of a relief camp worker's experience. Ask them to identify which protest movement or political party might best represent their grievances and explain their choice in one sentence.

Frequently Asked Questions

What was the effectiveness of R.B. Bennett's New Deal?

Bennett's New Deal aimed to counter Depression hardships with reforms like unemployment insurance, pensions, and wage laws, but it arrived late in 1935, faced provincial resistance, and was invalidated by the courts as federal overreach. While it signalled a shift toward interventionism, it failed to end the crisis or win the election, paving the way for King's return with bolder plans. Students benefit from comparing it to U.S. and UK versions for context.

Why did new political parties like CCF and Social Credit emerge?

Economic despair exposed Liberal-Conservative inadequacies, prompting demands for radical solutions. CCF pushed socialism and public ownership for workers, while Social Credit targeted prairie farmers with 'funny money' reforms and dividends. These parties captured regional grievances, won seats, and forced mainstream adoption of welfare ideas, reshaping Canadian politics toward the left.

What was the significance of the On-to-Ottawa Trek?

In 1935, about 1,300 unemployed men from British Columbia relief camps protested harsh conditions by riding rails eastward. Stopped in Regina, the trek and resulting riot highlighted federal neglect, boosted unionism, and influenced the 1935 election. It exemplified grassroots pressure driving policy evolution during crisis.

How does active learning help teach government responses to the Depression?

Role-plays of Bennett-King debates or trek protests immerse students in decision-making tensions, making policies feel urgent rather than distant facts. Jigsaw activities on party platforms build expertise and collaboration, while simulations reveal cause-effect chains. These methods foster empathy for citizens' views, improve evidence-based arguments, and retain details better than lectures, aligning with inquiry-based Ontario curriculum goals.