politics in the great depression

Politics in the Great Depression….

1930 Election

Mackenzie King (Liberal)

Current Prime Minister with

unemployment rising

Wouldn’t give a “5 cent piece” to Conservative

provincial governments to help

unemployment

Bennett(Conservative)

Lawyer, businessman & millionaire

Tariffs needed to protect Canadian

business

1930 Election Results

Seats in the House of Commons

ConservativesLiberals

Bennett’s Failing Policies

• Forgot who Canada’s biggest trading partner was• USA slaps high tariffs on Canada• Canadian businesses suffer

lowers British tariffs; increases US Tariffs

• No jobs are created & families struggle

Refuses to spend money on large public work projects & relief payments

• Harsh protests cracked down by Bennett

Relief (work) Camps to get unemployed men off streets

Bennett Mockery

Bennett Buggy

Eggs Bennett

Bennett Coffee

Bennett Blanket

Bennett Burgh

Bennett Barnyar

d

Bennett’s Compassion

• Secretly donated large sums of money to charities

• Sent small sums of money & gifts to Canadians who wrote him letters

Bennett’s Lasting Policies• created Bank of Canada to control interest rates

• created Canadian Wheat Board to control wheat prices

• created unemployment benefits

Mackenzie King Returns as PM

1935 Election

LiberalConservativeSocial CreditCCF